Travelogue for the Universe: Leap Day

Posting a rerun of Leap Day
Meg



Travelogue for the Universe: Leap Day: Like a jar of pennies, leap day saves seconds we have left every day so the humans have a neat tidy calendar except every 4th solar calen...

#Fracking gas proposed pipeline update

The Proposed pipeline in Addison County, Vermont is hard to follow.
Both hard emotionally and logistically.
I rely on loyal neighborhood freedom fighters to save our precious environment.

This link to many links is here

http://monktonvt.com/town-info/vermont-gas-project/

Other years

Other years,

Snow like this.

Tears of Rage

For Saturday, Midnight Ramble Band

The Infamous Stringdusters 'Cripple Creek' GoPro LIVE Burlington, VT 10....

For Friday 

Steve Earle

Jim Weider Band - Subterranean Homesick Blues

We have seen Jim Weider live at Levon Helm's Midnight Rambles...
Great Guitarist.
This link from YouTube
Meg

David Bowie- Young Americans

David Bowie Interview Dick Cavett Show 1974 Part 2

David Bowie Interview Dick Cavett Show 1974 Part 1

music week...
posting a few you tube links
dick cavett show
those were the days
<3

The Infamous Stringdusters - He's Gone [ The Grateful Dead ] - SILVER SK...

Moonalice Monday

Great music on the rooftop!
 Moonalice.

Eminent Domain Hearing Nightmare

#Eminent #Domain

Are two words just thrown about.

Sometimes seems practical as in condemning a house to build a railroad, or interstate highway.

Condemning is a poor word, a legal term.

Your home may be quite livable,

But

  The Greater Good, The Public Needs it.

The proposed Fracking pipeline

Planned to go through Addison County,

Does not have right of way to lay it down.

Private Landowners defending their property.

You would too.

Letter from a friend who attended a hearing.

I would've screamed or had a heart attack or both.

Mary stayed still as a church mouse,

Then She wrote this synopsis:

(I titled this, Police State)

I’m not sure how to even start this but I feel I need to let you know how I felt when

I attended the Public Service Board hearing on Friday. I went to show my support for the Cueno’s who are facing the challenge of eminent domain.

I walked into the vestibule and was confronted by three armed policeman. It is a small space and they seemed intent on not letting me pass freely. They asked why I was there and they checked me over like bomb sniffing dogs.  I inquired what was going on because the tension was palpable. I received no answer.

I took the elevator up and tried to control my angst over that brief encounter. When I opened the door to go to the hallway, I saw six sheriff department officers. I fearfully approached the end of the hall. There I was overwhelmed by the State police presence.  The State police completely lined the wall that runs parallel to the hearing room. I took a deep breath and walked into the hearing room where the furniture had been arranged to form a blockade of tables between the public seating area and the hearing participants and board. There was a human wall of armed police on the other side of the tables facing me.

I was so frightened and I asked what was going on. Maybe I was in the wrong place. I told them I was there for an eminent domain hearing. I have never seen such a show of force. I have attended countless hearings in that room and I have never witnessed anything that would give cause for this amount of firearms and intimidation. I kept asking for answers to my uncontrollably growing panic. Am I in the right place? What is going on? Why officers from Lamoille and WashingtonCounties along with Montpelier police and an army of State police?

Finally, an officer told me I was in the right room but he wouldn’t explain why they were all there. I sat down alone and shakily thought about leaving. With all the news about innocent people being shot by police, I felt my fears were justified. I told them all that I was not there to do any harm and asked that they not hurt me. No response.

People started filling the room and I was relieved not to be alone any more. Let me explain how great my fear was. I saw a paperclip on the floor under the table in front of me. My instinct was to pick it up but as soon as I shifted in my chair, I felt the eyes of all these armed men on me. I left it there. I did not want to die for a paperclip. I can laugh now as I write this and I can see my tombstone now, “She died while saving a paperclip from being vacuumed up”.

