A Week-ette of Flowery Observations

Kate "Flowers in Her Hair"

Having spent the day in St. Louis, enjoyed a sumptuous meal on The Hill, some friends agreed with my suggestion of strolling around a couple of blocks before heading home. Our last stop was for gelato so we really should have kept walking some more. But the next to the last stop was this amazingly eclectic open-space conglomerate of artists' work areas. For two of it this was the place where ideas are born. The other two were, shall we say, tolerant of our excitement? Ah, but it was fun!
As we piled into the car and headed for the highway we passed the animal shelter, which was not on our list of places to go. But, we came close to stopping to see it for it looked oddly splendid! Knowing there's much to be done back in our area we drove on, somewhat reluctantly. I'd anticipate a return trip to visit and see how things are done there; if any ideas can be brought back and considered in our area.
Back in my own backyard, an acknowledged haven of all things, ranging from healthy weeds, long grass, wet everything, to get out and shoot photos, I opted for the last item. Here's what I'm lookin' at today.
This is actually a groundcover but by getting down into its depths I can get a pretty close shot, filled with light and detail. Loved the buds on the left - tells me there's more to come after these falter.

Irises make beautiful subjects, especially when it's possible to get the rain hanging on and the teensy details showing up. I think there's another shot you'll like, the one beneath this is a small, low to the ground iris with totally different petal structure. It too has the lasting drops of moisture from last night's rain. There's something to be said for all the storms. Gorgeous flowers abound.

I don't know what the delicate yellow blossom is but it is one of my favorites, residing near the driveway and flourishing early in the spring, before daylilies and hostas take over; this plants leaves turn darker in time.

A CHILL in APRIL

Even though allergy-induced stuffiness has planted itself firmly in my sinuses I am managing to get out and about, walking dogs and running errands. Admittedly I slept away half of yesterday but it was the day all the demons moved in and took over!

Well, today I returned SECRETS OF EDEN to the library and was reminded I'd not blogged in a bit.
True.

Fact is, early this a.m., while traipsing along on a jaunt, I thought, hmmm, put the blog on hold. Then this encouragement is delivered firsthand. So, on I go. Good or bad.

But where are my topics? I've strayed from animals/pets and shall try to re-incorporate them in stories.

Actually, the shelter, where I spent so much time in the last 4 years that I don't dare try to total the hours, will soon be out of my life entirely. At least, directly out of my life. The emails and FB postings will still flow. I have 2 or 3 more weeks of Paws 2 Read with the 4th graders and then will not be at the shelter. It's my decision.

Funny how one can become so entrenched in chaos and still remain optimistic. Then all it takes is a moment of awakening and understanding. Things will not change. Over the past 6 months I have divorced myself from all activities there, giving plenty of notice that I won't be doing a particular aspect of the work. It's a shame and it hurt a great deal at first.

But, there comes a time, and in my case it came quickly, of realizing departing was the right thing to do. When it was obvious to me then I accepted it. And, I'm glad I did for the turmoil now resides atop the chaos which is burying the frustration and underneath it all is a lot of SH_T.

We all know that a person can offer help to another soul but unless there is receptivity the offer hits a closed door. For an awful lot of long time volunteers this has happened, repeatedly.

It can be said the animals suffer. I do not find that to be factual. The animals suffer before they get to the shelter. There they are taken care of and know nothing of the political drama and ineptness. There's "day to day" staff handling them. And, fresh, new enthusiastic volunteers who should choose to remain ignorant of the trappings.

You're right, this isn't a cheerful tune. And, I'm dancing around pointing out issues - no blog could hold them and what good would it do?

The observation and lesson, in hindsight are simple: Don't get involved beyond what you can do and leave behind at the end of your work time. The people who stay as volunteers are clueless. They go. They do something. They leave. They think nothing of improvement or change. Had many of us taken that approach we'd still be on hand.

A House Divided

...cannot stand. How ironic that this was said by the very man who financed the house in the street, Lincoln. See November 21st blog posting, please.

The chatter and clatter continues. Most recently the alderpeople decided to vote down what is now $279k to put in a foundation. When this first started I had heard the cost for the foundation was to be $150k. But, the economy sucks so I can understand the price change. The contractor may not have more work lined up yet.

The day after the vote to withhold the funding the radio was a-buzz with people yammering about this topic and showing how well-spoken central Illinois residents can be - not. If there is money to dish out, and I doubt there is, it should go to grammar rehabilitation programs. But, I digress.

