Yesterday in Bill's garden

A welcoming scene


Swiss chard with glorious red ribs


The strawberry patch (with garlic chives at the far end)


Potatoes down the center, garlic on the right


Corn, beets, broccoli, and numerous other goodies with peppers and asparagus in the background


OK, my botanists, mallow or cranesbill? (I know, I should have shot the leaves too, but I was focused on the blossoms.)


I believe this flower is shouting, "Look at me!"


Lovely blossoms


I like this variety of cosmos. We used to have three kinds of cosmos in our yard in El Cerrito, the usual, this, and chocolate. Oh yes!


A crabapple

I love being able to see and visit a more rural life nearby, even if I am a city boy. My dad grew up on a farm. I don't want to live a rural life, just be able to see and visit it. LOL

--the BB

From Digby

There's one thing nobody can take away from the United States. We produce some of the very best politicians money can buy.
--Digby



Be afraid. Be very afraid. (Of Republican politicians. I am.)

--the BB

We, of course, are too lazy or timid to march in the streets for anything (most of us, anyway) - updated 2x

So, if "73% of voters want a choice of a private or public health insurance plan,"[1] then next time you hear any congresscritter say "we don't have the votes," kick them where they should have balls. Hard. Repeatedly.

Of course, it is more effective to call, write, fax and e-mail them. But the American People absolutely must reject bullshit when it is fed to them by lying weasels. Got it?

Now the only reason I can think of why they would say they "don't have the votes" is if they are owned by insurance companies, pharmacies, and the AMA. Which, alas, is probably the case. So if you don't feel like kicking your elected representative, which would constitute assault and be against the law and all that, then maybe we should just ask them, point blank: "Are you lying about this because you are owned by insurance companies, pharmacies, and the AMA?"

For that matter, why aren't the lazy-ass media asking this question?

Thank you. We now return to our regularly scheduled ranting.

h/t to buhdydharma

UPDATE:
An illustration of the problem: Senator Max Baucus, who seeks to perpetrate gross evil on the American people.

Of course Max Baucus wants healthcare reform, he guaranteed the insurance industry a huge new influx of paying customers. And, he's in the process of delivering. They pay, Max delivers.

--nyceve (who passionately follows healthcare issues)

Why would anyone say such a thing? Well, check out what the Montana Standard reports:

HELENA — As Sen. Max Baucus has taken the lead on health-reform legislation in the U.S. Senate, he's also become a leader in something else: Campaign money received from health- and insurance-industry interests.

In the past six years, nearly one-fourth of every dime raised by Baucus, D-Mont., and his political-action committee has come from groups and individuals associated with drug companies, insurers, hospitals, medical-supply firms, health-service companies and other health professionals.

These donations total about $3.4 million, or $1,500 a day, every day, from January 2003 through 2008.

Baucus, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee that is drafting a major health-care reform bill this month, insists this cavalcade of money is not unduly influencing his work.

Paul Begala has some pointed words for the media ignoring the tales that came before Congress of people whose insurance is canceled when they need it. Why does that not get reported? Surely our front pages could accommodate events in Iran AND some of the most serious issues facing us at home. They might try omitting filler to do this. They won't, of course, the irresponsible drengturds.

The story of rescission makes the health care issue personal. It exposes the mission of insurance companies, the "murder by spreadsheet" dedication to profits over people. And until their incentives are changed, until they need to compete on price and quality instead of competing on how to get out of paying for medical care, absolutely no reform can possibly work. But that requires the facts to be delivered by a media simply resistant to them.

--dday

UPDATE2:

Bill Maher's AMA commercial



Enjoy!
--the BB

νυν απολυεις τον δουλον σου, δεσποτα - updated

With a heavy heart I just read a post at JN1034. One of the three Orthodox brothers of that blog is preparing to sleep in Christ.

PARAKLESIS ALERT: +JN1034/Athens Eclipsed, Diseased, Agonizing, Preparing to Sleep (and Resurrect!)

This is a great trauma, an impeding loss transcending expression. None knew that +JN1034/Athens (68 y/o) has been suffering with an incurable disease (bladder cancer) for over a year, keeping this a secret save between his heart and God.