I will continue to attend these hearings. Their intimidation tactics will not stop me. These are public hearings after all. They should not be dominated by police. I do not understand what the point was if not to deter us from witnessing the unjust actions of the board. That was a terrible use/waste of our resources and tax dollars.

I thought I lived in Vermont not a fascist police state where the power is used to dominate and control citizens mentally and physically. They may scare the bejeezus out of me but that won’t stop me from attending. Thanks to them, I am getting stronger.

About Vermont Education, School Funding Formulae or You thought New Math was scary!

From Campaign for Vermont.

My intro:
If you have some serious down time,
I mean, way down time,
See what the legislature has moshed together,
Toggled with a name, Act 46.
Don't confuse with act 250, 60, 68, bingo!
Mary Gerdt

Mary -- Act 46 and school choice- Whether it’s intentional or not, the legislature could not have done a better job of inhibiting independent school choice. Despite the strong preliminary language in Act 46 that can be construed as preserving school choice by not “ restricting” it, the rest of the Act undermines this statement of intent. (See Act 46, Section 4(C)) http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2016/Docs/ACTS/ACT046/ACT046%20As%20Enacted.pdf Act 46 expressly precludes the merger of districts where operation of a school and tuitioning exist for the same grades. In other words, “like can only merge with like.” This was not carefully explained to the members of the general assembly who did not have the time to wade their way through a dense, complicated 64-page bill. Small wonder that some legislators felt hoodwinked. After all it makes perfect sense to look towards merging with neighboring districts. Nevertheless as Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union discovered in September of 2015 when it went to the State Board of Education (SBE) for approval of their consolidation plan, districts cannot do so and retain their unique character. They have to decide, all or nothing, no hybrids allowed. http://vtdigger.org/2015/09/23/school-choice-ruling-clouds-consolidation-talks/ This could easily be changed with a bill amending some of Act 46’s proscriptive language. In fact, two bills have been introduced to fix the drafting issue. One of these bills was introduced and assigned to the House Education Committee and the other was introduced and assigned to the Senate Education Committee. This late in the session it can fairly be said that they are “nailed to the wall”, an expression used to refer to bills that will simply die in committee without any public input. Campaign for Vermont will keep you informed in this regard. Here are links to the membership of both House and Senate Education Committees. House - http://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2016/10 Senate - http://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2016/24 Some may argue that the bills are dying because hybrid consolidations are unconstitutional under the Vermont constitution’s “common benefits clause”,[1] as discussed in the landmark education funding case of Brigham v. State of Vermont. [2]  The SBE, in refusing to approve the consolidation plan submitted by Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union, relied upon a July 2, 2105 opinion by former Legislative Council Attorney Donna Russo-Savage that a hybrid consolidation would “likely violate the common benefits clause.” Her opinion is open to dispute. http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Announcement-Uploads/GENERAL-310179-v1-Olsen-Memo-7-2-15-Act-46-Tuition-Operation.pdf www.vtindependentschools.org/attorneys-letter-re-act-46.html http://vtdigger.org/2015/10/14/deborah-bucknam-tuitioning-towns-do-not-need-to-give-up-choice-in-mergers/ While the Vermont Supreme Court did conclude that that the common benefits clause required  “substantially equal educational opportunities“ and prohibited “gross inequities“ in education based on residence [3] it did not define these terms. Instead it held that: “Although the Legislature should act under the Vermont Constitution to make educational opportunity available on substantially equal terms, the specific means of discharging this broadly defined duty is properly left to its discretion” (Emphasis added.) Nowhere did the Court state that “substantially equal” means identical. Certainly the notion that an education in an independent school is somehow inferior or superior to an education in a public school seems inherent in the notion that providing different educational