Be the Light – Page 2 – This Old House 2

We Shall Be Free

As these elections come and go I find I am at a loss for words that adequately describe my heartbreak for the state of the world and this country that I love. And as I see politicians who continuously sow seeds of division and hate and people/media/politicans continue to spread false information with the intention to divide and conquer… I don’t know how it’s lost on anyone this very simple but very real truth….. united we stand, divided we will eventually fall. We are falling. We need leaders who are focused on bringing us all together regardless of our affiliations, for that is where we become strong…… leaders who believe in democracy at it’s best, leaders who truly care about all of us, not just those who bow to them or line their pockets. We need leaders who care about the earth because we are fucking it up royally and that’s not a bottomless pit, we need leaders who’s egos don’t get in the way of the job they’re supposed to do… for all of us, not just their rally crowds. I don’t like most of my choices for voting, I wish we did better across the whole political spectrum. And I sure as hell don’t have the answer – but I will not lose any more of my precious time fretting over something I have no control over other than my vote. I will continue to try to leave things better than I found them, help those I can, and although I’m not religious, this country and it’s people are gonna need every prayer we’ve got, because all I see is more ugly coming down the pike, and too many people looking the other way to support it for whatever their reasons. Unfathomable, and yet here we are.

I wrote this a week or so ago, just before the most recent elections….. and what I see now is HOPE. A LIGHT beaming out over the dysfunction. I still believe a mix of both Democratic and Republican policy make for a strong Democracy if the two parties can work together for the common good. There in lies the rub! There has always been friction, and some corruption all over the spectrum, but never the divisive vicious manipulating anything goes and anything is accepted crap we have seen ushered in with the MAGA mentality. It’s as if someone threw gas on and lit and aimed a blowtorch at the worst our society has to offer.

…. So.. that light? This election was not a red wave, as the media predicted. A ripple at best. And some of the MAGA crowd vying for power was sent a clear message – we are tired of the hate, of the rage politics, we want function, not dysfunction.

Trying to distance myself from the muck of the political landscape… I’ve been sitting at the easel again and just finished this little painting, which I truly love. For me it represents simpler times, and a childhood joy I still cherish… those little glass orbs, tiny little worlds in a glass jar on a sunny windowsill. PS: I don’t know why the weird lines appear in this painting’s image here, at least on my computer screen. It’s not in the uploaded image of the painting.

As I sat up there on election day in my son’s old bedroom which is now my “art studio” … I had Amazon music playing and my old buddy Garth came up – how profound is this…. ( yep, I’m still hearing impaired, but I remember my favorites and all their nuances… and I can still hear the base rhythm… so believe it or not, I can still sing – horribly!!) Garth Brooks is one of my very favorites… and this song ranks up there in my top 10 of all time.

We Shall Be Free

This ain’t comin’ from no prophet,

Just an ordinary man.

When I close my eyes,

I see the way this world shall be

When we all walk hand in hand.

When the last child cries for a crust of bread,

When the last man dies for just words that he said,

When there’s shelter over the poorest head,

We shall be free.

When the last thing we notice is the color of the skin,

And the first thing we look for is the beauty within;

When the skies and the oceans are clean again,

Then we shall be free.

We shall be free, we shall be free.

Stand straight, walk proud,

‘Cause we shall be free.

When we’re free to love anyone we choose,

When this world’s big enough for all different views,

When we all can worship from our own kind of pew,

Then we shall be free.

We shall be free, we shall be free

Have a little faith, hold out,

‘Cause we shall be free.

And when money talks for the very last time,

And nobody walks a step behind;

When there’s only one race,

And that’s mankind, then we shall be free.

We shall be free ,we shall be free

Stand straight, (walk proud, )

Have a little faith, (hold out;)

We shall be free.

We shall be free, we shall be free,

(Stand straight, ) stand straight,

(Have a little faith, ) walk proud,

‘Cause we shall be free.

