• First of all, bravo Alabama, especially voters of color, who turned out to vote in yesterday’s election! Roy Moore is abhorrent in every way and Doug Jones is an exemplary human being. You done good, Alabama.
• Though houseplants are supposed to be going dormant right now, there seems to be a lot happening here at the cottage.
The grocery-store-rescue maranta has a new leaf emerging.
The monstera deliciosa has a new leaf emerging, which makes me very happy as this plant was extremely rootbound when I rescued it from Terrain.
And new leaves are emerging on the Zz plant. Also seen: new leaves on the pothos that lives on top of the kitchen china cabinet and new leaves on the dieffenbachia.
Oh, it makes this plant mom happy!
• Stella got a little Christmas cheer yesterday:
I was wondering what Don would think, he of the “no plants or flowers on Stella’s shelf” brand of thinking. Much to my surprise, he loves it. Go figure.
• As I did with the tree in the living room, I used a tree skirt made of a piece of barkcloth for this little tree in the den. I’m a lover of barkcloth and I really like the quirkiness of using it instead of something more traditional.
• One of my favorite ornaments.
• It is really cold here today. It was windy all night long and it’s still windy now. The temperature ‘felt’ like 5° this morning when we got out of bed.
But it’s sunny.
• Do you remember Ashley and Pliers, the two horses that we used to visit on our trail walks? They were in extreme peril and the Catskill Animal Sanctuary rescued them last year, which prompted us to join that incredible organization. I just renewed our membership yesterday and came upon this update in the Fall newsletter, Sanctuary Scene:
You may know the story of ancient horse Ashley and her grown son, Pliers. They were neglected and rescued from being shot. Ashley was blind, and Pliers was her fierce protector, frantically circling her and threatening to kick anyone who came close. It was a dangerous situation. But poor Ashley didn’t have much time left on this earth and was spending her remaining days terrified, walking in frantic circles, and repeatedly falling into holes. Their main source of food was hikers on a nearby trail who would take pity and feed them.
And here’s the miracle. A terrified and neurotic blind horse and her dangerously unpredictable boy are happy, well-adjusted horses who now approach us, seeking affection. We groom them, we kiss them, they bury their heads into our chests. The extent of their recovery is an enormous and unexpected victory. A true testament to both the healing power of love and the miracles your generosity allows. All hearts yearn to sing: theirs are…for the first time ever.
As I read this to Don yesterday, tears welled up in our eyes. Such a miracle! It came about because a neighbor called the authorities and contacted the Sanctuary, because people cared about Ashley and Pliers and wanted them to be saved. I remember that we weren’t at all sure the Sanctuary would take them on, but they did. Bless them for the work they do, for the lives they save.
Happy Wednesday.
I am so glad they are happy, looked after horses now! Do you get to see them since they have moved?
No. They were at a facility off-site, where they were being retrained and rehabilitated. I think they might be on-site now, but we haven’t had time to go back there.
Thanks for a good-news update! We needed a bit of good news, I think. Good for Alabama, Ashley and Pliers, the green things growing, and Stella, in her Holiday finery. Happy Wednesday to you, too! (I love the vintage ornaments on those sweet trees.)
Thank you! I love them, too. I rarely use anything but vintage now, even though I have a LOT of ornaments stored in the shed.
That warms my heart about the horses! So many who do such good work in our world. Good for Alabama! I am so happy.
Me too! xo
I am so happy this week! Alabama rocks! I saw Joe Biden at a Dem party event over the weekend and he was inspiring and wise. Last week was horrible in Minnesota. Today I feel hopeful.
I’m still not over the loss of Al Franken and I harbor a strong suspicion that he was set up. It’s a tremendous loss. But Alabama helps, doesn’t it?
Ever since I saw Joe Biden interviewed by Stephen Colbert, I was struck by the good soul of the man; he loved his son so, so much. I’m very interested and watching to see if he’ll go for a 2020 presidential bid. I wish he was younger but, heck, look at my Calif governor Jerry Brown – he was on 60 Minutes this weekend – who’s pushing 80 and going super-strong although he’s choosing to go into retirement now (darn). It’s just that being President is a hard, hard job and it takes a toll on these guys, even the younger ones. I’m older now; I definitely get more tired. So, I dunno; he’s had a bit of a hiatus; again, will be intriguing to see what he does.
I agree with you on both Jerry Brown and Joe Biden. I think Joe could win in a Presidential run. They are both very decent human beings.
