STIRRING THE POT OF HATRED.

I received an email about charting Arab atrocities, killing Bobby Kennedy, downing an airplane, about 12 different incidents and then, of course, 911. The instructions to send this to everybody you know because these people are the bad guys and we are the good guys. The underlying message is hate them, eradicate them, kill them, rid the world of this menace.

Stirring the pot of hatred only begets hatred.  Maybe we should figure out why they hate us or hate anybody.  Forty percent of our federal tax dollars are spent on war?  Forty percent. Outrageous. Two percent of our tax dollars goes toward efforts to prevent war. Just think if we spent half of the war budget on changing attitudes in countries promulgating terror, what might the result be?

A Marine sent a letter to circulate about what it is like fighting in Afghanistan. He writes that the people have little choice in jobs. To work the poppy fields for the drug trade, which pays for terroism, or be a fighter. He describes the country as mostly desert with no roads or services away from the cities. He also describes them as an archaic people who haven't a clue how a modern society works. They can't operate a bic lighter or a ball point pen.

We have Christians in the United States that terrorize people who believe differently than they do, as in harassing abortion clinics. Attacking and killing doctors who performed abortions all in the name of their god. They justify killing and hate. Thankfully, most Christians do not believe that way.

The Koran says-kill the infidel.  Yet, many Arabic peoples have gone beyond that to interpret peaceful living as part of their religion. And, people who come as refugees to the U.S. especially savor and assimilate into the culture that provides them with a decent standard of living.

Maybe all they need is a decent standard of living for themselves and their families.
I wish I could have copied the letter from the Marine called the Sandpit, but it would not copy.
If you can find it out there, be sure and read it all the way through. It is an eye-opener.

There is a movement to send cards to our soldiers, and to light a candle for all the days of December, to support our troops. Activities that make better sense to me.

And the next generation, those that will replace us? Legions of high schools, college campuses and community parks are erecting Peace Poles. Our local school just put one up. It is 14 feet high with inscriptions in English, Spanish, Latin and German that say, "May Peace Prevail On Earth." It is estimated that there are 200,000 peace poles planted around the world. Locally, the effort was started by an Interact Student, supported and financed by the local Rotary Club. I say stir the pot of peace whenever you can and don't pass on messages of hate.

BITE SIZED WISDOM.

We arrived in Nicolaus, California. I was hoping to say goodbye to my grandsons who are moving temporarily to Australia. I got to talk to them on the phone. Just before a move, a million details need attention. How lucky we are to have email and the internet.

I walked Lake Minden, which is part of a Thousand Trails resort, and didn't take a single picture.
This morning, I thought about many things, as I cruised through my science publications, and emails from groups I belong to. I hope I can find enough "sound bites" of wisdom to make this blog worthwhile.

As history has shown, it is impossible to bomb your way to peace.

A poison kills you," says biology professor Frederick vom Saal. "A chemical like BPA reprograms your cells and ends up causing a disease in your grandchild that kills him."

A scary thought. Plastics in all forms, its seem, are unhealthy for us and the planet.

New research led by Michigan State University psychology professor David Z. Hambrick suggests that, unfortunately for many of us, success isn’t exclusively a product of determination — that despite even the most hermitic practice routine, our genes might still leave greatness out of reach.

I NOW know why all that practice didn't make me a great pianist. It's my DNA.

The probiotic properties of the lactic-acid bacteria isolated from wine are similar to those of probiotics that come from foods like dairy products such as fermented milk or yogurt and dry sausages, and foods of plant origin such as sauerkraut and olives, fruits, cereals, meat or fish.  

Good news, and two glasses a day will do it, but, it has to be wine without sulphites.

Gulf coast ecosystems were supposed to rebound after the BP oil spill. They haven’t.  (Tim McConneil)


So, are we going to trust drilling in the arctic?

Oh,well. this blog didn't turn out quite like I thought it would. I can't find half the information that I kept somewhere that should reflect a bit of wisdom.

We are just a couple of hours away from Murphys, and home again.  Jim is already looking at the weather and thinking about ditching.  He is a Weather Wimp!!!

ANACORTES MURAL PROJECT.