"Paraklesis alert" is what most of us westerners call a "prayer request."

He asks we do not pray for his well-being, but for those yet alive whose theosis must be made perfect in the Tradition, as the living members of the Church, for the glory of the Holy Trinity, of the sacred creation, and of all humanity - those who were, are, and will be

...

The Holy Spirit is upon us; God with us, always, in all ways. This is the Gospel.

I weep to share this with you.

I give thanks for his life and witness to God's gracious love for creation. I pray that his pain may be eased, his heart held in God's love, his entrance to eternal joy come peacefully.

I pray for his comrades as they walk with him in this journey's end and for the Holy Spirit to strengthen and console them in their grief.

I pray for all my Orthodox siblings throughout the world, and especially for my LGBT Orthodox siblings.


Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


O Lord, I know not what to ask of thee; thou alone knowest what are my true needs. Thou lovest me more than I know how to love myself. Help me to see my real needs which are concealed from me. I dare not ask either a cross or consolation. I can only wait on thee. My heart is open to thee. Visit and help me for thy great mercy’s sake, strike me and heal me, cast me down and raise me up. I worship in silence thy holy will and thine inscrutable ways. I offer myself as a sacrifice to thee. I put all my trust in thee. I have no other desire than to fulfill thy will. Teach me how to pray, pray thou thyself in me. Amen.
—Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow


May the cross of the Son of God, who is mightier than all the powers of evil, abide with you in your going out and your coming in! From the wrath of evil people, from the temptation of the devil, from all low passions that beguile the soul and body, may it guard, protect, and deliver you: and may the blessing of God the Almighty and Merciful, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
—Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer
of the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma, and Ceylon

νυν απολυεις τον δουλον σου δεσποτα κατα το ρημα σου εν ειρηνη
οτι ειδον οι οφθαλμοι μου το σωτηριον σου
ο ητοιμασας κατα προσωπον παντων των λαων
φως εις αποκαλυψιν εθνων και δοξαν λαου σου ισραηλ
--Song of Simeon the God-receiver

Update: my friend Raven Crawford-Dunn corrected my attribution on the prayer. Thanks!
--the BB

A dinner outing

Conejo

There was a bunny on the way to my friend's house.


And fresh new penstemon blooming in his yard.


We had a lovely bottle of wine (thank you Steve!) to go with Dijon-slathered grilled chicken garnished with a chiffonade of basil that I had just plucked from his garden and spinach, also freshly harvested, sautéed with garlic.

We then went over to his dad's apartment for an early Father's Day visit. Jack (Dad) used to read a lot and listens to classical and jazz music but lately he has been tending some house plants, so instead of books or CDs we both took him potted plants to keep him off the streets and out of trouble.

Playing with the new camera, I took this detail shot of a painting acquired years ago on an adventure in Puerto Vallarta. It is a modern painting in the style of colonial Mexico. I love the detail of the hair in this painting, and the flow of her robes and sweet face.

Lots of detail flower shots in the garden. Later, and probably on FB.

Off to a church meeting on the other end of town!

--the BB

While I am opining

Photo by Vahid Salemi/AP

I fear that in the days ahead photos like the one above may capture the situation in Iran more than the green-tinged masses that have so moved and inspired us of late. The supreme leader's comments today do not bode well as it was in the "calm down, shut up, support your leaders" mode. Many fear crackdowns. Red may well be a more appropriate color than green. Sadly.

While I have been criticizing the president and his administration for a number of things lately, I want to say that he appears to be taking the reasonable and appropriate stance toward Iran. he has spoken on behalf of democracy and freedom but he has neither uttered threats nor unleashed the dogs of war.

Those who have been so eager to bomb Iran in recent years should be chastened by the thought that they would have been killing the hundreds of thousands now protesting an election that bears the appearance of having been stolen. The younger generation of Iran is not poisoned with hatred of the West or of the United States. On the other hand, they want to shape their own destiny. If we really believe in democracy, then we should be delighted at this. And we will keep our fingers (and guns and bombs) out of it.

Protesters have said they want us to stay out of this. They appreciate our moral support but a new Iran depends on being a product of the people of Iran. What a concept! US interference can only make things worse.

