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Back to School Sale

Where did the summer go? All of a sudden I hear people are heading back to school! Several of my kin are starting college, returning to college, or getting ready for same.

The difference is these kids are going in comfort! Everywhere there are sales of color coordinated decorations, dorm size applicances, and all sorts of things to make you feel like you're at home.

Needless to say I didn't have these things when I went to college, back in the stone age.

I am jumping on the bandwagon and offering convenient gift cards for these back to schoolers. That way they can buy what THEY want, which I'm pretty sure is different than what YOU would buy them. This way everyone is happy, and I get a little kickback.

Food, Inc. the Movie

Today we saw this movie. I knew it was going to be one of those movies that make you think, but it was more intense than I was prepared for. If this movie is telling the truth (and it FELT like the truth) then things are in a worse state than I'd ever imagined.



This movie made me cry. It also made me angry, and fearful, and determined! What do you do after you see this movie? Where do you channel that need to want to change the way things are?

Official Food, Inc. Movie Site - Hungry For Change?

It's a start. The most hopeful thing I brought away from this movie was the notion that the Tabacco Industry was brought down. If that can happen to the tabacco lobby, it can happen to the food lobby. It is time. Let's make a change.

Fire the Grid II

This only came to my attention this morning! This was no accident. I could have missed it altogether, but I've been feeling it on some level. So the information I needed came at the right moment. This may be YOUR invitation too, so I'm posting the event. Fire the Grid II :: Be Present
http://www.firethegrid.com/eng09/FTGII.htm

Hot Fun in the Summer Sun

Summer finally arrived with the summer solstice. It was our first hot weather, in the 80's. Although I'm not really a hot weather person, I was thrilled to have some heat! After a long winter and cool spring, I'm prepared to enjoy warm days.
The next week was HOT and HUMID. We had thunder storms and lightening, with some real downpours.We were forced to turn on the air conditioner to get some relief. It was a blessing for the humidity to let up when the storm system passed, and just open the windows to the breeze.
Then, on July 1, the temperature dropped like a lead balloon. The high was 61 degrees!! It was overcast and gloomy. I actually felt so cold, I'd have turned the heat on if it had been available. This lasted for 3 or 4 days. When I'd complain, everyone would remind me that Wisconsin has unpredictable weather. Yeah, Yeah...but can't we have a little consistency to go with it?
Just when I thought I'd go mad, the days warmed back up. Not hot enough for A/C, so I was a happy girl. It's been quite beautiful and we've taken several little trips in the area to enjoy the countryside.The area around Madison is truly beautiful in the Summer. There are rolling hills, endless green fields, and views that take your breath.

So far we've done fireworks a few times, attended a lovely outdoor theatre for plays, enjoyed the band concert in the park next to our apartment, and just spent time relaxing outdoors. I'm saving up warm memories to pull out next winter!

Spring, Glorious Spring

FINALLY, I can feel Spring in the air. It's been a long time coming and some days I nearly gave up on it ever happening. When I realized that it's been six months (SIX MONTHS!!!) since there was living color in the environment I wonder about living in Wisconsin. Can I really survive in this climate?

Spring so far is only little bits of green and some crocus and jonquils. But the days are getting longer (more light) and slightly warmer. The birds are singing all the time, and I've seen the squirrels and rabbits being frisky. I'm optimistic about Summer arriving eventually. I love Spring. I hope for a nice, long Spring.

The other day it was so nice that I took my lunch at the outdoor tables. The sun was warm on my back, the glare on my book made my eyes water. I could have easily taken a nap with the warm sun on my face. It's cooler now, but I know the warm will return again and again until the trees leaf, the flowers bloom and I'm surrounded by all that glorious color!!! Can't wait!

Be Prepared

The theme of Being Prepared has caught my attention. This week I've heard about, read about, or seen the results of people either celebrating being prepared, or the anguish they have suffered from not being prepared. (A first hand account of Flight 1549, tales and pictures of the Heat and Fires in Australia, a film of a penguin that saves itself from being eaten by killer whales, and multiple examples from the worldwide economic disaster.)

