About a month ago I build with pvc pipe support poles to cover my blueberry bushes. Actually it was more stress mentally than work doing it. It took relatively a very short morning of physical work. It was absolutely necessary because the robins were eating them as fast as they turned ripe.
This morning I pick two bowls of berries for us to have at breakfast.
I notice it is about time to put up the garlic bulbs. I will lay them out to dry for a week on the patio and then braid the soft neck ones to hang on the tool shed for a month or two.
Radishes are finding a new importance in my diet. A lovely Asian woman told us at the Fruit Society how she uses radishes and it open my eyes to many more ways than eating them fresh with a salt shaker like my Dad taught me. The French Breakfast type are very large with the sudden heat, I did plant a couple rows of them about a month ago. I stir fry them with other vegetables, I slice them into coins sizes and let them sit in a bowl of salted water for a few minutes and add them to salad, some how they are making an appearance daily now at the evening meal.
Each afternoon John and I are spending an hour or so under the grape arbor and working on our seed collection. Ken refers to it as our Moroccan time. John cuts or pulls the pods off the stalks and piles them in a large bowl. I sit cross legged on the lounge with my small bowl and open the pods for the small black seeds of kale. I let about 20 plants go to seed this spring and when it is all done I will have enough of these seeds to plant 20 acres of kale!
It is impossible to receive this age and not have heard the importance of apple cider vinegar. The list of good it provides is all over the Internet, our usual afternoon four o'clock tea has been replaced with a refreshing tall cool glasses of ice water spiked with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. One of the site argued that a little each day is better than a larger amount infrequently. So, two seniors sitting drinking vinegar water and saving seeds in a five star location discussing the humming bird or the sleeping dog. Life is sweet.
Potatoes become interesting for me to plant after I read about how the commercial ones are sprayed with so many chemicals that the farmers will not even eat them. They grow their supply separately. This year, as I have changed and increased my garden space, I had room to grow some. They are so easy and beautiful to grow. I love to look at my potato patch covered with little purple and yellow flowers at this time. All my food growing is about quality and varieties that I would like to taste so as long as the back and the knees hold out I am into it.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Once in a generation
Who is Julian Assenge? Mr. Wikileaks. A world changer.
Now, any kid that when to 37 schools and 6 universities and is a computer hack has to be a good dinner guest, I would think. Who is this person? A nomad.
Remember my imaginary dinner party, he is now on the list.
"'Capable, generous men do not create victims, they nurture them,' he said of his motivation." And Assange speaks of "the vast range of small tragedies" that account for the horrors of U.S. policy overseas. Our culture today is suffused with cynicism, distancing irony, cheap sarcasm, and many other devices which insulate us from confronting and acknowledging the reverence we should feel for the irreplaceable value of a single human life. Assange's actions and the consistency of his statements about his work speak in direct opposition to a culture of death of this kind. Most of us have made ourselves unable or unwilling to see the heroes in our midst. If you are one of those people, you should ask yourself which individuals you help with your actions, and which individuals you harm. "
Assenge's world is beyond any government, any earthly home, his space in the air, on the Internet. His courage will enable more individual to be courageous and change the world. In the meantime, our congress voted to fund another 33 billion dollars for the war fund while at the same time misplacing 8.9 billion in Iraq.
Now, any kid that when to 37 schools and 6 universities and is a computer hack has to be a good dinner guest, I would think. Who is this person? A nomad.
Remember my imaginary dinner party, he is now on the list.
"'Capable, generous men do not create victims, they nurture them,' he said of his motivation." And Assange speaks of "the vast range of small tragedies" that account for the horrors of U.S. policy overseas. Our culture today is suffused with cynicism, distancing irony, cheap sarcasm, and many other devices which insulate us from confronting and acknowledging the reverence we should feel for the irreplaceable value of a single human life. Assange's actions and the consistency of his statements about his work speak in direct opposition to a culture of death of this kind. Most of us have made ourselves unable or unwilling to see the heroes in our midst. If you are one of those people, you should ask yourself which individuals you help with your actions, and which individuals you harm. "
Assenge's world is beyond any government, any earthly home, his space in the air, on the Internet. His courage will enable more individual to be courageous and change the world. In the meantime, our congress voted to fund another 33 billion dollars for the war fund while at the same time misplacing 8.9 billion in Iraq.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Planet movements- it is in the stars
I read the other day that someone predicts the stock market will start to go down after this Friday, now that I read the following it will be more interesting than ever to watch to see if the following makes sense.
