Winter in the Valley:A hard way to Learn a Lesson

Winter had come to the Valley, and it wasn’t an ordinary one either. Bitter cold and deep snow took their toll on many of the animals who were permanent residents. Some birds had gone South for the winter, but others were locked into a never-ending cycle of changing seasons without migration. Hard winters were tough on these hardy souls.
Meanwhile, while snow piled up on the surface, some life went on underground. Old man Badger was warm with his cardigans and blankets, and the many mouse families were snug in their nests of dry grass and fluff and stores of food carefully put away for cold weather.
Others were no so lucky.
While preparations for the winter were going on in the summer, none could anticipate the just how deep the freeze would penetrate, or how deep the snow would be. Familes who didn’t dig deep enough or store enough food were destined for tragedy.
One such family of tortoises was in trouble. They had recently arrived from further south and were unprepared for the onslaught of the winter. Old Man tortoise, a long time resident of the Valley, had warned them of the danger of not burrowing deep enough and not storing enough food, but they didn’t listen. Instead, they enjoyed the summer fruits and only reluctantly retreated into their shallow burrow in the fall. Now, they were freezing and starving. And no help in sight.
Meanwhile, young Mouse was wondering about his new tortoise friends. And worrying too. So he asked Mole to see if he could dig a tunnel to their burrow to check on them. Mole, being bored and needing exercise, was delighted to have a project and immediately began to dig. It wasn’t easy either. Frozen ground doesn’t yield readily, but Mole persisted. With Mouse helping remove the diggings and briging water to drink, Mole eventually broke through into the cold burrow of their friends. Mouse ran in and found his friends nearly dead from cold and hunger. While Mole enlarged the tunnel, Mouse carried food and water to the Tortoise family. Warm air from the tunnel began to warm the burrow, and soon the Tortoises were feeling better.
Later, with the tunnel much bigger, the Tortoises were able to move into deeper ground, and with the help of all the Valley folks were able to survive the Winter.
When Spring finally came, all the animals got together to celebrate the warmth and first shoots of green, and the Tortoise family thanked everyone for saving them. They pledged to work hard during the coming summer, to dig deep, and to help others whenever they could.


And they did.

Image: http://www.yosemitecloseup.com/wp-content/uploads/IrasWinter1.jpg

It May Not Help but it Couldn’t Hurt

Of late there has been a huge number of posts on Facebook urging people to hold on in the face of tough times because (paraphrases from many) “God has a plan for you”.

You know what? What is the plan for all the starving and dying children in the world, and yes, including American kids? And the plan for the millions of refugees displaced by war, living in poverty with no chance of ever getting out? And the 10s of millions of people dying from cancer and other treatable diseases because of inadequate or no medical care? And the – oh – I don’t know, the millions of humans being abused by someone or another, or being killed.

Tell me that your God has a plan. Convince me that this plan will do some good, because what I see is no god or gods doing anything. It is easy to believe in a loving god when you are not starving or being trafficked or killed. And I agree that many people who are starving or trafficked or killed go on believing that some God somewhere has a plan, and that things will get better, or, they will have eternity in Heaven, someplace undefined where they will praise, worship and sing to the god who didn’t give a crap for anyone during their lives.

Tell me that prayer to a god who isn’t there can possibly be answered? Tell me that a prayer to a god to help a pet in surgery will not let babies die of thirst and starvation. Tell me that any god worth a crap will help the world survive that coming crisis of overpopulation and global disaster. Tell me that any god cares enough to do some global good, not just help your Aunt Fannie get over her flu.

Well, I guess you can’t. But still you believe, and that is what I see is the real power of prayer. Not that someone will actually help, but that you will help yourself though perceived divine help. Go for it. Just don’t impose it on everybody else.  And go ahead and pray for me if you want to. As the Jewish Grandmother is fond of saying “It may not help but it couldn’t hurt.”

Image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44b-jrzJRV6QFbpSr4p3gU7M7yJXi3Nc-pdMNc92W4oXivPi6MFarNr-5pG1Ziq_oIYvolfwng1UWM2jqw73kz3ypHmEUyqvPvmAKE2q3OF8FTyzauSnOUoNqyJsrptaLOTulZCevWcc/s320/tumblr_n4hyrdk2Uf1re204ao1_500.jpg

Bitter Sweet - A Pet Passes

Not Millie, but close. She was a Catahoula, and all her pictures are on a dead computer.