I therefore commend President Obama for his measured response. This sort of international diplomacy is one of the major reasons I wanted to see him elected and want him to succeed.

As for Krauthammer and Wolfowitz, two of the viler slime beings whose idiocy ever degraded the Washington Post, they can go Cheney themselves.

--the BB

DAD-fracking-T

What does a Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have to say about gays and lesbians in the military?

According to the generals and admirals, allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly would make parents less willing to allow their sons and daughters to enlist. The argument assumes that anti-gay sentiment is so fierce and widespread that moving to a policy of equal treatment would drive away thousands and could ultimately "break the All-Volunteer Force." Not only is there no evidence to support these conclusions, but research shows conclusively that openly gay service members would not undermine military readiness.

...But it is not just foreign militaries that show service by openly gay individuals works. The U.S. military itself has had successful experiences. Enforcement of the ban was suspended without problems during the Persian Gulf War, and there were no reports of angry departures.

--John M. Shalikashvili

h/t to Pam Spaulding
--the BB

Then there's effing SCOTUS

NYT editorial:

In an appalling 5-to-4 ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority tossed aside compelling due process claims, the demands of justice and a considered decision by a lower federal appeals court to deny the right of prisoners to obtain post-conviction DNA testing that might prove their innocence.

...

We are also puzzled and disturbed by the Obama administration’s decision to side with Alaska in this case — continuing the Bush administration’s opposition to recognizing a right to access physical evidence for post-conviction DNA testing.

Thursday’s ruling will inevitably allow some innocent people to languish in prison without having the chance to definitively prove their innocence and with the state never being completely certain of their guilt.

Hmph!

The Rude Pundit had a lot of rude but right-on things to say about this too.

Almost every state grants the request that Osborne made. They all seem to be able to handle it without the foundations of justice tumbling. As Justice Stevens writes in dissent, "The arbitrariness of the State's conduct is highlighted by comparison to the private interests it denies. It seems to me obvious that if a wrongly convicted person were to produce proof of his actual innocence, no state interest would be sufficient to justify his continued punitive detention. If such proof can be readily obtained without imposing a significant burden on the State, a refusal to provide access to such evidence is wholly unjustified."

But, no, Roberts, Alito, Scalia, Thomas, and sometimes Kennedy pull out the states' and legislative rights card when it's convenient, when a case makes them feel ooky (check out Alito's concurring opinion for a creepy dwelling on the facts of the crime). Because we certainly wouldn't want the United States to act like we're states that are united.

What bloody wankers.

h/t to John Aravosis at Americablog

--the BB

Why I get grumpy

John Aravosis, bless him, has been all over this like white on rice.

Again, let me reiterate. Top gay lawyers simply wanted to talk with the Obama administration's representatives at the Department of Justice and the Office of Personnel Management (which is not only run by an openly gay man, but has an openly gay general counsel). The gay lawyers wanted to know the details of the administration's reasoning that DOMA precluded health care benefits, among other benefits, to the partners of gay employees. The Obama administration refused.

If the Obama administration were truly interested in helping the gay community get these benefits, they would gladly tell their gay friends what the details of the legal problem is, in hopes that we can all figure out a legal way around it.

But there was no such interest from Team Obama. Either the argument that DOMA precludes these benefits is a lie. Or it's true and for some reason the Obama administration doesn't want to give us these benefits.

[Emphasis mine]

I can understand there being all manner of legal and political obstacles to moving forward. That is the nature of things. It's being treated like shit in the process the that infuriates me.

Mr. President, you can do better.

And we expect you to.

Crumbs and photo-ops and sound bytes are not going to do it.

--the BB

Add your name?

All right, the text below is lifted from the web site. I would not go so far as to say that the "new reform legislation ... will make quality health care available and affordable for all Americans." But I will let Durbin, Leahy, and Schumer tout their work.

My concern is that we not let public option be omitted. If this will help, I am all for it. So I added my name immediately.

Dear Friend,

With nearly 50 million Americans lacking health insurance, and premiums rapidly rising, it's time to address the health care crisis in our country. All Americans deserve access to affordable, quality health care -- and today, nearly one-in-six of us don't have it.

