PAX
“The motto was ‘Pax’, but the word was set in a circle of thorns. Pax: peace, but what a strange peace, made of unremitting toil and effort, seldom with a seen result; subject to constant interruptions, unexpected demands, short sleep at nights, little comfort, sometimes scant food; beset with disappointments and usually misunderstood, yet peace all the same, undeviating, filled with joy and gratitude and love. “It is My own peace I give unto you.” Not, notice, the world’s peace.”
~ ~ ~
These are the opening lines to Rumer Godden's book In This House of Brede, which I have begun reading again. We used to write to Rumer in our home schooling days, and she received our family newsletter Mother Earth Press. Always, she wrote back. She was very encouraging about what we were doing with our children, and each time she would say something kind about "mother" because she knew it was a heap of work, and important work. I will never forget her kindness.
How her words come back to me now. The quote refers to the life of a Benedictine nun, cloistered to be a "prayer powerhouse." Yet, even then, it made me think of the work of being a mother. Rumer once gave me permission to use her quote with a sketch I did, as a Christmas gift. I am better because of her thoughtful books, and because of the depth of the person she was and shared.
The moose who strolled through downtown Montpelier Vermont on Saturday morning is FIRST! :-D
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/moose-takes-a-stroll-through-montpelier/649834514
Well, the mooses were there first, weren't they?
ReplyDeleteAlan
Indeed they were. :)
Delete"Just after midnight on Sunday the US Justice Department filed an appeal asking to pause the sweeping decision that temporarily halted enforcement of President Donald Trump's travel ban nationwide, saying in a strongly-worded filing that blocking the travel ban "harms the public" and "second-guesses the President's national security judgment.""
ReplyDeleteYA THINK?!! That's what the Judiciary is INTENDED to do. What planet has this guy been living on?
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/04/politics/doj-appeals-travel-ban-ruling/index.html
But! What really gets me mad is that in addition to naming Trump, Kelly and Tillerson as wanting to appeal the Judge's stay of the immigration ban upheld, it lists also: "and the United States of America hereby appeal...."
*I* am part of the USA, and this part of the USA does NOT appeal the stay!!
🇺🇸THIS US CITIZEN DOES ⭐️NOT⭐️ APPEAL THE JUDGE'S STAY OF THE IMMIGRATION BAN!
DeletePlease let the lawyers use their established, codified language. They've been doing it for how many centuries?
DeleteDo you mean Trump's lawyers?
DeleteJUDGE ROBART
“I’m also asked to look and determine if the executive order is rationally based,” Robart told Trump’s attorney. “Rationally based to me at least implies to some extent I have to find it grounded in facts as opposed to fiction.” Trump’s attorney’s baffled the world, responding that the facts simply do not matter:
TRUMP'S LAWYER:
“Well Your Honor, we don’t think you’re supposed to look at whether it’s rationally based. We think that the standard is facially legitimate.”
http://addictinginfo.org/2017/02/04/trump-lawyer-literally-argued-that-muslim-ban-shouldnt-be-based-in-reality-and-twitter-is-losing-it-videotweets/
Don't be ridiculous, Listener. You, a part of the United States?
Delete"L'etat, c'est moi." Or rather, since I can't imagine the Louse ever bothered learning French, "I am the United States, and the United States is me."
It's tempting to put this in the context of the controversial Chevron decision. Some judges (e.g., Scalia) think judges should accept the executive branch's interpretation of the law so long as it is reasonably reasonable. Others (e.g., Gorsuch) think judges should interpret the law for themselves. The difference is that in this case we're not talking about whether a regulation is in accord with the law but whether an executive order is in accord with the facts.
DeleteToo many links to please Blogger; will divide.—Alan
ReplyDeleteProtestors Pledge to Follow Trump Everywhere [Click] OK; now we are on the way to having fun!
Republicans face anger over Obamacare repeal during town halls [Click] The event in Roseville got half a page in the first section of our newspaper, and probably in all the McClatchy newspapers. Here are some photos [Click]
March to the Palace Gates: Thousands March Against Trump Outside Mar-A-Lago [Click]
Thousands Demand Charities Call Off Galas at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Estate [Click]
From Mar-A-Lago to Far-and-Wide, Protesters March Again as Anti-Trump Movement Persists [Click]
As such things continue, I expect more people will get with the program. For sheer size, I think this exceeds any other US protest movement.
Court Rebuffs Request to Quickly Restore Travel Ban [Click]
DeleteIt wasn’t supposed to be like this. [Click] Senate Democrats choking off action on Trump’s agenda.
McConnell Rebukes Trump’s Attack on Judge [Click]
Another Reichstag fire? [Click]
Elizabeth Warren To Democrats: Only an 'Opposition Party' Can Defeat Trump [Click] Boy! A good talking-to! Points out that the Dems at least share responsibility for getting us to this point. 2020 ought to be Warren’s year to run for President, but first she has to win re-election in 2018—I saw recently that her polls don’t look great at this (very early) date, though.
—Alan
Not surprised McConnell rebuked Cheetolini on his attack on the judge. That judge was appointed by Jeff Sessions, McConnell's homeboy.
DeleteElizabeth Warren is a hero in this house, at least with the feminine majority. I shudder to think what Dad thinks of her.
DeleteTitle [Click]
ReplyDeleteVolkswagen faces its first legal action in Germany from a big corporate client over the diesel emissions scandal. [Click]
Giant Arecibo telescope faces closure [Click]
Mechanical silver swan that entranced Mark Twain lands at Science Museum [Click]
Newly decked out Mary Rose reopens after £5m makeover [Click]
—Alan
Arecibo will still be operating when I'm in Puerto Rico, and presumably visiting Arecibo, in July. I find myself wondering if crowdfunding might work.
DeleteIt's worth a try.
DeleteI read the WaPo story linked above at "Protestors Pledge to Follow Trump Everywhere." I rather liked the plan for the mass mooning of Trump Tower Chicago. A few months of such actions could well drive him up the wall--or into hiding. Jolly!
ReplyDeleteAlan
Masse mooning. Now, that takes dedication, especially in Chicago, in the winter!
DeleteEmoluments issue proof...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/02/04/despite-vows-documents-show-trump-retains-close-ties-business-empire
Lawsuits Against Trump Administration Pile Up [Click] History suggests legal challenges ‘relatively effective.’
ReplyDeleteFrom the Good For Grins Department:
The Political Saga of Avocados [Click] Whoda thunk? And I discovered a new craze has gone zooming by without any inkling on my part—-avocado toast! Sounds basically like guacamole on toast, although why one would do that I am not sure. Maybe they don’t have any tortilla chips?
—Alan
Trump’s honeymoon with the stock market will soon be over [Click] His promises have rallied the Dow Jones – but his inconsistent, erratic and destructive policies will take a toll on growth
ReplyDeleteTrump loves pipelines. But he just accidentally froze a bunch of them [Click]
I see that Marina LePen is more clearly showing her true colors these days.
—Alan
America’s system of checks and balances might struggle to contain a despot - Click
ReplyDeletePuddle, re Magnificent Obsession: In its own way the 1950s movie with Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson is fine as well. The different requirements of the two forms made the book impossible to film as is, I suppose. Though I enjoyed the movie I'm really glad to have read the book.
ReplyDelete