Peace Radio Interim Edition: May 10, 2020

Greetings Peaceniks!
Hope this finds you well.

A farewell to Little Richard...topless and flashy as he always will be in my memory:

DJ Sally P, our senior senior reporter sends news from the homefront...specifically from the front of her home.  We visited on her porch but neither of us thought to record it.  And given our foul old lady mouths, we couldn't have played it on the radio anyway.

Jill M is settling in to live in South Dakota and sends us good links for solid news when we need the facts.

Jill W, your intrepid blog typist, is madly typing this out on a sunny Saturday (and into the evening) from the wee shed she more or less lives in and around.

Miriam brings us kid friendly content to get you through the coming weeks!


Happy Mother's Day...though the origins are not happy...to all.

Here are a couple of long play musical links if you'd like to play something as you read on:
Norah Jones concert from home

Or if you want something with more edge...Los Bitchos playing in Paris

So, Mother's day.

The real history, as we cover most years on Peace Radio, is grounded in war.  Not metaphorical wars that are really public health challenges.

Over at history.com, they cover it well:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day

As the article notes, there are MANY origins and types of mother's celebrations, but some of the most direct roots of what we celebrate now come from these women:

The origins of Mother’s Day as celebrated in the United States date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children.

These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2.

Happy Mothers' PEACE day!!

Now for our first e-interview!  

 Amanda Argona with the city of Moscow, and working with the Moscow Farmers Market graciously answered questions I emailed her after I noticed that the market had not started yet.  These are indeed strange times!  I've counted on the market and looked forward to it for decades, first in grad school and now while a working stiff (who is very grateful to be working).  

I don't do social media and hadn't heard about the delay in market start. So I noodled around and found the contact.

Here is the interview:

1. please introduce yourself, your position with the market, and how long you’ve worked with the market

My name is Amanda Argona and I am the city Community Events Manager. As part of my role, I oversee the Moscow Farmers Market and its operations. This July will be my second year in this position, in addition to two years as an AmeriCorps member with the Market from 2013-2015.

2. i see that the market is starting later in the year than usual.  how was that decided?  who makes the call on when and how to open?

It became apparent in late March that COVID-19 was going to have a major impact on the Moscow Farmers Market. Opening day on May 2^nd was cancelled under the direction of the ordinance issued by Mayor Lambert. Luckily, farmers market were listed as an essential business under the stay home order from the Governor’s office, so we knew that we were at the very least allowed to operate. The decision to delay the start date to June 6^th was a recommendation by staff to city administration. Based on our observations of farmers markets across the U.S., we needed to allow ourselves sufficient time to communicate with the public about the changes to the Moscow Farmers Market. Our contingency plan was informed by guidance we were receiving from Governor Little’s office, CDC recommendations, and best practices of other markets through agencies like the Farmers Market Coalition, Idaho Farmers Market Association and Washington State Farmers Market Association.

3. what can vendors and patrons expect when they go to the market this summer as long as social distancing is still needed?

      hours? location? spacing of booths? limits on # of patrons there at once?

Our vendors have been so gracious in their response to the changes and have continued to roll with any updates as they become available. We have implemented empty stall assignments between vendors since everyone is coming to market from a different household. We are also limiting the types of vendors that can be present at market to those that offer fresh, perishable agricultural products. Patrons can still find the market downtown from 8 am to 1 pm beginning on June 6^th, but we do plan to limit the number of customers to no more than 50 people in the footprint at any given time. We are still working on the logistics of managing crowds, and we hope patrons will be understanding and cooperative so we can offer this venue to the farmers who need it to get fresh food to the community.

We also plan to offer a Motor-In Moscow Farmers Market on Saturdays at a separate location.

4. do you know if any vendors will be taking orders ahead for fast pick up at the market or if there are any vendors considering other options for accommodating limited contact with patrons?

Our Motor-In Moscow Farmers Market is a contactless, pre-paid, pick-up location that will take place in the City Hall parking lot. Not all vendors are opting in to use this service, and we will be testing it with a limited number to iron out the wrinkles. Vendors that opt-in to this system have the ability to offer additional delivery and pick-up locations. Patrons that choose to shop the online storefront will be able to pick up their items on Saturday during their specified pick-up time and will remain in their vehicles at all times.

