I don't know what to say???

Ever just have one of those times in life that just kind of leave you speechless? The kind of thing that you never really saw coming, but is welcomed heartily when it does? Well, obviously I'm not entirely speechless (I rarely am...), hence the post tonight, but I am flattered tremendously. A fellow blogger and Freedom Gardener, Andrew Stone, posted a write-up on my blog tonight that honestly just embarrassed me for it's complimentary nature. Thanks Andrew so much.

When I began writing this blog, just under two years ago, it was something I didn't quite understand to be honest. I mean yeah, I understood that it was a free repository for the written word, but I didn't understand the power for change in my own life that it could hold. Even more surprising to me is the influence that it could become to others. I began it as a way for me to, more than anything else, get my thoughts out of my head and to document them somewhere. I found that as I did they began to jell more clearly into not just random ideas but into much more, they started to redefine who I was. Actually not even redefine so much as to just put before me a clear picture of what I wanted, believed, enjoyed and strived for. Sometimes I think we get caught up in who we think we are and holding a virtual mirror up to myself helped me to see who I really was.

I found a voice I didn't know I had, and surprisingly to me, that there were people willing to listen to that voice. I don't know how to say it without sounding like I'm tooting my own horn, but when people email me from all over the world to ask questions or say thank you for "inspiring them", I just swell up. I enjoy it soooo much! I thought a lot about becoming a teacher in a past life, and doing this lets me live that just a little.

Well, enough of that for now. Why not drop into Andrews blog and give him a read. He's another Utahan, and has a really good site.

Till tomorrow.
P~

Addressing a comment

I got a comment posted today that I thought I would address. I don't do this to be confrontational, but I could see it being taken as such so I wanted to state for the record that that is not the intent. I had posted some time back about whether I was missing something in how we seemed to have skipped the entire Thanksgiving season. Today I got this post from a friend, neighbor and fellow blogger:

Happy "Native America Genocide Day!"
Sorry to be the wet sheet, many "American Indians" or "Native Americans" (such as myself) feel that if our forefathers hadn't held the first Thanksgiving, we might not have gone through the culling and near extermination that the settlers forced upon the native peoples.
Another common sentiment among native peoples is that our proverbial olive branch and welcoming gesture that was the First Thanksgiving was not reciprocated by the white settlers, and was answered with deceit and (despite what is force-fed to our children in public schools).
Anyhow, not trying to put a damper on anyone's holiday celebrations, just bringing up another point of view.
- http://www.joelevi.com/

To a point I know where he's coming from. I mean, our U.S. history is littered with the remnants of many cultures, not the least of which is the Native American Indians. They were in large part a trusting people when the visitors from overseas came to their shores and yes, they were mistreated, abused, killed and removed from their native lands in many cases. It is a black mark on American History.
It's not the only one though is it? What about slavery? How about the way that nearly every group of immigrants has been persecuted when they first arrived? Even the Irish were considered inferior to Anglo Americans and called unassimilatable into US culture once upon a time.

So what's my point, to ignore the plight on our Native American population because "hey, other groups had it hard too?" No. My point is that the greater promise of America, in my opinion, does not lie in rehashing our failures of the past. I wouldn't expect my children, who are of easily traceable Irish descent, to hold a grudge against their country because their ancestors were relegated to the worst jobs. I don't believe in allowing ones name, or race to hold them back either. The only boundaries we have in our way that can truly impede us are the ones we place there ourselves. No, I believe in fact that the greatest promise the America holds and the reason that day after day and year after year there are people from around the globe clamouring to get in here, is that we have the ability to admit our mistakes, do our best to correct them, and even more so, we have the unique gift of largely being able to decide for ourselves what it is that we will be able to attain.

The Irish, Italian and Asian communities (among others) have overcome the prejudices that were in their way. The children of black slaves have opportunities that their grandparents could only have dreamed of, to include of course the attaining of the highest office. And for myself, son of a poor kid who's Dad pushed him to do better for himself and, oh yeah, a direct descendant of Native Americans as well, I'm pretty proud of my country even with it's mistakes.

So just as Christmas has evolved from it's early Christian/pagan origins and became what it is today. (Minus of course the over-commercializing of it. That's another story.) So too has Thanksgiving evolved. Most people celebrate Thanksgiving today, with exception to the "token pilgrim/Indian decorations", not as a time of thanks for being welcomed to this continent, or celebration for the way the native population was wronged in the process, but rather as a time to give thanks to their God and their family for the blessings that they have. Thanks for the time we have to spend together, and to give to others of their time and their bounty.

