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....this glorious tree that I walk under as much as possible when I go out for my walks that overhangs the sidewalk and fills the air with a very mild and sweet scent. Its beauty takes my breath away. Here's a hug for you if you need one today. 
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Oh, my goodness! All the trees are really putting on a show right now! I saw this tree probably from at least two blocks away. It's enormous and gorgeous!! I hope your day surrounds you with beauty and joy.  My sister's favorite - daffodils! I adore them too! For me, I love anything that's yellow. "In the amaryllis family, daffodils symbolize rebirth and hope. They also have a meaning of resilience since they are strong little things that managed to survive throughout winter and are ready to pop up as soon as the days start getting longer." I hope your day is full of hope and things that make you happy :-)  Forget-me-nots, from the genus Myosotis, meaning mouse's ear. Took a blog hiatus. Trying to stay positive in this scary world. I hope you find beauty all around you today and every day.  ...in a matter of days, the orange dictator f*ckwad takes away rights, renames the friggin' Gulf of Mexico (are you kidding me?????), and basically tears down everything that makes America truly great. We are a nation of immigrants. We ALL came from somewhere else. How is this basic FACT lost on these complete and utter maroons that have descended upon DC and have drunk the Kool-Aid? I mean, seriously, is money that these asshats will never be able to spend in 10 lifetimes worth all the suffering they're causing to millions of people? I think I'm a compassionate person. I am an inherent optimist. I am happy at my core. This administration is testing all of that. I hope I make it through it intact. I hope we all do. Thank you. I had to get that out. And perhaps that's the best way to deal with it - just get it out. As my wonderful partner always says, better out than in.  ...with a stroke of his evil pen, the orange f*ckwad makes the stupidest, meanest executive orders on his very first day. Is anyone surprised? I'm certainly not. What a great way to start your term - letting felons out of jail who stormed the Capital and killed people! Yep, way to make America great again. However, if these people were of a different skin color, say, brown, black, yellow, do you think they'd still be in jail? Um....don't think too hard on that one. It's a pretty easy answer. And so it begins. Four years of despotism, idiocracy (yep, that's going to be my nom de plume for this bastard's term), and free-falling from a great nation to ruins. Hopefully, Congress and the House aren't fiddling while we burn....time will tell. Trying to breathe through this trying time. It's only going to get worse. Hug someone you love today. And if you know anyone who identifies as non-female or non-male, they're going to need you even more than ever before. I'm really, really hoping that love will triumph over evil. That's really all I've got. Peace to you.  Trying so hard to breathe on what I hope isn't the last day of democracy as we know it, I'm thinking of all of the things Joe Biden accomplished in his short four years. Do you know what his administration has been able to achieve? Well, if you don't, here are just a few, starting with what just happened: Equal Rights Amendment: The 28th Amendment is the law of the land, guaranteeing all Americans equal rights and protections under the law regardless of their sex. Reinvigorating cancer research to lower death rates Making medication more accessible through telemedicine Fixing bridges, building tunnels and expanding broadband The U.S. is producing more oil than anytime in history Making airlines pay up when flights are delayed or canceled Expanded overtime guarantees for millions First over-the-counter birth control pill to hit U.S. stores in 2024 Gun violence prevention and gun safety get a boost Renewable power is the No. 2 source of electricity in the U.S. — and climbing Preventing discriminatory mortgage lending A sweeping crackdown on “junk fees” and overdraft charges Biden moves to bring microchip production home Forcing Chinese companies to open their books A new agency to investigate cyberattacks Strengthening military ties to Asian allies Preventing another Jan. 6Union-busting gets riskier Biden empowers federal agencies to monitor AI Building armies of drones to counter China The nation’s farms get big bucks to go “climate-smart” Biden scraps the orange f*ckwad’s paint scheme for Air Force One The Biden administration helps broker a deal to save the Colorado River Giving smaller food producers a boost Biden recommends loosening federal restrictions on marijuana A penalty for college programs that trap students in debt Tech firms face new international restrictions on data and privacy Preventing a cobalt crisis in Congo Cracking down on cyberattacks Countering China with a new alliance between Japan and South Korea Biden inks blueprint to fix 5G chaos To name just a few. Thanks, Uncle Joe! And Kamala! And I hope this next administration does good for everyone on the planet and thinks about US, we, the people. I have a lot of anxiety over what's coming next. Good luck to all of us! We're going to need it. Peace out.  ....to the inauguration, either, if I were Michelle Obama. In fact, if it's even possible, I respect her more for it. I kind of wish everyone with any sense of decency wouldn't go, though I don't blame the former presidents for attending. I think it's more about supporting America than about supporting the ridiculous poser getting inaugurated. I had hoped to be out of town on that day. I will not tune in. Can't stand to look at that maniac, much less hear his voice, much less watch him put his fat ham hands on a Bible (I'm not religious, but still!) and take the oath when he should be in prison. Ahhh, our country....the founding fathers must be dying all over again..... Okay. Had to get that out of my system. Sometimes you need to cleanse your palate before moving on. I'm going to bundle up and see how long I can walk today. It's 19 degrees but feels like 6 degrees out there. At least it's sunny! My heart goes out to the West Coast...and honestly, to everyone everywhere suffering....here's a hug for you. I hope you're doing well on this January day. Here's a nature heart for you from Starved Rock. Peace out.  ....it's cold outside! It was a balmy 10 degrees this morning when we woke up, real feel minus 7. Definitely not complaining. I have nothing to complain about - it's winter in the Midwest and it's supposed to be cold. I welcome it because it's....normal when so many things aren't. I don't think I need to list the events happening in this Bizarro World we're all finding ourselves in. But today, I'm staying away from any political rants and just enjoying a beautiful, snowy, freezing, sunny winter day. If you need a hug today, here's one for you. If you need someone to tell you you're amazing, here you go: You're amazing! Pass it along, won't you? Here's some serenity for you from our beautiful camping trip to Wisconsin and our hike in Kettle Moraine. Peace to you.  ....we've seen so many friends mark themselves safe from the Los Angeles wildfires, but, oh, how sickeningly awful and scary and devastating it looks out there. I remember years ago my sister calling me from her home in Texas when her neighborhood was evacuated due to wildfires near them, the sound of her voice, the terror in it, the helplessness of being able to do anything about it. It's something I'll never forget. Thank you to all the brave firefighters who are doing their best to quench all the fires out there and everywhere and to all the people who are helping others through this tragic time. Here, we're experiencing just the opposite - a winter snow is falling outside, beautiful, swirling flakes. From the raging of orange and red flames and black smoke on the West Coast to a peaceful dance of white snowflakes in the Midwest....kind of defines how things are going in our country and around the world - polar opposites....yep, I read the news today, oh, boy.....need to shake it all off.... Please take care of each other, the stranger on the street, the people you hold dear, the person serving your dinner at your favorite restaurant, the coworker in the next cubicle. Life is short and precious, and if we're not here to help each other, then I really don't know what we're here for. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. Here's a bit of beauty for you from Starved Rock. Peace out.  |