Tales of the 2016 Road: Hoosiers Are Creative

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 19, 2016 in Historical, Inspiration, Social, Striving, Travel

July 5, 2016, Bedford, PA- I started the day, determined to give the Altima a bit more TLC-so I headed to Kokomo, one of the first automotive industry centers in the U.S., for a stop at the Advance Auto Center. Just beforehand, I spotted the Seiberling Mansion, off to the west side of this still innovative city.

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES — Seiberling Mansion, Kokomo, IN

It was closed, of course, being very early in the morning. I had much to do, though, so exterior views sufficed. In the front, there was a bit of information about Mr. Monroe Seiberling, one of the energy industry’s first entrepreneurs.

Closely associated with Mr. Seiberling was Elwood P. Haynes, who promoted the gasoline engine, and invented products from stainless steel to the first mass-produced automobile model. Elwood was a true Renaissance man, even though much of what he ushered in has run its course, due to so many recent advances in technology. Nonetheless, here he is, in front of Seiberling Mansion.

I left the historic district of Kokomo, in search of Advance, got what I wanted for the car, then took care of breakfast, at a Kokomo institution: The Waffle House (not to be confused with the pleasant chain of restaurants that is found nationwide.) The Waffle House has a full complement of regulars, and portions large enough to suffice someone like me for an entire day. After picking up a charging cord for my Android phone, at Target, to replace one I had left behind in Rolla, I headed towards Indianapolis.

A young friend, who had moved here from Kentucky, several months ago, contacted me and we set aside a couple of hours, for a Starbucks conversation. We talked at length of the education system, special needs populations and the level of care offered by government. She’s working hard, and I let it be known that I am proud of her efforts. The little man to her right, below, is also a wonder. He is intently into his Minecraft- and I admire that focus.

I look forward to visiting with them again, with husband and father present, as well, next time.

With rush hour approaching, I am headed towards I-70, through Ohio and as far into Pennsylvania as my energy level and prudence allow. Indiana has provided me with a fair measure of re-assurance and homespun wisdom.

Tales of the 2016 Road: A Heartland Independence Day

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 17, 2016 in Community, Personal Values, Social, Travel

July 4, 2016, Francesville, IN- I headed out of Rolla, MO, in the early morning drizzle. The hapless man who had been asking for sustenance, last night, was sitting outside his room, looking puzzled that I should be heading out so soon. I had one main destination for the day: The new Welcome Center of the Baha’i House of Worship, in Wilmette, IL- just north of Chicago. It would take most of the day to get there, so I was on the road by 8 A.M.

The Missouri countryside is always a pleasure, though while I rolled along I-44, towards St. Louis, it was striking how little traffic there was, headed eastward. It was also fairly easy to head northward, bypassing the downtown area. Determined to have my main meal in midday, I stopped around 11, at a Hibachi Grill, in Florissant, near the area that was so much in turmoil, in 2014. Florissant itself, though, is well-manicured and has a prosperous outer countenance. I hope the same for the surrounding communities, like Ferguson, while being well aware that a lot of hard work lies ahead, yet. There were only a few of us in Hibachi Grill, at that hour, while the food was plentiful and varied- with almost as many “American” dishes as Chinese.

Crossing the Mississippi, I knew it would be unlikely that I would see many, if any, of my Midwestern friends, today or tomorrow. One friend, whom I called, was ill. Others, I knew, had their holiday plans, so I did not contact them.

Chicagoland always has its traffic challenges, and today’s inbound traffic did not disappoint. As I expected, it took an hour to get from Bolingbrook, on the southern edge of the region, to Skokie, where I turned off the Kennedy Freeway. It was easy getting to a gas station, filling up the Nissan, and emptying myself, though there was a line for the latter- not surprising, considering that many of us had been on the freeway for, in some cases, three hours.

The Baha’i House of Worship always rises majestically through the trees, once one gets to the community of Wilmette, and close to Lake Michigan. I’m always comforted by the sight, and by being in the House. A particular bonus today, though, was the new Visitor Center. Here are some views of this fine addition to the complex.