Well, and you know, it’s not like Joe doesn’t want it; I guess he’s just sitting back and watching what unfolds but I’m sure there’s a careful strategy going on. I think he could win, too.
I just saw Joe Biden in that clip from The View where he held John McCain’s daughter’s hand when talking about the cancer battles in their two families and it was hard, but that guy has a heart.
Yes, it is looking more and more like a set up. I have met Al several times; he is a kind, thoughtful, and humble man.
I concur.
And so do I Claudia…I could hardly bare to watch his parting speech…it wasn’t hard to see how much he was hurting…what should we do when a good man makes a bad mistake?
I know. He DID make a mistake, but it was relatively minor on the scale of harassment that we’re seeing.
Yes…great news last night regarding Alabama…relief actually! The small trees on Stella look like they belong……are they vintage? Your plants are doing great. I know that plants supposedly go dormant in the winter, but winter sunshine does miracles I’ve found! Looks like snow today for us…maybe. The weather person has been wrong more often than right, lately! ;)
No, the trees look vintage, but they’re not. It’s freezing here today!
I love today’s post! Woo Hoo Alabama! And the house plants are so happy you adopted them they are showing you their gratitude. Stella looks beautiful dressed simply for the holiday. And the icing is the news about Ashley and Pliers. Happy Wednesday!
i agree!
thanks for sharing such happy news, claudia – especially about ashley and pliers!
and thanks to voters in alabama who voted for doug jones.
let the tide turn, the pendulum swing back to kindness, reason, responsibility …
kathy in iowa
Fingers crossed. It does seem to be moving that way.
Isn’t that a wonderful story?
Claudia, how can we not remember the story of these horses and how worried you and Don were for them, and how many other stories like theirs are out there with less happy outcomes? I can’t handle animal suffering; they don’t have a voice; they depend on humans for care, safety and kindness. Horses particularly are such noble, intelligent, sensitive, majestic beasts. My heart has been aching for the horses we’ve lost in the California fires.
If someone can’t adequately care for and protect animals in their possession, they need to move them along to someone who can. Thank God you became aware of Ashley and Pliers’ plight. The intervention meant the diff in whether they lived or died, and these would have been prolonged deaths where they suffered, had it not been for all of you ‘neighbors’ in the vicinity who took control. YOU did good! We’ll take this one this morning and let it lift our hearts. God bless the beasts and the children, give them shelter from the storm, keep them warm…
…this is when you cannot tell me that animals aren’t like us, because they are, and it’s why they shouldn’t be considered ‘property’ – they have emotions even if they don’t always have human logic – they know the difference once they’re treated humanely, with affection, food, water, sanitary conditions, medicine, shelter…
…and speaking of shelter, yours has one good vibe! The cottage will keep you cozy on these cold, winter days where I heard on the TV this morning that your wind chill is quite severe. Stay inside and eat cookies right out of the oven, gooey and warm; yum…
…and, yes, what just went down in Alabama is a sign that the people in this country are fed up; change has to happen and SOON…
…and, on a similar note (MeToo), could I be more disappointed in Mario Batali? He was my dad’s favorite chef on TV, I’ve admired him as a really-credentialed and excellent chef, and I have several of his books which are now getting moved along to the thrift store. There had to be a reckoning to wake up to sexual harassment in this country, across the board, every industry. It’s about damn time. I can’t even get started on the subject; it makes my blood boil, the older I get. Like you, Claudia, I’ve been a victim myself when I was young – a younger woman in the workplace in another era – and didn’t know what to do, and it is NEVER acceptable but it is particularly pernicious in the employment sector. And we never forgot, did we. Those men left a scar on us, the creeps.
I just heard on the TV about your wind chill and how it feels even colder than it is in your neck ‘o the woods; glad you and Don are cozy together in your clearly-“good vibe” cottage where even the plants are happiest.
I think the stress of the last 8 or 9 days has gotten to me; as you can see from above in my comment, I’m now REPEATING myself although I also clock it to really sketchy sleep although I’m training myself to wind down from the night vigilance/sky-watching/fire watch. I actually DID get interrupted from the writing because a VERY loud helicopter went RIGHT over my roof and when they get THAT close, I run to the window hoping we don’t have another fire flare-up. And, we kinda had a wild morning, too, because my husband…of all things, with everything going on out here…has jury duty in burned-up Ventura this morning and he is NOT a happy camper; I worried because he tore out of here (late) and didn’t even have a chance to eat breakfast. Sigh. The smoke is simply awful right now, like a fog, obscuring any sun; I can’t even go outside to feed the feral cats for morning feed. I coughed SO much last night (my asthma). The air is dirty, dirty. In the evening and morning, we’re getting the smoke blown west to east from the Santa Barbara fires. During the midday, at least for now, the Santa Ana condition then blows east to west, and blows the smoke back over the ocean, so we get a bit of respite from the bad air. I want this to be over. OVER.
