Day Four

April 18, 2016 hartwish2 Comments

I think even ducks would have called it a hard day. We had torrential cold driving rain, which covered the deck with debris and created swimming pools on land. The ducklings hovered a lot, taking shelter under Mom, but not under the house eaves which were explored but not used to advantage. Bursts of independent exploration required more vocal policing for round-up, but today another duckling faltered, and didn’t survive nap time. The siblings now number four, and we see diminished energy in one of them. Did I say several days ago that we were happy to offer this family a safe haven? It’s a humbling experience to witness life in nature, and be so quickly reminded that control is a figment of our imagination.

Mom has begun to walk the fence line, looking for the escape route. Ducks_63_SBH_160417 Ducks_64_SBH_160417 Ducks_65_SBH_160417 Ducks_67_SBH_160417 Ducks_69_SBH_160417 Ducks_70_SBH_160417

Day Three

April 17, 2016 hartwish1 Comment

Day three was “speed it up” day: learn things quicker and do them faster. There was much more separation in the ranks, and independent exploration of land and water. Mom was never too far away and always available for naps if the exercises went well. But one of the two laggards was always headed in the wrong direction, and has disappeared. The siblings now number five. Ducks_40_SBH_160416 Ducks_43_SBH_160416 Ducks_44_SBH_160416 Ducks_45_SBH_160416_ME Ducks_47_SBH_160416 Ducks_49_SBH_160416 Ducks_55_SBH_160416 Ducks_58_SBH_160416

Day Two

April 16, 2016 hartwish3 Comments

Mom left them on their own occasionally, which caused noisy consternation, but no disasters. The ducklings learned to spread their wings, walk in tall grass, climb rocks in their way, and huddle together to await her return. When she’s back, they are thrilled beyond measure, happy to lean into her or huddle under her warmth.

Mom is somewhat concerned with two who don’t follow instructions quickly. The laggards don’t leave the pool when she tells them to, and can’t find the exit route unless she guides them to it again. She sets the pattern repeatedly, but there hasn’t been obvious improvement in their education. A seventh duckling didn’t thrive the first day, and mom made no effort to protect him (or her). The duckling was outside her protective warmth that night, with expected results. We wonder how the laggards will manage over time.

(Do you wonder how much time can be spent watching and how many photos can be taken of ducks? The answer is a lot.)

Ducks_11_SBH_160415 Ducks_16_SBH_160415 Ducks_18_SBH_160415 Ducks_26_SBH_160415 Ducks_27_SBH_160415 Ducks_28_SBH_160415 Ducks_34_SBH_160415 Ducks_37_SBH_160415

They’re Back!

April 15, 2016 hartwish4 Comments

It just so happens to be “Serve the Earth” week too! We’re happy to be offering a safe haven for new life, and are enjoying their experience of it. It’s really wonderful to watch how quickly they learn to follow instructions, and make themselves at home in the world.

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Ê¯<9õ¬Æ©ñHÜù9=ÂB2-¡|û'Ë;wûéØ5¸YF |+7kÝ(m±*CÇ48ÅÓÄÀÚ ?qâª6¸&M3é¥ÀßsdrãÄ~Ñ·òúg_u-?KºdEà#pÏ

Easter Message

March 27, 2016 hartwish1 Comment

This letter was part of our church bulletin this Easter morning, and I think it needs to be shared.

Episcopal Bishops Issue A Word to the Church
Holy Week 2016

“We reject the idolatrous notion that we can ensure the safety of some by sacrificing the hopes of others.”

On Good Friday the ruling political forces of the day tortured and executed an innocent man. They sacrificed the weak and the blameless to protect their own status and power. On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead, revealing not only their injustice but also unmasking the lie that might makes right.

In a country still living under the shadow of the lynching tree, we are troubled by the violent forces being released by this season’s political rhetoric. Americans are turning against their neighbors, particularly those on the margins of society. They seek to secure their own safety and security at the expense of others. There is legitimate reason to fear where this rhetoric and the actions arising from it might take us.

In this moment, we resemble God’s children wandering in the wilderness. We, like they, are struggling to find our way. They turned from following God and worshiped a golden calf constructed from their own wealth. The current rhetoric is leading us to construct a modern false idol out of power and privilege. We reject the idolatrous notion that we can ensure the safety of some by sacrificing the hopes of others. No matter where we fall on the political spectrum, we must respect the dignity of every human being and we must seek the common good above all else.

We call for prayer for our country that a spirit of reconciliation will prevail and we will not betray our true selves.

The Episcopal Church House of Bishops met in retreat March 11 – 15 at Camp Allen Conference Center in Navasota, TX.

Ten New Rules of Behavior for Kindergartners who want to be President

February 24, 2016 hartwish4 Comments

Thinking back on Robert Fulghum’s wonderful 2004 book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, it occurred to me that times have radically changed. Particularly for those who may aspire to the Presidency, new standards of behavior need to be adopted and practiced vigorously. The following requirements for success occurred to me, and I’m certain you can add to the list to ensure election of the kid you hated most in school.

Talk about how much everyone likes you
Pout
Blame others
Throw sand
Say mean things
Promise big parties with presents
Boast about your toys
Pretend you’re a superhero
Smirk
Get first in line

Mexican Medicine

February 22, 2016 hartwishLeave a comment

Literally and figuratively, I’ve been mentally and physically slow of late. Seasonal syndrome? Perhaps. Groundhog day syndrome? Perhaps. Simply overwhelmed by news and campaign negativity? Highly likely. I know it happens to all of us, but I also know I’m luckier than many to be able to roust and revive by getting on a plane.

