Red Shouldered Hawk and Sunday brunch

28 December 2008

Today was a beautiful day here--temperature in the 60s and many critters were out, including one venturesome vole. This beautiful hawk flew into our yard today, spotted the vole and invited it to brunch! Of course the vole didn't realize he/she was going to be the main course!

The hawk stayed around for about half an hour sitting in a nearby tree, all fluffed up and looking around for another snack. No such luck. Off it went and we hope it returns!

If you double click on the picture, you will get a much better look at this gorgeous bird.

Some Haiku

Evening Haiku

Sunset is nigh.
Vapor trails leaving
Orange slashes in a
Pale blue sky.


Early Morning Haiku

Jake and I
Out for an early walk.
Sunshine glowing through
The fall leaves.

Haiku for an Old Man

Soft summer sun
Shining on soft white hair.
An old man
A rocking chair.

Haiku of Memories

First day of school
Learning ABCs
First Kiss
Graduation
Wedding.

Haiku for Fall

Dogwoods are red
Holly berries are bright
Stars shining
In the cold night.

Haiku for Falling Leaves

Autumn leaves
Tumbling down.
Shades of red, gold and brown.
Lying on the ground.



Haiku for the Dying

A vision of Death
Standing in the door.
Life’s ending.
Time is no more.

Christmas after Christmas-2008

Yesterday, December 27, we had family Christmas at our home. There were 24 of us and that didn't inlcude daughter, Kate and son-in-law Alvin and their children Winona and James. They are far off in Austin, TX. Our youngest son Kyle and daughter-in-law Stacy plus their two children, Emma Kate and Nathan, split Christmas--Stacy and the kids with Stacy's family and Kyle with us. Two of Shannon's children, Rene and Megan were visiting their grandmother in Florida. But we still had a houseful of boistrous, fun loving kinfolks including some significant others who may be foolish enough to join this bunch. Appetizers were brought by family and Carrie and I did the main course--ham, gremolata mashed potatoes, tomatoes and artichoke hearts and green beans almondine. Mike brought an apple pie and my favorite--pecan! Wine, soft drinks, beer and some excellent whiskies were available and enjoyed.

Gifts were exchanged--gift cards to the "grands" plus each got a share of a gift to someone less fortunate through Heifer International. These included bees, trees, rabbits, and chicks. What has now become our traditional gift to the adults is the annual White House Christmas ornament. This year's was exceptional in its detail of a decorated Christmas tree to honor our 23rd president Benjamin Harrison. President Harrison started the tradition of a Christmas tree in the White House in 1889.

As we approach the the new year of 2009, Carrie and I want to wish each of you a Happy New Year and we hope that the new year brings you all things good.

George and Carrie

Christmas Letter 2008

Christmas, 2008
Manassas, Virginia

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All !!

The holiday season is once again upon us and we are happy to report that some things are much better here at 12042 Kahns Road.

First off—unlike last Christmas, we are happy to report that Carrie is doing well. While she still suffers from aphasia, she is doing many of the things she wants to do including driving. As a matter of fact, she renewed her driver’s license about three months ago!

All the news is not good since Carrie’s mother passed away in February after many years of less than optimal health. A month later, we lost Carrie’s Aunt Clare Marinan and a few months later Clare’s twin brother, Richard Mallon, passed away. Both were in their late 80s and had been ill for several years. Their passing brings a generation to a close in the Mallon family. But just as there are loses, the good Lord insured a balance by adding a new family member.

In June, we traveled to Nantucket to attend the marriage of Carrie’s niece, Casey Mallon to Bryan Lebel. A great wedding and a good time was had by all. We saw many of Carrie’s siblings as well as nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and the occasion was most joyous. While on the trip, George managed to sneak in his 75th birthday and celebrated it with Carrie’s sister and brother-in-law, Kitty and Zach Johnson and Carrie’s nephew and niece Matt and Caroline.

In July, we made our annual trek to Maine. Two weeks of R&R with plenty of lobster and wild Maine blue berries thrown in for good measure. We have been staying in the same place for many years—it is perfect we think. We are just 100 miles south of the Eastern most point in the U.S.—West Quoddy Head—so the sun comes early and sets very late. The sky is so clear at night that you see billions of stars plus the Milky Way. What a great sight! If it didn’t get so cold in the winter, we probably would move there.

