Welcome to Saturday

"We hold Dominion over palm and pine." Rudyard Kipling, Recessional


Chatel Argent and the Val d'Aosta from above Villeneuve
Joseph Mallord William Turner
Metropolitan Museum of Art

To see and respect what there is, is the first duty of stewardship. - Wendell Berry,The Gift of Good Land

The severity of the wildfires that are burning right now in the West are another example, among many, of humanity's failure to be a good steward of this earth. It increasingly looks as if those in power are not going to take the actions necessary to stop the destruction of our environment. We will loose the places that we love, the places of immense beauty, and the ecosystems around us.

What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on? -Henry David Thoreau

To build an age around the concerns of one species is to ignore the delicate balance required in any ecotone. When one way of living on the earth takes priority, the overlap that supports a healthy system of exchange collapse. Is All Writing Environmental Writing Camille T. Dungy. The Georgia Review


Wheat Field with Cypresses, Vincent van Gogh, 1889, Met Metropolitan Museum of Art

The heartbeat of humans and the flowering of domesticated plants are one life. 'Alone' is not an option: the farmer's physiology is sculpted by a dependence on plants for food... The Forest Unseen -David Haskell


The Landscape with Good Samaritan-1638 Rembrandt van Rijn wikipedia/commons

[video:https://youtu.be/bZFOhkGGr8A]
(21.55)

The artists and scientists who help us see and understand our world, each in their own way, serve to sound the alarm about the ongoing destruction of the earth. If our species could just come to regard the earth with the reverence that it deserves, we might be able to slow this disaster. Following the example and the suggestions of people who show us how to take good care of this planet full of life, we could at the very least be showering it with love. Who knows, that act may be beneficial in more ways than we think.

What makes a place special is the way it buries itself inside the heart, not whether it's flat or rugged, rich or austere, wet or arid, gentle or harsh, warm or cold, wild or tame. Every place, like every person, is elevated by the love and respect shown toward it, and by the way in which its bounty is received. - Richard Nelson, The Island Within



Paul Cézanne, Sous-Bois, c. 1894, Los Angeles County Museum of Art

To The Rain

Mother rain, manifold, measureless,
falling on fallow, on field and forest,
on house-roof, low hovel, high tower,
downwelling waters all-washing, wider
than cities, softer than sisterhood, vaster
than countrysides, calming, recalling:
return to us, teaching our troubled
souls in your ceaseless descent
to fall, to be fellow, to feel to the root,
to sink in, to heal, to sweeten the sea.

BY URSULA K. LE GUIN


Seascape, 1879, Pierre-Auguste Renoir Art Institute of Chicago

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on the West Coast.

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Thank you randtntx for putting up this essay.

regard the earth with the reverence that it deserves

soothing images and thoughtful words are a wonderful tribute

to our friends on the western fringe suffering the fires

good luck

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@QMS Glad to see you. Thanks for the supportive words. I'm looking at the news of the fires this morning and don't know what to say.

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@randtntx

(or lack thereof) rings true.
We need a proactive plan to
fight this eco failure. Then,
set it in motion before nature
finishes us off.

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@QMS need a proactive set of actions because "finishing us off" faster than most anticipated.

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Lookout's picture

Lovely peaceful OT today....thanks.

Looks like another hurricane brewing in the Gulf, "Sally".
https://www.wwltv.com/article/weather/hurricane/tropical-depression-19-f...

And we continue producing fossil fuels and fighting wars to get more. Absolute insanity.

Protect Nature And Environment - Poem by Hasmukh Amathalal

I shall not watch helplessly at the sky
I shall never entertain and ask why
The ideas about disappearance of earth
The destruction of whole world with shot sure deaths

I hear and read many stories which are circulated
May be it has some basic facts but totally unrelated
Arrived at conclusion on basis of some calculation
It has many flaws but not ruled out of question

“Year two thousand and twelve is marked for such forecast”
People do believe in such theory with no doubts to cast
How many incidences of grave nature do take place?
Many deaths and tragedies to witness and helplessly face

It needs some thinking on our part
As it was never before but has recent beginning or start
Volcanoes erupt in unprecedented manner
Whole sky is then covered with threatening posture

Incessant rain and floods clearly go on rampage
Millions of people are rendered homeless with colossal damage
Without natural calamity such scenes are ruling fears
Even with no such happenings we got to face and bear

We have done enough of damage to the nature
Not a single place we have left unpolluted for sure
Deforestation is undertaken on large scale
Sea is now with total extinction of whales

River waters, air and land is infected with chemicals
Many diseases are showing their presence on sudden arrivals
We have no more means to counter them with medicines
More deaths and destruction even on larger scale than famines

So fear not from such forecasts but prepare for protection
Complete awareness for conservation of forests with action
No more burning of forest lands to uproot with animals and birds
Such destruction by nature and human beings is never heard

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

@Lookout has a similar trajectory to the last one that just hit Louisiana a few weeks ago. Those people can not catch a break.

