The Goats of Peace

They’re so goofy those goats. Happy. Most of the time. Although on all occasions decline to step between Mr. Goat and the ladies. Also, stand up-wind of Mr. Goat when he’s interested in the ladies. He has rather odd courting behavior.

But they’re beautiful and funny and curious. And when when goat is curious, the whole trip of goats wants to know. That could also have been a tribe, a flock, a drove, a herd, but trip, that’s sorta what they do if you’re in their way while they’re trying to look at something. Or feed them.

Well, now we’ve all learned something fun to start the day off, Beware the trip of goats!

But enjoy them as well, because they really are funny and friendly. When my friend EG is home, she often has a goat in her arms. “Love me!” they demand, and she does. And who wouldn’t?

Here’s to a wonderful day and the Peace of a drove of Goats. And a lot of happy hopping. Everyone’s got to feel better when they’re hopping, eh? And we’d all look ridiculous, it might be the great leveler. And when we realize that we laugh at the same thing, there is Peace in that, is there not?

Strategies for Peace

How do we work together for Peace?

How do you and I work well together? What do we have that we share.

The more we hear about hate, the more need there is for our voices to be lifted and our hands to be joined.

What we want and how we get from where we are to where we need to be — those are questions to be asked… and answered.

This is a strategy game worth playing. Collaboration is the tool. Peace.

Cemeteries, Memories, Making Peace

Pete’s picture of a “field of memories” brings up so many emotions.

Some of them are sad, but none of them are bad.

I have such a curious relationship with cemeteries. They are such rich mines of history. Yet no one will know the life and times of my family, because there are no markers. We have disappeared into the streams and the mountains of the land we claim(ed) as home.

And it’s true that except for two children, this branch of the Evans family ends with the next generation. So, the history component of cemeteries will never be too important…

But I find cemeteries fascinating. In pre-vaccination days, you could see when a plague swept through a village, by looking at tombstones. You can feel the connections that people have with their beloved dead. Even in the most complex situations, death brings a certain kind of Peace, if only for those who have died.

And cemeteries are often on such beautiful land, spots high above a town or a river are often chosen as burial grounds. One man I know is buried in just about the exact spot that he took his most iconic picture. He visited those grounds all throughout his lifetime because there were things to see there. It’s nice to think of him there. We tend our dead carefully, so they are usually beautiful.

When I look at this pic, I feel the cemetery’s history and its Peace. The dead are such Peaceful neighbors, quiet and calm. There’s so much that could be said about them, but today, all i have to talk about is the Peace. Inhale. Exhale. Peace.

Protecting the Trusses of Peace

It’s an interesting thing to encounter the reasons behind something in your life that has always been there and that you now take for granted.

I’ve loved covered bridges a long time. I never really wondered why they built them (that’s ann-brain — oh look at that, isn’t it wonderful. Nope, i’d have made a lousy engineer!) If I had thought, I might have thought it protected people from the wind that often rushes down a creek- or river-bed. And it could act as blinders on the eyes of horses who might find walking over water a bit freaky. And certainly it had those advantages.

But no, it was put in place to protect the bridge. Do we do enough of that do you think? Put the protection in place for the solution, even as we figure out what the solution is to a particular project? I don’t think i think enough about that… Ann brain, not engineer brain.

I’m busy marveling at the wonder of it. but huh, isn’t the wonder greater when it’s cared for! Something to think on.

And of course I loved stealing a kiss with a sweetheart (from whom did we steal it do you think since we were both so eager?). Sweet, youthful memories that it takes a covered bridge to evoke.

Thanks. So I wish you the good sense to shore up the fragile things you make as well as the the good sense to steal a kiss with a sweetheart. Nothing could be finer. Both bring sweet Peace. And of course I wish you that too.

Ice cream for Peace (You scream too!)

We’ve all gotten greedy about treats. Google dictionary describes a treat as “an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure.” For those of us here in Central PA, the opening of the summer ice cream stands is a special treat. I like to wait until the fireflies get to mine before I go for my treat, so I’ve a couple more months ahead to wait. Waiting is part of what makes a treat a treat.

We believe we need treats every day. And look at us. It shows. And in fact, it’s gotten so too many of us, too many of our children think treats are every day food. We often feel we “deserve” a treat.

We scream about pesticides in our food and rightly so. But we have no qualms about putting food in our mouths on a regular basis that aren’t good for us. And the jury’s out on whether the amount of sugar we eat isn’t going to injure us.

