Meanwhile, since the eclipse...

 This sassy little miss turned 2 -

how is that even possible?

All I know is that she's added joy to every day! 

 

She and her brother are high points of every day!

All the grandparenting tropes you hear are true!

 

My quilt top has been completed, returned;

and I LOVE it!

 

Spring continues to unfold

and my 'garden', 

my poor neglected, it used to be beautiful, once upon a time garden,

continues to gift me with beauty every day.

 

While I was being diagnosed and treated for skin cancer

 - on my knee of all ridiculous places-,

before the stitches had even healed,

Arizona's Supreme Court upheld legislation from 1864 -

when it was a territory, not a state,

when women couldn't vote, 

slavery was still a thing

and white men were still solely in charge -

forbidding women from having ANY agency 

when it comes to their bodies, reproductive freedoms

or ability to determine appropriate healthcare for themselves.

 

Short of that, I'll be in Columbia this weekend, 

knocking on doors,

canvassing and collecting signatures on the petition 

for a state constitutional amendment

which would guarantee women the right to make their damn healthcare decisions.

 

Srsly... can't believe we have to do this AGAIN!

Like every 50 years or so, 

we have to convince men that we're fully human and should be empowered

with the right to make our own decisions about our own bodies!? WTF!

 

In a totally unexpected fluke,

I was privileged to be interviewed by Humans of St Louis;

find out why on their Instagram page.

If I'm not arrested for arson this weekend,

I'll limp back here soon!

 

In the meantime:

Resist the Patriarchy

and remember sunscreen!

 

What a powerful experience

In 2017, during the previous Path of Totality,

I was still working at the hospital.

(And, yes, it does feel like that long ago!)

We watched as we could, in between answering pagers and taking phone calls,

and, while I remember it as being "out of the ordinary", is was, ultimately,

just a welcomed interruption in a day of the usual chaos. 

This time felt decidedly different;

not only because it will be my last eclipse,

but because as I get closer to the final mystery (death)

glimpses of natural, uncontrollable, breathtaking events 

interest me more.

A few posts ago, I mentioned that we scored the perfect setting for our viewing -

an art museum with trails and sculpture gardens, 

a lake, food trucks, a band and

clean bathrooms!

So, we drove 75" east and south to join a 'sold out' crowd of 200.

(Many thanks to Cedarhurst staff 

for realizing how many people 

your grounds can accommodate

without ruining the ambience of the experience.)

 

Some folks just couldn't resist the cosplay opportunities 

an eclipse provides

and, since it was my friends birthday, 

we pretended it was all a celebration of her

and went with the flow.

Group conversations, the band music etc kept up at a usual pace,

until about halfway through the eclipse.

As the light faded, conversations grew softer, in more hushed tones,

the band ceased their playing and

people settled in place, 

with glasses/eyes turned skyward.

The whole setting seemed muted and more serene.

As totality was achieved, you heard the occasional "Oh my God",

but generally there was 4 minutes of near total silence.

As the moon passed by and the light of the sun was returning, 

there were pockets of muffled clapping or cheers from the kids but,

by and large, the adults were still in a reverential space.

It occurred to me what a truly remarkable event this was:

not only did millions of people believe what scientists predicted,

they took time out of their lives 

and traveled to get to the best spot to see something so extraordinary.

Nobody was arguing that it wasn't going to happen, 

nobody falling down a rabbit hole 

that the moon would collide with the sun and destroy the earth;

no one postulating that this was a hoax of the deep state

or "put on" for the benefit of one political party or the other.

In the heart of rural America,

millions of people demonstrated a faith in science

and wanted to experience something with their friends or families

 that was beyond their control; 

something that was a reminder that human beings 

are an extremely small part of something infinitely larger

than ourselves.

The lake before, during, at totality and as the light was returning.

Many of my thoughts from that day have stayed with me.

I'm SO grateful to have had the chance to experience it 

in the manner and place I did.

More spring ... and how can it be Easter weekend already?

Busy few weeks;

still have been collecting signatures on a petition 

for an amendment to the state constitution

which would guarantee women in MO

the right to ALL reproductive healthcare options,

including safe and legal abortions.

Don't mean to get into a minefield here;

I'm aware that this is a tender subject for many,

with strong opinions that touch on, 

and are based for many on, 

sacred beliefs.

 

I am eternally grateful that I was never in the position 

of having to make this decision for myself. 

I DO know that it's the most personal decision a woman will ever make for herself -

and, as such, is no one else's business.

I DO know that my almost 2 yr old granddaughter

will have fewer reproductive healthcare rights than I did,

if the current legislative agenda goes unchallenged.

Supposedly, the whole reason for overturning Roe v Wade

on a federal level,

 was to send the issue

"back to the states".

(Yes, we know that wasn't the true agenda, 

but that was the stated reasoning).

So, lets take them at their word

and have the population in every state vote on it for their citizens.

 

The opposition is terrified 

and busily erecting every barrier and objection

they can muster; challenging every signature,

trying to change the definition of "majority" etc...

 

We need 115,000 signatures by mid May to get it on the ballot.

Since we know that the opposition is going to challenge every signature they can,

the goal is 300,000 ballots instead.

We're on target to meet that goal.

Glad I get to a part of the effort.

 

Art expression as tension reliever continues as well;

that is, if you consider playing with marshmallow candies as 'art expression' - 

which I do! 

Yup, the political can't help but slip in!

Also tried some collage, inspired by Polish paper cutting.

Who knew gluing would be the hardest part!

Meanwhile, in Alabama

 the kids have picked out their Easter outfits!

iykyk.

 

Back here in the Midwest, 

some of us went yesterday to determine the best location, 

within the path of totality,

in which to see the total eclipse next month. 

 

Think we have a winner -

an easy 1 hour drive, east and south,

beautiful grounds, clean bathrooms,

with food trucks and a band scheduled

along with a  grove of Venus of Willendorfs!

Whats not to like about all that!?

Cedarhurst Museum of the Arts.

Now, don't y'all go rushing there too ...

while there are 80 acres of sculpture park around the buildings, 

my friends and I chose it because we don't want crowds.

This 'once in a lifetime' event - 

which will be my second this decade -

will undoubtedly be my last

and I'll like some peace and quiet while watching it, please!

Spring continues to unfold,

reminding us that new life, new beginnings and hope

are realities,

for which I say Thanks be to God.

Playing with Peeps continues to amuse -

at least me, if not everyone else.

True Story!