For additional information on how we envision this system working, folks can visit: 

https://www.ci.moscow.id.us/824/Motor-In-Moscow-Farmers-Market.

5. how will the ebt system be handled?

The Market contracts with Backyard Harvest to handle this vital food access program. They are exploring ways to offer SNAP/EBT benefits safely. For patrons that want to use their SNAP/EBT benefits with the online storefront, they may select the Pay Later option. They will need to visit the Backyard Harvest booth to process their transactions and receive a paid order form to show staff to pick-up their items.

6. what concerns have you heard thus far from vendors and patrons?

Vendors have lots of concerns- everything from engaging with patrons who may not be observing social distancing or public health recommendations to re-designing their booth to discourage patrons from touching their items. Some patrons are upset with our office due to the types of vendors we are limiting and we do not take that decision lightly. Vendors want to know when they can return to Market or when things will return to normal, and we don’t have any way of predicting that.

7.  how can people find out about the market’s opening and protocols?

please keep in mind that not everyone has access to the internet or facebook.

Any changes to Market will be made via press releases, the Market’s webpage, e-newsletter, and social media. I hope to schedule some socially distanced interviews as well.

8. what more would you like our listeners/readers to know before coming to the market?

We plan to implement a shopping time for any patrons that identify as immunocompromised or in a high-risk population. This will likely be 8:00 am to 9:30 am. We don’t have an effective way of processing WA State WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks with the Motor-In Moscow Farmers Market, so patrons receiving these benefits will need to use these in the physical market place. Our ultimate priority is people’s health—that includes yours, your families, and vendors.

9. how can people work together to make the 2020 moscow farmers market a safe and successful one at a time when access to local food is even more important?

Use contactless mobile payment options when possible when shopping. All vendors will be wearing masks, and we would hope the public would honor this recommendation to also wear masks. I have heard of neighbors using a cooperative model to have one person do all the shopping for multiple families with the Drive Thru Boise Farmers Market. This could work with both the downtown Moscow Farmers Market and the Motor-In Moscow Farmers Market. Kind words and thank you’s go along way for both staff, vendors, and their employees. ,

10. whom do people contact if the have questions?

We welcome all questions to farmermarket@ci.moscow.id.us and a staff member will get in touch with someone as soon as they are able.

11. THANK YOU to you and everyone involved in the market.   if you would like to join us on air when that is again possible, or on the blog, please let me know!

Can’t wait to join on air when it is safe to do so!

Jill W again: I've drafted a PSA for KRFP about the market and whom to contact.  Listen on air for the reminder information

MUSIC BREAK!  How about some bosoms and guitars?

https://youtu.be/n7RopOgsh5c

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band's "We Deserve a Happy Ending"

Jill M sends her favorite links for news she trusts:

Sources for our headlines

Common Dreams – https://commondreams.org

Al Jazeera - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/

Reuters - https://www.reuters.com/

The Guardian - https://www.theguardian.com

The Real News Network - https://therealnews.com/

Democracy Now – democracynow.org

And of course, Voices for Creative Nonviolence!   Jill M found this and would like our listeners/readers to know:

