Tag Archives: Baha’i

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 6

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 27,2026– Hana now has a pegboard, with thing like a timer, a zipper, an abacus, a gear board and some coloured fruits. She has taken happily to it and posed for a picture, while playing with the gears. When I left for Baha’i Feast, this evening, she was still busily at work, sorting things out in the large toy basket.

Earlier this afternoon, we went on a walk, for the first time in P.M., since June. I took her by a yard that already has a full Halloween display, mostly various skeletons, from an armadillo to a 20-foot human, along with Elphaba, from the “Wizard of Oz” and a few little goblins. She regarded them mildly, then went back into her own thoughts.

HANA’S NOTE– I am so happy with my new toys, that are on a board with holes in it. I especially like the wheels that fit into each other.

EXPANDING CIRCLES- Nevada The Silver State has often been called “The Big Empty”, but not so much in the last 15-20 years. Las Vegas is now a major metropolitan area. Reno- Sparks-Carson City and Lake Tahoe are becoming a second major metro. The area in between is no longer “The Loneliest Road in America”. I would not be surprised if places like Beatty and Tonopah start to fill in and grow,

The Turf- Nevada has regions that are close to sea level, not far from mountains that rise to over 13,000 feet. The bulk of the state is in the Great Basin, but there are small mountain ranges: Toiyabe, Ruby and Panamint. The Sierra Nevada edge into their namesake state, near Lake Tahoe, which, along with Pyramid Lake and Lake Lahontan, is a fresh water remnant of glaciation. Lake Mead, on the other hand, is the result of the damming of the Colorado River. That river, with its tributaries, the White and Virgin Rivers, drains the south of Nevada. The Truckee, Carson, Owyhee, Humboldt, Reese and Marys Rivers irrigate the north,

First Nations- Nevada is the ancestral home of the Northern and Southern Paiute, Goshute, Mohave, Chemehuevi, Mono, Washoe, Shoshone, Pahvant, Tsaiduka and Kuyatikka peoples, along with a dozen smaller groups. As in many other areas, Nevada’s indigenous people have had reason to regard people of European descent with suspicion. I have been received with varying degrees of guardedness, by people in First Nations areas near Las Vegas and Carson City. It is always best to show kindness and patience there, as anywhere.

Places where I feel most at home- Carson City, most certainly, as that is where my heart family lives. Reno, Austin, Fallon, Tonopah, Beatty, Valley of Fire, Pioche and Panaca are all heart homes, as well.

Where I feel most at peace: Cathedral Gorge

NEXT: Southern California

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 30

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 20,2026- Hana was glad to see me, when I stopped on the stairs,and looked down at her. She was in her highchair, eating her dinner, stopping to show me what was in her mouth. I just told her to chew it up well and continued to my bringing my bags upstairs and putting stuff away.

Later on, we went to a Korean restaurant, where we each enjoyed our favourites- mine was bibimbap. Hana was given several pieces of skinless, sliced grape, as she had already had dinner. Once done with those, she cast around the room, looking for whatever she might get her hands on, as well as being interested in the party behind her. When she fidgeted a bit too much, her father restrained her, which she found objectionable. Later, in the car going back, I admonished her from the front seat, to which she replied: “Papa said I am not to hit Daddy. Uh,uh,uh!” She was nice to him when we got back, and promptly fell asleep, after telling her mother that she didn’t want any more of her nightcap bottle.

My morning at the Baha’i Summer School had me thinking about how vibrant Hana will be, if she is carefully guided. The children and youth made colourful and insightful presentations, and a number of the children showed a joie de vivre that reflects her energy. This is a cut above children running about and being noisy. The Alpha and Beta generations are thinking things through and showing more group-oriented energy than I recall seeing in the two generations above them. Electronics still have their place, but their use is not as dominant as it was among children ten or twenty years ago.

HANA’s NOTE– I am glad Papa came back. He tells me if I am not being nice.