I knew it would be way over budget, for me to stay in the Chicago area tonight, and the traffic in the morning would be horrific, besides, so after a serene and uplifting hour in the House of Worship, I headed eastward. Traffic going out of the city was minimal, but I saw an astounding scene unfolding, across the median, on I-94: Traffic coming from Indiana was at a standstill, for fifteen miles- clear to the Valparaiso turnoff. It was too late to even think of calling a young friend in Portage, IN, so I headed south on county and state roads, into the rolling farmland and self-sufficient small towns that lie between Chicago and Indianapolis.

Fireworks programs, in many parts of the country, are organized by cities and towns. Here in the heartland, as we saw yesterday in Missouri, families set off their own, with the adults carefully monitoring their younger charges. In Francesville, where I stopped and got a sandwich and some pretzels, for supper, the display was just starting. I sat and watched, as a few fathers were giving their families and neighbours a visual treat, in a field on the south end of town.

In all the years that I have experienced Independence Day celebrations, none have been more hearfelt, or more enjoyable, than this time of nibbling chicken salad, whilst watching competing displays from adjoining farm fields, in this solid little town, in central Indiana.

I would go on to Logansport, and spend the night in Manor Motel. I did get the feeling, though, that I would always be welcome in Francesville, and other little towns along the way. The heartland is a very warm place.

Tales from the 2016 Road: The Other Half Gives

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 13, 2016 in Community, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Social, Travel

July 3, 2016, Ponca City- I spent about forty minutes visiting this spacious northern Oklahoma town’s three major landmarks, all associated with the oil magnate, E.W. Marland, and his family.

Prior to arriving here, I stopped at the roadside memorial to Chief Joseph, logistics chief of the Nez Perce, in the mid-Nineteenth Century. The captive Nez Perce, native to Idaho, had been brought here, to Tonkawa, in 1877, and made to remain there, until 1884. They were allowed to return to Idaho, then, and given the choice of becoming Christian and staying in Idaho, or retaining their old ways, and being moved to Colville, Washington. Chief Joseph and his band chose the latter. Below, is the photo of the memorial to him.

Ponca City, in Osage country, has among the earliest ties to the petroleum industry in Oklahoma. It is, nonetheless, among the state’s most spacious and well-appointed communities. Here is a look at downtown.

City Hall is also strikingly modern.

There are two homes, built by E.W. Marland, which feature prominently in Ponca City’s civic life. Marland’s Grand Home, built by him in 1916, now serves as the city’s cultural center and Indian Museum.

Veranda, Marland’s Grand House, Ponca City

Ernest Whitworth Marland had a sincere respect for the sacrifices made by women, on the prairie, and had this statue built, in their honour.

The Marland Mansion, where the family lived after 1916, is the centerpiece of a city park, and is maintained in the spirit of the early 20th Century. I toured the grounds, as the interior is not open on Sundays.

The Marland children, George and Lydie, are honoured with statues, at the northern and eastern ends of the property, respectively.

The mansion itself was built in grand, European style. Ernest was a generous man, and did not spare himself or his family of that largesse.

There is a wealth of flora on the grounds.

There is an extensive walking trail around the grounds, which I did not have time to explore, given my invitation to a Fourth of July gathering, east of Joplin.

The pond, though, lends a serenity, and a wildness, to this most epicurean of parks.

The park is a refreshing place for Poncans to gather, so in my view, E.W.’s largesse has had a good long-term effect. Now, as long as we keep moving towards cleaner energy….

NEXT UP: Christmas in July

Tales from the 2016 Road: Da Vinci’s Coffee and A Welcoming Sun Room

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 11, 2016 in Family, Matters of Faith, Social, Travel

July 2, 2016, Enid- John Glaze and I have visited one another, back and forth, for about five years now- both online and in person. My latest stop in Enid found John going about his usual business: Mowing lawns, working out ideas about improving the back part of his house, and visiting with the Saturday morning crowd at da Vinci’s Coffee House, not far from his house.

John tended to the yards, front and back, first thing this morning, before the heat set in. I remained on the screened porch, for the time being.

John is justifiably proud of the garden spot.

He also showed me a couple of ceramic tiles, sent him by a mutual friend.

