Garden critters

For the last few days I have been trying to do garden and yard work with my mom to enjoy the beautiful weather, and the wild flowers that are now everywhere in our yard. I was surprised several times as I discovered critters who were finding there own perfect spots in the yard.(unfortunately, I don't have my own pictures).

It was late afternoon when I noticed this dragonfly was landed behind me. I've taken a picture, but with my non-digital 35mm, who know what will turn out, if anything at all. He stayed still for so long. My mom wondered if he was dead. I tried to coax him on to a stick, but I think he felt unbalanced and he took off.

This guy was under an empty, overturned water barrel curled up on a dirt mound. He slithered away and hid himself in a low growing plant where he stuck his tongue out and watched us. I like snakes in the garden. Hopefully this one was guarding the garden from rats, but he had lost part of his tail, so I don't know what that means when it comes to his experience.

I was pulling up weeds under the fig tree when my eye fell upon him. I was surprised, I hadn't noticed him before. He was about medium size for a green tree frog. I took one picture before the light dimmed enough for my camera to stop focusing, but I still sat right next to him and watched his vibrating throat and examining his translucent moist skin.

Sunday Morning, woke up just in time to be late for 7:30 Mass, so I decided to go to one of the later times. The day was beautiful. The rays of light streaming through the yellowish array of the oaks, putting out their pollen, came down to the lemon-lime grass spotted with patches of Carolina Buttercups. I was sent to the store for bacon and cheese, and whisked away a half dozen gorgeous roses I spotted on sale for two dollars, with thoughts of arranging them for the Our Lady of Guadalupe statue at the front door.

After Mass I found two! Dresses which fit (with minor adjustments), and went to the knee. I am so happy I have a dress I can feel comfortable in and wear every day. So many dresses in my size are thin, short and/or look like they are for special occasions only.

At home I followed a recipe for lunch. I am not on a diet by any means, but this dish was satisfying and refreshing. Roasted carrots with parsley and feta cheese: Wash and peel carrots, slice into chunks at an angle. In a walled pan toss carrots with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and mix in chopped parsley (or cilantro), and feta cheese. Simple, fast, and delicious.

Hmm, Do I sound too positive today? People all around me were complaining, were anxious, and were not feeling well. How can you help people who have difficulty letting go of their troubles and need to just Trust in God and do what they need to do, or need comfort and help you can't necessarily give? Well first I guess, do what I can and then, Trust in God for the rest.

I like Albert

If you want to know more about Albert Einstein, I would recommend this site as a start:
http://www.aip.org/history/einstein/index.html

After reading this short summary of his life, my interest and admiration was peaked. I find Albert Einstein a wonderful person. I don't tink of him as great scientist. To me he is creative thinker, and a great human being. He had faults, but he appears to have learned from them. He had fears and troubles, but he persevered through the long years of laboring through trial-and-error research, and working in situations where his hopes and ideas were misunderstood, to discover a way of looking at reality which has influenced the rest of us ever since. I think I would have liked to be his friend, to imagine with him, and enjoy with him, the beauties and mysteries of reality. His enthusiasm for life and its wonders went far beyond those areas we recognize as, science. Among the conflicts of the time he lived in, he was also aware of the importance of human life and human freedom and he frequently spoke his mind, first because people listen to celebrities, and by that time he was one, and second, because he had something worth listening to. I am almost continually amazed by the thing I learn about this incredible man. He was open to expanse of all existence, and when he found something of truth he was humble enough to say he change his mind. I am so greatful to be aware of people who are willing to change themselves for The Good. Long live intellectual truth and moral freedom! The seekers of The True, The Good, and The Beautiful, will persevere in this world and live in the next.

There are some good books about Albert Einstein out there, even an autobiography. Look him up.

Quote of the day

"Being a lover of freedom, when the revolution came in Germany, I looked to the universities to defend it, knowing that they had always boasted of their devotion to the cause of truth; but, no, the universities immediately were silenced. Then I looked to the great editors of the newspapers whose flaming editorials in days gone by had proclaimed their love of freedom; but they, like the universities, were silenced in a few short weeks . . .

"Only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler's campaign for suppressing truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced thus to confess that what I once despised I now praise unreservedly." - Albert Einstein

Literary ponderings

I suppose if I'm ever to make a habit of writing I will have to start out with more typing than editing. So, I'll just type away. . . .

I finally found a story I like in my creative writing book. Each chapter of instruction is followed by several stories as examples of that chapter's topic. They are all short stories. Most of the ones I have read so far (more than ten) have been bleak, depressing and self-centered. I suppose all this is part of the conflict which I am having difficulty understanding as the main movement of a story. I thought there were different types of conflict, but I'm not sure if I am seeing them all used among the stories I have read:

Man vs. Man (a physical struggle with men, animals or nature)
Man vs. Circumstances (the struggle against fate, providence, or destiny)
Man vs. Society (struggle against ideas, customs, and concepts)
Man vs. Self (struggle with the person's own views, state of life, condition of soul, physical limitations, etc.)

In these stories I see mostly this last, Man vs. Self, and even though this may be the conflict which no story is without, for all conflict is between man (a self) and an other, I cannot help but think there is a sort of hopelessness found along with it, at least in these stories. Each creative story:has a negative note ending. The sick foot soldier:dies, the teenage girl:kidnapped, the clown seeking lover:pitiful and rejected, the imaginative boy:a mentally mixed up adult, the unfortunate man:dead, philosophical, or intoxicated. For the students who read these stories, what they read is captivating and disappointing at the same time. Life is much like the story and they will be as sick of the latter as they are of the former.

I am not saying these stories should not have been written. They convey a truth of human emotion and experience. Struggle is part of that, but I say, We, the real human beings, are in need of more of what is just beyond that struggle, an insight, a change, a hope, a victory. I believe here on earth we may have victory, and yes, perhaps the only human victory we will have is the one which overcomes the Man vs. Self struggle, but, I believe this victory is possible and should be hoped for, fought for. And, I think more stories should reveal, point to, and highlight this possibility.

The story I enjoyed tonight is called: Mrs Dutta Writes A Letter, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. The story is about a Indian widow who comes to live with her son in America, and her memories and thoughts as she attempts to write her best friend back in India. Why Do I like it? Maybe it's because I agree with the old lady's disapproval of the in a hurry, don't have time for you, mind your own business, society. Maybe it's because I can relate to her, embarrassed, desiring companionship, do-not-belong-in-this-world, feelings. I am not even sure if what I see in this story is really there. I only can say I see that among the difficulties she has adjusting her traditional ways to fit in with the acceptable American way, one traditional persisting thought prevails. She writes to her friend, "It has something to do about love, I still think that" Love, and thoughts and actions for others, for the sake of love, will help us be victorious even in our most degrading and lost of times.

Word Play

Here is me playing with words:
(These are three separate poems)

Love is a motion
full of devotion
and being what it is
gives.

***

Faith is a risk
giving a kiss
to children who love
mystery.

***

God is a king
who gave a ring
to the lady he loves and
married.

Ash Wednesday