My mind is a curious thing. It has been busy this past week trying to formulate a plan for preparedness that will work for me! A couple of time in the past, I've jumped on the bandwagon of accumulating the necessities for a potential disaster. I've done this because somewhere inside me I've believed the idea that "the sky is falling...the sky is falling"and I didn't want to be caught with my pants down, so to speak.

Each time, I've accumulated goods and possessions that had to be either packed up and hauled to a new location when we moved, or given away when we moved so that I wouldn't have to pack and haul them. Either way, my stockpile of goods was a burden.

At heart, I'm a gypsy, a wanderer, an adventurer. It's difficult to plan and provide for potential disaster, because I'm a moving target. Then, my mind thinks about the possibility of having the necessary supplies for a situation, but the inability to get to them. Or there is the scenario where the stockpile is destroyed by the oncoming disaster, in which case the effort was futile.

If disaster struck and I didn't have provisions, would I feel worse knowing I had done nothing, or that I had done something and it was unavailable, or the wrong thing? And if I had made all the right choices, the provisions were available to me, and I was surviving just fine...what about the people around me? They may be needy, and I have what they need. Do I share? Sale? Make a profit? Defend my stash?

It is so easy to fall victim to the idea that the future is uncertain and I need to control everything I can so that I will not be scared. Can I control the urge to panic? What do I do to try to be prepared?

I will do what in my opinion is the more difficult thing. I will stay centered, alert, and trust in the idea that everything will be all right. It is hard to do, in the Doom and Gloom world we live in. Every day, I have to fight the urge to panic, or despair, or allow myself to fall into depression.

But I really believe that my best way of preparation is to stay connected to The Source. This Source is different for each person. What we call it is not a contention for me. I know people that don't believe in any Source. But I do. It works for me. It provides me with a baseline of stability and warmth, and goodness.

I know from experience that the connection is easily broken, or ignored, or unavailable if my mind is not quiet. I also know how difficult it is to keep my mind still when bad things are happening around me, or there is even the perceived potential for calamity.

So, every day, I will be responsible. I'll add to my collection of tangible preparedness. I'll buy an extra case of green beans and that water filter I've been thinking about for years. I'll make sure I have a supply of ready cash, and keep my gas tank full. I'll keep emergency supplies in my car, and check the batteries in the flashlights. I'll make an evacuation plan with my family and establish an emergency contact person and area.

Also, every day I'll practice my meditation and strengthen the connection to my Power. I'll do it until it is second nature to be there, to know that feeling of well being that I get from being connected. Because if the worst happened, and I found myself in a disastrous predicament, totally unprepared...I know I could survive, or die with dignity, because of My connection to Source.

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day falls on February 2nd. It's the mid point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. If the groundhog sees his shadow, according to folk tales there will be six more weeks of winter. If it is cloudy and there is no shadow, spring is coming! The day originates from the German tradition of looking to a badger or a hedgehog's shadow for a weather report in early February.

This morning I had such High Hopes. It seemed like it was going to be overcast, thus no shadow, but now it's sunny. I feel 6 more weeks of depression coming on! Besides, this tradition seems backwards to me. I think if the day is SUNNY, it would indicate Spring coming early, but that's just me, and apparently I'm wrong.

I am SO ready for Spring. I can't wait to see green grass, flowers poking their heads out of the ground, and leaves budding on the trees. Yesterday I could feel it coming. The day was only in the mid 30's (barely above freezing!) but it felt warmer.

Guess I'll get on with my tradition of watching Groundhog Day

False Alarm

Guess I'm NOT finished writing this blog. I was just taking a little rest.

I'm not going to post as often, and the direction my rambling takes may be different---or not.

While thinking about what's going on in my life, my community, and the world, I realize that one day, we'll look back on this period of time and say, "They certainly were interesting times." And we'll be able to substitute MANY word for Interesting.

Since moving to an area that experiences WINTER, I find that I'm in my hibernation mode for several months. I don't enjoy winter sports or activities. I endure the cold and spend my time indoors doing sedentary things. I believe that in the eternal scheme of things, we were meant to take this rest in the winter.

I'm looking forward to Spring, to waking up and getting energized again. In the meantime, I think I'll take a nap!