This month, Congress is working on new reform legislation that will make quality health care available and affordable for all Americans. In particular, Senators Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, and Chuck Schumer are working for a public health insurance option that would foster greater competition in the marketplace, create more choices for consumers, and lead to lower costs and better quality.

Please join me in supporting their work to pass strong health care reform legislation this year by signing the online petition.

Last night I had a hint of a sore throat. Definitely had one this morning, so I called in. Have had four glasses of liquid in the last four hours. Going downstairs for more, plus another 1000mg of vitamin C. My job is staffing phones 8 hours a day on a help desk and I should definitely not be talking all day long (or sharing whatever I might have). Blogging may well be heavier today.



Quote from Howard Zinn (h/t to Jane R)

--the BB

Just a little today, but chugging away

I only got one brief scene written today but it is progress. I am now going to get to bed by 10:30 (by not writing more or bouncing about FB).

Sweet dreams, my cheery chipmunks!

--the BB

Feeling grumpy these days

My friend Raven pointed us to this quote via Facebook:

In addition to these five new rules, the experience of having been courted and thwarted has brought me to a grave conclusion. The fight for our rights is now going to get messy. The dialect of respectability has not worked to our benefit. I would advise you to fasten your seatbelts because the youngest, the oldest and the most impatient among us are about to rumble. This will not be pretty. “No More Mr. Nice Gay” is about to become an understatement. President Obama seems to be forgetting the wise advice “Dance with the one that brung ya,” and like Carrie at the prom, some of us are about to rage.
--Tony Adams in the South Florida Blade

For me the sour mood is about a lot more than the Obama administration tossing a crumb toward the LGBT community while treating us like scum in the legal proceedings.

Here is what you might call a mood ring for this week.


The graphic above is for the Obama administration for doing ANYTHING with DOMA other than vigorously working for its elimination.

And for not ending DADT with a stroke of the pen, no discussion needed. It's already been talked to death.

It is definitely for every last person who voted for or supported Proposition 8 in California. If you did it out of fear and ignorance, then I hold you culpable for a willful ignorance. The Knights of Columbus, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Mormon Church are all hereby saluted most roundly (and I know that list is too short).

And for Bishop Parsley's cloak of secrecy. Who does he think he is: Siegfried or Harry Potter? Or Dick Cheney planning energy policy? Nope, it's the emperor with no clothes. Inexcusably shameful, the whole sorry mess.

And for each and every person in Congress of either house responsible individually or collectively for not putting a public option front and center in health care reform and explaining why this, which is supported by 83% of Americans, is a GOOD idea and not the first step toward the downfall of civilization. (If it's the first step toward the downfall of the insurance companies that have labored hard to deny healthcare to people who need it while reaping obscene profits, I shall stand by and applaud.) Single payer would be better but at least have a public option. If you are doing neither of those then leave the whole damn thing alone; you're not going to help the situation.

Today it is for the Attorney General for wussing on immunity for telcoms and thereby enabling the disappearance of Bush administration criminality down the memory hole. For shame!

For Faux News for everything about their evil, lying propaganda machine pushing fear and falsehoods into the collective American psyche, fostering stupidity, hatred, and violence in our society.

I don't even need to mention Cheney, Rove, et al.

For bookburning wannabe asshats of whatever age. Shame upon shame!

For Norm Coleman doing all he can to prevent Al Franken from being seated after being elected.

For the Washington Post for having dumped Dan Froomkin, one of the few who has shined a bright light on White House activities. Amongst other things, he was one of the few in traditional media to speak up about torture.

For the fucking hypocrites on the Republican side of the aisle in Congress who want to whine about fiscal responsibility after they stood by tax cuts for the very wealthy and poured money into an illegal, unnecessary, immoral, counterproductive (and therefore very STUPID) war, much of the money totally unaccounted for - so the corporate war machine could thrive and the American people pay the price tag for generations. It's too damned late to pretend you give a shit so shut the fuck up!

Ditto the blue dog Democrats. Y'all really chap my butt.

The bird is for the whole blasted insurance industry.

