- Happy Birthday G!

Patch #319 Super moon

Or maybe this ...

A new moon rose on November 14, 2012, but today a super moon is on the rise for G's fourth birthday, which we all celebrated yesterday. Even though he didn't get his first wish --a visit from cousin Jackson in Missouri-- G was consoled by the (temporary) appearance of an obstacle course bounce house in his backyard ...

Happy hugs for Mom ...

were followed by much merriment ...

all topped off by birthday cupcakes ...

and a first-time baby-holding experience with the newest friend on the block ...

Every day should be this happy ...

- The truth of the matter

Retrospective (12/5)

Patch #318 Don't follow the herd

Original Post

Back in the day when I was an elementary school librarian, one of my favorite lessons was about the Tree Octopus ...

I made worksheets with questions like "What is the habitat of the tree octopus?" and "What is their means of locomotion?"

I linked to this website on my SmartBoard

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

and pointed out how hard it was to read compared to books written for the students' age level.

Always there were one or two students who would raise their hands while saying, "But Mrs. Ackert ..." Knowing my students, I would gently reassure them, "Not yet ... I'll call on you later, I promise."

The final part of the worksheet was "How do you know this website is correct?" To which students would say "if it's on the internet it has to be true" or "check the encyclopedia." So I would hand a print encyclopedia to someone and ask them to look it up. While they flipped pages, I'd turn to one of my hand-raisers and ask, "You had something to say earlier?" At which point they would blurt out words to the effect of "Mrs. Ackert, there can't be any such thing as a tree octopus!"

I don't know how many kids "got" that lesson, but I'm hoping there are a few more skeptical information consumers in the world by virtue of my efforts. Judging from this article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/technology/facebook-is-said-to-question-its-influence-in-election.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

"We the People" need all the skepticism we can muster!

Addendum

In response to Dana's comment, here's what I was seeing on Facebook and what I did about it ...

- Seek and ye shall find

Retrospective (12/4)

Patch #317 Don's (first) longhorn

Original Post

Don just finished his latest assemblage ...

and in spite of the fact that G contributed a metal washer last week

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/11/hanging-around.html

the rusted metal supply was getting a little low, so we headed to ...

where we found some beautiful artwork by botanical illustrator Lotus McElfish, whose blog can be found at:

https://endangeredandnotsomuch.wordpress.com/

and who also has a website here:

http://www.lotusmcelfish.com/BOTANICAL_ART.html

But the best find of the day was Broadway Paul's emporium. Don's stash is definitely getting back up to speed ...

- Number the days

Back on Day 143 ...

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/05/picturing-process.html

I planned to do a companion patch when I got to Day 314, thinking I would title it "You I Love."

But then it came to pass that Day 314 fell on November 9

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/11/now-what.html

and a whole new set of possible 314s came to mind:

     Why I hurt

          Can I heal?

               Him I fear

In the end, I decided on "How I hope" ...

So this, then, is what I do ...

A numbering of days ...

October 14

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/almost-week.html

October 15

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/change-is-in-air.html

and October 16

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/long-light.html

Because ultimately what I chose to remember was not whatever miserable news was current on each of those days, but the simple joys they gave me:

G's gentle voice whispering "Hi bird"

J's exultant smile as he learned to ride his new bicycle

The golden light of the setting sun caught in the branches of a tree

- Self-soothing

Retrospective (12/4)

Patch #316 Like a river

Original Post

We went to the Wildflower Center with G yesterday, where I found both peace and metaphor.

Are we hopelessly fractured ...

or ready to work ...

together ...

In the weeds ...

or at the beginning of new growth?

Dare we hope to make change for the better?

"My heart is open, my will is fierce" ... with thanks to Dee Mallon for issuing the call. May we each find our best expression of purpose and meaning.

Addendum

My St Louis daughter just posted this on Facebook and it seems fitting to pass it on ...

- Reaching out

Retrospective (12/4)

Patch #315 Reaching out (for Dee)

Original Post

Dee Mallon at https://deemallon.wordpress.com/

sent me a comment via email when she was unable to post a comment while signed on to her WP account yesterday. So here's what she wanted to say ...

This isn't the first time it has happened, but as a Blogger user, I'm clueless about what to suggest. So,  I'm asking WordPress users who have encountered similar problems with commenting here to suggest solutions that have worked.

Likewise, if there are any Blogger users who have found the sweet-spot in how to configure Blogger Comment settings to minimize problems, please suggest away!

Today, more than ever, I value the community this blog provides. I am selfishly unwilling to change platforms at this point, so I hope you all will be able to provide insights on easier ways for all. 

- Now what?

Retrospective (11/11)

Patch #314 How I hope

Original Post 

I looked up the phrase "our better angels" and discovered that it's a paraphrase of the conclusion to Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address ...

after which "We the People" proceeded to slay each other for four long years.

We survived, but at huge cost. Will we repeat history or learn from it?

The only hope is that our better angels will prevail sooner rather than later.

And lest we forget ...

- We voted

Retrospective (11/22)

Patch #313 For all the good it did

Original Post

Don and I went to the polls two weeks ago, but today the young people in our lives are exercising their rights. As their pictures come in, I will add them here ...

Because today will be a day to remember.

- Election Eve

Retrospective (12/3)

Patch #312 Sign of the apocalypse

Original Post

I finished a four-day ombré in orange ...

Speedy G on October 7

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016_10_07_archive.html

G's ACL "tattoo" from October 8

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/axe-tually.html

with a rationale for the spelling of "axe" versus "ax" to be found here

http://www.word-detective.com/041007C.html

The monkey bars in Wimberley on October 9

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/hard-day-night.html

G's chocolate-drizzled, sugar-sprinkled PBJ crepe on October 10

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/are-we-having-fun-yet.html

And then, looking at the title of the post from October 11

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/don-think-twice-it-all-right.html

I had to check to see if that was the day Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize in literature. Nope, I was two days early ...

Prescient? Well no, but a good example of why our generation's poet laureate deserved the nod: his words have become an integral part of our vernacular.

Finally, I'll let Don have the last word today in this rare (for him) post on Facebook ...

- Back (on) track

Retrospective (12/3)

Patch #311 Hope is the thing with feathers

soaring above the floodplain or lying broken on the ground.

Original Post

Finally!

The sailboat from Don's assemblage on October 12 (stitched with one of Hazel's boats by my side)

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016_10_12_archive.html

J's "Nana" on October 17

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016_10_17_archive.html

The fabric from Logan's bag on October 29, with a star and a crescent moon

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016_10_29_archive.html

and the return migration of the sandhill cranes on October 30

http://imgoingtotexas.blogspot.com/2016/10/watching-for-fall.html

There are four more patches, but I'll save them for tomorrow. 

And it's raining, one inch so far. 

And the FBI has re-closed its email investigation.

I dare to hope ...