EXPANDING CIRCLES– Oklahoma: The Sooner State is about an hour and thirty minutes north of us, using US 75. The Turf- Oklahoma has three fairly rugged, if low, mountain ranges: The Wichita, in the southwest, the Ouachita, in the southeast and the Boston Mountains, in the east central region. Black Mesa, in the far northwest, is actually Oklahoma’s highest point, even as it is shared with Colorado and New Mexico. The central area of the state, and the northeast, around Tulsa, are largely plains and prairie. Oklahoma has six major rivers, flowing west to east: The Red River, along the border with Texas; the Washita, which flows into Lake Texoma; the Canadian; North Canadian; Cimarron; and Arkansas. These help with the state’s substantial agricultural output.

FIRST NATIONS: It’ well-known that Oklahoma was the relocation place for those nations which were displaced by the policies of Andrew Jackson and several presidents who came after him These included the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Delaware(Lenni Lenape) and Seminole. Later, the Iowa, Kaw, Kickapoo, Otoe, Ottawa, Pawnee, Peoria, Ponca, Pottawatomie, Quapaw, Sac and Fox, Seneca and Wyandotte were sent here, from other parts of the Midwest and Northeast. The Modoc were brought here, from California.

Often overlooked, though, are the nations which were already present in parts of Oklahoma, particularly in the lush and attractive riverlands. Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Kiowa,Osage, Tonkawa and Wichita peoples were established across both “Indian Territory” and western Oklahoma, when the first people expelled from the east and southeast arrived. None of these nations, either indigenous or transplanted, were treated equitably or fairly, until relatively recently.

I’ve been to all parts of Oklahoma, except the southwest. I’d like to visit the areas around Lawton, Anadarko, Chickasha and Duncan, as well as hike a bit in the Wichita Mountains. My favourite hiking spots are Black Mesa, Roman Nose State Park, Gloss Mountain and Grand Lake o’ The Cherokees. The Ouachitas and Bostons would be nice to check out, along those lines.

I have made solemn visits to Oklahoma City and Tulsa, paying homage at the memorials to the 1995 Bombing victims and the Greenwood Massacre, respectively. There are other places of interest in both major cities, of course, and I would be happy to take them in, with my grandchild(ren). Enid was a happy place to visit, when a friend lived there. He has since moved away. I’ve also found interesting historical sites in Claremore, Ponca City and Tonkawa. Far flung places like Guymon, Henryetta, Moreland and Sallisaw have been comfortable venues to enjoy a hearty meal or spend the night. There is plenty left in Oklahoma to both re-visit and experience for the first time.

Where I feel most at home: Downtown Enid, Tonkawa, Grand Lake of the Cherokees

Where I feel most at peace: Black Mesa

NEXT- Arkansas

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 29

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 19,2026, Bruceville,TX- Hana had a fairly quiet day with her Mom and Dad, while Papa was down here, building more connections with Baha’is from other parts of Texas, as well as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. There are dozens of children at this camp, more than I’ve seen at any such gathering since three years ago, in Colorado Springs. Texas is a far younger state than many seem to think-and with youth, there are changes in community thinking. The energy I sense in my granddaughter is also evident in those not too much older than she.

As I write this, a dance party, similar to those in which I have taken part in the past, is joyfully playing out in front of me. Hana already likes to bounce on her feet, while singing a tune that reflects her inner joy. I will most certainly encourage both. The embracing of life, while a certain portion of our population embraces artifice and calls it progress, is a clear and present choice.

HANA’S NOTE- Mommy and Daddy are making my day fun. I wonder where Papa is.

EXPANDING CIRCLES– Northwest Texas The Panhandle and Llano Estacado are both oil and gas country, and the hub of the Texas cattle industry. The region is drained by the Pecos, Colorado (not to be confused with the longer river, further west), Red and Canadian Rivers. The Permian Basin,at Northwest’s lower end, also is a treasure trove of mega fauna fossils, both dinosaurian and mammalian. The Turf- Much of the lower half of Northwest, from Odessa to Abilene and west to Lubbock, is flat, with cotton farms taking up the area close to the New Mexico state line.

The northern half, the Panhandle, is cattle country, and is more rugged. Canyons, such as Palo Duro-the nation’s second largest and Caprock, a bit further south, hold their own when it comes to scenic beauty and challenging hiking. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument showcases an area that was nearly as important to the indigenous peoples of the West and Great Plains as Pipestone was. The flint quarries were invaluable for the shaping of arrow and spear points, and thus were a key factor in hunting.

