Overnight, each night, more of the chlorophyll in some leaves breaks down. Green disappears; yellows, oranges, maroons, and other colors that had been hidden by the chlorophyll, appear. The development of peak color seems particularly noticeable this year but perhaps that’s just because I’m paying more attention. It looks like each day we get a peek at more and more color until we reach peak color and then they all fall down. Isn’t English a wonderful language?
take a peek at tamaracks in color
Photo by J. Harrington
|
Up the road from our property there used to be a tamarack-filled wetland. Something has killed those tamaracks and their golden leaves no longer brighten autumn views. That’s an example of a shifting baseline that’s occurred in just the time we’ve owned our house.
A recent article by Aaron Brown talks about a different kind of shifting baseline, one that is disturbingly widespread in our country these days. Take a few minutes and go read his Fascism from Italy to Hibbing and back again. We’ll wait. It’s an important read, especially before we decide for whom we’re going to vote next month, and why.
Back already? Did you read all of it? Did it make sense? Does it worry you? Here’s a different perspective on what happens when the folks in charge aren’t willing to accept the outcomes of elections because they didn’t win:
The Calvinball cartoon reminds me of the refusal of the Minnesotae Republican Secretary of State candidate to commit to accepting the outcome of next month’s election, and of how many GQP politicians want to see US function as a government of laws.
Democracy
by Leonard Cohen
It’s coming through a hole in the air,from those nights in Tiananmen Square.It’s coming from the feelthat this ain’t exactly real,or it’s real, but it ain’t exactly there.From the wars against disorder,from the sirens night and day,from the fires of the homeless,from the ashes of the gay:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.It’s coming through a crack in the wall;on a visionary flood of alcohol;from the staggering accountof the Sermon on the Mountwhich I don’t pretend to understand at all.It’s coming from the silenceon the dock of the bay,from the brave, the bold, the batteredheart of Chevrolet:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.It’s coming from the sorrow in the street,the holy places where the races meet;from the homicidal bitchin’that goes down in every kitchento determine who will serve and who will eat.From the wells of disappointmentwhere the women kneel to prayfor the grace of God in the desert hereand the desert far away:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.Sail on, sail onO mighty Ship of State!To the Shores of NeedPast the Reefs of GreedThrough the Squalls of HateSail on, sail on, sail on, sail on.It’s coming to America first,the cradle of the best and of the worst.It’s here they got the rangeand the machinery for changeand it’s here they got the spiritual thirst.It’s here the family’s brokenand it’s here the lonely saythat the heart has got to openin a fundamental way:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.It’s coming from the women and the men.O baby, we’ll be making love again.We’ll be going down so deepthe river’s going to weep,and the mountain’s going to shout Amen!It’s coming like the tidal floodbeneath the lunar sway,imperial, mysterious,in amorous array:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.Sail on, sail on ...I’m sentimental, if you know what I meanI love the country but I can’t stand the scene.And I’m neither left or rightI’m just staying home tonight,getting lost in that hopeless little screen.But I’m stubborn as those garbage bagsthat Time cannot decay,I’m junk but I’m still holding up this little wild bouquet:Democracy is coming to the U.S.A.
********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
No comments:
Post a Comment