Dear Universe!!

 Only three more days till Election Day. This has been a GRUELING Election cycle, the most divisive I have seen since the Nixon-McGovern Race in 1972. More divisive even than the debaucal of the FIXED Election of the Gore-Bush race in 2000, when Florida's *hanging chad* threw an entire Presidential Race into insignificance.

 I have lost .. acquaintances during this Election. I cannot call them FRIENDS, because the word "FRIEND" to me indicates a long term INTIMATE relationship of shared values, respect, and caring. And this thing called FaceBook -an extraordinary social connection experiment- allows us to START that process. Over these past years, I have been "friended" on FaceBook by alot of people I don't know well. SOME have indeed passed that litmus test into a True Friendship, whether or not I have actually met them face-to-face or not. But some wound up exposing a part of their character which I had to CHOOSE not to associate with. I have MANY good friends with whom we have agreed to disagree, and we argue amiably about Religion and Politics, those two things we are always warned not to discuss between friends or Family, but which make up a HUGE portion of our inner character. I do not and will not back away from such important issues simply because they are considered "socially taboo". It's IMPORTANT.

 AND this Election has actually cost me a couple of friendships. People I have known for over 35 years, since High School. People I expected better of. Sadly, I was "DeFriended" by one such woman, a person I have always admired and respected, because she called me, and President Obama both "Godless Pagans". I tried to apologize if I had touched on some psychological trigger that I was unaware of trouncing upon, but she not only DeFriended me, Blocked me from contact, but also canceled our "Date" at Sea World this new Year's Eve as i check off a "Bucket List" item this year. (I am going to swim with dolphins! Something I have wanted to do since I was 4 years old.... I will, of course, write all about it here along with pictures !! And maybe even video!) I feel so very sad for this, but I WILL NOT apologize for my response when she called me a Godless pagan. I told her she should pray for understanding of the hate within her heart that she is harboring, because that is NOT what Jesus would have us do.

 Perhaps that is yet another of the reasons this is such a divisive and IMPORTANT!! Election. This issue, this "Separation of Church and State" issue will be compromised if Mitt Romney wins this Presidential election. Human Rights will be violated. Many of the progressive trends of caring for our citizens will be privitized and I see this Country being run as a Business with its' SOLE PURPOSE to generate the allmighty dollar and the Bottom Line Vulture Capitalism as its' Prime Directive, rather than as a REPUBLIC which serves the people of America. I have my ballot all ready to drop off in town. I have -for the first time in my life- donated to a Political Party. I have been praying that "The Good Guys" win this election. I have NO DOUBTS!! that both Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and ALL their followers are basically decent people who love their Country, try to live their Faith, and love their Families. But America is a Country of ALL Peoples, not just Christian people. It is a Country of ALL races, not just one race, we are a Country rich in Culture and inclusion. And I want my nieces and nephews to have the freedom to choose their own way, not be forced to either hide their beliefs, or to try to fit into a box not of their own design. And that's why I Voted and am praying for President Obama for Four More Years. PLEASE let this good man win!!

