Many years ago, when I was but a child [yes, hard to imagine] things within communities were different. The old saying about it takes a village to raise a child was in full force. In those days when you committed a transgression and it was seen by any member of the area you got called for it by said person whether or not they were in any way related to you. You might have never seen this individual before and invariably somewhere in the dressing down you got was the phrase 'Just wait until your mother hears about this!'  And hear she would  * sigh * My mother heard not a small number.

These days this isn't in any force at all and I think, maybe, we suffer for it. At least that's the premise I refer to when I find myself being the vocal party addressing some errant child. Yes, I do that. I am the meddling old woman who has something to say and I say it. Not all the time but often enough that a few kids in town and surrounds stop whatever they are doing when they see me coming. They don't usually run away but they get the all suffering look and wait for what is inevitable. Sometimes, just to mix things up, I compliment them. The humor this provokes [mostly mine] is a nice break. 

Today I got tired of being ignored by a six year old girl who happens to be Matt's girlfriend's daughter. I pointed out to her that she was being rude. Then I mentioned that responding when she was spoken to was the respectful and polite thing to do. Her mother was standing there so I didn't have to throw in 'the threat'. Mom heard it from the horse's mouth...and didn't immediately interfere. Finally the child looked at me and spoke. Wow! Anyway that got dealt with and I don't think any major feelings were injured in the process.

But the reason I even relate this incident is to ask whether or not you think we, as a society should say anything to children to help straighten their paths or if you feel that should only be the realm visited by the parents.

Things around here yesterday were boisterous. No, I mean chaotically, overpoweringly cacophonic.

Matt's father was here from up north. Matt's girlfriend, her two kids and two dogs were here, too. Now this may sound strange to those of you who are used to having a house full of folk but I'm not and it was staggering.  The dogs [including the beagle princess] were galloping through the house like it was Fall round-up. The kids were variously whining for attention or ignoring the attention they were getting. Video games were on and in full volume.

I adjourned to my room and put in some foam earplugs.

Today it is quiet. Ahhh.

I have become that crotchety old lady that snarls at the least disturbance.  * sigh *  The only thing I can say in my defense is that I do it well.

Greetings and salutations from the second floor of our local healing institution. I am lying around being lazy and indolent and dining on the remarkable conglomeration of food stuffs from downstairs. Actually the food isn't too bad so that's not really a complaint. Why am I here? I woke up on Tues. morning and my heart was hammering so hard I thought for sure I was having a heart attack.  As it turned out it was afib and diabetes. They managed to get my heartrate down from close to 200 beats a minute to the low 100's ...not great but much better. I am lucky. Very lucky.  It could have been much worse.

So, hi.   :)

Just a little reminder ___enjoy all you can while you can.

This will be a bit of a slog so if you're looking for short and sweet this isn't the blog for you.

The US is on the verge of instituting legislation to legalize pot. It has been a long time coming for a botanical that should never have been illegal in the first place. But that's an old and tired argument so I'll leave it for now.

What is pertinent to the coming legislation and eventual farming and marketing of this plant and it's relative, hemp, is that regulations be put in place Before the process begins on a huge scale. Because you know it will be done on a huge scale. Why the regs before? Because otherwise we are going to find ourselves in an even bigger environmental disaster than we find ourselves with the corn/ethanol 'solution' to petroleum enhancement.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57611891/making-corn-based-ethanol-badly-hurting-environment-ap/

It is absolutely necessary to vet this process before it gets going because cleaning up after rarely works well if at all. It may have to be done state by state rather than on a federal level, but it has to be done.

So when you are advocating for legalization [ as I will be] please also advocate for the regulations to keep the land safe and the product safe also. We are losing so much environmentally that could be safeguarded and utilized in much more responsible ways if we'd simply take the time and effort to let those we have put in charge know that it matters.

I'm sitting in the living room and contemplating making baskets out of boxes [which are at a premium around here]. Why am I doing this? Because taking all the cardboard to the recycler , especially on Sat., is becoming tiresome.  So here I am thinking of designs and whether or not I can actually do this and I hear what sounds like Mahalia Jackson singing very, very softly in the background. Huh?