Till soon, Friends…

33

My oldest baby is 33 years old today. Holy cow, time flies. She has overcome and continues to wrestle with an obstacle no one sees or can fully understand (TBI from car accident many moons ago) and she THRIVES regardless – building a beautiful life for herself and her little family as she goes. Cheers to many more years and many more good things to come 🥂🍾❤🌻🧁

Meanwhile… back at the ranch, can you stand a few more fall pictures? New England at her finest – and I just keep saying to myself as I walk the fields and woods, drive the country roads.. man, there just has not been a more glorious fall in all the years I can remember. I see from your comments in the previous post you are finding the same where you live.

Leah and Max enjoying the glorious weather

The barn project continues… we are trying to get it all done before the snow flies this winter…. oh how I hope this comes to fruition because right now with the horses in temporary housing on the hill and the turn out routine, feed supplies and mucking tools scattered.. it’s more work and my neck and shoulders are bitching.

My son’s dog Leo loves going to work with “dad”.

And below.. the old barn gutted… to be rehabbed into the new.

There is more good news hopefully on the horizon, but I can’t yet share it out of an abundance of caution. What I can say is, living with fibromyalgia as I have for many years, I have learned some of the triggers for a flare, and one of the big ones is stress and worry. And Lord, I am a worrier. I haven’t yet discovered how to loosen that thread from the fabric I am made of. But this mantra helps remind me when a new “worry” arrives …. there’s even a magnet on my fridge with these words……

Easier said than done, I know it. But in my older years I am trying to let go of some of the old habits that don’t serve me well. This is one of them. Let go or be dragged. I know you know the woe. Another is losing that extra 20 or so pounds I really really hate dragging around. It doesn’t sound like a huge problem, but mentally it drags me and on this small frame, physically too. Bleh. I’ve tried various things, and I am very active. What it really comes down to is stress and worry eating… and I love to cook for the people I love (which includes me, lol).

And you know, I really do like me and it took me far too long to realize this. Why does it take us so long to arrive at that destination? Think of all the problems it would solve if we were born and grew up liking/LOVING! ourselves and knowing our worth.

Wishing you all good things, and thank you for stopping in.

Will they rise, will we…

How are you digesting all that awful information out there, is it weighing heavy as it is with me? I just cannot fathom the depths of evil pooled in a man like P*tin and the mentality of those who willingly follow his lead. How do you march and drive and fly and angle your weapon into a peaceable country and start obliterating innocent people and all the things they have built and lived in and loved, and live with yourself afterward. How do you admire the man who tells you to do so? And how does that evil man think he can ever gain whatever little thread of respect he had in this world, now that he has proven himself to be another version of H*tler. He is destroying his own country along with his decimation of Ukran*an cities, how did he ever believe this would be a big win for him?

Why such evil exists in a world where we could truly all live in harmony and without basic need if we would all just rise to that simple concept… is beyond my comprehension. It would be so easy. How did we evolve into something so different. Well…. some of us. This is where the concept of an all seeing, all loving, all knowing, all powerful Creator fails me. It feels more like we were an experiment that is failing, rapidly. Or was he/she/they like the surgeon who’s intent is to save a life but nicks a main artery in the process and we slowly bleed out. If you find comfort in religion, my intent is not to mock your beliefs. I just don’t see it, with all my heart I don’t feel it. I believe more in the power of good people and I pray for that most of all.

I am so impressed by the tenacity, the raw courage of the Leader and people of Ukra*ne. I hope they prevail, I hope they will be able to return to their country and rebuild, despite the destruction, and I hope we all live to see it. My prayers for them are simple.. I am a spiritual person, if not religious. I pray they rise like a phoenix from the ashes and overcome the monster’s attempted extermination. And I pray this country gets it’s shit together and finds more unity among us, rising from the ashes of the political discourse that is also so.. unnecessary. Don’t we all want the same basic things? We do, if you don’t fall for the talking heads with their own agendas.

I have one tattoo on my 57 year old body – and it is the phoenix, it is my prayer.

