Sixty-Six, for Sixty Six, Part XCV: A Hoosier Menagerie

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 25, 2017 in animal and plant life, children, Family, Social

July 10, 2017, Goshen, IN-

After leaving, Notre Dame, I realized I needed some sustenance. Finding a pizzeria, in Elkhart , closed on Monday, I went into Martin’s Supermarket, on the east end of town, and had a small snack. Good thing, it wasn’t linner, as I was able to contact another friend, Mcbery, and arrange to meet her, hubby and grandchildren, for a tour of their substantial farm, in nearby Goshen. While en route to our meeting point, I met a harbinger of the visit to come: A Canadian goose crossing zone!

I went into Elkhart’s public library, and no sooner had I sat down at a computer desk, than Miriam and Lee showed up. Off we went, me trailing carefully behind, through Goshen’s narrow lanes. The menagerie was not long in greeting us, at this estimable farm. There are the usual animals resident on farms: Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, donkeys and dogs. Then, there are chickens and Guinea pigs, enjoying one another’s company.

The fauna now took a decidedly more exotic turn, with two types of flightless birds greeting us, with squawks. The emus, and at least one rhea, manage also to share a large pen. I was glad to see no cassowary in the mix- those birds are especially vicious.

The most challenging resident, for now, is a three-month-old camel. Lee seems to be the only person who can keep a lid on her behaviour. She came up to me, regarded me with interest, then quickly jumped away, on her little excursion of mischief.

Further down the path, a full-grown camel led a parade of animals towards their evening feeding. I was glad to take part in this, and the camel seen here accepted a fistful, or two, of clover and grass, from me.

After meeting all the animals, it was time for the grandkids to go to their home, down the path, and for the three of us to go for our dinner. So I close, with a photo of this wonderful farm family.

Indiana has been, once again, a delight, and in three diverse ways, last night and today.

NEXT UP: Three posts about Ohio, starting with Van Wert, and the most interesting things that happened there.

Sixty-Six, for Sixty Six, Part XLIII: Beyond Measure

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 21, 2017 in Hiking and Nature, Inspiration, Social, Spiritual, Travel

July 9-10, 2017, Portage, IN-

My life has not been seemingly on a higher plane, since being invited to the spiritual forum that flows, quite nicely, with the tenets and expressions of faith that emanate from the Writings of Baha’u’llah. A lovely service honoured His Herald, al-Bab (The Gate), who was so brutally executed on July 9, 1850- as part of a religious pogrom, that continues, to this day, in Iran.

The Baha’i House of Worship, in Wilmette, north of Chicago, blesses the entire area and brings solace to people of all spiritual traditions and inclinations. The serenity extends to the surrounding shoreline of Lake Michigan.

Despite the solemn nature of the service, there is still much joy that the Baha’i friends take, from being together at this beloved Temple.

I was pleased to have met a new friend and mentor, at this gathering, as well as long-time fellows in Faith. The energy propelled me, rather easily, through the freeway drive that could be otherwise rather draining.

I reached Indiana, in plenty of time for a Stromboli repast, in the town of Lake Station. I did not hear back from a friend here in Portage, who has seemed a bit beleaguered, of late. My plan to camp at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, however, did come to fruition. There was a hint of a storm, which fortunately, did not strike the area until a bit after dawn, allowing me to break camp and head for the Dunkin Donuts. My sad looking little tent is actually quite comfortable.

I like that Mother Nature waited, until I had everything down, folded and in the trunk, before the downpour began. I felt badly for my neighbour,though. She was a Hispanic woman, with four kids in tow. I think the boys were in a tent, and she was in the camper, so it was probably only a temporary inconvenience.

After eating a breakfast sandwich and warming up with coffee, I headed to the Dunes. The early morning was dark, and could have been gloomy, if I’d let it be. There is a majesty, in the stark horizon and in the interplay between shore and lake.

There are all manner of trails, around the Dunelands- and one goes from the Illinois state line to the Michigan line. I was content, today, just to enjoy the shoreline and life in the sand dunes.

