~Living a life of sophisticated domestication deep in the heart of Texas~

Monday, June 28, 2010

"It is better to travel well than to arrive." Buddha


~Journey Home~ 


The time that my journey takes is long and the way of it long.

I came out on the chariot of the first gleam of light, and pursued my voyage through the wildernesses of worlds leaving my track on many a star and planet.

It is the most distant course that comes nearest to thyself, and that training is the most intricate which leads to the utter simplicity of a tune.

The traveler has to knock at every alien door to come to his own, and one has to wander through all the outer worlds to reach the innermost shrine at the end.

My eyes strayed far and wide before I shut them and said 'Here art thou!'

The question and the cry `Oh, where?' melt into tears of a thousand streams and deluge the world with the flood of the assurance 'I am!'

Rabindranath Tagore

Shawn
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photo courtesy of:  Bellevue Arts Museum  Ron Ho jewelry exhibit:  Gum San Journey, 1996  Silver, copper, gold, antique porcelain and leather.  Photo: Rod Slemmons  http://www.bellevuearts.org/exhibitions/past/ron_ho.htm 

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Obviously, this is why they call it Facebook....

Here's baby bear Hope as of today, up close and personal.  She's obviously thriving, being a 5-month-old cub, but she's all on her own.  She's still getting supplemental feeding opportunities a couple of times a day, so that's good.  I just couldn't resist borrowing this picture from Lily the Black Bear page on Facebook...

OTOH....

I really think we should have taken better care of the planet.  We should have worked harder to make this a safer place for the woodland and coastal creatures to dwell.  It's become pretty clear that by allowing the environment to be destroyed, it's not only the animals, birds, or creatures of the sea who suffer, but humans, too.  And those humans whose quality of life is diminished, if not destroyed, are the innocents.  (But try and tell that to the suits at BP Oil...)
I'm almost positive somebody, somewhere has warned us about that before, though.  Too many of us were heedless and thought in terms of "gee whiz, it'll never happen in my lifetime..."  How could we miss the fact that when we poke holes in the Earth Mother that chances are, we're going to get more than we bargained for...and there's hell to pay. 

Shawn
****


photos courtesy of:  Lily the Black Bear page on Facebook, dogonenews.com Chronicle/Frederic Larson

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

This kiss.....

It was the end of WWII, and Edith Shain, a probably pretty nurse, got herself thoroughly kissed on August 14, 1945.  New York City was celebrating with a "Victory Over Japanese Day" parade.  Not surprisingly, this particular sailor got carried away by it all (or Edith nearly did, LOL). 

I love to look at black and white pictures, and can't recall how many times I've seen this one over the years. I do remember wondering who the people were, what was happening, what were they thinking?  Did these people even know each other or was it a surprise? 

Definitely remarkable, this picture epitomizes the feelings of America at the end of a long, terrible war.  It's come to represent better than almost any other photo ever "an epic moment in American history, one that inspired patriotism, unity, joy and a spontaneous national pride in victoriously ending the war,"   Shain's son Michael Shain said.

Sadly, she passed away on Sunday in Los Angeles.  

It must have been quite something to be Edith Shain, pretty nurse. 

I have to wonder what she must have been thinking before, during, and after *this kiss* .....

Shawn
****
Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt

Source: wikipedia.org, worldsfamousphotos.com
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english2010/

Monday, June 21, 2010

A most blessed and happy Litha....

It's a beautiful day to celebrate summer's birth, the longest day of the year, (and not just because that's what my grandmother said, my father having been born on June 21st many years ago, lol).

A lover of trees, I am so pleased to discover and share with you here "Summer Solstice," which exquisitely depicts the Tree of Life by the artist Cinzia Bacilieri.  I find it beautifully symbolic of the eternal cycle of the seasons. 

photo borrowed from:  www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/content/

Shawn
****

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Hope....

Okay, I admit it. I've been dying to share this picture of Baby Bear Hope from a week ago.  How cute is this!!  It could be that she's teething...  She's becoming more independent, foraging for wild food, only stopping by the feeding station if/when she takes a notion, lol. :+) 

I don't have a particular topic this evening.  Just stopping by on a warm Saturday night here in Texas....

...to say that we ~Hope~ you and yours have an absolutely splendid week!

Shawn
****

photo courtesy of Lily the Bear on Facebook

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Whatever you'd like, Honey.....