As usual when we travel for business, Millie was boarded at her suite at the Cumberland Animal Clinic. We got the "call" from the vet this morning: Millie died on Sunday. Millie was an old dog, hurting from several aliments and sliding away slowly. We had already made the decision to end her discomfort, but were delaying, probably, because we didn't want to let her go. We missed the signs that she was ready, but she didn't.
Millie came to us as a 2 year old foundling, wandering along the roadside with puppies. The humane society placed the puppies and deemed her "unadoptable" because she was an adult with puppies. Bullshit we said and adopted her. She was a full member of the family from day one. No "breaking in" period. It was like we were destined to be her people. One might almost think "It is Written" and not be far off. So we went through 13 years of various episodes, some joyful and some not so much. She spent much time at her "vacation" home, Cumberland Animal Clinic, boarding with her other family. She loved to go there and would run to the door waiting to get in her air conditioned and heated run. And to be fussed over by her friends there. I know her passing is as painful to them as to us.
Of late, her arthritis and other aliments of old age severely reduced her movements, and some spinal problems contributed to incontinence. She slept most of the time. She slowed way down on eating. Our old vet, "Uncle Ivan" told us on the occasions of other of our friends reaching the end, "Don't worry, she will let you know when she is ready". And Uncle Ivan was right. She did and we missed it.
She will be cremated and sprinkled with "Smiley", her pal who bailed out a few years ago. We have kept Smiley on a shelf in the garage just for Millie. Now they will once again rest together. RIP guys, no humans deserve a more peaceful future more than you guys.

Image: http://images.rescueme.org/pn/catahoula-FB.png

Remember the Oysterman and Shut your Mouth

I was in line in a Dollar General in Carrabelle, and ahead of me was a big fella, long hair, sunburned skin and lined before his time. A rough looking character with big arms and strong hands. He had some food items and was trying to get his credit card to work. The cashier finally offered to help him, and the line got longer by 2. She swiped it again, asked him something, fiddled with something, and the sale when through. As she was finishing up he turned to me and showed me the card: an EBT card. Food stamps. He said, paraphrased, “I was an oysterman and always made a living. Then the bay quit producing oysters and the government stepped in to help. I never wanted welfare, but I have to feed my family. All I want is honest work.”That last word was said with a quiet sob, and he had tears in his eyes.

I said something like hang in there friend. We have all been through bad times one way or another and we understand. Not the right thing to say probably, but that’s what came out. I wanted to give him a hug but didn’t.

Until Franklin county gets some economic development, and until and if, a really big if, the oyster industry comes back, this man and many others are going to be needing all of our help. I willingly pay taxes to support people like him and his family.

The oystermen and fishermen didn’t cause the problem. Greedy people in Georgia and Alabama did. Hogged the water the bay needs to stay alive.

The next time you see or hear someone going off on “welfare” remember the oysterman. And the millions like him. Pay your share and shut your mouth and just be glad you have work. Or income or something.

And if you ever got some help from the treacherous and evil government, thank whoever you thank that they were there for you.

Oyster:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Crassostrea_gigas_p1040848.jpg/600px-Crassostrea_gigas_p1040848.jpg

Conservatives Lie Again: No Surprise There.

Yep, Conservative Men and Women Fooled Again by the RIGHT.

Now we know that the secret video showing Planned Parenthood people blithely discussing disposal of aborted fetal tissue was an edited fraud. And the photos of "aborted fetuses" were actually photos of miscarried babies unrelated to either abortion or Planned Parenthood. The people that put out the video ADMITTED IT WAS A FRAUD.
In other words: LIES.
Now come on Woody. Why would minions of right-wing conservative politicians and Christians make up stuff? Well, because they need an ISSUE, dummy. They need a "Chicken Little" issue to make the ignorant conservative base run around crying "the sky is falling - again." Did I say "again"? Yep. Remember how gay marriage was going to destroy straight marriage? (Never mind how many divorces there are, how many battered women there are, how many unmarried mothers there are.) Well, it didn't, and now a-days people don't much get excited about gay people getting married. Remember the "Obama is going to take your guns"? He didn't. Never was going to. But the NRA-sponsored issue machine whipped up the base again.
And now, since it is obvious that Obama isn't going to take your dammed guns or that gay marriage is going to ruin your perfect straight marriage, the Right Wingers need a new issue to whip up the base into running around in circles crying "The Sky is Falling"!!!
Enter the Planned Parenthood fiasco. Sure enough, the anti-abortion people fell on it with slobbering fangs, pushed it down everybody's throats and screamed "SEE!!! THEY KILL BABIES FOR PARTS!!!"
And you run around like morons.
You probably wont care that Planned Parenthood is the MAJOR supplier of women's health benefits for poor women: breast cancer screening, reproductive system screening for all kinds of issues, birth control counseling and supply (you know, so poor women wont need abortions?).
Very little of the PP activity is abortion related.
But the RIGHT must have an ISSUE. So they cob up another lie.
Boy, you conservatives are sure stupid sometimes. Some "Special Kind of Stupid".
Image: https://polination.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/dog-not-saying-youre-stupid.jpg?w=500&h=312

