Category Archives: Education

Keeping the Cup Half Full

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Education, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

August 22, 2024- There was a reason for no assignments being posted on the board, or left on the desk, this afternoon, for the two classes I was to monitor. The rub came with getting past the Byzantine system of electronic access, with passwords and buzzwords all in place to keep hackers and assorted miscreants at bay. The Administration’s best and brightest was able to get through the maze and all I had to do, when classes changed, was click on a few transitional buttons.

In the end, the two classes were satisfied that their time had not been wasted and the on-line Streamed instructor was happy, as well. Electronic education has survived its pandemic initiator and assumed a worthy life of its own. We could even hear one another, from four buildings away.

The cup remains half full, even if at times the struggle is real- Technical snags, long silences, irritable people and traffic snarls are in everyone’s life. I was taught, a while back, to work at not making any of it about me. Dad found that this was the only way to avoid getting jaded about life. In my own experience, it’s also been spot on.

The notion of walking through challenges, rather than around them, or backpedaling the other way, has also served me nicely. There have been relatively few cases where I have been totally on my own, or when Penny and I were left to our own devices, back in the day. In those instances, I/we made mistakes, but the right thing eventually happened. Seeing life as a half full glass means working through pain, when it comes, and coming out the other side.

God knows this is how one survives and thrives.

Deferred Glory and A Playful Pod

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, collaborating, Community, Education, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

July 25, 2024, Yachats, OR- As I awoke this morning, up in Kent, WA, and pondered my route for the day, I got a message: Astoria is calling, and you should spend the night in Yachats. The route to the tip of Oregon was easily set, and by 12:30 p.m., I was parked near Flavel House Museum. The place looked interesting, but I had limited time and there was a set of hoops to jump, just to purchase a ticket. I was more drawn towards walking downtown. Besides, my camera was acting up and I couldn’t get a clear shot of the house.

This lovely little park would not be denied, by a brief issue with a camera lens. It was established in 2011, on the occasion of Astoria’s bicentenary, to honour the contributions of the Chinese community in Astoria and the Columbia Valley. Text and art tell the story in a delicate and fitting manner.
Astoria thus bookends with Lewiston, Idaho, in giving the Chinese immigrant community its due as builders of railroads, jetties, canneries and, in Astoria’s case, the sewer system. Lewiston has the Beuk Aie Temple. Astoria has placed its tribute outside.

Astoria also has its funky side, as seen at this Mexican restaurant, near the Cambium Gallery.

At Cambium, I sat and observed a potter at work, for several minutes, purchasing a lovely bowl as a gift for a couple who I plan to revisit tomorrow. As this is a working studio, I refrained from photographing her work.

The last stop in Astoria was at its Column. High atop a promontory, on the city’s east side, is the tower erected in honour of John Jacob Astor, the community’s founder. Along with two dozen other people, ranging in age from 4-86, I made it up 164 steps and saw these views:

Northward
Westward

After descending the stairs, it was time to leave Astoria. Cannon Beach was the next brief stop, and afforded the day’s most heart-warming surprise.

View of Cannon Beach, from overlook to the south.
There, in a deeper cove to the south of Cannon Beach, was a pod of gray whales at play. I was able to gather a group of about twelve people to watch the festivities, so there were a number of photos taken, in the ensuing ten minutes. The cetaceans kept jumping about, during that time of astonishment on the beach.

My last wonder of the day was of a mechanical type: Tillamook Creamery’s cheese factory. The second floor of the creamery offers a viewing of the machines that are used in cheese-making and an explanation of what the human workers, and a few robots, do at each step of the process.

Vats, where fresh milk is heated. Curds are then separated from whey.
Salt is then added to the coagulating mix.
Finally, once the cheese has been cooled and is formed into blocks, it can be cut into smaller blocks or sliced into sheets and packaged. The Blue Octopus is a machine that packages and seals the finished cheese products.
After the self-guided tour, it was time to get to my lodging, so back to Yatel it was. Dinner was down the street, at Sea Note- a relaxed repast of clam chowder, followed by baked oysters and spinach, at bar side. I couldn’t ask for a more comforting end to a great day on the coast.

The Marvels

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Education, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 7, 2024, Bellemont- Three people stood outside an RV, at the Pilot Truck Stop. One held a sign that said “Out of gas”. Various people were handing them money, as I passed by, going to the roundabout. I trade in commodities, not cash, and so gladly filled their gas can and wished them a better day.

I am sitting on an Internet connection that says it has NO Internet access. I am feeling plenty of energy, even though yesterday I flew across the country, then took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride, in the heat. We had a nice day with the ten middle-age school campers and six youth who are mentoring them. The kids are engaging and just glad that people care enough to spend a small part of their summer teaching them of social skills and the moral compass.

