12.16.16 Our wanton ways

       Here's what I was realizing yesterday.

We have evolved our diet to include so many things we don't benefit from. Dairy. Meat. Ground up grains. 
It's not that they don't contain valuable nutrients.  It's that, genetically, we have not evolved enough to manage the volume of them, proportionately, in our diets.

We have a Petrified Forest in the US, containing the remnants of trees, what fell to the earth before the earth had evolved enzymes to break down trees. So they became petrified. 

Humans have not evolved quickly enough to be able to break down foods they historically did not rely on.
If you have noticed, even places like Dana Farber are realizing this, and this year began urging patients to eat a vegan diet. 
But here's what I was realizing yesterday.

     All over the cosmos there are species who begin, who strew          garbage everywhere, begin to eat crap they are not designed to      
healthily break down, and then die out. 
Natural order. 
Think of all the sustainable species who will remain after 
we're gone, if we don't kill them off with our wanton ways first.

12.16.16 Yours, mine, ours- Winter Holidays

Many in our nation are angry that Christmas can't be the dominant religion celebrated in our publicly places, to the exclusion of other religions. 

It doesn't mean you don't get to wish anyone Merry Christmas, so don't be infantile about it. 
It means we may not want to assert the Christian Christmas as being the biggest bestest holiday ( sound like anyone you know?). 

I say Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. We offer each other " Happy Holidays" if we feel like it, simply because there are so many winter holidays. There are so many cool holidays, you might just want to check them out. 

And just maybe, when your neighbor or coworker or their kid is at school or the town hall, you might want them to see themselves and their traditions reflected , just as you would want your own to be included.

We may want our publicly owned buildings to be inclusive, so instead of Jesus, more generalized winter celebratory stuff. It's not hard and it's not a big deal and it's not about you and what you want to do in your own private Idaho. 

It's about adults and kids of all faiths and ethnicities looking around them and gradually seeing a world that includes them too. 

Ever hear of the Golden Rule? It's shown up in ever religious tradition, the earliest reference is Egyptian c. 2040, and it keeps popping up because it's just common sense. A good one to live by, I'd say.
Learn all the cool holidays created by your big beautiful human family.

12.16.16 The view

from here

12.16.16 Big blustery wild

The long and short of it,
big blustery wild wind freezing cold fresh bold winter

12.14.16 FB video Cold and colder

Cold and growing colder. December and heading farther. The day began with a big old golden moon, glowing through the early morning light, as the kind ride arrived for the guy,and off they went to Boston. 

So off I went too, for a little beauty relief, and found it, following that powerful moon about the land, as it traded places with a sun, looking like it was coming from right next door. 

The Connecticut, so early, was broad and slate colored and quietly rushing its powerful self on by. 

Back home, I grabbed that little furred boyo and up into the range we tromped, him racing and me clomping along, coming upon the tracks of the huge gorgeous neighborhood fox, as they went round for the late dinner or maybe their early early breakfast. 

Went by My Garage for some wondrous stuff, and kind conversation,and then home again home again, til I got a bit of welcome news as news goes, and settled on in to the quiet resting clickety clack.... of one more beneficent day we have been given.

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.mcclellan/videos/10208451084858172/

12.14.16 FB video

Cold and growing colder. December and heading farther. The day began with a big old golden moon, glowing through the early morning light, as the kind ride arrived for the guy,and off they went to Boston. 
So off I went too, for a little beauty relief, and found it, following that powerful moon about the land, as it traded places with a sun, looking like it was coming from right next door. 
The Connecticut, so early, was broad and slate colored and quietly rushing its powerful self on by.
Back home, I grabbed that little furred boyo and up into the range we tromped, him racing and me clomping along, coming upon the tracks of the huge gorgeous neighborhood fox, as they went round for the late dinner or maybe their early early breakfast.
Went by My Garage for some wondrous stuff, and kind conversation,and then home again home again, til I got a bit of welcome news as news goes, and settled on in to the quiet resting clickety clack.... of one more beneficent day we have been given.

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.mcclellan/videos/10208460806701212/

12.15.16 Brisk

Brisk clear silent winter days

12.14.16 Down by the river

Early yesterday morning, the big noisy sun was just cresting the range, the light salmon and pink sunrise cast against the pale blue new-day sky. 

