Walking the sky

You're above the crows at Eagle Point. See the wings unfolded...
and then you walk the sky. The drop is 4.000 ft to the canyon floor and the glass reflects the sky...



If you go early you can be alone out there. A strange outer worldly experience.

Long lonely roads

Loving the long lonely highways and byways, I still need to keep up with the ways of the world. It is clear now: where the democratic convention was critical but unifying the choice of Sarah Palin as VP is polarizing to society in general. The result of the elections will tell us which world view will prevail. She is a hunter, a hockeymam, against abortion, even in case of rape and incest, she is for big oil and drilling in Alaska. She should be more aware of climate change, seeing what is happening with the polar bears. I listen and hear the same words being spoken over and over again and their meening seems fluctuating. Helping working families means to her helping the large corporations and believing it will trickle down... It doesn't work. She may be a Governeror but she is not a compassionate towards women and their lives and choices. Her worldview seems coherent if you operate within her premisses. The premisses are not mine... I am for compassionate empowerment of all.

Change

Bill Richardson from New Mexico warmed up the crowd. Al Gore delivered an insightful speech, passionate whenever he dealt with climate change followed by 6 normal people, not involved in politics, spoke about their life. It was moving and powerful to hear them explain why their life's events had lead them to work for Obama. The promise to our children is that each of us can make what they want of themselves. The dream is that this would be an opportunity for each of us and that the next generations can pursue their dreams as well. Obama impersonates the American dream. His speech was clear, tough, to the point, 37 practical points of what he would do. Among others give a tax break to 95 % working families instead of to the big oil companies. In the ownership society if you are down on your luck ' you are on your own'. Barack Obama promised to end oil dependency in 10 years using solar, wind, alternative energy and clean coal technology, caps and trade, clean cars build in America. That would create 5.000.000 new well paid jobs. Health care for all, more teachers better paid, equal pay for an equal day's work. He finds the money closing corporate loopholes, by scrapping non working programs. He would end the occupation in a responsible way. That seems to me a code word for leaving two battalions and a gradual withdrawal. His plan is better than staying an other 100 years the other candidate would do. He advocates diplomacy but showed democrat have well defended the country in the past. He has the support of many admirals and starstudded generals. We wake up at the dawn of a multicultural future, with responsibility for ourselves and for all that lives. Yes we are our brothers and sisters keepers: all should be able to marry or have a civil union as they wish, all should have high standard education, and their civil rights respected. Yes we need change, yes we can!

Unity

While planing old reclaimed wooden floorboards and repainting my backdoor, I was contemplating, meditating on last nights speeches. It was foreign policy night and Bill Clinton would have preferred to speak about economics and healthcare. His reception was overwhelming and yes I plead guilty of liking the Clinton family. He spoke statesmanlike, making his audience sit up and listen. They paid attention to his thoughtful speech, explaining in simple, clear terms what is at stake. It was a good day for unity. At the roll call votes when New York came up, Hillary stopped the voting and moved that Obama be nominated by acclamation. Great gesture with dignity for all in it. And then later in the evening Bill gave his full support to Obama and pledged that all three of Clinons would campaign because we cannot have four more years of the same. The VP Joe Biden was good, he appeals to working class people, to the troops, his son is leaving for Iraq in October... Yet as a pacifist I have my doubts. Buch's legacy of reckless acts of invasion and occupation don't seem to be ending soon. I hope that Bill's words will come true that the standing of the US in the world will be restaured and that once again the US will lead by the power of their example (civil rights, state of law, no torture, healthcare for all, good education, multilateralism, green energy, leading against climate change, no privateering, nor mercenaries.......) rather than by the example of their power. My hope for change is equality, humanity and cohesion with the world. Empowering all that are powerless. A compassionate government could make Martin Luhter King's dreams come true. One step at a time we are getting there if we can stay away from the fear rethoric. And yes, I will vote and support Obama: No Mc Cain. Give me a 47 year old president dreaming of the desirable futures for his great-grandchildren, and maybe that way we'll get somewhere good.