Ever See a Photo of a Shot Dead American Child?

Ok, here it comes. Right between the eyes. Look at the photos below:

 These are dead foreign children killed in war-related action. Their pictures were ALL OVER the foreign press. Not ours though.

Here are photos of dead AMERICAN CHILDREN:

They look dead to you? No? Thats because our media doesn't show the real results of shooting a child. Why not? You think that JUST MAYBE you would be more outraged if you saw the little guy on the left or the cute little girl on the right blown up by an bullet? You think you MIGHT get a little pissed off at the MORONS who want total access to guns and no accountability in their use and storage?
You are being MANAGED by the National Rifle Association and Billionaires in the Arms Industry.
But I guess you like it, 'cause you never raise a finger in protest. Until your kid gets killed. Then it it way too late. Sorry.

Image: http://www.juliagorin.com/images/croatia/Borovo7.jpg
Image: https://socioecohistory.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/shotgazanchild.jpg
Image:https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8tCFcDurVvM/hqdefault.jpg
Image:https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQTLkaskH-gXPlPql82BofzziG8wW5ZtI-bsfFVWD1k7YCciF-X
Image:https://shootfromthelefthip.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/child-shot-channel-18.jpg?w=634

Pregnant in the Summer and Barefoot in the Winter

Women. You don’t get it do you?

No, some of you don’t get it at all. You are being played for suckers by the Conservative Right. The fabricated “abortion” issue is a brilliant scam to distract attention from the real agenda of the Conservative Right: put women back in the home, out of the workplace and under the strict control of men. Pregnant in the Summer and barefoot in the Winter. Yes Virginia, there is a war on women being waged. A war to turn back the clock on women’s rights all the way from equal pay (Republicans voted against) and voting rights (Republicans tried to prevent) to health services such as pap tests and breast exam (Republicans voted to eliminate funding) to reproductive health services such as HIV testing and other VDs and birth control (Republicans voted against), and yes, abortion services (Republicans voted against). And they voted against the ACA which has provided health insurance for millions of women and children, in addition to men.

This is a pretty poor voting record when it comes to Women’s Issues. They also voted against any legislation that would benefit minorities.

Dead Children in Afganistan

But, they voted heavily to support the NRA agenda which is apparently to kill as many Americans as Possible. So I guess we need an act called the NRA CAP act (as in “Cap his Ass).

That they would go for.

Image: https://shootfromthelefthip.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/child-shot-channel-18.jpg?w=634

Image: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/images/news/afghan_children_killed_by_US_460.jpg

Forgive? Not me. Not yet.

Proud Southern Boy.

I was sitting in the kitchen, coffee in hand, listening to the news about Charleston, Kabul, and other hot spots in the world. Of particular interest is the outpouring of Forgiveness for the murdering little bastard Roof. Coward too. Apparently ran out of bullets so his attempt to shoot himself failed. Good. Because I don’t forgive him. And a lot of people won’t forgive him. But back to forgiveness.

I am amazed that the people closest to the killings are pouring out forgiveness. And the community. And people all over. I love that people have this capacity to forgive. I wish they would forgive gay people for falling in love, or mentally handicapped people for being different, or black people for being black.

My problem is easy to see isn’t it? Anyone with the deep and abiding capacity to forgive a murdering little shit should also be on the vanguard of all the social actions to right the wrongs of society and “forgive” if needed. Now don’t come back on me with “You don’t have to forgive someone for something genetic” or whatever. I know that. I am talking about the philosophy of people blaming innocent carriers of difference and discriminating on that basis. For example: you are gay? No marriage in My Church. You are black? No business in the pool. You are Hispanic? No business in this country.

No, people are mostly hypocritical and cherry pick what, who and why they will confer forgiveness. WWJD?  Forgive with unconditional love. Would that all of you could do the same. I certainly cannot. But at least I know what I should be doing. Forgive the murdering little shit. Gulp. Nope. Not yet.

