SO MANY THINGS!

Everytime I read a political blog, watch the news, read a newspaper, listen to NPR I hear yet another crisis is in progress.  These events aren't just happening here but all over the world, ever day, hour and minute.  Many people I know give as much as they can.  Many of us make special time to give our neighbors anything we can to help.  Those neighbors can be next door, next town, next continent, the effort is still made to give!

We keep on trying but most of us aren't even sure how many different ways and means this country is in trouble.  Which conspiracy theory should we believe?  How dare the political parties that have had scandal after scandal run in the name of family values?  What kind of families do they have?  My family doesn't encourage pedophilia or call girls.  Does yours?

Petroleum companies have posted record earnings for years now but suddenly gas is down to under $2.oo a gallon.  Do you think there is no profit made at that price?  I bet there is.  Food is staying high in cost.  Houses are not worth what is owed on them.  Even the Swiss have been pulled into the financial mess by their bankers.  They are damned mad about it too!  However, they like us aren't sure how many companies, CEOs, politicians, etc. may have known this was going to happen and still willingly participated just out of greed.  The lack of forethought among so many is hard to believe.  

There is an excellent new book out called "Our American King" set in the very near future that might make some folks very upset when they read it.  The horrible future shown is this book is so frightening because it is so possible.  

I'd like someone who really knows to tell me the truth of our financial situation globally and nationally right now, not someone who is only looking in one or two directions but someone who understands the whole mess.  From what I'm reading there may not be such a person.

Grim Post, I need to find a nice picture to end it with.  Just to remind us all there are beauties all around us.  And that beauty is.....that it doesn't look like that here today!

   

Crabby Old Bitch

Yep, that's just what I'm in the mood to be!  I remember when I was in my twenties, working in resturants, wanting to get old.  Why?  So I could be the bitch I really am at people and they wouldn't hit me!  Unfortunately I still need to work for a living so that hasn't worked out well for me.

The getting older part happened.  I'm not quite a blue-haired raisin only because I don't use hair dye and blue isn't the happening hair shade it used to be for the senior set.  The hip-hop group has pretty much taken over that color and all it's shades.  However as the years have passed the respect youth has for the aged has lessened.  I would probably get smacked just like I was a 20 year old cage fighter if I told people half the thoughts that pass through my mind in the course of a day.

My chance at the American dream passed by decades ago, poor choices, poor Karma, whatever.  My chance at being that nasty old lady who lives alone with 30 cats and her dog is still possible.  Support me in my efforts to be that old lady who scares children on my block!  I thank you.

Wondering about the picture of the day?  That's my 81 year old father fishing last fall.  I can only hope to live up to his level of independence as I get older!  Just thought I'd end with an up note.

My Place

I got up this morning very early.  I'm going back to work today and I thought I'd try to get accustomed to walking around again as I've been in bed since Tues.  I got dressed and went outside only to find the wind had blown the half a tree back up the hill again.  

I can't get this picture right side up but if you turn your head you can see half a dead tree hanging off my power,cable and telephone wires.  Might I add that all of the forementioned companies have refused responsibility saying it was someone else's line?

I don't know about you but I just think it screws with the view.  Badly !

WHEN YOU JUST CAN'T SLEEP

Sometimes you see beautiful things.  These pictures were taken a few nights ago.  I find I can do some effective thinking sitting outside on the porch and looking at things in the dark!

The moon rise was happening when I took these and as it rarely does, it showed color!  If you look carefully you'll see the pinks and reds reflected in two of these pictures.  While I was out there drinking hot tea and taking these shots the coyotes serrandaded me.  The owls who live in the tree above my place were out and hunting with their triple calls.  And just to make it more  special I heard one of my old friends and neighbors sitting outside on his porch playing guitar and singing the blues.

By the time I finished my tea, "Lights out Campers" is the name of it by the way, the show that nature and neighbor had put on for me had quieted my mind and body.  I spent a last few minutes looking at the beauty in the night time sky and then went to bed again, this time to get a few hours of sleep.