Many are angry, but I’m not seeing anyone else state the obvious — the CEO’s insistence that they can’t stop recissions and make a profit; the implicit acknowledgment that they can’t insure people with preexisting conditions and make a profit; amounts to a confession that the private health insurance industry cannot solve the health care crisis. The “free market” is inadequate to the task of paying for modern health care.
--Maha

Congress as a totality for doing sod all about illegal spying.

Every time new revelations of illegal government spying arise, the same exact pattern repeats itself: (1) euphemisms are invented to obscure its illegality ("overcollection"; "circumvented legal guidelines"; "overstepped its authority"; "improperly obtained"); (2) assurances are issued that it was all strictly unintentional and caused by innocent procedural errors that are now being fixed; (3) the very same members of Congress who abdicate their oversight responsibilities and endlessly endorse expanded surveillance powers in the face of warnings of inevitable abuses (Jay Rockefeller, Dianne Feinstein, "Kit" Bond, Jane Harman) righteously announce how "troubled" they are and vow to hold hearings and take steps to end the abuses, none of which ever materialize; (4) nobody is ever held accountable in any way and no new oversight mechanisms are implemented; (5) Congress endorses new, expanded domestic surveillance powers; and then: (6) new revelations of illegal government spying emerge and the process repeats itself, beginning with step (1)
--Glenn Greenwald

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

And back to Obama for not being as transparent as he claimed he was going to be. In the courts they sound a lot like the Bushies and I don't like it one little bit.



This falls under the category of Thursday Constitution Blogging, something I have not done often enough of late.

--the BB

Gratuitous rock shot

I love decorative river rock in landscapes (and in riverbeds).
--the BB

706

06/17/09 masslive:
Army Sgt. dies from injuries following explosion in Afghanistan
Army Sgt. 1st Class Kevin A. Dupont succumbed to his battle injuries Wednesday morning following a three-month fight for his life. Dupont...was burned over 65 percent of his body on March 8 after the Humvee...

06/17/09 :
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Spc. Jonathan C. O?Neill, 22, of Zephyrhills, Fla., died June 15 at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, of wounds suffered June 2 in Paktya, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

4314

June 15, 2009
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
Staff Sgt. Edmond L. Lo, 23, of Salem, N.H., died June 13 in Samarra City, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device that his explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team was acting to neutralize detonated. He was assigned to the 797th Ordnance Company, 79th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.

06/16/09
Two other deaths are pending confirmation: one from an IED attack in Samawah, the other non-hostile in Nirawa Province.

Gratuitous flower shot from lunch yesterday

Just because.

The wind kept blowing, which posed a challenge.
--the BB

Queer bears do not like being thrown under the bus

This DOMA crap... j'en ai marre. The President can kiss every queer donation of mine goodbye unless he backpedals, fast and hard. To do nothing, given all the major issues he faces, is one thing. For his people to take gratuitously vile action is inexcusable.

I hereby retire my Obama T-shirt and sweatshirt.

This does not mean I have given up on him or turned on him, but I will NOT support him with cash or campaigning energy. He is still doing a LOT of very good and very difficult things to turn this nation around and restore our standing in the world, after an incredibly damaging and ignominious reign of lawless thugs. Nonetheless, I intend to hold him accountable on torture, on FISA, on equal rights for all citizens, and many other things. I am not a happy camper.

Btw, I'd love to bitch slap AG Holder for giving up without a fight on telcom immunity. There's another major growl!

What I'd like to do to the Dems in Congress who are NOT putting a public option on the healthcare table is a lot worse than bitch slap. [Retire them yesterday and put in some real Dems with spines who are not owned lock, stock, and barrel by the insurance industry?]
--the BB

Chapter 40 done

As Č. looked over the names, O. knelt before her. V. watched his wife’s eyes begin to flood. She inhaled deeply and let the air out slowly then looked at the kneeling youth. “Oh, O.,” she said, lacking further words.

“Your Magnificence, I give you my free allegiance,” he said.

“Please, O., don’t call me that. Not yet. It is my niece’s title for now. But I thank you. I fear I shall need all the loyal friends I can find.”

