Ready or not...

It's New Years' Eve.  After all the losses of 2016, I'm finding it harder than usual to face the coming year with optimism.  But as our wise dad always says, "take one day at a time, and see what happens." 

And we will go on, cheerfully enough, hopefully with renewed appreciation for the small blessings that fill our lives.  Family, friends, nature, health, simplicity, peace, love. 

"Let us step outside for a moment. It is all there."

New Year Poem
by May Sarton

Let us step outside for a moment
As the sun breaks through clouds
And shines on wet new fallen snow,
And breathe the new air.
So much has died that had to die this year.

We are dying away from things.
It is a necessity—we have to do it
Or we shall be buried under the magazines,
The too many clothes, the too much food.
We have dragged it all around
Like dung beetles
Who drag piles of dung
Behind them on which to feed,
In which to lay their eggs.

Let us step outside for a moment
Among ocean, clouds, a white field,
Islands floating in the distance.
They have always been there.
But we have not been there.
We are going to drive slowly
And see the small poor farms,
The lovely shapes of leafless trees
Their shadows blue on the snow.

We are going to learn the sharp edge
Of perception after a day’s fast.
There is nothing to fear.
About this revolution…
Though it will change our minds.
Aggression, violence, machismo
Are fading from us
Like old photographs
Faintly ridiculous
(Did a man actually step like a goose
To instill fear?
Does a boy have to kill
To become a man?)

Already there are signs.
Young people plant gardens.
Fathers change their babies’ diapers
And are learning to cook.

Let us step outside for a moment.
It is all there
Only we have been slow to arrive
At a way of seeing it.
Unless the gentle inherit the earth
There will be no earth.

Rollin' on the river

Yesterday we took the jet boat tour across Lake Havasu, up the Colorado River and through Topock Gorge. We saw lots of birds in the Havasu Wildlife Refuge, including a Bald Eagle.  Unfortunately, the wild burros and desert bighorn sheep were hiding.

The trip took about 3 hours, with interesting narration on river lore and natural history. 

Thousands of years ago, that large white dune was a submerged sand bar beneath the raging river.

Now the mighty Colorado River is tamed, but geology tells the story of what once was.

The lighthouse at the entrance to Lake Havasu channel.

I'm glad I made reservations last week, because we had the best seats at the front of the boat.  It was a fun and relaxing afternoon.

Today we drive back to Las Vegas and then fly home tomorrow.  All good things come to an end.

The "Infernal" Suite

London Bridge

Late 19th Century

Unreal City,

Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,

A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,

I had not thought death had undone so many.

Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled,

And each man fixed his eyes before his feet. 

T.S. Eliot
The Waste Land

March 1971

Lake Havasu City

Times are happier for London Bridge.  In 1967, the Common Council of the City of London placed the bridge on the market and it was purchased by entrepreneur Robert McCulloch.  (Of chain saw fame.)  

The bridge was rebuilt on a new frame, with stones from the original used as cladding, 6-8 inches thick.

 

We are spent a pleasant day of sightseeing and relaxing.  Our hotel is a perfect location, because we can walk everywhere.

However, the "Inferno Suite" (rather, the "Infernal Suite") was not designed for our demographic.  Thank goodness for John.  He located the dozen or so hidden light switches.  He got the hot water heater working last night.  Finally it was time for my highly anticipated bath.

When I leaned over to start the water, a cold fire-hose gushed strait down on my unsuspecting head.  Right out of America's Funniest Home Videos.

Yes, that hole in the ceiling is really the bathtub tap. Just lukewarm. The great bath was not to be.

Fortunately,  the shower built for giants works fine. 

London Bridge is not falling down

London Bridge seems to be aging pretty well out here in the Arizona desert. In fact, it seems petrified in time. All those retirees and snowbirds must be on to something.

We drove to Lake Havasu City today, about 150 miles from Las Vegas.  It is a bit chilly and windy, but we're relieved it's the off-season in this big party town.  All those wild college kids are in Cancun or home with their parents.

And you know me, always looking for those trendy places to stay. Ha! Here we are, staying in the "Inferno Suite" beneath Lomdon Bridge, with automatic, color-changing, mood lighting.  Or something.  There is also a very deep bathtub, and I'm looking forward to wasting many gallons of precious desert liquid resource tonight. 

We hope to take a jet boat tour tomorrow up the Colorado River. 

Boxing Day with the birds

We drove out to Floyd Lamb Park this morning and brushed off the holiday cobwebs. It's about 7 miles from my sister's house in North Las Vegas.  This area once was a remote oasis, but Floyd Lamb is now an urban park on the edge of town with open space, small lakes, groves of trees, and grass.