​URGENT: PLEASE WRITE TO THESE JUDGES As the corona virus kills and terrifies prisoners around the world, the Kings Bay 7 anti-nuclear protesters and two drone war whistleblowers – Brandon Bryant and Daniel Everett Hale - are facing prison time. These pending court actions can be seen as marking a moment in history when anti-drone war protesters join anti-nuclear war protesters in the group of Americans who remain inspired to actively oppose the creation and use of particularly heinous weapons in the face of the wide acceptance of these weapons by the American public. Here is a summary of the status of the cases, and we urge you to write immediately to the judges on behalf of the Kings Bay 7 and Brandon Bryant. THE KINGS BAY PLOWSHARES 7    Kings Bay Plowshares Seven (l-r) Clare Grady, Patrick O’Neill, Elizabeth McAlister, Stephen Kelly, Martha Hennessy, Mark Colville and Carmen Trotta.                                                                                         After a six-month delay, due in part to the Covid crisis, May 28 and 29, 2020 have been set by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood for sentencing of the Kings Bay 7, who were arrested on April 4, 2018 for their protest inside Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, the homeport of the Trident nuclear missile submarines of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In October, 2019, a jury unanimously found the seven guilty of conspiracy, destruction of government property, depredation and trespassing after a trial in which the judge refused to allow testimony by expert witnesses on the danger of nuclear weapons. The defendants, their ages and their sentencing recommendations are: Elizabeth McAlister, 79,15-21 months – already served 17 months; Fr. Stephen Kelly, 70, 28-48 months – already served two years; Martha Hennessy, 64, 18-24 months; Patrick O’Neill, 63, 21-27 months; Clare Grady, 60, 21-27 months; Mark Colville, 58, 21-27 months; and Carmen Trotta, 57/21-27 months. Bill Quigley, who represented Elizabeth McAlister, said the judge does not have to follow the recommendations based on pre-sentencing investigations.  The recommended sentences differ based on the criminal histories of each person and interviews with each. All seven have already served time in jail, from a little more than two months for those who were released to go home to live under 8:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfews and up to the two years already served by Father Kelly. Because of the virus, the judge may deliver her sentencing decisions via video conferencing. As evidence of the Covid danger in jails, there are escalating protests around the U.S. calling for prisoners, particularly aging prisoners, to be released. What You Can Do First, the Plowshares 7 are urging that you sign this Petition calling for urgent reduction of the prison population in the face of the pandemic and that you support http://rappcampaign.com/ , that advocates for the release of aging prisoners. Next, PLEASE write to federal Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, at the address above, asking her to sentence all the defendants to time served. Bill Quigley notes: “All judges read the letters people send them.  They pay special attention to letters that are polite and clear.  They might help.” An attorney in a federal public defender’s office also suggests that “anyone who knows any of the individuals should add personal insights based on their knowledge of the person and the reason the person is deserving of a time-served sentence.”  Here is a sample letter to work from: Honorable Lisa Godbey Wood U.S. District Court Southern District of Georgia 801 Gloucester Street Brunswick, GA 31520 Dear Judge Wood: I am writing to implore you to sentence all the Kings Bay Seven nuclear weapons protesters to time served. Such a decision would recognize not only that the government has already exacted a penalty of various levels of confinement over the last two years, but that imprisonment of the defendants in the time of Covid 19, is a penalty that far exceeds the normal weight of imprisonment in terms of its impact on the emotional and physical health of the defendants. Indeed, imprisonment during this pandemic endangers the lives of the defendants, none of whom present a danger to the general public and all of whom have devoted their lives to serving others. Should you believe you must impose further penalty on the defendants, I ask that you consider home confinement. Thank you for considering my request. Respectfully, (Your name and address) You can also contribute to the ongoing costs of supporting the defendants.  Checks may be sent to: Plowshares, PO Box 3087, Washington, DC 20010.  Donations can be made online at Isaiah project Here are links that provide you with more information: Kiings Bay Plowshares 2nd Anniversary Virtual Celebration WEBSITE: Kingsbayplowshares7.org GENERAL EMAIL: kingsbayplowshares@gmail.com   FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Kingsbayplowshares TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/kingsbayplow7                                 INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/kingsbayplowshares7 BRANDON BRYANT   Brandon Bryant appearing on Democracy Now in 2013 Brandon Bryant has been the foremost killer drone operator whistle-blower, offering us a path to enter the operational realm of drone killing that we would otherwise never have known in such detail. As has been previously reported in this bulletin and elsewhere, Brandon was arrested in February, 2020 on the grounds that he threatened members of the Missoula, MT City Council over disagreements about housing costs and land development in the city. He was charged with one count of threats/improper influence in official and political matters, punishable by 10 years in the Montana State Prison and a possible fine of $50,000, and Judge Shane A. Vannatta set bail at $100,000. In March, Brandon was released after he and his mother paid a $7,500 fee to a bail bonder. So far, about $5,000 has been raised on GoFundMe to help him and his mother with expenses related to his arrest. Because of the virus crisis, Judge Vannatta has moved Brandon’s trial date from April 27 to September 28. WHAT YOU CAN DO. Here is a sample letter to Judge Vannatta: Honorable Shane A. Vannatta District Court 200 W. Broadway Missoula, MT  59802 Re: Case DC-20-70 Dear Judge Vannatta: I am writing to implore you to dismiss all pending charges against Brandon Bryant. Mr. Bryant does not present a threat to the public, and, in fact, he has a history of speaking out on behalf of saving lives and improving the well-being of citizens of Missoula. Further, I believe that the prospect of a trial and possible imprisonment in this time of Covid-19 crisis is a much heavier, punishing burden than it would be normally, and it is a burden that Mr. Bryant should not have to bear. Thank you very much for considering this appeal. Respectfully, (Your name and address) Send the letter to Bryant’s defense attorney for forwarding to the judge.  She is: Robin Hammond State Public Defender’s Office 610 Woody Street Missoula, MT 59802 And, you can contribute to assist Brandon and his mother’s legal fund.                                      DANIEL EVERETT HALE   Daniel Everett Hale appearing in the documentary “National Bird”, released in 2016. The most extensive operational description of the U.S. killer drone program that we have on the public record to date has been provided in government documents said to be released by Daniel Everett Hale to The Intercept. Daniel, a former intelligence analyst for the U.S. Air Force and National Security Agency and a former contractor for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, was indicted on May 9, 2019 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on five counts, four of them in violations of the Espionage Act.  The full indictment is worthwhile reading. Daniel’s trial date was set for late March, 2020, but his attorney, Jesselyn Radak, of Whistleblower & Source Protection Program (WHISPeR) at Expose Facts, says that the Covid crisis has caused the judge in his case to postpone a status conference until May 8 when a trial date could be set.  However, she anticipates that the conference might be delayed and that the earliest a trial might be held is in September or October. Daniel is facing up to 50 years in prison, and is now free on his own recognizance. The best way to help Daniel right now appears to be to sign this Roots Action petition and to contribute to his defense.