I don’t blame you. Enough, already. You need to get back to some semblance of normal.
ditto on this, too!
kathy in iowa
Wind chill is crazy here today. We had to do some things outside and let me tell you, it was bad out there!
Not surprised about Mario Batali, only because there is an arrogance about him. But I hadn’t heard any rumors or anything. It happens so much and is so pervasive, that I know we’ll be hearing more and more stories.
Don’t you take the NY Times? It just came online an hour ago – a piece by actress Salma Hayek on what she went thru with Weinstein. Incredible.
Yep. Already read it. It’s incredibly powerful.
I guess I’m a hypocrite, in a way, for throwing stones at people who don’t care properly for, and protect, animals in their care, when I have three feral (wild) cats I feed whose lives I can’t save in our SoCalif fires. They straddle a world with humans yet not, and can’t be called a domestic pet; they live in dens and bushes; in ten years, I’m lucky if I can get 4 to 5 feet from them and that’s only when I have a food bowl in my hand. I’ve talked to about 6 people this past week of what I should do, including the vet, and they said to just leave it alone but make sure if/when we’d have to evacuate, to leave the yard gates open because the fire would likely come over my little hillside where they live, and they’d need to run the other direction. I don’t think I could trap them now, even if I starved them for 3-4 days, forcing them to go for food in a trap so I could carry them out (they’re wise to traps; it was likely a OTO opportunity to spay/neuter, which I did in 2008) but the other problem is where to take them in an emergency situation because it would likely have to be a wildlife station and the closest ones from me are an hour away in either direction which have now suffered fire themselves. I’ve been worried about it the entire time we’ve been under siege. When the all-clear happens and we can continue to get back to normal, I’m going to go to either of those places and see what they’d do, but I’ve now heard from two people that if you keep a feral cat in captivity for too long, they can actually die.
I would feel the same way, Vicki. I’d worry about them constantly. You are to be commended for your devotion to them, my friend.
Well, you know, they have names. The eldest, the old mama kitty, will come to me when I call her even when she’s ‘way, ‘way up on the hillside. She keeps her distance from us but when I talk to her from a few feet away, she blinks her eyes like she relaxes for a moment. In our own way, the two of us mean something to each other. We’ve had ten years together there in the rear yard. Thanks for trying to make me feel better about it. I just don’t feel like I have enough answers.
A lot of us on many aspects of disaster and evacuation are reevaluating and reassessing a lot of how we live and what we do since this fire, in small ways and big ways. Lots of questions. Where I live, and this was a hot topic at the bank this afternoon when I was there, there has to be a reckoning about mass evacuation of people in a disaster of these kinds of epic proportions (what we just went thru). I learned today that when people nearer to the start of the fire were trying to exit all at once with sudden, raging flames encircling them – there’s one large subdivision along the creek with 1,500 residents – there was such a traffic jam that people nearly couldn’t get out in time; they couldn’t even get a ‘window’ to pull out onto the state highway in the panic; it was chaos. So, we can’t go through that again; there has to be better plans in place. A traffic accident in the middle of that mess would have been disastrous; the last thing they would have needed would have been a roadblock.
When I was at the bank, I learned my other veterinarian lost his home in Ventura. This is almost why I hate to go out because every time I do I run into somebody else who knows somebody else that’s suffered loss and it’s just so deflating and upsetting and sad to think of people in such a bad way, having such a hard time. My bank is local; a community bank. I know people who work there and it seems like everybody who comes in is someone you wind up knowing. And nobody (like me) can seem to talk about anything else but the fire so, man, a lot of glum and somber faces. Just a lot of scary and sad stuff; the gals at the bank have to hear so much of it with all the various customers. Two of us were talking back at the safe deposit boxes and she said, “I think what’s happening is that the rest of us whose homes didn’t burn are suffering a type of survivor’s guilt, and that to celebrate the holidays and get ‘festive’ doesn’t seem right when other people are going through such loss.” Another gal was saying that it doesn’t even seem right to shout out “Merry Christmas” to someone because no one is very merry; it falls flat. We’ve just gotta pull ourselves out of this and I think if the smoke could just clear so that it doesn’t look so dark in the middle of the day, maybe it would help us all feel less edgy. I want some of that blue sky back and the more optimistic side of me says that betcha by Dec 25, we’ll get some.