So now what, we wait for the house to implode, crumble or reach a destination on its own? The folks who own the lot and structure face $1000/day fines from the owner of the moving firm if the "wheels" aren't returned by the 15th. They can't move it back where it came from as that land is quickly becoming a lovely plot of concrete with tasteful striping.

I say, re-route the street around the house, swapping the lot for the asphalt area, or just shorten the block. It's really not a busy through street at all and it would just extend the Lincoln tourist area. People need to walk more anyway. It'd be good for everyone.

So this Maisenbacher house won't be open for guests till things settle down and now the governor has thrown his propeller beanie hat into the mix by keeping his rarely kept word and closing down state attractions. Another house issue crops up in conversations all around town. That would be the now closed Dana-Thomas House in Springfield. It's a Frank Lloyd Wright design/construction and the Christmas highlight for many who annually trek there to see the house lit only by candles.

Frankly (no pun intended towards the late Mr. Wright), Bloggo should have just shut down the governor's mansion. No one lives there nor has anyone lived there since Hot Rod became governor. The tours are very limited and rarely annual journeys. That would save a lot of money in energy costs and staff costs. The wife likes Chicago and he's on a short leash we think. I like the city too but I live here. It works.

As for me and my house? Well, we remain in place and open for friends and relatives and the occasional wandering stranger.

HOPE-filled

One foster dog romps with one of our dogs.
One foster dog is sequestered in the puppy pen, having had her spay surgery yesterday.
One dog stands guard outside, ready to alert me if something shows up that is undesirable. He's strong and imposing but really mild-tempered unless he's riled up.
One older dog rests comfortably in the outside pen that is located in a quiet spot.
One dog nurtures another one on the sofa, both happy to have homes and be at peace.

Somehow in my own twisted way I see this as somewhat representative of America!

First of all, what I described above is really my world today; it is what is, right now, as I write.

Does my dog population reflect our society in some ways?
-There are the young who want to play and grow and learn.
-People of all ages need medical attention and even more so medical education so prevention not pills is the key.
-The elderly need our support.
-Some need a fresh start, not a handout but a hand up.
-Some stand guard - on our soil and elsewhere, sometimes apparent, sometimes in the background.
-Others help each other, lending a hand, giving a caring gesture, the gift of prayer.

We have a new administration being built already this morning. I think GWB is ready to leave and is relieved to be counting down the weeks. Being our leader has to be unimaginably complicated and complex, thankless. As President-Elect Obama said last night, in so many words, it is going to take all of us working to fix what has happened. I do not think we should blame Bush 1 or 2, Clinton - none of them. Don't start building an "I told you so" argument about Obama. It's up to us. When we point the finger of blame towards someone else we still have more of our own fingers pointing back at ourselves!

We are either part of the problem or part of the solution. It's time we accept responsibility and also the work that needs to be done. Admitting to the problem is the fist step, isn't it? But what follows is the action.

This country is not our parents' country. We must stop looking back and moaning. When we look back we should look at what we can pull from the past, adjust and use for the future. Our world, our country, our demographics, our individual lives are changed, not by one circumstance but by all, not by one policy but by all, not by one decision but by all.

If you haven't heard/seen P-E Obama's speech last night, and McCain's also, then you need to tune in somewhere and spend the time listening AND HEARING what is being said.

Then find something YOU can do to help.

We ARE the UNITED STATES! That's not an entitlement nor is it an ego thing. History tells us we are survivors, we fix what is wrong, we innovate and create, we build, we repair, and so much more...play, guard, care for others.

Get, and stay, positive. P-E Obama cannot do this without our commitment to be part of the solution. See this for what it is: your opportunity to make a difference.

Let's not spend time barking up the wrong trees.

Rick Warren's Big Saddle/Come Back

Last night we watched the "faith" Q & A session run by Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback. We missed the first few showings of it.

This DID bring us further down the decision road. The way the two candidates spoke of their own faith, or didn't speak of it, as well as their comfort levels in this environment, gave us additional information and perhaps insight.

Watching this, I realize now, is how McCain reminds me of Richard Nixon. If you're really young, Nixon ran against John F. Kennedy although he eventually did become President after that loss. Neither McCain nor Nixon is/was any good on television. Neither seems comfortable with himself let alone someone else having control over a situation in which he is participating.

