Dr. Heather Cox Richardson and herd, enriching solace and call to action here, every day. Rest well, all.
PS: I am an LFAA long-time reader and lurker, a bit intimated by this sagacious and beautifully-knit tapestry of “my people.” Finally subscribed, to more actively wade the waters. Thank you for all you give!
Welcome! Hope you enjoy the community here. It is truly amazing -- in its wisdom, in its humility, and in its openness to a truly unusual amount of sharing---personal stories, give and take, concern for each other --- and concern for this country, the idea, the diversity, and, hopefully, the future. An unusual community has gathered around HCR and her daily blog, and more. Be sure and join the discussion.....
A voice! A voice! My kingdom for another voice! And yours, AshleyR, is just the one we had in mind! I hope you will find it to be the best subscription you ever chose to make. I sure did.
Morning Lynell, Coeur de Lion. We'll defeat our local "John" and impose our Magna Carta and Charter of the Forest together with Ashley and millions more. I kinda like the role of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Welcome, from a little ways South of you, AshleyR! Hope we give you as graceful a reception as I received a short while ago, when this long time reader and lurker took the plunge. Wade on in!
Welcome, fellow "South-dweller"! (I was actually BORN in Tennessee!) For those of us living down here in the "Belly of the Beast", as it were (I'll let others define what the "Beast" is...), a community like this can be a valuable lifeline when you feel surrounded by folks who virulently oppose your beliefs. As I'm sure you know, it can be exasperating and can make one feel hopeless at times. The LFAA group is an invigorating antidote to some of the scary stuff going on. Even more, I also think our experiences "down here" can add some valuable perspective to ongoing issues roiling this country right now. DO chime in on occasion! There are some SUPER people on here to engage with!!
Speaking of virulently oppose, I was helping with a community project last week. A very nice lady my age was chattily working alongside me. Then she said the virus was ridiculous and she refused to be vaccinated! I responded we’d have to agree to disagree whereupon she said “I vehemently disagree” and moved away from me. So hard to have a conversation…
I'm a subscriber to "Next Door", a kind of neighborhood/community billboard for all various things. Most often it is lost/found pets, advertising/searching for various services, buying/selling things, etc. etc. It is centered around whatever community you're in. It can come in VERY handy on occasions. Aside from being a source of remarkable and "creative" uses/spellings of the English language, it can also be scary sometimes in revealing peoples' true natures. We got it recently with people objecting to fireworks because of what it does to kids, animals, people with PTSD, etc. Overwhelmingly people were against them. However, there are always the ones who then bring politics into it, calling everybody "Karens" and "snowflakes" because of the noise they're making. (For the record: I am opposed to people exploding what sound like heavy mortars in their yards that make my house and windows rattle for SEVERAL HOURS. That has f***-all to do with celebrating freedom and independence, IMO!) Just try a minimal amount of reasoning with some of these people?? Good luck. Best not to waste your breath. Don't think there are Q-Anon believers in our midst? (Oh yeah...I've learned Biden is a pedophile and the entire pandemic is fake and staged for the government to take over our lives. Handy to know, I guess.) Just scroll through some of this invective if you want to lose your faith in humanity. I don't engage these people and try to ignore them, but it is nevertheless disheartening to feel you're surrounded by this mentality. Sad to know it's in Vermont too!
As I was born and raised a passionate, involved, suthuhn belle-gone-bad deep down in the Heart of Dixie, we’re kin💙. GA has been a love of mine for years, thrilled to support Dems there. I’ve enjoyed your contributions here so very much!
Looking forward to engaging with you and the rest of this wonderful herd.
Welcome Ashley, G Zinn said it all. There are many scholars here and lots of heart. It’s a safe place to learn and grow.
We just escaped the Florida heat for a few months to the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. We have a lot in a beautiful wooded campground where nature still reigns. Good for the soul.
My grand daughter escaped Covid lockdown by transferring from UVM to UT totally randomly . She was supposed to have the semester abroad in Florence so picked Tennessee . She’s so happy and now her sister is going next year . Long time New Englanders we’re a bit baffled but happy grand daughters are what we want . We’ll be visiting
There’s a wonderful witty poem Bless Your Heart and I’ll remember the post eventually . My biggest concern with my grand daughters going south is political . I’m hoping both remain as open minded as they are now . I look forward to visiting them and having first hand experience .I appreciate all your comments and of course this whole wisdom
I understand your bafflement! TN is an interesting state, dotted in blue, thankfully, along with the lush greens…and the red and yellow leaves that nod to the unrivaled New England ones.
Good morning Ashley. Thank you for your fine post. Let’s go lurk and see what those rascals in Congress are up to. HCR sure lends a hand with that. And then we can make sense of it here to keep our focus on true north!
Welcome aboard. This community (and I use that term intentionally) has become a huge part of my daily routine. I learn so much, both from the Professor (and don't miss her Facebook Tue/Thur livestreams or her "Now and Then" podcast on Tuesday mornings.
Have to share because it’s been bothering me all day - I marched with my town’s Democratic Committee for our Independence Day parade, and it was great until it wasn’t. We wore our blue Democrat t-shirts and had banners celebrating hometown heroes (that was the theme of the parade) and handed out candy and small flags to little kids. Towards the end of the parade I approached a little girl who was waving at the marchers when her dad (uncle, grandfather, whatever) looks at me unpleasantly and says, “No! We’re not Democrats!” I’m not going to lie - it took me by surprise and I paused. But then I walked up and said, “They’re American flags,” handed the flag to the girl who was unaware of anything else, and continued marching. And I thought as I finished the parade route that the America I loved and was celebrating was not that gentleman’s America. I don’t think he even considered me an American, but as his enemy. And I don’t know how this country heals from that level of hatred and distrust.