Far down the icey path at the river were two figures, jumping around and talking and laughing , then standing together and watching the low pink cloud move amorphously upstream, as the slate blue waters washed the opposite way. 

One large white bird flew quietly up and around the corner of the old river, as I stepped carefully, inhaling the clean cold air, thinking of nothing at all but this.


https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1164299370273512/

12.14.16 The small

The small trees dark against an awakening sky

12.14.16 So many

So many small stark silhouettes 
of trees upon the horizon 
The mist rolling beneath
The salmon sky above

12.14.16 The salmon sky

Walking out beneath the salmon sky

12.14.16 Mist

Down by the arroyo, in the morning mist

12.14.16 Surrounded

It was early and we were ready
So off into the snowy woods we ventured 
Surrounded by the golden Beech leaves 
fluttering in the wind
Beneath the pale blue sky

https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1164004960302953/

12.14.16 Down upon

Down by the river, the glowing moon
on its way to bed
cast its enormous golden light 
down upon the waters

12.14.16 Beauty

The beauty of the woods 

on an early winter day

12.14.16 The neighborhood

The neighborhood awakening

https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1164004066969709/

12.14.16 Slate blue

The river early this morning
slate blue and shining

12.13. FB video

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.mcclellan/videos/10208451084858172/



There is a fine craft in life, to move out of fear or avoidance or denial long enough to face something tough... just long enough for the reality we are given to sink in. 

But not long enough or intensely enough to harm us, to singe our feathers too close to the sun. 


Each of us benefits from different amounts of real, and if we can breathe through the stirred up distress, and digest it enough to let it settle on back down, we end up within and without us new realizations and understandings, woven into the thick of us. 

Even new agility and resilience, a greater capacity to live with that which is not easy.

Sometimes I end up feeling like Goldilocks, trying things out. 

Search search searching for the fit that is just right.

12.13.16 The small oasis

The small oasis of trees 
in the midst of the broad fields 
with the gallant lights and colors shifting fast 
as the sun set out of sight

12.13.16 Snowswept

Down by the farmers fields 
it was cold and dark and snow swept

12.13.16 In early winter

The Old Food Bank Farm

in early winter repose

12.12.16 The Cow in the Kitchen Fable

The Cow In The Kitchen Fable

If I want choosing stories that held a great lesson for life, this would be one. Every one of us has the experience of the cow in the kitchen.

Once upon a time there were two people who lived in a little house, and it was crowded, and they were so miserable about it.

So they went to their Rabbi and they said to her "Our house is so small. We are so crowded. We are miserable. Please, help us."

She turned to them, and said "Go outside, and get one of your chickens, and bring them into the house." And so they did.

In a few days, they returned to the Rabbi , and they said to her "We did as you suggested, and the chicken is flying here and there, dropping feathers and getting into the food and making noises early in the morning."

And so the Rabbi suggested that they bring in more chickens. And the people went home, did as she suggested, and kept returning, over and over again, each time the Rabbi suggesting they bring in more and more relatives, and homeless people, and neighbors, until finally, the two people went back to see the Rabbi.

And she suggested that they bring the cow into the kitchen.

So they did.

They returned home, went outside to get the family cow, and carefully brought them into the kitchen.

The following day they returned to the Rabbi, wringing their hands, in great great distress.

They said to her "we have done everything that you suggested, Rabbi, and our small home is filled to the brim with so many people and neighbors and visitors and animals.

There is chaos and noise everywhere, and we cannot sleep or clean a table to prepare a meal. Please, please help us."

And so, she did.

The Rabbi told the people "Return all of the animals back out to the yard, to their own homes.

Bid leave of all of the individuals you invited to come visit and stay in your home."

And so they returned to their small home, and did as the Rabbi suggested.

The following day, they rushed back to the Rabbi, filled with gratitude and relief.

"Our home is so spacious, and beautiful, and quiet.

There is room for everything, and we sleep well at night.

Please accept our deepest gratitude for your assistance, Rabbi."

And so, smiling, she did.

12.12.16 Winter sun

That winter sunlight

 cutting across the horizon

 all of a blinding blaze

12.12.16 Mouse mouse, did you see the mouse?

Was it around five this morning, or six? 