There are several estuaries, a testimony to the sheer size of the lakes.

Here is a look at Portage’s harbour house and marina.

Vegetation and flowers are always very thick, among the dunes.

The allure of reflection is ever present.

Michigan is not quite visible, through the haze, but it’s there, way beyond the steel mill.

There is a fine interplay, at long last, between conservation and metallurgy, in this often buffeted area.

The “closeness” of Chicago? At least, the haze is not strong, to the north and west.

The steel barons, long ago, had a lighthouse placed at the north end of the mill site. It is almost a stone’s throw, from the public walkway, west of the mill.

Here is the beach area, of the Portage shoreline. A few hardy souls were here, in search of at least a morning’s catch.

Finally, this wetland area has been reclaimed, fully, from having been a Superfund waste site. Indiana’s Congressional representatives and the steel industry managed to get this one right, and wildlife thrives, in the restored hills.

July 10 was a most momentous day, with two great visits, each of which will be the subject of a post. Part XLIV (44) will feature the University of Notre Dame and Part XLV (45) looks at Elkhart, and a most unusual family farm.

Sixty-Six, for Sixty Six, Part XLVII: A SunFlour Doppelganger and A Room On A Bluff

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 19, 2017 in Community, Social, Travel

July 8, 2017, Lake Bluff, IL- Today was sunny and the Ozarks gleamed brightly, after last night’s paltry drizzle. I drove out of Joplin early, as there was no Internet at Tara Motel, and I wanted to get to the Chicago area by nightfall- with an urge to find a campground, somewhere in the northwest suburbs. I also didn’t know, at that point, whether any northern Illinois friends would have time to visit a bit, on such short notice.

Rolla is one of my favourite towns in Missouri, and became more so, when I found Cupcakes and Cravings. Here is a coffee house and lunch counter that is a dead ringer for SunFlour Market, which two friends run, in Superior, AZ. Since one of SunFlour’s owners is from the St. Louis area, maybe there is a connection with this lovely spot. I had coffee and a sandwich, then bought a cupcake, for later on.

It’s another fun place to browse and pick up a gift, for the lady who has everything.

I can think of a few, for whom this would be the right special occasion cake.

Once lunch was done, it was time to get back outside, so that Amanda could clean up and go home. Rolla has a large community park, just off I-44.

There is much to recommend this beautiful town, whether passing through, or settling down- but enough of the doggerel.

The rest of my drive was peaceful, even in Chicago, where the multitudes practice what my brother calls “the zipper method”- drivers take turns, when consolidating traffic lanes. This keeps a slow crawl from turning into gridlock, especially at the choke point, on the southwest segment of the Dan Ryan. One hour after entering the DR, I was looking for a campground in Lake County- but to no avail. I was just too beat, and By The Way Motel presented itself, at a reasonable rate. So it is, that I am here, and getting ready for a special event at the Baha’i House of Worship, tomorrow, without having to go further- to Waukegan, or North Chicago.

NEXT: Further reflections on a Holy Day, and camping at Indiana Dunes

Sixty-Six, for Sixty Six, Part XLVI: Tulsa Won My Trust

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 18, 2017 in impediments, Personal Values, Social, Travel

July 7, 2017, Joplin, MO-

My son turned 29 today, and ended one banner year, with the promise of yet another. I rose early, in Santa Rosa, NM, and made it my goal to get to Amarillo, and the Blue Front Cafe, by lunch time. The Time Zone differential always figures in, here, so when I call Wes, and tell him I’ll meet him for lunch, we both end up remembering, sooner or later, that 12 Noon means 1 PM. So, once again, I miss Santa Rosa’s Blue Hole, for Amarillo’s Blue Front.

Wes had the place figured to be an oyster bar, and maybe that’s the new owner’s specialty, but the young lady who served us basically presented a lot of fare to which I’m accustomed. It is still good food, just not in as folksy an ambiance as under the previous ownership. To a Texan, and to lesser an extent, an Arizonan, such tradition is everything.

