Thank God I'm a Woke Woman

 

Woke:

"Aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)"

So very happy to be included in this smart group

"Woke" means knowing 

"Woke" means remembering that Russia invaded Ukraine, not the other way around.

In other words . . .

Have a nice day

All in a day

 

We had a sometimes gray, sometimes sunny day today.  

Temps were in the mid to high 50s.

And now it's snowing and blowing up a storm

And we have this happening in the sunroom

The first Tinkerbell is ready to show her stuff 

Mother Nature is gonna do what she wants to do.

 “Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.”

                                         ― Mary Oliver, Sometimes

Remembering to breathe and visiting Mitford

 

No, I am not watching the Felon stand before Congress tonight telling lie after lie.

I have made my daily calls to Members of Congress and written a couple of letters.

But now is my time to clear my head of all the lies and hatefulness the Felon and his equally hateful and hypocritical republican cronies enjoy spreading

 and breathe.

And I chose the most gentle book I could think of to escape into.

The first novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon’s beloved series set in America’s favorite small town: Mitford.

It's easy to feel at home in Mitford. In these high, green hills, the air is pure, the village is charming, and the people are generally lovable. Yet, Father Tim, the bachelor rector, wants something more. Enter a dog the size of a sofa who moves in and won't go away. Add an attractive neighbor who begins wearing a path through the hedge. Now, stir in a lovable but unloved boy, a mystifying jewel theft, and a secret that's sixty years old. Suddenly, Father Tim gets more than he bargained for. And readers get a rich comedy about ordinary people and their ordinary lives.

I read this lovely novel when it first came out in 1994 and could hardly wait for the next one.

I wasn't sure i'd actually find it to be the book I was hoping it to be after all this time, but I am happy to say it has held up beautifully.

It feels just right spending this evening with Father Tim and the residents of Mitford.

Hold on to those dreams

 

I'm still and forever dreaming of Paris and I know, someday, we'll go back.

Disgusting treatment of Ukranian President Zelensky

 Donald Trump, felon, is an embarrassment.

Pigs have more grace and intelligence.

Vance?  He's nothing.  

A loud mouth, full of shit, zero.

Crass.  Vulgar.  Uncouth.  Churlish.  Uncivil.  Common. Coarse.  Boorish.  

Crude Illbred Bullies.

And, truly, that doesn't even begin to describe how unforgiveably disgusting they are.

Weak men always think being rude and obnoxious makes them look tough.

They're wrong.

Trash.  

They are nothing but trash of the worst sort.

How many of us were literally sickened by the lack of respect shown President Zekensky who showed himself to be, in all ways, the best man in that room

Diplomacy is, apparently, a thing of the past with this joke of an administration.

Hell, plain ol' good manners is long gone as well.

I am so ashamed.

Woke! And proud

 

Today at our house

 

Annabelle is napping while I read Highfire: A Novel by Eoin Colfer

“True Detective meets Swamp Thing in the Artemis Fowl author’s neo-noirish thriller about a curmudgeonly dragon in Louisiana.” —Guardian

And it's Day 13 for my Tinkerbell Amaryllis bulbs

AND I spent less than five minutes using https://5calls.org/ to call my congress members.  Man, it feels good to get stuff off my chest!  If you haven't discovered the joy and convenience of  https://5calls.org/  yet, I urge you to give it a try!  

We are ALL in this together!

Some Days

 

Some days we fight for Democracy 

Some days we rest

After we rest, we fight again

And so it goes.

We fight in our own ways.

We rest in our own ways.

Today I'm resting while reading, thanks to NetGalley, the upcoming novel by Pamela Terry (I love her books).  ❤❤❤

And even though it's a day of rest, I still had time to make a phone call.

Meanwhile, on my nightstand

Borrowing from Joyce Vance -

We are all in this together

Choices

 

Are you sitting back biting your nails, or are you making phone calls and writing letters?

Now is not the time to be apathetic about your country, your rights - your life as you have known it.

If you're waiting on the government to step in and fix things, pfffttt - you better wake up.

If you're going to summarily dismiss every idea presented while not presenting another viable option, you're just getting in the way.  

Are you wondering what you, as one individual, can do?

I think a good place to start is right here - Read This Article From Newsweek -What Is the People's Union Group Behind Nationwide Economic Blackout

It's a first step.  A good one.  

Don't be fooled by the simplicity!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
            ― Margaret Mead

One of the substack newsletters I still subscribe to is Feathers of Hope.

I like their philosophy of radical hopefulness.

If you're not familiar with them, this latest entry is as good a place as any to start.  There is also a section of archives you can browse through to get an idea of what they're accomplishing.

Are you already shaking your head believing impeachment is not a possibility?  Thinking "been there, done that?"  Consider opening yourself up to at least reading what Feathers of Hope has to say about it.