Dark blue skies and the gentle persistent snows

https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1161385797231536/

https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1161385850564864/

Late afternoon, out on the fresh snowfall of the farmers fields

12.12.16 No matter

No matter our intentions, our experience tends to be SO relative, our distress in relation to the present context. If we are hungry, we focus on hungry ,and hungry is what is difficult. If we have concerns for the future and concerns for the present difficulties of our country and so many lives, it's that. 

I spoke with someone yesterday who is so financially middle class prosperous, and their concern was for their not quite fancy enough car, and no pool. 

Seems we both acknowledge what is stable and blessed, and retain awareness of that which we know to be precarious and unknown. 

And then we bring ourselves to studying how to live peacefully enough with the uncertainty.

12.11.16 We find ourselves

Sometimes we find ourselves with a quiet mind....either from great overwhelm, or from feeling peaceful in the present moment. Sometimes we have to stop and determine which deal is happening, because taking care of ourselves, when we can manage it, involves different measures at different times. 

If things are so full and chaotic and of grave concern and our mind is q u I e t, we know we are just chock full of difficulty, and need to find time to sit and let it all settle. The good, the bad, the lousy. To sit and feel it and not get caught up thinking it and just let it come up and pass on by.

When we are going along on a perfectly good enough day and there is a settling to the crazy tough stuff, sometimes we notice the reprieve. 

We say ' Wow! Usually I struggle with this stress response or that mood crap or these worrisome obsessions,and right now? Things are pretty quiet. How cool." 

And then we smile and sink into the ease of the moment, and give some thanks any way that fits for us,for this really quite lovely momentary grace.

https://www.facebook.com/gwen.mcclellan/videos/10208432206466224/

12.11.16 Hunkering

Hunkering down for bed.

12.11.16 The newest reveal

All the year round, we have these places we walk by 
or listen to or catch sight of ,as we trundle through our lives. 

And at each time in each season we meet up with
a whole new face.

 I'm always waiting eagerly 
for the new facet, the newest reveal.

12.11.16 With only

Down by the farmers fields it was cold and windswept

 with only a mated pair of Red tail Hawks for company

12.11.16 Really

Really such a quiet pretty spattered sunset

12.11.16 Woo woo litle boy

https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1160163644020418/

12.11.16 Singing

My my, how the Food Bank Farm 

sings and trills at dusk

12.11.16 Cold cold

Cold cold, the sky like an 
intricate cellular membrane


https://www.facebook.com/GwenMcClellanWordsandPictures/videos/1159939747376141/

12.9.16 How we manage these days

Friday 12.9.16 FB Video

How we manage our day is up to us. 
How we manage our tasks and relations and responsibilities and grave great current concerns necessitates resourcefulness and great gorgeous interdependence. 
How we acknowledge that which is happening, which we know is not good stuff, while making the effort in our own day we are given ,to retain trust in those things we know are of value, while keeping on, is up to all of us. 
Reframing and choosing how much of what to expose ourselves to, while hoping to be informed to a certain extent, is wise and sustainable and sets limits for our own sense of decency and honor and protects our health and well being.   

So, know and remember this. 
There are so many of us here. 
So many feel so overwhelmed and worried and desperate and ready to try anything. 
Others still understand and are committed to seeking out information and equity and civil rights for all; and historical perspective. 

And understand to a certain extent the long view, the long cycles of change in life and nations.
Let us support each other and know we're not alone in our quest for respect and social and economic justice for all. For the sanctity of the earth and sustainable living wages. For equal opportunities and job training and education and safe work places. 

That this and justice and well being for all are never mutually exclusive. 
That opportunists and charlatans will always be making their inroads. 
That at the end of the day, you will have peace, knowing your goodness and your honor. 
Do unto others, that others do unto you.


https://www.facebook.com/gwen.mcclellan/videos/10208409881628117/

12.11.16 Dylan and Patti and Leaning in

This was profound. She sang his song beautifully for him.Telling us a Hard Rain Is Gonna Fall. She made a mistake because she said she was so nervous and apologized and started again. What grace. What authenticity. Then she sang and sang and we listened and leaned into each other and cried and nodded and all the analytics of the election and our gravest great concerns transformed into potent emotion and visceral comprehension and the Hard Rain brought Dylan and celebration of him and Patti and so much more on home to us all and we,all over this land,watched and listened and cried and leaned in and knew.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/a-transcendent-patti-smith-accepts-bob-dylans-nobel-prize