Happy birthday, America - and here’s to many more.
Guy, the picture next to your name is beautiful. As for the parade you didn't walk away from the little girl who was watching it. Even though the man with her was unwelcoming, you didn't respond to him and gave the girl a flag. That seems perfect to me. You acted as a good American and a Democrat, too. Happy 4th of July. I hope you smile before you go to sleep.
I hope the young girl took away your message. There’s no Democratic flag nor Republican flag; there’s only the American 🇺🇸 flag. If we’re lucky, you gave him something to think about as well.
But the obnoxious fellow came to watch the parade and let his daughter learn about it. That's at least a slight ray of hope. He could have done something nasty.
The only answer I know, Guy, is Lincoln’s. If you want to win a man to your cause, he said, be his friend. Hard as it is, if we always strive to be friends, the war is won. We may not win every battle but we will turn the tide towards that more perfect union.
What bothers me about your experience, Guy, is that the memory of the encounter with the dad is vivid and can become the first thing thought of when reliving, in this case, the 4th of July parade. The contentious and deliberate nasty divide between political opponents in Washington spills in that exact way to the citizenry of our country. It just is so beyond the expectation of extending common courtesy to a stranger. And enjoying a local event of a parade together. I share your concern of losing the bond of trust with strangers that we sort of expect in this country….because we are united under one flag of democracy. I really do not like what that man said and intended in his remark to you. Even more so thinking that it will influence the children he brings up.
Here’s to finding common ground. Thank you for sharing, Guy!
You set a wonderful example. Ignoring the anger and celebrating our “United” States of America ❤️ Sometimes that’s all it takes for a child to recognize there is a universe outside their own, one full of love for all, not poisonous anger.
Your example is such a good one. To paraphrase, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" No matter what your faith is, this phrase really describes inclusion and welcoming. You are a great example of this. Bravo.
From Canada, our best wishes for years ahead in which you see the results of your labours bear fruit. Democracy is exhausting, imperfect, chaotic and uneven; it is even more fatiguing to fight for, as you have so long and ardently, but it remains our best hope for a better world. Thank you and Happy Fourth! Kristin
Thank you HCR! It seems you have even inspired Justice Kagan to steep herself (and by extension, us) in history to make sense of the moment!! I just finished reading her dissent this evening and it feels as though she had both history in mind as well as a writing a rallying cry to those of us across the country who are continuing to fight for voting rights. Sleep well. There is much more yet to do!! 🇺🇸💤🎇
Last night on July 4th, 2021, my wife & I drove home to Friendship from Lincoln after a family reunion weekend. Our route and map took us through central Maine with names fitting our nation's history.
Lincoln, Adams and Jefferson were among President's names that Mainers honored when establishing their communities.
Union, Liberty, Freedom were also names that meant something to early Mainers. Harmony, Industry, Friendship, Unity and Hope were qualities they apparently valued. No one thought to make fun of Hope like "Hopey dopey" which occurred in a 21st century Presidential campaign. These community names had been aspirational.
Many more names were chosen from foreign places like Rome, China, Vienna, Belgrade, Norway, Poland, Naples, Sweden, Denmark and Belfast. Immigrants and immigration, the settlers of these communities, I am sure were being honored.
We also saw the splendor of fireworks rising above some of the communities we passed through. I use the term "communities" because though these villages and towns were eventually incorporated under Maine state laws, they all began and ultimately remain communities with long traditions of coming together to work, play and help each other. "Communism" and "socialism" both rooted in the word and intent of community have and are constantly used by politicians to turn family, friends, neighbors, communities, states and nation against themselves and each other for personal gain. And this probably happened even when theses communities were named. However, on July 4th each year, it would be best for all of us to reflect on these names given long ago, our history, ancestors and original purpose of our communities, to carry ourselves and our nation forward, and for others in the future to keep doing this as well.
May God bless Lincoln, Friendship, Rome and Belfast and every place, people, city, state and country with the sense and purpose of community.
Thank you for the lovely description of my home state. Maine is rich in history and its people are amazing. My husband and I have recently moved back home after an absence of 56 years and we are thrilled to be here. You mention a "sense and purpose of
community ". My husband and I met a man who lives three hours from where we are building a home. We needed to clear some of the property of small trees and shrubs. This new friend showed up several weekends to help two 80 year old seniors do this hard work. When we offered to at least pay for his travel expenses(He refused any payment for his hard labor.), his response was, " I'm a Mainer. Always been a Mainer. This is what Mainers do. We help each other." This is the Maine we left so many years ago and we a thankful to find it still exists.
Here in NH, we have Freedom, Washington, Unity, Jefferson, Franklin, & Lincoln towns and Mts Adams, Franklin, Washington, Madison, and Liberty. (LOL! and that's off the top of my head!)
On this 4th of July, I can’t help but wonder if the Champlain Towers are a metaphor for the United States. We know there are deep fissures in the society. The question is whether we will invest in the necessary repairs or…
Let's not take the metaphor too far. They demolished the other half of the building tonight. There's nothing left but to try to find where the bodies are buried. Just like the 1-6 special committee is doing.