We went to Grand Avenue Cafe, Enid’s oldest restaurant, for a fine breakfast. Then, it was off to da Vinci Coffee House, for an hour or so, enjoying rich java and home made pastries, brought by a couple of the fine ladies who help comprise the Saturday morning gathering. The young couple who own this establishment were on hand to greet everyone, with a handshake and a hug, for regular and visitor, alike. We were regaled by the stories of a well-traveled local resident, who had been everywhere I mentioned, except Alaska.

After da Vinci, John brought me over to an antique emporium, where I picked up just the right coral serving dish to gift my cousin, whom I would visit the following day, in southwest Missouri. We also went to a Catholic thrift store, where I was happy to visit the Chapel of St. Ann.

I didn’t take as many photos of this solid town, in Oklahoma’s northwest, as I might have. It all was part of being unobtrusive, and being a polite visitor. Being in John’s company is always a pleasure, though.

NEXT UP: Chief Joseph’s Memorial and Ponca City

Tales from the 2016 Road: Back to the Texas Panhandle

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 8, 2016 in Hiking and Nature, Social, Travel

July 1, 2016, Amarillo- Any road trip that involves I-40 will entail a stop in Amarillo- at least as long as Texas Tidbits is around to spin a yarn or two. Wes has been a friend for about ten years now, since I started reading his recollections of his town as it was, in the heyday of Route 66.

Southwest 6th Street, below Georgia Avenue, is a pleasing remnant of that time, and may as well be called Amarillo’s Fun Zone. It reminds me of the North Side, in Fort Worth, or old downtown Nashville.

The Goldenlight Cafe and Cantina is a good place for old men and young ladies to see each other as human beings, in search of an appreciative listening ear and reassuring arm around the shoulder- so I’m told. The folks who were here today seem to get along well, and the photo board shows many more, of people who have befriended one another, over the years. Wes has taken to this place, and its regulars, since Blue Front became a more upscale establishment. Oysters for breakfast don’t quite cut it, in the Amarillo he calls home. We each had our choice of hamburger, and shared a “small” basket of fries. (Remember, this is Texas.)

Wes was a bit more pensive than usual.

After lunch, I drove Wes over to another of his favourite haunts, the Dragon Bar. It’s a small neighbourhood joint, close to I-27. Wes pointed out a mural, across the street. He said it was designed by an attorney who organized the Freedom Project, which focused on getting innocent people released from prison, a while back.

Wes was tired, after a fashion. So, bidding him farewell, I headed towards Oklahoma, but via the upper Panhandle, stopping by Lake Meredith, a popular local boating site, west of Borger.

There is much else worth exploring and photographing, in the rough remnants of glaciated North Texas. It was getting on in the day, though, and Enid, OK was still ahead.

NEXT UP: Da Vinci, Plant in the Window and Art Deco

People of Value

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 30, 2016 in collaborating, Community, Personal Values, Social, Striving

June 30, 2016, Prescott- I will leave here, in a few short minutes, to visit with several friends and family members, scattered as we all are, across the Great Plains, Midwest, Northeast and South.

Earlier today, though, I stopped by the town of Yarnell, so horribly hit, three years ago, by the fire which took the lives of 19 brave souls and upended countless others. I was not there for the formal ceremony, which will be addressed by an old friend and co-worker, himself grandfather to one of the men who died that day. My extended spiritual energy will need to suffice, but at 4:42 PM, wherever I am on the road, I will stop and observe silence, at the very time the lives of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots were snuffed out.

This brings me to the wider concept of value. Recent discussions, in various forums, have raised the matter of how much do the lives and livelihoods of men matter, anymore. I have been in the situation of feeling devalued, and know several men who feel likewise. It is not hard to find such people. All one need do is go to a busy street corner, and notice the person holding a plea-ridden sign.

Of course, homelessness is a far more complex issue than I will address in this particular post. My wife, son and I were homeless, for a few months in 1992. We worked our way out of it, and managed to keep a roof over our heads- which I still do. No, I am concerned right at this moment, with placing value on the persons and souls of the human male- every bit as much as I do with our precious, much-loved female companions on this earthly plane.

