Sunday, May 31, 2015

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Summer begins

Summer Begins

In the north country,
The signs all around us,
The temperature not too hot yet.
So mosquitoes, locust tree blossoms
And busy birds feeding fledgling babies,
Getting on with the business of summer.




From the archives...

Friday, May 29, 2015

Friday Night Musik

This week,

It didn't take me long to decide what to post.
One of my all time favorites...
Link from YouTube
Happy Friday!



Thursday, May 28, 2015

#Fracking #Gaz Updates

For the curious, the lovers of the natural environment,
the hills and valleys of Monkton, Vermont,
As precious as the dock where Bernie stood Tuesday.
Vermont is a natural resource.
More articles coming in...
so here goes.

opinion piece from the Burlington Free Press:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/my-turn/2015/05/22/opinion-gas-pipeline-economic-net-loss/27795029/


Eminent Domain land grab not successful in Kentucky:

http://www.kentucky.com/2015/05/22/3865010/court-of-appeals-rules-pipeline.html

Very strange one about the Gaz company blaming the prior owner? Hmm. From the Digger:

https://vtdigger.org/2015/05/24/vermont-gas-owned-wetland-allegedly-altered-by-former-owner/


another opinion piece from Rutland Herald:

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150520/OPINION04/705209971/1018/OPINION

Last but not least, from the Digger,
AARP weighs in:

http://vtdigger.org/2015/05/19/greg-marchildon-will-ratepayers-ever-see-benefit-from-pipeline/?utm_source=VTDigger+Subscribers+and+Donors&utm_campaign=6aea1f232d-Weekly+Update&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dc3c5486db-6aea1f232d-405565701


The Hogback Mountains of Monkton, Vermont
Appropriately named,
We love the way they look anytime.
Like Mom said,
Mountains remind you of where you are,
Tell you where you are,
a landmark,
exerting a  gravitational pull.

First we fight the pipeliners,
for property owner's rights,
for the environment.
Next we will fight the Don Quixote's of 2015.
The unnamed perps want to put windmills on the Hogbacks.
This is our view without giant hideous windmills.
Will we fight?
Oh, fight we will.

Addendum...late additions,
link to opinion piece in Burlington Free Press:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/readers/letters/2015/05/27/opinion-justification-pipeline/27794947/

from seven days:

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/truckin-natural-gas-deliveries-fuel-industries-and-pipeline-foes/Content?oid=2627255

Please give what you can...

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

World MS Day 2015

Campaign PDF

Lisa Emrich tweeted to share our MS  story for World MS Day 2015.
Lisa is one of the first bloggers I followed.
Her information, no doubt like her music, is precise and accurate.
Her blog:
brassandivory.blogspot.com

I posted a banner but a banner is not my story.

For the long version, read my blog.
For MS stuff, just look for that tag.

For my favorites:

wheelchair repellant
http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com/2011/09/wheelchair-repellant.html

An Apple Year
Rolled into a Psalm.
http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com/2013/04/psalm-challenge-101.html

340

http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com/2009/10/poetry-and-music.html

Have a Great Day!


Slaying the Dragon











Tuesday, May 26, 2015

For friends across the pond


Been wanting to post a movie from my channel.
This one was done 2 years ago.
It's for my friends, Herrad and Richie

I follow Herrad's blog,
My first blogger I followed 

http://accessdenied-livingwithms.blogspot.com/




Monday, May 25, 2015

Sean Costello - The Battle Is Over



Great video by Anthony Pepitone,
of the Special man, Sean Costello,
Too soon departed,
He masters this Great tune we heard at Levon's,
For the Veterans, and other soldiers of life, Today.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Memorial Day Weekend

It is the weekend to honor veterans.
I thank them all.

Dad


Every night we watched Walter Cronkite.
When the Vietnam War report came on,
He always gave the current death toll.
My brother was there.
Mom (right) and Dad (left....WW2 veteran)
Me in the middle,
Trying to make sense of it.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Music Link for Saturday


Amy Helm   
&
The Handsome Strangers

have been busy!
Here a link to a fun video...from a van :)

Amy's new album
coming soon.

