“I have arrived, In the here, in the now.
I am solid, I am free,
In the ultimate, I dwell.”
— Author, Unknown
7 December
Flower Art, Saturday, December 7. The Sweet Softness Of Flowers
by Jon Katz
Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz
7 December
Saria’s Choices Today: Holiday Hygiene: Shampoo And Deodorant. A Time To Feel Proud When You Go To Church.
by Jon Katz
Sarah is extraordinarily sensitive to the needs, wishes, and social implications of the food she asks us to help with.
In the winter, she looks for warm foods full of vitamins. At Holiday Time, she thinks of visiting relatives, of company coming, and of the family’s need to stay healthy and proud.
(Above, thanks so much for answering the call on Thanksgiving night for all veggie cans of food; they are still coming in a week later.)
Today’s request is a practical holiday request for families that might have to put shampoo and deodorant aside in favor of warm food in houses with showers only and no washing machines or big stoves. These families also lived in close quarters where kids often sleep on mattress or two or three to a bed.
She is also mindful of older people who can’t afford to clean their dentures and kids who hate to eat vegetables.
These items today would be a great and appreciated help for these families, who live under continuous pressure. They need to feel good, look good, and keep hope alive when they attend church and visit their friends and families.
VO 5 Extra Body Voluminizing Shampoo Unisex 12.5 oz, (Pack of 3)m $11.49.
Speed Sick Men’s Deodorant, Regular, 3 Ounce, 4 Pack, $8.97.
Reminder: You can access the Cambridge Food Pantry Amazon Wish List any time, day or night, and browse it yourself by clicking on any link here or on the green pantry button at the bottom of every blog post.
7 December
Zip And Zinnia Are Besties Now, They Wrestle Every Morning. It’s Always An Ambush. You Might Be Surprised To See Who Wins
by Jon Katz
You would think picking a winner in a wrestling match between a 75-pound Lab and a 10-lb Barn Cat is easy. You might be surprised. When Zinnia goes outside in the morning, Zip skitters through the snow and underneath the garden bed, a perfect safe place for a barn cat to hide and plan an ambush.
Zinnia comes charging up to the bed and woofs, and Zip meadows and carts in and out, swatting Zinnia unexpectedly in the nose (claws in) while Zinnia dances back. Zip gets his way, and they chase one another around the bed and underneath it. They both have a blast, and when Zip tires, he jumps out, swats at Zinnia, and watches while Zinnia backs away. Zip wins the game every time. Labs are not the brightest tools in the shed. Barn cats are.
7 December
This Morning, Opossum Rescue In The Barn
by Jon Katz
There are many things to love on a farm; one is that you meet all kinds of creatures most people never see unless they’re lying on the road. When Maria entered the barn yesterday, she glanced into an empty garbage can (we used it for chicken, donkeys, and cat treats). Staring up at her was a terrified possum who had climbed up the can looking for food and couldn’t climb out. He might have been there all night. He was too frightened to come out when Maria lowered the can.
She dragged the can out into a different part of the can, and he eventually took off. We think he has a next down by the pond; we’ve seen possum tracks down there. Sooner or later, everything in nature reveals itself, and Maria misses nothing. Maria said she was lucky to look down into the can and see the possum looking up – she doesn’t usually look there – they – would not have lasted long.
7 December
Portrait: Photographer And Dog In A Snowstorm
by Jon Katz
I’m not wild about being photographed in my bathtub, but since I take photos of people, I need to be gracious about the pictures they take of me.
When I come downstairs, I have limited time to catch the pictures I want while I show and dress. So I put on my Amish boots (I got boots for my Amish neighbors, and then they gave one to me) and rushed outside. I had a “Snow Dog” photo in mind; snow is Zinnia’s favorite thing, and Maria loves to photograph in my bathroom; I brought my Warewolf cane because it was so slippery, and I have no desire to land on my butt in ice and snow. Zinnia, as always, knows what I’m doing before I do, and she just sat down to pose, understanding what I wanted without being cold.
It was just the picture I wanted to capture. Zinnia is delirious in heavy snow and loves to pose. My fingers ached for a while when I got inside, but I couldn’t wear gloves and handle the camera at the same time. Zinnia understands; she knows what “photo” means.
(Photo by Maria Wulf).