Image: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/06/20/17/29CF022100000578-3132670-image-m-57_1434817272168.jpg

Thanks EB for the Memories.

When I started my teaching career in the early 1980s at what is now Thomas University, I had a good number of adult returning students, mostly women. Most of my thousands of students are fondly remembered as groups, and a few are remembered as individuals. Such was a student I will call EB. EB was a returning adult woman, married with children and seeking a life change. She wanted to be a counselor of some kind, undefined at that early stage, but she had a clear goal. She did indeed become a counselor. Because she was older than most of the other students and I am rather a social person, we often talked after class about this and that. I learned about her children in broad terms, and in fact her daughter was a student of mine much later.

Why did EB stand out? Hard to say exactly, but two things made her indelible to me. One was a conversation we had one day after class, as we were talking about spiritual things. She was comfortable enough with me to ask if I believed in paranormal events, and I said not really, but had had a few experiences that I couldn't explain with rational science. I described my one and only Out of Body Experience (not on drugs or anything else) and we talked about it. She then shared a vision she had and the outcome. She told me she had “seen” her pantry floor covered with broken jars of home canned green beans. She had no broken jars in her pantry. Sometime later, she gave some jars of beans to a friend who then had an accident on the highway and broken jars of green beans were all over the trunk of the car. She was convinced that she had “seen” this ahead of time, but didn’t anticipate the event. This bothered her as I recall.

The other thing about EB was her voice. At times when she spoke I heard two voices, not one. Very unusual and only from her. This was not a few times, but many. I even went to an ear specialist to get a checkup and was put through a number of tests including a brain scan, and all was normal. It was her voice I was hearing, not some pathology of mine. I have no idea what that was all about, but clearly I have never forgotten it.

So where does all this lead? A few days ago I heard from her daughter that she is in hospice for untreatable cancer, and is close to her end. I have not seen here for many years, but her personality and quirkiness have left a deep impression on me. Her passing will be a sad thing for the family she leaves behind, but if she was right about paranormal things, she will be around in one way or another for a very long time. I would welcome a visit myself.

Image: http://noelanirodriguez.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Crystal_Ball___Stock_by_Sassy_Stock-300x298.jpg

I Didn’t Choose It

She looks like my dryad

The world I live in. Not the world at large, but the one I personally inhabit. This world is one where everything has a name or spirit or is deserving of respect. I didn’t wake up one morning and decide this. It just is where I am. This world is touched by communicating with it, either verbally or by silently acknowledging and silently conversing. I might see a hawk in the sky and say “Morning Hawk”, or just think “What a beautiful bird you are Hawk” and go on with the morning. I might walk by an old tree and say (or think) “Hello old one. You have a fine crop of leaves. I wonder what you have seen in your life.”

No, I don’t get answers in any traditional way. I don’t hear (usually) voices in my head. But sometimes just a whisper of “I see you”.

Being in touch with the world this way opens up all kinds of dialogues and discussions. Trip on a rock in the path and swear “Bloody rock!” and I might just think “Well, don’t blame me: You are the clumsy bastard who tripped.” Was that really the rock? Probably not, but maybe? Hell if I know. But I know this: I have lots to say to the things around me, and the things around have lots to say in return. You just have to listen.

I noticed shortly after moving to the current house that a medium sized beech tree had a woman’s face looking at me from the base of the trunk. From a distance of 30 feet or so she was perfect. Looked a little like the image of “Ruby Tuesday”. Big hair, pretty face. But when I walk up to the tree, she disappears. Take a picture and no woman. So I decided she must be a dryad. Shy but interested. She watches the yard and takes note of what goes on. I talk to her sometimes when I am out that way, but she never answers back. Not yet anyway. But from the kitchen she is reassuringly there, looking pretty and watching.

Say what you will about me. Crazy? Deluded? Fantasizing? Normal (no, never that) or keyed into the world like few others. Remember that the old pagan religions of the world considered everything to be animate and reachable with the right spirit. Maybe more of you should look to the world around you and try to get in touch. The next time your car dings to remind you to take the keys, try saying “thank you”. Or the next time you see a bug crossing your path say “Morning bug. Going to be a great day you think?” As an old lady I once knew would say “It may not help, but it wouldn’t hurt.”

Image: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/01/fe/bf/01febf9d4ffbc9ef334eba725f031a65.jpg