Her Special Thumb....What Direction is This?

junction of forces

 Leffingwell Landing North, Cambria

8:30 am

     That's where we are, at a junction of forces. There is a lot at play. 

      

       An atmospheric front moves through the scene above and it changes things; how people feel, the light diffusion, humidity, wind and more. The Pacific is a grand energy and power of its own. It tunes the temperature, winds, and carries storms and is the world to marine life. The land stands by uplifts and movement and rises from the beach to the mountains and rock, pastures, wild life, forests and climates.

        This nation, at this time, is in a similar frame and depth of complexity-a junction of political forces and history.

what direction is this?

        

        Founder Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. 

     He was asked after the Constitutional Convention what sort of government had the delegates created.

      "A Republic, if you can keep it."

       Franklin said when you bring an assembly of people for the benefit of their joint wisdom, you also assemble all of their "prejudices, passions, errors of opinion, local interest and their selfish views."

     History is stitching into the weave that binds this democratic republic. We are at a rare place and power now collides.

     The Legislative and the Executive branches have launched legal/constitutional disputes. The Parties are wrestling for their own souls and they are at a bitter war with each other. Citizen dialogue is dysfunctional and mean. Legal scholars debate who has power and who can do what to whom. Some of the corporate media are hysterical and act as cheerleaders. Social media is manipulation, assault, and role playing. Federal agencies are under a dismantlement or allowed to atrophy and crumble. The US is under cyber and thought attack.

      The Mueller Report did not end the loudest drama. For better or worse, it is a beginning of a new round of contest, vibrating through our Republic, if we can keep it.

her special thumb

     I'm fortunate to love an artist, who is also a gardener.  Lana's mother could grow anything and was forever puttering in ornamental beds and vegetable gardens. Daughter is like Mother. She continues to transform our place on the ridge to a sanctuary for mind and soul. Peace grows here.

into lana's garden

      Here's our annual visit to Lana's spring Garden.
      I hope you can take a few moments with these images to savor and enjoy the detail of how she composes with color, light, shape and texture.   

   It was a hope-to have bearing citrus trees, at our home. The ability to pick fruit on the back hill is a kick for a midwestern kid. 

    Lana is amazed at the robust growth of the artichoke plants. I relish consumption. 

    For someone who grumbles and grouses about weeds, she certainly has a winsome way with photosynthetic eukaryotes of the Kingdom Plantae. She is a plantae painter.

     See you down the trail. 

    

     

     

A Kid Like Ja-A Man Like Mueller-Stars in the Rites of Spring

   It's the spring of 2019 when our fancy turns to Big Dances and Big Probes and media palaver--but there are clouds on the horizon

and there are secrets! Will America be allowed to peer into the secret web of intrigue and investigation

  and learn what the Mueller probe learned? Will the grand galloomps of the administration and the republicans of the Senate

(A facsimile of the DOJ gallops and the McConnell Senate Republicans)

   allow their paymasters and employers (that would be US citizens) to learn what Mueller has learned? Well that brings us to the RIGHTS OF SPRING.

   The old birds are clattering...

   and chattering and the bets are on.

    A safe prediction from your old blogger-it's going to be another fight, another circus, another chapter of America in decline, America yelling, America divided. 

    Democrats will ask for full disclosure, Republicans will resist. The President will blather and tweet and lie. The House will continue their investigations, Federal prosecutors will continue their prosecutions and investigations. There will be legal challenges and court filings and hearings and this thing could go on for, dare I say it-years!

    We have primal forces at work here...like

   sea against rock, wind against sea, power versus power,

   infinite force against eternal existence. 

       Unlike nature, these human struggles devolve to aberrant behavior; deceptions, tricks, deceits, fraud, larceny, and abuse of power. 

      Greed, avarice, and venality have never been far from "individual 1." Diligence, devotion, public service, sacrifice and intelligence have never been far from Mr Mueller. 

      The substance of the two-year investigation will come out. This is the US, with whistleblowers, leakers, people of conscience, investigative reporters, packs of competitive journalists and a citizenry for whom all of this was done.