So, that's my opinion on the matter. As stated, I don't mean to be confrontational, but it's my blog and while I will not edit (with obvious exception of spam or vulgarity) the comments left here, I can't say that I will agree with them all. Nor will I sit quietly all the time.
Thank you.
P~

A new addition

If you've read this blog for very long, you've probably read one of posts about recycling or re-purposeing things. I'm a huge advocate of it, even to the point that the guys at work are afraid to throw anything out before giving me dibs on it. But there is a down side to it; a secret, hidden, dark underbelly to it and I'm not afraid to share it with you.
And here we are. Please don't think badly of A~, it's all me. She bugged me regularly to clean up my mess but it sat there for ages. Allow me to run you through the wealth of re-purpose potential before you...
• Starting on the far right in the background there is a large black cabinet looking thing. This is a black steel computer server cabinet with a glass front that I got for free from work and intend to re-fit into a large stand up solar dehydrator.
• Just below those are some more "urbanite" (busted up old sidewalks) that we intend to use to further extend the garden beds next year the same way that we did with our other beds.
• On the far left of the picture are some salvaged pieces of 4" PVC pipe that I originally intended for some hydroponics/aquaponics ideas that I had, but at this point may just become vertical storage units for handled tools like rakes and such.
Add in some scrap lumber, leaf bags that were given to me for my compost pile (that is currently sorely lacking, but that is another post.), salvaged pallets etc. and you can see it quickly becomes a pretty solid eyesore.
But Last weekend while my oldest son was out visiting we cleaned it up and added a new and (in the future) very useful item. An almost braaand neeewww sheeeeed. (say that with that great game show voice you know you like to do...)
And there it is, gorgeous huh? And we cleaned up the side yard. neatly stacked all my "junk" and got this baby all put together. I have to take a second to thank S.H.~ a previous boss of mine that just relocated to Washington DC and decided to sell this very nearly new shed to me for next to nothing. It required a lot of sweat equity but was well worth it. A very useful item will have it's usefulness extended, and I'll be better able to hide my yard tools and such in the future. I keep saying in the future because we decided for the summer that the boys can use it as a playhouse until the big yard tools need to be put up for winter.
Here I am trying to get the first corner together and wracking my brain to remember how the heck this thing goes together. Trust me, it took a few minutes.
And of course where would I be without my great helpers. I look forward to watching them share their skills and "Dad-can-fix-anythingness" with their kids one day just like I'm sure my father enjoys it today.

Have a great day all, till tomorrow.

P~

Skansen and thank you's

I was born in Umeå Sweden and grew up in California. When I was nine, my parents put me on a plane and sent me back there to get to know my family. When I got there my Mom had arranged to have a good friend U~, pick me up at the airport and show me around for a day or two, it's been 27 yrs the details are a little foggy. One thing I do remember was the trip she took me on to a place called Skansen. It is a living museum in Stockholm that shows how the Swedish people lived throughout history. I remember glass blowers, and timber frame barns, and all of the crafts and architecture. There are all things that are all near and dear to me even now.

I've said before that early on I began to be interested in old ways for lack of a better word. Well, if I had only a cursory interest in it prior to nine, then after Skansen I was enamoured. The home in the picture is one that has been in my head for most of my life. I had never seen a home with grass on the roof, and it wasn't until recently that I learned how efficient they are. All I know is that it felt so comfortable to me; like I had grown up there. Being as I was nine, I don't know if I ever took the time to let U~ know how much I appreciate her taking the time to do show me around, and unwittingly as it may have been, shaping a young mind. I talked with Mom tonight and she told me that when U~ was out recently visiting her, she gave her the address for my blog. So U~ (I assume you know who you are, I never use full names here, it's a silly little thing I do.) thank you so much, I hope you'll come here and check in on me once and a while, and if you click the link below the post where it says "_ comments", you can leave me a note.
Strange how life puts things in front of you that are just meant to be there isn't it?
Namaste~

You like me... you really like me

C'mon, haven't you just always wanted to say that?!
I was tagged by "Farm mom at children in the corn" with the honor of a Bloggers for Positive Global Change Award much to my surprise. The award originated with Climate of our future, and is to recognize blogs that are trying to make the world a better place for all of us. Thanks so much for the kudos! I don't really know what to say to this. I started blogging with no intent to even go down this path, and yet here I am. I get so much enjoyment out of sharing the journey with so many of you, learning and sharing from each other. I will certainly have to give some thought to whom my tagees will be and may go back and seek out some of the other links before me. Thanks again to Farm mom, and to all of you that drop in and put up with me!
P~