At 18 I walked often into the wild blue yonder to be a soldier. Part of me thought that I wanted to do something grand and part of me just did what the rest of my family had done when they graduated high school (or not graduate high school). Some families have a history of working the land, some of earning degrees. In my family it was to go into the service. Having served in the Air Force I find that the emotional response to Veterans Day, for me, is a little off kilter.
There is an important part that I think gets left out in all the pride. A lot of kids go into the service because it is there only option. I do not say thank you to them for going in. Instead I say thank you for not running away when it gets scary. I am grateful to all the soldiers that stand with there comrades and do not turn and run to leave a man alone. I believe that democracy its self is a grand freedom. A true patriot believes in the opportunity to disagree. America is founded on that: from the first immigrants that sought religious freedom in the new land, to the gays now who wish to be married.
I went in the service to gain opportunity. I do not belive it is noble to rage into the night with out knowlege of the impact and heart ache of war. Veterans do not find that war is a thing to be celebrated, brotherhood is. If a man believes that brotherhood is more important and can be developed instead of war, then I salute him/her and hand over all my badges to the man that stands next to another in kindness and brotherhood.
Happy Veterans Day to the soldiers that worked together for brotherhood and believe in a peaceful nation.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
New England Morning
Daylight savings times happened yesterday. This morning as I enjoyed my extra hour of sleep I could hear wind tossing the trees around outside. I curled under the blanket and ignored the cat pouncing around behind me. Then the hubby came in and said, "It's snowing." It does not snow in Arizona I thought, then I remembered I don't live there anymore.
To my good luck, yesterday. Yes, yesterday I bought a warm coat, lucky timing I say. So with my warm new coat and a cup of Earl Grey tea in my hand I watched the hubby clean the snow off the windows. "Get in." he says and were off. At last, our gas sucking Subaru is worth its safety rating, gliding along the road slush, effortlessly.
I went to the VA to get my Flu shot which was quick. The nurse at the counter told me she liked my coat. I told her I had just gotten it and that moving from Arizona I did not have a good warm coat. Then I told her, "See, I am ready for New England, you wouldn't even know I moved here." She looked at me then she said, "Oh they'll still know." I gave her a smile. I know what she means.
The door to the VA is a large rotating door. With three large sections. One man and I were on one side, heading inside the building in another section was old man with a cane. In the last section people were piling in while the old man took tiny steps the rotating door moving a very little bit with each slow step he at last went out trapping all the people heading in, there were about ten people. The man that was in with me slipped through the small space left and went back into the VA to hit a button for when the door stops for safety. Not one of the people on the other side saw this. Then they saw me waiting for the man to return. Ten loud New England voices then yelled, "Hey there is a lady just standing over there. WALK, WALK." Feeling frustrated by all the yelling I walked over to the door, (it did not budge) then did a pirouette and danced around a little then yelled back at them, "It's not moving". At last it moved just enough for me to get out. I stomped away. Then giggled at the silliness of it all as I hurried to my car to get out of the freezing wind.
To my good luck, yesterday. Yes, yesterday I bought a warm coat, lucky timing I say. So with my warm new coat and a cup of Earl Grey tea in my hand I watched the hubby clean the snow off the windows. "Get in." he says and were off. At last, our gas sucking Subaru is worth its safety rating, gliding along the road slush, effortlessly.
I went to the VA to get my Flu shot which was quick. The nurse at the counter told me she liked my coat. I told her I had just gotten it and that moving from Arizona I did not have a good warm coat. Then I told her, "See, I am ready for New England, you wouldn't even know I moved here." She looked at me then she said, "Oh they'll still know." I gave her a smile. I know what she means.
The door to the VA is a large rotating door. With three large sections. One man and I were on one side, heading inside the building in another section was old man with a cane. In the last section people were piling in while the old man took tiny steps the rotating door moving a very little bit with each slow step he at last went out trapping all the people heading in, there were about ten people. The man that was in with me slipped through the small space left and went back into the VA to hit a button for when the door stops for safety. Not one of the people on the other side saw this. Then they saw me waiting for the man to return. Ten loud New England voices then yelled, "Hey there is a lady just standing over there. WALK, WALK." Feeling frustrated by all the yelling I walked over to the door, (it did not budge) then did a pirouette and danced around a little then yelled back at them, "It's not moving". At last it moved just enough for me to get out. I stomped away. Then giggled at the silliness of it all as I hurried to my car to get out of the freezing wind.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Day of dead poem.
by Misha Dawn
They came like trees in fall, strong and colorful.
Change visual in the light shades of their hair and the lines around their eyes.
