Daily Archives: November 15, 2016

Faith and Spirituality, Great Wheel, Holidays, Myth and Story, Reimagine. Reconstruct. Reenchant., Weather +Climate

Part I: Holiseason

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Samain                                                                       Thanksgiving Moon

Two thoughts kept rambling through yesterday and today. The first, how much more comfortable I felt when I remembered holiseason was here. The second, how to avoid demonizing whole populations with words like racist, sexist, homophobe, misogynist, classist. (I’ll post about this tomorrow.)

imagesHoliseason. I find myself soothed and enriched by certain traditions. The holidays are among them. When I eased my psyche into holiseason yesterday, I realized that the holidays will help me survive the insults of Trump’s election.

Here’s what I mean.  Holiseason begins now with Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah. Each year Jews all over the world celebrate new year, then follow it with 10 days of soul searching, flaw finding and asking for forgiveness. Can you imagine how those activities will be greeted in the Trump Whitehouse? Neither can I.

With Samain we enter the Celtic new year, celebrating not the fecundity of the earth, but its time of rest and renewal. Next week comes Thanksgiving when families all over America come together to eat, watch football and argue. Probably a grand family tradition at chez Trump.

happyAfter Thanksgiving, or around it sometimes, the Wheel turns to the festivals of light like Diwali, Hannukah, Christmas. We decorate and illuminate. We sing songs, give and receive gifts, enter into traditions older, much older than our nation.

The Winter Solstice also comes in this time. It is a festival of the dark, not the light. It is the moment of darkness, actual physical darkness, at its deepest and longest of the year. As some of you who read this know, this is my favorite holiday. It will be a time this year to concentrate my mind, meditate, discern what path forward makes sense in light of the many assaults on human life and on our planet to come next year and for the next four years.

After that, Kwanza, then the Gregorian New Year comes full force. Ball dropping at Times Square. Silly hats. Noise makers. And finally the feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. After the Epiphany we return to Ordinary Time, though on January 20th Ordinary Time will get a sudden jolt with the orange faced hair piece getting sworn in as the President. Aaiiieeee!

Cooking, Dogs, Family, Great Wheel, Great Work, Health, Holidays, Jefferson County, Judaism, Mountains, Our Land and Home, Plants, Politics, Reimagine. Reconstruct. Reenchant., Shadow Mountain, The West, Weather +Climate, Writing

Life does, in fact, go on

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Samain                                                                        Thanksgiving Moon

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Kate and Ruth

In spite of the political upheaval life, as it always does, continues, mostly in its old grooves. Here on Shadow Mountain for example the divorce process has entered its waning days. Final orders will be issued late this month though the outline for them, largely fair and equitable is already known. Jon’s anxiety level has receded. Good and heartening to see.

We had Asplundh tree service here on Friday and Monday clearing out the tree cover from the power line easement. I spoke with the workers, current day lumberjacks operating outside the timber industry.

“That’s hard work,” I said.

“Yes, but it’s honest. No shortcuts.” replied the bearded young man in charge of the crew. He’s right about that.

The utility bills from IREA, Intermountain Rural Electric Association, have been, since May,  $10, a line fee that supports such work as the Asplundh team. The electricity we use has been produced by our solar panels.

Lycaon
Lycaon

I continue to write, now upwards of 63,000 words (I was a little too early when I said I’d reached 60,000 last week.).

Kate and I are becoming more and more a part of Congregation Beth Evergreen. It’s an interesting experience for me. I’m a participant, not a leader. I like it, being part of a community but not being responsible for it. I can help in modest ways and that feels appropriate to me for right now. That may change though with the political work that is brewing.

It’s dry, no snow. According to the weather services, this could reach a record snowless period for Denver. We’ve had a little snow on Shadow Mountain, but only two instances, rare. This, plus the winds and the low humidity, means the potential fire situation here remains at an elevated risk.

This morning at 10 I have my pre-op physical for my December 1st total knee replacement. The pain in the knee worsens, it seems, by the day. That’s good, I tell Kate, because it’ll feel so much better after the new knee. I’m grateful there’s something that can be done about it.

thanksgiving-wishAnd, improbably, it will be Thanksgiving next week. There is no hint of over the river and through the woods weather to stimulate that Thanksgiving feeling. We may get a storm on Thursday. That would help.

We’re going to smoke a small turkey. Annie will be here from Waconia, Jon and the grandkids. Unlike the nation we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving on Wednesday because the grandkids go to their mom’s for Thanksgiving this year. Under the new divorce terms holidays alternate and this year is Jen’s Thanksgiving. It will be good once again to have family (and dogs) underfoot during the holiday.

Just realized in all the election fun I’ve allowed holiseason to get started without any remarks. Look for that to change as we head into the most holiday rich season of the year.