Then I realize it's the cat. She isn't happy with just the crunchy food for dinner and is complaining about it in a low register. Why? Because she got a bath a couple of days ago and hasn't quite gotten over it yet so the complaining is low key as opposed to strident.

But it took me some minutes to realize it was the cat and in those minutes I thought about all the things it could be.  Mahalia Jackson...ardent gospel singer. I knew it wasn't my neighbor listening to her.  He primarily listens to Jazz and African folk music. How do I know this? Because he plays it loud enough for the neighbors. I like jazz and I like the African music so it's not that big a deal for me but I do wonder on occasion about the country music lovers around and about. * grin *

Then I considered that maybe MJ was singing from up above. You know, the music of well, wherever it is you go when you leave here. The choir of one at St. Peter's gate. I decided that was unlikely.

It also occurred to me that the pellet stove might be getting musical. That also seemed unlikely but an interesting thought.

So that's what's occupying my evening so far. Hope yours is going well.

http://youtu.be/YGQWPq8Mrog

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/24/21117142-shackled-and-pregnant-wis-case-challenges-fetal-protection-law?lite

I found this article interesting.  I went through a situation that was similar in some ways with my first pregnancy.  It wasn't about recreational drug use but about prescriptions I was taking for epilepsy.  I wouldn't take them.  I knew how toxic they were and I didn't have an extreme seizure disorder. I refused to subject my child to the effects of the drugs. Because of this I had a hard time finding a physician to treat me prenatally. I did finally find one __ a good one. Also an interesting story. :)  However
What this young woman has gone through raises some interesting and important questions.
It is true there are addicted babies being born all the time. It is a tragedy, to say the least, but is what the authorities did here the answer?  And in her case I would have to say no.
But that's my opinion...what's yours?

What the  government shutdown accomplished in Smalltown, USA

Front Royal, Va. is a small community an hour or outside of the Washington metro area.  Here we have a mostly rural lifestyle [a few stores but all in all just your small town].  This is where the entrance to Skyline Drive [Shenandoah Nat'l Park] is located and several access points to the Appalachian Trail. We also have the confluence of the north and south forks of the Shenandoah river, very popular with the canoeists.

 The county also houses the Smithsonian Conservation Center for the Smithsonian Institution. Here they raise many of the species for various zoos, most of whom are considered endangered.

During the government shutdown our county lost it's main celebration of the year, The Festival of Leaves. Most of the vendors/stores and services depend heavily upon this festival and the few weeks a year when the leaves change to finance their bottom line. The park was closed as was the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian depends on donations most of which are solicited during their own festival held in conjunction with that of the county. It all takes place during mid-October. There was no reason to celebrate this year.

The financial hit to the county was substantial...on a par with loss from a natural disaster but w/o the ability to petition for funds to compensate the losses incurred.  If I were an attorney I would consider suing the government. This will all have a major impact on the people and businesses here.

Previous Festival photo

And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

All of this loss will have repercussions at the national level as it impacts any of the national businesses who rely on shoppers from areas just like this one. All across the country small towns have suffered. Big towns and cities, too but I think the real damage has been done to the small communities which house homes and businesses that will not recover from all the government grandstanding.

The Smithsonian Conservation Center.

Then there are the International repercussions. But that's for another diatribe.

Today I am going to clear the dining table.  Why? Good question as it instantly attracts more stuff to fill the vacancy left behind by the old stuff.  It's nearly magnetic in it's ability to attract said stuff. And it's not just your usual assortment of stuff__it's also tools [from the constant renovating going on around here], animal supplies [which are supposed to be in cupboards but still end up on the table], food of many varieties [well, I guess food is actually close to it's home as it sits on the table. This is food in bags and other containers least you find yourselves wondering about half eaten pizza, etc. It's not quite frat house messy]. There's more. Much more. Where does all this stuff come from? I found keys the last time I did this and I have no idea what they go to... just a small ring of keys. I need to wash the table felt cover __ * looks at table. Grimaces *  I thought about posting a sign:

But I figure it would backfire and become even more magnetic, attracting even more stuff:

Besides, who'd see the sign buried under all the stuff  :/

However, no matter all the arguments I find myself using to try to weasel out of the task  * sigh *  it must be done.

