"all the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today."

                                "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today."


This statement has much truth to it and can be applied to us. We are at a tipping point here in our country and on our planet. We are not creating the best future for our children's tomorrow.
With all of the information out there and available to us, we are not applying the lessons of the past.

Living near the big cities, there is a different climate.. Everything is moving faster, neighborhoods are disappearing, people are working two jobs for the salary of one. There is very little concern for anything except maybe dollars and cell phones.. And the expense of things is spiraling out of sight!!

Our generation must step up to slow things down. To reclaim the good things of the past. One of them being national holidays. This idea of keeping stores open for Thanksgiving is just wrong. This is one of the very few holidays shared and cherished in America by many different nationalities and religions. To ruin it with this marketed greed and Black Fridays defeats the whole point of giving thanks!!

When we were children, all of the stores were closed on Sunday and you were expected to plan for that. You were home doing Sunday things like going to church and having family dinner, watching football and going out for a walk, skiing or ice skating..

And Thanksgiving was a time when family spent time together and recalled the year and had time off together. If we have lost that here in America than that is a shame .

For many people the holidays in our country are their only vacation. It is important to keep these holidays in tact to give families that special time together to celebrate life which later turn to great memories as we age.


Be just like the flowers -- all together enjoying the day..

jmc

It's Time to Work and Play as a Team

The World, the one we all live in, needs to start living as one, as we are one.
Like it or not we are all connected; literally and figuratively. We are on the same solid sort of mass of rock, earth and water and we are connected spiritually and now through the internet and the various technology.

This week we have witnessed a miracle of MEN AND WOMEN all across the globe saying NO to WAR.. NO to VIOLENCE, NO to FRACKING which may have caused the flood in Boulder, Co. and NO to EXPENSIVE SOCIALIZED HEALTHCARE in the USA. So tired of being bamboozled by Big Pharma, Big Healthcare, Big Insurance Giants all hoarding billions of dollars..

As a world, We all agree on many things and when we put our heads together we can achieve miracles. Look at the parbuckled Costa Concordia, raised out of the water from its side to an upright position allowing it to be dismantled and removed. All done by men and women working together, side by side, problem solving and making the world a better place little by little.

We know the media sells more news, ads and insurance policies and pharmaceuticals by reporting BAD NEWS. But really in my heart I believe there are MORE GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE who want the world to START STANDING UP TO THE BIG GUYS who are stealing every bit of market share they can.

Enough of the greed and the evil that began all of the worlds problems. In the tiny state of Rhode Island, a gasoline company considered responsible for the Gulf Oil explosion has been silently boycotted by the little people who just decided to buy their gas else where. Now there is grass growing between the fuel pump islands and most of the stations are closed..

And that is all it takes..say no to these big multi national companies ruining the planet with their PRODUCTS WE DON'T NEED And say NO to any VIOLENCE or WARS as they impeed production and future expansion, education and sustainable life for the generations to come..

Books not bombs, Phones not Drones, Competitive Games not Wars, and Remember all of that money being hoarded by these big companies not only hurts the small companies but is really being taken away from THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST; THE ONES WITHOUT FOOD, CLOTHES OR A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.

Its time to start sharing resources and work together and time to look at the resultant global consequences of global misbehavior. It's time to work and play as a team..

                                                                Goodbye La Tourista

The month of September marks the end of summer in Narragansett. We happily say goodbye to the tourists (La Tourista) and enjoy this beautiful time of year with warm air and warm water. The sun shines on the water creating a shimmering effect like diamonds on the sea.. The beach and the sea are all in view again without umbrellas, tents, chaises and all the sorts of things people bring on their beach trips.. The dogs come back for their walks and runs and all is well .. sort of calm and peaceful just like this painting..

Summer is coming to a close.. But it's been a great one here in Southern New England. The weather has been really perfect, except for that one hot week in July. The week I was born.. My poor mother! I used to think August was the hottest month of the year but now I am sure it is July.. And don't you know I installed an air conditioner downstairs during that horrible 90 degree humid week and we have only had to use it once. 