"Jupiter goes retrograde Friday July 23 4:54 am MST.
One of the most important events of 2010 is occurring as Jupiter, planet of optimism, joy and evolutionary growth, will now be in retrograde until Nov 18. Plant the seeds of new intentions by July 22 for projects, moves, creativity of any kind. Then during the retrograde period do the grunt work to make it happen. This usually involves getting out of old situations that no longer serve you, so that by mid November, you are truly able to move out, move in or move on. Then by mid February 2011 " Jhttp://earthwordskyword.blogspot.com/upiter returns to where it sits now in the planetary field, you are living in the new
Monday, July 19, 2010
Imports from our companies
Since we no longer have a strong labor movement in this country the interest of the profit of corporations is the top interests of capitalism without regard of what is best for the United States or the population of this country. In Germany, 50 % of a board of directors of any corporation is made up of the employees, so the long term health of the company is taken into consideration in all changes along with the interest of the shareholders.
Since 1970 real wages have not gone up in this country, simply put people are working more hours, more jobs and have more debt. The change is partly the introduction of the computer, more women in the work place and more immigrates.
The tax code for corporates have changed, also, along with the social structure of companies. The old method of working one's work up in the business for thirty years and becoming the top CEO is long gone. Bonus are paid to presidents of that producing quarterly divides, it is all about mergers and taking the factory overseas. We can say that the Chinese export everything to this country and it is their fault but in truth 60% of those factories are part of American Corporations. The climate of profit has made it necessary for any corporation to move oversea or go out of business.
The think tanks have created an atmosphere that pictures corporation as the victim of our tax system. With the freedom to lobby congress and the law makers in the last 30 years nothing is less true. Laws and the rulings of the supreme court have moved this country to produce the glidden age again. In the meantime, the CEO pay has gone from 24 times a employee's salary in 1965 to 275 times the average employee in 2007.
We can not bring back the jobs that went overseas. The unemployment can only be solved by massive public works programs for the common good. This will not happen while the corporations control our congress and the White House by funding our elections. Package the problems any way the media wants , the facts are the facts.
Since 1970 real wages have not gone up in this country, simply put people are working more hours, more jobs and have more debt. The change is partly the introduction of the computer, more women in the work place and more immigrates.
The tax code for corporates have changed, also, along with the social structure of companies. The old method of working one's work up in the business for thirty years and becoming the top CEO is long gone. Bonus are paid to presidents of that producing quarterly divides, it is all about mergers and taking the factory overseas. We can say that the Chinese export everything to this country and it is their fault but in truth 60% of those factories are part of American Corporations. The climate of profit has made it necessary for any corporation to move oversea or go out of business.
The think tanks have created an atmosphere that pictures corporation as the victim of our tax system. With the freedom to lobby congress and the law makers in the last 30 years nothing is less true. Laws and the rulings of the supreme court have moved this country to produce the glidden age again. In the meantime, the CEO pay has gone from 24 times a employee's salary in 1965 to 275 times the average employee in 2007.
We can not bring back the jobs that went overseas. The unemployment can only be solved by massive public works programs for the common good. This will not happen while the corporations control our congress and the White House by funding our elections. Package the problems any way the media wants , the facts are the facts.
Hubris
This word hubris has been around but I have notice that it is being used so much in the last couple years. It comes from the Greek, " means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates being out of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power. " That last part probably is the most important, people of power.
The quick and easy example is BP and the way they reassure the world of their competence to handle oil gusher and the clean up of the Gulf of Mexico. The long term damage is that no oil company is now believable along with the lose of this water, the sea life, the adjoining land and the livelihood of millions of people along the coastline.
Out of touch with reality may explain it.
The Republican Party for a decade has said the science about global climate change was inconclusive. This was also the position of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States and many leading think tanks funded by the international corporations. Haughtiness and arrogance, joke making at the expensive of Gore and the leading scientists. A couple degrees of temperature doesn't matter to the planet. Guess it is the same with the human body, except we call it a fever.