Check out her website:

for album info and touring info...
Happy Saturday!

from higher ground concert 2013

Friday, May 22, 2015

Friday Night Musik




It certainly was a treat this week to hear these two great musicians 
with Byron Isaacs and Justin Guip on the imus show.
They have finally made their own album, 
We have been impatiently waiting.

Enjoy this link from twitter...tgif!


Thursday, May 21, 2015

Aloha Aina


and link to a great blog article I found about history of property rights in Hawaii...

http://hawaiianhistorian.blogspot.com/2012/03/aloha-aina-love-of-land-struggle-for.html?showComment=1432144115886#c8567020435255573234


and a little more history of the concept, the struggles

 http://www.hawaiihistory.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ig.page&PageID=355&returntoname=Short%20Stories&returntopageid=483


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Proposed Gaz Pipeline Updates #fracking #Vermont

I really cannot post all the links our fellow gaz pipeline fighters share due to the volume and brain overload for me. I have to conserve energy, pick my priorities for the day. So I will summarize what I would call the most interesting to me. What is left over is equally scary. meg

First, a fundraiser.
Private citizens individually have had to fight for their own land.
Please help them:

http://www.gofundme.com/justpowervt

a member shared this article and preface:

The Eagle
They should take their time so as not to make the same mistakes they did with VGS. There are some huge issues with this and the Cornwall swamp. Where does all the phosphorous go?


e

http://digital.vpr.net/post/renewable-natural-gas-plant-planned-addison-county




Now here is an opinion clip from the Times Argus...
pipeline costs too much!

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20150514/OPINION02/705149945


Monkey business in Maine...(Ok so it's not just Vermont, Whew!)

https://www.centralmaine.com/2015/05/14/summit-natural-gas-wants-customers-to-foot-ad-campaign/

A neighbor reports some quasi good news.


On April 6, 2015, VGS announced that it was filing for eminent domain on two properties in Monkton with the stated reason that the landowners had not responded to VGS' communications about acquiring easements across their land for the pipeline. So, VGS said - at least to the press - that it had no choice but to file for condemnation of the easements. Landowners asked what the big rush was since the Public Service Board was going to be considering whether to reopen the case, and a decision on whether to reopen the certificate of public good wouldn't be decided until July.

Tonight, the Monkton Select Board announced that the Public Service Board had issued orders in each of the cases on April 29th. The orders were essentially the same and each stated, in part:

"At this time, it is not know what the result of the proceedings on remand in Docket 7970 (Phase I of the pipeline) will be; the possible outcomes include that the Board could affirm, modify, or revoke the CPG that was issued in Docket 7970. Thus, we have taken the step of opening the Docket (for the eminent domain case) today in response to the condemnation petition filed by VGS, but we are simultaneously staying this Docket until such time as a final order has been issued in the remand proceedings that are now underway in Docket 7970."

In other words, the Board said that it would not review the eminent domain cases until a decision had been made on whether to reconsider Phase I of the pipeline.

Of course, it's fascinating that the press hasn't reported on this story at all so be sure to tell everyone you know that, at least temporarily, VGS has been stopped in its tracks!
m.p.
Thank you neighbor!

all for now...meg





Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Monday, May 18, 2015

2 Birds and Bad News illustrated




Still having trouble with my photo files,
Transferring between devices,
Each with It's own quirks
So I squeezed out what I could,
A couple of sketches.
2 Birds chattering
And
When the Doctor gives bad news.
,an unenviable and underappreciated duty.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Guest Post from the Neighbors, Fellow #fracking Fighters

In case you wondered
What the proposed pipeline fuss is about,
Read my neighbor's pleas,
And help if you can.

Hi Neighbors,
 
If you have been following the saga of the Vermont Gas pipeline, you may 
have heard that coming up next month is the technical hearing before the
Vermont Public Service Board in Montpelier. The Board will decide 
whether or not to revoke or amend the certificate of public good they 
granted the project back in December of 2013. My husband Nate and I have 
been fighting within the 248 process for more than two years, and so we know 
enough to know that in June we really have a chance to convince the 
Board that this project does not make sense for Vermont. 
Environmentally, economically, and morally, it’s all wrong for this 
state and we believe that expert witnesses can demonstrate that to the 
Board in June. But now we need legal representation to do our argument 
justice — and that costs money. 
 
