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Sunday Thoughts and a Thank You

October 9, 2016 at 9:34 am by Claudia

Before I get into today’s post, I want to thank everyone for the conversation that was sparked by yesterday’s post – even the dissenters.

Those who disagree and want to disengage from the blog are obviously free to do so. I’m not writing this blog 365 days a year in order to gain lots of followers. And 4 or 5 posts about the election hardly makes this a ‘political’ blog. I’m writing the blog for me, as a daily journal. That I can share it with all of you is the icing on the cake.

Here’s the deal (a phrase I use all the time here at home): I work hard at being tolerant but I draw the line at tolerating racism, misogyny, bigotry, xenophobia, and sexism. And any defense of Mr. Trump carries with it the implication that those beliefs are tolerated and supported. How can it not? That those beliefs are toxic and  the death knell to any sense of respect I might hold for someone is also true.

There is no defense. None.

We can grow. We can educate ourselves. And I can hope that healing comes. I can pray for the release of the fears and ignorance that fuel those beliefs. I can and do.

I am heartened by the sheer amount of positive comments, by those who also see that this ’emperor’ has no clothes.

As for speaking out on my  blog; it is imperative that we all speak out. We have only to look back at the rise of other dangerous dictators to know what happens when people don’t speak out and take action.

If someone is offended, so be it. I really don’t care. This is too important.

As I wrote in one of my responses yesterday, my dad was onto Donald Trump long ago. He detested him and everything he stands for. That Trump managed to become the Republican nominee for President was knowledge my father was spared, mercifully. But I know he would be proud of me and of my sister (who has also spoken out about this election on her blog). So would my mom.

Meredith and I speak our minds. We speak out. We try to do the right thing. That’s how we were raised.

And thank you for your spirited defense of my words. That means so much to me. More than you know. My husband read the post and cheered me on throughout the day. We are of one mind on this subject.

Moving on. Some fading flowers I photographed recently, each of them beautiful.

10-8-flower

Fading zinnia.

10-8-fadingbuddelia

Fading Butterfly Bush.

10-8-fadingphlox1

Fading phlox.

10-8-fadingconeflower

Fading coneflower.

10-8-fadinghydrangea

Fading hydrangea.

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Fading phlox.

It turned colder overnight and it’s windy outside! All of the leaves that we raked up have been replaced by a lot more leaves. It’s as if we never raked – so goes changeable Autumn.

Today: the Red Sox (who aren’t doing too well in this series, darn it!) and the debate.

I only hope I can sleep at the end of the day.

I’m going to close comments on yesterday’s post.

One more thing: a reminder about my post on DHA and the essential nutrients we need. If you’re interested in a vegetarian source of omega-3s, stop by and read the sponsored post.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, presidential election, red sox, what I believe 50 Comments

Thoughts on Thursday

September 22, 2016 at 9:46 am by Claudia

• Thanks so much for the spirited discussion on yesterday’s post. I learned something from all of you and I thank you for that. Gosh, I love it when that happens! You are the best.

• Happy first day of Autumn. It feels like it out there. I stepped outside to take a picture and the air was rather brisk. This is what prompted me to venture outside in my pjs.

9-22-earlymorningglories

I’m telling you, every morning is like this, give or take a few blooms. Was the secret adding fresh topsoil to this new garden bed? I’m not sure, but these are the most prolific morning glories I’ve ever had. (And there’s one bloom behind the fence that you can’t see!)

9-22-impressionisticmg

I’ve titled this: Impressionistic Morning Glory.

Yes, I can’t get enough of them and if you’re sick of seeing them…well, you’ll have to find something else to read. Because I’ll be posting them as long as I can. All too soon it will be barren outside and I’ll be scrambling for something, somewhere, that is photo-worthy. Believe me, this happens every year. A panic sets in: what will I blog about now that all the flowers are gone??

Like clockwork.

• Mowing yesterday. Tired Claudia last night. But it looks good out there.

A couple of thoughts for you today:

• I believe that energy, both positive and negative, has more power than we realize. In this election process, I’ve realized that so much – almost all – of my energy has been focused on he-who-will-not-be-named. And that, my friends, is mother’s milk to him. (As is lying, but that’s another subject.) He laps it up – doesn’t matter whether it’s positive or negative. Negative energy puts the focus on him. And he is completely unworthy of my focus. So, as of this moment, I am focusing all my energy on his opponent – on helping her become President of the United States.

Positive energy for  her, rather than against  him. I refuse to give him any of my attention. He doesn’t deserve it. He is beneath contempt, he is everything I was brought up to believe is wrong and evil; so why even give him one microsecond of my time? Energy beamed toward someone who cares, who will help those in need, who has always worked for others, who has a 40+ year history of doing good? Yes and yes and yes.

• And, the other thought; succinct and to-the-point: #blacklivesmatter. I’m heartsick. Something has to change.

