The prophets say that the righteous one stands gazing out at humanity. When he sees people conducting themselves with love and empathy and compassion, the Righteous One expands, filling himself with light from above.
If human beings defile themselves with hatred and war and cruelty to the poor and the helpless, then the righteous one withdraws, leaving the world angry, bleeding, dry and empty, lacking in good.
One who understands this secret understands the immense power a single human being has to build and destroy, to nourish and devastate. The righteous can unite all of the earth, and bring into harmony the upper and lower worlds.
If there is one righteous person in the world, the pillar of life is strengthened. If the world contains just one righteous person, that person sustains the world.
I love the mystics ancient writings about righteousness, it is neither angry or judgmental. One passage I read today warns of floods and ruin if the poor and the needy are not loved and given hope. Another warns of great storms and suffering if people do not learn to love one another, and stop wars.
In my readings, I learn that one does not have to be an angel or a saint to be righteous. One just has to want to do good.
This is the very first print of my photograph, “The Blue Heron.” I wanted it to share it with you, they’ll go out in a day or so.
I went to see George Forss today and also got the first 16 prints of “The Blue Heron,” a photograph I have put on sale. By tonight, 37 people had purchased the photo for $110 plus shipping and George showed me the first print, on archival paper. I am a bit shocked – but very humbled – by the interest in this photo, we are printing 50 in a signed limited edition.
I love this photo, but I am never sure why anyone else might.
George did a great job, he somehow added a touch of definition and color to the Heron, he is a magician. I’ll sign each of these photos of course, and they will be numbered. I am also going to sell some of the new Achromat photos in smaller prints at the Open House. We haven’t figured out a price yet. One is of three dogs walking in the woods, another is the three dogs walking in the woods.
The print has also triggered a new term – “Heron People” – that many people are responding to. I never heard the term until this week, but it turns out that I am a heron person. You just never know.
According to “Animal Speak” by Ted Andrews, a much read book in this household, the great blue heron is considered the king of the marsh. It is the tallest of the herons, and when it flies, it’s head is folded back in a flat S-shaped loop. This reflects the innate wisdom of being able to maneuver through life and control its circumstances. It reflects a need for those who are heron people to follow their own innate wisdom and path of self-determination.
Heron people know what is best for themselves and follow their instincts, they are not guided by the prompting of others.
The heron people do not live in a structured way, their lives do not have stability and security built into it. There is security in the heron idea, though, it gives people the ability to do a variety of tasks. If one way doesn’t work, the other will. According to Andrews, the heron people seem to intuitively know.
So the heron is an idea, not just a photograph. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to it, and why the heron stood still in the pond long enough for me to fumble with my new lens and photograph it. He or she knew me also.
I am proud to have this royal bird in my pond, and happy also to describe this rich spiritual and symbolic meaning. I am a heron person, for sure and this photo was meant to happen. There are 13 prints left for sale, you can buy one if you wish by e-mailing maria at [email protected]. If there are any left, they will be on sale at the Open House in October.
Life is rich and mysterious, I try to make my own news, and not be a slave to theirs. I went out to see the Great Blue Heron in our pond this afternoon to thank her for helping us pay for our vacation in New Mexico and also for posing so beautifully. I think it’s a she. She let me get close to the gate, and then took off in a very graceful and beautiful arc. She flies away when we come down there with the dogs or the sheep, but she always comes back. She loves our pond. I’m wondering if she doesn’t have a nest nearby.
Shelby has signed on to be our dog and farm sitter when we are away, and her boyfriend Kirby, who works in Manchester, Vt., at an outlet there, is going to help out when she is busy working at a veterinary clinic in Cambridge. We just all clicked, and Shelby is coming by once a week for a while to feed the dogs and take care of the barn cats, chickens, donkeys and sheep.
This is good news for us they both fell in love with the dogs and oohed and aahed appropriately as Red herded the sheep. Shelby will stay at the farm when we are away. She knows what she is doing. She was taking notes on her I phone the whole time.
Well, last week I introduced Mandi Mulready, our new pet sitter, and two days later, she told us she had been offered and taken a new job near Saratoga Springs. Good jobs are hard to come by around here, and we understood completely, and are nothing but happy for her. We lost a pet sitter, but gained a friend.
