Yes, We Are Keeping This Democracy!

"Gee whiz, Toby, war and pestilence took a back seat to extreme political, authoritarian, takedowns of our democracy. I'm going to lie here in the grass and look up at the blue sky."

"I'll join you." 

"What do you long for, Toby?"

"Oh...dinner and a show, I guess."

I didn't ask him to elaborate on that. My mind didn't want to wonder about his menus and entertainment. Besides, the endless blue sky saturated and cooled my heated thoughts.

He distracted me from my reverie when he asked, "What do you long for?"

"Survival of the kindest."

"Good luck with that! It looks like you humans are all about 'Survival of the Craziest.'"

"Oh-oh, you listened to the neighbors' audio again. Don't believe everything you hear. There are plenty of us taking a breather this holiday. We'll be back."

"Be back and do what?" 

First, tell Ben Franklin he can stop spinning in his grave because, yes! we are keeping this democracy!"

Here's how--

VOTE!!!

ELECTION INFORMATION from League of Women Voters Education Fund
*Your ballot's candidates and issues anywhere in the USA--any political affiliations! 

*The office function.

*The candidates.

*Each candidate's answers to their background, why they're running, their answers to questions on current issues--local to national.

*Side-by-side, interactive candidate comparison tool.

*Your districts' ballot issues in plain summaries with published Pro and Con views.

*Print your own personalized, informed list while you're reviewing the candidates and issues. The interactive lets you check your choices, print your list, or email/text it to yourself,

*Find your polling place.

*Discover debates in your area.

*Checklist for first-time voters.

*Election problem phone numbers for multiple languages. 

            --bullet points are taken from The League of Women Voters website.

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"Writing letters to voters is one of the most effective ways to increase election turnout. And you can do it right from home," says Vote Forward's website. It's about getting out the vote. It rejects political partisanship. There is a comprehensive how-to. You can choose current campaigns and issues that are near or far.

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Please, feel free to forward this voting information to others. One-by-one, vote-by-vote, we'll make democracy work for every single, last one of us Americans!!! Rule by Few is over!

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There is nothing like a good old-fashioned air show to spark up patriotism. Sonja, Jeff and family were recently at Hill AFB in Utah for just that...

Thunderbirds!

Kingston & Sonja.

And, there is nothing like getting a better view from your dad's shoulders.

From Jeff...

The Arts Desk begins today with Paula's Haiku and illustration that capture how dominant June's immense heat is in the desert southwest. Not long after she made this, there was a 0.75-inch rain thunderstorm that launched rainy season. We all hope more will come to fill the promise of the once-reliable summer season of rain.

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Back to the painting of rocks, Sonja, Jeff, and the boys hid their batch of colorful rocks all around their local park. Here are some of them...

When they went back the next day every single one had disappeared. Fun to think they found their way into pockets and live somewhere else now. 

I didn't get quite as far with my rock painting as yet, but I will share one day soon.

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I think The Green Goddess is happy we are looking into better foods and products. There are a couple of helps we've found...

From Wendy: Environmental Working Group has tons of good product information for "smart, healthy decisions" of what to buy.

Valerie sent: Yuka the mobile app that "scans [bar codes] your diet and cosmetics" with a wealth of info on each product, good, bad, or otherwise.

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Well, it's time to sign off for today. Aidan is going to set off the rockets he's made to celebrate our Independence Day holiday.  He sent over a picture of Toby's nap time today.

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HAPPY 4th of  JULY!!!