There’s a community recovery center in the city of Ventura now that seems to have given a lot of people some momentary relief and hope because, as one fire victim said (lost his house), ‘It’s the communication we’ve been lacking over the past 10 days.’ They’re helping people get copies of birth certificates, wedding certificates (duplicates); the motor vehicle department is trying to help people who’ve lost their vehicles to the fire; they’re getting a lot of questions answered that’s all the other stuff besides homeowners’ insurance claims and the center won’t close until the last person comes in with a need, so it was really a nice thing to learn about – and I thought this was interesting to hear, that the state may come in and clear the land of all the destroyed properties so that each individual homeowner doesn’t have to worry about bringing in bulldozers to remove the burned debris on their lots (it makes sense, with blurred property lines, one destroyed lot after another to where the streets aren’t even recognizable anymore). Another person interviewed said that the city is waiving certain permits and fees to accelerate the various processes with an intent to get whole neighborhoods rebuilt as speedily as possible. I’d wondered how all this was going to work.
I’m talking too much about the fire when I said I wouldn’t. I know you’ve had a bad scare in NYC, too, with that guy who had the explosive device attached to him.
My husband just came in from letting the dog out for the night and announced, “It’s snowing.” Ash. It’s everywhere.
Keep sharing as much as you want and need to, Vicki. We want to know. xo
Yes, I remember the horses! That paragraph you quoted from The Sanctuary Scene made my eyes well up with tears. Blessings to that organization…and the beautiful horses, too. I have a particular fondness for horses, having had two of them for a few years when I was a teenager. We lived on a 40 acre farm in KY for 3-1/2 years. When we had to move back to IL, my heart was absolutely broken and part of that was due to leaving my horses. I still miss them to this day – almost 40 years later. My heart aches when I think of them.
I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to leave them, Melanie. I would have been heartbroken, too. xo
It was serendipitous to read your account of how well the horses are doing this morning after yesterday. I don’t know if anyone else felt extreme sadness when that jackass “rode” the beautiful horse yesterday to cast his vote. It was cruel and it was obvious he had no idea how to ride and had no concern for putting that horse into that crowd of people to be spooked like that. The idiots truly do flock together, don’t they?
Your plants look great! They are happy you and Don are home. I bet Stella is quite proud of her new decorations, too. Hope you have a grand Wednesday!! Are you feeling better?
I wanted to deck him. All this for a photo op and no sense of how difficult it might be for the horse. What an ass.
I’m slowly feeling better – certainly better than when I was at my worst, but the congestion is hanging on a bit.
Glad you’re feeling better, Claudia. Stay out of that wind chill! Brrrrr!
And, yeah, that guy looked ridiculous.
xo
I’ve been following Ashley and Pliers’ story too – on the Catskill Animal Sanctuary website and their YouTube channel. SO MANY terrific stories on YouTube. I had no idea they were up to so much. Wish I lived closer so I could volunteer. Extremely inspiring stuff – so much so that I had to join too! My new place, like my old place, isn’t pet-friendly, but at least I can help animals in some way. And it’s very gratifying to see how much can be done. Over the years I’ve learned that you can tell an awful lot about people in seeing how they treat & interact with animals. Case in point – the Catskill Animal Sanctuary folks. And at the OTHER end of the spectrum? 45. Question – has there EVER been a President who didn’t have pets before? I can’t recall one – ever. To me, this odd little fact SPEAKS VOLUMES. Hey, SUPER wonderful news in Alabama last night. Makes me feel like maybe the weird, toxic fog that’s enveloped this country for the past year is beginning to clear somewhat. Like a lot of people are rubbing their eyes, waking up and coming to their senses. AT LAST. I think Stella looks very festive with her little bottle brush trees. Perfect accent for her at this time of year! Peace. 🎄
#Resist
I didn’t know about that til reading it here the other day and now from what you’re saying above. People who don’t like dogs scare me. (Even a friend of mine who’s partial to cats, still loves to see dogs when people are out walking them. It’s just that her background and how she was raised, was all about kitties, not dogs.) I did know one man who was afraid of dogs because he’d been bitten in the face/ear by a dog when he was a little kid; he’d been trying to take food away from the dog who was in the middle of eating. He could never get over the fear and even when he was older, like 12 or 13, I saw him run from an approaching dog SCREAMING at the top of his lungs; poor kid, so very panicked. But that’s an exception; THAT scenario, I understand although I wish he could have had some therapy with a new dog to help him with his fear. It’s good for children (like Barron Trump) to have a pet; pets just change anybody, I think, for the better (it’s just so much love). First Son is just the right age for a pet and they certainly have enough people/’help’ around them, in the White House or not, to help with the care of a pet. To each his own but, like Claudia said, it’s so ‘telling’ that the White House is sans dog.