If Las Vegas continues to sprawl across the desert, who knows?  This park could someday become a refuge like Central Park in New York City.

It was a beautiful morning, quite cold but sunny. As you can see, we were popular with the winter residents.  (It might have something to do with those stale hamburger buns.)

Thousands and thousands of American Coots...

And begging Canada Geese...

The park is adjacent to the historic Tully Springs Ranch, once an all-inclusive resort where the well-to-do waited it out in style for a "quickie divorce." Many of the original buildings and bungalows have been preserved. A fun place to walk around and think about all the stories and history. 

In 1931, the Nevada legislature passed two bills: one for the legalization of gambling and the other for the six-week divorce.   Both changed the state for ever.

In most places at the time, divorce required a wait of at least a year and sometimes required proof of adultery.  Nevada made it simple: six weeks’ residency anywhere in the state; a short list of nine legal grounds that required little or no proof (the most popular was mental cruelty) and an average of six minutes in court before the judge to get the divorce decree.

The ranch staff provided the divorce-seeker with the proof of Nevada residency, and it was a done deed.  While you lounged around on the ranch, there was tennis, swimming, horseback riding, a casino and new friends to make.

We spent a lovely and peaceful morning together.

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

Amanda sent these pictures of their family sleigh ride at Sun Mountain Lodge on Christmas Eve.

It doesn't get more Christmassy than this...

And it looks like Santa dropped off quite a load at Nova and Maya's place last night.

We're enjoying a peaceful day with Dad in Las Vegas.  Air travel went well yesterday-- no problems, no glitches. It was cloudy and windy when we got here, but today the desert is chilly and bright. The  mountains all around the valley covered with snow.  Very pretty.

Dad and I just got back from a walk. The brilliant sun was glinting off the rain-washed palm trees. We were working up an appetite for this "little" pork roast I have in the oven.  With mashed potatoes, gravy, asparagus and coconut cake for dessert. 

 Oh yes, Doodles and Molly opened their presents, too.

There was some sibling rivalry but they sorted it out.

Doodles is the boss, and gets first priority for any available lap.

And when the humans get tired of you, there's always a long winter's nap.

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas day.

Warmest Christmas wishes

Looking at the Stars
by Robert Bly

I still think about the shepherds, how many stars
They saw. We owe our love of God to these sheep
That had to be followed, or companioned, all night.
One can’t just let them run. By midnight
The stars had already become huge talkers.
The Parent sits in her proud Chair, and is punished.
The Dog follows the Hunter. Each time a story ends
There is such a long pause before another begins.
Those of us who are parents, and getting older,
Long, as tonight, for our children to stand
With us, looking at the stars. Here it is,
Eight thousand years later, and I still remember.

A light in the darkness

Nova playing Silent Night.
Bravo!

"In no heart is there total darkness"

Rejoice. Today is the winter solstice and the days will soon be getting longer. We've lost over 6 hours of daylight since June.  We will only gain a few seconds of light each day for the rest of this week, but don’t despair. We will gain a minute a day in January’s first week and two minutes a day by the end of the month.

Humans like to celebrate solstices. They are one of the oldest known holidays, and anthropologists believe that solstice celebrations go back at least 30,000 years.  The winter solstice focuses on hope. It is the start of the reversal of shortening days, and a time to celebrate the rebirth of the year.

A Winter Solstice Prayer

The dark shadow of space leans over us.
We are mindful that the darkness 
of greed, exploitation, and hatred
also lengthens its shadow 
over our small planet Earth.
As our ancestors feared death and evil 
and all the dark powers of winter,
we fear that the darkness 
of war, discrimination, and selfishness
may doom us and our planet 
to an eternal winter.
May we find hope in the lights 
we have kindled on this sacred night,
hope in one another and in all 
who form the web-work of peace and justice
that spans the world.
In the heart of every person on this Earth
burns the spark of luminous goodness;
in no heart is there total darkness.
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,
by our lives and service, 
by our prayers and love,
call forth from one another 
the light and the love
that is hidden in every heart.
Amen.

 

Generous spirits

1917

Ninety-nine years ago this week, The Seattle Girls War Work Association organized a War Relief Bazaar in Seattle.  The event attracted 10,000 citizens a day and raised over $100,000 for the purpose of establishing Base Hospital 50 near the front lines in France.

