OT ~ Welcome to Saturday!

Submitted by smiley7 on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 3:51am

Sit-a-while
on swinging porch
where tin-dippers and
sweet water
in cool touches
meet lips
from hand dug wells.

Good morning good people!

Traveling; pulmonary hypertension tests and specialists, so i've posted this in advance.

Cheers to everyone, have a beautiful day and weekend!

Morning poetry:

I love to go out in late September
among the fat, overripe, icy, black blackberries
to eat blackberries for breakfast,
the stalks very prickly, a penalty
they earn for knowing the black art
of blackberry-making; and as I stand among them
lifting the stalks to my mouth, the ripest berries
fall almost unbidden to my tongue,
as words sometimes do, certain peculiar words
like strengths or squinched,
many-lettered, one-syllabled lumps,
which I squeeze, squinch open, and splurge well
in the silent, startled, icy, black language
of blackberry-eating in late September.
Blackberry Eating ~ Galway Kinnell

Fall
Son rose to expectations
beyond understanding
pressing for information
never ending
almost trusting
forgiven

Which shakes make slates
good for roofs,
vanilla
not leaking
many drips tell no answers
raising questions
or children
catch who, waiting
"do your feet hurt?"
heart does

In shamelight
blossoms bloom
smell delight
ignore mites and bites
diffuse might
take flight in
circles preceding, leaves falling
again
exhaustion setting in
needing help in rico
needing help at home
needing help for mother
needing
where, does it begin
with orchids tried and true
something new
waste brewing brew

J crews
riding boulevards
familiar stew, boiling
top down health care
of pleb's daring, begging
until
feeble feet fall
in lucky misery of living.

Morning music:

“A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty, the contemplation of mystery, or the search of truth is a poverty-stricken day; and a succession of such days is fatal to human life.”
~ Lewis Mumford

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Comments

Submitted by riverlover on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 5:01am

I hear occasional drips on a skylight, not frankly raining

Leaves and raindrops fall. And a turn toward cooler, always an adjustment. My garlic starts should arrive. I will have to lightly rake garden beds to snuggle them in. I am still ambulating. Under my own power. In the house, cane-in-a-box. Not yet deployed.

Do others here refer to two locations as the Front Yard? I also have a dog yard. One front yard presents as a driveway circle to my red front door. The other goes downhill from the house off of three sliders. In discussions with my children, they seem to understand front and front. Others are infrequent guests. Or ghosts. Many too-early deaths that I seem to have taken to heart.

My eyes tear all the time, drop by drop. Ragweed and SAD are culprits.

I must rescue my boxed and stapled-in fig tree. My Houseplants are going a changing of the guard. The box is still in my car by the front (red) door.

—

Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 10:50am

Just continue ever careful, no further falls, etc. Slow & easy.

@riverlover
Our small front yard is bifurcated by a walkway, hence, sometimes North and South front yard or other added identifier, as needed. Pollen has been plentiful here for months now, I am perpetually reacting to it. Not specifically ragweed, simply myraids of different plants.

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 7:21am

Good morning, smiley7 ~~

Lovely poetry and music for a Saturday morning.

I awoke to a hard rain in the night.
It's past, now, but the clouds remain
To remind me of the power of water
To give life, as well as take it away.

Have a beautiful day, folks!

—

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 9:03am

love the poetry

wish I could make some too. What rhymes with peace? Cease (war) doesn't quite work. And rain rhymes with pain and stain. It's a shame the old organic computer isn't more creative this morning.
Best regards regardlessly!

—

question everything

Submitted by randtntx on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 9:39am

Good morning

Thank you for the poetry and music, it was a very welcome thing this morning.
Here is a piece that requires a bit of time; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyDs0wb3FAE
I would recommend sitting with a cup of tea or coffee or, in the evening, a glass of wine if you enjoy that sort of thing. In my opinion it is a stunning piece and worth the time.

Submitted by eyo on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 10:40am

Cannabis harvest heats up in Sonoma County

Walking around town the place reeks. Heavenly. Edit: forgot link! Bad side effect.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7464329-181/cannabis-harvest-heats-up-in

Just as grape growers keep watch for the moment of peak ripeness, cannabis farmers have for generations monitored the color of the bud’s trichomes, an aromatic crystal resin that transforms from clear to milky white, then gold to amber.

For many, the signs are there. It’s time to bring the crops in.
...
To compare, vineyards cover about 60,000 acres of Sonoma County land, producing a grape harvest worth $581 million last year.

But legal cannabis is the county’s most lucrative crop, per acre. Depending on the size and quality of the harvest, an acre of Sonoma County grapes is currently worth about $9,764, on average, Linegar said. An acre of cannabis is worth about $1.7 million, based on industry standards for yield and the current wholesale value of marijuana, about $500 a pound.

$581 million last year and can't even provide living wages or housing for all. NOPE. Coppola? "We're capitalists." Losers get charity, lump it. Thanks Hollywood. The charities get rich of course. Non-profit CEOs rake in millions. "That's the system." Could not achieve without the cheap labor immigration provides, no way.