She took his hands and urged him to rise. The anguish in O’s eyes were like a knife to the heart.

I beg you, save our land,” he pleaded.

Č., only a year older than O., caressed his cheek as a mother would. She thought of the babe torn apart in her dreams and fleetingly imagined all the young Os of F., the children, the babies that would fall in war.

This is all first draft, of course. I don't polish phrases, I tell the tale, then go back and read and tweak. This scene got me soppy today.

And now, to bed.

Sweet dreams, my curious cassowaries!
--the BB

At last!

At the family wedding last September I kept trying to get a nice picture of my grandniece Rachel. No luck. None of the trio of grandnieces yielded a good picture that evening, which is a great pity. But here is one with Rachel looking gorgeous. She is holding her niece Clara. Her big brother Jeremy, the twins' dad, is in the background.

Aunt Rachel and Clara

--the BB

Events! Events!

While I am touting things like the Integrity Eucharist in Mancos, CO, and the Juneteenth Celebration in Oakland, CA, I may as well add this in San Francisco:

A special community forum, sponsored by Fitzgerald Abbot & Beardsley LLP and Baker Avenue Asset Management LP, will be held in Gresham Hall at Grace Cathedral on Monday, June 22, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The conversation, moderated by the Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus, will include the following panelists: the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, bishop of New Hampshire; Yvette Flunder, senior pastor, City of Refuge; the Rev. Lindi Ramsden, executive director, Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry; Rabbi Douglas Kahn, executive director, Jewis h Community Relations Council; and Joe Tuman, political analyst, CBS 5 Eyewitness News. A reception will follow.

When: Monday, June 22, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Gresham Hall, Grace Cathedral
Contact: RSVP to events@fablaw.com; for information, 510.451.3300x333

So, if you're in that neighborhood on Monday evening....

Though many of my friends have met Bp Gene, I have not yet. And I have only chatted with my own Bp Marc once. This news came via the e-communications of the Diocese of California.

--the BB

On the scandal du jour

A friend asks (regarding Sen. Ensign):
For Godde's sake, could we please be like the French and admit that almost everyone has affairs once in a while and leave it at that?

I reply:
I quite agree that we need to stop obsessing on this sort of thing. Then again, since Sen. Ensign wanted to amend the constitution to protect marriage and wanted Clinton to resign for having an extramarital affair, I think he needs to be pilloried. It's not screwing around, its hypocritical abuse of power impinging on other lives.

--the BB

The princess who would not rule - updated

“I was given this when my cousin F. visited this morning. Evidently it took great effort for him to bring it to T. He traveled in disguise by roundabout means and has sought refuge under the duke’s protection. It seems to be of great importance.”

Here he handed Č. a package wrapped in old silk and tied with ribbons. The princess untied it to find a parchment folded and sealed. On the front someone had drawn a shield. The field was red and a narrow gold fess ran down the middle. On the dexter side was the Black Lion of F. and on the sinister half the Raven of H. Č’s heart sank. It was meant for her and she did not welcome the item sitting atop the shield. It was a crude but clear sketch of her father’s crown.

"Was this in Caesar ambition?"

Ah, my little dumplings, why do I do such awful things to a character of whom I am so fond?

Stories take on a life of their own, and carry with them their own necessities. The young princess must follow the path the stars ask of her - because if she didn't I wouldn't have a tale to tell. It's that simple. LOL

There was a business dinner after work, so I am up way past my bedtime, which is its own suckitude.

Sweet dreams!

UPDATE:
Note to heraldry buffs: In the parallel world heraldry does not always follow our rules of tincture. The two royal houses here are notable examples.
--the BB

The Sundays after Pentecost

Welcome to "the long green season."


All of that was just silliness. I really wanted to post this photo taken while walking to lunch today.