DJ Sally P sent some things from home after our homefront/frontporch chat...

Actually, let's start with a nice song from Sally's boyfriend

Now the news from Sally:

'Sweet City': the Costa Rica suburb that gave citizenship to bees, plants and trees

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/29/sweet-city-the-costa-rica-suburb-that-gave-citizenship-to-bees-plants-and-trees-aoe?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Now.  WARNING...Sally was ticked off this week and found this bit of dry satire FULL OF POTTY TALK to be a nice relief.  DO NOT play this for kids, but if you choose to follow the link, you were warned and you will laugh:

https://youtu.be/aWl7kQZHZE0

Sally wants to live in Denmark

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/opinion/sunday/us-denmark-economy.html

Here are some excerpts:

About the coronavirus:

"Denmark lowered new infections so successfully that last month it reopened elementary schools and day care centers as well as barber shops and physical therapy centers. Malls and shops will be allowed to reopen on Monday, and restaurants and cafes a week later.

Moreover, Danes kept their jobs. The trauma of massive numbers of people losing jobs and health insurance, of long lines at food banks — that is the American experience, but it’s not what’s happening in Denmark. America’s unemployment rate last month was 14.7 percent, but Denmark’s is hovering in the range of 4 percent to 5 percent.

The upshot is that Denmark staggered through the pandemic with employees still on the payroll and still paying rent. As the economy sputters back to life, Danish companies are in a position to bounce back quickly without the cost of having to rehire workers. Denmark, by saving lives, has also saved its economy, at least so far."

Here's the standard of living stuff:

"Starting pay for the humblest burger-flipper at McDonald’s in Denmark is about $22 an hour once various pay supplements are included. The McDonald’s workers in Denmark get six weeks of paid vacation a year, life insurance, a year’s paid maternity leave and a pension plan. And like all Danes, they enjoy universal medical insurance and paid sick leave. This wasn’t always so. The golden age of American capitalism, from 1945 to 1980, was a period of high tax rates (up to 91 percent for the very wealthy), strong labor unions and huge initiatives, such as the G.I. Bill of Rights to help disadvantaged (albeit mostly white) Americans. This was a period of rapid growth in which income inequality declined — and in some ways it looked like today’s Denmark."

And here's the era I (Sally) grew up in:

"This wasn’t always so. The golden age of American capitalism, from 1945 to 1980, was a period of high tax rates (up to 91 percent for the very wealthy), strong labor unions and huge initiatives, such as the G.I. Bill of Rights to help disadvantaged (albeit mostly white) Americans. This was a period of rapid growth in which income inequality declined — and in some ways it looked like today’s Denmark."