opportunities (i.e. choice or no choice) based on residence creates substantial inequality or a gross inequity. In fact Vermont has historically been allowing or excluding school choice based upon residency for decades without any legal challenges. Then there’s the public school choice lottery. Some parents get to choose their public high school and some don’t. Why isn’t this unconstitutional as a “gross inequity” in “substantially equal educational opportunity?” If it’s not, then does an independent school lottery in a consolidation of hybrid districts create sufficient equity to tip the scales? There is also the question whether the voter-approved articles of agreement, which spell out the educational structure that will result from the merger, change the picture.  Could this voter approval take the purported constitutional issue off the table? This should be examined in the light of AOE’s statement on its webpage that such articles of agreement can “grandfather “ in choice for students already availing themselves of that opportunity.  These dangling questions just highlight the fact that there was no discussion in the legislature about a constitutional concern with hybrid mergers. This is because Attorney Russo- Savage’s opinion that hybrid governance structures allowing for choice based upon town of residence was “likely unconstitutional “ was given in July, after Act 46 passed[4] and legislators had left Montpelier. Legislators never had a chance to put the brakes on Act 46 to examine the question. Meanwhile lurking in the background is the Act 46 end game.  Districts that choose to retain their current structure rather than merge are facing the 2019 deadline for an SBE decision on their continued existence as independent entities. This is entirely predicated upon an SBE decision that they can “ meet the goals of Act 46.” The SBE has the absolute authority to decide whether to allow their current structure or force them to enter into a merger of any type and with any entity that the Board chooses. There is no appeal from an SBE decision. Predictably many districts will choose to avoid this fate and develop their own plans for merger even if this means giving up independent school choice.[5] Here’s where mergers stand right now: http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2016/WorkGroups/House%20Ways%20and%20Means/Education%20Funding/W~Nicole%20Mace~Update%20School%20Districts%20Map~2-17-2016.pdf The reality is that parents like school choice. There are a lot of good reasons for this. Taxpayers did not ask the legislature to limit their school choice options and create a top down governance mandate. Instead voters asked for property tax relief. They didn’t get it from Act 46. Preliminary estimates are for a residential tax increase of $10.3 million and a non-residential tax increase of $8.7 million. So is it too late to stop Act 46 to allow for discussion of an educational system that parents actually do want? Take another look at that map and remember mergers require your vote. As always we need your support and donations so we can continue our efforts to watchdog and attempt to influence the legislature and to help you to do the same.  A contribution of $50 or $100 dollars would be greatly appreciated and well used. We do recognize that not all of our supporters can afford this so a donation in any amount is valued. Thank you for all of your past support.  Please renew that support with a donation. And visit us on Facebook or Twitter too! Best, Barbara Crippen Policy Coordinator [1] Here’s exactly what that clause says: “That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community, and not for the particular emolument or advantage of any single person, family, or set of persons, who are a part only of that community; and that the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right, to reform or alter government, in such manner as shall be, by that community, judged most conducive to the public weal.” [2] 166 Vt. 246 (1977) [3] This is a reference to the amount of money so-called gold towns could raise by way of local taxes to support schools based on their higher property values. [4] While there is an earlier analysis of the Brigham decision by Vermont’s legislative council, dated February 5, 2015, this opinion reaches no conclusion regarding the constitutionality of hybrid school governance structures. [5] While towns can designate an independent school as the public school this is a dramatic change for an independent school. Campaign You can also keep up with Campaign for Vermont on Twitter or Facebook. Vermont · PO Box 4224, Burlington, VT 05406, United States

