Today was an absolutely perfect July day and I'm not going to ruin it by looking at the news. Buddy finally broke out the camera again this week, so I'm letting him take the wheel tonight. I'll see you tomorrow. [Photo, "Good Morning," by Buddy Poland]
I often wake about 3 am and get up for a while. Settle down in the recliner with a cup of tea and pull up the day's Letter. I work through it and the comments, absorbed for an hour or two while the cat sleeps in my lap. So much to think about. The community here is at least as important to me as your writing. Complimentary. So much to reflect upon. Then once a week there is a rest. A beautiful picture to gaze at, gentle comments of caring and support. I read every one, heart quite a few. As a kid, I never understood that imposed day of rest each week, but here it seems exactly right. Thank you Heather and Buddy and community.
I am in NH at a horse bodywork clinic that I have wanted to do for a long time. It is the first time Ive been away from home since before Covid. I brought my travel trailer and am staying in an old farm field by a singing stream. I keep thinking about previous camping trips and realize there is no going back. So much has happened since and we are each changed as is our world. I ate dinner is a pretty down on its luck town in Trump country. Could hear jokes about rainbow flags coming from the bar. When I asked the waitress if They could leave the chicken off the pasta she screwed up her brow. I thought I guess not. Then she said I have to charge you the same amount in a very apologetic way. That hadn't even crossed my mind to ask to pay less. Then she came up with the idea of giving me extra broccoli and her face cleared. I felt a number of emotions over this exchange. Worrying about each and every penny is something I am fortunate not to have the burden of. How does that burden affect people in their every day lives? Their relationships? Their ability to share their gifts? How they feel about their world and their politics? What other burdens go side by side? A reminder to try to listen behind the noise on the surface as hard as it can be. And that I believe our party really does want to try to lift all boats, seeing that we all thrive more when we all thrive.
Thank you to Buddy, both for the photos and for his hard work, rising before dawn and casting off to set and haul traps, so that so many can enjoy succulent, sweet lobster. And to you, Heather, thank you for providing context and perspective, day after day, as we try to distill the onslaught of news in what so often seems like an upside down and inside out world. I’m so glad you take a break at least once a week.
Tonight, as I returned on the ferry to the little Maine island where I live in the summer, the sight of the enormous, stunningly beautiful July moon took my breath away. It hung low on the horizon, fully illuminated thanks to its perfect alignment with the sun, its brilliant reflection stretching across the water. Truly awe-inspiring. The news keeps rolling on, but tonight, the world stood still for me, as I gazed at the wonder of the full moon.
Thanks for the beautiful picture. My heart cries out to be near water and here I am living in a desert.
On a positive note, after a few bad weeks, my husband has snapped back and seems to be doing better.
Just in time for our 26th anniversary.
And even though we don't celebrate stuff anymore, it sure is worth shouting to everyone that I am married to my best friend who makes our journey so much easier.
I told my son after my divorce from his dad, to make sure that when you marry, you marry your best friend. Even though I love his dad, I never really liked him and knew that I could never really confide everything in my heart to him.
Life is so much better when the path you walk is shared with someone who wants to walk the same path.
A little reminder that Neil Gorsuch and the Supreme Court didn(' get it all wrong in the last years. A great deal of Oklahoma is still Indian Treaty Land and the treaty is still in force.......to quout the said Justice......
“On the far end of the Trail of Tears was a promise,” Gorsuch wrote, alluding to the forced relocation of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole nations in the 1800s. “Forced to leave their ancestral lands in Georgia and Alabama, the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever.”
Oh, Dr. R, this was such an absolutely perfect July day! I’m glad you got to enjoy it. I also did not listen to, read, or watch much of the news. We need those mental breaks! What a beautiful photo! We spent the day walking on trails of George Patton’s old place in Topsfield, Ma and Appleton Farm in Ipswich, MA. The day was beautiful from sun up to sunset and beyond.
The 24th is our monthiversary and today was particularly sweet since we're camping our way through the West and had a day-after-Yellowstone drive through Wyoming. Thanks for the stunning picture, Heather; only sorry I can't share some of the rocks, trees, mountains, magpies, and bison we've been seeing out here.
I often wake about 3 am and get up for a while. Settle down in the recliner with a cup of tea and pull up the day's Letter. I work through it and the comments, absorbed for an hour or two while the cat sleeps in my lap. So much to think about. The community here is at least as important to me as your writing. Complimentary. So much to reflect upon. Then once a week there is a rest. A beautiful picture to gaze at, gentle comments of caring and support. I read every one, heart quite a few. As a kid, I never understood that imposed day of rest each week, but here it seems exactly right. Thank you Heather and Buddy and community.