Well, shoot.
I had good intentions.....when I got up from my desk, and thought I was headed into the kitchen to take steaks out to thaw.   What I did was a few dishes, then I opened the blinds because it was all rather dim.  I played with the puppies, taught Seamus the word "bone" (well, I've started to, anyway), and wiped down the counter and put a couple of things away, shut the puppy gate and came back into the office.  SGTex looks up and says, "Hey, are you hungry?"  I'm like, "Oh darn, I meant to take steaks out to thaw....."  So now he's in the kitchen getting some late lunch together, and he's taking something out of the freezer for a late supper.  He's offered a couple of suggestions, and I'm pretty much agreeable with whatever it is, lol.  I'd better be...Just call me Ditwad.  (Is that a bad word??) 

So, what's for dinner?  We're having some "Yes, we'll have whatever you'd like, Honey......"

Well, I don't mind telling you, he's  a great, creative chef.  There have been the most amazing cookies and breads baked in our cute little kitchen, some of which are his own, personal, off-the-cuff, on-the-spot recipe.  Our midnight popcorn picnics are most always enhanced by delicious nuts that he's spiced and sweetened.   And don't get me started on the mixed drinks he's concocted.  WoW. 

The man works magic in the kitchen, etc..... So come to think of it, just call me Lucky. 

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of:  I forget.  But BTW, feel free to go to the sidebar and find the widget where you can translate this into any language you choose.  Have yourself a ball...LOL!!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

A windy wedding....

Disclaimer:  Okay, so it's a windy day and I'm pretty much in wedding mode for the next few months.  There's a good chance my blogging might kinda roll in that direction.  Consider yourselves warned.... ;+)

Isn't this a great picture?!  I would have loved to have been there.  Hey, I would have loved to have been the photographer that day. 

I'll admit it.  Wedding planning can get pretty interesting.  Basically what's on my mind these days is the guest list.  We don't have an A list and a B list, per se.  What we do have is the means to accommodate a certain number of our Near & Dear ones, and we hope those who will be joining us on our wedding day will be glad to be there.  I picked up a great tidbit on a chat board one time, and it was this:  Limit your guest list to those people who you feel sure will wake up on the morning of your wedding and say, "Yay!! It's Shawn & SGTex's Big Day, and I can't wait to get there!!"  Anyone who doesn't fit that picture might rather stay home...Hmmm.
At the time I read that, I basically thought that I'd better be the one-- no wait, *we'd* better be the ones waking up with that attitude, heheh!!  IOW, we sincerely hope that those we're inviting will be glad to take part in the celebration.....

And there will be cake.

Shawn ;+)
****

photo courtesy of:  Foosies, http://4.bp.blogspot.com/

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ....


Cleopatra....

is someone I've always greatly admired. 

I won't lay out her entire biography here, but do want to mention that she was part of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, ruling with her father and then her brothers, whom she married. 

She was the lover of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (Augustus).  Remember Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton?
After Caesar's assassination she aligned herself against his brother with Mark Antony, who was the legal heir to Caesar's throne.  She also became his lover and mother to his three children.  Both she and Mark Antony committed suicide...Tradition tells us that she did herself in by way of an asp bite.  O.M.G(ess), in this case. 

According to Wikipedia, "Her patron goddess was Isis, and thus, during her reign, it was believed that she was the re-incarnation and embodiment of the goddess of wisdom."  She is reputed to have been brilliant, intelligent, beautiful, a force with which to be reckoned, and I just really admire the heckoutta that.

Brains and beauty--now there's a much-desired combination.  Oh, and let's not forget to add "a sense of humor" to her list of highly female attributes.  The story goes that she had a surprise meeting with Julius Caesar.  A beautiful rug was delivered to him, and when it was unrolled, there she was...   Can you imagine?!  Obviously, he must have been very pleased to make her acquaintance~ the embodiment of the Goddess Isis....

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of: http://2.bp.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

My mosaic mood montage....


Flower petals.  We've got a million of 'em.... Ever since the first bouquet of long-stemmed red roses SGTex sent me in WA, I've been drying and saving flower petals.  First of all, because I just couldn't part with them, and second of all, because we'd be using them to scatter at our wedding...At the time it all started, I had no idea how perfectly they'd suit our purpose.  The little downtown park is all brick, and there will be a petal path from the street to the wall-of-water fountain...Well, over the last 5 years you can imagine how many petals have been gathered and stored away for safekeeping.  Lots and lots. 