It was a pleasant trip from Prescott, made more so by a stop at Brewed Awakenings, my favourite establishment in Williams. Though I no longer need coffee to get me started in the morning, it does go nicely with breakfast or brunch, which I enjoyed this morning. Once having paid it forward, at the truck stop, I found myself getting to camp, at the same time as the two vans full of campers and gear.

Orientation was swiftly done; I received condolences, on the loss of my mother, from the cook and two of the mentors, and we each did our little activities, mostly indoors due to the heat. I have been advised that my hydration level needs to be increased even more than it has been, and this heat means my water intake will need to be triple what it was a few months ago.

Marvels are still unexpected and uplifting events, whether great or small, and have little to do with the comic book and action film characters who have been given that collective name. I expect that the next 2 1/2 days will see their share of the unexpected and uplifting.

Camp Notes, Day 7

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, impediments, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 13, 2024, Bellemont- There was a hint of sprinkles, most of the day, but that did not stop the basketball and volleyball games from proceeding. The day was certainly cooler, and we did things like haul about ten trash bags to our trailer dump site (me) and dig up protruding rocks (two teen boys) that presented safety hazards for the girls who might have had to risk stubbing and breaking their toes, in the dark-going from dorm to restroom.

This last full day of camp was celebrated with Navajo tacos, a dish that consists of golden fry bread topped with ground beef (or its homemade veggie equivalent, which was the filling tonight), lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, jalapenos, olives and sour cream. Fry bread is a staple food in many First Nations communities, stemming from the need to make use of the mealy flour given them, by the U.S. Cavalry (and its Canadian equivalent), in the latter half of the 19th Century). My Dad celebrated his Wabenaki Penobscot heritage, by occasionally making “fried dough”, a Penobscot tradition.

Finally, the campers participated in a trust walk, in which two campers were joined by a wristband, and the one in front had to lead a partner through the woods. The group then did a scavenger hunt in the dark, using flashlights, and finding items that were obscure. Sounds a bit like geocaching.

I am a bit exhausted, so will stop here. Have a good night, all.

Camp Notes, Day One

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, Education, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 7, 2024, Bellemont-

The fire concerned all of us, starting as it did, two days before camp. I kept an eye on things, getting updates from the U.S. Forest Service, the Arizona National Guard and a retired Air Force major, who is the area’s State Senator. The fire, called Bravo, was south of Camp Navajo, a military training site. That brought military firefighting units, including slurry planes, to bear on the fire suppression.

The crews won their battle and, by noon, the blaze was mostly contained. Our camp could proceed. I stopped and celebrated this fortunate turn of events, with a fabulous, relaxing lunch at Mustang River Grill, off the beaten track, in Parks, a small forestry town, just west of Bellemont. I had intended to get a modest meal at a small market, north of the Texaco, but there was Mustang, a fairly new place, and well worth a try. Kimberly, a Nevada transplant, takes great care of all patrons and the lunch portions are well-prepared and just the right size.

That is probably the last meal I’ll be buying, this camp, as our three squares are part of the camp experience, and I haven’t had a bad meal as Bellemont camp manager, yet. The campers and their chaperones/tutors arrived right on time and we got the orientation out of the way, followed by an excellent spaghetti & meatballs dinner. The kids went through ice-breaker activities, after the meal, and now they lay them down down to sleep. Think I will do the same.

Eastbound and Back, Day 33: To The Prairie Home

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Posted by on in collaborating, Community, distraction issues, Education, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 31, 2024, Grapevine- The hardened but mannerly farmer must have already been on the job for several hours, and he was ready for a true farmhand’s breakfast. We introduced ourselves, we shook hands, and he groused about the previous day’s event in New York, as the footage droned on, on the small cafe’s TV. Then, we both focused on breakfast.

On this drizzly morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find a haven of charm, organization and good food, in the small cotton town of Ruleville, founded by J.W. Rule, in 1898, expressly as a cotton processing center. It was the home of Fannie Lou Hamer, who brought the Civil Rights struggle to the cotton farms.

A worker bee of a woman, named Winde, exuding grace, strength and a focused work ethic, runs Stop and Shop-Not Your Mama’s Tea– a long name for a boutique and cafe, but as fine a place to enjoy a full country breakfast as any of the full-on cafes I have experienced on this journey. Here, I found the South at its finest.