My last two blogs about Anacortes had photos of Bill Mitchell's murals. That's him in a photo I dragged off a website. His vision has certainly affected the town positively in multiple ways.  You can read all about Mitchell at the link below.
http://www.goanacortes.com/arts_and_community/article_4d7ede94-cfe8-11e3-afae-001a4bcf887a.html
And the next link is of a couple who took pictures of some of Bills Murals and they met Bill and got some history about each one. Terrific job.
http://www.trailergypsies.com/Washington/Anacortes%20Mural%20Project.htm
I took about 40 photos but some I like better than others. It is hard to choose a favorite.

Dennis is in front of the Post Office. Cute as can be.  I suspect he may have been a post master here or worked for the P.O. long ago. Mitchell likes history and does quite a bit of it in his work. He has over 150 murals in town.

Chuck Peterson was a Ferry Skipper then suffered a head injury. He retired to just be Chuck.  I'd like to meet him. Doesn't he look like a fun guy?

And, equally fun, this gal. I'd like to meet her, too. She reminds me of my sister. I have a picture of her sitting on my dining room table telling fortunes at a family wedding after party.

This dude loves his car. Me too!

Obviously a fisherman.

This is Steve Rydeburg, a "dirty" hippie, cleaned up. Used to have the best parties. I like his politics, the peace symbol he wears around his neck.

Jim  is a unique character. I told him to pose for a Bill Mitchell picture. This is what he looks like.
I wanted to load my album, but we are over our byte allotment, so it will have to wait until I can get a free signal somewhere. Maybe the library tomorrow.

PEACE AND REMEMBRANCE

My sister, Dawn, died yesterday after struggling with cancer. This is her high school graduation picture.

Her first communion. Families mostly took pictures on special occasions.


Dawn, the oldest, Bill, the first son, and myself, the baby.
Then, another brother, Dan, peeking out of the car.


In her Air Force Uniform.  I idolized my sister when we were growing up.

We didn’t have a family picture taken until Dawn was married and had four children of her own.  In front is Norman, Mark, on Dad’s lap, Clark on Mom’s lap, and Dan.
Mark died at age 50 in 2005. Dan died at age 59 in 2002. It is hard to lose siblings. But, I’ve discovered that those we lose are never gone. They stay with us always. I am thankful for remembrance of the times we shared.

FROM A WRONG NUMBER.

Some days are fast-moving and adventurous. My daughter, Kris and Son Ken share a family plan for their phones since they live in the same city. While driving to work, Kris got a phone call meant for her brother’s family. The caller was asking her if she could take on an exchange student from Italy. She stopped the car and said, Yes!  Her brother had done it the year before. Why not? The woman asking explained that she had to place two boys in 24 hours or they would lose their right to exchange. Zoom, Kris had a mountain of paperwork to fill out, proof of employment. She had to take pictures of her house and family and the dogs. Fax it to Italy. They approved her and asked if she knew anyone who would take the other boy.
“My brother and his wife,” of course.   Ken said yes before he could consult with Laurie. And, just as fast, they were approved.
For Kris, as it turned out, it was her son’s birthday and they would be celebrating his birthday that day and picking up their student that night at midnight. When I get pictures, I’ll give an update.
We had an exchange student from Indonesia in 1986, that turned into a wonderful learning and exciting experience for all of us. We still keep in touch with Linda and her family. I visited them for the first time in 2004.

This is Linda with her daughter and son.
My youngest daughter was an exchange student to France in 1987. The son of one of her French sisters visited us last year.  Now she is hosting a graduate student from Brazil. I will get to meet him at Thanksgiving.
Hosting students from all over the world is such an enriching experience. Understanding other cultures is an advance toward peace between nations, which is what got the initial public exchange program going after WWII. It was named AFS, which stands for American Field Service,  an idea from soldiers who, like today, find people wonderful and endearing in  an “enemy” country. I’m sorry to say, it hasn’t stopped wars. But, I’m pleased to say, there are many, many student exchange organizations still making inroads to peace.
I’m glad my kids are spreading the tradition to their families. If you ever feel you have time to have a temporary addition to your family, having an exchange student is a wonderfully rewarding experience. In fact students report that their exchanges have been life changing events when they learn how others live.

PEACE, CULTURE AND HIP HOP.

It is our last morning in China. We are up early. Business people all over town line up in their suits and ties at street steamers to buy buns and dumplings for breakfast.  (Picture by Nicolas Delerue) China is vast but it’s cities are huge and crowded. The Chinese seek peace in their gardens.

In the center of this snarling city is the UR Garden. The designers took great pains and cost to turn this former government employees home into a centerpiece of Chinese garden architecture. A walled garden shuts out the troubles of life and brings peace and quiet to the soul. It allows you to contemplate a higher plane and renew the spirit.

The Chinese people strive for perfection in everything they do. A perfect garden must have a hill, water, rock, plants, bamboo, a building and trees. The plants placement and position in the garden, and shapes of everything  have special meanings. A rock must not overshadow water. All gates, walkways, windows and doors must suggest nurture, peace and serenity to soothe the soul. A tea house provides refreshment and joy.

A cut out in the wall has pleasing lines and picturesquely  frames and enhances a particular view of the garden.
A beautifully designed window does the same.

Each rock, each plant is chosen for its sense of balance and rest. Lotus for purity. Bamboo for strength and resilience.  Flowering plum represents rebirth. If you plant a pine tree, you must have both a male and female tree. If one dies, the partner tree is removed.

Proper dragons guard the roof and walls.

The roof is enhanced with bamboo at the top to make music as the wind passes over the hollow tubes.  The poetic aspects of a garden are taken very seriously.

When a contingent of Chinese Garden Architects from Vancouver came to see the garden, they politely said it was beautiful. Not perfect?  They judged it imperfect because modern condominium visible in a little corner of the garden.  Tsk, tsk!

We leave the garden to visit Shanghai Cultural Museum.  On the freeway we see a huge cement column  about 12 feet in diameter  supporting an over crossing. It was beautifully decorated with writhing dragons. I asked why the need for such a heavy support column? Our city guide explained that it allows the dragons to get out. When they were building, the workmen had trouble in that spot. They insisted there was a dragon there and it would be bad luck to cover it up. The government architects came up with a solution. It is partially hollow and has an exit window.  Now knowing what we do of Chinese culture and centuries of superstition embedded in their character, we understand.

The museum too, is a quiet place that gives a sense of peace…


and beauty.
Late in the afternoon we have free time and several of us take tea at a lovely tea house and then off to the Hip Hop Market to pick up any last minute souvenirs. This is not a souvenir market.  We gawk at ultra modern merchandise. Shoes like I’ve never seen in my life with price tags to match.  Baby items and clothing  for the children or grandchildren of the very wealthy. Teens swarm the place with their phones and wrist band radios. They buy see-through blouses, painted skirts and bathing suits that would fit in a cigarette box. We are running from store to store like unruly kids were we see every kind of goods,  rich leathers, golden threaded bags and scarves; canes, sunglasses, jewelry to dazzle an empress, plastic neon bracelets, fancy suits and ballgowns, jeans and top branded merchandise from all over the world.  A city of such contrasts is Shanghai.
We enjoy a fabulous farewell dinner with a flaming dish of some sort. We  fondly embrace our new friends and  trade addresses and know we’ll probably never see them again. Unforgettable China.

MY TOWN

This is my town, where wine is king with twenty-six tasting rooms on Main St. Murphys. As recently as 1969, ranchers were still running cattle down this same street,  kicking the manure off their feet and guzzling a cool one at the Murphys Hotel. When I first moved here rents were so cheap and business so slow,  two guys paid $25 a month and opened up The Office. They weren’t selling anything, they just invited people in to chat.

Now you can enjoy a champagne reception…

…or buy sophisticated, pricey goods without going all the way to San Francisco. Old timers, now gone,  would be agog at the changes. But the charm is in the mix.

You can just as readily stop by the Spice Tin and chat with Coach Shultz and enjoy a roasted chestnut, or…
sit around the coffee roaster, enjoy the wood fire,  and play checkers with your brew and sweet roll.

My friend Margo Osborn, (right) walked the streets with me for Murphys Annual Open House, always held the first Friday in December.   I like to run into old friends. We stopped to say hello to Cathy Courtright.

We started late and didn’t get to every business, but we did see seven places that had live music.

We stopped to see an Itsy Bitsy Art Show, where you can lounge around and study the pieces.

I liked this matched set of posters with  predominant colors, red and yellow.

As you move from place to place, if you get cold, you can warm your hands or feet at one of several fire rings. A new feature this year.

The breezeway at Newsom Harlow had their own fireplace and live music for folks enjoying a bite to eat with their wine.

Someone at Twisted Oak tasting room set out creative lights.
Local kids practiced their Christmas music. I heard bells, and carolers and music at every turn.

No where else will you see candles like these. The glass jar is hand decorated to hold a special candle. When it burns, you can buy a refill for your beautiful jar. A local invention.

Appealing  rag-dolls for two cute little girls. (And, I only have grand sons.)

The best eats on the street, apple dumplings and cider, chocolate or wine at Tanners.

Peace, the best Christmas gift we can have.

OCCUPYING WALL STREET

Occupying Wall Street for me is tomorrow, on Earth Revolution day, October 15th, at Sonora, a small community in Tuolumne County.
This movement is really the first major grassroots revolution going on in America since the Viet Nam protests.  Its been a peaceful revolution and I expect it has put our legislators on notice, maybe…  Maybe not. Did they pass a jobs bill?  No.

Keeping Millions Out of Work to put One Man Out of a Job.
Republicans have turned into a fringe element as in you have to refuse any compromise with Democrats, especially any budget compromise. You have to question Science, because all those environmentalists are a bunch of crazies. You have to think  you can  run a country without any taxes, or regulation, nor listen to any sensible tax plans; you can’t support any muslim citizens of the United States, nor allow women to have control over their bodies.  And, if you are a candidate, you have to PLEDGE to hew to the party line, don’t even think of having an independent thought.  And, while Republicans sympathize with alternative lifestyles, maybe, well, some do, they start to shake when it comes to the word marriage as in same-sex marriage.  The word scares hell out of them. And, you have to deny  environmental holocaust and climate change exists because those pesky environmentalists want to phase out coal and dependence on oil where the $$$$$$ comes from.   And, you can’t be friendly to anyone who ever worked with or compromised with a Democrat.  And gun control, cannot be touched, even for a child safety lock, or for assault guns that can kill an elephant.  And you can’t associate with the “wrong” people,  as in Democrats or anyone who thinks a Union has any merit. Lock our borders, don’t let anyone in, but let cheap goods flow freely across the borders. Why make anything in the U.S?
So, I’m going to put my legislators on notice,  that this movement is about holding Wall Street, the banks, the money grabbers pushing for legislation that benefit only a certain segment of corporations, accountable.  This is about taking back Democracy By The People For The People. This is about basic freedoms and it is just part of a global revolution.
Occupy Wall Street has websites and demonstrations in every state,  ten provinces in Canada, and Puerto Rico. This occupation has been going on for 28 days.
There are protests for PEACE, and REBIRTH of  DEMOCRACY  in Egypt, France, England, Italy, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Syria, and Tunisia. Oh, and don’t be surprised if it doesn’t surface in your local newspaper.
In Ohio, the state is bulldozing houses to keep neighborhoods from turning into slums, and our Congress can’t pass a jobs bill?  They send people to prison for stealing a loaf of bread, but banks and corporations that steal billions get away without even a reprimand?
This isn’t the Democracy that I grew up with.  It may take Americans a long time to wake up, but change is in the air.  Revolution is a painful way to make change, but it works. And, it could get bloody.

SO MANY GODS

In my local paper, I was dismayed to read an advice columnists letter from a woman who attended one church for the 30 years of their marriage and her husband attended another. Her husband died but her pastor refused to ask the congregation to pray for him because their churches were  fundamentally different.
Oh, woe is humanity in the hands of men. 

Its Christmas Time. A time of peace and good will toward others. We are at war. Its a religious war with people killing themselves and other people in the name of God.  Banish religion and keep God. 
 I'm reminded of Ela Wheeler Wilcox's simple words.

So many gods, so many creeds

so many paths that wind and wind.

While just the art of being kind

is all this sad world needs.

(Ela Wheeler Wilcox)