One can tell the summer is ending because the beach is starting to thin out.. Not as many people are coming to the beach on a daily basis as the Back to School sales and signs are already reminding us our days are numbered.. The sun is not staying out as late as it did in July and pretty soon it will be dark around dinner time..

But I plan to extend the summer for as long as I can this year as it is the first time in 25 years (for my children) and 53 years (for me) that I have no Back to School what so ever. My three children are now all college graduated and gainfully employed in the big cities. Thus I will continue to celebrate summer until the fall truly arrives, which for me, is late September early October..

There is nothing like the beach in September when all the tourista have gone home to their schedules.. The ocean sparkles like diamonds and the temperature of the air and the sea are the same.. It is quieter and more peaceful at the beach but also more beautiful than ever in its splendor..

                                                                  San Juan, Puerto Rico

Charley Reese's Final Column for the Orlando Sentinel

READ, WEEP, PRINT AND KEEP!

This should be on the front page of every newspaper.


Charley Reese's Final column!

A very interesting column. COMPLETELY NEUTRAL.
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end..

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel... He has been a journalist for 49 years. He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.. ( The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.)

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House?( John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. ) If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to. [The House has passed a budget but the Senate has not approved a budget in over three years. The President's proposed budgets have gotten almost unanimous rejections in the Senate in that time. ]

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ..

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses. Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees... We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!

SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

Summer, is finally here. All of the trees are in their glory. The strawberries are just as ripe and beautiful as ever and the blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries and black berrys will follow The flowers and the shrubs continue their gorgeous display. The beaches are starting to fill up each morning. School is out and people are too! Wonderful to see the sunshine and everyone absorbing the fresh air..

Baseball, tennis and golf, swimming, surfing, boating and fishing, croquet and badminton; all of the wonderful activities of summer..Picnicking, gardening, family gatherings, art festivals, concerts, and the 4th of July to celebrate of all of the fun in the summer sun ♡♡♡☀☀☀

Make sure to get out there and enjoy all of the wonderful opportunities of summer..

Memorial Day Weekend - Get Out in It..

This wonderful three day weekend that marks the start of summer is also a weekend of remembrance; hence Memorial Day.. So we are thankful to those who have served. We honor and pray for their families and friends.. And we remember those who have passed in our own lives..

When I think of MDW, It conjours up all sorts of memories for me, mostly by the shore.. 

This weekend would always be the weekend we opened the beach house.. The 6 of us bringing a load of stuff down from the city house to the beach house in my mom's Ford station wagon..

We would open the windows and let the winter out..the salt air in -- and the coolness would revive the staleness of the beachside house on Onondega Road..

For some, Memorial Day is about a weekend away and a time to wear white shoes and colorful frocks.. Start the summer with a lobster dinner and a ferry ride..
Take your first swim of the year in the deep blue sea - the Atlantic Ocean..
Plan barbeques and family gatherings,
Shop sales and farmers markets.
Walk the beaches, get out the tennis rackets, bicycles and golf clubs..
Go fishing, crabbing or shelling..
Enjoy concerts, parties, weddings and graduations,
So much excitement everywhere..
and so many people to experience..

The weather is beautiful..and the best way to enjoy it is
to get out in it..

I am just so happy spring is here in southern New England.. The daffodils and tulips are in full bloom and the trees have all of their buds on them. It is such a great time to take a walk or a ride just to see everything coming back after a very long cold winter..

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies. Planting and seeing things grow is an amazing endeavor.
I like to grow kitchen herbs for cooking, evergreens for the winter, bulbs for spectacular flowers like hyacinth, lilly, tulip, daffodil, iris, and gladiola..Some of the most colorful and beautiful flowers emerge from the bulbs.. I love annuals and perennials and all of the shrubbery and trees..