Heavy and Light

Such a weird weird time, isn’t it? Are you still masking everywhere? Doctor’s offices still require it but many stores do not. Around here I would say the ratio is more masked than not, but there are naked faces and I must admit, I am SO TIRED OF THE MASK! I cannot imagine how the folks who have to wear it all day long for work/safety reasons are tolerating it. And the poor kids! To be clear, I’m not debating it, not wading into that mess because I just don’t have all the answers, and neither does anyone else, and I totally get the need to be cautious and protecting ourselves and others and have done that more so than not for the past two years. TWO YEARS, wow. As a hearing impaired person the masks are even more of a hinderance for the obvious reasons.

About those shots and boosters – We’re boosted around here, but there is an odd uptick in strokes lately and I’m not going to lie and say that doesn’t concern me. Strokes among younger folks, not where you usually see them. And I’m not going by news sources, I’m talking about people we know. I’m not anti vaxx, but I’m not sure I’ll be getting more covid shots now that I’ve had these three. I want more time spent on it, more research. In the meantime we’re both on a weight loss kick (AGAIN) and I’ve been walking/hiking with Kai as often as I can talk myself in to it, at least four times a week when weather permits. Eating less meat and more greens and fruits, drinking more water.

2024 – raise your hand if you think we all deserve better choices than Biden/Harris and Trump/anyone in the next presidential election. Man, I feel like we’re floundering big time on so many fronts and for a variety of reasons. We need a reset, but not of the hideous kind, of which I worry we are headed.

Enough of the heavy – here’s some Light –

We’re gearing up for a family wedding this June – my son and his lovely fiance who is also like a daughter to us now… and the wedding planning has been so fun! The bride has wonderful taste in what she’s picking out – simple and elegant – lovely whites and creams and greens and elegant black. My mom will be Justice of the Peace, and the whole thing will take place at an old Lace Factory that is now a wedding venue… family and friends and the groom and his men will arrive aboard the Essex Steam Train – how romantic is that! All of this set against the CT River. A few pictures below to give you a sneak peek at the vision board, so to speak .

We’ve got that wonderful day to look forward to… and a three day trip booked on the Vineyard for the Mr. and I in July… plus! .. a really exciting trip planned for June 2023 with a cousin and his wife – Italy! Starting at the Amalfi Coast where my husband’s family 2 generations back are from. This will be the first time across the pond for the two of us and I am over the moon excited. We met them for dinner the other night, they’ve been to Europe many times.. and my workaholic husband has decided it’s about time he starts enjoying life and even some travel. Encouraged by travel accompanied by a couple who know the ropes, so to speak, he agreed. Hooray!

I hope this finds you well and sane, and I hope love found you in one way or another yesterday, so many ways to see and appreciate and give love in it’s many forms. Found this quote and love it – May you see love in everything today and may your heart be filled with gratitude for all

Till soon…

Holidays during Pandemic times

How were your holidays? Scaled down like ours? We managed some smaller gatherings and I’m grateful we’re all still here and relatively healthy. We even did a weekend at The Woodstock Inn, a favorite place for us. Last year’s trip was cancelled because Vermont was basically closed to outsiders, and this year still looked different but was enjoyable, regardless.

Christmas came early while in the Woodstock village, the Mr. obliged my obsession with these boots as we kept passing them in a store window and they whispered to me every time, I’m not even kidding.

The Inn was magical, the depleted staff did a fantastic job with a difficult scenario.

Christmas rolled around and we did what we thought was best – smaller gatherings, and some of them cancelled.

🎄 Mom holding a delicious refreshing Christmas Drink – the Poinsettia – Prosecco, Elderflower liquor and a splash of cranberry juice, with some frozen cranberries thrown in. Mix together according to taste – pretty and yum. I’m not a big drinker but I like a refreshing one now and then and this hits the spot. And kills the germs, right? LOL

We’ve decided to scale back down the restaurant dining since the new Covid surge, but we did get out to our favorite cafe in Stonington, the Dogwatch. Their “power bowl” is my favorite – packed with healthy eating. the Town of Stonington is beautiful any time of year, but especially during the holidays.