FIRST NATIONS- Northwest Texas is the ancestral home of the Comanche, (or Numunuu), Kiowa and LIpan Apache peoples.

I have a good friend in Amarillo and have enjoyed that city’s Old Route 66 area of shops and restaurants. I would like to show Hana the Quarterhorse Museum, also along Old Route 66. Between Fort Worth and Amarillo lie the canyons I mentioned above. I’ve had two exhilarating hikes in Palo Duro and would like to revisit there, as well as spend time in Caprock and at Alibates. The little towns between Wichita Falls and Amarillo also have their charms-like the Quanah Museum, in the town named for Comanche leader, Quanah Parker, and Valley Pecans, a large market and restaurant in Chillicothe, which has been one of my favourite pit stops, over the past five years. Northwest Texas has been a good friend, in my travels back and forth to Arizona.

Where I feel most at home: Amarillo Fun Zone, Chillicothe, Memphis, Palo Duro Canyon, Shamrock

Where I feel most at peace: Shalako, at Palo Duro Canyon.

NEXT- Beginning a look at Texas’s nearest neighbours, starting with Oklahoma.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 28

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 18, 2026-Bruceville, TX- Hana continued her singing and dancing, this morning, with a song that seemed to be about “Mama”. Yunhee was thrilled. My granddaughter is not all that happy with her time standing without assistance. We assure her that it’s all okay; she has lots of time to build her developmental skills. She has a very strong drive to succeed, not unlike her late grandmother.

I am at a Regional Baha’i School, in a lovely area of rolling hills, south of Waco. This is my first time outside of Dallaa Metroplex since January. A weekend away from the family is bittersweet, but there are so many families and wonderful people of my Faith here. I would leave earlier in the day, next time, though. Friday at 3:30 is already too late to miss rush hour!

HANA’S NOTE- Papa will be away for two days. That seems like a long time.

WIDENING CIRCLES– West Texas- This area is, among other things, one of the reasons people find a road trip across the Lone Star State daunting. A drive from El Paso to San Antonio takes the better part of a day-10 hours on I-10, to be exact. The Turf- Most of west Texas is in the Chihuahuan Desert. The southernmost of the Rocky Mountains meet the Chihuahuan, in El Paso. There are two subranges of the Rockies, east of El Paso: The Guadalupe Mountains and the Chisos Range, which form the turf of Big Bend National Park. The northern area of West Texas is part of Llano Estacado, the arid plains that extend into the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.

FIRST NATIONS- West Texas is the ancestral home of Jumano, Apache, Comanche and Ysleta Pueblo people.

I have visited friends in El Paso, a few times over the years. My favourite towns in the region are Marfa, where several people have reported UFO sightings and Alpine, the home of Sul Ross State University. I like the arts community in those towns. I would like to visit McDonald Observatory, near Fort Davis, as well as Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountain. Thus, I hold out hope that Hana will be an avid hiker, like her father.

Where I feel most at home: Marfa, Alpine, Ysleta, Kern Village

Where I feel most at peace: The UFO site at Marfa

NEXT: Northwest Texas

CAVEAT- As this is a public site, I realize that some of my content may not be to the liking of some readers. There are those who don’t like certain areas I write about. That will not change the content of my blog, as the travel posts are meant for my family, especially for my grandchild(ren), later on. I appreciate any commentary, but will draw the line at criticism of my family and my chosen lifestyle.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 21

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 11, 2026- Hana has no idea about the events of 25 years ago. Her parents were in Middle School, back then, I was making an effort to become fully employed. Her paternal grandmother was fully employed, and made a a concerted effort to explain the events to her Second Graders, before all were dismissed early.

I hope, against hope, that my granddaughter will not have to endure anything like what thousands of people experienced, on that turbulent day. She has had a safe and stable life, thus far. While I want to see her face challenges, and develop strengths, I also want these to be of her own choosing.

Hana has been more vocal and a bit feistier today, than heretofore. While I was feeding her oatmeal, this morning, she engaged me, just a bit, in a game of “keep away”, with her spoon. I pretended to be shocked and covered my eyes for a few seconds, then “pop”, I gently took the spoon back. This evening, while I was putting her high chair straps in place, she took one of the straps and began babbling about how she wanted it put over her shoulder, just so. I followed the “instructions”, to her delight.