Couldn’t agree more, Vicki. PS – thinking of you & everyone else out there in California at this time. May THE FORCE be with you all, and especially with those amazing fire-fighters. What they’re doing is truly incredible.
I watched on local TV this morning, with firefighters in the Santa Barbara County extension of our fire called The Thomas Fire, the men WALKING amidst flames, raking burning masses of stuff and I’m thinking, maybe I can’t see where exactly they’re standing but how on earth do they-themselves not get burned? The bravery is staggering and I don’t know why I haven’t had the proper awareness and admiration of just what a firefighter does; again, the work is skilled and there’s a science to outsmart. It’s the guys on the ground, the ones in the air – and, hey, it’s women, too, in those uniforms – it’s the people behind the scenes coordinating a thousand tasks/information. I am completely impressed and very, very grateful. We’re at 25% containment which means they’re making headway; this is the first we’ve been at 25% so it’s a real positive. The city of Ventura no longer has to boil water. The authorities will continue to patrol the east side of my city where fire still burns in the wilderness. North and west of me, some of the beach area residents have been allowed back in their homes. I just wish the winds weren’t coming back this weekend; just heard that report, so that was sure something we could do without. I still have southerly mountains at risk, just right there across the river, but it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be; the experts are doing everything they can in this fight with Mother Nature.
Glad to hear all that hard work is finally reaping some real containment! Hopefully everyone will be safe by Christmas, if not much sooner. 💛
So glad you joined! Good for you, Janet! They are extraordinary human beings who love all animals. Bless them.
Not having a pet is not at all surprising for a narcissist. He is incapable of thinking of anyone else, let alone a pet who would depend on him. His children are there for photo ops. He bragged about not having anything to do with their day-to-day care, bragged about never changing a diaper. So a pet, that would be entirely dependent on him? Not a possibility. And that says everything to me.
Wonderful to know about the fate of the horses. So glad they’re loved and happy. After Alabama – and the unprecedented and scathing USA Today editorial – today was the first day in a long time I haven’t been stressed about DC. Love the bottle brush trees on Stella. I’m a huge fan of those and I think they look great all over the house.
That editorial was extremely powerful!
Alabama made me so happy last night. When I heard Roy Moore was running, I gave 25 bucks to his opponent even tho I don’t live in that state. Whenever we hear of some crazy idiot running like that, I hope everyone who can across the country will donate a bit to help the opponent. Might just make the difference!!
Absolutely, Jan!
Alleluia Alabama
Siobhan
Amen!
What a positive Potpourri Wednesday post, Claudia. Feeling lighter than I have been for days.
Good!
tears of joy and a sob in my throat for Pliers and Ashley.
I always loved Doris Day and was heartened to know that she added a horse sanctuary to her already huge sanctuary for dogs. she is an animal lover through and through. they rescue horses like Pliers and Ashley. and she is very much involved even at the age of 95. or is it 97? amazing lady!
I love the pictures today. they are just magical.
it takes so little really. the fairy lights never fail to take me away. xo
I think she’s 95. She is a hero to me. And Betty White, as well, who has always advocated for animals.
Fairy lights! I need to have them around year round!
I watched the election returns last night along with so many other people, I know. While I was disappointed in the voting pattern of other white women of my age, I was heartened by everything else about the election last night. And, just after reading on Huffington Post about the style guide for writers submitting to The Daily Stormer, I needed a good-news story such as that about Ashley and Pliers. As a freelancing writer, I’ve submitted books, articles and stories to many editors for consideration, but it’s hard to imagine a style guide like that one. This is one time I would love to believe that the story is fabricated but having read about this publication and its founder previously, I doubt it.
Very disheartened by the votes of some of the women in Alabama.
Bless the good people of Alabama for doing the right thing!…my plants are getting new growth too…also the geranium I brought in this year is blooming!…and my Christmas cactus…how wonderful to have flowers in Winter!…It is great to hear how well Ashley and Pliers are doing…
It really helps to see things growing and blooming as we head into winter, Nancy!
Oh I love that story about the horses. Thank you.
You are very welcome, Sandy.