The kids and I have done some hiking and that is the single most awesome thing that happened to me this year- upon the adoption of Kai, my spirit dog as my mom calls him, I knew he needed a lot of attention and trust building and hiking was a good way to do it. That also gave me the opportunity to tone up and get in better shape, and my adult kids don’t mind hanging out with mom to do it. I’m not a gym rat, I hate being stationary to exercise. Treadmills, elipticals, blah blah blah. Get me out in the scenery and I can go for miles, and so I do. It’s been a win for all of us during pandemic times and my goal is to continue exploring trails long into the future.

Yesterday’s hike at Hammonasset State Park on Long Island Sound, Madison, CT

Wishing us all good health and much joy in the years ahead.

Nature, the ultimate recharge, my cathedral

… has always been nature and the animals. In my quest to keep this aging body moving and in good working order, I’ve been walking and hiking more… my newest rescued dog Kai as my faithful companion. He is such a joy because he loves the outside time and he doesn’t pull! That’s a bonus I have not had before, not even with little Sally with the twisted front legs, which don’t slow her down one bit.

The biggest bonus is.. my kids actually like hiking with mom! So now and then I am accompanied by some of my most favorite people, too. The only nuisance are the damned ticks. I have found the all natural Cedarcide spray does help repel them. I buy it on amazon.

Lost Lake at WestWoods, Guilford, CT – my boy introduced me to these awesome trails –

A train occasionally blows through on the tracks – I look forward to hiking these trails when the snow lands, Polar Express comes to mind.

This is an old quarry area, hence the large blocks of stone, and below is an old horse watering station.

The trails of Parmelee Farm are close to home and we go there often. My son was hired to enhance the trail system and he and crew are doing a beautiful job.

When I’m not out in the woods or mucking stalls or editing for work on this computer, I try to get upstairs to sit at the easel – newest painting I’m working on is a scene from a recent hike on Barn Island, such a glorious day and fun new discovery for nature walks, I decided to try to capture it on canvas. Still much to do with it, but here’s where I’m at ….. with Michael Bolton on Amazon music – I may be 3/4 deaf, but I remember the nuances, and the beat tells me where we’re at in the song. The Brain is an amazing thing, this I know for sure, and in this way I can still enjoy music on a whole different and definitely less satisfying level, but still, there’s joy in it. Grab it where you can!

Some good advice and humor for you as we head into the weekend –

We’re all just walking each other home – Ram Dass

Till soon, friends…

The language we choose to speak

Being hearing impaired can really suck, I miss music and easy conversation. However my family and friends have helped me to make it doable over the years and the kindnesses are always noticed by me and so appreciated. I actually love when we can laugh over it as I occasionally get the words wrong.

I have always loved and bonded with animals, and even more so now- our conversations are all visual and feel, with soft words that don’t really matter- it’s the demeanor, it’s the reassuring presence. If we could all just have that simple language with each other no matter our obvious differences , all of us- what a beautiful world this is capable of being for every being.

Happy Thanksgiving, all –

Every girl’s crazy ’bout a sharp dressed man….

If you’re as old as I am, I’m willing to bet you’re humming that toon by ZZ Top right about now, aren’t ya…

Isn’t he handsome? ♥

Kai and I continue to get to know each other… a few times a week I take just him and leave the others home… to Stella by the Sea where we walk the cottage community admiring the gardens, the shells on the beach, all the new smells. He watches my every move wherever we go, currently staring at me as he lies in his favorite dog bed, the others all around my desk area in their favorites too. He got his first bath yesterday and he looks and smells glorious. I’ve had my moments where I’ve thought – What the F did you do, Karen?!….adopting a dog that needs so much patience….. but those thoughts are quickly washed away by the feelings of joy when he comes right up to me with his silly grin, when he jumps in the car with the anticipation of the experience of wind in his face, the walk after the ride. The loving gazes that to me say.. thank you...

My son and his fiance were in a wedding last weekend, and I just loved the whole vibe – a young and truly beautiful crowd, the joy apparent, much dancing and whooping in celebration – As it should be. We have begun the planning for his wedding for next June – so much to think about, and so much fun to be had. Love is in the air… and one can’t help but get wrapped up in it and remember those young years full of plans and promise…. ( no matter how that may have ended up, LOL)

We’ve begun harvesting from our gardens – the kitchen garden is producing peas and basil , I’ve got pesto in the freezer already- the zinnia rows and Tomatoes are not yet blooming…

Up in the orchard the raspberry bushes have lots of berry beginnings, blueberries too… apple and peach trees will bear fruit, potato plants are huge, and I picked the first yellow squash harvest this morning.

