My daughter Emma sent me my granddaughter Robin’s Mother’s Day Card, which she received yesterday. This kid was definitely raised in Brooklyn.
13 May
Robin’s Mother’s Day Card To My Daughter Emma
by Jon Katz
Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz
13 May
Sharon (And I) Thank You, Army Of Good. Her New Tablet Is Coming on Wednesday.—b
by Jon Katz
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your incredible generosity and compassion.
I greatly appreciate your quick reply to my plea to help get Sharon, a beloved poet and Mansion resident, a new computer tablet. Sharon, who is currently battling a severe illness, will soon be leaving the Mansion to reside in a specialized facility that can cater to her worsening condition and new dietary requirements.
The first one I bought her several years ago is broken and irreparable.
I got the money I needed by Sunday, plus I have $300 -$400 left over for the Mansion Fund, which has been low because of the country’s economic pressures; it has several requests yet to be filled.
I didn’t choose an Apple tablet; I found a cheaper one that is simple to use and meets her request for the kind of tablet she wanted—simple, reliable, and a specific size. Sharon is not disabled, just seriously ill. I also bought her two years of tech support and insurance.
Several people have told me they are mailing checks for Sharon; I won’t have a final total for a while. All of them asked that any overage go to the Mansion Fund.
Thank you so much for that. We have some people needing good shoes, underwear, and toiletries. I have asked some of them to be patient; we’ll get there.
And thanks once more to the Army of Good for your genuinely remarkable support of the Cambridge Food Pantry.
You are turning lives upside down in the best possible way, drawing attention from pantries and hunger everywhere. The Wish Lists we created for the Mansion have sparked many changes in non-profit fundraising.
I know things are tough—they are for me—but we have kept the flags flying and continue to do good every day—blessings to you.
Sharon will leave the Mansion shortly, waiting to know where she is going. I was sweating getting the tablet to her before she left, but we’ll be fine.
She says she’s very close to finding a place to accommodate her unique needs. People like you brighten the world—mine and everyone’s. I hope I have conveyed how grateful she and I are.
Donations are always needed for the Mansion work. I have enough for Sharon and needed it quickly. You can contribute to the fund anytime via Paypal, [email protected] or Venmo, Jon Katz@Jon-Katz 13, or by mail, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.
13 May
Sarah’s Choices For Today, Monday. Two Inexpensive Foods, Chicken In Water, ($7.93 For Four), Liquid Dish Soap, $3.49
by Jon Katz
One of the Cambridge Food Pantry’s guests—she sends me messages occasionally—says the food the Army Of Good is sending to the pantry is important because it symbolizes better times and hopes for the future. It also restores pride to their battered and exhausted parents.
“It’s a painful thing,” she said, “to not be able to get the dishwashing soap you have always used and to explain to the kids why they can’t have their favorite meals any longer; someone else decides what we eat. Don’t get me wrong,” she added, “we are all so grateful to the pantry for what we have but asking for some of the foods we love is a blessing and boon. You have to be unable to buy your food, maybe, to get it, but we can’t thank you people enough. We are feeling more human again, feel taller in the eyes of our children.”
It was good to see that message.
Sarah’s choices today are both much in demand and also inexpensive.
She’s asking for the dish ($3.49), soap, and canned chicken ($7.93 for four).
Second: Swanson, White Premium Chunk Canned Chicken, Fully Cooked Chicken, 4.5 Oz Can (Pack Of 4), $7.93.
Here they are, on the Amazon Cambridge Food Pantry Wish List, updated daily for people who wish to make their own choices. Your ability to choose what you donate is a powerful way to make a difference in someone’s life. All contributions, no matter how small, are very welcome and greatly appreciated.
A few dollars make a whopping difference. You have inspired the managers and volunteers of the pantry.
Your generosity has also transformed lives, thrilled children and adults, and restored dignity and hope to people who cannot keep up with the food prices corporations and supermarkets are charging. It’s tough to tell your children you can’t afford the cereal they love or the dinners they like eating.
We are deeply grateful for your support and cannot thank you enough for your kindness and compassion. Thank you.
I just purchased three lighting fixtures—thanks for the donations. Some of you have noticed how dark many of the pantry’s storage and supply rooms are; the volunteers often have to work in dark conditions. They will be working under bright lights now.
Three new and brigter ceiling structures are on the way. Thank you
13 May
When Lilac’s Bloom The First, Cont.
by Jon Katz
“All over bouquets of roses,
O death, I cover you over with roses and early lilies,
But mostly, and now the lilac that blooms the first,
Copious I break, I break the sprigs from the bushes,
With loaded arms, I come, pouring for you,
For you and the coffins, all of you, O death”
-Walt Whitman, when Lilacs in the Dooryard Bloom’s. Honoring Abraham Lincoln.
Our Lilacks, In Honor Of Decency And Truth
13 May
Maria’s Monday Morning Video, As Promised. She Caught Me In My Bathrobe
by Jon Katz
Maria’s Monday Morning videos have become a popular feature of her blog and mine. I’m running them every Monday with her blessing. She captures the feeling of the farm on a beautiful day.
I gave up rushing out naked to take my sunrise p photos, but I do come out in my new L.L. Bean bathroom to stay warm and to keep from horrifying people who ride buy-in cars and horse-driven wagons.
Maria can’t sometimes take her video without catching me.
I have to take it as well as give it. Enjoy it, please.
I love feeding Zip, although his belly seems quite complete. I don’t want to know what’s in there. I tossed a photo below of Zip having breakfast in the big barn, his base, and his home. It’s right below the video.
Below, Zip at breakfast in the hay bales. I love feeding him.