I still have hope. The Phoenix rose renewed from the flames; we can rise from whatever “rubble” we find in our path. United WE stand; divided we fall. The Champlain Towers disaster could have been far worse and think about the stories of those who for some reason didn’t spend the night there. The storming of the Capitol could have been far worse. We are being awakened from taking so much for granted, awakened to appreciate what a wonderful country we have and want to keep. I am seeing and hearing of people waking up and finally seeing what a mess the Republicans have made; thank goodness we still have secret ballots because that’s the way some of them will be able to express themselves without being condemned. My grandmother Ramsel would tell us thinking negatively is a silent prayer that the bad will indeed happen. Positive action: Guy chose to give a flag to a little girl and ignore the definitely not Democrat man; who knows?, he may have made a crack begin in that man’s beliefs.
You may be right. Last week I heard an expert on climate change say that the Miami, Florida, area is all built on limestone, and it makes no sense to build on limestone as the ocean water makes it porous. Despite that issue, many people are moving there, he said. He also told us that, as we all should know, the oceans are warming, and rising. So much so, that Miami and other coastal regions in the U.S. and the world will be under water within the next half century. Yes, our country is shrinking physically, and so it seems is our democracy.
From Smithsonian magazine dated May 24, 2018: "The main trigger for sinkholes is water—too much of it, or too little. The normally moist soil of Florida has a stabilizing effect on karst. But during a drought, cavities that were supported by groundwater empty out and become unstable. During a heavy rainstorm, the weight of pooled water can strain the soil, and the sudden influx of groundwater can wash out cavities...Man-made development, it turns out, is the most persistent factor for increased sinkholes. Earth-moving equipment scrapes away protective layers of soil; parking lots and paved roads divert rainwater to new infiltration points; the weight of new buildings presses down on weak spots; buried infrastructure can lead to leaking pipes; and, perhaps most of all, the pumping of groundwater disrupts the delicate water table that keeps the karst stable. “Our preliminary research indicates that the risk of sinkholes is 11 times greater in developed areas than undeveloped ones,” says George Veni, the executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute who conducted a field study in Sinkhole Alley."...In a scathing column, Orlando Sentinel’s Lauren Ritchie notes how the fledgling community in 1991 had a water permit to use 65 millions gallons a year, but by 2017 that rate reached “a stunning 12.4 billion gallons a year.” The local aquifer in Sumter County is also threatened by a controversial plan by a bottling company to pump nearly a half-million gallons of water a day—and double that rate during peak months. Despite the protests of Villagers worried that a falling water table will spur sinkholes, pumping will begin soon." Given all this, it's very possible that there could be many more land collapses in FL in the future.
Thank you, Barbara, good read. Construction issues, such as the work not conforming original design drawings for Surfside have been reported. See link below:
I am so happy to finally be back in Maine for the summer that I don’t even care that it has been so cold and wet the last few days that we have had to keep the wood stove burning to stay warm. All is good on the coast of Maine.
To add another anecdote to the weather reports: my friends in western NY got a massive hail and sleet storm the other day--multiple inches of frozen stuff that dumped on them out of the blue as the temps plummeted. In the 17 years I lived in that part of the world I experienced pretty much every kind of weather, but not hail and sleet in July. Here in KC (where a very hot and dry summer was predicted) we are just coming out of a fortnight of rain and temps usually found here in late spring; plants that are usually not thriving this late in the season are burgeoning. Yet 100 miles to the west, the Kansas drought continues. I have a theory that the seasons are basically shifting: western MO is now getting its hottest weather in mid-July through early October (a month later than before) and winter is really mid-January to mid-April. The farmers of the drought-besieged midwest are screaming for help to the federal government they conveniently never vote to support when it comes to helping out other folks and the states that contribute the least to the national revenue try to overwhelm those that contribute the most to their welfare. While Florida requires hundreds of people dying in a building collapse to start to look at the ways in which corruption in the building trades has made living in Florida super scary and dangerous.
It's one weird world out there. Stay safe everyone! And remember: dogs and fireworks are a bad combination for the poor pooches.
We lived near Seattle for several years in a condo with large SW facing windows and no AC. I can’t imagine what they went through. To think this is just the beginning.
You get it. I'm on the 'dry side' of Washington. When we replaced our decades old oil-burning furnace with a more efficient gas version a few years back the spousal unit insisted we add AC. Can't believe now that I fought that decision for even a minute. Best investment ever. A cousin near Seattle has a fabulous house but no AC making the interior of the house as hot, or hotter than, outside.
Thank you, Dr Heather, rest well. Lovely yard! Enjoy all the little things in life, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge so generously with all of us. You are much loved. ❤
Happy 4th to you! The sun came out here late and we were able to hVe dinner on our deck, with hummingbirds, cardinals, robins, goldfinches, blue jays and the little predator bunnies. Thank you. Dr. R for ALL of your letters time, and care. A better way to see where our history was, and where we are now.
Do you live in my backyard? You have described it right down to the "predator bunnies" who this summer have eaten the few perennials I have, as well as the morning glories. We love the hummingbirds!
I'm gonna toss out "Ben and Jerry's" ice cream. They've done some things that make my cop friends mad, so I buy their ice cream. It doesn't hurt that they make a coffee/Heath bar flavor...