HANA’S NOTE- I am almost ready to say words in Papa’s and Daddy’s language. I am also almost ready to start walking. Today, I scooted halfway around the play pen.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2025 This was another year of almost constant motion. I made it back to the Philippines, in February, and was actively contemplating moving there. I knew there was no guarantee that Kathy and I would be together in marriage, but I wanted to make the effort. Besides, the country and its people had made me that much more a part of a larger community.

I hosted a couple from Metro Manila, for a week or so, in April, taking in the South Rim of Grand Canyon, Seligman, Williams, Sedona, Flagstaff, the Verde Valley and Desert Rose Baha’i School, as well as Prescott. They got to experience the Farmers Market, Bearizona, Sno Cap, Bell Rock and Montezuma Well. I became more familiar with the Filipino communities in Las Vegas, where I met up with Babo and Thelma, and Phoenix, where I left them off.

For much of the year, I focused on acts of service. taking on a remote administrative position with the Red Cross, particularly focusing on the disastrous wildfire that destroyed the complex at the North Rim of Grand Canyon. I kept on with volunteering at Prescott Farmers Market and appeared at some Slow Food events as well. Social gatherings at the American Legion Post remained important.

In May, I drove back to the East Coast, with stops in Kansas, Wilmette, Mishawaka and northern Pennysylvania, before,visiting my parents’ and youngest brother’s graves, in Saugus,. I took in Mystery Hill, “America’s Stonehenge, in Salem, NH. The return included stops in Downingtown and Oley, in Harrisonburg and in Crossville. Grapevine was a weekend visit, and the question came forth. A baby was coming, in December. Would I be willing to move into a house that Aram and Yunhee planned to buy, for the sake of the child? In a few short minutes, my plans regarding the Philippines were, at the very least, put on hold. I had dreamed of a granddaughter, and this child was going to become a reality. Kathy, and other Baha’i friends, see this as a confirmation of my worth, not as a disappointment over the change in plans.

In 2014, I spent about a month in western Europe. For several years, I had promised myself and others that I would return to Europe and expand upon the earlier itinerary. This year, I was able to spend six weeks, spending quality time in eleven countries and transiting through three others. Iceland was the first stop, for four days in Reykjavik and the Reykjanes Peninsula. Sweden was next, with Stockholm, Gotland, and Nynashamn (the home of a delightful young family, who are my friends of several years) filling my days. In Denmark, the magical city of Helsingor, Copenhagen and Arhus won my heart. Germany focused on Berlin, Heidelberg and Frankfurt-am-Main. Austria, with sweet days in Vienna and Salzburg, was the midpoint of the journey. Poland presented the heritage of Krakow and the dark legacy of Auschwitz, with the town of Oswiecim as its gentle counterpoint. Croatia showcased bustling Zagreb and lively Split, where I met up with another online friend. Bosnia & Hercegovina presented the joy of Old Town Sarajevo and the grim heritage of Srebrenica, I transited through Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia, getting a brief taste of those beautiful countries. I returned to France, focusing on opposite ends of one of my ancestral homelands-Strasbourg and Metz, in the east; Le Havre and Dieppe, in the west, with a bus rid across Paris as the link. England was a revelation, at Portsmouth and Salisbury, the latter with its magnificent cathedral. Wales gave me a chance to connect with another online friend-at Fishguard. In Ireland, another ancestral homeland, I passed through Wexford, from where my maternal forbears are believed to have left for Germany, in the days of the Hanseatic League. I spent three days in Dublin, taking in the heritage of the waves of Celts, Vikings and English who built that grand city. Scotland, and a visit with another online friend, plus two happy days in Edinburgh, capped the journey. I was able to connect, albeit fleetingly, with Baha’is in Iceland, Germany, Austria and Ireland, the last being for the Twin Birthdays of al-Bab and Baha’u’llah.

Once back in Prescott, a scant month separated time in Europe from an increased focus on my Texas family. I spent Thanksgiving, and my 75th birthday in Grapevine with Aram, Yunhee and soon-to-be born Hana. Christmas brought me back there, and the last several days of the year were focused on wrapping up thirty-four years of Arizona living. On December 30, with the Pensky moving van loaded and my apartment clean, I bid farewell to one Home Base, and headed towards another: Prescott to Plano.