McCain means well. I paid particular attention to his response about the "Cone of Silence" question when Warren was greeting him. He didn't answer the question asked but tried to make room for a clever response. He truly did not want to lie so he just didn't tell the truth. That cone thing was probably a bad location for a POW anyway. Imagine.

His sense of humor truly was activated for this event and I was pleased to see he can deliver a funny line of his own or a good writer's creation. I had not witnessed it previously. And, he was moved in stating, and we in hearing, his biggest moral failure. Many Americans relate to him right there, right now. Let's hope it is not a vote getter. We saw his human qualities more during this event than elsewhere.

But, as in his inclusion of "drill...right here, right now", he never caught on to this arrangement being an intimate conversation opportunity. He revealed very little about himself; he responded by looking briefly at RW then turning to the camera and talking and it just didn't feel right, as a viewer, to not have him look RW in the eye when he answered the question the pastor put before him.

Watching him more recently, at the intro of Sarah Palin, he looked over her shoulder repeatedly, at her papers on the podium. What, in case he needed to help her with big words? I have not doubt he's a good man, personable, thoughtful, devoted to his senatorial position and constituents. It is sad to see him being thrown in as the RNC's sacrificial lamb, a toss confirmed by pitching us an up and coming, raw not rare, VP candidate. At times he seemed to be thinking, "Now, who is this woman and what did I tell her she could do?". Gov. Palin will be someone we will see again. This is it for Senator McCain.

It's difficult for me not to be swept up by Obama; I'm still holding on to my vote and quelling my inclination to stop reading and listening because I just want to believe in America again. But I do have to say, when he was asked about America's biggest moral failure and came back with, in his lifetime, it is us not living up to Matthew 25's verses, my heart leaped and tried to take my voter registration card with it. He is right...well, he did get it from the Bible. He gets it.

I like Obama as a person. He knows our Bible better than I know it. I like what he says. I like how he says it and his choice of words. I like that he conversed with Warren. I like his VP candidate and believe Biden is a good backup. I like his family. I like that he is composed, assured, contemplative, thoughtful, prepared. I like how he puts people at ease. I think our country is falling in love with him. I am thrilled he occasionally refers to us all as friends and never insults us by claiming us as "my friends". I despise those who try to take him down by calling him "messiah". That's wrong and rude. Criticize what he wants to do; don't give him a religious toned label thinking Christians will be offended and change their minds.

These two men received the same prep material and guidelines. One appeared to take them and "go with it". The other appeared to "go along with it".

Neither candidate will ever put into play all he is saying he'll get done, especially by himself. Obama further moved me when he state the realism - we all have to cut back, give up, re-think, change, maybe call it sacrifice; we all have to understand we have to pay a price of some sort in order to better the world.

It's exciting to have strong candidates and I hope their respective "runners up" stay behind them, lifting them up in prayer and deed. I hope we continue to see the real differentiation each needs to put before us and policy meat on the campaign skeletons, rather than mudslinging or whining or negative advertising which is waiting in the wings to bully us.

Let's not disappoint them. We need to be willing to appreciate the right to choose our leader, willing to learn about all the candidates and platforms. VOTE on November 4th.

Senator O returns to Springfield

It really seems as if it was yesterday when my husband was in DC having breakfast and doing a photo opp with Obama and shortly after that we were shivering, but front and center, at his presidential announcement at the Old State Capitol downtown-Springfield.
Now he's coming back to the same place and may be bringing his VP. I'm not certain we'll be able to go but it still quickens the pulse. We may choose to NOT deal with the crowd.

But, what does this say about Obama? He is sentimental - coming back to the place where he first served, to where he first launched his campaign. I like that in a leader.

I'm still not sure about policies - his or McCain's. That means I'm firmly rooted in the Independent column and don't do polls. So much is rhetoric these days. Each candidate repeats what he is handed with little time to review materials. Do they each go to sleep at night wondering what they said and if it makes sense?

Maybe there's too much talk, just too much. We're already spinning from the whirlwind travels and he said-he said blah blah blah.

Maybe that's why this action - this coming back to the base - is so vitally essential and key to me.

Since I struggle with both presidential candidates (and would have it were Hillary and anyone) I guess my vote will be for the VP! Anyone with me on this?

Quotes to consider:

Whenever I hear people talking about "liberal ideas," I am always astounded that men should love to fool themselves with empty sounds. An idea should never be liberal; it must be vigorous, positive, and without loose ends so that it may fulfill its divine mission and be productive. The proper place for liberality is in the realm of the emotions.

Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one.
both from J.W. Goethe