Oh, and laundry.

Sometimes I wonder what it is I do around here  * looks around *.  I distinctly remember cleaning recently  * looks around some more * but from the looks of things it all needs doing again.  There oughta be a rule. Clean something and it stays that way. Yes. I like that rule. Let's implement that.

It has been an interesting few days.  I mean this in the 'May you have an interesting life' context.

I think I'll make this chronological instead of import.

Last week I went to see the orthopedist about my right shoulder.  The rheumatologist has been giving me cortisone injections in the bursa [ for bursitis] over the last few months but it wasn't improving and the last shot caused a great deal of pain. No more cortisone. Anyway, she was on vacation when I felt a Pop! in my shoulder and could no longer lift my right arm.  This is inconvenient. It's my dominant hand. Anyway, after having an MRI it was discovered that my entire rotator cuff is basically gone. The pop was the last remaining tissue holding it all together. To top that off it is unlikely that I will be eligible for shoulder replacement or any kind of reconstruction as the RA I have will just destroy the new joint.  So I am now listed as having a partially paralyzed right arm. This as opposed to completely paralyzed.  Lovely.

Over the w/e Sari, our tortoiseshell cat, died. I blame myself completely. She had been showing signs of illness  but I was so preoccupied with my own troubles that I waited too long to get her to the vet. In all honesty I didn't think it was that severe but when I brought her outside Fri. morning she just laid down in the sun and wouldn't eat her breakfast. When I went back a few minutes later she was gone. I mean she had wandered off. She never came back. Matt found her body in the tall grass at the edge of the yard yesterday evening. He buried her at the edge of the woods.  I am eaten with guilt. If I hadn't been so short sided and self-centered she may have made it through. I will never know.

Then one of Matt's friends started a whole melodrama and dragged Matt into it. Oh, not directly but by inference in dealings that had nothing at all to do with Matt and everything to do with this friend and his lack of any kind of judgement. Now things have become tense . Matt made a stand and told this person to stay away from him and the house. Never come and darken our door again kind of thing. It's sad as he and Matt have been friends since grade school.

Then last night my front tooth [a cap] fell off. Charming. Now I have to go looking for a dentist. I hate going to the dentist [who doesn't] but especially one I've never been to before as my old one has moved away. So I picked one out of the phone book. This one had the most positive reviews in the area so we'll see. Once again it's the RA. It's affecting all my systems including my teeth, hair, nails and skin not just the joints and connective tissue. If this dentist turns out to be any good he'll probably be seeing much more of me.  * sigh *  In the meantime I am gap-toothed. Oh, and partially paralyzed. And grumpy. And riddled with guilt. I may be approaching the 'old pirate' time of life. I could trade in my cane and use one of Matt's decorative swords instead. Tie on a bandanna and Whoosh! Madame Snarly on your starboard deck, Mateys.

So on a positive note ___ wait, I'll come up with something.  Oh, yes. The pellets for our heating system are here and loaded in the basement.  This is a very good thing as all the prognostications are for a cold, cold winter here. But then again it was supposed to be a bad hurricane season and so far [knock on wood] that hasn't happened.

I hope your last few days have gone better.  And here's to a beautiful and uneventful, at least in the negative way, Fall __ or maybe I should use the word Autumn.

Warning! Spirit woowoo is mentioned. Run if you are inclined or stick around because it is [mostly] innocuous.

This morning I went about my daily routine which includes jumping onto the computer while I jump onto the exercise bike. I got everything set up__ bike alongside bed with pillow as platform for mouse, wallmount screen turned just so, coffee on drafting table on other side of bike [small space, yes], keyboard within reach, everything set but no mouse. I had just had it 2 seconds before.

