The Approach of Things Unimaginable - Until They Come Into Focus

 The Waning of the Imagination

When I was very young, people used to comment that I had an "active imagination." In my childish mind, that meant that I played well. I made up scenarios for the pretending games that we played whenever two or more of us got together. I was often a leader in the pretend story lines and the others would follow whatever plot I came up with. Now I wonder if I was too aggressive, pushing my own ideas on the other kids, or, was I really more imaginative than they were and made these games of ours more exciting and varied. I suppose I would have to poll the other children I played with to know for sure. That ain't gonna happen. 

As I gained age and responsibilities, I seemed to spend more brain power on studying, listening,  reading and practicing certain artistic pursuits. Learning how to best get by in life and make decent decisions was more imperative than anything else. The moments in time when I let my creativity flow, so to speak, were rare but whenever I did that, it resulted in something magical - a poem, a short story, a song lyric, or a painting or drawing. But were these magical moments my imagination in play or something else? 

I'm still not exactly sure that imagination is so related to fun and play; perhaps it is more akin to wishing, which is much more internal and personal than playtime with others. Wishing comes as one gains actual experience in this world; you can't wish for something you know nothing about, after all. Wishful thinking isn't the precursor to creating, is it? In fact, nowadays, when I think about being creative, I tend to liken that process to magical thinking. Knowing what I know now about the extra senses we possess, yet fail to cultivate, magic may be a simplification of a process popularly known as remote viewing. 

Once called clairvoyance (from the French words for "seeing clearly"), the power became also known as ESP, mind-reading, tarot card reading, palm reading, etc. In the 20th Century, a group within more than one government on Earth declared that people could be trained to intuit unknown places, people or things with a prompt. This practice became known as Remote Viewing. The movie, Men Who Stare at Goats, was based on one such program that took place within the purview of the U. S. government. Having listened to and read the words of some of the people who participated in the program, I conclude (reserving the right to change my mind) that this is sensory process that, with practice, anyone can grasp and that, sometimes, certain people have a natural ability to utilize without much practice. In a great way, I intuit that the creative muse works similarly to that process, although having an entirely different goal and outcome. 

If someone who has a natural talent in music is reading this, they may understand what I mean. This may be true for the artist (in the drawing and painting sense of the word), or the poet, or the lyricist, or the composer, or the sculptor. Having dabbled into all sorts of artistic pursuits myself, you do have those times when an idea comes to you out of the ether, and many artists have described it as such. The "ether" is the unknown or nowhere place that may be outside of ourselves but also may dwell within; we just don't really know where it is or what it is. But it is where an original idea often finds a path to a creative mind  that is open and receptive to it. My position on imagination now, then, is that children, having more open, unencumbered minds, are more receptive to original ideas that flow in from somewhere, but that lacking the experience of what to do with these ideas, use them for play (not a bad thing at all, but not especially fruitful). Adults who have an open and receptive mindful center can still and again tap into this and use their experience to bring the creative force to full bloom. 

Creative Juices Come Out of Squeezing the Fruits

Fruits are foods that are mostly eaten as nature provides them. We have the convenience of preservation, such as frozen fruit, dried fruit, canned fruit, which makes fruit available in nearly every season, no matter the climate or season. However, while children and young people do include fruits in their diets, it seems that literature points out that the elderly need fruit added more than ever in their lives - along with vegetables, especially green and red/orange vegetables, due to the gut of the older adult having a harder time absorbing essential nutrients from food. Fruits and vegetables are the best way to obtain these necessary vitamins and minerals that sustain our body systems. 

I liken 'creative juices' with 'fruit squeezings' as an allegory. In this symbolism, creativity and fruit are the means to an end; the spirit and soul yearn to leave behind tangible remains as it begins the journey toward its inevitable end, while the body yearns for the energy it needs to make this journey with all the strength it can muster. And, so, there is creativity and fruits. 

