Found at the MMA, this lovely sea scape is done by Childe Hassam and is called “Celia Thaxer’s Garden, Isles of Shoals, Maine.” Done in 1890. Given the storms of last night and the unremitting rain most of the night, I thought something a bit cheery was in order. Just as things were nearly dried out and we were getting set to get in the garden, we get another huge dump of rain. Everything is soggy once more.
My mood prevented much house cleaning, but I did do the upper cupboard in the living room and washed the Fiestaware and some crystal goblets. I cleaned the window panes as well. I made meatloaf and some scalloped potatoes for dinner. I’d like to make some brownies, but I’m not very energetic now, and I’m getting way behind here.
On to the news:
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Abby Sweets has a really tantalizing Peanut Butter Torte that I would like to make. It’s just the kind of thing I need today on this rather gloomy Wednesday. I’m afraid I don’t have the patience for it though. As I said, I’m still trying to motivate myself to make some brownies.
We begin to see the effects of SCOTUS’s latest assault on voting, upholding Indiana’s requirement (backed by Republicans of course) that prospective voters present a photo ID to the polling place. Yesterday, a number of elderly nuns were refused the right to vote because they did not have ID, even though they were apparently well known to everyone there. Read all about it and Pale Rider’s biting comment at Blue Girl, Red State.
I’m always so pleased when this feed lights up. Civil War Women is offering a new post today. Today’s featured profile is on Frances Dana Gage. She was one of those women thoroughly ahead of her time. Writing, and being a strong advocate against slavery were only a small portion of her talents. She also engaged in activitiesdesigned to further the cause of women’s rights, something that of course brought its own forms of derision and persecution. Read another lovely biography by Maggie.
Oh CopyCat Restaurant Recipes has a great one today. A bit expensive to make, but oh my goodness, they are truly to die for. I’ve eaten crab cakes in Connecticut, and I tell you, if you have not had authentic ones, you are truly missing a treat. Try this recipe from the 4 Seasons, and show off!
Another bright spot today, Garrison Keillor posts an entry, entitled “Why Mother’s Day?” Enjoy and pass it along to a Mother near you!
History News Networkhas a nice post on LIncoln. Peruse through the times when Lincoln, well, thought his career over, after only one term in Congress. It lasted for five long years, while he lawyered and believed that he would make no mark on the world at all. Read John Waugh’s thoughts from his latest book, One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln’s Road to Civil War.
Inspired by antique quilts has some more of her Civil War blocks, speaking as we were of the Civil War, well sort of. They always help me to gear up for quilting, nothing further mind you but I do gear up in my mind. Seriously, I’m a freak for delayed gratification. I cannot start any real crafting projects until I’ve finished this cleaning thingie. It’s another thing I do to force myself to stay focused.
Okay, so you are in a bad mood too? So slip over to Live Science and see lots of disasters much worse than the freaking overkill of water in Iowa. Okay I’m being a bit macabre, but really, I am a devotee of “disaster movies” the more destruction the better! I love to see it all come crashing down, as long as it’s not real of course. Still, the post does put some major historical disasters in prospective, and explains why those now seem more serious than ones of the past.
Is there a Republican war on science? Kevin Drum seems to think so. So do I for that matter. It’s a war of convenience of course, designed to support their business interests against those of us common folk. But assault it is. Read his post and again, hit the comments, nearly always the best part.
It must make for some sleepless nights. To know, that is, that your country is occupied by dolts. Not America per se, of course, but Bush representatives for sure. Iraq is trying to broker some kind of way for the US and Iran to speak to one another, and thus hopefully move on to some kind rapprochement rather than continue to rattle sabres. I can sure understand Iraq’s concern that it will be the battle ground between the two rather intransigent sides. Come next January, things will be better, but that assumes we can keep the lid on Bush and Cheney until then. I feel bad for the Iraqis. But that has been true for neigh on to 5 years now.
It’s pretty much all over the net today. McCain gave a speech, and in it he bemoaned the excesses that occur when one branch of government usurps power from the other two. Most would automatically think that he was referring to Bush and his executive excesses that are so well documented at this point in time. But no, the Macster had something quite different in mind and it’s telling us all, that Mac is catering to those right wing evangelicals and others of the neo-con ilk who think that there is not much use for Congress any more. McCain of course is referring to his new love for all things conservative on the high court.Of course, judicial restraint is nothing more than I don’t like the decisions coming down. It has nothing to do with so called strict constructionism, of which hardly anybody could define if they wanted to. Mac, I’m constrained to say, doesn’t care what those decisions are either, but he does care that some folks that he desperately wants to vote for him care, and so he cares sort of. It is still shocking me how John will sink to any depth needed to achieve the goal he believes is his by right, the presidency. Out goes any semblance of self-respect, ethics, or loyalty to doing what’s right. Shame on ya John. Glenn Greenwald has the story.
I don’t live by any coast, unless you consider the Mississippi or the Missouri as coasts, and we aren’t all that close to either of them anyway. But it seems that there is a reason that coastal areas may be seeing increasing clouds. Can you say seaweed? Yep, Check out the post at Science Daily and read all about why you are so blue from lack of sunshine. Psst. Iodine is the culprit. Now, you’re hooked. Chase that link!
If you would like to read a wonderful article on the founding fathers and the establishment clause in our Constitution, then by all means follow the link to The New Yorkerand read Jill Lepore’sarticle, dissecting four recent books on the our nation’s early leaders. It will surprise you for sure. I’ve been reading a book on this topic and have certainly learned a lot. I’ll be reviewing it probably sometime next week. Thanks to Talk to Action for the heads up.
And it’s Wednesday, so another article from Susan Posner’s Fundamentalist series at the American Prospect. Today she features Iowa’s own Grassley and his continuing efforts to uncover televangelists use of donations, Huckabee’s doings, and problems in the world of evangelism. Don’t miss it!
We are welcoming a new regular to the list today. The Art of the Possible. Today’s post is apropos I think. Given last nights returns, Clinton’s prospects are zero in my book. I am sad, but I will speak out often and loudly for Obama. Still, I thought this post summed up why I have been such a supporter of Mrs. Clinton, and why I feel left out once again in the world of men.
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“There is no greater impotence in all the world like knowing you are right and that the wave of the world is wrong, yet the wave crashes upon you.” Norman Mailer
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Krishnamurti
“What’s on your mind, if you will allow the overstatement?” Fred Allen
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Funny Book Titles:
40 Yards to the Latrine by Willy Makeit and Betty Wont
A Trip to the Dentist by Yin Pain
Acrophobia Explained: Alfredo Height
Allegiance To The King: Neil Downe
Animal Illnesses by Ann Thrax
Artificial Weightlessness by Andy Gravity
Athletic Supporter: Jacques Strap
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How about the presidential Democratic campaign, the primaries? Whoa, are you kidding me? Today they’re in Indiana. My home state. And also North Carolina. And then, after that, they go to Canada. And then after the Canadian primaries, they go to Europe; they do the European primaries, and the election is still three years away. David Letterman
President Bush held a big Cinco deMayo dinner celebration last night at the White House. He praised the people of Mexico who come here to do the jobs the Americans don’t want to do, as opposed to the people of India, who are doing the jobs Americans did want to do but can’t, of course, anymore. Jay Leno
President George W. Bush is now officially less popular than his father, although Laura is neck-and-pearls with Barbara. Paul Seaburn