Thanks for reposting this Ellie. I saw this yesterday and had a big smile on my face seeing General Mills on it. Appreciate knowing that a Minnesota-based Fortune 500 company “stood up for democracy.” Makes my Cheerios taste better this morning, lol.
This day in history, 4th of July in 2018, the art of the "wink wink..."
"A group of GOP lawmakers spent July 4 in Moscow after several days of meetings with Russian officials, according to NPR.
The group, which included seven Republican senators and one House member, was the first congressional delegation to visit Russia since the country’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The GOP lawmakers, Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), Steve Daines (Mont.), John Thune (S.D.), John Kennedy (La.), Jerry Moran (Kan.) and John Hoeven (N.D.), and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), spent July 4 in Moscow’s U.S. Embassy, NPR reported.
The trip comes amid bilateral planning between the U.S. and Russia for next month’s sit-down between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has said he will address Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election at the summit, in addition to Russia's military involvement in Syria and Ukraine.
The lawmakers reportedly discussed Russian influence in U.S. elections during their meetings over the past week, but Moran told The Associated Press that every Russian official they spoke to denied the Kremlin's involvement.
The group’s visit coincided with the release of a Senate Intelligence Committee report, which found that Russia backed Trump during the election."
today at the 4th of July Boat Parade in Newport Beach, CA i was chatting with a neighbor who was related to General William Whipple, signatories of the Declaration of Independence from New Hampshire. I looked up his background, and learned he and his brother earned their foru
tune by participating in the Triangle Trade of the West Indies and Africa, with cargo that included enslaved humans. Unlike some of the other Founding Fathers, he abided by the words about All Men Are Created Equal-- wikipedia says " Whipple freed his African servant Prince Whipple when Prince expressed his desire not to fight the British without inducement, but that if he had his liberty, he would 'fight in defense of the country to the last drop of my blood." Believing that no man could fight for freedom and hold another in bondage, General Whipple freed Prince in order that Prince Whipple would join the military. He wrote:
"A recommendation is gone thither for raising some regiments of Blacks. This, I suppose will lay a foundation for the emancipation of those wretches in that country. I hope it will be the means of dispensing the blessings of Freedom to all the human race in America"
I would love to see cold and rainy. We are past the heat dome (too many deaths and lots of plant damage), but it is still in the 90s. I am listening to all the mostly illegal fireworks going off in the midst of hot dry drought conditions.
I am so sorry for people in the Pacific NW. I can't even imagine 118°! Michigan is still under somewhat of a drought, although we did have a week of rain last week, and could be getting more. We have not gotten above 90°, but, still, much warmer and dryer this year so far than the old normal. We have had very little cold and rainy recently.
I am gravely concerned. We had no April showers, set an all-time temperature high in June, and are now entering the "drought months" of July and August. The woods are tinder dry, reservoirs are horribly low, and people are behaving like absolute idiots.
Dr. Heather Cox Richardson and herd, enriching solace and call to action here, every day. Rest well, all.
PS: I am an LFAA long-time reader and lurker, a bit intimated by this sagacious and beautifully-knit tapestry of “my people.” Finally subscribed, to more actively wade the waters. Thank you for all you give!
Welcome! Hope you enjoy the community here. It is truly amazing -- in its wisdom, in its humility, and in its openness to a truly unusual amount of sharing---personal stories, give and take, concern for each other --- and concern for this country, the idea, the diversity, and, hopefully, the future. An unusual community has gathered around HCR and her daily blog, and more. Be sure and join the discussion.....
Many thanks, G. Zinn!
Welcome, AshleyR, from an East Tennessee neighbor.
I am in ET also!
Hi, Marcy, I’m in West TN (a too-small blue spot in this long, red state)!
Thanks, Andrea, my neighbor, across the Vol state!
Well said 👏🏻🙏
A voice! A voice! My kingdom for another voice! And yours, AshleyR, is just the one we had in mind! I hope you will find it to be the best subscription you ever chose to make. I sure did.
Morning Lynell, Coeur de Lion. We'll defeat our local "John" and impose our Magna Carta and Charter of the Forest together with Ashley and millions more. I kinda like the role of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Morning, Stuart!! I've always been partial to Robinhood!
Good Morning, Lynell. Same here. I always fancied myself as Little John...
More my size, I fear!
HA!
‘Twas always Will Scarlett for me.
Many thanks, Lynell! Your poignant words shared here in Heather’s herd-dom have spoken deeply to me many a time!
Welcome, from a little ways South of you, AshleyR! Hope we give you as graceful a reception as I received a short while ago, when this long time reader and lurker took the plunge. Wade on in!
Thank you, Gustav (such a regal name)! These waters are fine and then some.
Hello @AshleyR TN!! You’re among a wonderful, enriching cadre. Great to have your voice in the chorus.
Thank you, Leslie!
Welcome, fellow "South-dweller"! (I was actually BORN in Tennessee!) For those of us living down here in the "Belly of the Beast", as it were (I'll let others define what the "Beast" is...), a community like this can be a valuable lifeline when you feel surrounded by folks who virulently oppose your beliefs. As I'm sure you know, it can be exasperating and can make one feel hopeless at times. The LFAA group is an invigorating antidote to some of the scary stuff going on. Even more, I also think our experiences "down here" can add some valuable perspective to ongoing issues roiling this country right now. DO chime in on occasion! There are some SUPER people on here to engage with!!