Winde’s breakfast stood by me all day, through western Mississippi, across Louisiana and the eastern third of Texas. My mission was simple: Get to my little family in this bustling airport town, by a decent dinner time. That, I did, stopping to deposit my month’s rent at a bank branch in east Texas, and alternately driving along a nearly empty highway, then finding people driving like bats out of the underbelly-each trying to outdo the other.

I got in to Grapevine, despite a few accidents that had traffic snarled more than usual, and a scrum that blocked access to the short route here. It was okay, though, to go the longer way around, as it actually deposited me closer to the apartment complex that lies a bit west of Grapevine Mills Mall.

So, this quieter day, with no focus on history or scenic spots, brought me to Son’s side, as he applied himself to a major portion of the work that will bring his baccalaureate study to a successful close. It will be an affirming weekend for the three of us- Aram, Yunhee (his wife) and me.

Eastbound and Back, Day 24: The Harbour is Home

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 22, 2024, Boothbay Harbor- The voices of the thirty or so fourth graders were music to my ears. They were scattered across the grounds of Boothbay Region Land Trust’s Oak Point Farm, where my cousin and I were walking, this morning. Kevin and his extended family are neighbours to this splendid Trust property We walked the 1-mile loop trail, with the joyful noises of chatter and singing as a backdrop.

Oak Point Farm, Boothbay Harbor

The property gives focus to all that makes life in Boothbay such a treasure: The interplay of water, land and sun, with clouds as frequent visitors; the birds, large and small, with cardinals and goldfinches as the most numerous, and vocal, of the lot; the gray squirrels and chipmunks, scattering as large, lumbering humans approach; the red squirrels, sometimes “standing their ground” and chittering, “Thus far, and no farther”, whilst standing on their hind legs.

Downtown Boothbay Harbor

We went later to downtown Boothbay Harbor, taking in the harbourside scenes, with K describing what he knew of the town’s history-which turned out to be a considerable amount. The area was once both fishing haven and a tannery hub. The tanneries are gone, but fishermen still rule here, even as the high and mighty still come into the harbour, in their yachts and small cruise ships. It is the small fisherman who makes towns like Boothbay Harbor what they are-regardless of their appeal to people of means, or to artists and artisans.

After a round of photos, we went to the local YMCA, and an hour or so of soaking in the warm Therapy Pool. As I have not been to Planet Fitness for several weeks, the buoyancy of the pool was a nice treat for my muscles, and was followed by fifteen minutes in the sauna. This YMCA is directly across the road from Boothbay’s public schools, so it is a natural gathering place for teens from the middle and high schools, after classes. In addition, each second grade student enjoys mandatory swimming lessons.

We went back to the house and enjoyed a fine spaghetti dinner, then spent an hour or two talking of spiritual matters-a good segue, as this evening brings the observance of the Declaration of al-Bab, the Day in 1844, when the Herald of the Baha’i Dispensation first told another soul of His (brief) Mission to humanity.

Rest will come easy tonight, and tomorrow-down to Massachusetts, by way of Green Acre Baha’i School.

Central Wharf, Boothbay Harbor
An opportunity for a park or greenspace, downtown Boothbay Harbor
Stone mason’s gift, Oak Point Farm

Eastbound and Back, Day 14: Universal Mothers

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Posted by on in animal and plant life, children, Education, Family, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 12, 2024, Botwood, NL- Newfoundlanders seem to be fastidious about not mixing strangers at table,in a restaurant- even when the patrons themselves are amenable and there is plenty of space for relative privacy. I noticed this, the last time I was with friends in Grand Bank and again today, at a small cafe in Hampden, a little village between Deer Lake and Grand Falls-Windsor. I found myself seated alone, at a table with eight seats and the hostess steadfastly guarded my space, making a party of four wait until another table had been cleared. I used to be leery of sitting with strangers. Now, if others need a seat and it’s just me at a large table, I invite them to sit.

Anyway, today being Mother’s Day, there were crowds at all three places I took meals: Carriage House, at Glynmill Inn (nice Breakfast Bowl); interesting Crunchy Burger (crispy cod) at Lisa’s Cafe (above-mentioned) and Dannini’s, downstairs from my room at Exploits Inn and Suites, here in Botwood, just east of Grand Falls- Windsor (a bacon grilled cheese, which I brought up here).

Reading another friend’s post on traditions and our need to get together, I thought of all those who deserve honour today: My Mom, who had us all around last weekend, and hopefully saw some family this time; my sister and nieces, all of whom are exemplary stewards of young lives; Penny, who gave the best years of her life to raise our son; Kathy, still giving her all to her sons who are still at home; and all the millions, or billions, of women doing much the same, worldwide. I thought of all the mothers in war zones, and how there will come a day, when they will arise and collectively tell the politicians that no land and no aspiration are worth the sacrifice of their children’s lives.

