Pinch a Few Pennies, Build Community, Through Seed Exchange

Well, wouldja look at this. UPP is helping me promote the Seed Exchange. Saturday afternoon. Be there and be square.

Peas out.

Pinch a Few Pennies, Build Community, Through Seed Exchange

Poppy Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— Lt. Col. John McCrae (1872-1918)

"Lest We Forget," photo by hobvias sudoneighm, published

under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License.

You know what to do

Get to the poll and cast your ballot today!

Brown is the new lawn sign repellant

Tomorrow's the Provo City Municipal Primary Election, so if you live anywhere near my 'hood, don't forget to visit the voting polls and punch your conscience. Not literally, of course—you should always listen to your conscience and not fight against it—but do take up that stylus and poke a hole by the name of each of your favorite candidates.

My favorites are listed to the right. That's correct; I am wearing my local politics on my sleeve. These people are good for our city and especially for the neighborhoods that make up that city. Cindy asked Rob and me to write a letter of recommendation for her, knowing that we are on her team, and this is the closest I've come. It's probably as close as I'll get this election. But here's the bottom line: Cindy is a good idea, and manages to stay freshly so, after more than a decade of seasoned service. She moves with the times, moves with our needs. I have the utmost confidence in her. That's also how I feel about Steve Clark. I already see him as mayor. I think he is the perfect choice for Provo right now. I find all of these people inspiring, trustworthy, disciplined, and very capable.

As long as I'm on this subject, however briefly, I feel I must advise those of you seeking to adorn your lawns with signs to help campaign for your picks during future election seasons. If you want to get involved, you have got to water your grass! And pull your weeds! Sweep your steps! Don't let the cats use your flower beds as kitty litter stations! Pick up your unread Wall Street Journals so they don't get rained on and turn into gooey grey blobs on your sidewalk! Take it from me, queen of the dying green, no candidate (apparently) wants to advertise on an unkempt 1/8th acre. Think about it—who's the true trendsetter on your block—the guy with the lush lawn and tidy hedge, or the one who dreams at night of automatic watering systems and is ever at the ready to harvest dandelion fluff and puncture vine? I don't care if you put one of those "I'm gorgeous inside!" signs in front of your house; nobody's going to believe you. There is no Brown Party. It's all about green, comrade. We have learned by sad experience that even if a candidate courts you via phone or email for free campaign space, one in-person glance at your dirt-colored digs will send them running.

Today it stormed, but the rain came too late to save my suffering yard from political muteness. Standing proudly in lawns all over the 'hood now are Cindy signs and scattered Steves and conscientious Coys. Nobody wants my yard. But you know what? I'm gorgeous inside. And I vote!

Go, Steve!

Go, Cindy!

Go, Coy!

Go, Provo!

(Go vote!)

Sam I am

Sam's your uncle

And he's not getting any younger, you know. He needs a little extra help these days.

We need to look after our own.



VOTE TOMORROW!

What I'm learning

Oh, how I wish I was in New York

It's bad enough we are missing the fun at Rob's family reunion, but now I learn we're going to miss an incredible exhibition of Paul Fusco photographs, "R.F.K. Funeral Train—Rediscovered." What a piece of Americana. I'm eating my heart out. Hey, if you're in the neighborhood, won't you go and enjoy it for me?

And if you're curious about why it's gotten under my skin, just take a look at this three-minute slide show produced by The New York Times. It's narrated by the photographer. This to me is beauty. The real deal.

Independents Day

Happy Valentine's Day

I'm back from Texas, but I got hit with a killer bug last night. So for now, since I'm feeling too rotten to write an original post, and since I'm too sick to even kiss, I will stall for time and share with you a very worthy historical letter that I think is fairly appropriate to the occasion of Love Day, especially considering world events. Get your tissues out; this one may make you weep.

Camp Clark, Washington
July 14th, 1861

My Dear Sarah,

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days perhaps tomorrow.

Lest I shall not be able to write to you again. I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure, and it may be one of sever conflict and death to me. "Not my will, but Thine O God be done." If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my Country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged and my courage does not halt or falter.

I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution, and I am willing, perfectly willing to lay down all my joys in this life to help maintain this Government and to pay that debt, but my dear wife when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows, when after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself I must offer it as the only sustenance to my dear little children, is it weak or dishonorable that while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze underneath my unbounded love for you my darling wife and children, I shall struggle in fierce though useless contest with my love of Country.

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer Sabbath night when two thousand men are sleeping around me many of them enjoying the last perhaps before that of death; and I am suspicious that death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart while I am communing with God, My Country and Thee. I have sought most closely and diligently and often in my breast for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of all those I loved and I could find now. A pure love of my Country and the principles I have often advocated before the people another name of honor that I love more than I fear death has called upon me and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me in mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break and my love of country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.

The memories of all the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you that I have enjoyed them so long and how hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years when God Willing we might still have lived and loved together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us.

I know I have but few and small claims upon Divine Providence but something whispers to me perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah never forget how much I love you and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield I shall whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you how thoughtless how foolish I have often times been. How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness and struggle with all the misfortunes of this world to shield you and my dear children from harm but I cannot I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more. But Oh Sarah if the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they love, I shall always be near you in the gladdest day and in the darkest night amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours always, always and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheeks it shall be my breath or the cool air cools your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead, think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow up as I have grown and never know a father's love and care, little Willie is too young to remember me long and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood.

Sarah, I have unbounded confidence in your maternal care and your development of their character and feel that God will bless you in your holy work.

Tell my two mothers I call God's blessing upon them.

Oh Sarah I want for you there come to me and lead thither my children.

Sullivan

Happy trails to you till we meet again

Well, pardners, sure as shootin', it's gittin' about time fer us to bridle on up the horses an' ride off into the sunrise. See y'all next week. El Paso, here we come!

Love,
Saddle Sore Sally

Thanksgiving tableau

General Thanksgiving,

By the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"



NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;— for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;— for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;— and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.





And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;— to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.





GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington
Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789