Armed with whatever medium our choice is and the fruit to sustain us, we must flow along with the current, enjoying the eddies and pools along the way. At times, we will meet with rougher waters, where the meander devolves into a frenzied paddling and our resolve is sometimes cruelly tested. Even when our strength wanes, our imagination can still function - as wishful thinking, as pretending (in a positive way), as making magic with our thoughts. If we are fortunate and tenacious, we can motor through the whitewater and use our latest challenges to fuel more creativity. Whatever your choice of fruit, test it often, change to another one if your strength and stamina drop, pick and choose. In this way, we can squeeze the good out of any fruit and as the  slogan goes, make it "good to the last drop." 

Nowhere knows this is everybody 

Many of us believe there is an afterlife and many of us believe this is the only life we're given. None of us can be absolutely sure we have it right, whatever we believe. Do we go "somewhere" after death? Or do we go "nowhere"? People can spend their lives trying to answer that question and many have. So many philosophers, authors, novelists, theological essayists and more have opined on the topic that there exists more volumes written than any one person could consume in a lifetime. Everybody knows this. 

Still, we can have an informed opinion and set our own belief on whatever our opinion has come to be. For what it's worth, my own current belief is that "nowhere" may be a reality of which we have no concept. In that sense, if I go "nowhere" after this life, I may actually go "somewhere." I once believed that I, or my essence, would be sent "somewhere" that was 'up' or 'down' and that equated to a 'good place' or a 'bad place.' A construct of the adolescent mind (PSY 201?) that was, ironically,  a more concrete way of thinking than the magical thinking of the child.  Presently, it seems to me to be a type of quantum thinking - of an alternate reality or universe - and I wonder if this is from the mind of an already-in-my-second-childhood elder? 

In any case, what I have known as "me" is all I know and I've tried to make "me" as unique and interesting as I could. If "me" ceases to exist in its entirety upon leaving behind this shell of blood, skin and bones, so be it. I may be missed by a few, remembered by a few and never cross the minds of a great multitude, no matter how creative I've been. No matter how many pieces of art, poetry, music, and prose I've left in my wake, most of those are and will be ephemera that could be discovered for as long as a few decades or scores or so: the proverbial drop in the bucket.  Be that as it may, a droplet in the river of time is still something. Any substance which flows inexorably is a wonder and a magnificent sight! Think of a glacier, an ocean current, a mass of air, a photon stream from the sun; or, less awesome perhaps, a watery stream that meanders into a river and then merges with a great sea and then goes where? Somewhere? Nowhere? Where it goes, whatever it is, it's amazing! Perhaps that's good enough for anyone. It may be all there is.  To have been or to be a portion of it, I have to say, is good enough for me.

And Don't You Forget That Time, it Trucks On

Living on Borrowed Time (Note : this was started at the end of 2018)

The phrase 'living on borrowed time' popped into my mind. I have always thought that the saying was meant for someone who'd cheated death somehow; someone who understands they should not be among the living, but, miraculously perhaps, still is. I never thought it pertained to me. Until this morning, that is. 

New Year's Day approaches and the end of an old year always makes one think of the passage of time. Once-upon-a-time, the hours made audible their persistent movement to the masses, but are now silent, for the most part, thanks to digital clocks and watches.That inexorable flow, that tide that no man can stop, passes with a whisper rather than a tic-toc. A fact that is sometimes easy to overlook; but at this time of the year (and a bit earlier for those of other than secular or Christian faiths) we tend to recall how swiftly it does pass.

The Indiana Progress,  September 1886 edition offered this quote: "We may be care-worn and aged, forsaken of the world, living on borrowed time, useless so far as any activity is concerned, dependent on children, or friends; yet Jesus has loving acquaintance with us." 

What does it mean, then, to be living on borrowed time? 

 And I re-read this on an evening in which I've just learned of the Mandela Effect via The Open Scroll in which the disturbance of time is spoken of and the coming reset is near. Borrowed time, indeed!

UPDATE - to this heretofore unpublished post:

Now it is March, 2020 and I think the phrase "stuff happens" means much less than it used to.
We are in the midst of a viral pandemic now - this entire world - and it is truly a scary time to be raising a family. I have already raised mine and have grandchildren who are now at home instead of attending school, not able to go play with friends or go to the toy store with Mom for a treat. No one is going to a restaurant to eat (but we can still order take-out), so Mom isn't getting that weekly break from cooking. Maybe more kids will be learning how to cook and help clean? One can only hope that is only a couple of positive outcomes of this Shelter-in-Place paradigm shift.