I am in NH at a horse bodywork clinic that I have wanted to do for a long time. It is the first time Ive been away from home since before Covid. I brought my travel trailer and am staying in an old farm field by a singing stream. I keep thinking about previous camping trips and realize there is no going back. So much has happened since and we are each changed as is our world. I ate dinner is a pretty down on its luck town in Trump country. Could hear jokes about rainbow flags coming from the bar. When I asked the waitress if They could leave the chicken off the pasta she screwed up her brow. I thought I guess not. Then she said I have to charge you the same amount in a very apologetic way. That hadn't even crossed my mind to ask to pay less. Then she came up with the idea of giving me extra broccoli and her face cleared. I felt a number of emotions over this exchange. Worrying about each and every penny is something I am fortunate not to have the burden of. How does that burden affect people in their every day lives? Their relationships? Their ability to share their gifts? How they feel about their world and their politics? What other burdens go side by side? A reminder to try to listen behind the noise on the surface as hard as it can be. And that I believe our party really does want to try to lift all boats, seeing that we all thrive more when we all thrive.
Thank you to Buddy, both for the photos and for his hard work, rising before dawn and casting off to set and haul traps, so that so many can enjoy succulent, sweet lobster. And to you, Heather, thank you for providing context and perspective, day after day, as we try to distill the onslaught of news in what so often seems like an upside down and inside out world. I’m so glad you take a break at least once a week.
Tonight, as I returned on the ferry to the little Maine island where I live in the summer, the sight of the enormous, stunningly beautiful July moon took my breath away. It hung low on the horizon, fully illuminated thanks to its perfect alignment with the sun, its brilliant reflection stretching across the water. Truly awe-inspiring. The news keeps rolling on, but tonight, the world stood still for me, as I gazed at the wonder of the full moon.
When words are not enough, Buddy provides yet again the evidence that our planet is indeed worth saving. Is there any doubt?
Good night Heather & Buddy. Thank you for keeping us afloat.
Thanks for the beautiful picture. My heart cries out to be near water and here I am living in a desert.
On a positive note, after a few bad weeks, my husband has snapped back and seems to be doing better.
Just in time for our 26th anniversary.
And even though we don't celebrate stuff anymore, it sure is worth shouting to everyone that I am married to my best friend who makes our journey so much easier.
I told my son after my divorce from his dad, to make sure that when you marry, you marry your best friend. Even though I love his dad, I never really liked him and knew that I could never really confide everything in my heart to him.
Life is so much better when the path you walk is shared with someone who wants to walk the same path.
Have a great day.
Buddy is a gift to all of us. He keeps you happy - and thus, we all gain. Live life now Heather - it’s over quickly.
"beauty will save us" Dorothy Day
A little reminder that Neil Gorsuch and the Supreme Court didn(' get it all wrong in the last years. A great deal of Oklahoma is still Indian Treaty Land and the treaty is still in force.......to quout the said Justice......
“On the far end of the Trail of Tears was a promise,” Gorsuch wrote, alluding to the forced relocation of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole nations in the 1800s. “Forced to leave their ancestral lands in Georgia and Alabama, the Creek Nation received assurances that their new lands in the West would be secure forever.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/complete-dysfunctional-chaos-oklahoma-reels-after-supreme-court-ruling-on-indian-tribes/2021/07/23/99ba0b80-ea75-11eb-8950-d73b3e93ff7f_story.html
Oh, Dr. R, this was such an absolutely perfect July day! I’m glad you got to enjoy it. I also did not listen to, read, or watch much of the news. We need those mental breaks! What a beautiful photo! We spent the day walking on trails of George Patton’s old place in Topsfield, Ma and Appleton Farm in Ipswich, MA. The day was beautiful from sun up to sunset and beyond.
Have a wonderful night and thank Buddy for taking such a beautiful picture to share with all of us!
The 24th is our monthiversary and today was particularly sweet since we're camping our way through the West and had a day-after-Yellowstone drive through Wyoming. Thanks for the stunning picture, Heather; only sorry I can't share some of the rocks, trees, mountains, magpies, and bison we've been seeing out here.
These pictures will some day get me to Maine
Beautiful! Have a lovely Sunday everyone!
Good choice Professor…the news can wait…enjoy!
Thank you both, Heather and Buddy. You always leave us better off.