I will address this topic in more depth, but for now: Let each human being realize that his/her dreams, and what they have to offer, matter just as much as anyone else’s. We do nothing to make the Earth a better place, by excluding anyone, of either gender, or of any given category of humanity, from their rightful place in the mix. Advancing one group, at the expense of another, is short-sighted, and has always contributed to strife, in the long-run. There is room, to spare, for both men and women to work, contrary to the ongoing myth of scarcity.

Brexit and Bust?

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 28, 2016 in Community, Social, Striving

June 27, 2016, Prescott- One of the lessons that I have had to learn, three times, is that there are consequences to ill-planning, and even more to no planning at all. For this very reason, I have seen fit to go back to working full-time, come August.

It is coming to light that the advocates of Britain’s exit from the European Union had no coherent strategy. This raises the old adage, “Be careful for what you wish; you might get it.” Pandora and her box also come to mind, but you get my point. Here, we have an entire nation that must abide the consequences deriving from the seeming whims of a slender majority, of a minority of registered voters.

I will have more to say about the devaluing of men, in a coming post. The larger issue here, though, is that, no matter what a nation seeks to accomplish, its chosen leaders need to plan, to strategize in advance. To be fair, recent American leaders have not been paragons of strategy, either. Passing a law, with no clear understanding of its terms, is not an example to offer up to the British, or anyone else.

I admire much about the United Kingdom, and its four distinctive indigenous communities. I would like to spend some time there, within the next ten years, (along with several other countries). It would be well if I do not go and find a wreck. In order to avoid such, here’s hoping that the British stick to their present notion of taking their time with the actual exit. It does not have to adhere to the German ach schnell! Rather, the possibility of admitting to an expensive mistake, enacting reforms that would bring a real sense of worth to the average middle class British worker and further reforms that give the common European a sense that the Union belongs to the people- these are the things that would have obviated the “Brexit” in the first place. People who feel like they matter, have no problem accommodating newcomers. People who feel ignored, are fodder for demagogues, and for nativism, whose repercussions they have scant understanding.

This shall be a nerve-wracking, but nonetheless fascinating learning curve, for the British people, and for us all.

Heat and Quotidia

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 27, 2016 in collaborating, Community, Personal goals, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

June 26, 2016, Prescott- I am back at Home Base, for four days or so, having served others, at a shelter in eastern Arizona and my spirit, at a Baha’i retreat, outside Flagstaff. There is enough heat to go around, across the continent, from the sound of things. It’s toasty here, but my ceiling fan, windows cracked open and plenty of cold water will see me through.

The week ahead will find me finishing the facilitation of a spiritual study group, joining a group of children on an outing to an animal rescue shelter, tending to a couple of quotidian comfort items (returning a sound system that isn’t working with my laptop and getting the zipper to the bottom of my tent’s door put back on track.) and being useful around here, wherever I can.

Come Thursday evening, I will be off again- this time focusing on family and friends, scattered as we are across the Midwest, Northeast and South. The “Garython”, if you will, is likely to be something of a sequel to the journey I took in 2011. That one was a reaction to my grief. This one is more of an in-gathering. Cousins, with whom I haven’t been in touch for several years, are reconnecting. Friends along the way will also be a priority. My mother and two siblings will be at one end of the route, and also a priority, given that the end of this year will find me largely focused on my son and his impending change of scene. Southern brother, and Penny’s family, will be at the lower end, as will a few other special souls. Then, a zip across the nation, to Colorado, and an Essential Oils conference, will end the whole shebang.

I read about fire and water, on opposite ends of the country, continuing to give grief to so many people. A fellow attendee, at the retreat I joined this weekend, is of the opinion that Earth will undergo severe climate and geological events for the next 30,000 years. If that’s the case, we’ll all spend much of our spirit lives responding to the urgent pleas of those who are here. Somehow, I don’t think it’ll be THAT long of a torment, but we surely have to deal with what is going on now.

Speaking of which, a black bear made its way to town today. It was spotted outside the Planet Fitness that I frequent. I haven’t left the house, since I got back from Bellemont, and will just have to keep tabs on the matter, tomorrow.