Strong women

After two tonic/vodka's and a light meal I am saying goodbye to a dear, strong, rebellious friend, moving away. Full of melancholy I walk home just in time to watch Hillary Clinton. We are on the same team and after 8 years of failed unimpeached leadership say No Mc Cain. She spoke of the life of the people, healthcare, the sisterhood of traveling pantsuits. Aware that the standing of the US has eroded in the world and that the supreme court is anti choice, we all need to confirm and stand for equality, civil rights, women's rights and gay rights, strengthning of the unions. We shoold work for public good and not private plunder and windfall profits for oil companies. Green energy and change coming bottom up and not top down, ending the war or rather the occupation in Iraq, bringing home the troops.... this is what Obama and Biden have to do. So let's send them to the White House.
Hillary Clinton gave a great and moving speach, laying out the progressive values and making it clear that for the future of the next generations this election is crucial. I love what Hillary said and how she did it: Martin Luther King, voting rights for women, the underground railroad, everything that was great and rebellious was in the speach. Do go out and vote for open futures with choices and possibiliets for each of us. Futures in which diplomacy has a chance to prevail over sabreratling and bullying. Futures full of empathy and empowerment for all, also in the White House.

Assorted visitors

The assortment of yesterday's visitors included:
a flock of Gamble Quail about 25 and he surveying the surroundings to keep everyone safe.


A young bull who tried to stare me down mooing an booing that I was home , kind of blocking his normal route by my presence and a lanky Texan singer songwriter, turkoiselover Dave Betts, and a mixed bag of Belgians...

Tex Talk

Last night while reading, under my lamp outside, about 'frames', metaphors and neural mapping I had a visitor. The conversation started about cars: Chevys from 1955 and 1957 (he had over the years each model), Cadillacs, Plymouth, the first Ford Mustang. Wonderful cars with chrome and seven layers of black lacquer, Ivory and rd upholstery. Then he poke about his training and education, all army and rangers. When I stated that I was probably right to assume that he would vote republican, he said : Hell yes!
Then he started talking about his bible study (' Though shalt not kill', should be 'Thou shall not murder', that is not kill with premeditation) and his time in Korea were he did guard duty at the border. One night a young man comes over the border and starts pointing his riffle at him, so he 'stitched' him with 5 shots with a 45 and killed the young man. He said what got at me is that he was about 16-17 years... He was court Marshalled - to keep North Korea from reacting -What and was fined 10 cents per bullet shot, received a carton of cigarettes and congratulations from the court. He said that for a while he had a problem with what he had done, but then he turned his anger and hate to who had send him, making him do what he did.
I finally understand how selfhate can be turned toward others... I finally understand the mechanism of the Vietnam veterans still hating Jane Fonda and I understand why some people still don't speak to me because of my resistance to war...

Water is life and danger

Water in the middle of a high plateau in the desert shows you the miracle of life. Suddenly a mallard is shied up in the dessert, the gurgle and trickle of water gives reeds and grasses a chance and soothes the mind.
So we find a place for meditation and healing.
But never forget the destructing, reshaping force
of the flash floods in the canyon. At Havasupai campsites were washed away and everybody had to be lifted out of the canyon because part of trail up had been washed away and the water reached the village...

Home

What we call home depends on our needs, our means and our ingenuity. Diversity reigns. This home has weathered storms and monsoon rains. I go on enjoying the desert, knowing I will return to the city, which too I'll enjoy. A nomad at heart with a longing for multiple lives...

Antelope Canyon

I come away from this magical place with a sense that water might be the most powerful architect on earth.

I saw canyons and this slot canyon, I s saw monuments and upside down mountains.




I saw beauty: I admire and respect.

Horse shoe bend

The first book by Neil Gaiman I read was 'Alien Gods'. The premise is that all the immigrants brought over their gods from foreign continents and then a few generations further down the line forgot to worship them. These gods reinvented themselves into roadside attractions. So they would draw people and receive offerings. Here at Horse shoe bend the offering is admiration, sweat ( a short 3/4 mile down to the rim and back) and fear. As you can see I just couldn't take the two more steps it would have taken to have a view of the complete horse shoe...

Beauty

The clouds in the sky and monuments along a road is pretty much a perfect day. The second picture is the pick nick place and the third just a pile of rocks. I took too many pictures, some when stumbling over a bump in the road, others when breathless with admiration for nature's beauty. The decay of a high plateau turned into stunning views. There must be a life lesson in there somewhere.

Road rage

The long open road, contrasts in light and dark, rain, storms, high and low... all metaphors for life.




Sometimes one has to ride a one eyed Ford or one is flat and busted... yet the joy of change, the anticipation of all that is possible is exhilarating.

Wormhole

I have a friend who believes in and looks for wormholes, passage ways to other galaxies or universes. This cloud definitely holds one if they do exist. Have you noticed there are warm and also cold summer storms?

Storms

Isn't weathering a storm with friends what life is all about? Be grateful for the bounty of beauty one finds on that road. And yes one gets a little wet and yes one dries up...