After spinning a few yarns, and hearing some of Wes’s, I kept on, across the Llano Estacado. Mailing my car payment, at the Post Office in Groom, TX, involved cruising around that handsome little town, just a bit. Oklahoma, though, was not long in appearing in the foreground.

I had no pressing business, in the Sooner State, so essentially it was just a series of pleasant memories that passed by, along with the towns: Erick, Sayre, Elk City, Clinton, Weatherford, El Reno, Yukon and OKC. There was no time to stop at the Memorial- maybe on the flip flop. The Turnpike was what it always is, a quicker way to southwest Missouri and points further on. As many of you know, it is divided into two segments, in northeast Oklahoma: Before Tulsa and After Tulsa. The erstwhile Oil Capital has not been high on my list, for several years, and all owing to my having witnessed a nasty tirade by a Greyhound Bus employee towards a fellow passenger, at the company’s terminal, in 1979. That’s a lame excuse for a bad attitude, but it’s stayed in the back of my mind, ever since. It was time to shed that perception. I pulled off the highway, gassed up, admired a lovely woman-in a respectful manner and from a distance, and kept on with my drive to Joplin. It was a ridiculous remedy, for a ridiculous grudge, but that’s all it took for Tulsa to win my trust. One of these days, I will spend a day or two there, and better get to know the city of the Golden Hurricane.

I had planned on camping, in or near Joplin. Cousin Lisa was tied up with 4-H, so I will try and catch her on the flip-flop, and besides, there was lightning flashing nearby, so I passed up the idea of setting up camp. Tara Motel appeared, east of Joplin, as I was running out of energy, and options. The place is a minimalist paradise, for the common man, who is just trying to catch about 120 winks. That I was sure to do. With no WiFi here, and Rerun Heaven in full swing, I read a bit and headed for dreamland.

NEXT UP: Across Missouri and Illinois

Interdependence Day

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 4, 2017 in children, collaborating, Community, Family, Personal Values, Poetry, Social, Spiritual, Striving

July 4, 2017, Carson City-

We went, together, to a robust carnival

with Funnel Cake and kettle corn.

Little girl got her face painted,

lost and found her favourite stuffed bear,

and got to dance to a song by a local cover band.

She is guarded, carefully,

by all, whose hearts she has captured.

Group got a prime seat,

to view the fireworks,

on the high school field.

We, an eclectic family,

hang together.

Teams fought fires,

across northwest Nevada,

around Arizona,

and probably

in California, too.

Tight were those teams,

which made progress on their fights.

Families, nationwide,

had picnics and barbecues.

Some were simple;

some, elaborate.

Not much gets done,

anymore,

without prior consultation.

A friend in the Midwest

concurred with me,

that our species is evolving,

rapidly,

towards a tighter interdependence.

It is that,

which I celebrated today.

Sixty-Six, for Sixty Six, Part XLIII: Ever in Wonder

Posted by righteousbruin9 on July 4, 2017 in Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

July 3, 2017, Carson City-

Along the path to Grama’s, I walked.

That path crossed a road,

and for crossing alone,

I felt a sting on my backside.

There are limits to what a three-year-old

can do, alone.

Along the path to the shopping center, I walked.

That path crossed several roads,

and for being alone,

I was briefly accosted,

by a couple of ruffians,

and almost struck by a wayward car,

that had jumped the curb.

There are challenges,

for a nine-year-old,

when walking, alone.

I sat in the airplane,

gazing out at the clouds,

and their patterns.

I was seeing for the first time, at their level.

The path through the skies,

held promise

and peril.

Many are the possibilities,

for an eighteen-year-old,

striking out, on his own.

Turning around,

in that crowded,

light-filled, noisy room,

I returned the gaze of one,

who had seen something in me,

that others overlooked.

My path was no longer

for me to walk in single file.

Life brings affirmations,

to a thirty-year-old,

who need not be alone.

