pesto and murder

Hi Maggie,

I think terrible beauty was the phrase that came into my mind as my husky passed. It was a sacred moment as he birthed into spirit and ran free, yet the rip of my heart from his heart was exquisitely painful.  I was relieved because it was over, I was bereft, because my companion was gone.

I remember when my oldest's dog of her heart was hit by a car.  She took it hard.  I remember at one point, she commented that this was a dog and she felt so much pain. What was going to happen when a grandparent died...But I think we are more guarded with other humans. We don't know how to trust each other. But a dog, a dog teaches us unconditional love by example, and so we leave our hearts unguarded.

Too bad we can't learn to love like they do. Maybe being loved by them is the first step.

Maybe the ideal lover is unsophisticated, unguarded...that's not me!! Well, I am pretty unsophisticated, but I am over-guardful.

Thank you!  I never thought to look for the symbolism of the pearls. I was so caught in the message of identifying the thief.  Maybe the strand of pearls represents what happened to the indigenous. They were made valuable by being forced into conformity.

I had a fun day. I harvested a lot of rhubarb, and have it sitting in honey overnight to extract the juices. Tomorrow I will heat, then can it.  Today I made dilly beans and pickled garlic scapes. I made the most amazing scape pesto.  I really enjoy cooking and canning and making tinctures and drying herbs.  I enjoy the garden.

It helped me escape.  I have been overwhelmed by the stories of more black men, innocent men, being murdered by the police.  Then I saw a short video of a young Palestinian boy who was shot by the Israelis. He was staggering, then crawling down the road, trying to get away. One man came running out and dived on the boy, then picked him up and started running toward the people being attacked. Once one man ran, others joined, grabbing the boy and passing him forward from man to running man until he was safe. We always need to remember to be that first man, the one who inspires caring.

I feel paralyzed with pain.

Someone I admire had an idea for the problem with police brutality. Maybe we should have citizen witnesses with them at all times. If a police officer is on patrol, a citizen volunteer is with him. I think that is a profound and brilliant idea.

It is getting late.

Love and hugs from Clare