And that is how I came to find this beautiful mosaic picture, all about flower petals :+). 

So many thoughts are swirling around in my head lately.  There's been a lot going on right here at home, more than enough to keep my mind well occupied, IYKWIM.  SGTex has been given more responsibility and a new position at work- and yes, he's doing a fandangtastic job, thankyou very much!  I'm very proud of him.  He's an achiever and has heaps of ability, which he puts to great use. 

It's also gardening time out back, and he's in charge of that, too.  We've had some of our first harvest already- green tomatoes fried SGTex style, and a delicious zucchini, the texture of which was amazing, melt in your mouth.  On the other hand, my most anticipated blooms never had a chance.  Evidently nasturtiums are on the salad menu of the neighborhood squirrels....I couldn't believe my eyes the other day when I started down the front steps-- it looked like someone had taken scissors and given all the plants a bad haircut!!  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  I've been really wanting nasturtiums to grow here.  Maybe next season...

Beyond what's right here close to home, there's the oil spill.  Like many of you, we've been watching late night CNN and are feeling more and more frustrated and disgusted with BP oil and all who are mixed up in this big mess.  The harm done is hard to imagine.  I don't know how those people sleep at night, really.  It's not their loved ones who died, it's not their wildlife, their wetlands or coastline that is affected.  Yet.  Utterly shameful.

And now I've gotten myself all involved with Lily & Hope, the black bears in Minnesota (see posts below).  As of tonight, Baby Hope is still lost and alone in the woods, but was spotted a couple of times over the past days.  Food has been left out for her in what should be familiar places, so perhaps she will be able to take nourishment.  We'll learn more about her misadventure tomorrow.  I've been heartbroken just thinking about her being out on her own in the woods, such a tiny bear girl.  She needs to be caught and carried off to her mother once again.  Many tears have been shed, and many prayers have been said over that situation here in America and elsewhere. 

Our wedding plans continue to take shape, and I'm grateful for that.  It will be a busy summer with lots to do before our big day in the Celtic New Year.

All in all, it's been a good June so far for us here in our home.  I hope it's been that way for you, too.

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of:  http://rlv.zcache.com/purple_blue_iris_flower_petals_mosaic_montage_poster

Monday, May 31, 2010

On this Memorial Day 2010....

"Since they kissed the lads they loved so dear and sent them to the front..." 

Just wanted to share this lovely postcard c. 1906-1911 in remembrance of those who have given their all, in order that we can celebrate our freedoms. 

Our hope and prayer is that all wars will end, that all our men and women will safely come home again~ to stay.

Blessed be....

Gratefully,
Shawn & SGTex
****

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Our very beginning....

Jerusha Day!!!


In the spring of 2005, SGTex and I became acquainted with each other on an Internet religion board. We’d kinda swoop and dip into each other’s conversations, keeping an eye on what the other was saying on various topics, but it wasn’t until the subject of monkey bread came up that we actually engaged each other directly…

Anyway, back to our topic.  I’m very interested in genealogy, and it was on May 30, 2005, we were chatting on the board about his ancestress Jerusha.  Our conversation became involved to such a degree that I wondered if we might take it to email, which evidently is exactly what he had in mind. Well, we did, and that is how we became involved, way back when. The most amazing month followed, I kid you not. Whew.   So in case you were wondering, that is how our time together began.

Thank you kindly, Jerusha. I’ll be forever grateful….

Shawn
****
photo: The Guitar Juan Gris, 1913 (150 Kb); Oil and papier colle on canvas, 61 x 50 cm (24 x 19 5/8 in); Private collection, Paris (DC42) / Musee National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris / (SGTex named his guitar Jerusha- a gift from me)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

While there's life, there's Hope....

Maybe you've heard all about Baby Bear Hope, alone and lost in the Minnesota North Woods over this past weekend.  She and her mother Lily became separated when Lily went to investigate some tracks.  By the time she returned for her cub, 50 hours had passed, and Hope was nowhere to be found.  A torrential rain complicated matters, and it seemed like Hope was lost, until a cub was spotted by a homeowner who lived near the area.  The cub got away, but a search was on, while the world waited and prayed (on Facebook!)  Later, Hope was spotted in a cedar tree, and it has since been reported that she was rescued, stowed away in a pet carrier and returned to her mother! 