It now truly seems that we are all living on borrowed time, in a sense. Although they say half the population will sooner or later be infected with the Novel Corona Virus of 2019, only a small portion (20%) will become ill enough for medical intervention. The other 80% will have no, mild or moderate symptoms and will be recovered in a week or so. Of the hospitalized, the majority will survive - that is, unless our hospitals are overwhelmed and cannot care for the sick in the normal way. That is why we MUST observe the CDC guidelines
 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html
In case you don't know, the top things to do is :

Take steps to protect yourself

Clean your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Stay at home and disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, and other frequently touched areas using one of these or something else labeled as a disinfectant:

To disinfect:
Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface.

Options include:

• Diluting your household bleach.
  To make a bleach solution, mix:
  • 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
    OR
  • 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
  Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
• Alcohol solutions.Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.

I got this info from the CDC ( www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html )

Everyone please stay as healthy and safe from this as you possibly can so we can all continue to live on borrowed time. 

And remember to thank God often for all the blessings we have and for the promise of life eternal with Him after we leave this life on earth. Keep the faith, be kind, love one another. 

Update: Still here! Still thankful! Losses have been more than a few but less than a lot, so prayerfully hoping that 2021 will be even less sad than 2020 was. Keep everyone who is working so hard to help the sick in your prayers. Continue to remember that staying apart and stopping the spread of germs that can hurt others so terribly is a small sacrifice that is temporary. We all carry germs which cannot be detected until they cause illness, be they a Corona virus, a stomach virus, or the common cold, we can all do our best to avoid spreading our germy hitchhikers to others; it's simple really -

 Wash hands, cover coughs and sneezes, stay far enough away from others to prevent germs from being inadvertently inhaled or ingested by yourself and others. Wear a mask if you might get too close to others who may not realize they are carriers. Avoid being in close quarters with many people for more than a few minutes at a time. 

Stay safe, stay as healthy as you can. And may God bless everyone.

One Year Beyond the Great Move

This is our little house in town. 

The Adventures of the Townies

Hard to believe a year has gone by since my last post about moving to this little house in town, but it's true. We began our adventure of living in town before Trump became our president. And we are not sorry about that - the move, not Trump. 

The hectic month of packing, relocating and configuring all our stuff into this tiny home was an experience neither of us will soon forget, nor wish to repeat anytime soon. Most everything went well, but reading over the previous post, I will update on what did not go as planned. 

The second bedroom that was going to be a craft/storage room also became the computer room. It did not become the sewing room mainly because there is a severe shortage of electrical outlets. The stereo and CDs also had to go. The sewing machine sits atop the little electric faux cast iron fireplace heater by the front door. It's actually pretty handy there, too. 

The baker's rack did NOT fit inside the kitchen - not even close. A lot of my kitchen things are stored in the shed out back on the bakers rack,which does fit out there. I'm still not satisfied with the current pots,pot lids, pans and mixing bowls storage situation. It's in a cabinet that runs underneath the length of, and counter space surrounding, the double sink. Well, not quite the entire length since the hot water heater takes up some of that space. Biggest problem is it's too dark under there and, honestly, I don't enjoy the searching for what I need all the time. My bakers rack was much more utilitarian in that regard. I'm still working on ideas to remedy that dilemma. 

One of the things that worked great was the bed on the buckets! It's comfortable and sturdy. The bedroom is still way too small for moving about with ease, but I don't think there is any other way to move stuff around or get rid of anything that will improve that. Might as well be content with it. 

Hints for small spaces

The Living Area: 

As I mentioned, we had lots of collectibles - and we still do. So, when space is at a premium, what do you do with collectibles and such? Easy - shelve them - so have used wall space aplenty in that way. I used two wooden corner shelf units to make one super tall one in the living area. 

There it is. (That's me, btw)

I have a set of dining room furniture - a hutch and a buffet - and no longer have a dining room. So, what to do? The buffet makes a fine place to put the flat screen TV, the DVD player and the boxes required these days to obtain TV channels. The drawers and cabinets below it make a great place to store serving pieces, special china, and linens. If we want, we can bring in the 6 ft long folding table from the shed, move the recliners back and actually feed 6 - 8 people in the living room. So I still keep the nice napkins and table clothes, casserole dishes, bowls and kitchen stuff that won't fit in the kitchen. The hutch is still used to display my pottery and ceramics behind the glass doors above and the bottom cabinets are more storage (mostly empty except for some large platters).  