Speaking of virulently oppose, I was helping with a community project last week. A very nice lady my age was chattily working alongside me. Then she said the virus was ridiculous and she refused to be vaccinated! I responded we’d have to agree to disagree whereupon she said “I vehemently disagree” and moved away from me. So hard to have a conversation…
I'm a subscriber to "Next Door", a kind of neighborhood/community billboard for all various things. Most often it is lost/found pets, advertising/searching for various services, buying/selling things, etc. etc. It is centered around whatever community you're in. It can come in VERY handy on occasions. Aside from being a source of remarkable and "creative" uses/spellings of the English language, it can also be scary sometimes in revealing peoples' true natures. We got it recently with people objecting to fireworks because of what it does to kids, animals, people with PTSD, etc. Overwhelmingly people were against them. However, there are always the ones who then bring politics into it, calling everybody "Karens" and "snowflakes" because of the noise they're making. (For the record: I am opposed to people exploding what sound like heavy mortars in their yards that make my house and windows rattle for SEVERAL HOURS. That has f***-all to do with celebrating freedom and independence, IMO!) Just try a minimal amount of reasoning with some of these people?? Good luck. Best not to waste your breath. Don't think there are Q-Anon believers in our midst? (Oh yeah...I've learned Biden is a pedophile and the entire pandemic is fake and staged for the government to take over our lives. Handy to know, I guess.) Just scroll through some of this invective if you want to lose your faith in humanity. I don't engage these people and try to ignore them, but it is nevertheless disheartening to feel you're surrounded by this mentality. Sad to know it's in Vermont too!
You are absolutely correct. NextDoor is a sesspool of vitriol. I never engage these people but they are so dense and not open to dialog at all.
BUT, that doesn't mean I won't use them to haul away junk, sell stuff, or do some work for me!!
Bummer, Sally.
Hi, TN-GA, Bruce!
As I was born and raised a passionate, involved, suthuhn belle-gone-bad deep down in the Heart of Dixie, we’re kin💙. GA has been a love of mine for years, thrilled to support Dems there. I’ve enjoyed your contributions here so very much!
Looking forward to engaging with you and the rest of this wonderful herd.
I share your discomfort about the things happening in this state.
Welcome Ashley, G Zinn said it all. There are many scholars here and lots of heart. It’s a safe place to learn and grow.
We just escaped the Florida heat for a few months to the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. We have a lot in a beautiful wooded campground where nature still reigns. Good for the soul.
My grand daughter escaped Covid lockdown by transferring from UVM to UT totally randomly . She was supposed to have the semester abroad in Florence so picked Tennessee . She’s so happy and now her sister is going next year . Long time New Englanders we’re a bit baffled but happy grand daughters are what we want . We’ll be visiting
It’s a beautiful state. We celebrate nature, food and friendship here and generally avoid politics. We do, however, gently disagree with untruths.
And you should know that “bless your heart” is not a compliment here. ❤️
There’s a wonderful witty poem Bless Your Heart and I’ll remember the post eventually . My biggest concern with my grand daughters going south is political . I’m hoping both remain as open minded as they are now . I look forward to visiting them and having first hand experience .I appreciate all your comments and of course this whole wisdom
I understand your bafflement! TN is an interesting state, dotted in blue, thankfully, along with the lush greens…and the red and yellow leaves that nod to the unrivaled New England ones.
Thank you, Diane! I’ve definitely noted you among this wise and thoughtful bunch. Enjoy your slice of wooded beauty here in TN!
Lurking is what many here do until they "take the plunge" and find the water is fine. Welcome AshleyR. Swim away!
Many thanks, Pam. Ready to swim through the waters with this great bunch.
I'm glad you made the leap. I don't consider myself to be sagacious but that doesn't stop me from sharing my thoughts! :) Your thoughts are important!
Thanks, Kimberly! Here’s to wading these waters together.
Good morning Ashley. Thank you for your fine post. Let’s go lurk and see what those rascals in Congress are up to. HCR sure lends a hand with that. And then we can make sense of it here to keep our focus on true north!
Welcome!
Thank you, Christine! With the brilliant HCR as our guide, true north bound we are!
Welcome, and jump in.
Thank you, Nancy!
welcome to the herd !! Many of us comment every day, many not so often, but we are all part of the whole.
Thank you, Pamela!
Welcome aboard. This community (and I use that term intentionally) has become a huge part of my daily routine. I learn so much, both from the Professor (and don't miss her Facebook Tue/Thur livestreams or her "Now and Then" podcast on Tuesday mornings.
Ally, your voice in this community encouraged me to take the plunge! Here’s to Heather’s herd and the many gifts she and all here offer.
<blush> Thank you for your kind words.
Welcome Ashley!! Lurking is just fine--an excellent activity indeed.
Thanks, Linda!!
Another "my people" ❤ Happiness🎶🌹
Yes, Gailee 💙
Come on in. The water is fine.
Yes, indeed, Charlie. Many thanks!
Welcome AshleyR from a fellow Volunteer!
