"If everything seems out of control, you're just not going fast enough."
~Mario Andretti
Okay, so our lovely Basil is no more. He was 14 years old, and had well over 120,000 miles on the odometer, so he lead a good long life and served us well! As happy as I am, its bittersweet saying goodbye to a car. We share a lot with our rides. The best memories with Basil, were the times we went birding, and that's what I am thinking about. Getting to know our new friend, who does not have a name yet, will have some new challenges, like getting used to what it's like owning an EV for the first time! I miss the olden days, where when you bought a car, it had a steering wheel, four tires, and if you were lucky, air-conditioning, but time does move on, and while somethings have gotten exceedingly easier, somethings come with built in complications. But time will shake it all out. No worries, but I do need a day of an emotionless state of being, and for that, I need a pillow, a cat, and a Sibley guide to plan my next day in nature.
If you dream it, it will come. Right now, I'm dreaming of a stress free day.
Here is the downside to birding, occasionally you come across the circle of life on full display. Hey, they do the clean up, and all of it fits together in the greater scheme of things, but oh my, my heart breaks for the animal that was hit by a car, or a bird that may have been affected by the recent bird influenza, that has been affecting the ducks, geese and other migratory species. Sigh. The lack of huge number of birds everywhere, drives home the scary point that a life without birds could be an eventuality. If you look at the reported declines in different bird species, due to both environmental factors and disease, it's not just depressing, but deeply concerning for our future. But on this day, this pair of turkey vultures was doing their thing, and that is a good thing!
"National parks and reserves are an integral aspect of intelligent use of natural resources. It is the course of wisdom to set aside an ample portion of our natural resources as national parks and reserves, thus ensuring that future generations may know the majesty of the earth as we know it today."
~John F. Kennedy
World Conference On National Parks (June 23 1962)
I was born six days after John F. Kennedy spoke those words. I wish public parks were as important today as they were in 1962. For that matter, I wish there wasn't such a drive to continue to invade and impose into our places of natural beauty for any reason, let alone for the greedy reasons that we tend to hear about most often... drill baby drill.
California has some magnificent parks. From the great big ones where one could get lost for days, to the small ones like this one, Greenridge Park, but more and more they are taking a financial hit, and it came very close to the permanent closure of many California parks after Governor Schwarzenegger's his term in office. Thank goodness, Governor Brown was able to take steps to fund most of the parks, at least in the short term, but there is still a lot to be concerned about. But with a surplus in the budget that California is currently enjoying, there is a lot of possibilities.
Sometimes things work out so strange. I was hoping President Obama would be more proactive with the environment, but he hasn't done much in regards to conservation. And I thought we had a champion in Al Gore, but I don't think I really know what his values are anymore. If I ever really did. I guess some things aren't always what they seem to be, but it really hurts all the same when someone you thought you could count on becomes someone you don't recognize.
When all is said and done, I voted for President Obama, and I wouldn't change my mind for anything. I think I have grown to appreciate the man for his ability to try and now his ability to know when to stop trying. The bible says even God stops knocking at some point. In retrospect, I think the frustration I would feel over President Obama's over reaching in his efforts to reach bipartisan conclusions, forced me to put a little more thought into what I really hold important. Perhaps in the next four years President Obama will do more about protecting the environment, so when I am finally at the age that all I can do is sit on a park bench and feed the birds, there will be a park bench to sit on.
Hope... it does a body good!
It's a strange feeling as I sit here writing this. President Obama was sworn in yesterday, officially, and today he is sworn in again for all to see. In some ways it feels like he is beginning his first term, and not his second. He has shown a lot of strength since the shooting in Connecticut. And a lot of courage to. I know that if the republicans, and the NRA wanted to be a part of a positive change in how we go forward concerning gun ownership, he would have been happy to have their input. Unfortunately, the NRA only wants their way or no way. And they don't care who they threaten. But President Obama didn't cower in fear, instead his is walking into the future and allowing his conscience to be his guide.
Thank You SO Much Mr. President!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Sarah Palin once asked... "So, hows that hopey, changey stuff workin' out for you?"
Well, 1/2 term Governor Palin... Pretty DAMN WELL! Oh and by the way, the British didn't want to take our arms, they didn't want us to begin our own nation. Sheesh. And shes allowed to pretend she knows how to sue a gun.