I looked everywhere. Places I hadn't even gone yesterday. I got on the floor and looked under the desk. I looked in the closet. I went into the kitchen and looked in the freezer. I haven't been in the freezer for at least 24 hrs. In short, I looked everywhere including the dog's bed. Well, I didn't check Matt's room but he'd already left for work before all of this started so what was the point in that?

I was approaching meltdown.

In case I haven't mentioned it, I've been having approaches to meltdown, immanent meltdown or just plain hysterical meltdowns rather often lately. They're not particularly fun and rather alarming for Matt. Mostly I think they're med related and I'm going to be asking for another change here when I can get an appointment but onward with the story.

In order to try and circumnavigate these little bouts I've increased my exercise routines, started meditating more and am really trying to be cognizant of behavior control before I start to fall apart because I can't do something the way I used to be able to.

I made it about halfway before I tore the bed apart.

Oh, not literally. But I pulled the blanket off and shook it, tossed it aside. Same thing with the top sheet. And again with the body pillow. Gave the evil eye to the two bed pillows and threw them in the pile on the floor.  And there before me was the naked bottom sheet with a keyboard and screen remote__and no mouse. At this point I figured I could do a few different things. All I had to do was pick one.

I decided to laugh. Not chuckle, laugh. Out loud. Really loud. Rollicking, rolling laughter. [Yes, I am aware that could be construed as hysterical behavior] I simply have gotten tired of crying__and railing__and ranting. So I laughed. Then I asked those you cannot see but who are always there [I refer to them as spirit guides] what it was they wanted? What was I supposed to learn from losing the mouse? What Message were they imparting? Because it had to be them. There couldn't possibly be any other explanation. None. I wouldn't, couldn't accept one anyway because I had looked for the *(&^&%^*&(*_) mouse in every conceivable place and some really inconceivable ones and it had simply disappeared.

And as I stood laughing I happened to look down at the foot of the newly made bed and right in front of me was the mouse. On top of the blanket just all bright and sparkly.

Very funny guys.

What was it they were trying to say? Well it didn't show up until I started to laugh so the message I got from the entire ordeal was

Lighten Up

Around here we have what we refer to as 'Dog Theatre'.  It is a compilation of all the beagle Bernhardt moves that can be mustered to achieve any or all things desired at any given time or place. Some of these skills are rather impressive__some, not so endearing. Like the head shaking she insists on doing constantly because she wants her wetfood treat that comes along with the meds for her minor ear infection." Oh, look My Most Concerned and Valuable Human! I am in such Pain and Discomfort!" I swear the dog is going to sever a vertebrae. This all magically stops once her objective has been met. Transparent much?

We had an altercation over it this morning as she started in on me before coffee. Not a good idea. I fell [I was at the top of the basement stairs at the time and precariously balanced trying to put the gate back up]. I did not fall down the stairs. I did break the gate. And I did fall on the bad shoulder that just got injected again yesterday. It was at this point that the actress decided maybe it was time to get off the stage for a  while. Good thinking.  She has about 10 more minutes before she gets what it is she wants. If I give it to her at her behest she will push the time limit that much earlier tomorrow. You think I'm kidding? If I let her, by this time next week she'd have me up at midnight feeding her. It's uncanny the time-clock that the animals possess. Who needs an actual timepiece?

On the cute end of the fourlegged stick around here, Mattie in her ongoing culinary perusal of taste sensations has decided that:
okra is for flinging around on the carpet until it sticks
only organic carrots are edible
broccoli is edible if coated in beef juice
cauliflower the same
and tomatoes are very mysterious unless made into pizza sauce wherein they are divine

and I believe she has decided that mushrooms and tofu aren't food at all.

Oh, and now I must worry that every time I hear her squeak about something in her crate at night it might be one of those monster spiders I found downstairs in the basement yesterday. Now that was something to get dramatic about.