I am okay, for now, with being on my own on days like this, or even on Father’s Day, because I was raised by people who thought nothing of sacrificing themselves, for my sake and that of my siblings. I was joined, for so many years , by a selfless woman, who gave all she had for her child. I have the privilege of friendship with another woman who lives for the betterment and well-being of her three children.

I have the honour of being treated well, by Mother Earth.

Robert’s Arm, Newfoundland

Oh, it snowed in some places along the way. Here’s a scene that is not far from Glynmill Inn

Eastbound and Back, Day 11: Practical Feet

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Posted by on in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Education, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

May 9, 2024, Whycocomagh- As the master community activist explained his efforts, he referred back to ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s work, during and after World War I and the subsequent outbreak of influenza. No one, Jew, Arab or European, was left out of the food distribution effort, which were dependent on the storehouses He had set up and the fields He had seen be planted, for the very purpose of preventing hunger.

Ernie has spent the past thirty years or so, in establishing a food security system in Eskasoni, a community of Miqmaq (pronounced “Mehkamag”) First Nations people, on the southeast corner of Cape Breton Island. He hit upon this track, both because of his grandfather’s example of providing for those less fortunate and because of the time that he and his wife spent in Boston, where he noted a productive system of Food Banks had been in place.

‘Abdu’l-Baha counseled “walking the mystical path with practical feet”. Ernie was very clear, as I am, that “practical feet” does not mean “materialistic”. The wise use of resources will not leave anyone out and not unduly benefit one person or group to excess. While this has proven elusive, in a great many situations, it is not beyond our capacity as humans to establish an equanimical society.

This first of a two-day consultation on sustainability focused on the system that Ernie and his wife have set up, largely by shopping judiciously, for bargains-mostly in local markets on Cape Breton, but occasionally going to Halifax or Saint John. Being able to buy in bulk, they are better positioned to render strong assistance in hard times. Storage of grains, food dehydration, salting and drying of meat, and canning techniques are also high among this amazing couple’s skill sets.

I look forward to Day 2 of this learning session, which was a serendipitous outcome of the discussion around the 50th anniversary of the founding of Eskasoni’s Baha’i Spiritual Assembly. The intensity of the lessons I am learning are making this visit astonishingly illuminating.

Eastward Bound and Back, Day 1: Towers of Power

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

April 29, 2024, Miami, OK– He stood with his feet planted firmly on the floor, arms forcefully at his side, clutching two bottles of Gatorade, jaw set and eyes blazing-with the unspoken message: “Just TRY and take one of these from me.” His father had his back. The future force of nature is four years old, one of the faces of the Texas that is yet to rise.

Father and son were just two of the faces of strength, the towers of power, I encountered on this day of passing through three states. Glenn, the baker, was at his craft, producing, among other delectables, some of the finest breakfast burritos in all New Mexico-if not in the entire Southwest. His red burritos got me off to a good start, this morning.

In the small eastern New Mexico settlement of Milagro, an earnest woman staffed the thriving gas station/convenience market that two friends started, about eight years ago. She was grateful that the Filipina co-owner had filled the windshield cleaner tanks, as it was still a bit nippy there, in late morning. I am glad to see the young couple, who I met in those early days of their enterprise, are doing so well.

My buddy, Wes, in Amarillo, was not available for anything other than a comment. That, being that he was stuck at home. So our lunch in the Fun Zone (Old 66) will wait until five weeks from now. He’s the T-shirt king of the Panhandle, among other things, but that’s a story for another day. One of my cousins, in southwest Missouri, will be doing God’s work, teaching middle schoolers, as I pass through that area, tomorrow, so no meeting with her, either.

In Massachusetts, Mom is holding her own, so my visit with her, this weekend will proceed as planned. Any strength of character I have comes from my parents. My siblings are keeping me posted, on her day-to-day. They, too, are towers of power.

At the Conoco, in Shamrock, the little man stood his ground, and eyed me as I was leaving the store, with a ferocity that seldom have I seen from one so young. I hope he holds onto that determination. There is much that will challenge his grit, far more than this aging wanderer ever will.

Three ladies staffed the toll booths along the Oklahoma Turnpike, each taking the time to note that, in two days, their jobs will pretty much become obsolete, as the system goes electronic on May 1. They will go on to other duties for the Turnpike, probably monitoring glitches in the system-which are bound to happen, at least initially.

So, it is that I reflect back on a day spent going through familiar turf, and take my rest in this comfortable room at Deluxe Inn. Tomorrow will no doubt mean more encounters with towers of power.