Sunday Salon, July 25, 2020

Weather: Friday it was cool and overcast all day. Saturday it was lovely and warm. We are moving toward a heat advisory for Monday when it will be very hot.

Friday: Don and I spent our furlough adventure day at the Billy Frank, Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. We knew it was summer not because of the weather but because of the ripe blackberries we saw everywhere. The sky threatened rain but the cooler temperature made our walk very pleasant. We walked the whole boardwalk (over a mile long one way) out toward the Puget Sound in the middle of the estuary. As we returned to our car we saw the funny social distancing sign, reminding us to stay at least two hawk wings, 36 Pacific frogs, or one harbor seal lengths away from others.

Comet-viewing: This past Saturday, Don and I drove up to Sunrise Park on the north side of the Mt. Rainier National Park to see if we could spot the NEOWISE comet. We did, but it was pretty underwhelming. However, we did enjoy the beauty of the mountain, the flowers and trees, and the lovely sunset. In the photo above you can see our photo of the comet in the bottom right frame.

In the "This is cool" department:

• A Navajo speaker recorded this radio message to encourage his people to register to vote. Have a listen here. 

Herders in Lapland are spraying their reindeer with reflective paint to help drivers see them in the dark
(https://t.co/9qYZVSAS7f) pic.twitter.com/YhQK5OzDVR

— Diane Doniol-Valcroze (@ddoniolvalcroze) July 19, 2020

Books: 

• Completed
• The Violet Hour: Great Writers at the End by Katie Roiphe. Read my review here.
• Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism,  Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad. We had a great book club discussion, though it was a tough topic.
• Heart Berries: A Memoir by Terese Marie Mailhot. A suggested book to help me better understand my BIPOC brothers and sisters. This was a hard book to read due to the subject matter: child sexual abuse and its fallout.
• Currently reading 
• Cast Away: Poems for Our Time by Naomi Shihab Nye
• Close to Birds by Magnusson, et al 
• Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
  

Good news:

• Three unexpected ways that Biden plans to fight climate change. (Mother Jones)

• The Essential and enduring strength of John Lewis. (New Yorker)

Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. #goodtrouble

— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 27, 2018

•  George Will, a conservative commentator, makes it official. He will vote for Biden in November. It will be the first time he has ever voted for a Democrat in his life. He also recommends that people vote OUT all Republicans, not just voting out Trump. (Huffington Post)

• Minnesota legislature passes police reform package. "A major step forward." (CBS)

• Greta Thunberg has pledged to donate 1 million euros — more than $1.14 million — in prize money. The 17-year-old climate activist was awarded the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, which recognizes people for their contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation. (CBSN)

• Joy Reid's debut as commentator on the ReidOut on MSNBC had 2.6 million viewers. As a black woman she is filling a much-needed role on the prime-time line-up. (The Hill) I read a tweet by a man about the debut who said his young daughter squealed with delight when she saw Joy Reid on TV saying, "She has curly hair like me." We need representation from all races on TV. (Sorry, I couldn't find the tweet again to link.)

• Trial of COVID-19 drug given by inhalor is very promising. It can reduce the need for ventilation and increase survival rate. (Guardian) 

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Responds to Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL). If you haven't seen this speech, you really should. Women are sick and tired of being objectified and treated with so little respect. (C-Span) 

• Concerned with COVID infections, 65% of people support 'no-excuse' absentee voting (Pew Research)

•  This isn't good news, it is sad news. But it is good that General Mattis is speaking out.
  
  

• LeBron James' voting rights group is helping ex-felons in Florida pay off their debts so they can register to vote. (CNN)

Musical Interlude: (Try listening to one of these songs for inspiration today)

•  Glory performed by the Detroit Youth Choir, featuring IndigoYaz [Inspring message of hope performed by the group that came in second last year on America's Got Talent. Shared with me by my sister Kathy. I can't stop listening to it.]
• The Sound of Sunshine  by  Michael Franti [It is good to spend time in the sunshine, especially when things are upsetting and the world seems upside-down]
• It's Time by Imagine Dragons (Acoustic) [It is time for Black Lives Matter, for freedom from the tyranny from those who want power, for gender equality, for voting rights, for LGBTQ+ rights, to love whom you want, for health-care for all, for a living wage and a guaranteed minimum...]

On the lighter side:

1. Trumpfeld:



2. You knew I'd find something related to Hamilton, huh? Something tells me that this guy's reputation will NOT improve with time.

3. Both of my sisters and daughters are now sharing items of interest with me every week to include on my Sunday Salon post. These next two are from my sister Grace, who is a teacher concerned about what will happen this coming school year.

4. School openings have been a focus of editorial cartoons, too.

5.What is happening in Portland right now (and a city near you soon) is not funny, it is frightening.

Let's just hope this isn't a hot item this Christmas season...

And finally, just in case you need help identifying the members of the Trump family...

A few thoughts on "It's Time":

• It's been more than 50 years since the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act, and MLK telling his jailers that "what you people want" is respect. Now we can start to dismantle systemic racism whole and entire. It's time.
• It's been 130 years since the Pledge of Allegiance (written in 1892, adopted by Congress in 1942) asked us to support a Republic with Liberty and Justice for All. I'm game. It's time.
• More than 240 years since the Declaration of Independence told us that All Men [sic] are Created Equal. It's time.
• Its been at least 2800 years since Amos prophesied, But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Quoted by MLK, Letter from Birmingham Jail and many speeches) It's time!  
• For a much longer timeline of "it's time", check here on DailyKos. 

More images from our home:

• We startled a junco (bird) when we watered our geranium hanging basket. We found this little nest in the middle of the plants. Just hatched, still hatching...
  
• My best-smelling rose, aptly named 'scentimental'.
  

George and Fred: George is playing hide-n-go-seek; Fred is contemplating chewing on yet another power cord.

Comments make my day and let me know that you've been here. Thanks for making a comment here or on Facebook!

-Anne