Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year Celebration in Amsterdam

Today is Chinese New Year and is the celebration of the year of the horse.

I found this photo of the dragon on the web in celebration in Amsterdam.

I started celebrating Chinese New Year when I became a host family for Mengting. We were together for four years before she moved on to Notre Dame. Mengting became a part of our family in every way. We taught her our American customs, and she her Chinese heritage.

This year is no exception to the celebration. We will all wear red, share each other's cooking, play Chinese New Year games and send off a small lantern into the night to end the celebration. Karen is hosting the party this year, all I have to do is figure out a way to get there!

So. wear a little red on this day, and perhaps give a salutation to your friends, "Happy Chinese New Year!" 

Until tomorrow,

Lou Ann

And so January continues...

Photo courtesy of the Angola Sheriff's Department

My winter photos have become common place now. They also have become common place with you as well. I love this one in particular as it really shows how vulnerable we are to weather, especially winter this year.

I have also, of course, been watching winter slide across America through photos on Facebook and the news. We complain. We groan. We wish for Spring, but in our heart of hearts do we love what we cannot control?

We are in charge of so many things in our life. I have always enjoyed the fact that weather still happens and we must live in the middle of it.

If you have a photo you would like for me to share this January, please send it on to my email address: Locketoftime@aol.com

Since I am not out and about I would love to share your photos this winter.

Until tomorrow,

Lou Ann

A Storyteller Remembers Pete Seeger

 

 

Dear Friends,

 

I have been wondering today how we live without Pete Seeger in our lives? He was the inspiration for our hippie days, our homesteading days and our current lives in the face of politics and art. He knew how to bring community to all who gathered at his feet or around the record player.

 

A few years ago I had the privilege of hearing him perform at the National Storytelling Conference in Jonesboro, Tennessee. He was to do the gospel sing on Sunday morning under one of the largest tents. Ellen Munds and I got up extra early to make sure we had good seats. It was a cold morning with frost on the ground, but a lovely sunrise.

 

And there he was...Pete Seeger. I think I began to cry at the beginning of his show. He sang all of our favorites and everyone sang as well. At the end we sang acapella, Amazing Grace. By then everyone was standing and weeping all at the same time.

 

I will never forget that experience.

 

Thank you Pete Seeger for all you gave us. I can't help but weep now as I write.

 

Good night to Pete and farewell to one of America's greatest musicians, activists and human beings.

Until tomorrow,

Lou Ann

Icy mishap leads to quite the lifestyle change -

Icy mishap leads to quite the lifestyle change - KPCNews: Kpcnews



Dear Friends,



Just click the above link for this week's column! As always, thank you for reading.



Lou Ann

Eridanus the River

Eridanus the River from "EarthSky"

A week passes and the blog goes untouched.

The story: Last Thursday afternoon I slid on a patch of ice. This slide resulted in the breaking of three bones in my ankle and a trip to the surgery department at Lutheran Hospital on Friday morning. Needless to say, the world again goes into topsy turvy mode and everything changes. 

My cast is the size of a watermelon, but not quite so colorful. Each day that passes brings folks to my house with gifts and stories. Could this be like the Magi?

Today's blog is a view of the constellation Eridanus the River. This can be followed from Orion. This constellation is not able to be viewed from the city or even the suburbs. It is visible in the darkest of nights. I chose this because possibly our best work, our best person is visible in the darkest of nights as well.

I have had these dark feelings for a week while beginning the recuperation process, depending on others, and watching the world from my small perspective. It is during these times we can see Eridanus the River.

The next few weeks my blog will be filled of stories from those who visit, poetry from friends, and photos from other cameras. I might even lift interesting tidbits from past blogs.

Until tomorrow, try to find the darkest of skies to view Eridanus,

Lou Ann 

Tonight's rising of the Wolf Moon..

The Wolf Moon compliments of Earth and Sky

Tonight is the rising of the Wolf Moon. It was named the Wolf Moon by the Native Americans in northern and eastern United States. By this time in the winter, food supplies were scarce and the wolves would often circle these villages and howl during the night. I must say that I would find it difficult to sleep if there was howling around my old house!

It has also been know as the Old Moon or Moon After Yule. This January full moon will appear to be the smallest in size to the viewing audience.

If you live in my area, tomorrow evening, January 16, you can join me and others at Wing Haven Nature Preserve for a celebration of this full moon and a hike down to Little Gentian Lake. The event sponsored by Acres Land Trust,  begins at 7 and will conclude by 9. Please dress warmly as the temperatures will be in the single digits by tomorrow evening.

No matter where you are please enjoy the Wolf Moon this evening.

Until tomorrow.

"Suddenly the sky turned gray,..."

Indiana photo by Rachael Link

The snowfall in Indiana last week produced many photos on Facebook. As much as folks complain about the cold and snow, it is also the topic of conversation and photographs.

Rachael lives out in the country and just happened to snap this photo of the barn on her property. As you can see there are no footsteps towards the barn and the large bush is in the way of chores as well. I have to wonder about the farmer or farmers who once lived there bracing the winter weather to milk the cows, feed the pigs, scatter grain for the chickens and help with the lambing. 

The photo brought the poet, Melville Cane, to mind immediately. Cane was schooled at Columbia University as an attorney and worked in legal copyright. He died in 1980 just a few days short of 100 years old.

I hope I won't be in trouble to copy his poem here. Melville, I give you all the credit and my readers will love it!

Snow Towards Evening

"Suddenly the sky turned gray,

The day,

Which had been bitter and chill,

Grew soft and still.

Quietly

From some invisible blossoming tree

Millions of petals cool and white

Drifted and blew,

Lifted and flew,

Fell with the falling night."

Melville Cane