Pray for the watershed, treating cannabis like wine-grapes means it is finished, it is done. The corporatists have won bigly. I would give anything for a real revolution right now. Everything, I'd give it all to get even a little justice. No one cares enough, too busy scraping by. Oh well ~shrug~ at least I saw the Russian River when it was alive and abundant. Now it is ugly and mostly dead. Sorry about that.

My neighbors in back are toxic growers but there is no way in hell I'm gonna say anything about it. The landlord would evict and then they'd be down at the encampment with NO facilities. Move Along.

good luck

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 10:49am

revolution is ripe for picking

@eyo try this site worldbeyondwar.org There are several links from divesting pensions from defence contractors to signing as peace pledge. I hope to develop more in my Tuesday open thread. Maybe a focus on positive actions can get the ball rolling? Like you, I need to see some progress before I check out of this unsane asylum we have become.
Cheers!

—

question everything

Submitted by eyo on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 11:54am

Divesting is for people who still have something

@QMS thanks, I can't really think of anything more to divest to be honest. That site cracks me up "To End War Click Here", love that! If only.

Looking forward to the essay next week, my better attitude awaits. I am a mess, thanks.

good luck

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 4:58pm

hear ya bud

@eyo No pension, had to cash out the tiny 401K to dissolve CC debt when the economy crashed. Left with nada. Gotta work till I die. Ain't much to look forward to. Belt is as tight as it gets, drilling new holes. Point is those who do still have an invested future may consider petitioning their money managers to get out of the DEFCON (defence contractor) companies as a moral statement. Might help take some of the wind out of their sails. I realise it is a tight web the MIC (military intelligence complex) has built into every state in the union, thereby buying the congress into pushing "JOBS" in their respective territories. This is the crazy thing that keeps wars going. I wish it were as simple as clicking a link which would stop wars. Gotta dig a bit deeper, as you undoubtably realise. Just trying to spread the word, give the peoples a way to fight back.
Best regards, eyo

—

question everything

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 10:45am

Thank you smiley7, good luck with your tests and

have a great weekend

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by ghotiphaze on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 11:08am

Missed y'all

Went in for a biopsy on the 19th, seized on the table, and woke up Tuesday. Helluva week getting myself together enough to come home late last night. Still don't quite have it together.

—

There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

Submitted by eyo on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 12:06pm

In on the 19th and you woke up Tuesday?

@ghotiphaze So you were out for a whole week? Whoa. Glad to see you, join the healing pool why not. I'm in there with nuts, heh. Feel better soon, and thanks for posting.

peace

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 2:09pm

Wow, that's a shock. Good to see you back. Prognosis?

@ghotiphaze @ghotiphaze

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by ghotiphaze on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 2:36pm

They still haven't figured it out.

@enhydra lutris small cells in lung that are prolly c-word, just don't know what kind. Other small cells below lungs that could be more of same, something different, or nothing at all. It's understandable that it's called med. PRACTICE!

—

There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

Submitted by QMS on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 5:01pm

omfg

@ghotiphaze lost a week? for a biopsy? welcome back. hope the organic computer didn't lose too much ram!

—

question everything

Submitted by mimi on Sat, 09/30/2017 - 11:33am

nothing changes - intimidation always works

Cameroon palm oil campaigner arrested in crackdown on activists - Nasako Besingi has been jailed after opposing a US-funded palm-oil plantation and supporters say this is linked to Cameroon’s ‘anglophone crisis’

oh well, people die, generations pass away, but the exploitations never end.

Good Morning, I should look for some beauty.

—

https://www.euronews.com/live

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Sun, 10/01/2017 - 1:52am

Late to the Party, but thank you for the lovely OT, Smiley!

"Rhapsody in Blue" was one of my favorite piano pieces (to perform), so especially enjoyed hearing the gorgeous rendition that you posted. My second, and one of my favorite piano teachers was a former Ziegfeld Follies cast member. She was tough as nails, and demanding, but you always knew that she had your back if you gave it your very best. And practiced, as instructed.

At the close of every lesson, we always shared a few minutes together, just talking and laughing. So, every time I hear RIB, I think of Ms Culpepper, and how grateful I am that she was my friend and mentor.

Hope your appointments with the specialists went well, and that the news was good.

Also, shoutout to ghotiphaze--hope you're much better by now, and that your prognosis is a good one when all the tests come in. What you described would definitely be a traumatic experience, so, take good care of yourself!

Mollie

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures--they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive."--Gilda Radner

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."--Will Rogers

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

Submitted by mhagle on Sun, 10/01/2017 - 2:50am

Ah. ... you are a pianist ...

@Unabashed Liberal

Do you still play?

—

Marilyn

"Make dirt, not war." eyo

Submitted by Unabashed Liberal on Sun, 10/01/2017 - 7:45pm

Hi, Marilyn--only for

@mhagle

my pleasure, and for those in my inner circle of family and friends. My Father was very musically gifted, and though we lost him almost four decades ago, I have wonderful memories of playing duets with him for years--from before my feet touched the floor, until he passed when I was in my twenties. The one exception is that I've continued to play at a couple of local nursing homes/SNFs four times a year--two of which are during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. They are a wonderful audience, in that they don't care how well you play--they just love the company!

Mollie

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures--they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive."--Gilda Radner

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."--Will Rogers

—

Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.