In September, George swore his grandson Joe Luckett into the Navy. A couple of weeks later, Joe was off to the Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

In October, the George Washington University School of Business celebrated the thirty years of Carrie’s work at the University. There was much joy and story telling seasoned with an appropriate amount of tears as more than 100 people came to celebrate and many spoke of the wonderful things Carrie had accomplished during her tenure. She will be sorely missed.

In November, we went to Great Lakes with Joe’s parents, our daughter Tracey and son-in-law Randy to see Joe graduate. He finished well and was meritoriously promoted. Joe is going to be a SeaBee and is now stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas in training to be a Utilitiesman. He will be home for Christmas.

Back home in time for Thanksgiving and two days later we were off to our favorite bed and breakfast, Prospect Hill Inn in Charlottesville to celebrate Carrie’s 55th birthday!!! For the first time in 25 years I was able to surprise her—her sister Kitty and her brother Jim and his wife Gina and daughter Jackie joined us for dinner. Carrie didn’t have a clue they were coming. It was a super celebration.

We attended the Washington Revels again this year. This is a musical celebration of the Winter Solstice and the Christmas
Season. It is a joyous time since the coming of the Winter Solstice with its shortest day means that for the next six months the days will begin to grown longer and winter’s
darkness will shorten. Soon, the winter solstice will arrive and the days will begin to lengthen. Spring and the greening of our planet cannot be far away. It was a particularly wonderful time for us and serves to really begin our holiday season. The Revels always ends with this Mummers’ Carole from Sussex, England.

God bless your house, your children, too
Your cattle and your store,
The Lord increase you day by day, and
Send you more and more, and
Send you more and more.

This is our wish for you as this year comes to a close. We hope the coming year brings you all things good and that all you wish for will be the very least you receive.

If you have loved ones deployed in one of the war zones, we join you in prayer for them and our Nation.

We continue to be grateful for all your prayers and we are absolutely certain they work and that the prayers of literally hundreds of people around the world have truly worked a miracle.

God bless us all—everyone.

George and Carrie

Hate is in bloom

As I feared, the election is only 11 days old and the seeds of hate have sprouted already. Crosses are being burned, young school children are chanting things like, "Assassinate Obama!" In other places, black effigies are being hanged from trees. People are being assaulted because of the color of their skin, threatening notes are being left in mail boxes, homes and cars are being defiled with graffiti with racial overtones.


I almost expected that this sort of thing might happen in the deeper parts of the south, but it is happening in California, supposedly the most liberal state in the nation and in Maine--one of our favorite spots. Three black effigies were strung up in trees on Mount Desert Island, the home of Bar Harbor playground of the wealthy, a place were artists congregate to capture the unspoiled wilderness on canvas. I checked further and found out that the editor of the Mount Desert Islander, the small local paper, was just as upset as I and for some of the very same reasons. How could a place that prides itself on its liberalism be so bigoted? The editor has called for the local citizens to "out" whoever commited this terrible crime. I don't know if that will happen, but it should.

A couple of days after I read the AP piece, I was browsing our local News and Messenger and lo and behold, there was a letter to the editor form a fellow by the name of Tainter that was fairly dripping with racism and unadulterated hate. Here is what he had to say:

"Those of you who voted for Barack Obama snubbed honor, integrity, valor, wisdom, experience, sacrifice and duty to country. John McCain embodies all of these virtues along with military officer training; time and battle tested inner strength and resolve that few can match; and a lifetime of service to America.

He is a bona fide American hero who has proven himself time and again — we know that he will do the right thing. Today, I truly worry about what will become of America.
As a child, I was taught that patriots like John McCain were to be trusted, revered and put in positions of authority.

I was taught that personal responsibility was one’s civic duty and crucial to the success of this great nation.

Even the Democrat motto was “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Those of you that voted for Barack Obama dismissed the qualities of a true leader and patriot but instead fell for enticing rhetoric, empty promises, no experience, outmoded policies, questionable associations and the radical ideals of a socialist agenda.
Obama’s view is clearly that individuals are not responsible for themselves. You voted for “change?”

Two things will change. The first is that you will have less money. Not only will your taxes go up, regardless of what Obama said, but increased taxes on business will raise the cost of goods and services plus lower your 401(k) employer contributions.
The second change will be that Obama and the liberals will back peddle on all of those empty promises that suckered many of you in. You voted for “hope?” You had better hope that the terrorists and other enemies are not emboldened by the intellectual arrogance, naiveté, inexperience and inevitable perception of weakness in Obama. Biden predicted this!
Did you really fall for the enticing rhetoric and the disingenuous, leftist “mainstream” media hype?