The Kitchen Area: 

I bought a sheet of white pegboard and all sorts of hooks to use in the narrow space between the stove and the wall. It can hold a large and small frying pan, colander, whisks, spatulas, and a small wire basket to hold smaller utensils that I need while cooking. A 60s gate-leg sort of folding table is doing well as an island in the center of the kitchen. Under that is a 3 drawer, plastic storage bin that holds plastic wrap, foil, baggies, plastic lids (did I mention I was in Tupperware sales for a short time?), coffee filters, etc.

The Closets:

The closet door in the main bedroom has a double over-door hook to hang a coat and a bathrobe, and whatever outfit I plan on wearing the next day, sometimes. The second bedroom closet door has a full-length mirror on it - it, too, is an over-the-door thing, so didn't need any hardware to hang it. The inside of the main bedroom closet has a place to store cosmetics and a small mirror to use during make-up sessions. 

The Walls: 

In each of the rooms, there are some collectible pieces. Salt and pepper shakers on shelves in the kitchen; beads, buttons, wire, ink stamping blocks and plenty of photos on the walls of the spare bedroom; shelves with those many small boxes I've collected adorn the main bedroom; I have sold a few of them and have NOT bought more(smiley face). The books are in the second bedroom in book cases which take up one corner of the room. Perhaps they will eventually be stored up higher on sturdy shelves leaving much more floor space, maybe even enough to place a futon couch so we could have a guest!! 

It's a plan.   

Tiny house living??

While I admire the tiny house movement and love the homes that I've observed on TV, I'm not convinced that our house qualifies as such. With the 300 sq ft of storage in the finished attic and the enclosed outdoor shed with another few hundred, the 500 sq ft of living space is much more accommodating than actual tiny houses, I think. Our bathroom is pretty small, but it does have a full tub. The kitchen is not exceptionally small and if it didn't have the washer and dryer in it, could have a dining table and chairs. But we opt to have a laundry. 

I also think our bedroom, though cramped for movement, is larger than what I've seen in those tiny homes. And not to mention the spare room and a decent sized living room. 

However, living in this smaller space has made us reflect differently on the space we once took for granted. It makes us realize that we don't really need all that space to live well. If we continue to empty out the stuff from the space we now occupy, things will only become more comfortable for us and our visitors. Possessions really don't mean as much as space, and space doesn't mean as much as being comfortable. And the other wonderful thing about a smaller home is it doesn't take nearly as much time to clean or as much effort to tidy up. And that's a huge plus for me. 

WHAT ABOUT BEING A TOWNIE?

Don't get me wrong, I love the country. Trees and hills, open sky, flora and fauna mean a lot to us. Luckily, living in town here in TN doesn't mean we gave that up. We no longer have a "back 40" to wander in, but we do have a park within walking distance. We have our bird feeders, so have ended up still having the same assortment of birds within view. We've seen rabbits and deer in the yard. We have not had to deal with cows and goats getting in our yard, which is lovely. There have been no snakes around, no mice in the house, and no brown recluses or wolf spiders either. 

Conveniences include being within walking distance of the post office, McDonalds, and the square, and that park I mentioned. Taking a short trip to the grocery store really is a short trip. And we lucked out with neighbors for the most part. On either side of us are very friendly and nice folks. 

I recall that story of the country mouse and the city mouse. I always identified with the city mouse because I grew up in a small town in NJ that I thought was a city. It was close to the size of the town I now live in. It wasn't the country at all, that much I knew. While I was still at home, the parents moved to a country farmhouse here in TN and I found I enjoyed it in the country. However, having lived in both situations for some time, I do think I am content to identify with the city mouse again. Content, at least, while the city is more of a town and quite close to the country. Who says you can't have it all? 

MOVING SALE!