One lifestyle drew to a close, and another began; but I’m still a Sagittarian Seeker.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 19

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

September 9, 2026- Hana has taken to joining us in tapping on a surface, when we pretend to drum. She is developing a sense of rhythm, and also tries to dance, while holding onto the wall of the playpen, if one of us sings a lively song. If she falls down, she gets right back up.

A friend of Aram’s came by today, and was very helpful with some of the home remodeling work that we are contemplating. Aram and Yunhee now have a game plan. Hana was a bit unnerved by the man’s presence, though she started to get used to him, after about an hour. He is not a rough, or loud man, and is clean shaven, so I guess it’s just one of those things that she will work out, with our encouragement.

HANA’S NOTE- I was scared because this man who visited us had a sweaty shirt on. My smelling and hearing are very sharp, and the sweat smelled. I guess the man is okay, though.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2023 My Hiking Buddy moved here, in December and I met her at The Raven. We took several hikes together, in Prescott and Sedona. She is a self-made person and still manages to produce perfumes made with essential oils, in quite a prolific manner. We would have many hikes and meals together, in the next few years.

It seemed I was constantly on the road this year, more so than usual. There were three visits to California-One to manage a Red Cross shelter in Watsonville, after a flood that was triggered by rapid snow melt. I had the bounty of being helped greatly by my day manager, an energetic and efficient logistics team and by our Partner Agency, the county Emergency Management team. It was a fast-paced two weeks, and I was gratified by getting a poster of gratitude from the sheltered clients, signed by many of them, including the children. The Job Director, in San Jose, was also very appreciative of our efforts.

I took a train trip to Sacramento, thence to Carson City. It was my first journey that focused on the California capital, which I found quite welcoming-especially the hostel, across the street from Sacramento City Hall. I lost a jacket on the way back. It contained a locket with a faded photo of Aram and Penny. I substituted a better photo of them back at my Home Base.

In July, I went back up through the Central Valley, using Sportage. This time, I continued on, after visiting Sacramento. I paid a call on friends in Ashland, OR., and later took in Oregon’s stately capital, Salem. Then it was on, through Washington, to Vancouver Island, where I spent three days in Nanaimo, punctuated by a visit with a disabled Baha’i friend, in Victoria. Prepared a salmon dinner for her, in her cozy apartment, visiting until it was time for her to attend to other business. The return trip took me to Vancouver, WA, then past Lassen Volcanic National Park, which was closed by wildfire and on to Carson City, where a little girl I have known since she was a baby was performing in “The Wizard of Oz”. She was a Munchkin, but to me, it was just as important as if she had been Dorothy. It was also the last time I would see her grandmother, a friend of 30 years. She would pass on, in 2024.

In September, I headed east, for my mother’s birthday, after taking in a Baha’i school outside Colorado Springs. The route also took in sights in Nebraska, paid respects to a slain police officer in West St. Paul, MN, visited Pilot Knob, and of course, the Baha’i House of Worship, in Wilmette, Il, before heading to Lynnfield, by way of Toledo, East Palestine(OH), Bedford, PA and Hartford. Mom turned 95, to a lunch of pizza and perked up a bit, hearing “Happy Birthday” sung to her. It would be the last time we would get that chance. On the way back, I visited Harrisburg and York, PA, after my Oley stopover, and my brother’s birthday, in Downingtown. Another Harrisonburg visit found Duke’s had been replaced by a nice coffee shop. I visited Chuck and Laureen, in what would be my last time seeing him. Rock City, outside Chattanooga, was a delightful change of pace. Mississippi brought stops in Philadelphia and Jackson, then it was on through Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, before heading homeward, via Amarillo and Moriarty.