You know my philosopher, everything is a gate or a door, and this also turned out to be a door. We offered the job to Shelby, who works as a vet tech in our town, and who loves dogs and is as conscientious as one cold want. She has been to the farm twice (today with her friend Kirby, who will help taking care of the farm when we are away.)
The dogs were crazy about the two of them, and Shelby took them out in the yard to run, Maria and I left Shelby to feed the dogs, and they didn’t even notice that we were gone. Shelby knows her stuff, she will come to the house several times before we go to New Mexico to make sure that she is completely comfortable. A farm girl, Shelby is also comfortable caring for the sheep and the donkeys, mucking out barns and chicken coops, making sure Fate gets to run and the dogs get some attention.
I am a fan of kennels, but this seems more comfortable for us and the dogs. They get to stay at home, and we get a dog and farm sitter, Shelby will be staying at the house. Kirby can fill in the gaps when she is working long days. Shelby has been here several times, and we feel very fortunate.
When looking for a pet sitter, we look for dog experience (vet techs are great for that), demeanor, attention to details and how the sitter and the dogs interact. I don’t really want to hire people who see the dogs only as fur babies or something to hug day and night. I prefer people who are professional, who love the dogs but don’t love the dogs, if you know what i mean. I want them to ask questions, take notes, and accept the dogs as animals, not needy children. It is, after all, a business.
I also don’t want to hire someone who will further emotionalize our dogs, when we work so hard not to do that. That has happened before.
Shelby has great warmth and love for dogs, but also a professional and businesslike manner. Her family also has five or so rescue dogs.
As you can see, the dogs seem to agree that this is a good hire.
All of our dogs are thoroughly socialized, and used to different people caring for them. it might be hardest on Gus, but as long as he is around Red and Fate, he will be fine.
Having someone like Shelby in our lives is important for us, it frees us to have three wonderful dogs and take small as well as bigger excursions. The upcoming trip to New Mexico is our first real vacation together, and we don’t plan any long trips in the near future. With Shelby, we don’t have to even think about the dogs. What I really care about is that the dogs are alive and well when we return.
Shelby is also coming to help with the Open House on Columbus Day Weekend in October. Maria thinks her belly dancing class may come to perform on that Sunday, that would be awesome.
In the Spring, we’d love to figure out how to take a cross-country jaunt and meet some of the Army Of Good, we have to figure out the costs and logistics of that, we’d like to rent a small camper. I hope we can pull it off, we can blog our away across.
So the search for a house and dog sitter is over. As always, I wanted to share some of the very good people in our lives with you. Now there are two more.
“Tales Of The Mansion,” a book of short stories by the residents of the Mansion Assisted Care Facility in Cambridge, N.Y., has just gone into its third printing. The book costs $10 plus shipping and is 38 pages long, it has ten of my photographs included. The stories are poignant and powerful and authentic.
You can order the book only through Battenkill Books, which accepts Paypal and major credit cards and ships anywhere in the world. Frankly, I’m surprised by the interest in this book, as much as I love it. We initially printed 250 copies, those are gone. Then, 75 more, and those are gone as well. You can order the book here or call the bookstore at 518 677 2515.
This was a powerful experience for me, the Mansion residents live at the edge of life, sometimes feeling left behind and missing the world they knew and the things they love. They write with feeling and honesty, “we have nothing to lose,” said one story-teller.
It is a gift to tell their stories. And all proceeds go to The Mansion to support their outings program for the residents.
Attn: Army Of Good
On the cover is Bob, one of my favorite residents. He won the best story award for his ironic tale of moving to the Mansion. He came there because his wife Shirley is ill and he wanted to be with her. He was a builder in his former life and I have ordered him a subscription to builder’s magazine and some National Geographic Books he requested.
This is a challenging time for Bob, an exceptionally decent and loving man.
I was wondering if anyone out there had any magazines or books relating to building or home construction, he is very interested in those subjects and those materials would be helpful for him now. Robert is also interested in cars, and books and/or magazines about cars would also be useful.
I’m looking around myself but if there are any home builders out there, it would be lovely if you could send any related books or magazines to Bob, C/O The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.
