For the past year, my moods have ranged widely from melancholy to frustration to anger and outrage, cycling through those emotions on a near daily basis as our federal government descends into what appears to be a bottomless decline. A man who can no longer put together a coherent sentence and seemingly lacks even a basic concern for the people he was elected to serve, much less the concerns of our allies in other countries, runs amok, encouraged by enablers and politicians who support him because they fear his bully tactics. His demands to "take" Greenland, an independent country already aligned with one of our European allies and with whom the US has an existing agreement relating to a US military base onsite, took me over the edge last week. And then what clearly appears to be yet another murder of a US citizen by poorly trained ICE agents directed by dubious tyrannical leaders as he sought to exercise his Constitutional rights to protest in collaboration with his neighbors in Minneapolis threw me over the cliff into despair.
I've been trying to pull myself out of that hole and I promise I'm not going to turn this garden/plant-focused blog into a political platform but I felt like I had to recognize the moment. I haven't attended a protest since last year but I feel it's almost inevitable I will again this year. Meanwhile, I've signed plenty of petitions this year and made another contribution to the ACLU yesterday, the first of what may be many donations this year as I hope to see a sharp turn in the direction of our political climate as we head into our midterm elections.
The following photos captured on Monday helped center my feelings. Perhaps they'll have something of the same effect on you.
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| Sunrise over the Port of Los Angeles |
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| Clouds marked by a variety of contrails |
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| Clearer skies as the morning proceeded |
Here's a link to a song that captures the need to look forward:
All material © 2012-2026 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
The frustration and sadness is felt by so many, it's still unbelievable to me that we are here. I do think you're right, change is in the offing. The walk was a good idea, getting outside. I don't know how to cope otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI attended the first Women's March in downtown LA early in the orange guy's first reign in office and I felt such tremendous hope at the time. To be where we are now astounds me. Frankly, I'm even surprised that he could go as low and be as brutal and unfeeling (as well as demented) as he is now.
DeleteThe events that are happening boggles my mind too and makes me extremely wary of people. I'm thankful that we are now living in a more progressive area of the country, but of course no place is immune. I hate listening to the news and try not too, but I know that keeping quiet and letting it all slide by is not good either.
ReplyDeleteCalifornia in general has remained progressive, although it has its rabid spaces too. I've always followed the news closely but I've dramatically reduced my consumption as well. However, the jerk in the white house (what's left of it) insists on generating near constant chaos and I for one can't manage to cut it off even when I actively try to do so.
DeleteI couldn't agree more with what you said. And I find clouds to be a marvelous distraction from the daily chaos, so thank you for these photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gerhard. It's so hard to accept what our country has become. The optimistic part of me wants to believe the tide is turning, if not as fast as I'd like to see.
Deletewhen poets and nurses are classified enemies of the state...
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to fathom, isn't it? Although we've all been schooled in what's happened in the past both in the US and other countries, I thought we had guardrails to prevent precipitous declines like this...
DeleteI feel that we can't allow ourselves the distraction of turning away from the news. As tempting as it is. There is a line though, wallowing in despair does no good either. We are in a horrible place. I've never cared so much about mid-term elections. Garden and nature walks, as well as remembering to look up (your cloud shots are lovely) are very important to our well being.
ReplyDeleteStriking a balance to maintain one's own sanity is key. I'm not always adept at compartmentalizing. I feel that the US population is turning more clearly against the orange guy and his minions but I worry about their willingness to manipulate data and voting processes.
DeleteIt is important to take care of ourselves and to not let them kill our joy. That is worth fighting for. Thanks for the showing the beautiful sky and uplifting music.
ReplyDeleteI agree, although getting beyond the ugliness isn't always easy. However, I joined a local protest yesterday and, as is usually the case with such events in my experience, it was positive and uplifting.
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