Illusions of Discipline

JM:

first I lose my muse

then discipline went kafloo

what then shall I do

Toby: 

it is plain to me

you must be blind, don't you see

the muse by your ear

JM:

where then do you see

discipline that eludes me

through my waking hours

Toby:

nope no discipline

sits on your other shoulder

you're right, it's not there

 

JM:

boohoo woe is me

extremes are where I wallow

days of booms and busts

Toby:

so then it must be

that discipline I can't see

is an illusion

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Toby and I agree wholly that we miss the American Southwest which leads us to a mystery we have not solved. Who gave me an Arizona Highways subscription? Was it anyone reading this? To whoever it may be, please know that the magazine gives me enjoyment and not a little nostalgia seeing the vistas where I once dwelt. Thank you, for each monthly visit to beautiful Arizona! 

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For all you artists and everybody else, too, it's Arts Desk time. Paula is keeping up her art very well and shared the updates she made to her website for us to browse. Sit Spot Nature Journal and don't forget to click on the latest entry Oct. 29-Nov.4 in her Perpetual Journal.

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Christmas is on Jeanenne's mind and she drew this happy character....

Thanks, Jeanenne.
I hope this is on the Christmas card you send to me.

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At The Family & Friends Corner, birthdays abounded, near and far...

...near...

Happy Birthday, Wendy!

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...and far...great-grandnephew Hunter (MO), birthday #9...

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...and a Happy Birthday to Sandy (MO), Valerie (NM), Susie (MO), and sometime next week another Happy Birthday to Jackie (IL). 

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In Salt Lake City a local TV station will broadcast a televised fund-raiser for Primary Children's Hospital where Dimetrios had so many times received care. The TV correspondents came to Sonja, Jeff, Elijah, and Kingston's home to tape an interview with them about Dimetrios and their experience to use during the fund-raiser broadcast. They also will have the family on live for a segment during the event.

Kingston having a look at the TV camera.

The interviewers.

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Now, let's take a look at Carol and Janie's place where I once lived one property over and on a different road back when, before my condo days...

...and their beloved two pups are now adult-sized...

These images Carol sent all took me back to the times I spent at their address minding their home and property and their animals while they were away. What a lovely memory of those times. Thank you, Carol and Janie.

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Also, from Tucson came a surprise, a welcome contact from Lydie. She and her husband Josef, their three daughters Bara with her husband Matthew, Mary Ann, and Elizabeth are in these pictures. Also, Bara & Matthews's daughter Ema, Lydie's granddaughter, in her pumpkin outfit. What wonderful neighbors they were to Wendy and her family and included me among their friends. Lydie was a huge help during my frantic week of prep before moving to PA, including enlisting friends for my aid.

Ema.

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For our Farm Report today we go straight to Wendy's website,. Her recent update combines her eye for digital art and photographic documentation of her Mini LaMancha dairy goat project which now is easily accessed on your smartphone or tablet. We're also awaiting the voting outcome of her photo entry for the national goat registry 2023 calendar. 

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The Green Goddess is keeping her eye on the prize--a better husbanding of our precious blue planet. She saw this commitment by The Guardian...

"It’s Time to Act

Climate change is a global emergency that requires cooperation between all nations. That’s why today the Guardian has joined with more than 30 newspapers and media organizations in more than 20 countries to present a common view about what needs to be done to stop the planet hurtling towards the point of no return."

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It was heartening to see a large group of people, all ages, waving Vote signs on a busy corner the Saturday before the mid-terms when I passed on my way to Walmart that morning. On my way back, a little past lunchtime they were breaking up and I caught a few of them when I stopped for the intersection red light.

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I'll leave you tonight with a bit more of my PA fall...

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Vote!

One more time...

VOTE!!!

ELECTION INFORMATION from League of Women Voters Education Fund
*Your ballot's candidates and issues anywhere in the USA--no political partisanship! 

*The function of the office.

*The candidates.

*Each candidate's answers to identical questions the League presents them: 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 Pro and Con views.

*Print/text/email to yourself your checked choices--a personalized, informed list of the candidates and issues. 

*Check your registration.

*Find your polling place.

*Discover debates in your area.

*Checklist for first-time voters.

*Election problem phone numbers for multiple languages. 

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

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Need to look up a state, regional, or national politician's voting record? Go to votesmart.org.

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For the 2024 election: "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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For The Arts Desk today we have new contributions from Paula in Tucson to share with you: 

Paula: "I started a Perpetual Journal - a multi-year art journal in which each page = 1 week (f.i. Jan. 1-7). You draw something each week, leaving space on each page for adding another drawing that same week the next year, and the year after that, until the pages are filled. Each page will end up having drawings from multiple years. It’s a great way to document changes over time such as those due to climate change."

Page 1.

Page 2.

Page 3.

Page 4.

   Page 5.

And to finish these contributions, another page of Paula's "sit spot" journal.

Thank you, Paula!

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Since Paula's journal entries have actual time, seasons, and weather references that will document the Tucson changes ahead, it is time to go to the...

The Weather Desk:

Here in Pennsylvania, it has warmed up to sweater weather. Clear skies, bright sun and moon, and stars. The "Indian Summer" of former Octobers, now moved to November...

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The Green Goddess Desk:

Recommended by Valerie is a recent book by David Pogue How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos, which is not all doom and gloom. Amazon tells me my copy will arrive today.

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At The Education Desk, we learned that Elijah has two more college acceptances which are offering substantial scholarships. Way to go, Elijah!!! You Rock!!! He has let me know that his goal is Physical Therapy and he has been offered an internship to work side by side with a man who owns five physical therapy clinics there in Utah. He will start that soon. In his words, "...PT sounds very interesting to do and if everything goes well with the job shadowing I might go for it. I think it is a great opportunity..."

We look forward to following the activities and developments of Elijah and our young (and old) family and friends' lives.

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We here are hoping your Halloween was fun and full of good stuff. Sandy sent some pictures from her daughter, my niece Paula in MO--their Halloween costumes...

And in Utah, Sonja, Jeff, Elijah, and Kingston's weekend highlight was at a local corn maze...

The Farm Report:

There is a new resident named Grace whom Wendy just brought from Maryland...

Bert and Frezz say hello to Grace the Mini LaMancha goat. She is super friendly and, oh-oh!!! jumps really high. She jumped out of her stall in the barn. Here is Wendy leading her out of the barn's chicken house where she was found.

A fallen tree extensively damaged the run-in shed next to the house. The handyman did a fantastic job repairing it and replacing parts. It now has this extra door on the barn lot side of the pasture.

We'll close today with a photo from John...

 ...Austin at sunrise one recent morning.