So, if you scream for ice cream every day, You’ve moved it out of the treat category and into the food category and that’s not great.

But if once in a while, you and a friend wander over to a favorite ice cream stand to share one another’s favorite treat — if you make it a treat, well then enjoy.

Do it to make it special. Peace has many flavors some are sustenance. Some are treats. The first ice cream of the season? Shared with a friend? Sweet Peace indeed. Savor it!

Sabbath Peace and Mischief

Angel dust. Seeds of Peace. Go right ahead and sprinkle the world liberally! It’s almost Spring and the soil is softening… They might just take root! And goodness knows we need sweet mischief; there’s plenty of the malicious kind going around.

You’ve seen this angel before in these pages. In every season, every background, she has a different look… Same angel… hmmm… maybe we’re seeing things differently!

But here we are, with this warmly out of season weather, nothing to do but get outside and get up to some Peace. Or avoid the rain that’s supposed to fall around, and stay inside and wonder what Peace you can get up to.

It’s so needed. There’s so much turmoil and discomfort. Let’s be the ones bringing Peace.

What if sprinkling Peace were a delightful and mischievous thing rather than a heavy obligation? What if we just went joyously into the world and made Peace.

Peace to Keep Working On

Many projects don’t get started and then finished, 1,2,3. We like to think they do, but life interrupts. We may not have the information we need to continue. We may lose focus or even interest.

Peace is one of those projects. There are just so many facets.Things get put to the side. If you’re like me, they get buried in a pile of paper. Occasionally you take a day and start to work toward the bottom of the pile. Often the things that are buried have knotty little problems to address.

There are days that you poke around at those problems and don’t accomplish much more than moving things from one side to the next. And that day is just as precious and sacred as any other.

Some days you look at the sun and notice that it is poking its way along to sunset. Ah, you feel reassured, it is not just you. Even the stars and planets have their off days. Sometimes the Sun drops behind the horizon like a stone. Other days Sundown is a rather aimless occurrence.

Bless those days. Bless that pokey ol’ Peace. And keep going. Tomorrow is a whole new day to push for Peace. And the day after that. And the one that follows. Everyday Peace. Every day, Peace.

Kangaroo Peace

I don’t really know what a kangaroo is doing hanging in a tote bag on a doorknob in Central Pa. But here zi is (since we don’t know zirs gender!).

But zi certainly is a love.

Dagny was out at music the other day and all these pics of this lil guy. oooh. She was feeding zir. She and my friend Donna had a long conversation about the Anatomy and Physiology of a kangaroo. (Why yes, I do know the most interesting people!)

But it just made me think. We need to be caring for the littles. Whoever they are. Wherever they are. Let us care for the earth and all the creatures.

That way lies Peace. (and if thee is lucky there will be sqooshy faced babies to hold and feed.)

Traveling Peace

I’m a homebody. Given enough books, I could stay at home a long time.

But every once in a while, there’s a scent in the air that beckons. The highway wants me and my soul wants to wander.

Weather and siren songs being what they are, they don’t usually mesh well with my work responsibilities. It’s odd, as well, because when i want that trip, i consider packing about an outfit and a half, maybe two, if the weather’s likely to change. Pack to go to a hotel? I need the big roller suitcase.

I’m not going anywhere, other than to my meeting at 9:45. and the one at one,and the one at three, and Poetry under the Paintings tonight.

But I tell you, the road calls. Someday when it calls, I will pack my bag, lock the door, and drive away for a while. Peace sometimes is found in leaving home, just as it is sometimes rediscovered in returning. Peace to you: you who are wandering, you who are staying. Peace.

A Big Ol’ Pile of Peace Dirt

Put a bunch of kids together on this pile of dirt, “arm” them with trowels and rakes and toys to play with, and it won’t matter if they speak the same language or not. Because they’ll be busy playing together.

Dirt. The new leveler.

Dirt. The new weapon for Peace.

Nothing but good times ahead until someone comes with the snack.

Yes, someone needs to have said “Play nice,” before they take them there; someone needs to intervene if the big kids start picking on the little ones — they’re children, not saints.

But all things being even, Peace will reign on the dirt pile and kids will have fun, and the mothers will laugh to see it be so.

Spring. Dirt. Clothes you can play in. Friends, old or new. No assignment other than to have a good time. Being young enough you don’t worry about getting your hands dirty. Peace. Sometimes it’s simpler than we think. Not always. but sometimes. If we let that happen.

Peace. Dirt. Spring.

Sacred Village

Building a World of Peace, Village by Sacred Village.

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