I (Jill W) think it's time for some more tunes to listen to while you read along:

Sherry Dodson, the alternate Sunday DJ and friend of Peace, shared this with us:

US Supreme Court rules Clean Water Act covers groundwater pollution in Maui
The Supreme Court yesterday, in a 6-3 ruling on the Maui/Clean Water Act Case, held that discharges to "waters of the United States" (WOTUS) via groundwater are covered under the Clean Water Act "when there is a functional equivalent of a direct discharge." The federal government must regulate groundwater pollutants that make their way into...

https://electrek.co/2020/04/24/us-supreme-court-clean-water-act-groundwater-pollution-maui/

LESS NEGATIVE!  YAY!!!

It's not quite summertime...but still...

Something to listen to while you keep reading:

And this one Sally sent me for different reasons but I'm going to put it in.  Research universities are doing great work on covid/corona.  U Washington with the modelling.  U Minnesota with the CIDRAP (great reliable research reporting).  BUT,  there's always a big but,

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/07/opinion/land-grant-universities-native-americans.html?referringSource=articleShare

Ask Who Paid for America’s Universities

Cornell, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and many more were created with wealth stolen from Indigenous people.

By Tristan Ahtone and Robert Lee

Mr. Ahtone is the editor in chief of The Texas Observer and a member of the Kiowa Tribe. Dr. Lee is a lecturer in American history at the University of Cambridge.

May 7, 2020

This is how deep it goes. Even an essay calling for a fairer America missed the injustice at the core of the nation’s character.

“From some of its darkest hours, the United States has emerged stronger and more resilient,” the Times editorial board wrote. “Even as Confederate victories in Virginia raised doubts about the future of the Union, Congress and President Abraham Lincoln kept their eyes on the horizon, enacting three landmark laws that shaped the nation’s next chapter.”

Among those laws was the Morrill Act of 1862, which appropriated land to fund agricultural and mechanical colleges — a national constellation of institutions known as land-grant universities. A graduate of Montana State University went on to develop vaccines; researchers at Iowa State bred the key corn variety in our food supply; the first email system was developed at M.I.T. It’s easy to see why The Times looked to the Morrill Act as a blueprint for a more progressive future.

But ask who paid for it, and who’s still paying today.

The Morrill Act was a wealth transfer disguised as a donation. The government took land from Indigenous people that it had paid little or nothing for and turned that land into endowments for fledgling universities

(The article continues and is a must read!)

A little something from Litefoot about this:
https://youtu.be/zJ96yeb897k


Also in Native American news.  The Irish remember getting help in the past, and offer help now:

Irish People Donate Over $1M to Navajo Nation as Repayment for 170-Year-Old Kindness

By Emma Taggart on May 8, 2020

https://mymodernmet.com/navajo-nation-irish-gofundme/?fbclid=IwAR0nr-LdQGCg7N4zXSzbNIPxnHFhM0dGVrTUAFU62lgLA2HTyeDFSiOqs2o

Please read the article and remember how kind people truly are no matter their circumstances.  By and large, we are good, no matter what it appears by the acts of the great orange father in DC...

an excerpt:

The influx of donations (more than $1 million) from “The Emerald Isle” is due to simply wanting to return a favor. In 1847, the Choctaw people raised $170—the equivalent of around $5,000 today—to help those suffering during the potato famine at the time, despite the fact the Native community had very little themselves. In County Cork, there’s a stainless steel sculpture, comprising 9 eagle feathers, arranged in a circular shape and reaching towards the sky. It’s a representation of a bowl filled with food, and a symbol of the Choctaw tribe’s kindness. Their generosity was not forgotten, and 172 years later, Ireland is giving back. One Irish donor wrote on the fundraising page, “You helped us in our darkest hour. Honored to return the kindness. Ireland remembers, with thanks.”

A little lesson on sovereignty for South Dakota:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sioux-tribe-rejects-south-dakota-governors-request-to-remove-coronavirus-checkpoints/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a
South Dakota's governor thought she could tell a tribe what to do.  A tribe is a sovereign nation with a treaty with the US government.  States don't get to tell tribes what to do...especially when the state has a super bad idea...

Sioux tribe rejects South Dakota governor's request to remove coronavirus travel checkpoints

BY JORDAN FREIMAN

MAY 9, 2020 / 10:30 PM / CBS NEWS

he Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe rejected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's request that the tribe remove coronavirus traffic checkpoints from state and U.S. highways. Noem on Friday sent letters to both the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Tribe demanding the checkpoints be taken down within 48 hours or they would face legal action.