Going Forward

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 14, 2016 in Community, Inspiration, Social, Striving

June 14, 2016, Prescott- A few days ago, I mused about the possibility of emulating the resilience of Israeli society, in the face of the terror it experiences, almost on a daily basis. Someone responded that Americans already do the same thing, so why look any further?

There is much to admire about our country, its systematic way of uniting vast areas of land and diverse people, its checks and balances and, yes, our society’s ability to go on, after a tragedy. The question, as to how we might do better, in the face of such as happened on September 11, 2001- and on June 12, 2016- was initially raised by a commentator in the Arizona Republic, who suggested looking at how people in Israel go forward, after a violent attack. He could have substituted India, Iraq, Lebanon, Spain, the United Kingdom, or any number of societies.

People are, by nature, resilient. Otherwise, there are innumerable horrors that could have sent us the way of the dinosaur, or the dodo. Israel is perhaps notable, however, because of its unity, when terror strikes. There is no paralyzed Knesset, no waffling Executive, and no emphasis on finger-pointing, in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. Therein, lie points to ponder.

Yes, there is a vast difference in complexity, as well as in the size of the populace, between the two nations. No, I don’t want to leave America. The quality of life here equals, if not exceeds, that of any other nation. We do, however, in my humble opinion, have to make a choice as to HOW we move forward. Will it be with recrimination, denial and following a fickle news cycle? Will it be by listening to one another, taking the valid points from SEVERAL stated opinions, and blending them into a viable solution? Will it be with a knock-down, dragged-out fight against those whose points of view differ from one’s own?

We have seen the results of each approach listed above, both in the history of this nation, and in the fortunes of other countries, throughout the history of the planet. We are at a crossroads. One valid point our President made the other night: We have to choose what kind of country we want to have.

Pulse

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 13, 2016 in Community, Personal Values, Social

June 12, 2016, Prescott- My week was largely occupied with helping to man a shelter, for some 37 people who were evacuated from two communities, Yarnell and Peeples Valley, once again threatened by fire. This time, no one died. This time, there was minimal property damage. This time, the fire was taken seriously, from the get-go.

The shelter closed this morning. I helped with the breakdown, helped inventory the necessities. Then, I went to the Raven Cafe, had brunch and came home. My middle brother, in the course of a phone conversation, told me of Orlando. He told me there were 50 dead. He told me there were 50 other people, whose lives were in the balance. He told me of the worst terrorist act on U.S. soil, since 9/11/2001.

Orlando/Beirut: Many dead, in the former; many terrified, in the latter. Two fine cities, united by atrocity. The list of affected cities and towns grows. The list of innocent victims multiplies. The hate continues.

Three years ago, when I was in yet another of the fogs that come with grief, and was making some terrible choices, one person came to my aid. One person called me and said, directly and convincingly, “This needs to stop. You are acting crazy and it’s not going to end well.” That person reset my mental clock. That person, as fine a friend as I’ve ever known, is a member of the LGBT community. That person and his fellows deserve all the respect and human dignity that those of us who are heterosexual, cisgender, or any other designation, can possibly muster.

Pulse is now a place of mourning. Orlando is now a city dealing with two shocks: One small in scale; the other, the worst firearms attack in American history, outside of war. Both shatter the convoluted logic that, if only good people had firearms, the bad would be at a disadvantage. Yes, quick, decisive action by police officers did prevent more lives from being lost, in both incidents. Yet, both shooters reportedly acquired their weapons legally.

So, our choice is this: 1. Honour the souls who have gone on, and not make excuses, as we have done- every single time before, including after 9/11 (“That Frenchman said the U.S. Government did it.”) and after Newtown (“Don’t you know those kids are in hiding. Nobody really died, except Lanza.”)

2. Stay in the mindset of ignorance, and denial, and watch, “helplessly”, as the carnage goes on, and gets worse, and comes to a theater near you.

I am listening, thinking, waiting- and mourning. I will not stand idly by, if a demon rages in my view.

	Sagittarian Seeker on The Hana Chronicles: Month 9,…
	Judy Russell on The Hana Chronicles: Month 9,…
	slmret on The Hana Chronicles: Month 9,…
	Sagittarian Seeker on The Hana Chronicles: Month 9,…
	slmret on The Hana Chronicles: Month 9,…

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: