The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball – the further I am rolled the more I gain. Susan B. Anthony

 Susan, did a lot of rolling for change in her life.  Today in death I am sure she rolled over mightily as she sneered, laughed and dismissed the "pardon" that                    

'you know who' gave to her today on the 100th Anniversary of the Woman's Right to Vote.  

Women take note.  We will not be fooled.  We want real action -- here are a few quotes by Susan B. Anthony that resonate as much today as 100 years ago.

• Join the union, girls, and together say Equal Pay for Equal Work
• Organize, agitate, educate, must be our war cry
• Failure is impossible
• There shall never be another season of silence until women have the same rights men have on this green earth
• There never will be complete equality until women themselves help to make laws and elect lawmakers 

There is lots that I could say about all of his dog whistles all of his actions.  You can check out what NPR has to say about this because I am not wasting any more blog space on him today! 

 Before the trumped up pretend pardon and its headlines, I had been thinking of this day, the power to vote.  The ways that women have held democracy's feet to the fire.  White women, Black women, Latina women, Indigenous women, Immigrant women have all toiled and organized and agitated and fought for their families and themselves and they are front and center right now.  Michelle Obama laid it on the line last night, and I am still smiling as i replay her speech in my head.  

Women today are reminding us to do whatever we can to vote and to make sure our vote is counted.  Our fore-mother's,  women who fought for women's right to vote (and they were NOT all white think Fannie Lou Hamer) would be proud.   Since I invoked Fannie Lou Hamer's name I thought I would share a few of  her quotes that ring as a call to action and a balm for us today.  I am hopeful that we will be carried  through these next few months as we move towards the election:

• Sometimes it seem like to tell the truth today is to run the risk of being killed
• When I liberate myself, I liberate others
• Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over
• Nobody's free until everybody's free

I am hopeful that we will be carried through these next few months with a deep commitment to save our democracy and do what for so many was and has been just a dream - go out an vote.  

 

I did send a number of emails to my congressional delegation, from my porch.  I am now blogging on my porch.   I am humming, "If it wasn't for the women, women" by Alix Dobkin in my head as I put fingers to the keyboard.  Thinking about big tents and what it feels like when we embrace diversity and understand that we all have a place at the table.  

 

Meanwhile back in my day,  I was happy that we had a day of rain, the earth needed it, my flowers needed it.  I enjoyed that time for reading and napping and now the sun is shining, the trees are still and I am another day closer to my 70th birthday.  

 

I am finding a few glitches while blogging, and am feeling a little bit of the "rust" that has developed in all these weeks were I did not blog.  I am also feeling the accumulation of this summer where there seems to be no semblance of time.  I do not have that anxious feeling that seems to creep in by now that summer is fleeting and going to be gone too quickly.  It feels like the speed of summer slowed way down this year.  The breeze has started to pick up and the light is just sublime. 

My CSA veggies were delivered today.  I picked up a few other things at Lisa's Roots and Fruits.  I feel the bounty of this time.  I so appreciate the abundance all around me.   I am well nourished.  In body and soul.  

 

The voices of all those women who have stood up, fought hard, believed there was a place for you, for me for us all.  They are dancing around on my porch today.  They push me forward, help me to listen to and speak out.  Their voices intertwine with mine.  

 

I'll take this moment.  It feels good.  It feels supportive.  It will go away.  Something else will emerge.  Life moves forward, but not in a straight line.  I am glad that I can embrace the ride.  

 

It is Tuesday,  I have had a good day.  I have some good plans ahead.  I am glad to be blogging once again.  And...

 

last thing - THANK YOU all so much for all the supportive comments, hearts, hugs, likes, just opening up and reading my blog.  It feels really, really good.  Thank you, you provide a lot of grease for this wheel.  Glad I am rolling along!