We had heavy rains last night and usually at this time of year that means mushrooms in the woods, so I took a gator ride out back and down into it – I don’t dare pick to eat, because I’m not educated in the edibles and poisonous. But they sure are pretty to behold….

Leaving a recipe here that I haven’t tried yet, but it’s easy to throw together and a combination of things I love, so I’ll give it a go soon – maybe even later today.

Lemon Chiffon Blueberry Dessert

And some sage advice…

Till Soon, friends…

One has to wonder what toxic crap has oozed out of the ozone layer…

Yesterday Trump embraced the actions of Trump Train supporters in Texas who surrounded a Joe Biden campaign bus in an attempt to slow down the bus and run it off the road. Police were called and had to arrive to break up the attempt so that the bus could get to it’s destination.

Trump tweeted a video of the caravan surrounding the Biden bus with the caption, “I LOVE TEXAS!” I couldn’t care less if he were a citizen, whatever, dude. But he is the President of The United States- the behavior is disgusting coming from the highest office in the land.

Yesterday in this small town, a group of older women stood near a previously antagonistic Trump supporter, both holding up signs for the candidates of their choice. The good news – the normally antagonistic was kind, even took pictures for one another, it was the kind of encounter we should all be capable of. Meanwhile, several times young men driving by waved “the finger” at the group of women as they drove by. The President probably loves those young men of Ktown too.

Trump embraces the divide in this country, in fact he encourages it. Not fake news – his words and action speak volumes on their own without help from the media. How anyone hasn’t yet learned from the lessons of history that divided we will ALL FALL is beyond my comprehension. This is no longer about politics, tribalism is front and center and some of you are embracing it whole heartedly. Sadly, what I’ve come to know is, those who continue to embrace and cheer on Trump’s asshole rhetoric can only do so because that type of behavior, those “values” are part of their makeup as well. With some it comes as no surprise to me because I’ve seen it via bullying or juvenile mocking or racism in your makeup long ago.

For others, I’m sad that tax breaks for the wealthy and a false narrative that police are going to be “defunded” and the bullshit line that Christianity is being attacked are enough for you to not do the research to know that’s simply not true. For some reason you believe a five time draft dodging, never religious science and climate denying three time married cheating lying bankrupt foreign dictator coddling racist narcissist idiot is your hero – all these things proven by his past narrative and actions, not fake news. It’s as if some toxic crap dropped out of the ozone layer and half of us were affected.

FUCK THAT. We need more than thoughts and prayers to turn this country around, we need a government that works in a unified fashion and ends the divide of We The People, and I just don’t see that coming to fruition with the current cast of characters and while so many of We The People continue to embrace the divide, the hate, the rhetoric, no matter which side of the divide it’s coming from. One thing is absolute – It should NEVER come from the President of the United States in the blatant way it is now.

Tuesday one way or the other will not heal that divide.. it’s ultimately up to We The People, because our governing officials all across the spectrum are failing us. I already know who will be offended by this post if they bother to read it through, and that knowledge both saddens me and releases me from ignoring what I think is no longer ignorable.

Onward –

What will you dwell on

A wise person once told me… what we dwell on is who we become. I’d like to think most of us are not the noise pollution we are being fed by those who’s motives are not anchored in and for the greater good. Aren’t we all soul-weary from the onslaught?

Another wise person reminded me how important it is not to get caught up in that swill. We’re only going through this way once – be kind to yourself, be kind to others, look for the good, respect and enjoy our vast diversity, support your causes, don’t contribute to the divides, seek truth, have compassion, seek joy – it’s especially abundant in the little things. If something in your life is really dragging you down, let it go. Lift each other I’m starting this day with a renewed appreciation for all that is good and I’ll nurture it where I can .

Some inspiration for today –