This is a time to be more open-minded than we have ever been.  Seeking solutions with our minds already made up is standing still accomplishing nothing.

“Hope for a better world.

Hope for a better tomorrow.

Hope will never be silent.”

 

                     —Harvey Milk, California’s first openly-gay elected official 

                   assassinated in San Francisco, November 27, 1978

There are still a few non-MAGA Republicans.  Consider reaching out to them.

Here is contact information for three influential Republican moderates.  

Don Bacon: (202) 225-4155 D.C. —— (402) 938-0300 District Office

2104 Rayburn House Office Building —Washington, DC 20515

District Office: 3906 Gold Circle, Suite 101 — Omaha, NE 68144

Brian Fitzpatrick: (202) 225-4276 D.C. —— (215) 579-8102 District Office

271 Canon House Office Building - Washington, DC 20515

District Office: 1717 Langhorne Newtown Rd. Suite 225 — Langhorne, PA 19047

David Joyce: (202) 225-5731 D.C. —— (440) 352-3939 District Office

2065 Rayburn House Office Building -- Washington, DC 20515

District Office: 8500 Station Street, Suite 390 — Mentor, OH 44060

And Don't Forget these people -

Minority Leader: Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), 202-225-5936

Minority Whip: Katherine Clark (D-MA), 202-225-2836

Caucus Chair: Pete Aguilar (D-CA), 202-225-3201

Make some calls - you'll feel better.  

 “What we must do,

I suppose,

is to hope the world

keeps its balance;

what we are to do, however,

with our hearts

waiting and watching—truly

I do not know.”

       — Mary Oliver

PITY THE NATION - Khalil Gibran / Lawrence Ferlinghetti

 From The Garden of the Prophet

Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave

and eats a bread it does not harvest.

Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero,

and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.

Pity a nation that despises a passion in its dream,

yet submits in its awakening.

Pity the nation that raises not its voice

save when it walks in a funeral,

boasts not except among its ruins,

and will rebel not save when its neck is laid

between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox,

whose philosopher is a juggler,

and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking

Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting,

and farewells him with hooting,

only to welcome another with trumpeting again.

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years

and whose strongmen are yet in the cradle.

Pity the nation divided into fragments,

each fragment deeming itself a nation.

           ~Kahlil Gibran

* * * * *

PITY THE NATION

 Lawrence Ferlinghetti (After Khalil Gibran) 2007

Pity the nation whose people are sheep
And whose shepherds mislead them

Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
And whose bigots haunt the airwaves

Pity the nation that raises not its voice
Except to praise conquerors
And acclaim the bully as hero
And aims to rule the world
By force and by torture

Pity the nation that knows
No other language but its own
And no other culture but its own

Pity the nation whose breath is money
And sleeps the sleep of the too well fed

Pity the nation oh pity the people
who allow their rights to erode
and their freedoms to be washed away

My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty!

       ~ Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Friday thoughts

Day Four for my Tinkerbelle Amaryllis bulbs ❤

Watching them brings me joy.

When suffering from The Blues I buy something new - usually in red.

My newest purchase

Yesterday was Donald's birthday - His 70th!  

And today is Valentine's Day

We have always celebrated these two days together.

And with Annabelle, of course!

Today we decided to celebrate with pizza

Many of us are going through tough days right now.  

But we can't give up, and we can't give in, okay?

Keep calling The U. S. Capitol switchboard to let these people know how you feel - Truly, it’s urgent that we all do this. 

Flood them with calls. 

IT TAKES ABOUT A MINUTE!!!!

This is the phone number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard.  You will be connected directly with the office you request. 

202-224-3121

Let your members of Congress (Republicans AND Democrats) know how you feel. It matters.

AND

You can call OUR White House as well -

202-456-1111 

202-456-1414

And . . .

Don't forget to look for beauty -

Parisian Moments Photography

And read some poetry . . .

Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave

and eats a bread it does not harvest.

Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero,

and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.

Pity a nation that despises a passion in its dream,

yet submits in its awakening.

Pity the nation that raises not its voice

save when it walks in a funeral,

boasts not except among its ruins,

and will rebel not save when its neck is laid

between the sword and the block.

Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox,

whose philosopher is a juggler,

and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking

Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting,

and farewells him with hooting,

only to welcome another with trumpeting again.

Pity the nation whose sages are dumb with years

and whose strongmen are yet in the cradle.

Pity the nation divided into fragments,

each fragment deeming itself a nation.

           ~Kahlil Gibran

And, finally - 

Remember to . . .

Today in Meat Camp

 Ice

And pancakes

A new day

 

A perfect day to start new pretty things growing.  Today is actually Day 2.

I bought 3 Tinkerbell Amaryllis bulbs.  

I'll keep you posted.