The 20 years of accumulation

I'm totally serious about this - we're moving and after 20 years of apparently trying to fill up every square inch of space in this old house. To make matters worse, we're downsizing. From an unmeasured number of square feet (let's ballpark it at 1200) to less than 500 of living space and another 300 of indoor storage with a bit of covered outdoor storage as well. Needless to say, there will be a purge. 

Actually, the chucking out has already begun but not feverishly yet, as well it should be. We've been meaning to go through our closets for a couple of years but now we truly must. I've already thrown away a few bags of stained, ripped, worn out garments and given another few to Good Will. I still have waaaay too many pieces of clothing. Especially for someone who goes out publicly maybe once or twice a week, three closet racks of dresses, pants and tops are just more than enough, am I right? Combine that with a dresser with a larger drawer of underwear, another of socks and stockings and bathing suits, and TWO of pajamas (yes, 2!). I do love PJs. 

But that's not the half of it. I also love books - paperbacks, hardcovers, and collectible sets. I have two bookcases full of them. I also have a large plastic bin with paperbacks - to my credit, I joined a book swap club some years ago and so, rather than accumulate more, I end up breaking even, but I still own too many books. I also am a collector of boxes - the kind that hold trinkets or jewelry. None too large, but a great many and each one unique and special. Luckily, they don't take up much room, nor are they heavy to carry, so they will, in all likelihood, be coming with me to the new house. 

Oh, but there is more! I do crafts, so I am a bona-fide hoarder of yarn and other fibrous materials. Also buttons, broken pottery and tiles, beads, wire, and the equipment one uses to construct projects made with such items. Mark down another two bins full of craft items that WILL be relocated. And don't forget the unsold, as yet, projects I've already crafted, crocheted, sewn, painted, pyro'd or otherwise cobbled together to make something new. I am currently having a sale in my etsy.com shop where some of these things can be taken off my hands for a deep discount. You should check it out:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/354025220691664584

Where there's a way, there's a will

My spouse, on the other hand, has a "spare room" full of his own collectibles. He has often verbalized that someday he will leave our offspring his collections and they will happily keep or sell them. While a magnanimous idea, certainly, I've rarely noted a descendant who was thrilled to be left with a bunch of "stuff" that they know little to nothing about and have to now get to know or simply get rid of it. But I didn't rain on that parade, so we have load after load of collectibles - myriad types of bakelite items, ceramics and pottery, knives, coins - that we are currently attempting to sell on eBay. Here's one such item: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/bakelite-backgammon-pieces-15-each-brown-and-darkened-yellow-/152241971801

Then there's the kitchen. The kitchen we have isn't large, but I have a metal industrial rack that is 5' x 3' x .5' that houses all my baking essentials, cutting boards, pots, pans, lids, tins, racks, cast iron, and some Tupperware that you can microwave safely in (I was a salesperson for a while and bought some nice pieces for myself). So there's a lot of "cooking items" to be moved and then the big question is - will the industrial rack fit anywhere? The kitchen, proper, will be home to the washer and dryer, so that's a large part of the bare wall available to such a rack. We'll see. But, there's no way I am giving up what took most of my married life to accumulate in the cooking department, and I do love to bake and cook. 

Still, I believe we can do this downsizing without any remorse or despair. I fully expect to give away many things, but these will be things I did not really need in the first place. And we will be better off for it, I'm sure. As I've noticed, no one person NEEDS three full closet racks of clothing and two dresser drawers full of PJs; similarly, no one family needs three food processors (I never bought more than one, but have kept all three), two toaster ovens (one is a rotisserie/convection oven as well, but still...), 5 different sized muffin tins and three bundt pans. 

There's even a problem in the bedroom

You read that right - there is a problem in the bedroom. As I said, the square footage is sparse, our bed is a queen. However, we have figured out that without the frame (which I really don't care for anyway) the queen bed WILL fit. Are we going to sleep with mattress on the floor then? No, we plan to place our current (new, BTW) mattress upon 30 or so 5 gallon plastic buckets and a stout piece of plywood. This serves dual purpose: 6 inches of spare floor space plus plenty of vermin-proof (not that we're expecting any but one never knows in the rural, middle TN area) storage. My husband is a borderline genius about some things (the collection of Pigeon Forge Pottery, notwithstanding). 