Gas pipeline protesters disrupt PSB hearing

Gas pipeline protesters disrupt PSB hearing: Protesters opposed to a natural gas pipeline took their complaints to state regulators Friday.

I am proud of our group protesting the proposed pipeline through Addison County. Meg

Back to Blogging

Never posted music for Friday,

Missed several day of my usual ways,

Blogging and tweeting,

Researching stuff,

Music and radio,
News, special interests and fluff.

The modem, it died,
Like the music,
And then,
The technician fixed it,
My husband tweaked it,
And then,
My anxiety quelled,
I'm back online,
Maybe tomorrow,
My posts will be on time
(Wait, is there time?)
Meg

Random sketches

Gaz #fracking Update

So if you make holes in the Earth's crust, earthquakes happen.
So if Monkton bans Fracking,
And many politicians who don't live here want a Fracking gaz pipeline,
Then the central government is dictating we ignore environmental risks.
meg

add: So will Oklahoma, and Alberta, for that matter, succumb to hydrofracturing the earth's crust?
Will there be a Lake Oklahoma in the future?

Oklahoma sees dramatic spike in earthquakes: https://t.co/eKWX47fLhO pic.twitter.com/Hux61h0i51

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 15, 2016

Hinesburg residents raise questions about Vt. Gas construction project at park

Hinesburg residents raise questions about Vt. Gas construction project at park: The Vermont Gas pipeline project has some Hinesburg residents asking questions about a town park and the animals that call it home.

Blogging Forward....Wheelchair Kamikaze: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUCKS!

My Notes,
This is a guest posting, blogging forward, of Marc, A Great blogger.
Warning: Not for the faint of heart...meg


Wheelchair Kamikaze: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUCKS!: Allow me to apologize in advance for the contents of this essay. Quite simply, I’m fed up with Multiple Sclerosis and everything that has ...

Sometimes, I Wonder

Sometimes,

I Wonder

Where did this come from?

Crow Morning

Crow Morning

From the archives

Valentine's Day

Happy St. Valentine's Day 2016

We are Stardust

"We Are One" - Edgar Mitchell 1930-2016 from Institute of Noetic Sciences on Vimeo.

The Infamous Stringdusters "You Can't Stop the Changes"

Friday Night Musik

Gaz Update

Gaz Update

Things are heating up again, as fresh waves rob warriors of energy to fight,

You know how that feels,

Being whittled,

to nothing.

======================================================================

Starting where I am:

Town Meeting coming soon.

I am boycotting,

not that anybody gives a cr*p...meg

My articles:

http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com/search?q=town+meeting

========================================================================

From the local chat group:

They want to blast rock...Vermont Gas wants to blast rock,

like they didn't know this before???

meg

Notice of "Low Impact" (!) Ledge Removal and Blasting by VGS

Nate Palmer, palmersgarage@yahoo.com, Rotax Road

Calendar

Event: Feb 8, 2016, 4:30 PM

This posting was in the Addison Independent on February 4th. A tiny notice in the pubic notices section. If you don't peruse this section of the paper, you may have missed it. Doesn't give much of a warning to those who may have questions. The select board then posted it on the town website on the 6th giving us all a whopping two days notice .
Please attend the meeting if you can and if you can't, call Beth Parent and give her your comments or questions.

A public information meeting will be held by Vermont Gas Systems to provide residents of Monkton with information about ledge removal and low impact rock drilling and blasting that may be necessary for a portion of the proposed natural gas pipeline route. Meeting to be held on Monday, February 8 at 4:30 p.m. at the Monkton Volunteer Fire Department (the Town of Monkton Fire Station), 3747 States Prison Road, Monkton, Vermont 05469. Please call Beth Parent at 802-865-1460 for additional information.

Email Author Reply to Forum

Additional Vermont Gas Informational Meeting Planned

Stephen Pilcher, lspilcher@hotmail.com, Selectboard Chair, Monkton

Announcement

Vermont Gas Informational Meeting update

Vermont Gas will schedule an additional informational meeting. From Beth Parent:

Thank you to the Selectboard and the Monkton residents who have expressed concern about the scheduling of our public info meeting about the low-level trench development blasting program associated with some parts of the pipeline construction. Vermont Gas will schedule an additional public information meeting (like the one that will be held on Monday Feb. 8th) in the next couple weeks. At least a week before the additional meeting, we will communicate with the Town the details of the time and place of the meeting. We hope to schedule the next meeting early this coming week. This is just the start of the public information process. There will also be a process for informing affected landowners near the proposed pipeline corridor by mail and otherwise, as set forth in the MoU between Monkton and Vermont Gas. Please feel free to email or call me with questions about any aspect of this activity. Thanks, Beth Parent, Vermont Gas (bparent@vermontgas.com or 578-2776)

Information provided here is for the convenience of the residents of Monkton. The Town of Monkton maintains an official website at monktonvt.com

more....