I haven't seen the video yet, but you can bet I'll stay up to watch it. All of this has been rather heart-wrenching, thinking about Lily, discouraged and confused, how it must have been for Hope to find herself alone for so long. I can't even begin to imagine how those who were searching felt when they finally discovered little Hope in that cedar tree. Wow.




Talk about a happy ending...which is actually pending, but I'm betting that these two bears will sleep in and awaken with a sense that all is right with their world...


Shawn
****
 
photos borrowed from Lily The Black Bear fan photos on Facebook, Crys Davis, Sarah Peterson Dykstra
"Lily the Black Bear is part of a long-term research project run by the North American Bear Center (http://bear.org) and the Wildlife Research Institute (http://bearstudy.org) out of Ely, Minnesota."

Monday, May 24, 2010

What not to wear....

Okay, this is *not* what I was going to blog about today, but gee whiz, no matter how many times I slap myself, I can't seem to shake off the urge to say something.  Really. 

I had heard that the Chinese are irritated with people in Shanghai showing up downtown (see how that goes--up--down--lol) in their jammies during the 2010 World Expo.  In fact, they've hired women (who wear red banners) to stand around on street corners and stop/scold pajama-wearers and send them home to change.  Apparently, the Chinese don't want to give visitors the wrong impression. 

Anyway, this is what Venus wore yesterday at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, the fashion capital of the world.  It must have shocked the socks off her opponent, Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, loser. 

I can only imagine, as Venus triumphantly walked away, that many in the crowd were thinking like me, "Now, there goes a winner." 

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of CBS news online 05.24.2010

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Okay, so I'm a day late commemorating a very bad day....

I know, I should have posted something about Mt. St. Helen's May 18th eruption yesterday, but things weren't really, what shall I say, "conducive" to blogging, so here I am today.  If I checked back to last year at this time I probably said something about the mountain going off, but I'm not checking the archives.

This evening I thought I'd sit down after dinner and post some sort of a fluff piece (I know, we get a lot of that here, lol), as I'm in a good mood and all is right with my world.  But then I remembered the mountain, so here's a shot of her having a very bad day, the likes of which she'd not had in a very long time, and we all hope to never see her do it again.  To tell you the truth, I was in California at the time and missed out on May 18th.  Not too much later, though, I got to experience her 2nd eruption.  It wasn't as bad as the first, but I don't have a lot of good things to say about that day.  It was one horrific mess, and I don't want to ever go through that again.

So, what is happening at our house?  Other than long hours working at The Job, SGTex is getting some gardening underway.  I'm impressed!  Tomatoes are great.  Zucchini is blossoming.  Hyacinth bean vines coming up.  Morning glories starting to do their thing.  Okra is still in hiding.  I'm not sure about the peppers.  Four o'clocks are elusive.  Nasturtiums better *not* turn out to be all leaves and no blossom again.....Passion vine is growing like crazy up the front porch railings, just as I'd hoped.  Globe thistles are taking off and should be just right next to the garden gate, maybe discouraging the neighbor puppy from gaining entry, lol.  Our wisteria bloomed after all (yay!) and we've got climbing roses that are really, really pretty, in spite of the fact I have yet to find my rose pruners :+).  I'm very lucky my man is an excellent and willing gardener!!  He's brought in the most gorgeous bouquets.  You should see the huge vase by the altar with a beautiful floral mix of spring colors.  (Thank you, Dearling!)

Puppies are pretty well-behaved and are inseparable, best buddies.  They are so cute.  Really!  Our wedding plans are underway-- see our updated news for that. 

I guess that's about it for now.  I think it's time to play a little Mah Jongg and then call it a very good day, as good days go.

Goodnight!
Shawn
****

Friday, May 14, 2010

Májiàng, Majiang, Mah Jong, Mah Jongg, Mahjongg....

....is a game I've always wanted to play for the longest time, and I've wanted authenticity, more like the American 1920s parlor version. 