PROM NIGHT

Last night the Advocates held a prom.  The Advocates are who you call if someone just died at your house or your husband beat you up.  They are there at every car wreck with a person or animal injured.  The Advocates volunteer time and energy to situations where the victim needs something more than just a policeman taking down facts.  Three times a year they have fund raising events.  This time they held a prom with cocktails, dinner, auctions and dancing!  

People were asked to wear something from their Prom era;  we had everything you can imagine, dresses and tuxes from the present back to togas!  The local women who more often wear hiking boots were in stilettos.  In fact there was a contest on who's were the highest.  More bare skin was shown last night than in the last ten years!  The building this event was held in has huge windowns that looked out on our first BIG snow and a mountain range.  You couldn't have asked for better decoration.  Women wandered around in LED display tiaras while the photographer did a big business as did the sales of boutineers and corsages!  Another addition to the old fashioned prom that made big money was the bar! 

The sale items were often home made and of an unbelievable quality.  Clothing, quilts, paintings, stained glass, jewelry and multiple baskets filled with a variety of theme items were all offered.  The local winery had donated bottles of their wine with sets of glasses to go with them.  Clothing from local designers highlighted the sophistication that has come from the old hippies and their children who located here.  The biggest surprise was the fact not one person who came was in any sense secure financially but they spent with open hands.  The Advocates are a valued asset in our community.  Once again we didn't bother to go to the government that only takes from us but to our people who give.  

The laughter, music and fun continued while the blizzard conditions outdoors added to the beauty of the situation.  Groups of people stood outside watching the weather, getting their gowns and tuxes soaked without caring.  Small town people and their sense of community will make it through the coming years, with or without a government of fools.

MELANCHOLY

I'm going to miss Fall more than usual this year.  I've relished every second of sunlight and warmth.  My heater isn't on and I've only built a couple of fires.  I'm huddled in a warm cashmere shawl while I watch the Bloomberg Report.  It isn't quite light outside,  I'll move out to the porch for my second cup of coffee and watch the sun cause the color show in my yard come to life.  

I'm lucky.  In the middle of winter I still have my rose bushes full of red rose hips and purple and orange leaves.  No matter how dark it gets in the cold time of the year, no matter how gloomy that splash of color brightens my days.  Who knows what will happen this winter?  Will I have enough wood?  Is it going to be a long winter(they all are at my age) ?  Will our economy collapse under the weight of the corrupt Bush government, broken beyond repair?  Will there be an epidemic of homelessness?  

Will food be at a shortage soon?  Gas is already here although not the problem it is in Georgia.  What will inflation be like?  I'm going to get that second cup of coffee, go sit on my porch and enjoy the beauty while it's left.

This is The End

I've hauled in a ton of wood and built up the fire.  It's dark and cloudy outside, already spitting rain Everything around my home glows in a riot of color.  The aspens are gold and green mixed, the rose bushes dull red leaves against shining scarlet berries show against the sage and lamb's quarters still growing almost as fresh as in summer days. 

The sun breaks through again and again shining through my windows showing the smoke from the pine sap I throw on top of my old wood burner.  It scents my entire house with help from pine scented candles burning in preparation for the dark quickly coming down the valley.  My geraniums are full of blooms, the dainty lilac flowers on my rosemary plant are at their best right now as are the nastursiums and heliocarnas.  My portalaca is gorgeous with it's pink, orange, and yellow blooms.  It's hard to believe that tonight we are expecting up to a foot of snow.  Often we have another few weeks of good weather after the first big snow.  I'm hoping that's what happens this year.  

Somehow I feel this fall isn't just the end of the growing season, it is the end of something more.  The good times may be over in America.  I feel the whole country, possibly the entire earth waiting as if holding it's combined breath.   We have tipped over the edge, economically, environmentally, locally and globally.  We have lost our sense of destiny.  Some hopefully have lost their sense of entitlement.  There are not large areas of calm to be found when traveling the astral seas the end of this fall.  Harvests have been destroyed and disrupted.  Transport has been lacking or expensive.  Prices are rising and tension overwhelms the best intentions towards positive thought.

But still, there is the Mother's beauty given generously and freely.  This is the most beautiful year I remember.  Is it really more beautiful or am I trying to hold on to each moment of security and "easy" living I can?  I just know it soothes my soul now when I need it most.