A$140m gas pipeline to energise WA's Eastern goldfields

Creamer Media's Mining Weekly

The power stations at Sunrise Dam and Tropicana were modified in order to run on natural gas, with diesel to be used as a backup facility.

-- 

http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/letters/supporting-pipelines-is-not-patriotic

Vermont: Activists Shut Down Eminent Domain Hearing to Stall Gas Pipeline

Democracy Now!

And in the Vermont capital Montpelier, community members shut down an eminent domain proceeding Tuesday that would have helped pave the way ...

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/30947/20160209/groups-call-on-vermont-officials-to-re-evaluate-gas-pipeline

Argus Press

Groups call on Vermont officials to re-evaluate gas pipeline

Hastings Tribune

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Environmental advocacy groups are calling on officials to take a new look at a proposed natural gas pipeline throughout ...

Vermont Gas Informational Meeting Update Posted: 07 Feb 2016 06:45 AM PST Vermont Gas will schedule an additional informational. From Beth Parent: Thank you to the Selectboard and the Monkton residents who have expressed concern about the scheduling of our public info meeting about the low-level trench development blasting program associated with some parts of the pipeline construction. Vermont Gas will schedule an additional public information meeting (like the one that will be held on Monday Feb. 8th) in the next couple weeks. At least a week before the additional meeting, we will communicate with the Town the details of the time and place of the meeting. We hope to schedule the next meeting early this coming week. This is just the start of the public information process. There will also be a process for informing affected landowners near the proposed pipeline corridor by mail and otherwise, as set forth in the MoU between Monkton and Vermont Gas. Please feel free to email or call me with questions about any aspect of this activity. Thanks, Beth Parent, Vermont Gas (bparent@vermontgas.com or 578-2776)

That's all I can handle now... Will end with some Monkton Ledge photos... The Gaz people want to blast rocks.

Chet Baker - Alone Together Thursday Night Musik

Friday   Oops...Thursday:) Night Musik...
Great link from a friend.
meg

Amy Helm Music Video Premiere "Good News"

.@RScountry premieres the “Good News” official music video! https://t.co/59eAWYNtSW pic.twitter.com/wkQj9Q2o70

— Amy Helm (@AmyHelmMusic) February 9, 2016

And Get her Album!

amyhelm.com

Archives of Monkton Chronicles January-November 2015

November 2015

11.12.2015

It has easily been the sunniest, most pleasant November per my experience living in Vermont since 1981. The year Katie died. And Suzie too, together a cataclysm to my hometown. Hurricane Kate reminded me...it was so long ago, and like yesterday all at once.

The leaves have mostly fallen, a few stragglers clinging, flopping in the winds that come and go.

The time change robbed me of...something. Where do I complain to?

We had to pay the property taxes this week or suffer. Either way we suffer, enough of that for now...don't worry, I won't forget to write more about that later.

Meanwhile, have a Great November!. meg

October 2015

Hallowe'en 2015

The fall colors have been special this year. Still hanging on are the rusts, browns, yellows, dabs of color that contrast more with the silver sticks of trees starting to appear. The colder air clean, crisp. The remnants of the monster storm fought the shredding Eastern mountains and arctic air masses and fizzles out. The election is shaping up to be a full year more of entertainment and a few burst blood vessels from mental stress. Glad I got the lavender blend essential oils to add to my soap. If not much of this makes sense, at least I hope it is entertaining in some way. The veil thinned today and I talked to the parents and lost friends. The crow called out to us and wee saw a big flock of crows flying. I sang to myself, When you awake, Rick Danko's special tune. I think I'll put up a link for tomorrow, All Saint's Day. all for now. meg

10.8.15

The colors of leaves are changing steadily now.

Today a wonderful clear viewing day.

We got our property tax bill which strains my mind,

it is $500 a month. I call that rent.

I have begun praying for Vermont property tax reform, nothing else seems to work.