"We are strongest when we work together; this includes our battle against COVID-19," Noem said Friday. "I request that the tribes immediately cease interfering with or regulating traffic on U.S. and State Highways and remove all travel checkpoints."

The letters sent to the tribes claimed they had violated the terms of a memo sent by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on April 8, which said the tribes could close roads, "after the Tribe has consulted and reached an agreement addressing the parameters of the temporary road closure or restrictions." 

"At a minimum, this should include identifying points of contact for each road owner, who is allowed in, as well as ensuring that emergency and other essential services can access affected areas," the memo continued.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Chairman Harold Frazier responded to the governor with a statement, saying, "The English definition of consultation is "a meeting with an expert or professional, such as a medical doctor, in order to seek advice." In the Lakota language, wóglakA means "to speak about something." In meeting with county commissioners, municipal, South Dakota Department of Transportation, Public schools and Federal agencies we have met the definition of consultation in both of our languages."

"We have not stopped any state or commercial functions as you claim in your request," Frazier added in the statement.

"I absolutely agree that we need to work together during this time of crisis, however you continuing to interfere in our efforts to do what science and facts dictate seriously undermine our ability to protect everyone on the reservation," the statement said. "Ignorant statements and fiery rhetoric encourage individuals already under stress from this situation to carry out irrational actions."

"The purpose of our actions is to, 'save lives rather than save face,'" Frazier concluded.

I would vote for Frazier for US president based on that last line alone.  Maybe I will make a bracelet that says "WWFD"...what would Frazier do?

A little something to cleanse the brain-palate:

BOOKS AND MOVIES!
Jill W here because well...I'm here.
On the youtube, there are OLD movies for free.  These are still GOOD movies.
I checked out "The 39 Steps".  Hitchcock's version. Fun to watch or just listen to.
then...there was the "Hoarders" marathon but that was just to motivate me to think about maybe cleaning up after a few more naps.  Stick with "The 39 Steps".   

For books, I expanded my David Sedaris reading and am reading about him, not just his work.  

David Sedaris Diaries: A Visual Compendium by Jeffrey Jenkins, foreward by David Sedaris (and the journal covers)

Mr. Jenkins knew the Sedaris clan growing up.  He's a bit younger than David but must have become a fan.  Knowing that David keeps journals, and makes covers from found art, his own art, and his boyfriend Hugh Hamrick's art, Jenkins decided to collect and consider these journal covers.   They are quite intriguing.  Many are mixed media collage with multiple layers and may or may not relate to the journal's contents.  
I got myself a copy of this over the  christmas/new years holidays while I was in Portland, Oregon at my beloved Powell's Books.   My sister's birthday came up and since shopping at home is a thing for me now, I passed it on wrapped in whatever I could find ...left over tissue paper from xmas with "Happy Birthday" spelled out in sparkly tape I must have gotten in a thrift store bag of craft supplies.  I shipped it off to the hinterlands (Iowa) and she loved it!  I wonder if she noticed the bit of tape on one corner because I bunged it with my leg while tripping over my hoarded stuff.

One of my favorite covid activities is "home shopping."  So far folks have liked the gifts of things I find around my place and my storage unit.  I've done a wedding gift, this birthday and another birthday.  


Sally has been reading as well and sends in this:

For the first month of quarantine, I didn't have the focus to do much reading. But finally a couple of weeks ago I decided to dive into an old favorite, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry. I loved it when I first read it years ago; liked it somewhat less this time, but it was helpful to dive into this engrossing story – history of our greedy, difficult, racist past told through the eyes of a couple of Texas rangers.

Now, on the recommendation of a couple of Stephens – Colbert and King – am rereading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, by JRR Tolkien. I'm only 200 pages into this 1000 page tome, but I'm remembering how and why I loved it so much.

I am struck by the ways in which the main characters – the hobbits – are helped along the way – first by each other and other hobbits, then the Elves, Tom Bombadil, Aragon/Strider, the ranger, and, of course, Gandalf.

And how, in this time of quarantine and generalized anxiety, we need each other. For food and shelter, certainly, but also companionship and emotional support – and how creative many people are getting to reach out without physically touching.