Addicted to consuming may explain it.
Pentagon and the Intelligence communities of our government has hubris. Officially there are 16 Intelligent agencies. But since September 11 World Center attack, the United States has built 33 building complexes for top-secret intelligence work. That equals 3 Pentagons and 22 U. S. Capitol buildings, 17 million square feet of space. Yet, our government choice to ignore other government around the world that warned about the attack. There is so much information gathering in one hundred cities in the U.S. plus sites around the world that the value is meaningless. Who is in charge? Who benefits?
The other hubris that is showing in recent years is Christianity. Start with the oldest form, the Catholic Church. Those old men are more worried about saving the institution that the principles of piety and the sense of Jesus's message. They are destroying the church from within, "what you do to the less of them you do to me", what are these old men thinking? The American Christian communities has rocked with so much money, mega churches, greed, political corruption that it would take a book to start documenting their recent hubris.
The economy is showing all of us on all levels of society that our life style is over. We can have hubris or humility, we can be part of a mob or act individually, to survive we have to change. The earth will not support this arrogance.
The quick and easy example is BP and the way they reassure the world of their competence to handle oil gusher and the clean up of the Gulf of Mexico. The long term damage is that no oil company is now believable along with the lose of this water, the sea life, the adjoining land and the livelihood of millions of people along the coastline.
Out of touch with reality may explain it.
The Republican Party for a decade has said the science about global climate change was inconclusive. This was also the position of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States and many leading think tanks funded by the international corporations. Haughtiness and arrogance, joke making at the expensive of Gore and the leading scientists. A couple degrees of temperature doesn't matter to the planet. Guess it is the same with the human body, except we call it a fever.
Addicted to consuming may explain it.
Pentagon and the Intelligence communities of our government has hubris. Officially there are 16 Intelligent agencies. But since September 11 World Center attack, the United States has built 33 building complexes for top-secret intelligence work. That equals 3 Pentagons and 22 U. S. Capitol buildings, 17 million square feet of space. Yet, our government choice to ignore other government around the world that warned about the attack. There is so much information gathering in one hundred cities in the U.S. plus sites around the world that the value is meaningless. Who is in charge? Who benefits?
The other hubris that is showing in recent years is Christianity. Start with the oldest form, the Catholic Church. Those old men are more worried about saving the institution that the principles of piety and the sense of Jesus's message. They are destroying the church from within, "what you do to the less of them you do to me", what are these old men thinking? The American Christian communities has rocked with so much money, mega churches, greed, political corruption that it would take a book to start documenting their recent hubris.
The economy is showing all of us on all levels of society that our life style is over. We can have hubris or humility, we can be part of a mob or act individually, to survive we have to change. The earth will not support this arrogance.
Friday, July 16, 2010
John's Birthday
In the book ART OF AGING by Nuland, he states that the people we love and love us defines who we are. I was thinking about about this morning at 5:30 when John mistakenly got up too early. Gentlely, I told him he had an another hour to sleep and he turned off lights and when back to bed. Later, as I was driving John to the Y, I was also reminded by a passage of the book, that we make accommodations as we age. I am defined in many ways by John and probably need him more than he needs me.
His responds to my suggestions are usually taken with respect or humor or the new third way, quickly forgotten! His adjustment of letting me drive him gradually over a couple weeks went from I can drive myself, "you know Loretta I'm should be driving my truck and you wouldn't have to do this" to "it is so nice of you to take me to the Y, are you sure you want to?".
As long as we have enthusiasm for something we have a reason to live. I have seen this in all my family and friends that have been around me. Some of them it was the routine of getting up to go to Mass each day and visiting with friends, some it was the care of someone else and some it was a particular hobby or interest of gave them a purpose in life.
A good old age is fulled with happiness. Regardless, of the limitations that surround these years, most polls show that people in their senior years are said to be very content and happy. It is our society that is so focused on youth, ambition and acquiring things that they have failed to notice the sweetness that is presence in senior years.
John turned 77 this month. His vocabulary is shrinking, his need for strict routine is more apparent each week yet his life fulled with little tasks that make his life very content. His presences fulls my life and Daisy's.
My interests of gardening, art and writing will be part of my life as long as my bones can move and my mind can function but these days have a special sweetness.