Not much going on that I can tell.

the town website has minutes, in case you are curious, meg:

www.monktonvt.com

September 2015

9.29.15

The Sugar Maple tree in the front yard is

rapidly turning colors,

While others are still green.

It really depends on several factors, Sunlight, day length, approaching dormancy, Tree stress, insects, disease, drought, floods, and more, i.e., the seasonal ebb and flow, the weather here, in Vermont, that is kind and unkind, then brutally pleasant or miserably beautiful.

Yes this is my little column and any sentences will do, free form, they can run on, and on.

Oh the town, the town. I feel an awakening. Perhaps it did us all a little good, praying for the Pope and letting him pray for me (a non practicing Presbyterian).

Now that water has been found on Mars, the real story is who shall own the real estate market in, er, on, the red planet,

Now Wet Planet! and you know what that means,

Beachfront!! shh...was that the purpose of the big UN meeting?

meg

9.17.15

Anticipating the annual changing of the leaves.

Otherwise contemplating the end of summer, the diminished sunlight and my faithful black and white cat.

The weather has barely touched 90 degrees f. Now with fall upon us, the continued cool air is welcome. Reminder to button up the house, order fuel, pick which ones we can afford.

Oil/fuel prices are scarily high compared with barrel prices. The people who are supposed to look out for us don't seem affected. Will they ever? meg

August 2015

8.22.15

A few sunny nice days have begun to balance the cold...

Too little to talk about in town politics. My letters generally not mentioned. Am Reconsidering posting all the letters I have written to the town, you know, so that if I still get no response, it will be heard in every corner of the globe. This internet thing can be pretty fun, and utilitarian. Today my kindle has had some unidentified illness. Spending time trying to track it down took away from my normal twitter time. Still managed to squeeze off a few tweets for the NY Yankees, and more.

Tourists look to be enjoying the Vermont air, mountains, cidery, food, people, and much more. All for now. meg

July 2015

7.2.15

Vermont summer of '15 is cold and dismal,

Or bright stunningly sunny days with fresh cool air.

Finding it hard to report on Monkton times when not

much happens. The birds sing, the swallows swoop, swish and nurture their rugged little babies. The vultures soar overhead. The crows craw. Songbirds serenade in between torrential downpours. Oh please, send some rain to California!

Following the minutes to meetings I cannot attend. Cryptic notes at times. Oh forget it and click on you tube.

June 2015

6.15.15

Have been unmotivated to report on dismal, gray, cold Monkton, Vermont. Since being omitted as an absentee voter, I have grown new tolerance for idiotia. Oh, maybe it is merelyavoidance of idiots. They know not how daft they are.

The proposed pipeline is simmering and sputtering, number salad. How many millions? How many lawyers? Beware as you stand by and not care about such things, it may happen to you. The minutes in the town refer to 2 lawsuits against the town. Our taxes pay for lawyers to defend the boards when they rule against you. Sorry, it's late. Time to sign off...

never think you are alone in this big old world. meg

May 2015

5.13.15 It has been awhile.

Still waiting for warmer weather.

Actually we have had some glimpses of nice weather,

and the trees are finally greening up, the spring blossoms coming along. In spite of my willingness to update the chronicles, I have not quite got past the part where they didn't send me an absentee ballot, and no one cared.

So, let this one be my shortest post. Enjoy spring! meg

4.22.15 Earth Day

Not keeping up with my self appointed tasks. Well, actually keeping up better than I was, so should be happy which I am, in a cautious MS kind of way. Eyes always scanning the horizon. Ready for spring, frost still in the ground, rain greening the grass, the tree buds swelling. Birds singing in the frosty mornings. Oh yes, the Town of Monkton voted down the school budget in March. There was a revote Tuesday. I did not receive my absentee ballot. My vote not counted. The town did not send them out? or did they just forget one or two? FYI. The secretary of state said, they don't deal with that. It's up to me. Why me again? No, this time I am turning it over to the front porch forum. Stronger people than me can take this on and stay free, or ignore and be servants to the town. I am going to go listen to the Yankees whoop the Tigers. meg

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

4.1.15

It has been 2 weeks since my last entry in the unofficial Monkton Chronicles. No news is good news? Sorry, not always.