In the old days beans was a term used to signify derision, on occasion. 'Oh, you're full of beans.' [I'll leave you to extrapolate] or 'Aw, beans!'. These days we have other words and we use beans for other things. Like food. Well, we used them as food back then, too, don't get me wrong, but now we have LOTS and LOTS of beans where as in the old days we only had a few kinds. Maybe it was because we were vaining their name, I don't know but we have so many different kinds of beans to choose from these days that it seems kind of disparaging to refer to the bean as humble.

Take for instance the original pinto, my personal fav. Now Mexican food would be bereft w/o it but then so would many other kinds of dishes, especially certain southern kinds served with cornbread.

Then there's the black bean. The navy bean [which is the interior of the green bean for those, like me, who didn’t know that] the adzuki, which I have yet to try, the lima, the kidney, garbanzo [yeah], pink, and the fava. [I believe there are more but you get the general idea].

Now, this last, the fava bean, was not on the list of the US Dry Bean Council. I arbitrarily added it. Why? Because it took me a while to find the da*n things in the stores around here. When I was a kid the fava bean, also known as broad beans or Italian beans, were everywhere including just about all backyard gardens. I don’t know when or why they fell out of favor but POOF!! Gone. So why am I so keen on finding these particular beans?

Because they are a food source of levodopa.

It is used to treat, among other things, Parkinson’s disease and related disease symptoms like tremors which I am now developing especially in my hands. Some days these are so bad I cannot do much of anything including use the computer. Many are finding that getting the L-dopa through food rather in a medicinal form is more effective for them__some not. I am willing to try it.  I did finally find the dry variety in the Latino food section at one of the local groceries. I think I’ll try a Mexican type of hummus recipe I found. Beans, lemon, cumin, garlic, parsley [it calls for cilantro] and cayenne. Sounds tasty, right?

Anyway, that’s me. Full of beans. Or soon to be.

I may have mentioned in passing that I joined the Interior Design group here.  I enjoy design.  I don't necessarily practice it in my own home as we always seem to be tearing things apart around here but I enjoy the concept of it.

This is one of the best under-stair storage ideas I've seen.

Since joining the group I get inundated daily with pics and ads from all over the world for layouts and products.  Some interesting ... some__well, lets just say I'm puzzled by the current retro trend of back to the 50's/60's. Most of that molded plastic furniture wasn't attractive [or comfortable] the first time around, why bring it back?

But if you're going to go retro this reminds me of the 60's/70's.


Then there's the new non-color scheme. White.  Everything is white. Oh, you can have accent colors, but the predominant, hit you square in the eyeballs and send you into migraine as soon as you enter a room, is white. Can one say Glare?

 But I do like this bedroom. The dark wood saves it. And I like shutters.
Here is another example of the white scheme__

Anyway, I thought I would go through and pull a few of the more interesting photos [interesting to me, at least] and post them for any who might find them of interest, too.

Yep__white

I

And this __ have you ever seen such an elaborate foot bath?

And I found this different and therefore interesting. Very masculine. I like the curve of the bed frame.

It is the hour of nearly sunrise. I've abused the exercise bike. I'm contemplating floor exercises. I'm swilling coffee and ignoring the pitiful begging coming from the animal members of the family for sustenance before they all disappear into oblivion from immanent starvation. I have a plan to capture the elusive yet ravenous Sari and lock her in the cat condo so we can spray for the dreaded stinkbugs this morning and the only way to catch her these days is with food.

Speaking of stinkbugs our local legislature has decided to take action on something. Yes. The stinkbug. Not guns. Not human rights. Not__well, nevermind.
http://www.nvdaily.com/news/2013/06/stink-bug-bill-passes-through-congress.php

Given that it's been raining non-stop for the last week and a half there's mowing to do and that has to be done today, too as it's going to rain tomorrow. And the usual stuff of the w/e around and about.

And I really don't want to do any of it.

Watched a fairly entertaining movie last night on Amazon called The Guard. It had me giggling from the beginning all the way through.

I woke up from a ghastly nightmare this morning.  I don't have them often. I have what one could call interesting dreams more often than not but outright nightmares are uncommon. This one qualified. Probably one of the top 5   [shudders] .  I have to pick these things up out of the ethers. There is no way I could conceive of this stuff on my own. I don't know how anyone could conceive of this stuff. It's going to take days to shake it off.

