Giving Back

[lydamorehouse]

Mason is off volunteering again today. He's been putting in regular four-hour shifts at a local church, feeding our neighbors and kiting up street medics. He told us yesterday that he'd like to get Red Cross certification so he could be a street medic in the future, if needed. (This may also be the thing that finally motivates him to learn to drive, too, because they are always looking for people to run transport to the hospital.) I think it's tough to be a social justice-minded teen right now. I think he'd really like to be in the front line protests, but he's sixteen. I'm so glad he's found a place to concentrate his vast energies for good. albeit behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, I will admit to some fatigue. The only thing I could do, politically, today was pick a couple of folks on the list of community organizations seeking funds to rebuild/support various efforts and donate: https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/30/how-to-give-back-to-your-besieged-community/

Included in this list is a GoFundMe for George Floyd's survivors. Please circulate widely, if so moved.

I'd like to blog about some of the other things in my life, but to do so seems frivolous. Minneapolis/St. Paul is on fire for justice and the fact that my irises are blooming, the radishes sprouted, my one POUND bag of wildflower seeds showed up today, and something is wrong, maybe, with my jack-in-the-pulpit as it's pulpit has turned yellow (but the internet says so long as the leaves are fine, it's probably doing something natural) all seems minor in comparison. 

Comments

[rachelmanija]

Mason is the best. I agree, becoming a street medic and learning to drive would be very useful. Depending on state laws, he's very likely old enough to be certified as an EMT.

I'm still interested in your garden. Though I too feel insensitive to be thinking about mine.

[lydamorehouse]

I will look into the EMT stuff, because I think Mason would really love starting to learn that stuff, if he can.

You did notice I managed to sneak in my garden news. I almost texted you a picture of the radishes which have sprouted in very orderly rows (I accidentally bought them on "seed strips' where the sides are pre-sorted into individual seeds on a biodegradable strip of paper-y stuff.) I realized why my other seeds failed, though. The pine tree has left behind very acidic soil. Fortunately, radishes love acid soil and apparently so do peas, I think? I will live high on peas and radishes come summer.

[cynthia1960]

The minor stuff keeps you going, which is something to be valued and celebrated.

[lydamorehouse]

I almost included a picture of the irises. Perhaps tomorrow. :-)

[minoanmiss]

I'm a randm person rummaging my Networks page, and I wanted to say that we need the small pleasures of life to sustain us through disasters. I hope to surf by tales of your garden and more talees of your wonderful, giving young man.

[lydamorehouse]

Thank you. I'll be sure to post all that again soon.

[pameladean]

I know what you mean. I had gathered myself to make a quotidian post, and George Floyd was foully murdered and it seemed so trivial.

We all have to go on, though, one way or another. And small pleasures like irises and radishes really do help.

P.

[lydamorehouse]

I will definitely post the picture of the iris and the small radishes tomorrow.

You're right. We do all need to go on.

[bibliofile]

Yay Mason for helping out and also making future plans.

When I was a kid, I remember planting radishes in the garden because they grew so fast. It was very satisfying. (I don't like radishes, but everyone else in the house did.)

Plants keep growing no matter what we're worrying about. Whew.