Thank you for the poem, it's spot-on. "Not a single place we have left unpolluted for sure". "Complete awareness" is crucial. I wish the people would get there. And yes, our lack of a massive response to Climate Change is pure insanity.

Nice to see you Lookout, thanks for stopping by. I read a bit about Gene Odum last week. Thank you for that information, I did not know about him. He sounds as if he was a wonderful person and his work is amazing. How fortunate for you to have known him.

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enhydra lutris's picture

@Lookout

be well and have a good one.

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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 --

Anja Geitz's picture

California Incident Management Team gives a briefing of what activity is planned for today. Thank god for everyone working around the clock to protect us.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Anja Geitz's picture

The Bobcat Fire crossed into Monrovia city limits as it continued to burn for a sixth day Friday in the Angeles National Forest. But the blaze did not grow in acreage or containment, officials said.

The flames breaches the northern edge of Monrovia but were kept north of Monrovia Canyon Park and above residential neighborhoods, as crews continued working to defend the area, the city of Monrovia said around 1:30 p.m.

“Firefighting crews have spent a considerable amount of time building defensive lines on the western and southern edges of the fire, which is located directly above Monrovia,” officials wrote.

Blackhawk helicopters were also being used to patrol the southwest perimeter of the wildfire, where crews are focusing containment efforts to protect homes.

The public was asked to avoid going into areas above Foothill Boulevard. Thursday night, evacuation routes became clogged with people trying to take photos of flames, officials said. (Me: banging head on desk)

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Anja Geitz stay safe. I know you are taking great care and know what to do. Sending best wishes to you. Thank you for the updates. It's helpful to hear from you all that are in the midst of this.

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snoopydawg's picture

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg is something.

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was very Turneresque. Beautiful in the paintings; eerie in reality.

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@Marie a little 'smoky' doesn't it. No red though. I agree, your red sky is alarming.
Hope the air quality there improves asap.

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enhydra lutris's picture

be well and have a good one

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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 --

@enhydra lutris , hope things are OK in your area. Take care.

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studentofearth's picture

Visibility is about a 1/4 mile. Living on the East side of the Cascade range smoke from forest fires and prescribed burns has become an annual event sometimes lasting for weeks. Fires are expected to burn until probably November. Stock are not wanting to graze today with the heavy ash cover on the plants. Taste and alkalinity probably makes it uncomfortable in the mouth, will probably feed hay later today. Instead of changing outer clothes to avoid bringing Covid into the household, changing to not bring in the smell of smoke.

Stories on the local news websites have shifted from where to to if need to evacuate to how to support evacuees. First arrest for arson has been made in Southern Oregon. This group of fire tragedy only seems to be increasing the political tension. There will probably not even be a short period of everyone from different backgrounds working together to overcome a common disaster.

Link to our statewide newspaper fire coverage.

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Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.

@studentofearth . Thank you for the link. The destruction is terrible. I hope the various communities don't allow political divisions to make matters worse.

Hope your air quality improves soon and your animals can adjust. Best wishes to you.

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Lily O Lady's picture

droughts of the first decade.

This year has been near “normal” (whatever that is) with temperatures fairly moderate. Some areas have had flash floods, but things have been livable overall.

Sadly I fear it makes our idiot citizens complacent with regard to climate. And smug in their support for Trump. Even the hurricanes which are breathlessly reported don’t seem to make perfect stop and think.

Meanwhile, the Democrat opponent of Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) Q-Anon conspiracy nutcase, has withdrawn for personal and family reasons. So crazy steps it up a notch.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

@Lily O Lady has been spared some of this chaos and danger. Mine has been spared as well for now. We all have to appreciate the reprieve while we can. I wish we could prevent complacency during our peaceful times. It's always hard to convince people that things are dire when they are not experiencing that at the time.

Sorry about your crazy politics. It does seem par for the course now though doesn't it. Best to you, thanks for stopping by.

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@Lily O Lady
As in "Nice family you have there, be a shame if something happened to them." ?

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

Lily O Lady's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness

cult members are insane.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

Deja's picture

Woke up around 4 am yesterday morning because one elbow, opposing wrist and one ankle were hurting so bad. Managed to get back to sleep and semi consciously avoid curling my arms up into the ball that I usually end up in (hugging my oversized pillow works until I get deep into sleep, then apparently the crazy sleep woman takes over).

Elbow and wrist no longer hurt by the time I woke back up, but the ankle was swollen and extremely tender to the touch up above the top of my foot. I couldn't elevate it while I sat in front of that godforsaken computer for 8 hours, and the swelling got worse, but no discoloration. It's much better today, after elevation and ice once I was allowed to log off the computer. No more limping today either.