They came and sat quietly as birds sang loud songs of protest from the tree tops.
The uninvolved lines circled the the green, the church,
and alone,
circled the quiet rooms
filled with the smell of impermanence.
There was some among them that were small.
Today, all returned, and marched to drums, and bells, and dancers.
Everyday they can be heard in wind in treetops
and quiet exhales of love.
They came like trees in fall, strong and colorful.
Change visual in the light shades of their hair and the lines around their eyes.
They came and sat quietly as birds sang loud songs of protest from the tree tops.
The uninvolved lines circled the the green, the church,
and alone,
circled the quiet rooms
filled with the smell of impermanence.
There was some among them that were small.
Today, all returned, and marched to drums, and bells, and dancers.
Everyday they can be heard in wind in treetops
and quiet exhales of love.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
PMS Sans Uterus.
Today I have ragging PMS. Of which I find to be a wonder, now that I do not have a uterus. You would think not having PMS would be one of the benefits. But no, my little tubes are still there, making eggs, and hormones. Some evidence of the PMS is that I am just irritable. For example the poor kitten got herself locked in the bathroom for jumping in the trash can. I could hear her yelling, "let me out" while I imagined replacing her with a not so bothersome fish.
Additionally, I tried to make a deep dish apple pie and having not read the instructions carefully, I have the crust on the bottom instead of on the top (reading to quick may be a normal defect). I quickly made a crumble for the top of the pie and will hope for decent results.
I had a native friend tell me that in her tribe the women in there menses were not allowed to cook. For me I think it should probably be during PMS being that is when I am intense like: those first cold days of fall or, like a kitten who smells chicken bones in the trash. As for now I will wait for my pie to come out of the oven and take deep breaths.
p.s. I wonder where the eggs go now. Are they lost and arguing about who should have looked at the directions.
Additionally, I tried to make a deep dish apple pie and having not read the instructions carefully, I have the crust on the bottom instead of on the top (reading to quick may be a normal defect). I quickly made a crumble for the top of the pie and will hope for decent results.
I had a native friend tell me that in her tribe the women in there menses were not allowed to cook. For me I think it should probably be during PMS being that is when I am intense like: those first cold days of fall or, like a kitten who smells chicken bones in the trash. As for now I will wait for my pie to come out of the oven and take deep breaths.
p.s. I wonder where the eggs go now. Are they lost and arguing about who should have looked at the directions.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Black Cat
So last night as my little black kitten sat curled between my husband and I with her motor purring. I wondered why black cats and witches were associated with one an other I found all kinds of interesting information mostly from about.com and http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/folklore.htm.
I thought about it this way:
I imagine, I am a single woman living in France in the middle ages. In the black of morning I have just made my tea. Off in the distance, I see two bright yellow eyes. They seem to float right out of the dark. Just as I pick up the cream my fear turns to wonder as this visitor dances around my feet. Instead of in my tea, I pour my precious cream in a bowl and set it down for my company (it is the only polite thing to do). For days and weeks after I get up for my chores this small companion comes for my cream. This cat does not mind my rotting teeth, or my sour smell and it lessens the feelings of loneliness, of difference.
I would imagine that no one at that time would understand why a woman would choose to live alone. Maybe I love other women, or maybe I am uncomfortable with the rules of the church, or maybe I just want to be alone (except for the cat). Next thing I know I am talking about the cat that visits me and meeting other women that like they way cats keep company and rid their garden of pests. But that is all way before we are burned at the stake for being witches.
As for me, Ms. Dawn here in the modern world, I think... as my cat scratches my leg leaping up to steal my cereal after I just got done cleaning kitty litter, I think... I am a dog person. At least I won't be burned at the stake.
I thought about it this way:
I imagine, I am a single woman living in France in the middle ages. In the black of morning I have just made my tea. Off in the distance, I see two bright yellow eyes. They seem to float right out of the dark. Just as I pick up the cream my fear turns to wonder as this visitor dances around my feet. Instead of in my tea, I pour my precious cream in a bowl and set it down for my company (it is the only polite thing to do). For days and weeks after I get up for my chores this small companion comes for my cream. This cat does not mind my rotting teeth, or my sour smell and it lessens the feelings of loneliness, of difference.
I would imagine that no one at that time would understand why a woman would choose to live alone. Maybe I love other women, or maybe I am uncomfortable with the rules of the church, or maybe I just want to be alone (except for the cat). Next thing I know I am talking about the cat that visits me and meeting other women that like they way cats keep company and rid their garden of pests. But that is all way before we are burned at the stake for being witches.