How long has Dad been gone? I don't know. It's like it's not real sometimes

Dad would tell me, a nurse, he was Hell bent on dying. Was it just me? or was I one of a chosen few he told. Him and Mom (rest in peace) and I were always pretty straight with each other. I could not react to his death wishes. Well, except to recount in my mind all the people I had as patients who wanted to passively lay down and die. All the fighters. He was 92 1/2. Proving true, ironically for him, that what does not kill you makes you stronger. His ending was beautiful with the caregivers I could not be to him. My heart always with him. One day, as the parents moved to more and more assisted living, he pulled a grade school photo of me out of his wallet. For many years he carried it. It's little things like that that show a bond that transcends life itself. He is home with Mom now.

April was not going to be about Dad and yet here I am happy the Chronicles today are not about snarky people, greedy bullies, or plain old morons. Hope spring comes soon or we will miss it! meg

March 2015 Marz Mars

3.15.15

Woefully inadequate reporting by my staff of one,

me, myself, I.

"I ams what I ams and that's all that I ams." Popeye

(did Popeye have hypothyroidism? is that a goiter?"

"You have to live your own life. Your the only one who can do that." My Dad, now 92. He forgot he told me that when I used it on him. Lesson number....oh I lost count, Dad.

I intentionally boycotted Monkton, Vermont's time honored tradition of Town Meeting Day.

Isn't this the point where someone says, well I Chose not to go? That I am not playing Nice? That Town Meeting has no flaws, no improvements or changes allowed, works just fine since before I came here in 1981, I am only an expendable, exhausted, done beating my head against the wall miserable flatlander.

Oh...Maybe this deep stuff touched a nerve that I had to shut down again for a while. Somedays I think of publishing all my letters to the town. Then I decide drawing a picture has more meaning to me now. Tweeting breaking news is fun. Keeping up my blog, my logbook, is a core enjoyable activity.

The Loner Wolf is drawing my attention. More metaphysical training. So Monkton, Vermont is still a frozen town, ruts freezing, thawing, moving. Soon mud season, sugaring, then spring. Soon. Soon. Soon. meg

February 2015

2.28.15

Les Miserable winter is still hanging on our doorstep.

17 Below Zero F. this morning. We are burning anything we can scrounge. Irony of all the taxes we are sending somewhere and not enough left over to heat this big old house.

Good news is Richard Barone's project is moving along. As is Amy Helm's album. Music indeed is a healing agent.

Town meeting is Tuesday and I am formulating how I am saying I will boycott. I know, they rig it so if you don't show up, you are not counted. You must yell yeah and nay and the numbers need correcting, you know, all those pesky numbers?Just vote, will you? Now if I once again reiterate I do not feel comfortable with sitting in front of some people in town, guess once again no one will give a frock.

Spock has left the material plane. Love that man...all of his characters...meg

%%% March starts tomorrow, sun higher, warmer...please!

2.6.15

We are getting through the winter,

Brutal is a good word to describe 2014-15 winter.

Cold extremes, North-south winds, then south to north,

either way, biting and sucks all warmth from human, animal and hearth.

Yup, no global warmin' in Monkton, Vermont.

The sun a a little higher, warmer.

We had a blizzard that plastered the outside of the house with snow. A little warmer in here.

Fred got me some kefir grains from Cultures for health. So I set to growing kefir culture. So glad I did. Will write more later about that. The probiotic effects are essential. Something we have been missing out on...with the antibiotic age.

Not much to say in February. We still fight the proposed pipeline, we wish hopelessly for an early spring.

Have a Great day in your corner of the planet.

meg

January 2015

1.15.15

No news is good news?

Or have I merely fallen behind in my self appointed duties?