    Who are you betting on? Which team do you find yourself rooting for?

well...

     Presently I'm rooting for my bracket picks and celebrating another Cinderella story. This is the time of year the of NCAA championships where there is always a peoples favorite, a human interest story, the little Davids taking on the Giant Goliaths, the valiant struggle of appealing characters striving against great odds. Stars emerge and shine. We find new heroes. We cheer and we cry with the heartbroken warriors who leave the court denied a dream. This too is the Right Rite of Spring. 

     I thank Mr Mueller for the decorum, diligence, dignity and scrutiny he brought to that other arena. Smart people will continue his work. But right now I'm on my feet, cheering and fist pumping for a kid named Ja. And for all the kids who play their hearts out. It's good there are still champions, good to be reminded we play the game by the rules, good to know that in the end when history posts the scores, cheaters loose, and liars get busted. And it is reassuring to see people being good sports both in loosing and in victory.

    See you down the trail.

      

      

       

Is it beginning to look like...?

    A Christmas adventure story about packs of strike force agents coming up, but first it struck me that even kelp pods seem decorated for the holiday. Pacific tides offering assistance.

    This is enough "white" for our Christmas. Since our transformation to Californians, we dream of a "green Christmas" and we seem to be on our way.

    Green blades have emerged in the space next to our house.

      You can see tinges of green on the grazing slopes rising behind the trees.

   These were the spectators in the walk in seats at our tennis court. They're more interested in tender green than our "exciting and dynamic" matches. (Actually play was very good-on this occasion) 

indeed it is beginning to look like....

   The community chorale is tuned up for their seasonal concerts--seen here at "hospitality night rehearsal" in the village

  While just a couple of blocks away the "village dancers flash mob" made one of their multiple stops...

   The seasonal turn and cultural calendar come to us as a moment of joy that is getting better. 
    It looks as if the naughty or nice list may have a bigger impact at the White House than Melania's spooky red trees.

 it's beginning to look like justice will be the  white house stocking stuffer

    If the rogue president was to peek out of the White House window he might find special task force elves at work.... 

    In fact there may be a couple of strike forces of elves. There's the batch deputized by Robert Mueller. They are not saying much. But the group that appears to be dancing and giving high fives are the Trump Justice Department appointed prosecutor elves from New York. That's the team that has "gifted" their boss, Individual 1, by saying he has committed a felony. 
    To keep the good cheer alive after the New Year, elves from the House of Representatives promise investigations and subpoenas. 

another early gift-cherish it

     America opened an early gift when 44 former US Senators asked the current Senate to be "steadfast and zealous guardians of democracy."  The bi-partisan group, including respected lions of the Senate, urge this and the future Senate to guard our democracy by "ensuring that partisanship or self interest not replace national interest." That last line was a two-by-four to the head of Mitch McConnell.
      The unprecedented action reminds us of the 50 former Republican administration officials from several Republican Presidents who took out ads to warn us that Donald Trump was unfit, unqualified and did not have the temperament to be President. 
      Individual 1 prompted another historic first when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court publicly rebuked the President. And now we have the warning from distinguished former members of the upper chamber.
       

its beginning to look like individual 1

really is a russian stooge

     For the first time in more than 600 days one can say there may be a real chance the majority of voting Americans will finally see truth and justice over come the Russian fix and the Trump lies.

    A gift came early. One of our coffee dialectic buddies, who out of pique and anger over gridlock and business as normal and his distaste of things Clinton, cast his franchise for public enemy #1, er, Individual 1, cheered our hearts when he offered "I've come to agree with you guys, I think he is just evil." When will Senate and House Republicans also realize Trump belongs in a prison jump suit? Put it on your Santa wish list. 
     

    Nothing too jolly about these Santas. They're reading the Mueller investigative files. 
      Maybe, just maybe in this season of Santa and Elves, the nastiest of spoiled brats will be left with just his pout and a  hearty, "You're fired!"

      Yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year!

      See you down the trail.