 
I recently wrote a MOHAI finding aid for their collection of promotional posters created by local artists.  This was a time of patriotism, optimism and faith in social progress. Some of the posters are amateurish, but all are unique and beautiful.  Click HERE for a link to the finding aid published on Archives West.

Christmas countdown

"The Ukes" are having a Christmas potluck this afternoon so I made some deviled eggs to take.  Everyone likes deviled eggs (except John, of course.)  I don't follow any particular recipe on the rare occasions I make them (surprise) so they never taste the same twice.  But these turned out delicious, if I don't say so myself.  It must be that dollop of full-fat Tillamouk sour cream along with the mayo.

Tomorrow is my big sugar cookie day.  John's work potluck is Wednesday and I need to get the trays ready.  The cut-out cookies are already baked and stored in my wonderful new little freezer, so I "just" have to make icing in the morning and decorate several dozen.  Where are those little girls when I need them?

Sugar cookies and coconut dream bars are the perennial favorites with his Boeing coworkers.  Both are kind of a pain to make, but hey-- it's just once a year.

I know this is a busy week for everyone. John is off Friday and doesn't go back to work until 2017. We're getting ready for our trip to Las Vegas.

Precious old things

This stuffed camel has been around for almost 100 years.  Last time we were in Cripple Creek, I brought him home for safe-keeping.  It's comforting looking at him, and thinking about the family history wrapped up in a toy.  He's in amazing shape for such an old fellow, considering all the moves and changes.

When we were growing up, Mom stored Camel in the Christmas box. It was special to play with him carefully once a year.  Otherwise, he would have been loved to death, like our three stuffed toys named "Tootles," "Fifi" and "Woofy."  It's strange the things you remember-- and then forget what you had for lunch yesterday. 

Camel was Dad's toy when he was a little boy. He says he remembers playing with him on his cot in his parent's bedroom.  Camel's neck was once covered with yarn hair, but over the years little fingers pulled most of it out.

Camel is not cuddly. He is quite hard and scratchy actually, made of wool, wire, and filled with horsehair.  But he absolutely drips with camel personality.  Whoever made him by hand captured that perfect combination of charm and insolence.

Compared to our usual glorious mess, I hardly have any Christmas decorations up.  But somehow less seems like more this year, and Camel has the place of honor under the tiny tree.

My kind of day

Today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
And it's also 20 degrees this morning, with a stiff north wind blowing.

Have a good weekend!

Too much news?

We turn to the news we like.  These days people are glued to their phones, addicted to instant gratification of real news, fake news, liberal news, conservative news, social news and so on.  As the year winds down, each day is like waking up to a deeper nightmare.  Is it really that bad? The constant frenzy of "breaking news" surely takes a toll on our health and happiness.  Not too long ago,  the news was a evening TV program, a weekly magazine, a daily paper.

Our dad knows a thing or two about living long and well.  Here's his routine: He wakes up early each morning and walks outside for the newspaper. He drinks his coffee while he reads it, then throws it in the recycling. He has breakfast and walks on the treadmill.  He turns on his computer maybe once a day to read the blog, check for email and look at the Colorado Springs Gazette online. 

This is a poem Mary Oliver wrote a few years ago and seems especially relevant. 

The Morning Paper

Read one newspaper daily (the morning edition
    is the best
for by evening you know that you at least
     have lived through another day)
and let the disasters, the unbelievable
     yet approved decisions,
soak in.

I don't need to name the countries,
    ours among them.

What keeps us from falling down, our faces
     to the ground; ashamed, ashamed, ashamed?

Super moon

It's rare to get a clear night in December, but last night we saw the enormous super moon rising in the east.  This morning the temperature is down in the 20's, but it should be a beautiful day when the sun finally comes up.  Sunrise is at 7:51, sunset at 4:18.  We're close to the shortest day of the year.

My friend Marianne and I are planning to take a short ride this morning and I'm looking forward to the ferry trip over to Vashon Island. The mountains are covered with snow almost down to sea level.

I just read on The Writer's Almanac that the last moon walk took place on this date in 1972.  Apollo 17 marked the end of the program that took 12 people to the surface of the moon.  

If only we had a moon walk to distract us now!  It's hard to imagine, but by the time the last mission launched on Dec. 7, 1972, public interest had declined.  (Ho-hum, just another flight to the moon.) The government had shifted focus to more important things like the Vietnam War.  Three more flights were planned, but the program was cancelled.

Short but sweet

Amanda and Tom were on our side of the mountains this weekend doing some car shopping.  They stopped by on the way home yesterday to show off the new wheels.  Way to go!