Image created at Strong Family Initiatives

Julia Ward Howe published her Mother’s Day Proclamation (1870) in response to the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War, calling on women to use their power as mothers to create peace. Mother’s Day itself was really the work of three activisits – Ann Marie Reeve Jarvis, Howe, and Anna Jarvis – which was proclaimed and promptly co-opted. This Mother’s Day, celebrate the feminist spirit and call for peace. Blessed Be!

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Arise, then, women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts, Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.”

From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice.” Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means Whereby the great human family can live in peace, Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask That a general congress of women without limit of nationality May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient And at the earliest period consistent with its objects, To promote the alliance of the different nationalities, The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

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1. Kitchen sink rag/sponge/scrubber holder
2. Doorstop
3. Spoon rest
4. Use it as a bookmark/bookholder so you can read the recipe book without holding it
5. Hadrian’s Wall – the sequel
6. Break it into pieces and make a mosaic on the coffee table
7. Frisbee
8. Macrame a planter around it
9. Put legs on it and use it as an occasional table
10. Let the kids use it in an art project (bonus points for fairies and/or princesses)
11. Put it under the wobbly table leg so the table sits straight for once
12. Paperweight
13. Tray to keep your jewelry on at night
14. iPhone charging station
15. Postcard display tray
16. Cake plate
17. Suncatcher
18. Curling rock
19. Emergency bailing bucket (handy for those Sunken Canoe Trips)
20. Fire starter (bonus points if it’s for science)
21. Ping pong paddle
22. Curling iron stand
23. Cheese and cracker plate
24. Ant farm lid
25. Use it in place of the other lid that you broke last week

Or you can do what Steph suggested and carry it around to garage sales until you find a dish that matches. You’re welcome!

Three Generations - Just a little surprised

It’s my Dad’s 70th Birthday today. Yesterday we surprised him with a birthday party of family and friends – he TOTALLY didn’t know it was happening until the elevator arrived at the “wrong floor” – and I made sure to grab a quick photo before everything got crazy.

Three Generations - Awesome tiara, Dad.

My Dad was the person to get me into computers – back when I was 8 years old. I remember him playing on a TRS-80 at Eaton’s (geez, this sounds so dated!). Not only did he purchase one for our house, and push for them in our school, but he then helped organize computer  classes for adults in the evening for our community. My sister and I also went to computer classes (Basic and Logo) during the summer at a local Radio Shack, and I was lucky enough to accompany him on a few meetings of the computer user group that he has joined. That wasn’t all he did, of course. Beyond the “usual” dad stuff like coaching teams and making sure I got my homework in (mostly) on time, he:

• Made me practice (over and over and over) until I mastered parallel parking, a skill that’s come in handy more times than I can count.
• Drove 14+ hours to take me on a campus tour of Augustana and then, when I decided that was where I wanted to be, drove back and forth several times over the next few years to bring me home on holidays.
• Taught me that “measure twice, cut once” works for everyone else, but maybe I would be better off letting someone else measure instead. (Three times, three different numbers, a lot of laughter.)
• Told me that I could do it, and then cheered when I did. (Well, except for that measuring thing, but I guess he also showed me that sometimes getting help is a good thing.)

Happy Birthday Dad! Thanks for being the most awesome you that you could be. (Oh, and I’m probably still using your computer to upload things to Dropbox, so thanks for that too.)

I purchased a travel yoga mat in a lovely lavender, and then realized that this bag (which my mom made out of flannel) would be the perfect place to store it. I threw in my yoga strap but left my block at home, thinking I can always find “something” to substitute. (I’m thinking Xander’s “The Hunger Games” books are about the right size.) My yoga playlist(s) already live on my iPhone so they were right at hand. (I could even add a few more playlists from Yoga Journal if I’m needing some new inspiration.)

A few Sun Salutations later, and I’m feeling much more centred (or I was until the phone rang, grr). I’m looking forward to trying this out at the hotel on the weekend (because I’m also in the ‘Peg for a conference) and doing a few poses with the nieces next week!

My actual bridge images didn’t turn out well, but you can see many more pictures at the  Calgary Herald or on Flickr. Things we loved about the bridge include the colours and the fact that the sidewalks are raised and lit (clearly separated from the wide bike lane in the middle). It’s going to be great using the bridge to get downtown, whether by bike or foot.

Of course, we’re not the only ones excited. Here’s a clip of the first band to play on the Peace Bridge, Rotary Park (because everything’s better with a band):

Market Collective runs tomorrow from 11-5 with many more artists on stage, not to mention all kinds of artisan’s tables and installations. If you’re in the neighbourhood, check it out!

Today marks 20 years since I was called to serve the Goddess, since I named myself Witch and took my place amongst those reclaiming, remembering and revisioning a new world into being.

In that spirit, I make the following poetry offering to Brigid on her sacred day, as part of the Seventh Annual Brigid Poetry Festival. The words are a scrap of poetry by Sappho, translated by Anne Carson. Blessed Be!

stars around the beautiful moon
hide back their luminous form
whenever all full she shines
on the earth

      

        silvery