His responds to my suggestions are usually taken with respect or humor or the new third way, quickly forgotten! His adjustment of letting me drive him gradually over a couple weeks went from I can drive myself, "you know Loretta I'm should be driving my truck and you wouldn't have to do this" to "it is so nice of you to take me to the Y, are you sure you want to?".
As long as we have enthusiasm for something we have a reason to live. I have seen this in all my family and friends that have been around me. Some of them it was the routine of getting up to go to Mass each day and visiting with friends, some it was the care of someone else and some it was a particular hobby or interest of gave them a purpose in life.
A good old age is fulled with happiness. Regardless, of the limitations that surround these years, most polls show that people in their senior years are said to be very content and happy. It is our society that is so focused on youth, ambition and acquiring things that they have failed to notice the sweetness that is presence in senior years.
John turned 77 this month. His vocabulary is shrinking, his need for strict routine is more apparent each week yet his life fulled with little tasks that make his life very content. His presences fulls my life and Daisy's.
My interests of gardening, art and writing will be part of my life as long as my bones can move and my mind can function but these days have a special sweetness.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Mt. Rainier National Park
It was a perfect weather for John, Daisy and I go to Mt. Rainier, the day was clear, sunny and warm. We are only 90 minutes from the entrance gate and the rural road to to that site is a pleasant drive with forest, horse farms and undeveloped countryside.
There are two locations on the southwest side Longmire and Paradise, that John Muir called "the noblest of all the Pacific Coast mountains". The winging road through the fir, fern, moss forest heads first toward Longhaim about 15 minutes inside the park. There are a cluster of buildings including a couple lodges, general store, eatery and housing for staff plus maintenance buildings. The main reason for this development was the mineral springs found there by James Longmire in 1883 and the the clear view straight up a valley to the peak of Mt. Rainer. The road side hosts camera carrying people at all times for that perfect shot to take home.
Paradise Valley was named by Martha Longmire when she first saw it, she said, "Oh, what a Paradise." Records show she was a religious person and felt closer to heaven up at this near 6,000 feet level. Yesterday, probably five feet of snow on the ground, melting very fast with the current weather as the temperature was around 80. Later this summer, wild flowers cover the fields on this valley and the beauty is remarkable.
In 1917, the lodge at Paradise open, typical architecture of the national parks with the log beams style. By the time, we traveled to this height the only pine are of the short needled bottled bushed type. Mother nature at it's best.
The National Park Service has been 'privatized'. Like the food service in the army, the guard service at our embassies, the machinists for our equipment over seas, it is privatized.
There are two solutions for this country. All wars should be fought with citizens that are drafted and all national parks should be maintained, serviced by government employees.
Many of the contracted service people were not English speakers, the food was not eatable for healthy people. The beauty of our greatest sites in this country are thrown to the highest bidder of some fifth rate loser who wins the contract.
I understand that statistic say the top one percent of income people in this country don't go to National Parks. If they did, they would want to save the sites. They would want our government to have only career employees working in the system. All Americans should understand that we live in one of the most beautiful area of the planet earth and we are the caretakers.
How many ways is there to break a system? What year was 70% of it privatized? When is this government going to represent the people, the citizens and our needs.
There are two locations on the southwest side Longmire and Paradise, that John Muir called "the noblest of all the Pacific Coast mountains". The winging road through the fir, fern, moss forest heads first toward Longhaim about 15 minutes inside the park. There are a cluster of buildings including a couple lodges, general store, eatery and housing for staff plus maintenance buildings. The main reason for this development was the mineral springs found there by James Longmire in 1883 and the the clear view straight up a valley to the peak of Mt. Rainer. The road side hosts camera carrying people at all times for that perfect shot to take home.
Paradise Valley was named by Martha Longmire when she first saw it, she said, "Oh, what a Paradise." Records show she was a religious person and felt closer to heaven up at this near 6,000 feet level. Yesterday, probably five feet of snow on the ground, melting very fast with the current weather as the temperature was around 80. Later this summer, wild flowers cover the fields on this valley and the beauty is remarkable.
In 1917, the lodge at Paradise open, typical architecture of the national parks with the log beams style. By the time, we traveled to this height the only pine are of the short needled bottled bushed type. Mother nature at it's best.