Give me a lace cloth-covered table, and let me sit, gossiping with other bored-looking, beautifully dressed modern women, drinking martinis with pretended indifference, all the while contemplating my strategy, lazily fingering the beautiful, delicate tiles with perfectly manicured hands.  Now that's one way to spend an afternoon (if you've nothing better to do, that is--;+) thankfully, I do! lol)

For the longest time I've shopped the antique stores and eBay, searching for a set from the past, and they're either too pricey, have to come all the way from the Orient, or they're missing some tiles or instructions.  I finally did find a site online where I might, someday, if I'm lucky, be able to acquire a nice set, and then learn to play, perhaps gathering a group of like-minded, Mah Jongg-lover types with nothing better to do on an afternoon.  Or evening, when they can bring their men along.

But meanwhile, back at the desk, I guess authenticity isn't allothat, so I'll just settle for the online I'net version.  It's simpler, free, quite sufficiently mind-numbing, and one doesn't have to get all dressed up to go do it.  Besides, I really can't stand gossip, actually do prefer my husband's company to that of a bunch of bored/boring women, and I prefer mint juleps to martinis....

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of ubcvault.ca

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

"I'm not alone, I'm free....


.... I no longer have to be a credit, I don't have to be a symbol to anybody; I don't have to be a first to anybody."  Lena Horne


I spent quite a bit of time looking for the right picture, and frankly was overwhelmed with the selection!  Obviously a woman of class and great talent.  Here she is at the Waldorf Astoria. 

I don't know a lot about Lena, but feel compelled to say something to mark her passing from this life into the next.  I'm sure she's already missed by many.

A sense of humor, a powerful voice (that she complained about--what??!!), a magnificent smile....One tough lady who obviously looked life straight in the eye, grabbed each day and gave it a hard shake, haha!!!

I'm glad she had such a long life.....  It's good that we'll get to remember Lena, thanks to surround sound and the silver screen.  And Netflix ;+)

Bye bye, Ms. Lena Horne.

Shawn
****

Saturday, May 8, 2010

An exercise in free exercise...

Another National Day of Prayer, downtown at tiny Minter Park.

Curiously, this time our Interfaith ceremony appeared to be the only public observance in town. I suppose Pray Big Country (the consortium of local clergy who always used to stage Christian-only events as directed by Shirley Dobson's NDOP Task Force) decided to heck with it if they couldn't hijack the City Hall venue. Moreover, the fountain whose blessed white noise we so enjoyed in prior years had been shut off, maintenance timed just right by, er, City Hall.

Attendance was a bit sparse, no doubt affected by a goofy rumor that the whole bit had been canceled by President Obama. Oh, well! This remains a terrific improvement, IMO, over those days in the late 1990s and early 2000s when, clasping my beads and chanting softly, I roamed the periphery of a crowd so pointedly lacking in religious diversity as to represent unlawful use of government property.

06 May 2010: An appropriate level of news coverage as prayers for America were offered by participants representing several faith options, namely Baha'i, Anglican, Muslim, Protestant, Buddhist, Unitarian Universalist, Roman Catholic and Jewish. There was a spirit of peace and respect, as always, and the earnestness you'd expect of folks gathering to pray for America in a time of hope and progress and controversy and reform and hardship...i.e., those forces that affect us all the time.

When it came to the Buddhist part, I put up the poster Shawn and I had assembled minutes earlier, simply NAM_MYOHO_RENGE_KYO, and said this:

"Buddhism teaches that suffering proceeds from desire, which principle is aptly illustrated by America's addiction to petroleum. Because of that appetite, we are immersed in the great sorrow of war, and have once again incurred ecologic and economic disaster. In fact, the oil spill is very much an allegory for karma, that ruinous defilement that only diligent effort can clear away. The Buddhist formula for achieving this is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, a crystal of perfect wisdom distilled from the Lotus Sutra that invokes the power of the living law of the universe. Anyone who's so inclined is invited to join me in chanting for transformation of the national karma."

I chanted daimoku for about a minute.

I would be remiss and a dufus if I didn't thank dear Shawn for all the support and encouragement she affords in this matter that matters to me, and humbly ask her to come along ASAP and bless the Interfaith Council with her eminently valid point of view.

SGTex
****

photo of SGTex courtesy of: R.Erdrich/Abilene Reporter News 05.06.2010

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

"You may all go to hell...and I will go to Texas!"

Hey, I didn't say that--Davy Crockett did.  Well, he said it first, anyway.  When I think back to the *packing up and getting me from there to here* process (what we now call the 'Meanwhile Time'), I'm almost very certainly positive I must have said words to that effect---or worse. 