--the BB

Integrity Eucharist this Saturday, Mancos, CO

Susankay sends a note to all in this part of the world:

Paul -- I would like to ask you to tell your readers that Integrity of the Four Corners is to have a Eucharist at St Paul's in Mancos Colorado on Saturday, June 20 at 4pm. Typical coffee and cookies in the Parish Hall after the service and an available adjournment to the local bar/restaurant for additional talk, sharing and caring.

love to all, susankay

I checked the national church online directory for the address:

479 Bauer St.
Mancos, CO 81328-0226

And here's a little map thingy for y'all:




Donkey's years ago I was active in Integrity, Los Angeles. I remember when we met at St Stephen's, Hollywood, and at St John's @ Adams and Flower. I was part of the altar guild, which is why I appreciate those who serve on altar guilds and always try to say thank you to them. I also hand sewed the first banner for L.A. Integrity, with the Lamb of God worked in French knots. Some of those stitches were done in what is now the Sanctuary in San Francisco (let the reader understand). I remember us marching in the Pride Parade with that banner (the first of three times I have marched in such parades, the most recent being last Saturday here in Albuquerque).

That's just a little bit of personal history.

--the BB

Juneteenth

St Cuddy's began celebrating Juneteenth with New Genesis Praise Missionary Baptist Church. The celebration has evolved and now their partner is Church Without Walls (American Baptist - the denomination in which I was baptized). I am so pleased when I hear of creative liturgy continuing in that place.

Join us for a Juneteenth celebration
Come join us for a celebration of liberation and Gospel Music for Juneteenth. This is joint service with combined choirs of St. Cuthbert's, Oakland, and Church Without Walls (American Baptist Church of the West).

When: Sunday, June 21, 10 a.m.
Where: St. Cuthbert's, 7932 Mountain Blvd., Oakland
Contact: stcuddy@aol.com, 510.635.4949

What is Juneteenth? Read about it here.

While I am sympathetic to the issues about tinkering raised by Tobias (here and here), I confess that I have tinkered a great deal. We had a Freedom Mass that we used for Dr King's birthday and for Juneteenth. Like all our services, it is recognizably trinitarian, incarnational, and sacramental though it quotes a lot of Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr, along with the Bible and our Anglican liturgical tradition. While "Rite III" is not intended for use at the principal service on the Lord's Day it is not precluded from being used. And so we did.

May freedom be celebrated everywhere by lives dedicated to setting everyone free.

--the BB

Heart thread - 06/15/2009

I can barely keep my eyes open and my head erect but I want to put a few requests up.

For Ellie (you can read here). She has had physical, emotional, and spiritual trials to go through and needs our upholding.

For Kirstin who has two weeks of interferon to go and begin to feel herself again.

Mimi conveys this:

Fran requests prayers for her sister-in-law, who recently had surgery, and is now suffering from post-operative bleeding.

Fran has a paper to finish tonight, so please pray for her, too, as she is worried sick and can't reach anyone now and finding it hard to focus on her paper. Her SIL must have gone to a hospital for help, but she doesn't know for sure.

I have not yet heard what's up with my sister Shirley's fall. For my nephew Jay and his mom Iva. For the twins and their parents.

Mimi's niece, KJ's sister, my SIL Janet, my friend Kathy, Judith and Sally (from the prayer list of our mission), my friend L. who was just diagnosed with cancer.

For Frank and Carol and Roger and David who holds them in love.

For Roseann and Gary, for Joel and Margaret, for Kathy and Dan, for Diane and her arm, for Karen and KJ, for JCF, et alii.

For the election of godly and suitable bishops for Louisiana and Rio Grande.

For the deputies and bishops soon to be gathered in General Convention.

For the peoples of Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, ....

For refugees and exiles, for victims of bullies, brutes, and torturers.

For the unemployed, the underemployed, the overworked, and the work-addicted.

For the lost, the lonely, those consumed with rage or fear, those struggling with depression.

For those carrying great burdens of guilt, shame, anxiety.

For those who must struggle heroically just to complete ordinary tasks or get through the day (or night).

For those on whom our lives depend and those whose lives depend on us.

For our elder siblings, the animal nations, and for the earth.

For forgiveness, that we may humbly receive it and generously offer it.

For healing of bodies, hearts, memories, lives, communities, and nations.

Lord, have mercy.

--the BB

Senhor, tem piedade de nos

Notice Azadi (Freedom) Tower in the background of this shot and now imagine how many people marched.








Photos courtesy of Al Rodgers at Daily Kos

A music video from 2007:



--the BB