Holding the little being

to the light,

I spoke words of welcome.

My line now continued,

for at least one more generation.

The Universe sang songs

of certitude,

to a new father,

listening, alone.

Father and son walked

from the car,

towards the hospice door,

and witnessed the wispy spiral

carrying dust and leaves skyward.

I touched her still-warm body,

and kissed her face,

with her eyes still open,

in seeming astonishment.

The path is ever-shaky,

for a sixty-year-old,

once again, alone.

Time and again, since then,

I have followed things through,

to completion,

having been roundly chastised,

by a well-meaning watchman,

for all those things,

I did not finish,

in times gone by.

The paths have been many,

and the rewards even greater:

Filbert Steps, Portlandia,

Space Needle, Stanley Park,

Wrangell, Mendenhall,

Mount Verstovia, Beuk-ai Temple,

Tuileries, Jeanne d’Arc’s Tower,

Mont St. Michel, Carnac,

Daily Gourmand, Old Bruges,

World Cup rally at the Bourse,

McAuliffe Square,

Luxembourg’s National Day,

the Dom of Frankfurt,

the Temple at Langenhain,

Waikiki, Iolani Palace.

The paths have seen me through,

to their ends:

Prescott Circle,

Black Canyon,

Granite Mountain,

and the Memorial to

its 19 Hotshots,

Bright Angel,

Spirit Tower.

The trails continue,

and the wonder,

at the limitless,

open to a sixty-six-year-old,

who feels far from alone.

Clearing the Smoke

Posted by righteousbruin9 on June 28, 2017 in collaborating, distraction issues, impediments, Service Activities, Social

June 28, 2017, Prescott-

It is no secret that I have several issues with anyone whose priority in life is belittling ,and exercising a faux authority over, others. Even when one’s position embues responsibility, and therefore a measure of authority, over others, I have always regarded that as a special bounty, not to be viewed as carte blanche.

I have had, as you may remember, some moments of difficulty with certain of my supervisors, at my places of employment, over the years. These have usually derived from lack of communication, though sometimes the issue has been a superior’s hubris.

This extends to volunteer-based organizations. There are supervisors, even in an organization such as the Red Cross, who rely on yelling, embarrassing the pro bono help working under them and acting as if such work were strictly a paid position. These same people then whine, when there is a shortage of staff, for a particular errand of mercy.

People matter. Volunteers matter, and so do the clients, who like children witnessing an imperious father’s browbeating of his spouse (or vice versa), formulate a sense of justice. We are, currently, in our area, experiencing a particularly intense and stressful wildfire situation. The vast majority of volunteers and paid staff for our organization are greatly dedicated to the well-being of our clients. It behooves those few, for whom this organization represents a neurotic means to power, to step aside, and let those whose hearts are with the good of the people, to get their tasks accomplished, without being browbeaten or made the targets of rancour.

End of editorial.

P.C.

Posted by righteousbruin9 on June 25, 2017 in children, Family, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

June 25, 2017, Bellemont, AZ-

We’ve undergone a wealth of name-changes, relative to how people see various groups, into which we classify ourselves, and others, since the early 1960’s. It’s almost become so that many are almost paralyzed, when it come sot referencing people who “fall into categories of ‘the other’.”

I’ve spent the past 48 hours at a Baha’i camp, 1 1/2 miles west of this small village, itself 12 miles west of Flagstaff. Several new friends, of different ages, were made, as is always the case. One beautiful family of seven is “racially-blended”, if we are to believe the doctrine of political correctness. The father of this family was one of the presenters at our Summer School. He addressed racial identity and political correctness. He is not a fan of P.C., insofar as it allows us to dance around the subject of racial relations.

When I was growing up, my parents told us never to use racial, ethnic, or sexual epithets. I was taught to address people by the name which they used to introduce themselves. It was fine to call a person of colour a Negro, until people of colour themselves preferred Black, then African-American. Using the pejorative form of Negro would have earned me an oral cleansing, and not with candy-flavoured mouth wash.

