MaryAlice Musings and More

  One week ago I was eating black eye peas, I was wondering on what day, at what point would I find the date, the event that would allow me a great exhale.   Joe Biden had won the election and most republicans and the president were stoking conspiracy theories and racism, white supremacy.  Many holding on for dear life to the ever horrid components of a long long out lived (never should have been lived) patriarchy.   On Tuesday, Georgia was electing two senators through a run-off election (the birthing of this run off structure only meant to suppress and to deny the vote of people of color in the state) I was hopeful, but couldn't find the strength to actually imagine that both democrats could win.    On Wednesday, Congress was accepting the certified votes of the electoral college for all 50 States.  The President and a majority of Republicans continued to support the conspiracy theory with absolutely NO BASIS that the election was rigg...

  Someone sent me this great little video of "birding" in the National Monument, after they had read about my hiking at Katahdin Woods and Waters last week.  It made me laugh and I had a fun time watching someone else's vantage point. Then I had my second week back at the library.  Above is a picture of the "new books" shelves and the circulation desk (well one-half of the desk!).   It is good to be back at the library to see people that I have not seen since way early this year and to be a part of helping the library to run.   I watched the Pete Souza documentary.  It opened my heart,  I cried, I laughed, I was so very engaged both with his image and the images he took.  It was so uplifting to see through his "lens".  I also felt a stab of grief for what we have lost, for the long long time that we have had this dumpf who shows absolutely none, not one of qualities that were shown and highlighted in his work.  Pete hardly ever...

  2004 Gay Pride March - Minneapolis Calling All Grandmothers - A poem by Alice Walker We have to live differently or we will die in the same old ways. Therefore I call on all Grand Mothers everywhere on the planet to rise and take your place in the leadership of the world. Come out of the kitchen out of the fields out of the beauty parlors out of the television. Step forward and assume the role for which you were created: to lead humanity to health, happiness and sanity. I call on all the Grand Mothers of Earth and every person who possesses the Grand Mother Spirit of respect for life and protection of the young to rise and lead.   I saw this poem this morning and then found this photo oh Myah, Luke and I,  Sasha had hand printed t-shirts for them both to wear to watch the Gay Pride Parade, it was 2004.  We had a great place to sit on the street, and they had so much fun, they ran out and got candy, condoms, pamphlets, and...

  I left my self imposed isolation of the weekend.  I knew the "binge watching", card playing, and screen check-ins needed to decrease.  I spent a large amount of time this weekend, trying to "put my head in the sand"....there were good moments:  my UU Church Service on Sunday,  Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, and some good phone call check in's.  Mostly I felt the overwhelming burden of life the Trump administration.  I am not even saying anymore.   The good news is that I woke up this morning and didn't want to hide my head in the sand.  I made my tea,  responded to some emails, and the blue sky and sunshine lured me out of the house. I headed to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument   and the "loop road".   There were hardly any clouds in the sky, but most of the fall color has been blown off the trees, and you can know see contours that the leaves have hidden for the past five months.   I made various stops along the ...

  Seven months ago I stepped off the train in Winslow Arizona to spend several nights in the wonderfully restored "Harvey Hotel" LaPosada.  My friend Cindy was waiting for me even though the train was woefully late.  The dining room and bar had closed but Cindy had ordered take out and we ate a late late supper and enjoyed what would be one of the last days of being blissfully unaware.   I had a little over a week earlier, taken the bus from Bangor to Boston.  Spent an overnite in Boston and then boarded the Amtrak to Chicago,  I had a roomette and I don't think that there was even one person on the train that wore a mask (I was never in the passenger cars so it might have been different there but I don't it!).   Upon arrival in Chicago I checked into my hotel overlooking the Chicago River.  I had several wonderful days walking near the lake, in the parks, along the river.  I went to the theater, it was unintentionally very socially...

    Well, here we are over 208,000 people in the United States have died in less than eight months, over 7 million infected and now the president, his wife and his close close associate ms. hicks are all infected, and the house of cards have not been all dealt out yet.  The number one person who has done his absolute best to spread lies, chaos, disinformation and obfuscation is infected.  Today her has probably gone longer than he has since starting this night on the campaign trail in 2016 without a f___ing tweet.   Of course it is almost impossible to not be surprised, dismayed, conflicted, whatever about this new gut punch.  It is horrifying to try to imagine what they knew when and how many people have been exposed and infected.  It is impossible to imagine that he will remain tweet-less and  in quarantine.  I have quit wondering what tomorrow will bring, but if it has to do with trump it is something that one could never just make it...

  Yesterday had big big winds.  A very large limb from one of the biggest trees in my "mini-back 40" snapped and fell.  Luckily it was in a place where it is not creating a big problem.   The top to my "grill cabana" loosened and fell to the ground, the good news was that it did not blow away and I was able to get both the top, frame and grill all tucked away into their winter home in the grill.   The electricity was out for a couple of hours,  Nate (of my most needed and appreciated Richardson's Hardware) came by to start my generator.  It would not start.  He took back to the shop and it is being attended to so it is ready to start the next time the power goes out.   The longest consequence of the wind and storm was that my cable, internet, phone went out in the morning and did not get restored until almost 9 pm last night.   So no blogging for me... Today, was calm, the sky blue and the sun shining.  There were lots of colored le...