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| Peaceful Pause |
There's no arguing that it's been Cold Time! We haven't had too much snow, only about 8" on the ground. The constant cold and below zero wind chills have made outside activities less than alluring. I'll be very happy to resume our daily walks.
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| Oops! Almost empty |
We've been using the woodstove daily during our waking hours. If the cold continues Bob will have to take his sled and bring in more wood from the pile outside. Not only will that chill the man, but it cools down the house with all of the opening and closing of the cellar door.
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| An inviting place to read |
It is also Renewal Time, so we've spent much time reading in front of the stove.
We finished the Slabsides Book and are now reading Burroughs' book, A Year in the Fields.
Between these two books we read Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida.
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| A very good read |
This book I highly recommend. It is a first-hand account of life in Japanese Internment camps during World War II. The author, in her twenties at the time, her sister and parents we uprooted with thousands of other Japanese (both American born citizens and Japanese born) and dropped into unfinished containment camps in the American desert. No Due Process, no nothing. It's very timely reading for today.
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| Project is moving along |
I've been making very good progress on stage 2 of my hardanger piece. I hope to finish this stage in the next couple of weeks.
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| Fresh out of the pans |
I bake bread biweekly the year round, but it seems extra pleasant to raise the loaves on the hearth and bake during this cold weather. I thought that you might enjoy a peak too. Try to imagine the wonderful fragrance. That can be part of renewal, too.
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| Bread for another two weeks |
Bob's been relaxing but volunteering as well.
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| Off to the Capital, Albany |
He went with a busload of climate activists to Albany in an effort to remind our Governor of the legal commitments that she has already made on New York's behalf.
Oh yes, another step we've taken in this Renewal Time is that we've turned off our morning alarm for the season. We still haven't settled into a regular wake up time. Some days it's 30 minutes past our normal time; others it's 90 minutes! Once warm weather comes, we can't sleep so late. Our outside exercise and work must be finished at least by noon (preferably 10 am). I think the late sleeping is related to stress.
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| Taking action |
Perhaps some of you, especially who we've met since returning to New York, are unaware that we lived in Minnesota for 21 years. The last 17 of those, we lived in a northern suburb of Minneapolis.
Our food coops where we shopped were in Minneapolis. The ethnic markets we patronized were in Minneapolis. Every Saturday night we ate at a variety of ethnic restaurants there. The Mennonite Fellowship and Quaker Meeting we attended were there.
To witness the terrorization of this community is extremely upsetting to us.
These updates are getting more and more difficult to write.
When I read posts by some of the people that I know, I think, "Are they just oblivious to what's happening out there?".
I don't know the answer to this question. But I want you to know that, while I write of reading and relaxing by the fire, we are not emotionally hiding. Things are not fine. We deeply feel this moment and are acting as we are able to respond.
Protests, phone calls and boycotts. Another important part of the response is to have that cup of tea. Read a book. Recharge to Resume.
Holding all of you, in our hearts and in accountability.
Till next time,
Kathleen and Bob
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| Snowing again |
