Yellow Lily

The photo of Ee's hyacinth disappeared from below, so I'll post this one of last summer's Lily, also from his meadow. I love Lilies, but for some sad reason they always bring to my mind that Walt Whitman line that goes something like (loose translation here) who knows from what lovely lip hath this Lily sprung. I did make a feeble attempt to find it online, but couldn't. Maybe someone else knows?

Anyway, it seems a morbid way to look at a Lily, but I believe it's meant to celebrate the circle and replenishment of life. And as my perennial plants began to show green shoots above the brown earth, I began to really believe in Spring's proof of life!

Spring Hyacinth

A pretty little hyacinth peeks through the pine needles in Ee's meadow.

After much soul searching, I've started yet another blog!
Last month, I started Prescott Past in order to share Ee's collection of old Prescott post cards.

Now I'm starting a blog called Speaking out in Freedom where I'll contain my Political rants. I posted for the first time to tell of my Grandson's experience in meeting two young Marines who had had an encounter with some college kids on spring break.

This blog will stay the same old....

Sisters

This is my Mon at age two. She looks appropriately serious here, and I imagine that affording a studio portrait was a pretty serious matter to her parents. My Grandfather was just embarking, or about to embark on his Veterinary practice and there were two little boys to care for as well as the two girls. I know that they barely scraped by at this point in their lives and that my Grandmother sewed every stitch the children wore including the boys suits. Usually the material she used was from the cast off clothing of other family members, and it's not hard to imagine that these cute look-a-like dresses were stitched from someone's cast off petticoats!

Here, the sisters at two and four, look as though they're tired of posing for the camera. Doris has a pretty constrained smile! Don't you love that bow!

Once, when these little girls were both in their eighties, I heard them is an rather heated debate that harked back to one biting the head off the other's celluloid doll when they were children. "Well, you dared me!" proclained the offender.

I hope you have a lovely Spring Day!

The First Day of Spring!

The day when the sun is in perfect line with the equator. According to the news this morning, it is today although March 21 is usually the date of the Vernal Equnox, but this year it's the 20th. It can't be too soon for me!
It's been spring break for the girls so we stopped by Watters Garden Center the other day. Roo looks it over deciding where to zoom in.

This lady, with her charming way of dressing always enhances the Watters experience.

Inside, colored glass caught Mu's eye.

I liked this umbrella that makes a sunflower when unfurled....

Pretty and pink gets Roo's attetion every time.........

This round kitty was pretty cute.

All these strange creatures are watering cans made from metal

Piglet! Quit playing in the fountain!

After prowling through all the plants, shrubs and trees as well as everything the gift shop had to offer, the girls zeroed in on the best of all.....lotions and potions for softer, more fragrant skin..

Ee and I got some seed trays and some sterile seed starting mix. Dull stuff after all that was on offer. We noticed though, that the high end garden sculpture usually displayed in abundance, was nowhere to be seen.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

I thought this clip art girl all dressed in green would make a good St. Paddy's Day statement, but she looks rather sad doesn't she?

Ah well, I'm of good cheer and I hope you are too, and soon to be filled to the brim with corned beef and cabbage or green beer or whatever suits your fancy!

It's a sunny day here at the One Acre Wood, and the trees are thinking seriously about the wearin' of the green! Spring is in the air!

9000 Earmarks

I've been trying to learn a bit more about the convoluted workings of Congress, and here is a basic: each project or "earmark" goes through the process of authorization and appropriation. I found an informative site here, on Congressional Line.

authorization - A statutory provision that obligates funding for a program or agency. An authorization may be effective for one year, a fixed number of years, or an indefinite period. An authorization may be for a definite amount of money or for "such sums as may be necessary." The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization and then appropriation.

appropriation - The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization and then appropriation. Legislation status tables and information about the appropriations process are available on the Appropriations page.



On March 10, 2009, John McCain had this to say to the President and to his fellow Congressmen:

"In 1991 there was a total of 537 earmarks for the entire appropriations process. This evil has grown, and it has grown, and it has grown-to the point where we now have 9000 earmarks. All we are asking is to authorize. We have talked a lot about the individual earmarks. But the fact is, they are not authorized. I heard one of my colleagues today on this side of the aisle say, "Well the authorizing committees are too busy."
Really? Really?
So all we are asking is to go back to what this body had done and the Congress had done for a couple of hundred years: that is authorize the projects."

Let's make it clear that we don't approve of earmarks from either party and that we especially dislike Congressional committee members being "too busy" to follow proper procedures.

I've already written John McCain to thank him for his stance.
Today, I'm writing to Nancy Pelosi to tell her we Americans aren't deaf, dumb, and blind. She needs to get her house in order. We need to let her know that it is not really her house! It is ours, and we are watching her!

Senator John McCain
241 Russell
Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
235 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

All Bound up in Government

This is the way I picture our poor beleaguered Country. Regrettably, the working American taxpayer is being wrapped in an ever tightening web of
an increasingly demanding Government. Seemingly gone are the days when most of our elected representatives felt they worked for us or even represented us.

I have been wondering what I can do. Well, for the price of some paper, envelopes and stamps, I can write letters to let my Congressmen and my President know that I'm paying attention. I know I can easily send them emails, but I'm going to write real letters. Mainly, I'm going to let them know I'm paying attention, that I'm not the stupid sheep they think I am!

You can look up your Governmental Representatives, including your Governor and members of your State Legislature here. Project Vote Smart makes it easy to review the voting records and read the speeches of your Representatives. They provide contact information so we can write or email our Representatives telling them how we feel about their performances.

This was not my vision for my retirement years, but now I can't help feeling , if we can't exert some checks and balances in Congress now, we will deserve what we get. The trouble is our Grandchildren and their children and their children will suffer from our negligence and disinterest.

How about wounded Vets paying for their own medical care? Unbelievable? Maybe, but you might want to read this.

Repeat after me, a letter a day to keep the socialists away, Yes I Can!

Gotta go..today I'm writing a thank-you letter to John McCain (Rep.AZ) for his speech standing up against earmarks in this spending bill.