I’m sorry, but you were had. Now we, our children and grand children, will all pay the exorbitantly high price of your irrational, “feel good” choice.
ANDY TAINTER
Manassas "


Here is what I had to say:

"Earlier this week, I wrote a letter to the editor with my thoughts as to why the Republicans lost the election in Prince William County, Virginia and across the nation. I believe they lost because of STRIDENT MEANNESS.

That letter has not been published, and that may be OK because Andy Tainter’s letter (Obama supporters have been had) on Nov. 14, makes my case better than anything I possibly could have written.

It has been some time since I have read a letter so filled with pure malevolence and meanness. Hate fairly drips from the page as Mr. Tainter excoriates President-elect Barack Obama and his supporters.

He has dragged out the same old accusations that cost the Republicans the election and unless they change, will cost them more in the future.

Interestingly enough, this obnoxious letter was printed alongside one written by Emily Cameron (Obama was well worth the wait) that was filled with hope, awe and fervent expectation.
It was front-page news as far as I am concerned. This country has made history; we have been witness to one of the greatest events in our time. Now as a nation, we must rally around this new president and help him bring our nation out of the chaos that he has inherited.
GEORGE S. HARRIS
Manassas "

These two letter have caused some discussion on both sides of the argument. You can see more at: http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/article/we_must_rally_around_obama/24699/



If you want to see what started this blog--go here:


http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20081115/Obama.Racial/

It is still my fervent prayer that racism will die with this election, but the evidence seems to point in another direction.

A history lesson

Ever since the early morning hours of November 5, 2008, I have watched, listened to and read about events involving our president elect—Senator Barak Obama. Many times, my eyes fill with tears and my chest swells with pride to think about how far this nation has come. You could blame it on my being an old man, but it is more than than that.

To understand, you must know a little more about me. I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma that was a “Jim Crow” town. No black persons lived in my town, they could not stay there overnight and they had a very difficult time finding a place to eat. Until I left home at the age of 18, I had only had one encounter with a black person—a railroad porter when I took a short train trip to Muskogee. He took me by the hands and swung me down off the train. When I got on the platform, I wiped by hands back and forth like I was trying to wipe something off. He said to me, “Don’t worry boy, it won’t rub off.”

At 18, I left home and joined the Navy. When we got to Kansas City, MO, I met my first black person that I would have any interaction with. He and several of us wanted to attend a movie. When we went to purchase tickets, the ticket agent would not sell us a ticket for this man. This was the first time I understood discrimination. I didn’t think discrimination existed in my hometown—it didn’t dawn on me that being a “Jim Crow” town was discriminatory. It’s odd how we simply ignore things when we don’t see it in action; i.e., I never saw anyone do anything outright that was be considered discriminatory because there was no one around to discriminate against!

Now, over 55 years later, I have a black son-in-law and two beautiful mixed race grandchildren. And I consider myself to NOT be a racist. I will admit that there have been times in my life when this was not always so, but being in the military and being an officer, exposed me to many people of many races. Seeing them in “real” life made me realize that the amount of melanin in one’s skin doesn’t affect who they are and what they are capable of doing, given the opportunity. I have seen people of many different races bleed and die as the result of war. Their blood, their pain, their “insides” are the same as everyone else’s.

And now we have a president elect who looks different than any other president we have ever had in this country. His beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters look different than any other First Lady or children who have lived in the White House. He has been reviled personally, his motives have been challenged, his religion and his citizenship have been questioned and his capability to handle the responsibilities of the presidency has been repeatedly demeaned.

But what has happened is that the people of our nation have chosen to trust this different looking man because he has offered us hope and the promise of change. He comes at a time when this nation is nearly overwhelmed. Our economy is in absolute chaos; our military is involved in two very unpopular wars, one of which may well have been started as the result of a leadership that mislead the American public. More than 4,700 young Americans have died and more than 30,000 have been wounded—many of them with injuries that will forever alter their lives. Finally, a large portion of the world’s population has lost faith in our nation as a world leader. We are spending a billion dollars a month on the wars and transferring uncountable billions of dollars to buy oil from nations that would have nothing to do with us if it weren’t for the oil they sell us.

It has been said that president elect Obama is facing times that are as bad as or maybe worse than those faced by Abraham Lincoln in 1861 or that Franklin D. Roosevelt faced when he took office in 1933. Many Americans believe he will rise to the occasion and I am among them.

On November 4, we saw history being made. We have stepped onto a new path and we are trusting this new man to lead us in the right direction. God bless him and God bless this nation.