The second bedroom, since we don't actually need a working 2nd bedroom, will become, you guessed it, storage! But, more than that, my sewing machine, our stereo and collection of CDs, vinyl records and cassettes will go there, too. It just never ends, does it? Oh, and likely a good many books as well - the ones I simply can't part with, at least (signed by author, collection of Shakespeare's writings, for example). And then there's that supply of yarn and fabric I mentioned. 

We are very fortunate to have a finished attic room that is really nice and roomy and will serve well to hang clothing that is not currently in season (because the closets are small), and will house a great many plastic bins (the large kind) of which I currently own about 15. Right now, I'm very, very glad that I accumulated so many of them; once the majority of them are cleaned out of what I know to be stuff I haven't seen in over a year or two they will very handily be a godsend for moving the stuff we feel we must keep. There are ways and I have the will. 

Go forth, my child,  and hoard no more

I am hoping that after we move, we will continue to "downsize" and stop filling our lives with unnecessary crap. I know we will think not twice but three times before bringing anything new or used into our "new" home. I hope we will find things to give away to someone that needs it more than us. I hope to sell a lot of the crocheted and crafted items I currently have so that I can make more with the yarn I currently have. Either that, or I will probably just start selling the yarn and fabric that I have on hand to someone else who is just getting started on their own hoarding foray. But, then, I wouldn't wish that journey on anyone. 

Peace, out! 

C's Crafted Creations: And It's Almost Independence Day

C's Crafted Creations: And It's Almost Independence Day: Reminds me of the state of the USA right now - wrecked!  It's nearly time for one of our most enjoyed national holidays - The 4th of...

And It's Almost Independence Day

Reminds me of the state of the USA right now - wrecked! 

It's nearly time for one of our most enjoyed national holidays - The 4th of July - fireworks, music, family and friends, cook-outs, games, FUN! Really?? After the year(s) we've had here in this grand ol' country (young, really, not old, as countries go)?





I know what you Americans are thinking - hey! what's that got to do with the 4th of July? We're celebrating our independence and rightly so!

Founding Fathers were not radical new thinkers -- The Declaration of Independence was nothing new. Even Thomas Jefferson said it was"not about new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before, but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject."

{Oh, and speaking of Thomas Jefferson The DNA test actually proves that a male from the Jefferson family fathered Sally Hemings' children --that's a number of possibilities.} 

AND WHAT ABOUT THAT PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WE ALL LEARNED? 
The pledge we now say was written over a century later than the Declaration of Independence was written and our country became the U.S. of A. Our Founders took their states rights very seriously and considered the U.S. Constitution to be a compact amongst the sovereign states so that any state could secede if it felt the federal government had become oppressive. So, if not with a pledge, how would our Founding Fathers begin meetings and celebrations? The answer: most likely with a prayer. In fact, the very first resolution brought before the First Continental Congress, and immediately passed, was the declaration that they would open every meeting with a prayer. (1)

Latest version of the Stars and Stripes - but how important is a flag, really?

The soldiers of the American Revolution fought under the American flag, right? Wrong! In fact, our Founders deemed a flag to be irrelevant. A bill introduced in 1794 to add two stars to the flag was considered too trivial to be given any attention. The matter was "a trifling business which ought not to engross the attention of the House, when it was their duty to discuss matters of infinitely greater importance" as stated by one member.  The Continental Army did still fight under flags, but these flags were all different depending on the regiment.  (1)

BACK TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:

Now, we know that the British American colonies were economically well-off in the 1760s and did not, for the most part, feel especially oppressed by British rule. 

Well, first, go back to the War immediately preceding this - the French and Indian War. This conflict had been fought by British and Colonials alike, but paid for, primarily, by the British Crown. War, as we all should know, is costly, no matter who wins. The English were paying hefty taxes at home, the colonists, not so much. This caused a bit of "bad blood" back in England that began to fester and grow. English taxes were levied and collected on goods that came into colonial harbors, most especially, Boston. Many times, these taxes went uncollected, under-reported, pocketed by the unscrupulous, and thwarted by means more and more known to English taxpayers and their Parliament. 