Do I even have to say here that the vast majority of police officers are good people who, I trust, do not racially profile our citizens? Because I guarantee you, someone out there will read #blacklivesmatter on this blog and immediately think I’m trashing all police. I don’t have much patience with that limited form of thinking. It comes from a defensive posture and limits any healthy discussion that might bring about positive change.

And yes, I have a family member who had a long career as a policeman in Michigan. It doesn’t matter. It has nothing to do with what is happening now. There is something terribly wrong and it has to be addressed.

9-22-2mgs

• Don and I are currently running a GoFundMe campaign for our friend, Dawn. She is the most hardworking person we know. She cuts my hair as well as the hair of lots and lots of people in our small town. She works 12 – 14 hours a day and charges…get this…$10 for a cut. That’s it. It’s not uncommon for me to drive by her shop in the early morning hours – I’m talking 6 a.m. – and see her cutting someone’s hair. Not only that, she is kind, has a generous spirit and is always thinking of others.

She had to have serious kidney surgery last Monday. Very serious surgery. She will be unable to work for a month and she is the sole source of support for her family. So, last Friday, we started a campaign for her and we’re 2/3 of the way to our goal! Our intention is to donate enough money to give her some time to heal, time in which she doesn’t have to worry about bills and food.

• And finally,  I looked out the living room window yesterday and saw a hummingbird dining on the geraniums and managed to grab my older camera and get a quick shot. This is a biggie for me because I don’t have a hummingbird feeder and I usually can’t get to my camera quickly enough to get a picture.

9-22-hummingbird

Immediately after this, he was gone. It’s not perfect, but I don’t care! I was so happy to get the chance to photograph this beauty.

Happy Thursday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: birds, flowers, garden, what I believe 40 Comments

Friday Thoughts

August 12, 2016 at 9:47 am by Claudia

8-12 bugonhydrangea

• I’m living in a sauna.

It’s very hot and unbelievably humid out here in the Northeast. The windows of the cottage are sporting a layer of moisture which makes the view decidedly foggy. We had at least 4 thunderstorms yesterday and they were whoppers.

This morning I went outside to get some pictures and the danged rain has denuded lots of the phlox, forced the branches of the butterfly bush downward, and weeds have seemingly sprung up overnight. This is that time in the summer that I begin to lose interest in weeding the garden; I look at it, sigh, and move on. But I think I’ll force myself to weed it once this rain lets up – next week. Yep. The storms and the humidity are going to be with us until the first part of next week.

Let’s not even think about how much grass we’re going to have to mow.

8-12 surprisedaylily

The daylily that bloomed in very early summer presented me with two surprise flowers this morning.

8-12 garden

• We may or may not go to IKEA today. We’ll see. If not, it will be next week. I need to get a few things there.

• We’ve been watching the Olympics, especially swimming and diving, which are our favorites. I won’t say anything about Michael Phelps because others have said it much better than I can. He is a joy to watch. Extraordinary. We are so lucky to witness this incredible athlete over the course of the last four – or is it five? – Olympics. All of the other medal winners are amazing, as well as those athletes who train and sacrifice and don’t come home with a medal, but are still the best in the world. One of my former students from Boston University is married to Silver Medalist, Scott Donie – a diver who medaled in Barcelona. I’ve been asking her questions on FB – about the small towels, for instance. It turns out they are shammys. And then there’s my six degrees of separation connection through my sister. My nephew swam competitively for years and so the family knows Ryan Murphy and his brother and parents (according to Mere, the nicest people you could ever hope to meet) and several other swimmers that are competing in Rio.

The Olympics has been a welcome change during this election season; something hopeful that brings the world together, instead of separating us. More, please.

• Those links I promised you:

A List of Facts Debunking Anti-Hillary Clinton Myths, Lies & Ridiculous Conspiracies.

Why Are You Convinced Hillary is a Criminal?

And this Op-Ed in the NY Times from the pen of David Brooks: Trump’s Enablers Will Finally Have to Take a Stand. 

Finally, the Op-Ed by Thomas Friedman that I referenced on Wednesday: Trump’s Wink Wink to ‘Second Amendment People.’

Read or don’t read, whatever you like.

• Despite the occasional reader who never comments but feels the need to finally comment in order to tell me that they feel a political post has ‘no place’ on my blog so they will be unsubscribing, I’m going to write about this election when I feel moved to. I won’t inundate you with posts, though I could write every day on it and never run out of things to say! This blog is a mix of things and that mix includes the things I feel passionately about, including: my husband, my dogs, my house, my garden, my collections, kindness, common decency, and the state of our world, especially the state of our country.

As always, I  determine the content. But you know that. I won’t be censoring myself in order to keep the number of readers I have at a certain level to gain more ad income. If I’d wanted to do that, I would have shaped this blog into a real money maker and never issued any statement that could be interpreted as provocative. It would have been pretty. It would have been bland. It would have bored me to tears.

That ain’t me, my friends. As my dear friend Joe once said, “You don’t want to mess with the Hill girls.” The Hill girls don’t shrink from speaking out.

Okay.

Happy Friday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: flowers, garden, olympics, what I believe 70 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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