The Election of 2008 Draws Nigh

In two more days the people of this Nation will vote in what is an historic election. For the first time in the 232 years since our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, a mixed race man (Black and Caucasian) will be running for and probably will be elected president.

I prefer the term "mixed race" since that is exactly what he is. A great many Americans are "mixed race" people--more than we might have ever thought. Races that have been mixed in include: Black (or African), non-black Africans, Oriental, American Indian or Native Americans, Indian from India, all of the Latino mixtures (most Mexican, Central and South Americans are already "mixed"--Spanish and any one of the native groups in those countries over the centuries--some include them as Native Americans--I have chosen to separate them since they now make up what we now seem to consider a unique "race"), Pacific Islanders and mixtures of mixtures. You might say that many of us who identify ourselves as "white" are really some form of "off-white". Either we dodn't know or are unwilling to admit it.

Back to my original thought. This election will even be historical if Senator Barak Obama is not elected since it will still be the first time a man we "Whites" have chose to label "African-American" was nominated and ran for president. If Sena tor Obama is elected, it will say much about this country and will give great hope to all people of color that you can be anything you want to be in the country, but it won't be given to you. You must work for it and work very hard. you must be willing to overcomed all kinds of roadblocks and obstacles that invariably will be put in your path. It means you must be prepared to be attacked from all sides since your religion or the color of your skin or your political leanings will surely be assailed by someone who disagrees with any or all of these things and many others that I haven't the brainpower to think of any more.

Senator Obama has made many promises that seem to promise the ideals of President Ronald Reagan's "shining city on the hill." This nation is in two unpopular wars and we have lost over 4,000 young Americans killed and tens of thousands more have been wounded and maimed for life. We euphemistically call these wounds "life altering events." We are in the greatest economic chaos since the Great Depression of 1929. Billions of dollars have been lost in investments gone bad. Perhaps millions of people have lost their homes and millions are unemployed. More than 50 million people have not health coverage. And who knows how many go to bed cold and hungry every night.

Senator Obama says he will fix these things and I hope that to be the case. Every generation has someone who comes along and often is theman or woman of the hour. In my generation, that person was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. For the first twelve years of my life, I knew no other president. I once told my Mother that I would be glad when I was grown so I would not have to obey anyone but God and Roosevelt. FDR, as everyone called him, gave this Nation hope and helped bring us out of what was then the greatest depression the world had ever known. Oh yes, we did wind up in a war that involved most of the world and millions were killed and millions more were maimed for life. But we survived it and were a better, stronger nation. Perhaps the most powerful in the world at that time.

Years later, another young man came along when our spirits were down and gave us a new Camelot in our Nation's capital city. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a wealthy senator from Massasschussets, a Roman Catholic and a hero of World War II, was elected president and with his beautiful wife Jacquelyn, brought youth, beauty and hope to our land. He was struckdownby a demented assassin in Dallas, Texas and the world grieved for his loss.

Nearly 20 years later a former actor and former governor of California, Ronald Wilson Reagan was elected as our president. Again, we had a president whose enthusiasm and zest for life gave us great hope. While I don't agree the he was responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union, he did open doors to that nation that previously had been closed. His famous, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" quote in Berlin was heard around the world and shortly thereafter a new world order came into being. Reagan--another man for a generation.

And so, it may be that we are standing at the forefront of another such opportunity An oportunity to elect a new "generational man". I hope we are up to it and I hope his promises can be kept.

Assassination attempt plot

Two neo-Nazis have arrested for plotting to kill Senator Barak Obama and at least 88 other African Americans. I am beginning to wonder if this is but the tip of a very large iceberg of people who just can't imagine or stand to see an African American in the White House. I have even had people speculate that he won't live more than a month if he is elected. What has the country come to? If he is elected by the majority of the people, how can it be possible that some idiot would think he or she has the right to assassinate him? It is a poor statement to make--that intolerance runs amok in our land. The land of the free--"that shining city on the hill" as President Ronald Reagan called it. A land where people still defy death to come here.

People seem to forget that Barak Obama is not only African American, he is European American also. Because of skin color and other prototypical "African" features, he was forced at an early age to identify with some group of people--it was a no brainer--he chose to identify with the African American community. Why? Simply because the white or Caucasian community would not have accepted him. I have a great deal of concern about this since I have two mixed race grandchildren and they will eventually be forced to identify with a specific group. I would prefer that not be the case but that just may be the case. I think of them as my grandchildren--period. Someone once asked my granddaughter Winona if she was black or white. I thought her answer was perfect. She simply said, "I'm Winona." That says it all.