I went back to San Miguel de Allende, that beautiful colonial town in the mountains of central Mexico. Their 11th Annual International Writers’ Conference & Literary Festival was underway, and over the week I heard Gail Sheehy, Joyce Carol Oates, Scott Simon, Luis Urrea and John Perkins talk about their lives, their books, their philosophies and their concerns; wonderful writers and speakers, with the talent to transport others to higher ground. My oh my.

In between intellectual pursuits, all I needed to do was walk about town with my camera to be revived. Perhaps colonial Mexico is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly is mine. It satisfies my longings for color and charm, good food, intersection with interesting fellow travelers, and the opportunity to join in a variety of activities for language and art immersion.

Among my pursuits, I chose an iPhone photo walk with Gracie, (http://photowalksanmiguel.com) and was re-introduced to Snapseed 2 by Google, an app I had downloaded ages ago and thereafter ignored. I‘m now hooked; it creates magic from the mundane with the click of a button or two. My oh my.

On Ash Wednesday, I sat with a table of friendly, chatty strangers from all over the world at St. Paul’s Anglican Church while we rolled those ubiquitous plastic trash bags that are destroying the environment of so many countries, into little tiny balls. Over the course of two hours we compacted enough of them (it takes about 2,000 balls) to stuff into a pre-sewn waterproof fabric cover, creating a child’s mattress. In nearby villages, these mattresses lift kids from damp dirt floors and ground crawling creatures, and are welcomed. It was a satisfying morning.

Am I “cured” of my malaise? I suppose not. Energy and interests wax and wane. But I do know how to alleviate it with Mexican medicine. cafe (1)

New Year Resolutions

January 7, 2016 hartwishLeave a comment

While mentally outlining my usual and fleeting notions of losing weight, exercising more, and becoming a more thoughtful person, I was interrupted by reading Howard Thurman’s “The Mood of Christmas” to reconsider my resolutions. (Thurman, according to Wikipedia, was an American author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader. He was Dean of Chapel at Howard and Boston Universities, wrote 21 books, and cofounded San Francisco’s Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, the first integrated, interfaith religious congregation in the United States. He died in 1981.) I think he got “the work of Christmas” right.

My Kind of Perfect Christmas Holiday

January 7, 2016 hartwish1 Comment

Many years ago, as holiday stresses overwhelmed my enjoyment of the season, I decided to change how I participated in it. It was relatively easy to eliminate chaotic mall visits, most gift buying, card writing, fevered cooking and decorating and entertaining, but then what? We had moved halfway across the country and friendships had not yet developed, so we decided to try a trip away from home to divert our attention from old habits. That decision began our experience of Mexico, and the Virgin of Guadalupe festival that precedes Christmas celebrations in that culture. The gifts of fruit and flowers that are carried into the parish church, the mariachi music that rattles windows and rolls down the street through the processions, the tolling bells, the children’s faces, the aromas of food vendor stalls, and pleasure of witnessing expressions of faith entwined with national pride was a complete change from our old customs. For more than twenty years now, this has been our preference for the perfect Christmas holiday.

If the festival itself isn’t enough, placing this experience in a natural environment that only engenders awe, and sharing it with friends, makes it the kind of spiritual holiday I choose over all others. It is replete with gifts that never end.

Mystical, Magical Mexico

November 25, 2015 hartwish1 Comment

I visited San Miguel de Allende for their Dias de los Muertos celebrations this year, not for the first (nor hopefully the last) time. San Miguel is a beautiful small city in central Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its preserved 17th and 18th century town center and many lovely churches. The Centro area a feast for the eye, colorful and very walkable; no car is necessary or desirable to fully enjoy it.

The Day(s) of the Dead festivities may be underway much in advance of their observance, but evidence of preparations become public on All Hallows Eve (Halloween) as private altars (oftendas) appear in homes, stores, and on the streets around town. In Mexico, All Saints Day (November 1st) and All Souls’ Day (November 2nd) focus on the remembrance of family members and friends who have died, and the bonds that continue to be held between the spirits of the living and the dead. Families go to cemeteries to clean and decorate the graves of the deceased, covering them with marigolds (the flowers of the dead), muertos (bread of the dead), and favorite foods, drinks and possessions of those who are gone. Some grave adornments are incredibly elaborate, some very simple, and it is common to see family members surrounding a grave site, accompanied by a mariachi band to help celebrate the life of their loved one. A priest may be summoned for graveside prayers, and picnics permit staying and visiting with the dead for as long as one wishes.

The private altars that are built around town encourage a visit from those living in the spirit world, and include elements important to an invitation to return: water for the soul’s thirst, salt to purify the soul and frighten away bad spirits, candles to guide the soul to its old home, flowers, sugar in the form of skulls or favorite animals, cut paper decorations, fruits and nuts, traditional foods, and photos of the deceased. The altars are all very personal, and quite beautiful.

These festivities are said to be based on ancient cultural practices which have become blended over time with local religious traditions. I loved the observance, and admired the sense of celebration offered as an affirmation of the mystical experience connecting life and death, in contrast to the tradition of cultural denial with which I am most familiar.

More photos are available through Flickr link.

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