As for me, Ms. Dawn here in the modern world, I think... as my cat scratches my leg leaping up to steal my cereal after I just got done cleaning kitty litter, I think... I am a dog person. At least I won't be burned at the stake.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Halloween Foods.
A good friend of mine text me asking about some Halloween foods. My mother has a great one called the kitty litter cake.
Ingredients:
One box of spice or german chocolate cake.
One box of white cake mix
One package of white sandwhich cookies
One package of vanilla instant pudding
few drops of green food coloring
12 small tootsie rolls
a NEW kitty litter box
a NEW kat box liner
New pooper skooper
bake cakes and make pudding as directed.
crumble cookies in the blender. Take out one cup of the cookies and mix with food coloring. Set aside.
When cakes are at room temperature crumble the cakes in a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining cookies and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Place linner in the kitty pan.
Make poop by heating tootsies roll just a few seconds then molding them to have a point at the end. bury the rolls decoratively put the rest of the ingredients in the box and sprinkle green cookies on top.
place the box on a sheet of news paper serve with NEW kitty litter scooper.
Some other ideas are:
Sandwiches shaped like hands made with toast and served with tomato sauce.
Hard boiled eggs with green olives with pimentos for eyes placed in a dip topped with crumbled rye bread to look like soil-instant underground monster
Soup cooked in a pumpkin
Meatballs with pretzels stuck in them for legs-instant spider
Pointy sugar cone dipped in chocolate placed on a large cookie then dip the hole thing in chocolate- witches hat.
please post any ideas you come up with and photos please.
Ingredients:
One box of spice or german chocolate cake.
One box of white cake mix
One package of white sandwhich cookies
One package of vanilla instant pudding
few drops of green food coloring
12 small tootsie rolls
a NEW kitty litter box
a NEW kat box liner
New pooper skooper
bake cakes and make pudding as directed.
crumble cookies in the blender. Take out one cup of the cookies and mix with food coloring. Set aside.
When cakes are at room temperature crumble the cakes in a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining cookies and enough pudding to make the mixture moist but not soggy. Place linner in the kitty pan.
Make poop by heating tootsies roll just a few seconds then molding them to have a point at the end. bury the rolls decoratively put the rest of the ingredients in the box and sprinkle green cookies on top.
place the box on a sheet of news paper serve with NEW kitty litter scooper.
Some other ideas are:
Sandwiches shaped like hands made with toast and served with tomato sauce.
Hard boiled eggs with green olives with pimentos for eyes placed in a dip topped with crumbled rye bread to look like soil-instant underground monster
Soup cooked in a pumpkin
Meatballs with pretzels stuck in them for legs-instant spider
Pointy sugar cone dipped in chocolate placed on a large cookie then dip the hole thing in chocolate- witches hat.
please post any ideas you come up with and photos please.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Present Moment
Today I looked back at when I began this blog and I am aware that I have word by word wandered my way off the original goal of this blog.
I have a similar story. My family has big annual camping trips. I was about seven that year, our family camp was set up in a clearing at the edge of an inviting thick forest. My cousins and I were preparing to roast marshmallows. I had a goal, I would get a willow branch and bring it back to my Pop. When looking at the edge of the woods I saw the white tail of a deer bouncing off into the woods. I followed the bounce, bounce, pause, bounce of deer for some time. Then I saw a small bit of blue in the distance, indicating a pond. At the pond I saw a beaver. I sat quietly and watched the beaver building his damn.
Next thing I remember was sitting inside the camper and watching my cousins roasting their sweet, soft cornered squares of sugar. I can imagine my parents did not appreciate the worry I provided by wandering off by myself and I did not appreciate not getting to share in the marshmallow roasting.
I think it is a blessing to be in the present moment. However, it is a challenge to live in the present moment and to set clear intentions.
Does anyone know how to do that?
I have a similar story. My family has big annual camping trips. I was about seven that year, our family camp was set up in a clearing at the edge of an inviting thick forest. My cousins and I were preparing to roast marshmallows. I had a goal, I would get a willow branch and bring it back to my Pop. When looking at the edge of the woods I saw the white tail of a deer bouncing off into the woods. I followed the bounce, bounce, pause, bounce of deer for some time. Then I saw a small bit of blue in the distance, indicating a pond. At the pond I saw a beaver. I sat quietly and watched the beaver building his damn.
Next thing I remember was sitting inside the camper and watching my cousins roasting their sweet, soft cornered squares of sugar. I can imagine my parents did not appreciate the worry I provided by wandering off by myself and I did not appreciate not getting to share in the marshmallow roasting.
I think it is a blessing to be in the present moment. However, it is a challenge to live in the present moment and to set clear intentions.
Does anyone know how to do that?
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