Lots has changed since then, and for the better.  I remember days and weeks and months of boxes and bubble wrap and newspaper and decision making and all that goes into moving.  It makes me exhausted now to even think about it.  I'm very thankful that's all said and done.  And I did it for a Very Good Reason- the best in all the worlds ;+).

Maybe it's on my mind as we approach our 5 year mark, as it was just about now in 2005 that I began to notice someone who called himself SGTex....Hmmmm....and by the end of May-- well, it was then that SGTex and I began our Adventure....

Counting down to Jerusha Day, Mister... ;+)

P.S.  I love you, Baby.

Shawn
****
uber cool photo courtesy of texasdarkside.com/deathstar

Sunday, May 2, 2010

TTYTT..........

I had the strangest dream last night..one of those undreams.  A big old manse of a place and a wonderful kitchen with a farm sink and marble facade, more like it belonged on a fireplace, but here was this amazing structure, cool to the touch.  I remember that so vividly.  A huge wall of paned windows on the right floor to ceiling and the light pouring through.  Green, green grass lawns extending into the distance. 

Well, for some reason I decided to clean the marble and I took a rag and started to polish it with some sort of powder, and the brown streaks and shadings started to disappear and all that was left behind was the white and silver and gray, a beautiful slab of old marble with a few cracks here and there.  One more strange thing was that there was a sort of wire scrubber like we use these days and a thread of that got stuck on a nail near the floor, and I remember pulling that away. It was strange how vivid it all was.

Anyway, I was so pleased with how it turned out, I went into the attached drawing room and beckoned my friend or lover or whoever it was (I never saw a face but just knew there was someone significant there) to come see how lovely it was.  They came and saw my accomplishment and thought it looked nice, too.

So, that is all I have to say about that.

What's really going on in my mind and heart right now would be a little TMI, so I'm writing here, playing our songs at top volume and hoping while I'm doing this with one part of my mind, listening to the music blasting in another part of my mind, some control of what's left will start to creep in and I won't go totally off the deep end. 

Ever have a day like that?  Or a week?  Or a month?  Or a lifetime?

Is this blog post getting a little dark?  Maybe so.  But it's MY dark, so tread carefully.   

Perhaps this is just a bit of Beltane backdraft.

Shawn
****

photo courtesy of damnfinepictures.com blogspot 2008

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I never met a Dorothy I didn’t like….

Isn’t she a beauty? Dr. Dorothy Height has gone from our world now, yet she has left us talking about her behind her back, so to speak.


I won’t even pretend to understand or be aware of all that she accomplished in the interest of civil rights. I suspect you don’t have to be black (and I’m not) to wonder who will come along and take up her cause(s)…

So, I just happened to be surfing the I-net and somehow found myself on the “clutch mag” page, glimpsed this picture of Dr. Dorothy and thought, “Wow, look at her. How wise and beautiful, and how sad those she left behind who were lucky enough to love her and learn from her must be….” And then I thought, how marvelous and amazing it must have been to be her. Just think, accomplishing so much for others and making a big difference in a big world, being steadfast and focused about it all….and yet, she was merely a woman with womanly flaws and womanly vulnerabilities. Just between you and me, don't you think she had something extra, that “above and beyond” what it takes to be a dynamic woman of color in today’s world?  Look at her, she must have!

There were two very special women in my life named Dorothy….

When I was a child, Dorothy A was wonderful to me. She had a cupboard in her kitchen that was for me (as well as other really little kids) and it was filled with wonderful things. She laughed a lot and said funny things, like “This day God hath *not* made.” She was an artist and I really, really like her a lot. She lived at the south end of Oregon.

When I was an adult, Dorothy C was wonderful to me. She lived up the hill a ways from me. I was kinda new in town and she came knocking at my door, bearing homemade cookies. That was the first of many, many wonderful visits. She was always encouraging and enthusiastic. I think her motto must have been “You can do it!” She was a writer, the wife of a writer, and I really, really like her a lot. She lived at the north end of Oregon.

I’m really lucky to have had a couple of Dorothys in my life.  I think they believed in me.  They were both good and beautiful, just like Dr. Dorothy Height. May she R.I.P….

Shawn
****
photo courtesy of: clutch magazine