We have never asked for money before.  This campaign, which has become state-wide,
has been powered by amazingly energetic and talented volunteers for over two years.  
But now we need money to put this boondoggle of a project behind us once and
for all.  Please go to http://justpowervt.org/donate/
and make a donation to the campaign.  You’ll see more info there, a 
couple of videos, and even perks to thank you for your donations.  Go to
the site today — we have a case to win!
 
Please also promote this campaign to your friends and contacts inside 
and outside of Vermont.  It’s a showdown with the fossil fuel industry, 
and the reverberations if we win will be huge for other communities around 
the country.  Small state; big implications. Thank you for helping to fight 
for a Vermont that is truly green!
 
Thank you!
Jane Palmer
 
-- 
Thank you, neighbors!
Our lives in a fragile balance.




Saturday, May 16, 2015

Friday, May 15, 2015

Friday Night Musik

For this Friday of fives
5.15.15

Links from YouTube

Rick Danko and. Beth Hart

They would've sounded great together...

OOps.. I don't think this works: Try the next one.. just figured out...11.01.15 meg

I know I posted this before
....still so incredible!






As always great Beth Hart


Tgif!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

For the Cowboys



For the Cowboys

When about 10,
A friend and her Mom and I went to a rodeo.
I was fascinated.
Then when grown up we saw a big rodeo in Phoenix.
A friend.took us then.
Such skills, grace, pain, sweat.
No doubt a labor of love

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Sitar Man


the sitar man
strummed his sitar 
and
begged for quarters,
while he played his songs.

Mother told me,
don't you mind him,
never feed him,
he'll be back for more.

i didn't tell her what i thought,
that feeding him would
feed his music,
and
blossom.

when i got my allowance
for walking the dog and doing dishes
sometimes,
i started put some away,
hidden.

one day i took a handful of change,
as we passed
the sitar man,
i fed him 50 cents,
and 
he played some beautiful notes.

Mother never saw it and
from then on,
i vowed to help all the
people,
sitting on the street,
because they all have music in them.

Monday, May 11, 2015

The Altered Neural Pathway #MS #MultipleSclerosis

The Altered Neural Pathway.  By Mary E. Gerdt

And so I put pen to paper
After thinking about me
And MS and other types of
Neural Degeneration.
Altered Pathway,
Better than no pathway.

When I cared for stroke victims,
I would tell them,
Get a lot of rest,
Your laying down new track.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Revenue Blues Redux

Revenue Blues Redux

Originally posted in 2011

$till as relevant today as then...


Thursday, August 4, 2011

revenue blues

By Mary Gerdt
revenue blues

some call it taxes,
some cannot pay,
some call it revenue,
to hide what they say,

some want to shirk them,
others pay their share,
others have a billion
don't even want to share,

I got those blues....
those low down, not a dime more in my pocket blues,
got that low down taxing problem,
got them old old revenue blues.

The tea party started first
a long long time ago
when we were taxed too high,
the tea it had to go....
into the river...
a long long time ago,

now am thinking about the taxes,
and wondering how to pay,
the man says we don't have a choice,
or we'll take your land away,

and I pay them at the pump you know,
i pay it at the food store,
then when that april come around, they'll want a little more,

revenue,
that is,
that's the price you got to pay,
for living in this freedom,
got the revenue blues today.............

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Memories

Memories

Came slowly at first.
The scene emerges


It started with only a face



Then colors, people, things

Monday, May 4, 2015

Spring,

Hurry Spring,

I've told you this before,
Spring is late,
We can't wait,
Couple nice days,
Does not a spring make.





The swallows are back...

Photos from the archives. Meg

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Saturday, May 2, 2015

For the Record...We still oppose the proposed pipeline #fracking



 No pipeline please
For the Record....mary gerdt

Truly stunned by gaz company propogandische claims the protests against proposed pipeline has diminished.

For the record,
We all still oppose the proposed pipeline in Addison County, Vermont.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Friday Night Musik

Today,

May Day,
Still chilly.
A good day for some Johnny Winter.

music link from YouTube