The low light days are not enough to recharge my battery, that is a fact. Today a bright frigid day lured me to a south window for a dose of sunlight. We have very little snow and gusts of wind. Brrr. The town is preparing for town meeting. I am encouraged at more people getting involved. My ability to participate is limited by my feelings of ...how do I say this? Tears of Rage comes to mind. So I will avoid it altogether and report what I can glean from my surroundings. Am hanging out on twitter more and getting the hang of google photos, yet the whole cloud thing sounds easier than it is. Fighting the pipeline with like minded neighbors. Happy New Year from Monkton, Vermont. meg

Year of the Monkey

Laptops of Yore...

Seriously? That Ancient Greek Statue Does Not Depict a Laptop https://t.co/lJeZDO0UNd pic.twitter.com/hh1lLqcMLU

— Our Amazing Planet (@OAPlanet) February 8, 2016

Georgia on My Mind Link to Richard Manuel and the Band

#LetCarlyDebate, Oh, Too Late...

#Let Carly debate,

Oh, Too Late,

It was Last Night,

A Debate of the Right,

What a masculine sight,

Sans Feminine Might,

Yes, it is Your Fight,

Shine a Light.

Dear @abcnews Don't say #WarOnWomen and not #LetCarlyDebate 😞📺😕😢 pic.twitter.com/PKfsTPNCGs

— Mary Gerdt (@marygerdt) February 6, 2016

Environmental activist threatens civil lawsuit against Vt. AG

Environmental activist threatens civil lawsuit against Vt. AG: An environmental activist is threatening a civil rights lawsuit against Vermont's attorney general if the office does not drop an investigation of her work.


Editorial: What??
Ah...These are the consequences when people figure out the game where big businesses go to the Vermont Public Service Board for the omnipotent rubber stamp of Seven and bypass property owners, towns, cities. Meg

Another Year, Another Bridge

 Another year, Another bridge
A glimpse while traveling over the old Crown Point bridge

Strange we have bare ground today, February 2016.
How different another year can be.

Friday Night Musik: The Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post - 9/23/1970 - Fillmore East (Of...

On my mind...

#Tweet On

#Tweet On

Tweet On,

Be a Twit,

Who cares anyway?

Who gives a...

Bleep?

Tweet On,

Your Voice is heard,

Twittersphere is buzzing

with just a few words.

For a trillionth of a second,

Your tiny voice it squeaks.

MSM and Pundits whine,

Looking for your leaks.

You count your writing Characters,

Sometimes in your sleep,

Can say a lot with 1 Hundred and Forty,

Can make people laugh,

and weep.

Tweet On.

***********Pipeline Update....Opposition Grows

@billmckibben #bbd16 says Vermont's fracked gas pipeline is "a great shame" Indeed! @BernieSanders is opposed too #vtpoli #VT #climateaction

— Just Power Vt (@JustPowerVt) February 3, 2016

Old & In The Way Reunion "Wild Horses"

Special link...

Woodchuck Day and Blogging Forward

Woodchuck Day,

The Election season started,

The rodent's underground,

With all this climate changing,

He might just move to town.

He won't come out,

He's staying in,

In his nest,

With hibernating kin.

Don't drag or tug or drop

The Chuck,

Winter's here,

Suck it up.

:)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And a guest link from Meredith Angwin:
(Un) Natural gas update

Nuclear blogger Carnival 298 at Yes Vermont Yankee blog. New builds, old FUD, natural gas wins when nuclear goes... https://t.co/u4mLJCZY7u

— Yes Vermont Yankee (@yes_VY) February 1, 2016

Pundits and Poets

Pundits and Poets

Predict their Readers' Responses,

Hoping for the reader to find,

The pundits hidden rhyme,

The Poet's message of fate,

The Messiah was late,

Oh, can you relate?

Your message was sent,

A lonely ear was bent,

Were you misunderstood?

Was it all done for good?

Politics on the box,

All weekend long,

The pundits seem anti or pro,

some you can't tell which way they go.

The Pundits were funny,

Their poems don't rhyme,

Some days I wonder why,

I give them so much time.