Have to share because it’s been bothering me all day - I marched with my town’s Democratic Committee for our Independence Day parade, and it was great until it wasn’t. We wore our blue Democrat t-shirts and had banners celebrating hometown heroes (that was the theme of the parade) and handed out candy and small flags to little kids. Towards the end of the parade I approached a little girl who was waving at the marchers when her dad (uncle, grandfather, whatever) looks at me unpleasantly and says, “No! We’re not Democrats!” I’m not going to lie - it took me by surprise and I paused. But then I walked up and said, “They’re American flags,” handed the flag to the girl who was unaware of anything else, and continued marching. And I thought as I finished the parade route that the America I loved and was celebrating was not that gentleman’s America. I don’t think he even considered me an American, but as his enemy. And I don’t know how this country heals from that level of hatred and distrust.
Happy birthday, America - and here’s to many more.
Guy, the picture next to your name is beautiful. As for the parade you didn't walk away from the little girl who was watching it. Even though the man with her was unwelcoming, you didn't respond to him and gave the girl a flag. That seems perfect to me. You acted as a good American and a Democrat, too. Happy 4th of July. I hope you smile before you go to sleep.
I hope the young girl took away your message. There’s no Democratic flag nor Republican flag; there’s only the American 🇺🇸 flag. If we’re lucky, you gave him something to think about as well.
But the obnoxious fellow came to watch the parade and let his daughter learn about it. That's at least a slight ray of hope. He could have done something nasty.
This.
Thanks for your kind words.
You touched us, Guy, and we stand with you.
The only answer I know, Guy, is Lincoln’s. If you want to win a man to your cause, he said, be his friend. Hard as it is, if we always strive to be friends, the war is won. We may not win every battle but we will turn the tide towards that more perfect union.
Guy, That was a fabulous response. Maybe you didn't impress the dad but I bet the little girl enjoyed receiving your gift.
Yes, as Fern said it: Smile, and rest. I don’t think you could have done any better.
You are part of the way this country may accomplish the healing we all strive for.
A smile goes a long way, especially with children.
What bothers me about your experience, Guy, is that the memory of the encounter with the dad is vivid and can become the first thing thought of when reliving, in this case, the 4th of July parade. The contentious and deliberate nasty divide between political opponents in Washington spills in that exact way to the citizenry of our country. It just is so beyond the expectation of extending common courtesy to a stranger. And enjoying a local event of a parade together. I share your concern of losing the bond of trust with strangers that we sort of expect in this country….because we are united under one flag of democracy. I really do not like what that man said and intended in his remark to you. Even more so thinking that it will influence the children he brings up.
Here’s to finding common ground. Thank you for sharing, Guy!
You set a wonderful example. Ignoring the anger and celebrating our “United” States of America ❤️ Sometimes that’s all it takes for a child to recognize there is a universe outside their own, one full of love for all, not poisonous anger.
Your example is such a good one. To paraphrase, "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" No matter what your faith is, this phrase really describes inclusion and welcoming. You are a great example of this. Bravo.
You handled that situation with aplomb! Well done!
So proud of you🌹
From Canada, our best wishes for years ahead in which you see the results of your labours bear fruit. Democracy is exhausting, imperfect, chaotic and uneven; it is even more fatiguing to fight for, as you have so long and ardently, but it remains our best hope for a better world. Thank you and Happy Fourth! Kristin
Howdy, neighbor! Glad to have you with us, Kristin!
Running through my mind all day: the last verse of Paul Simon’s American Tune—
“Oh, and it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
You can’t be forever blessed,
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day and I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all, I’m trying to get some rest.”
Happy 4th, Heather and friends, and rest up! We have good work to do.
And good trouble to get into.
I love that song!
I’ve always thought that American Tune should be our new national anthem.
It's particularly good for the current era. Here it is, with Paul Simon singing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE3kKUEY5WU
Great idea.
Thank you HCR! It seems you have even inspired Justice Kagan to steep herself (and by extension, us) in history to make sense of the moment!! I just finished reading her dissent this evening and it feels as though she had both history in mind as well as a writing a rallying cry to those of us across the country who are continuing to fight for voting rights. Sleep well. There is much more yet to do!! 🇺🇸💤🎇
Yes, her dissent gave me some hope. Much work to do. Thank you Heather for all you do and rest well tonight.
Last night on July 4th, 2021, my wife & I drove home to Friendship from Lincoln after a family reunion weekend. Our route and map took us through central Maine with names fitting our nation's history.
Lincoln, Adams and Jefferson were among President's names that Mainers honored when establishing their communities.
Union, Liberty, Freedom were also names that meant something to early Mainers. Harmony, Industry, Friendship, Unity and Hope were qualities they apparently valued. No one thought to make fun of Hope like "Hopey dopey" which occurred in a 21st century Presidential campaign. These community names had been aspirational.
Many more names were chosen from foreign places like Rome, China, Vienna, Belgrade, Norway, Poland, Naples, Sweden, Denmark and Belfast. Immigrants and immigration, the settlers of these communities, I am sure were being honored.
We also saw the splendor of fireworks rising above some of the communities we passed through. I use the term "communities" because though these villages and towns were eventually incorporated under Maine state laws, they all began and ultimately remain communities with long traditions of coming together to work, play and help each other. "Communism" and "socialism" both rooted in the word and intent of community have and are constantly used by politicians to turn family, friends, neighbors, communities, states and nation against themselves and each other for personal gain. And this probably happened even when theses communities were named. However, on July 4th each year, it would be best for all of us to reflect on these names given long ago, our history, ancestors and original purpose of our communities, to carry ourselves and our nation forward, and for others in the future to keep doing this as well.