With sentiment growing in favor of the American colonies paying their "fair share" to help pay for the war they had just helped to win, the call for increased enforcement of tax laws became louder and more insistent. With the Quebec and Ohio Valley land acquisition following the Treaty of Paris, came the Proclamation of 1763 by the King of England, forbidding colonial settlement into those areas west of the Appalachians and east of the Mississippi River. This did not sit well with those who had fought in that war, nor was it settling to those who had already made plans to head in that direction. 

This, and new Acts and Writs from the Crown, caused grumblings in Colonial America in the mid-1760s and beyond. Taxes on paper goods, stamps, then import taxes on glass, lead and tea, not only served to be burdensome but the collected revenues were to be used to pay Royal Governors' salaries. What this meant was that the legislative body who formerly paid the Governor's salary would not hold that salary hostage when disagreements ensued - the legislative body being chaired by colonial citizens. Colonials had Charles Townsend to thank for new and insinuating ways of making their lives much more oppressed, with the appointing of customs officials and a non-juried court to try cases. 

Congresses convened, joining together, somewhat, in their common outrage and eventually repeals were gained. Short-lived reconciliations were the norm, however, and soon, the Intolerable Acts were issued and imposed. 

British occupation expanded in colonial New England and farther south. Upkeep of these troops fell to the locals, who, understandably, were not pleased with that scenario. 

Congresses reconvened to discuss. 

In the meanwhile, groups formed (Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, who did so much to support boycotts on imported goods and use whatever influence they could to rid their communities of opposition to their stance), literature was circulated (Thomas Paine "Common Sense" sold 120K copies from Jan 1776 to April of that year) to give reason to the cause of independence from British rule, and representation coalesced into a trusted and trustworthy body of men. 

All this had to come together before a revolt could be conceived and carried out. As it stood, only 1/3 of the people agreed with open rebellion and fighting, another third was undecided. Even so, within a few months, men took up arms and formed militia groups to fight the British on their turf and in their own way. Much blood was shed before the colonists even began to have hope of success, but that moment did come. 

Major Battles of the American Revolution

Date	Battle	American Commander(s)	British Commander
April 19, 1775	Lexington-Concord	Capt. John Parker	Lt. Col. Francis Smith
June 17, 1775	Bunker (Breed's) Hill	Gen. Israel Putnam and Col. William Prescott	Gen. William Howe
Dec. 31, 1775	Quebec	Gen. Richard Montgomery	Gen. Guy Carleton
Aug. 27, 1776	Long Island	Gen. George Washington	Gen. William Howe
Oct. 26, 1776	White Plains	Gen. George Washington	Gen. William Howe
Dec. 26, 1776	Trenton	Gen. George Washington	Col. Johann Rall
Sept. 11, 1777	Brandywine	Gen. George Washington	Gen. William Howe
Sept. 19, 1777	Saratoga (Freeman's Farm)	Gen. Horatio Gates	Gen. John Burgoyne
Oct. 4, 1777	Germantown	Gen. George Washington	Gen. William Howe
Oct. 7, 1777	Saratoga	Gen. Horatio Gates	Gen. John Burgoyne
Dec. 5, 1777	White Marsh	Gen. George Washington	Gen. William Howe
June 8, 1778	Monmouth Courthouse	Gen. George Washington	Gen. Henry Clinton
Sept. 16, 1779	Siege of Savannah	Gen. Benjamin Lincoln	Gen. Augustine Prevost
March 29, 1780	Siege of Charlestown	Gen. Benjamin Lincoln	Gen. Henry Clinton
Sept. 28, 1781	Siege of Yorktown	Gen. George Washington and Gen. Rochambeau	Gen. Charles Cornwallis

It wasn't until after the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 that the fight for independence turned in the Colonist's favor. Following that victory, the French became allies, bringing reinforcements and ammunition stores. 

After the war, seeds of change began to grow and blossom. Anti-slavery groups, which formed at the onset, gained membership and influence; women's rights groups, empowered by the inexhaustible efforts of the female population in support of the rebellion, came into their own; religious reform ensued, and by 1833, the state-supported church idea was virtually abandoned, led, in great part, by the displacement of the Anglican (King of Britian- headed) church. Thomas Jefferson himself was instrumental in Virginia's own declaration of religious independence.