Oh, well. That's about it from the Blue Ridge. At least for the moment.

The Thirthteenth Chakra __

The 13th Chakra and The Acceleration of Healing
by Eileen McKusick

http://www.ofspirit.com/eileenmckusick1.htm

Just to start the week off in grand fashion I think I'll blog about things around here and scare you all into a state of boredom and stupidity... just to get you in the mood for the rest of your week. Never accuse me of being inconsiderate.

First off__the wren. She built a nest in a bucket which I had hanging from a post on the porch-rail. This proved problematic as it began to attract every predator in the neighborhood when she laid a large clutch of eggs.

I love wrens. They're cute, hard-working, tenacious, curious, intelligent. They're just neat little birds but they are not up to defending against an entire forest of attackers. So, how to move the nest w/o damaging it, scaring off the mother, allowing her to find it again__etc., etc.  This actually became a large obsession, and when one is retired obsessing in general can become an obsession, if you get my drift. Well, I finally buckled under and hefted the ladder around back, gently [oh, so very gently] lifted the bucket off the post and carried it sideways up the ladder and perched it into a small Honey Locust tree just off the back porch. The tree is not much more than a sapling but is strong and I am hoping it will work through the nesting season. And after looking around and calling frantically for an hour she did locate the nest. Waiting until some of the chicks had hatched turned out to be the best idea as a barometer for timing to move it as she could hear them. Apparently smell isn't a sense most birds can rely on but sound is. Then I went down to the rose-briers and cut swaths of thorns and wrapped the trunk of the tree to try to keep at least some of the nasties from getting up to the relocated nest. So far, so good. They've been up there for a couple of weeks now and she's still carrying in bugs so at least one or two chicks have made it. And at one point she came down and landed next to me while I was sitting on the steps on the porch and just perched and cheeped. I took it as a thank you.

Then there is the ongoing kitchen reno. This is a very big deal. We started building this house back in the late 80's. We had saved and bought the materials we could afford and then the recession hit. We only got part of it finished. I have never had a completed kitchen. For nearly 20 years I cooked for a family of four on a 2 burner hot plate or on an open fire. We had a tiny frig and no oven, no cabinets just shelves. I haven't had a dishwasher since, well it's been a very long time. Yesterday Matt finished installing the last of the wall cabinets, and putting in the new kitchen sink and installing my new DISH WASHER!!! I really never thought I would get so excited about a dish washer but my hands don't work too well any more and to be honest, it made me cry when he turned it on for the first time. This is how my son spent his vacation time. And he really needed to relax. But instead I am getting the kitchen I haven't had in 25 yrs. Wow. I get so blown away by the generosity of loved ones sometimes__it leaves me speechless. Oh, and a micro-wave/convection oven which I said I didn't want/would never use. Well, he got one and I use it. I have only boiled/blown-up a couple of things so far but give me time...I may turn the Blue-ridge into __well maybe we better not think on that too much.

There's more. I've been a busy old bat. But I'll bore you with all that stuff later when you think you're safe.

__*Critical Thinking*__ This is something you find taught in the higher grades and throughout the colleges and universities. I believe it is time to start teaching it in grade school ... maybe start at the third or forth grade level and tailor it for those ages. And I believe it should be continued all the way through the lower and middle school years and up through high school. Why? Because we are sending our children out into the world unprepared. They do not have the skills to reason. We tell them What to think but not How to think. This is entirely backward and doing them absolutely no favors.

Open the debate__for them__between them. It dismays me to see them falter when asked the most basic of questions. And often it's not knowledge that throws them but the ability to reason an answer. We don't have to turn out huge numbers of brain surgeons but we do need generations of people who can reason.

