November 1, 2015, Prescott-
Day of All Saints
Time to reflect
Transgressions sometimes taint
If one is not circumspect
Day by day,
hour by hour,
Make amends
No matter how much adulation
Showers.
An ephemeral presence am I
in this mortal frame.
Daily circumspection
shall this inner beast
Tame.
October 31, 2015, Phoenix- This day was the first Halloween I have spent away from home, since 1991. The current generation of children are more likely to be confined to one narrow space, or another-either a prescribed street, populated by well-heeled folks, who put up elaborate decorations, or a carefully-arranged event, often (ironically) faith-based. The turnout on my street, last year, was exactly eight trick-or-treaters.
I had business here yesterday, and elected to stay down in the city, especially after getting invited to a large house party. The day proceeded as a drive around several Memory Lanes, starting with breakfast at a family restaurant, close to our old house. It was called Fast Eddie’s, for several years. Now, it goes by The Cracked Egg. The Irish Omelet was hot and well-prepared, and the servers congenial. I like the former name better, but everything else is just fine. I drove by our former home, finding it occupied by a family who seem to be doing well. Then, came a visit to Penny’s grave site, where I placed a dozen roses, and reflected on all that we managed to accomplish together, often in spite of ourselves.
After a couple of hours in Sunnyslope’s Acacia Branch Library, and a bit of shopping, I took a couple of strolls around Steele Indian School Park, named for the former Bureau of Indian Affairs residential school, whose vacant buildings are preserved at the site and for Horace C. Steele, a businessman, whose charitable foundation made the park possible. Several families were enjoying the bright late afternoon, including a few who were fishing the small pond.
After a second stroll, this one at Park Central Mall, which was once managed by my late friend, Mike. The place was mostly closed for the evening, lending an eerie, but not disconcerting, aura to my time. It reminded me of a similar walk, last year, at the huge, but silent Frankfurt Messe.
Upon arriving at the aforementioned party, I found myself being greeted by Gomez and Morticia Addams (aka my friends, Jens and Maggie). There were nearly a hundred people on site, but I seemed to be the only one with a plastic mask (Chewbacca, from “Star Wars”), which precipitated a lot of good-natured chuckles, from the older guests, and eye-rolls from the hipsters. The food was nice, though, and Maggie’s intense decorations were, as usual, phenomenal. Three small outbuildings, and the grounds in between, contained theme-park quality displays. After a few lengthy conversations with some old friends, and new acquaintances, it was time to watch, as Gomez and Morticia offered their signature tango. We were not disappointed.
I had to head back to Prescott, shortly after 10, but I will recall this much-needed time, reconnecting with old haunts (no pun intended) as a time for grounding. The coming, very busy two weeks will go much smoother, for the break that was taken.
October 30, 2015, Phoenix- I came down here, shortly after finishing my laundry. The first order of business was picking up a list of requirements for me to at long last secure an Elementary Teaching Certificate. I have several other credentials: Secondary Teaching, Guidance Counselor and Principal. Now, towards the final phase of my career, it is high time to complete the circle.
I will need to take three 11/2 hour exams, hopefully on a Saturday, which means heading up to Flagstaff, since Yavapai College, in Prescott, only offers tests when I am working. Flag is a pleasant spot, and I can head up there on a Friday night, after whatever I am doing is finished.
Anyway, afterward, I spent some time with Aram and his good friend, in north central Phoenix, basically getting updates on various matters, and setting tentative plans for next week. It’ll be good to have him in Prescott, for whatever fleeting time I can spend with him after work, and then, there will be Thanksgiving weekend, when we can both relax.
Tonight was another bit of “old home week”, as I joined a few friends on the west side of the Metro Area, at a house which Penny and I frequented, once a month, for nearly five years. The family is one whose children I also watched grow into adulthood; the youngest will graduate high school in May. Some find this a “test”. I find the attainment of adulthood, by those whose births and childhoods I have witnessed, a supreme confirmation. They will do well, these Millennials, and so will the next generation, coming right behind them. Isn’t this part of the wonder of humanity?
I ponder much, in my modest little room, at the Travel inn.
October 21, 2015, Chino Valley- The Chicago Cubs came further than they have, in over a century. Then they ran into the buzzsaw that is New York City’s professional teams. It takes time, patience and an indomitable will, to beat a team from the Big Apple. My Red Sox know that, better than anyone. The Sox are on hiatus, but they will come back. Then again, the Yankees are taking a break, too.
The Cubs remain the only team to have waited more than a century to reach even the secondary level of the championship ladder, but they will be at the top, within three years. It takes time, patience and an indomitable will, to overcome the entrenched and powerful.
The voices of the common people, many of whom have not been heard for centuries, are at long last being heard. Some of what they say is a message of frustration. It does not ring of justice- when it is voiced by the ignorant, the self-centered, the blinkered- and the opportunistic, who pretend to speak for the dispossessed. The voices of the common people must all be heard, though, lest those denied a voice end up “stinking like rotten meat”, the way Islamic State is now, the way the Nazis did, in the middle of the last century.
“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up, like a raisin in the sun?”- Langston Hughes
October 19-20, 2015, Chino Valley
Some thoughts on a couple of rainy days:
Awakening under stars,
glorying in a shower.
Glancing at the news,
whilst thinking of my brood.
The clouds ride north with me,
and plot their mid-day reverie.
Some are stranded behind sand-bagged washes,
Most, though, tough out the day,
with galoshes,
and a will that overcomes the driving rain.
For, learning soothes, and ignorance
breeds pain.
Knowledge has sanctity.
Its lack, breeds angst,
you see.
October 17, 2015, Prescott- I have been nominated by http://www.writersdream9.wordpress.com (sorry, no hyperlink on Windows 10) for the One Lovely Blog Award. .
The rules of this are as follows:
1. You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
2. You must list the rules and display the award. (These are the rules. I have no idea how to cut and paste the award.)
3. You must add 7 facts about yourself
4. You must nominate 15 other bloggers and leave a comment on one of their posts to let them know they have been nominated.
Some facts about myself:
October 14, 2015, Chino Valley-
The little girl registered a mild objection to my changing the morning schedule, from “Science”, which she loves, to “Writing”, in which she has little self-confidence. I had something up my sleeve, which required the presence of the three students who were off being tested.
Outside our south window, there is a fallow garden plot. The school’s director has hinted at “how nice” it will be for the plot to be reseeded, and tended. The day has fallen into my lap. After, lunch, with all the children back in the room, I told them of my lesson plan. We would go out to the garden, and whilst there, brainstorm as to what could be planted. Each child was to make a wish list, with no immediate restrictions, other than that it must be something that will either grow or will help things grow.
After twenty-five minutes, in the garden, some of the eight-year-olds got restless, so we went back inside the classroom. The rest of our class time was spent with each student stating what was on her/his wish list and me recording and tallying the items on the white board. This is a huge deal for several of the kids, not the least of whom is the girl who bemoaned the lack of a science lesson, this morning.
There is much ahead. The students will now need to look up their plants, see what type of soil, planting specifics, watering level and frequency, climate and nourishment they will need, how to guard against pests, which animals best pollinate the plants, and how much work it will take to raise the intended crop.
This will be a major class project, and will be integrative learning, involving reading, math, science, social studies, writing and social collaboration. Add to this, all the rest that is on tap for the year, and we should see measurable growth in this class.
October 10, 2015, Prescott- I took three hours, this afternoon, to begin my series of hikes around Prescott Circle. It is a 51-mile loop, that connects several of our area’s natural wonders. As is my wont, I am doing the circuit in clockwise fashion. So, I started with Segment 10, which takes in a very familiar stretch: Pioneer Park. This is a huge greenbelt in northeast Prescott, with a rim trail that looks down on a series of groves, comprised of juniper pine and scrub oak. The park has 9 miles of hiking trails, in addition to Prescott Circle, which goes along the park’s northern edge, then dips down and passes through Pioneer’s ball field, before continuing on.
The surrounding mountain ranges, such as the Bradshaws, background left, are all visible from the rim trail.
I have hiked in this area several times, but looking at it as part of a whole gives Pioneer Park a fresher meaning. The strength that comes from walking 9.6 miles round trip is an added benefit. Tomorrow, if my chores and acts of service are done, I will pursue the next segment, also in familiar areas: The Embry-Riddle Forest Preserve and Willow Lake.
October 6, 2015, Sedona- After dealing with more computer work, regarding a legal matter, I headed out for a day’s respite, stopping first at Mortimer Family Farm, in Dewey. The Fall is in full swing at this exhilarating place. As you can see, the pumpkins,alone, will delight dozens of school children this season.
My other purpose was to pick up one of their delectable sandwiches, along with a piece of Pumpkin Pie Fudge and a mocha espresso, for a roadside picnic. This ended up taking place at Crucifixion Point, a Forest Service Day-Use area, which was closed and locked. Nothing prevented me from parking outside the gate and enjoying a pleasant meal, though.
Then, it was off to Sedona. I stopped at the community college branch and inquired as to the road to Honanki, a Pueblo ruin on the West Side of town. I was told that I was not to go in there unless riding in a commercial jeep. I know this is a bunch of hooey, and figure the staff member must have some interest in the jeep outfit. Rather than waste time, I headed to a tried and true hiking path: Little Horse Trail and Llama Trail. Little Horse, which I last hiked three years ago, heads to Chicken Point (seen below) and Submarine Rock.
It also connects with a trail to the Chapel in the Red Rocks.
About 2/3 of the way to Chicken Point, I veered off Little Horse, and took Llama Trail. This brings the hiker back around to the south, towards Courthhouse Butte and Bell Rock. At one point, Llama Trail has one in a place that is equidistant from Cathedral Rock (west), Madonna and the Nuns (north), Courthouse Butte (east) and Bell Rock (south). I chose that area to pray, take a drink from my water bottle and write reminiscences of my July trip to California. Sedona has several vortices, and this felt like one of them.
While I was praying, I was greeted by some local residents.
Here are two shots of Madonna and The Nuns.
Courthouse Butte is not to be outdone.
Nor are Bell Rock,
or Cathedral Rock.
Llama Trail ends at Courthouse Vista, about 1 1/2 miles south of where my car was. So, in the interests of not being caught up in an approaching thunderstorm or out after dark, I took Bail Trail, a 1/4 mile connector, to Bell Rock Path, then back to Little Horse and my way home.
As it happened, I drove through the rain easily, and got home in time for another fine Arizona scene.
October 4, 2015, Prescott- I went to view the film, “The Martian”, this evening, it being one of three offerings that pique my interest, among the films being shown at our local Picture Show Cinema. I like that theater, because of the $5 Senior tickets. It is always crowded, as the General tickets are also economical.
“The Martian” focuses on Matt Damon’s character, and his solitude on Mars. An equally interesting backflow is the depiction of two strong women astronauts- the Commander (Jessica Chastain- always a force of nature) and the Engineer (Kate Mara). The men on the crew, including Damon’s character, look upon these two as equals, if not superiors.
I’ll not say anything further about the film. It’s too much worth seeing on your own. The thoughts it generated in me were that we have finally reached the time, as a species, when gender should have nothing to do with limiting who is a role model for whom. A strong woman is vital to the self-concept of young girls, AND there is much that boys can take away from her example. This shouldn’t be too much of a stretch. Girls have looked up to men, as character models and teachers, for hundreds of years.
When I was at Hope Fest, yesterday, the Security Team was led by a young woman, who stood 5’1″. She had gravitas, a very strong sense of command. This is the sort of presence that will, over time, serve to erase sexism and misogyny. I have written, previously, of a time when my 50-year-old self worked under the supervision of an 18-year-old woman, who simply had deep knowledge of the particular situation, and was worthy of every ounce of respect I mustered. I would not have done well in that situation, without her leadership.
We are entering a fine New Age.
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