May God bless Lincoln, Friendship, Rome and Belfast and every place, people, city, state and country with the sense and purpose of community.
Thank you for the lovely description of my home state. Maine is rich in history and its people are amazing. My husband and I have recently moved back home after an absence of 56 years and we are thrilled to be here. You mention a "sense and purpose of
community ". My husband and I met a man who lives three hours from where we are building a home. We needed to clear some of the property of small trees and shrubs. This new friend showed up several weekends to help two 80 year old seniors do this hard work. When we offered to at least pay for his travel expenses(He refused any payment for his hard labor.), his response was, " I'm a Mainer. Always been a Mainer. This is what Mainers do. We help each other." This is the Maine we left so many years ago and we a thankful to find it still exists.
Don’t forget to visit Patience Maine. :)
Here in NH, we have Freedom, Washington, Unity, Jefferson, Franklin, & Lincoln towns and Mts Adams, Franklin, Washington, Madison, and Liberty. (LOL! and that's off the top of my head!)
Beautifully said🇺🇸❤️
Thank you David. Inspiring homily.
Yes, may God bless those communities, and the neighbors who inhabit them.
May God yet bless America.
On this 4th of July, I can’t help but wonder if the Champlain Towers are a metaphor for the United States. We know there are deep fissures in the society. The question is whether we will invest in the necessary repairs or…
Let's not take the metaphor too far. They demolished the other half of the building tonight. There's nothing left but to try to find where the bodies are buried. Just like the 1-6 special committee is doing.
I still have hope. The Phoenix rose renewed from the flames; we can rise from whatever “rubble” we find in our path. United WE stand; divided we fall. The Champlain Towers disaster could have been far worse and think about the stories of those who for some reason didn’t spend the night there. The storming of the Capitol could have been far worse. We are being awakened from taking so much for granted, awakened to appreciate what a wonderful country we have and want to keep. I am seeing and hearing of people waking up and finally seeing what a mess the Republicans have made; thank goodness we still have secret ballots because that’s the way some of them will be able to express themselves without being condemned. My grandmother Ramsel would tell us thinking negatively is a silent prayer that the bad will indeed happen. Positive action: Guy chose to give a flag to a little girl and ignore the definitely not Democrat man; who knows?, he may have made a crack begin in that man’s beliefs.
Your grandmother…ahhh, a wise woman. Our words and thoughts certainly can become deeds.
Thank you for sharing, Dula. Love your glass half full.
🎼 B-I-N-G-O and Bingo was his name-o.
Oh, Cathy, excellent metaphor!
Not "or." We're up for it - have to be.
You may be right. Last week I heard an expert on climate change say that the Miami, Florida, area is all built on limestone, and it makes no sense to build on limestone as the ocean water makes it porous. Despite that issue, many people are moving there, he said. He also told us that, as we all should know, the oceans are warming, and rising. So much so, that Miami and other coastal regions in the U.S. and the world will be under water within the next half century. Yes, our country is shrinking physically, and so it seems is our democracy.
From Smithsonian magazine dated May 24, 2018: "The main trigger for sinkholes is water—too much of it, or too little. The normally moist soil of Florida has a stabilizing effect on karst. But during a drought, cavities that were supported by groundwater empty out and become unstable. During a heavy rainstorm, the weight of pooled water can strain the soil, and the sudden influx of groundwater can wash out cavities...Man-made development, it turns out, is the most persistent factor for increased sinkholes. Earth-moving equipment scrapes away protective layers of soil; parking lots and paved roads divert rainwater to new infiltration points; the weight of new buildings presses down on weak spots; buried infrastructure can lead to leaking pipes; and, perhaps most of all, the pumping of groundwater disrupts the delicate water table that keeps the karst stable. “Our preliminary research indicates that the risk of sinkholes is 11 times greater in developed areas than undeveloped ones,” says George Veni, the executive director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute who conducted a field study in Sinkhole Alley."...In a scathing column, Orlando Sentinel’s Lauren Ritchie notes how the fledgling community in 1991 had a water permit to use 65 millions gallons a year, but by 2017 that rate reached “a stunning 12.4 billion gallons a year.” The local aquifer in Sumter County is also threatened by a controversial plan by a bottling company to pump nearly a half-million gallons of water a day—and double that rate during peak months. Despite the protests of Villagers worried that a falling water table will spur sinkholes, pumping will begin soon." Given all this, it's very possible that there could be many more land collapses in FL in the future.
Thank you, Barbara, good read. Construction issues, such as the work not conforming original design drawings for Surfside have been reported. See link below:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/03/us/florida-condo-collapse-steel-rebar.html
I have had similar thoughts since first seeing it crumble and fall.
I am so happy to finally be back in Maine for the summer that I don’t even care that it has been so cold and wet the last few days that we have had to keep the wood stove burning to stay warm. All is good on the coast of Maine.
Oh to have cold and rainy weather! Good night from the parched Inland Northwest.