How would I start? With a program that is simple. Simple is best...as often is the simplest solution to a problem...if you can arrive at it. Ask a question. Pose a problem that would typically face a third grader. Find a solution. Let them debate. Don't offer a solution of your own. Let them reason it out. It's a complex world, yes, and becoming more so each day but often times there is a simple solution and children are very adept at seeing through the fog of obfuscation if encouraged to do so.

http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/a-brief-history-of-the-idea-of-critical-thinking/408

I dedicate this Mother's Day post to the one I consider the true mother of us all, The Ocean...The great encompassing Sea. That from which we emerged and to which we shall return.

I could get more personal and dedicate it to my mother__my poor mother, who got much more than she ever asked for when she gave birth to a daughter far beyond her ken in giving life to me, but I've told those stories before and I'll give her a day of rest instead as a gift.

I always felt the Ocean was the source. It's a power of such magnitude and beauty.
More than any other place when I walk upon her shores or into her waves, I feel embraced, encompassed and whole.

Happy Mother's Day.

The Mountain Bluebirds are here.

This may not be the exact species [there are a few] but close. We have a red breasted bluebird that stays within the range but this little guy migrates so when you see him it's really spring. They usually show up right around the time the blue violets are just starting to go away. But then the day flowers will show up if you look for them.

They are tiny__about the size of a pencil eraser on the end of a stalk of short grass. Cool to find, tho.
Just after these guys show up the goldfinches usually appear.

They come when the coltsfoot has come and gone

But the Dandelions are in full bloom

Then we should start seeing the scrappy little purple finches

And the wild geraniums

It's HGF.  In honor of the Full Pink Moon I decided to go in search of Hot Pink Guys. This led to some things better left to the imagination. I will say the moon is named for the wild pink phlox that appears around this time of year.

They're a delicate little flower. I have many in the yard. They're about the size of a fingernail.
However, I digress.
This is HGF.
As I was saying I went looking and found things I won't mention. Things I will barely mention [like Ryan Lochte in pink speedos] which took me off on another tangent
to

which then morphed into

I know, but he has feathers!
and then I found

~~wiggles eyebrows~~
So that's HGF for this week. :)

Congress: The act of coming together.

The literal meaning of congress is 'coming together'. For the intent of this dispatch I wish it to mean coming together for the common good. That is what is was founded for and what it is still supposed to stand for.

The body itself seems to have forgotten that. That would be the institution of our nat'l Congress of the United States of America.

And it has gone beyond being a shame to being borderline criminal in it's repercussions.

And we the people are paying the price for their willful inability to do their elected jobs.

Because of their inactions we are looking at what will possibly be one of the most violent summers ever in this country. People are fed up with the situations leading us to this point. We have asked...no, we have begged, for Congress to do their jobs, and still we are denied.

The weather has just started to warm as have the tempers of the intemperate.  I truly fear the coming season. Look in the mirror House. Look in the Reflecting Pool, Senate. You are to blame for this. All of it.

Am I the threat? No. I am merely one of thousands of observers.

I am also a voter.

Do I think the system will change? Possibly not. Your siding with your special interest backers is so firmly entrenched it's hard to imagine it changing. So what is the answer?  I can't say at this point. But it may very well may be moot.

Because we may be too busy picking up the pieces of anarchy after this summer comes to an end.

When I first moved to the East Coast of the United States I was struck by the abundance. It didn't really hit home until I settled into Virginia how rich this table is laid, though. Having been born and raised in the Western part of the country where water is scarce and plant life of a different nature it took me some time to realize the bounty outside my very door as I settled into life here in these mountains. Once I began to really study what lay at my feet I was amazed the original [European] settlers ever left to venture farther west. They walked away from a virtual buffet of nature and a relatively mild climate to brave hostile environs only to find themselves living in much less hospitable climes.  Having spent many, many hours out and about on horseback in the desert I know of where I speak.

Which is why I find this article interesting__if not overly obvious.

Anyone who has studied or attempted to live off of the land in any form for even the shortest of time will know you cannot do so off of one crop. It will kill you. Ask the Irish with their potato famine. There is no civilization, whether it be agrarian or nomadic that relies solely on one food source.

The Corn Kachina

Maize

Grass Seed for flour

Squash

Cactus Pods

Beans

The Pueblo at Taos

The Corn Festival