It really feels like a total rebirth; of the garden and my spirit.. for I am always uplifted at this time of year. We are so lucky to have the 4 seasons..make time to get out there and take in all of the beauty nature has provided for us..

                                                         SAD; Seasonal Affective Disorder

After 17 years of spending the winter in Vermont, I have finally realized I have been fighting the disease of the north; SAD or seasonal affective disorder. It causes all kinds of havoc to the human system because of the lack of light, especially here in the mountains when the sun, if we see it, goes down at 4:30 in the afternoon..

I spoke to my brother inlaw this week who lives in NYC and he said “I hate this time of year!” I go to work in the dark and I come home in the dark..” That is probably why we have these light filled holidays in November and December, to get us through the darkest days of winter..

In northern Vermont, it is dark from November til March. I didn’t notice it as much when I was raising my children because we were always running, moving and seeing lots of people everyday; playing hockey, skiing or snowboarding and doing all kinds of activities to keep the adrenaline flowing and the serotonin levels high..

But those days are now gone, the children have moved away and life has slowed down..

We are not moving as fast or as much in our late 50’s and the darkness makes us go to bed earlier which makes us get up earlier which throws off all of our sleep patterns.. I noticed many family members on FaceBook  in the early hours of this morning; not sure if they haven’t gone to sleep or they are waking up early just like me. 

At least I know I am not alone with this.

Once you are aware of this condition and when it starts to get triggered; (the weather man alerted us this week would be particularly rough,) you can prepare for these times of sadness..

Exercise and working with your hands helps but being surrounded by fun and loving people is the real cure. Coffee, tea or chocolate or any kind of beef (B12) will also lift your serotonin levels. Sunshine or a room with a lot of lights, planned activities outdoors as well as indoors. music, a daily walk or ride on your stationary bicycle , plants, socializing and visiting with friends are all ways to make you feel better.

I went to the city for the weekend and just being around people and the lights and buzz of the city can help to chase the darkness away.. I’ve come to realize though as I get older, I need a lot more people and light in my life.

Today is my Dad's Birthday, he would have been 89. He was a doctor. His father was a pharmacist. His son is a doctor. His wife was a nurse. His daughters and aunts were teachers, writers and artists. He was an only child but had so many friends and patients.
He worked numerous hours always helping others whenever they were in need. He played golf on Wednesdays and Saturdays and travelled with his family whenever time allowed. He also loved boating and fishing. He was president of his senior class at the Academy and played hockey and baseball there.
He had many dates and invented the fifty cent corner, where you pay the taxi driver fifty cents for taking the corner in a way that gets you closer to your date. He attended Ivy League and medical school and did his internship in the midwest. But he returned home to practice medicine and take care of his parents and family. We learned so much from him by what he did. He listened more than he spoke..

I miss him more than I can say because he left this life in a quiet way.
The grandchildren called him Papa..he was so happy in life and smiled everyday..

                                                             Happy Earth Day, Everyday

We should be honoring the Earth everyday. Slow down, take a look at all of the beautiful plants that are just starting to Spring forth.. Starting with the Crocuses, Forsythia, Azalea, Daffodils, and now Tulips. Nature's parade has just begun. Be sure to spend time each and everyday in all of nature's glory.. Amen..

Finally Home Where I Belong

It has been a long, cold winter in Vermont and I am happy to be back by the sea. People abound here in Rhode Island and are friendly and kind. What is it about being away from your real home that makes life so difficult? Living in a strange state where people separate themselves from each other with large tracts of land and very little social interaction is torture.. It may be pretty in the mountains but not as lively and fun as living with all of my people by the sea. I return here each spring feeling so much better the moment I arrive. The sun shines everyday and people stop by to chat and visit. My lonely days in the mountains are finally over..

The promise of spring

The promise of spring.. a basketful of flowers, a shovel and a watering can..a big blue ribboned gardening hat and a meadow full of fresh green grass ...smell and taste it .. soon we will be living it..