I honestly don't know what I did. I can understand the elbow and the wrist. The ankle, not so much, actually not at all. I've somehow injured toes in the past (not the ones on the outside edges, but 2 different toes on opposing feet, in the middle). I regularly wake up with fresh purple bruises in places that would be impossible to bump or drop something on. I apparently once dug around in my ear so hard that I had blood dried on my pillow and ear.

I have a motion sensor camera with night vision, but I'm a little afraid of what I might see myself doing to myself in my sleep. And why the hell don't I wake up while it's happening? I've always said I could sleep through a tornado, but come on lol.

Anyway, have a good Saturday if at all possible! Thoughts going out to those in the disaster zones.

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Lily O Lady's picture

@Deja

sleepwalking among other things.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

Deja's picture

@Lily O Lady
The closest thing to sleep walking I do is when I have to get up and use the bathroom every single night. I've been known, on occasion, to nod off once on the toilet, but I wake up and wander back to bed.

It's very strange. I live alone, so it's possible that I've begun sleepwalking, but I don't think so. Certainly no sleep meds. I read in bed every night as my sleeping pill.

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@Deja
Try every two and a half hours. Lasix

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

Deja's picture

@The Voice In the Wilderness
I was trying to keep it short. I have a diuretic in one med and also take two allergy pills on allergist's orders (one prescription generic singulair, one otc generic zyrtec) which make me thirsty. Allergist also advised keeping water by my bedside to help with phlegm build up from the allergies. So, when I get up to pee every 2-3 hours, I also take a swig of water.

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@Deja

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

@Deja sound rather bad. What in the world? I think I would be too curious not to watch what's recorded on that sensor camera.
Hope you figure it out at the very least so that perhaps you can prevent it happening again. Thanks for stopping by, take care.

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magiamma's picture

and everyone

Smoke thinker today but sky is clearer. The marine layer has lifted letting the smoke drift down.

Hoping Oregon folks and SoCal people are faring okay.

Grasping onto things that are hopeful as the chaos continues. Listening to Glen Gould and Barenboim do Bach. Works.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_TSmgxlXno]

Gould
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AC8L15nu9g]

Be safe, be well, take good care everyone...

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

@magiamma , glad your sky is clearer. Next step is to clear out the smoky stuff. Hope that happens soon for you.
Good about the Goldberg variations. Thank goodness for the music and the fabulous artists who can play it.
If you get a chance, check out Rembrandt checking out Bach (above) at the Rijkmuseum. It's sort of clever.
Hope your garden is doing well. I'm just barely starting a few fall veggies and herbs. No time for a major garden but I can do a baby one.

Take care magi, thanks for stopping by, wishing you the best.

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magiamma's picture

@randtntx
wonderful bach and so funny to see the people peeking out from the painting in the background.

Thanks for the tip. Finally had time to listen. Lol

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Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation

Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook

@magiamma The camera guy was good as well.
Have a good one.

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A male Catahoula. I think we first saw him 4 days ago. He looked so fit that my thought was that he belongs to a neighbor and just comes for a visit. I did feed him last evening, and he ate so hungrily that he may have been dumped.
For now, I will keep him outside my yard fence, just in case he is a neighbor's dog.
It should be getting cooler in a couple of weeks. I will start planning a long weekend stay at a cabin resort on some nearby lake, just for a change of scenery.
Accuweather is reliable for temperature forecasts. It greatly with assists with packing!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

@on the cusp Sounds as if he may be enchanted by the food you gave him.
Your weekend getaway plans sound great. The weather should be getting cooler soon. Usually we have a couple of beautiful weeks in October, weather-wise. We tend to go to the coast right about then.
I should use that accucheck weather thingy myself, seeing how I planted some tiny seeds just before our deluge last week. I couldn't imagine rain since we hardly had any this summer. It just didn't seem possible. I think said seeds belong to the neighbors now; they floated away somewhere.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by, have a good one, take care.

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Lily O Lady's picture

@on the cusp

an ID chip. It could help locate the owners.

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"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"

travelerxxx's picture

@Lily O Lady

A lot of fire departments have chip readers. Even our local volunteer department has one.

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@Lily O Lady with the 2 feed stores and the local vet. They post lost and found dog stuff.
This dog is very stand offish. However, he seems familiar with people, gates, fences, water and food bowls.
I will make those calls about lost dogs on Monday. Meanwhile, he is being fed, has water. My fiance' calls him "Jarvis" for reasons I may never know.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

janis b's picture

@on the cusp

whether by personal choice or being dumped.

Take good care of him, if that's what he's looking for ; ).

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@janis b unless the distance was man-made dump. I do not want a dog, although dogs are my favorite things in this life. I am at the point where I cannot outlive them, and cannot die before them.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

janis b's picture

… "showering the earth with love"

Thank you for the beautiful images in paining and words to accompany your sentiments.

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@janis b and thank you for the kind words. Hope you are well and giving yourself plenty of time and quiet and calm.

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