October took me to the Philippines. My purpose was to visit a young man I had been sponsoring, and his mother, through the auspices of the charity which had cared for them. It was a fun visit, although brief. I left their section of Luzon, and spent several days in Manila, focusing on the Baha’i community there. Of a Sunday morning, I met several of the Baha’i friends. A spirited and friendly lady introduced herself and quickly took charge of making my visit as happy as possible. In the Filipina style, she and two other ladies took me on a tour of Old Manila, that afternoon. The next few days, we went to elegant shopping malls. I felt close to Kathy and came to regard her as yet another special soul in my life. I would be back to the “Phils” two more times, in the next two years.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 17

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 7, 2026- Neither Hana or I are working paid jobs, but we did our share around the house. Hana likes to put her own tray on the high chair-and she knows how to do it. Of course, some adult dexterity is needed to fasten it securely, but she likes to start the process. She also wants, very badly, to climb up and out of the playpen. There are no footholds, though, and we’re not providing her with any.

Labor Day, for the family, was very productive. We finally got a foundation and drywall specialist who was a straight talker and was not interested in selling us his services, on the spot. He recommended a holistic course of action, which addressed the matter of water-sucking shrubs and small trees. We had three of them removed, this afternoon.

HANA’S NOTE- I am so glad that my grownups listen to me, when I need my diaper changed. I also like getting bits of cut fruit, when they have their lunch or dinner-after I’ve had my big meal. I like being part of their gathering.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2021 Year Two of the Pandemic saw more in-person classes resume, as the danger of infection abated, somewhat. Masks and physical distancing were still big things, as were virtual meetings. Our Baha’i gatherings were still largely on Zoom, as there were too many people with compromised immune systems, and we lost one elder in the summer of 2020.

This was the year that my mother moved out of our childhood home- a place in which she had lived for 66 years. I made two journeys across country this year- first, to ascertain Mom’s state of mind, at her new place of residence and to help clean out the old house, once it had been sold. So, in May, I went back to Saugus, and spent five days helping to with the process. The road east was still COVID protocol-led, from New Mexico to Connecticut. Once in Massachusetts, things had abated somewhat, though for obvious reasons, I went into Mom’s residence masked up and wearing gloves. She made me remove my mask and gloves, when I entered her room. The place was taking care of her, to the extent she let anyone do so.

I went back to Prescott, stopping in Carmel, NY; Oley (for a home-style dinner); Bedford, PA; Terre Haute; Jefferson City, Wheatland and Lamar, MO; and Grants, NM. The COVID protocol was less stringent already.

July brought me eastward again, through Grapevine, TX, so that I could celebrate Aram’s birthday with him and Yunhee. The route then took me to the Greenwood section of Tulsa, where a mob massacred large numbers of Black people, a hundred years ago; then came Memphis, and a visit to the Museum of Civil Rights and Beale Street. In Crossville, TN, I visited with friends and hiked to Fall Creek Falls, in the rain. Harrisonburg did not have Artful Cafe, any longer, but it had Duke’s, a similar place of welcome, in the same location. I made a stopover at Oley, on the way up to Saugus. I had a fine visit with maternal cousin, John and his wife, as well as spending time with Mom and my MA siblings. In Maine, I paid respects to paternal cousin John, and his parents, now all interred in a National Cemetery in Augusta.

Going back was a northern route: Concord, NH; Albany; Du Bois, PA; Mishawaka; Wilmette; Madison and Hudson, WI; Minneapolis-St.Paul, (where I met up with a first cousin, once removed and her family; Fairmont, MN and Sioux Falls (where I made a boo-boo and needed some radiator repair, as a result). Nebraska and Colorado saw me safely back into Home Base.

Late September brought the end of Elantra. As I was headed to work, on a country road, I stopped for 5 seconds and proceeded, A landscape vehicle, going twenty miles over the speed limit, came over the hill and hit the Hyundai exactly between me and the gas tank. I was cited for not having waited 10 seconds at the stop sign. The landscaper was taken into custody. The Hyundai was replaced by a 2007 Saturn Vue, for which I paid cash. While I waited to take possession of the Saturn, whose owner was getting ready to move and just needed the vehicle until her moving date, I had a rental car, paid by the landscape company’s insurance. With that rental car, I made a trip to Chaco Culture National Historic Park and to Ghost Ranch, spending a day in each place.

In December, the Vue and I drove to Santa Fe and Taos. A Christmas visit to Santa Fe had become my self-indulgence for two years, before COVID and it seemed like a good time to jump start things. I visited the Georgia O’Keefffe Museum, having been inspired by the October visit to Ghost Ranch.