This seems to be the perfect book for our time – at least for me, right now.

In closing:

So...on that note.  I'm cutting us off!  Time for MIRIAM and some less bummer more uplifting content.

Take it away Miriam!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

 MIRIAM'S Stuff  by Miriam Kent




Kid and Family Time! 
Cartoon and Poem 

Ogden Nash Poem from the book "Zoo" (illustrated by Etienne de Lessert)
THE COW
The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk

Enhancing Family Time

Start your own "Fix It Cafe" at home!  
Get a broken item, glue, damp rag, newspaper and creativity!  Then fix it!

Or a "Take Apart Center"!  
Have screw drivers, hammers, and pliers ready.
Then find something headed for the trash and let the kids take it apart.
A bowl or tray for the little pieces is a good idea.  Cameras, flashlights, old radios, all are fun.  Make sure the batteries are out.

Story Telling!
Uncle Abe's Storytelling-Game-In-The-Car: 
How did Kalamazoo get its name?  Why is grapefruit called what it is not?
Use your imagination on a trip or home on a rainy day, or in quarantine!!
Everybody can help or just one person can make up the story.

Garden Art:
Paint rocks -- or a flower pot.


Home Learning

Volcano Project.  This takes a many days and is worth it.

You will need: 
-a base for the volcano that you can move out of the way (2foot by 2foot wood would work)
-1 empty frozen juice can, or equivalent
-a card table covered in newspaper (taped down) or a messy-ok area outside.  
-lots of newspaper
-large paper sacks, 1 per person
-flour
-water
-BIG bowl or bucket
-damp rags
-vinegar
-red food coloring
-baking soda
-a spoon
-a little bit of chicken wire to make a mountain shape
-paint! browns, green, greys, volcano colors
-brushes
-OPTIONAL:  tiny trees, dinosaurs for decoration!  And maybe glue.

Now...what you do.
Step 1:
Make a chicken wire frame for volcano is 3" smaller than the base you chose.  Leave a hole in the top just big enough to hold the juice can.  Put the can in there right at the top.  Squeeze the chicken wire around the can.

Step 2:
Make paper mache' mush!  
Mix flour and water in the bowl until very sticky.  Runnier than oatmeal, lumpier than milk.  

Step 3:
Tear the newspaper into loooooong strips.  About 2 inches wide.  No scissors needed. Keep tearing until each person has a big paper bag full.

Step 4: 
Take a strip of newspaper, dip it in the bowl of mush.
Pull it out and use fingers to squeeze the excess mush off, then lay the strip on the chicken wire. 
Keep doing that until wire is all covered.  Let it dry after one full layer is on the wire.
Come back the next day for the next layer. Let it dry another another day.
Repeat for several days until you have at least 3 or 4 layers and it seems sturdy because you can play with this for a long time.

Step 5: 
Let this dry VERY WELL.  Like a few days.  You want it very dry before you paint.
Then paint it. 

Step 6:
Now you can add trees, dinosaurs, plants or rocks if you want.  Use strong glue, not elmers.

Step 7:
The exciting bit!!
Put vinegar in the can at the top.  Add a few drops of red food coloring.
THEN...add baking soda to the can.  Start small!  A tablespoon.  Then keep adding more if all goes well.


MK Pix

Book:  This is a book for olders.
"The Tiger Rising" by Kate DiCamillo 
This is a NYT best selling author.  
Here's what it's about:  A tiger in a cage...  A girl who speaks her mind...
You can get it from scholastic www.scholastic.com

Song: Peter Alsop  "Kid's Peace Song"
The CD is "Peace is the World Smiling"
You can get it from the company Music for Little People: www.mflp.com

Author:  Shel Silverstein.

 
He is both a writer and an illustrator of his books.

Three of my favorite books of his are: 
The Giving Tree.
Where the Sidewalk Ends (poems and drawings).
The Missing Piece.  Here is an animated "read along" version of The Missing Piece:

Old Movie:
The Secret of Roan Inish
The magical tale of a girl whose search for her missing brother brings and Irish legend to life.  A treat for all ages.
If you're willing to watch or click "skip" through the ads, you can watch the entire film on youtube right now for free:  https://youtu.be/iLHL-X8R8Ds

Public TV:
"Spy in the Wild"
A Nature Mini-Series.


  out!

By for now,

Miriam

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