 >^,,^<

In regards to a Huff Post article I read regarding President Obama's "broken promises", Campaign Finances promisesI responded. My response is below. You know, I find it very disturbing that even tho the GOP has been VERY public that their NUMBER ONE priority has been to ensure that President Obama does not get a second term, that many of my fellow Progressives are playing RIGHT into their grubby little mittens by playing the blame game. YES it would have lovely if President Obama had been able to keep all the promises he made to correct many of the things that WE have ALLOWED to occur -by our Votes, and by our complacency- but considering what a STRONG Obstructionist Party the GOP has been, he has achieved an ENORMOUS amount of positive change. Just not EVERYTHING we wished. Give him 4 more years and a Congress who is willing to work WITH him and knows what the term COMPROMISE means, and just stand back and watch his AND AMERICA'S smoke. I BELIEVE. What all these naysayers are saying is that we all expected Christ-like miracles, rather than the progressive good works of a HUMAN. I don't know how it was for all of you who are calling for Mr.Obama's head, but MY life has gotten CONSIDERABLY better under Obama's watch. Obama's 1st term is a statement of how hard he's worked and how dedicated he is to our Country that he was able to do ANYTHING AT ALL. I have FAITH in the progressive ideals which are in the best interests of America. I continue to have Faith in my President. ********************************* *shakes my head* I simply do not understand how IMPATIENT people can be. WE helped get us to the mess that President Obama inherited, by our Votes, by our ignorance, by our willingness to be Sheeple and not THINK CRITICALLY. So if you are not registered to Vote, GET REGISTERED. If you are having troubles getting registered, try this website: Register to Vote if you think your Voice doesn't matter, and you don't want to bother Voting, then you have given up your right to complain about ANYTHING!!!! regarding how America is being run. Talk to the paw, cuz the heart ain't listening! This is an EXTREMELY important election. It is an AMERICAN RESPONSIBILITY which should NEVER be taken for granted. If you are a WOMAN, then you REALLY need to Vote Democratic, because our Rights are being shorn away.. Rights that other women gave their lives up for us to procure! RESPECT THOSE BRAVE WOMEN and VOTE. If you Vote the GOP ticket as a woman, I hope you never need any birth control, I hope you NEVER need any health care, I hope you NEVER expect equal wages for the same job. BUT! I digress. The IMPORTANT THING is to VOTE. Make your voice known. BE INVOLVED. TAKE CONTROL of your destiny, do not be complacent ! RAGE! RAGE! Against the dying of the Light, against the dying of the American Dream! DO NOT go easy into that good night. >^,,^<

Happy Easter!

Holy Days always make me ... wonder. The juxtiposition of the old pagan rituals of fertility and the miracle of Jesus' rising celebrated by eggs laid by rabbits. And this makes sense! Doesn't it? I mean when you think about it.



So on a cloudy day when miracles happen regularly in a far off time, will we remember that miracles still happen with regularity each and every day as long as we believe?



Today, I will plant onions, and maybe I shall finish planting the tomato seeds that are sprouting. That will be an *enough* of a miracle, for today.

Happy Easter !
>^,,^<

Snowing AGAIN!

We're in the banana belt of Oregon for Pete's sake ! April 5th, 2012 and we get an inch of snow ! I am going to have to start planting NOTHING but short season stuff !

*blink*
*bah*

>^,,^<

Snow Snow Snow and Leonine March!

March roars in like a lion, indeed!

Snowed at the coast yesterday, and this is the second day running that we have snow stuck.. Although the trees are now unladen, we still have about 3" inches.

It's quite a late storm, and I am hoping it will kill off the borer beetles, biting flies, fleas and ticks. Not sure about the slugs, I have to get a bag of Iron Phosphate just in case, but I am hoping they are not as nasty as they were LAST year!

And although I am a tad late, today I am going to start my tomato seeds. I know, that sounds funny! Snow on the ground, high of 48* and I'm going to start my TOMATOES??? But if I don't get the wee seedlings started, they won't be sturdy enough to put out come Mother's Day, and I have some BEAUTIES! I saved some seed from my Peach Blow, and my Amana Orange both large heritage tomatoes which are REALLY TASTY! Both are sharp-sweet, and juicy both longer season, so I have to get 'em going!

I wonder what kind of a gardening season we're going to have this year?
I wonder what kind of a year is ahead of me?
I wonder if I'll be able to finally get my surgery done?

>^,,^<

Lost in Laurelindorenan

I have just finished reading the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy for the hmmmm, 11th time, but it has been long and long since last I visited the golden bowers of Middle Earth. It has been close to twenty years, perhaps more since last I wandered down the leaf-strewn bowers of amber-coloured sunrises and rose-bedazzled sunsets.

I am glad I went there. Even as each page turned to the next, I found my heart refreshed, my cares forsworn to other days, my woes caressed to sleep.

Galadriel's Song

I watched the movie first, this time, and then read the books. I have a VERY rare copy of the set, The Hobbit & the Lord of the Rings, a Second Edition revised Taiwan edition, fourth printing. A collector values them in good condition as approx. $200.oo for the set. The paper is fine, and thin, with no foxing, but is slightly yellowed with age, now that the books are 40 years old. They even include all the maps! So it was a treat to read the set again.