The National Park Service has been 'privatized'. Like the food service in the army, the guard service at our embassies, the machinists for our equipment over seas, it is privatized.
There are two solutions for this country. All wars should be fought with citizens that are drafted and all national parks should be maintained, serviced by government employees.
Many of the contracted service people were not English speakers, the food was not eatable for healthy people. The beauty of our greatest sites in this country are thrown to the highest bidder of some fifth rate loser who wins the contract.
I understand that statistic say the top one percent of income people in this country don't go to National Parks. If they did, they would want to save the sites. They would want our government to have only career employees working in the system. All Americans should understand that we live in one of the most beautiful area of the planet earth and we are the caretakers.
How many ways is there to break a system? What year was 70% of it privatized? When is this government going to represent the people, the citizens and our needs.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 4th
Sixty-seven years ago this evening I was born in a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Probably my earliest memory of a birthday party and fireworks was the night on my third birthday. It was on the shores of a small lake and I have the feeling the whole event was planned for me. I assumed for a couple years that each person had fireworks for their birthday celebrate. Then it was explained that I just happened to be born on a national holiday, the biggest of the summer.
For all of us, birthdays have moments that stay with us for years and we reflect on them and measure how our life is processing. Because of the date and the summer holiday I probably have had more high notes than ten people combined when it comes to celebrating with family and friends.
This year I have a very subdued, quiet day in mind. My brother this week heard the news about cancer, my husband this morning had no idea that it was my birthday because of his Alzheimer's, my children and grandchildren are far away or traveling.
When we are young we all for sure that we are the first generation that has felt the passion of love and sex. Then we mature a little and we realize that all previous generations have had the same misinformed idea. There are many markers on the road about things in life. Always we imagine our discovery of these common events are new.
This birthday reminds me the current period of life is one of letting go. Oh, it is not in one day or one year but the losing of strength, of energy, of the sense of no one's head turns any more, that I blend into the landscape of life. I am amazed when I am referred to as senior or like someone's grandmother and how similar I look liked my mother in her mature years. Inside my head, the wisdom is growing and the mental position is still of my mid thirties.
The outside world is in crisis unlike we have seen in a century perhaps. The earth as a planet is hurting and poisoned . The citizens are focused on one issues that reflects their interest rather it is their job, their investments, their taxes or their religious view. One issue. Empathy is missing. My voice has been stolen by the greed of the system. My world has shrunk to the few I can help.
I plan to to fix a special lunch, serviced outside for my husband and brother with a view of the garden. Hopefully, Daisy will be near by wondering what portion of this lunch she will get, the chickens stay securely inside they yard and no rabbits are eating my beans or peas.
For all of us, birthdays have moments that stay with us for years and we reflect on them and measure how our life is processing. Because of the date and the summer holiday I probably have had more high notes than ten people combined when it comes to celebrating with family and friends.
This year I have a very subdued, quiet day in mind. My brother this week heard the news about cancer, my husband this morning had no idea that it was my birthday because of his Alzheimer's, my children and grandchildren are far away or traveling.
When we are young we all for sure that we are the first generation that has felt the passion of love and sex. Then we mature a little and we realize that all previous generations have had the same misinformed idea. There are many markers on the road about things in life. Always we imagine our discovery of these common events are new.
This birthday reminds me the current period of life is one of letting go. Oh, it is not in one day or one year but the losing of strength, of energy, of the sense of no one's head turns any more, that I blend into the landscape of life. I am amazed when I am referred to as senior or like someone's grandmother and how similar I look liked my mother in her mature years. Inside my head, the wisdom is growing and the mental position is still of my mid thirties.
The outside world is in crisis unlike we have seen in a century perhaps. The earth as a planet is hurting and poisoned . The citizens are focused on one issues that reflects their interest rather it is their job, their investments, their taxes or their religious view. One issue. Empathy is missing. My voice has been stolen by the greed of the system. My world has shrunk to the few I can help.
I plan to to fix a special lunch, serviced outside for my husband and brother with a view of the garden. Hopefully, Daisy will be near by wondering what portion of this lunch she will get, the chickens stay securely inside they yard and no rabbits are eating my beans or peas.
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