_____________________

_____________________

Lessons to be learned and celebrated: 

A diverse group of people can be united when the situation becomes disturbingly dire enough.

Communication is key! Publications and opinion must surface and be seen that speaks to the sentiment of the population. 

Men must rise to leadership positions and put their differences aside to unite under a common banner both to win the trust of the people they lead and to conjure success.

It is more important to fight for what you believe than to fight against what you don't believe in, such passion often wins the day. 

CELEBRATE AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

(1) http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/04/10-things-might-not-know-about-our-independence.htm

(2)http://www.ushistory.org/us

Looking forward to winter and its many holidays? 

For those who live in the Northern Hemisphere, it will soon be winter. I have spent my entire life in that hemisphere, so November, December, etc. through March is winter to me, even though it doesn't officially start until Dec. 21st. November is often pretty chilly, like it was this morning; 19F degrees is winter in my book. 

Since colors are high up on my sensory awareness list, I associate colors with seasons, as do a lot of people. Smells figure in to it all,  tastes, and certainly, sounds as well. To me, blue and white is a winter mix; white for snow, blue for clear, blue skies. This brings me back to childhood days spent outdoors playing in fresh snow under that never-ending vault of sky blue. 

Christmas (THE winter holiday for my family, after Thanksgiving) was always green and red to me. I suppose the red clothing Santa wore, his sleigh with its huge bag, Rudolph's nose, and red bows and lights created the association. Green was for the evergreen boughs, mistletoe and holly leaves. Wrapping paper and cards were often red and green, too. But to really elicit winter for me, it's still sky blue and white. 

I remember seeing my first artificial Christmas tree, which was silvery in color and made of aluminum. I heard adults comment about the audacity of such an invention, but I had no bias in mind about artificial versus living trees at my tender, young age. This tree with its silver branches was decorated with blue and white lights and balls, and I thought it was a spectacular thing!

It wasn't until I was much older, and had dealt with living trees as indoor decor, that I decided that artificial Christmas trees were a boon to mankind. Getting scratched by dry, dead needles and branches as I removed ornaments and lights was not my idea of holiday entertainment. I 'd say that pre-lit trees are my favorite thing about modern holiday conveniences. Next in line is the pre-lit wreath. (Note: That piney smell can be achieved using fragrant oils or a few real boughs on the mantle or in a vase or something.) I still love to see real wood-and-needle trees all decorated and lovely, but - like wild animals - only if they aren't in my home. 


New Years Day brought to my mind, silver and gold colors. Adults got dressed up to celebrate the eve and to ring it in, and that included sparkly gold and silver jewelry and sequins. And there was always snow and ice which glinted silver and gold in the lights of the stars and moon outside. 

But, still, the sky blue and white predominated during the remainder of winter. I'll even go so far as to say that the dark brown of wet dirt co-mingled with those two colors, and was held in as high esteem as the blue and white. When you saw that mud on your boots or your sled runners, you knew you were having some fun! 

Colors, smells, sounds, tastes - if we stop and think, we all have a sensory memory of certain seasons. I hope touch is in there, too. Hugs and the warmth of being surrounded by other human beings should be as much a part of the winter season as anything. If you can recall being hugged and feeling the warmth of loved ones during any of the winter holidays, consider yourself fortunate, because you are. If you can add smells and tastes of delicious food to that, you are extremely fortunate. If you can also add the sounds of singing songs together, walking amidst the chatter and laughter and bells of the season, taking in the lights and ornamentation with a light heart and feeling of joy, you are truly blessed. If I neglected to mention presents and gifts, that was not an error. If we have all the rest, that part is inconsequential and pretty much over the top, isn't it? Gifts and presents should be reserved for those who don't have the gift of family and friends to brighten their holidays. A warm meal, a warm coat, a warm hat, or a scarf and a pair of gloves is all it would take to bring someone less fortunate joy during the holidays. Imagine a world that contained a jolly sprite who picked up gifts from all the homes around the world instead of delivering them, and gave them out to needy people for us. I wonder why it isn't that way? I think someone, a long time ago, made a mistake about that.


      Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays, Peace on Earth and Good Will to All in 2016!