Life was becoming normal, and full, again.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 15

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inner Struggles, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 5, 2026- Hana carefully observed two visitors today. One was a fast-talking salesman, trying to drum up business for his pest control company. She smiled wanly at him, but didn’t offer her customary “Hi”. The second, a plumber, was here to look at an area of our concern. She smiled a lot more at him, and said “Hi”. My grandchild already has a sense of people.

She again talked a lot, and was glad that I sat down with her, while Mom and Dad were fixing dinner. I told her that I was glad she was using her teething ring, and she showed me the toy. Her top lateral incisors (canines) are coming in, and so she is chewing on a lot of teething rings-and a few things that aren’t.

HANA’S NOTE- I like to be able to choose my own activities. Papa lets me do that, so it’s fun to have him in the playpen.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2019 The day after the family wedding, last June, Aram asked Yunhee to marry him and she said “Yes”. They had a civil wedding in November of last year, on the island of Guam. On March 10, they had a Baha’i wedding, in Kwangju, South Korea. I was there, a few days early. The journey from Phoenix to Los Angeles was a lesson in patience (United left Phoenix two hours behind schedule), and I arrived at LAX, 90 minutes late, the result being that I was the last passenger to get on the plane for Seoul.

The wedding itself was small, by Korean standards, yet it was dignified and happy. The reception hall was full afterwards, and why not? The food was plentiful and tasty. Our family had now officially spanned the Pacific. I joined a family outing to Cheonju, a city with an interesting historic district and went with Aram and Yunhee’s father to a men’s spa. Gender-separate bath houses are very common in Korea. A day or two later, I flew back to the U.S. and my Korean family continued their Naval life.

I had cut ties with the unsettled woman, last October, after she threatened to see that I lost my job.. She nonetheless parked her RV at the park across the road from our little Quad. She never directly tried to pester me, but I knew I was being watched. That aside, I was starting to be affected by mold in my workspace; all of us-staff and students, were. It was affecting my judgment and my energy level. In late March, I threw my left knee out, taking a step down on stairs I had walked down dozens of times. It was a mild sprain, but after treatment and two weeks of P/T, I was okay again. In mid-April, though, a misunderstanding with another staff member led to my deciding to leave the Autism Program. The day that I resigned, the RV lady drove off and I have not seen her since.

In summer, I set out again on a cross-country journey- starting with a visit to an old friend in Coal Mine, AZ, then camping at Canyon de Chelly, before taking the customary northern route, through Albuquerque, Amarillo and Oklahoma, visiting with Xanga friends there. This time, though, I drove across Arkansas and Tennessee, visiting my friends in Crossville, then stopping in Chattanooga and Knoxville. I had Elantra serviced in Knoxville, then headed over to Asheville, NC, taking in that city’s elegant downtown. The road then took me to Tryon, NC, a town that I had briefly considered as a Home Base, sight unseen, in 2011. I might have been happy there, had Prescott not captivated me.

South Carolina brought satisfying visits to Columbia, Aiken, Hilton Head Island and Charleston. I took in Fort Sumter, another spot on Penny’s 2007 virtual field trip itinerary that we had not fulfilled. Back in North Carolina, I visited a Baha’i friend in Salisbury and stopped in Raleigh, to do laundry and spend time in the Capitol District. Another visit with dear Xanga friend in Virginia Beach, was followed by a drive across Chesapeake Bay to Cape Charles and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It was fascinating top watch the ponies at Assateague, frolicking in the surf. Then came a stop in Dover, DE-the compact and delightful capital of the First State. My Oley stop followed, then up through PA to New York, and a visit to West Point-the last of the three Service Academies I’ve visited. My Dad had always wanted to go there, so I fulfilled his wish for him. Popeye Doyle (“The French Connection”) never went to Poughkeepsie-the foil in one of his throwaway lines in that movie. I spent a day or so in the town and in nearby Newburgh. Lovely area, along the Hudson River, though both cities were a tad rundown.