Although, as in the many times before when I went there, I find myself in a fey mood... I wonder that this Age of Men has lost the ability to see the wonder all around us, the bird faerie, the shining waters of the dew as it drips from the limb of slender tree in misty woods.. It is all around us, and yet, in today's dreary need of job, and time, and pressure to perform, we lose sight ...We lose our humanity when we forget the wonder which God has Blessed us with each and every day. I know I need to MUST set aside a time each day to remember: remember the breath of the trees, remember the cool grace of shadows on my face, remember the laughter of sunlight there as well. To breathe all this remembering and make it part of my day, so that it does NOT get lost. So that I can walk through these days of our lives in a grace of forgiveness and rememberance which brings a deep and lasting joy in our hearts.

Galadriel's Lament

And I found this little gem of a Blog
Distracting From the Now
where she tells us that the King's Foil, the athelas which cures Eowyn and Falamir, and Merry or their wounds given by the Dark Lord's minions is Wintergreen, and as I know Tolkien did not spring The Lord of the Rings full grown from his forehead like Zeus did Pallas Athena, but instead, he used history and transformed it, he remembered it for us. Rememberings of the Light and our endless struggles with the Dark within.. I believe her. I need to get some of this plant, and plant it 'round about the graveyard in our woods by the banks of Wolfdancer Creek. I believe it will grow there. And when I go down to sit with my Beloveds there in the woods, I shall remember them, as well, and I shall break off a leaf and smell of it's healing deeply, and I shall remember.

Have I said that I am looking forward to Peter's new film, the Hobbit? I am! And now I am starting The Silmarillion. I wonder if they will make more of Tolkien's Tales into movies? Peter Jackson has the world in his heart, I hope to see more of his visions! Yes, I admit it, I am a LOTR nerd, a Hobbit in my heart. Brave but Foolish!

I hear that Kindle will make books obsolete, but I cannot believe that. A Kindle may fail, a battery may fade, the data irretrievably lost, yet a book, well kept, will remain your friend forever. Kindles and e-copies have their place, I think ANYTHING which brings the gift of reading to people is a joy ! a Light in dark places! But I will keep my friends the books, and I will hope and pray that those who go beyond me find a way to value them. Because friends they have been to me in darkest times.

May you find a book one day which speaks to you in friendship.

>^,,^<

Part Time Cook?

OH I hope so! A part time job might save my bacon. So far, 2012 is only better because I have Faith. Still short on the mortgage, but all the other bills are caught up.

I got a call back after about an hour after the interview! Even tho they said it would be 2-3 days before they would let me know for the *second round* of interviews! I'm pretty excited! I would be a good fit there IF my dumb leg will let me do the work that's needful. They serve whole foods, and use the local Farmer's Market and their own grown herbs and produce, plus canning! They only cook from scratch, not pre-packaged stuff. I have an appointment this Saturday as "Kitchen Assistant" which is basically cleaning up, prepping, and pulling stuff out of the various ovens to cool and finish. I'm really hoping my leg will allow me to function!

We had about 8" stuck in snow for about a week, pleasant actually, had enough wood pellets to have the heater on, had enough dog food to not have to go anywhere, and found enough stuff to make a nice turkey and rice casserole. Now it is raining, sometimes furiously so, sometimes just a pitter patter.

>^,,^<

WELCOME 2012!

Here's hoping that 2012 gets better than the past 3 years. Today, I filed for SSDI and SSI. I have an appointment on Feb 7th. SAIF Workman's Comp Insurance has "received evidence that my injury is disabling", yet denied paying my doctor's visit, and is *non-responsive* to my lawyer's requests for information.

It's Friday the 13th, and I am counting on some LUCK to get my life and bills back on track. The wonderfully refreshing job at the Deli ended the day after Thanksgiving, because *sadness* "I couldn't do the job they hired me for" since I have real trouble with stair steps, any thing over 20 pounds lifting, walking, sitting, and of course, the constant intake of narcotics which keep me on my feet.

HOW FRUSTRATING!!!

I still have Faith, however, as long as we can keep the GOP out of office.

>^,,^<