We Baha’is believe, as one of the central tenets of our Faith, that there is, as Baha’u’llah wrote. “but one race, the human race.” Having said that, it is NOT WRONG, to stand firm against discrimination of any kind. This runs the gamut- from denying people their basic human rights, based on pigmentation, height, gender, change of gender, economic status, or personal creed/religion. It is also imperative to acknowledge someone’s basic goodness, in any area of endeavour or character feature.

“One race, the human race”, does not exclude people of colour, people of intense faith, people who hail from desert wastes or from an urban wasteland, who eat mainly fast food or who eat raw food. It safeguards the human rights of people who adhere to our Faith, to previously-revealed Faiths or to no Faith at all.

So, political correctness has its limits. These are tantamount to over-tightening a nut, on a wheel. The nut becomes stripped, useless. Not being able to describe a person, in terms perfectly acceptable to that individual and her peers, is a paralysis of denial. My new African-American friend, his European-American wife, their four creative, lovely daughters and vibrant, disabled son should never have to endure the embarrassment of having to watch as someone, who claims to be their well-wisher, is tongue-tied, when it comes to describing any of them, to someone else.

This weekend was time well-spent.

Longest, Hottest

Posted by righteousbruin9 on June 21, 2017 in Community, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

June 21, 2017, Prescott-

I tend to disregard the temperature, to an extent..

When we lived in Phoenix, I did what I needed to do,

indoors or out, even in summer.

It just was done in smaller increments.

Today, the solstice, was the longest day,

north of the Equator,

and the shortest day, to its south.

What was necessary, here, got done.

Stepping Stones has more cards,

stationery, an egg beater

and a couple of old, professional-type books.

Days for Girls has several more covers

for the washable products they offer

to disadvantaged girls and women.

I have more space,

in the dining area closet,

in the tall kitchen cupboards

and atop the refrigerator.

Solstice is also a time of accounting.

We friends talked, first of what is pure

and later, of what is really sweet,

in terms of deeds,

as opposed to silver-tongued promises.

Solstice is a time for gathering.

So, the neighbours are outside,

enjoying the coolness.

Solstice is a time for reflecting,

so, after a hearty day,

I am thinking,

how fortunate I am,

to have friends in

just about every community

I’ve ever visited.

The Time Necessary

Posted by righteousbruin9 on June 19, 2017 in Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual

June 19, 2017, Cave Creek-

This morning, I read of Juneteenth, the delayed news of southern slave emancipation, and how it took two years, minimum, to reach Texas.

Shopping for water and ice, to help with a brief trip to Superior, I encountered the daughter of a friend, whom I have not visited in some time. She was mildly cordial, the consequence, I’d say, of my lengthy physical absence, from their lives. I feel the need to connect with them, at least for a few hours, before heading out of the area for nearly a month.

Driving to Sun Flour Market, for a brief visit with one of my closest soul connections, I was able to communicate all that was essential, in snippets of conversation, punctuated by intuitive insight, in ninety minutes, or so, around her busy management of the restaurant. Like me, she gets the most accomplished, in a short time, through close attention to detail, while still being able to converse a bit- and put things together. We can understand, and care deeply for, each other and for each other’s loved ones, with minimal talk.

Driving back to the Valley, I stopped at Local Jonny’s, to visit with some of my young angels. They had today off, and were nowhere to be found. A respite is always vital, if only for a day or two.

I need little of anyone’s time, or so I tell myself. A new friend, whose acquaintance I made today, has a wealth of insight into the realm of the spirit. I look forward to delving into her treasury of awareness, and its connection to my Faith,in the days and months ahead.

There is time for me to finish downsizing; time to complete a set of cotton covers for the products of Days for Girls; time to help with any fire emergencies; time, always, for spiritual growth. How much time will I have to devote to each? It’ll depend on how much is necessary, to fully and lovingly attend to the task. My lilies know this.

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