Going north, I decided to drive through Massachusetts’ southwest corner, stopping in the southern Berkshires, at Egremont. In Saugus, for Independence Day, saw fireworks and had quality time with Mom and my siblings. I made a return visit to Amherst, and my alma mater-University of Massachusetts, then toured Mt. Holyoke, a women’s university, south of town. Across Connecticut, I sopped in Danbury and spent time with that city’s Revolutionary War sites. The next main stops were Pittsburgh, for a Baha’i Holy Day gathering, Mishawaka, Chicago-for a night in Wrigleyville, near the Cubs Stadium, Wilmette, Wapello, IA, Kansas City and a small town named Satanta,KS. I paid respects to the fallen at Silver Creek, CO, a solemn cap to my sojourn.

Fall brought me back into substitute teaching, with a more connected sense of mission. I chose my assignments more discerningly, going forward.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 7, Day 31

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, impediments, Inner Struggles, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving

August 21, 2026- This was one of the quieter days. Hana slept for an hour in mid-morning and for two hours in the afternoon. These naps don’t interfere with her night’s sleep, so I think this is more evidence of a growth spurt.

When she wasn’t napping, we took our stroller walk, made more enjoyable by the cloud cover,which later burned off. (This is still the dry season.) She also did plenty of standing and took a couple of scooting steps, each time, along the bars of the playpen. This evening, we all came to consensus about Hana’s meals. When she is full, she keeps her mouth closed and will not take any more bites. That is okay with her grownups.

HANA’S NOTE- I am so glad everyone understands me. It is hard not to have words all the time, but I’m getting there.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2004- Penny went from cane to walker, in the Fall of 2003. She toughed this year out, saying she had no intention of going into a wheelchair. She would also not cut herself any slack. When there was a Baha’i devotional on the second floor of an apartment building, she insisted on going up, one step at a time, on her own.

I worked through the second semester at Palo Verde Middle School, with a modicum of support from the administration. I was not holding things together, though, and resigned at the end of the year,rather than drag everyone through the gathering mess. It was actually a relief, and the Fall found me substitute teaching at Glendale Union High School District-and doing well. As it happened, the three individuals who worked to keep me off balance, in the previous school district, didn’t change their ways and were arrested for a couple of other transgressions, the following school year. I was not surprised.

Life has a way of balancing things out, even when it looks darkest.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 7, Day 24

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

August 14, 2026- Hana and I took her Daddy to retrieve his car, this afternoon. While the initial plan was for him to merely pick up the vehicle, there was an extended wait for his service adviser to come back from lunch, so Hana and I went into the waiting area of the Service Department, which was large, cool and very spare. I entertained Hana with a water bottle, which she held and felt its coolness and its rough exterior.

Just when she was getting frustrated at not being allowed to drink out of it, her Dad and the service adviser appeared. Plans had changed. He was getting some further work done on the car, and we went back to the house. Hana was a bit tired, so she napped in the car seat, which is still rear-facing.

She babbled a lot, in an animated cadence, throughout the day. When I changed her diaper, this evening, she started mimicking what she heard as my voice, saying, in a raspy voice: “Wow, that’s a lot.” Her bubbly personality is emerging, more and more, as the days progress. It is truly a joy to be here, doing this work.

HANA’S NOTE- I want to be able to drink from a bottle!

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-1997- I failed at a few things, this year. My lingering shyness, lack of athletic ability and self-doubt led me to fall down, in meeting the needs of a group of troubled adolescent boys, who started out just wanting to have my support and friendship. I had no problems, as a counselor, working with younger children and with adolescent girls. Middle school boys were, for some reason, a different matter- especially when their hook was basketball.

The other rough spot, for me, was resolving petty disputes between adolescents. I thought this was something that they should be able to figure out among themselves. A parent disagreed, and complained that I was not meeting her son’s needs. I thought back to how I was raised, and had my answer: My own mother would not intervene in any disputes that we had with neighbour kids..

We went back East, as usual, and visited Dave, Debbie and their kids, in eastern Pennsylvania. It was our first time meeting their daughter, Rebecca, who was holding her own with her two big brothers. We made a couple of other stops along the way. At one point, we stopped at a National Cemetery, in Illinois, to pay respects to a former sergeant of mine, who had been later killed in action. We also took in a couple of sites in the Abraham Lincoln National Historical Park.

This, though, was the last year of relative normalcy in our lives, for quite some time.