To add another anecdote to the weather reports: my friends in western NY got a massive hail and sleet storm the other day--multiple inches of frozen stuff that dumped on them out of the blue as the temps plummeted. In the 17 years I lived in that part of the world I experienced pretty much every kind of weather, but not hail and sleet in July. Here in KC (where a very hot and dry summer was predicted) we are just coming out of a fortnight of rain and temps usually found here in late spring; plants that are usually not thriving this late in the season are burgeoning. Yet 100 miles to the west, the Kansas drought continues. I have a theory that the seasons are basically shifting: western MO is now getting its hottest weather in mid-July through early October (a month later than before) and winter is really mid-January to mid-April. The farmers of the drought-besieged midwest are screaming for help to the federal government they conveniently never vote to support when it comes to helping out other folks and the states that contribute the least to the national revenue try to overwhelm those that contribute the most to their welfare. While Florida requires hundreds of people dying in a building collapse to start to look at the ways in which corruption in the building trades has made living in Florida super scary and dangerous.
It's one weird world out there. Stay safe everyone! And remember: dogs and fireworks are a bad combination for the poor pooches.
Hang in there, Cate. We’re all thinking about your neck of the woods, and all those who have suffered there.
We lived near Seattle for several years in a condo with large SW facing windows and no AC. I can’t imagine what they went through. To think this is just the beginning.
You get it. I'm on the 'dry side' of Washington. When we replaced our decades old oil-burning furnace with a more efficient gas version a few years back the spousal unit insisted we add AC. Can't believe now that I fought that decision for even a minute. Best investment ever. A cousin near Seattle has a fabulous house but no AC making the interior of the house as hot, or hotter than, outside.
Reading the notes to you makes my throat ache and tears well in my eyes. You are a gift to us all, HCR. Rest well.
Thank you, Dr Heather, rest well. Lovely yard! Enjoy all the little things in life, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge so generously with all of us. You are much loved. ❤
Happy 4th to you! The sun came out here late and we were able to hVe dinner on our deck, with hummingbirds, cardinals, robins, goldfinches, blue jays and the little predator bunnies. Thank you. Dr. R for ALL of your letters time, and care. A better way to see where our history was, and where we are now.
Sounds lovely!
Do you live in my backyard? You have described it right down to the "predator bunnies" who this summer have eaten the few perennials I have, as well as the morning glories. We love the hummingbirds!
😊 I’m in eastern MA. Oh shoot, I’d netter check my morning glories!
Support companies that "stood up for democracy:"
https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1411332267461558279?s=20
I'm gonna toss out "Ben and Jerry's" ice cream. They've done some things that make my cop friends mad, so I buy their ice cream. It doesn't hurt that they make a coffee/Heath bar flavor...
Thanks for reposting this Ellie. I saw this yesterday and had a big smile on my face seeing General Mills on it. Appreciate knowing that a Minnesota-based Fortune 500 company “stood up for democracy.” Makes my Cheerios taste better this morning, lol.
This day in history, 4th of July in 2018, the art of the "wink wink..."
"A group of GOP lawmakers spent July 4 in Moscow after several days of meetings with Russian officials, according to NPR.
The group, which included seven Republican senators and one House member, was the first congressional delegation to visit Russia since the country’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
The GOP lawmakers, Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), Steve Daines (Mont.), John Thune (S.D.), John Kennedy (La.), Jerry Moran (Kan.) and John Hoeven (N.D.), and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), spent July 4 in Moscow’s U.S. Embassy, NPR reported.
The trip comes amid bilateral planning between the U.S. and Russia for next month’s sit-down between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has said he will address Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election at the summit, in addition to Russia's military involvement in Syria and Ukraine.
The lawmakers reportedly discussed Russian influence in U.S. elections during their meetings over the past week, but Moran told The Associated Press that every Russian official they spoke to denied the Kremlin's involvement.
The group’s visit coincided with the release of a Senate Intelligence Committee report, which found that Russia backed Trump during the election."
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/395719-gop-senators-visited-moscow-on-july-4
today at the 4th of July Boat Parade in Newport Beach, CA i was chatting with a neighbor who was related to General William Whipple, signatories of the Declaration of Independence from New Hampshire. I looked up his background, and learned he and his brother earned their foru
tune by participating in the Triangle Trade of the West Indies and Africa, with cargo that included enslaved humans. Unlike some of the other Founding Fathers, he abided by the words about All Men Are Created Equal-- wikipedia says " Whipple freed his African servant Prince Whipple when Prince expressed his desire not to fight the British without inducement, but that if he had his liberty, he would 'fight in defense of the country to the last drop of my blood." Believing that no man could fight for freedom and hold another in bondage, General Whipple freed Prince in order that Prince Whipple would join the military. He wrote:
"A recommendation is gone thither for raising some regiments of Blacks. This, I suppose will lay a foundation for the emancipation of those wretches in that country. I hope it will be the means of dispensing the blessings of Freedom to all the human race in America"
Cold and rainy would be nice. Hot and miserably humid here.
I would love to see cold and rainy. We are past the heat dome (too many deaths and lots of plant damage), but it is still in the 90s. I am listening to all the mostly illegal fireworks going off in the midst of hot dry drought conditions.
Also the first thing I do in the am is read HCR to start my day off right. Thank you and also thank you to all the people who post here.
Me toooooo💙
I am so sorry for people in the Pacific NW. I can't even imagine 118°! Michigan is still under somewhat of a drought, although we did have a week of rain last week, and could be getting more. We have not gotten above 90°, but, still, much warmer and dryer this year so far than the old normal. We have had very little cold and rainy recently.
I am gravely concerned. We had no April showers, set an all-time temperature high in June, and are now entering the "drought months" of July and August. The woods are tinder dry, reservoirs are horribly low, and people are behaving like absolute idiots.
Wishing you relief soon. The climate is beating us up.