What happened to alternative energy

Yesterday's (10-19-08)"Washington Post" carried an article regarding the downward spiral in crude oil prices and its effect on the development of alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, and better batteries for electric cars. General Motors is no considering what to do about the much touted VOLT scheduled to be introduced in a couple of years. Tesla, manufacturer of some very high electric cars is laying of workers and locking doors. Manufacturers of ethanol and biodiesel are wondering what happens as oil prices continue to drop to 50% of what a barrel cost just a few months ago.

And what are we consumers doing? We are beginning to look again with covetous eyes at bigger, faster, gasoline guzzling road hogs. Over the years, the automobile industry has convinced soccer moms (and hockey moms I suppose) to haul the kids around in what used to be consider a truck. They lulled us into thinking it's OK to run to the store for a loaf of bread and a quart of milk in a vehicle designed for combat--designed to operate in all climes from desert to swamp while it gets all of eight to ten miles to the gallon. We buy cars that can go from 0 to 60 in just a few seconds and then drive them down highways with speed limits anywhere from 25 to 70 miles per hour. More than a 100 years since Henry Ford cranked up the first Model T, we are still stuck in gasoline powered cars while, at the same time, we have developed vehicles that can travel much of our universe and take men and equipment to the moon and back.

And while we drive around in these gasoline powered vehicles, we are in the midst of the largest transfer of wealth that has ever existed in the history of mankind. Countries that had basically become sand farms over the centuries before it was discovered they were sitting on lakes of sweet crude oil, now run our economy up and down like a yoyo on a string. They collectively decide how much oil they are willing to share and we reward them by paying whatever they demand for it. In the meantime, they are building the world's tallest and most elaborate buildings, they are creating islands shaped like palm trees, driving around on gasoline that costs just a few cents. They have built indoor skiing slopes and they bathe in marble tubs with gold fixtures. And just when we started using less oil and the price began to drop, they are reconsidering just how much oil they should sell us.

Wake up America! Let them pour their oil on their Wheaties or whatever it is they have for breakfast. We have the capability to be really independent of foreign oil, but it means we must get to work on such things as ethanol (produced from many things) and biodiesel--a very clean fuel. Every large cattle operation, every large municipal sewage system has the feed stock needed to feed algae to produce an oil that can be made into biodiesel and a fertilizer that is far superior to the feedstock that wnet into the process. While it sounds like a lot, 15,000 square miles of oil producing algae farms would produce enough fuel to allow us to stop importing oil for gasoline and diesel. Think about it--poop to fuel. Not a new idea--the French used hog manure to produce methane to power cars in World War II. And communities and large farms are doing the same thing today. Let's quit giving our money away--let's break the yoke the oil produces have on our necks. We can do it and we can reverse this wealth transfer, but it takes all of us to do it.

Ramblings

It seems the older I get, the less enamored I am of war. I spent nearly 40 years in the military and served in Korea and Vietnam. I understand why we invaded Afghanistan, but somewhere we lost sight of our mission. It happened when we decided to invade Iraq. I can understand the first Gulf War, but am still trying to understand why we thought it was our job to remove Saddam Hussein. I know we were told about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and that Iraq was a hotbed of terrorism. Neither one of these proved to be true once we invaded. Yet we persist. Now, however, our invasion has created one of the largest schools of terroism in the world. We have added to the radicalization of Islam and yet we don't seem to be aware of that.

We have spent five years in Afghanistan and Iraq and now it has been revealed that we have no plan for victory in either place. The old USSR spent something like nine years in Afghanistan and finally left with their tail between their legs. How many years will we stay? President Hamid Karzai controls little more than Kabul; warlords control the rest of the country. Poppy farming and opium production are at an all time high--all on our watch. Sectarian violence continues and now the Taliban and al Qaeda have figured out that by linking together, they have more power than they have ever had. Suicide bombings are on the increase and we want to increase the number of forces we have in Afghanistan. But do we have a plan for them?

I surely don't know the answer or I would have provided it long ago. We can only hope that the upcoming national election will provide the necessary leadership to find an honorable way out of both of these places.

Perhaps George Santyana summed it up best:

"It is war that wastes a nation's wealth, chokes its industries, kills its flower, narrows its sympathies, condemns it to be governed by adventurers, and leaves the puny, deformed, and unmanly to breed the next generation.” —The Life of Reason: Reason in Society, Scribner's, 1905, p. 82