July 11, 2016 Every Life Matters

For kindling, I turn this. . .

. . . into this
(small branches & needles
for the swales). . .

. . . and into this,
which ends up. . .

. . . like this.

Friday 7/8. The more the sun peeked through the clouds, the more valley fog there was.  It began to creep up the canyons from all sides, but was never quite able to engulf us, and finally there was more blue sky than clouds.

I spent a couple hours in the afternoon stripping fir branches, cutting/breaking them into kindling, and stacking them.  I also made a pot of hummingbird syrup, but it had been a week since I last had to make some, so obviously our population is dwindling.

JB's knee is still giving him fits, so he is just taking it easy.  He wants it to be better by a week from tomorrow when he drives west of the mountains to stay with his Mom for a week.

Saturday 7/9. It was 52 and mostly clear, with a wind gusting to 12 mph this morning.  I clipped and dug out some more bushes; made and stacked some more kindling.

It seems that my blog is getting a bit blah lately, like store-bought eggs.  And I am sure it is probably a bit boring to read.  So each posting I am going to write a bit on things that catch my fancy or ire.

Today I want to write about the fact that every life matters.  Not just those of a specific color, but every life.  I thought maybe I should start an organization with that name, but then I realized that there is already one.  It is the United States of America!

Obviously not everything is perfect in this country of ours, but it was basically founded on the precept that "every life matters."  And it sure is a lot better than it was 240 years ago.  Unfortunately whenever humans are involved, there will be greed, power-mongering, corruption, and mistakes (and our government has made grievous ones).  The good news is that there will also be understanding, love, charity, generosity, sacrifice, and good deeds.  The philanthropy in our country today is almost overwhelming, and the pay-it-forward concept has snow-balled.  In our country more people volunteer for all sorts of helpful causes than anywhere else in the world.

Right now, with the Presidential race becoming a battle between a lying one-percenter who doesn't think the rules apply to her and a blustering billionaire, it is often hard to see the good.  But good there is.  And it abounds in this country of ours.

While the Press always points out the terror, evil, gore, and the few who cause the most havoc, we need to be reminded how our country is really doing.  A good starting place is the July 11 issue of Time magazine.  I don't always agree with many of the items they publish, but this issue is spot on.  Or just look around at most of your friends, neighbors and family.  Okay, well for some of us maybe that isn't such a good starting place.  But you know what I mean.  Look for the good and you will find it.

Cities and towns are taking up the slack that the federal government has caused.  Neighborhoods are more integrated that they every have been.  Of course that doesn't make the news, but it is true.

I honestly believe that most people are basically good, and can be even better if given the chance.  Sometimes all they need is a smile and a kind word.  The harder things get, the softer we need to be.

We do not need any more divisiveness.  Here in the U.S.A, every life does matter.  Maybe as Garrison Keiler said, "The answer to so many of our problems is simply to have more fun." (page 43, 7/11 issue Time)

Sunday 7/10. This morning began with 50 degrees and cloudy skies with a wind.  By 8:30 it was raining and kept it up til around noon.  I finally gave in and put a fire in the wood stove.  July has been much more like May usually is.  April was acting like June, and May seemed like April.  I do not miss the summer heat, though.

We stayed inside most of the day, even though the sky was mostly clear by 1:00 pm, it was still very windy.  JB is still taking it easy, and I had some re-arranging to do in the loft.

Larry and Elsie have another critter around who got one of their new chickens.  They think it is another bobcat, but haven't seen it yet.

Our high for the day was 64, but that didn't take into account the wind chill.

Monday 7/11. It is 52 and clear this morning.  The wind has died and it looks to be a great day.

Thought for the day: You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.  Positive Attitude Quotes, Facebook