Family gathering

Joint effort by Michelle and Russ gave a lovely herbal tasting bird, which was basted every half hour. I wonder if that’s why the white meat was mostly done, but not the dark meat, even though the thermometer reading said it was done. Thank heaven for a microwave to finish the dark meat pieces.

Caroline had a great dressing recipe with leaks and celery…and big chunks of hard bread…it came out great…lots of broth softened it down, and the veggies were reduced to just flavors.

Kate was the Mac and Cheese Mage. 

Audrey was the Green Bean Queen!

We even came up with titles for our contributions!

Dad was already the Fire Maker. 

Michelle was the Turkey Queen

And I was the Gravy Matron. 

My first serving included everything mentioned before with sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato rolls, and cranberry sauce - below.

The pumpkin caramel pie was somewhat sweet and may need some tweaking.

The best part of the day was being with my family!

Let's talk

 While you and your families (if you're American, that is) sit around or walk along, digesting the feast from Thankful eating...it's a great opportunity to talk about a subject dear to my heart.

Climate change. You knew that was coming I bet.

Here's a nice little TED talk about how it can be done. 

I was involved with a few others in a group we called "Climate Conversations" for a while. We definitely became more educated about our own possibilities, and some of us made big changes...one or more driving hybrid cars now.

A recent international gathering in Brazil (COP30) to discuss and maybe make decisions about climate change was less than successful...though plans are continuing, "Colombia and the Netherlands announced the first International Conference on the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels, to be held in Colombia in April 2026." 

This year marked ten years since the signing of the Paris Agreement and, despite the frustratingly slow pace of the COP meetings, significant progress has been made in the last decade. As I shared two weeks ago, global emissions used to be tracking a scenario that would take the world to 4-5C (7-9F) by the end of the century. But thanks to all the policies enacted and advances in clean energy over the last decade, we’re currently heading towards a world that’s 2.8C (5F) warmer. And if all of the countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions are implemented, the warming will be around 2.4C (4.3F). For more on where things stand post Paris, see these ten graphs.  

For example, the first graph from the NY Times shows:

Global greenhouse gas emissions and expected warming

Source: Climate Action Tracker’s most recent projection and its 2015 projection

But none of the world's biggest emitters — China, the U.S., the European Union, India — have met their Paris promises. And every degree of warming matters.  

NY Times Nov 7, 2025

The following is from Katharine Hayhoe's free newsletter "Talking Climate." 

This COP promised to be the “implementation COP” where countries would figure out how to limit temperature rise to the Paris target of 1-2C.

Much of the last-minute negotiations hinged upon whether the final agreement included a pledge to “transition away from fossil fuels.” 83 countries pushed to have this statement included in the final agreement, supported by a letter organized by the We Mean Business coalition that was signed by over 150 other non-profits, regional and city governments, and companies.  

Ultimately, however, that wording didn’t make it into the final deal. Instead, the COP30 president promised that “the issue of stronger language on moving away from fossil fuels can be raised again in six months’ time at an interim COP meeting.” 

Here’s the problem, though. There is no path to meeting the Paris targets without almost entirely phasing out fossil fuels. This isn’t rocket science; it’s basic physics we’ve understood for over a century. 

To stabilize global temperature at any level, let alone 1.5–2°C, we must remove the same amount of heat-trapping gases from the atmosphere as we emit. Although some carbon removal is possible thanks to a range of nature-based and technological fixes, from reforestation and regenerative farming to carbon capture, their capacity is nowhere near enough to offset the emissions of unchecked fossil fuel use.  

The science is settled; what’s missing is the resolve to act on it. And the longer we wait, the higher the cost. 

I no longer use paper napkins (and very limited paper towels.) It doesn't sound that big, but having the cloth napkins to wash and fold is a nice reminder that every bit counts.

Of course the biggest bits are the most important. But as we've seen with all the rallies lately, people power is how things will change on a bigger scale. So my information sharing is the way I let folks know what's happening, in order to encourage others to be out there marching and holding big signs while I can't do it myself any more.

And while I'm at it, thank you so much for reading my little blog. I love this community of people who mostly think the same as I do. 

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The great old song, Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie, from the movie of course. You might have needed to have been there to enjoy it as much as I do. 1967

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Today’s quote:

The light of love is always in us, no matter how cold the flame. It is always present, waiting for the spark to ignite, waiting for the heart to awaken...

BELL HOOKS Today’s goddess:

Tripping along 500 miles

 First day was nice weather and mostly easy traffic, a Monday after all!

My first time going through Hot Springs NC, I saw a pedestrian bridge over my highway which said the Appalachian Trail was there. Not sure if it was over the French Broad River also. I never saw where the trail came into town, which I’d heard of.

There were lots of artsy places - and I just stayed on the main highway so didn’t see where the springs were - where various pools are available for soaks.

The French Broad River was parallel for much of that first leg of my trip…with lots of hairpin turns and traversing mountain ridges! I wondered how the river was actually flowing downhill the whole way.

I tried to capture barns as I drove along…as the speed limit was pretty reasonable.

A bank in Newport TN

Then Seri (or whoever tells me where to turn on my map app) got me confused in Newport TN. That’s my story, but it might have been the many turns that has US 25 east, west, north or south. I took the wrong one, but Seri got me over to the right one, after this funny back road (at least it was paved!)

It was a really nice day driving, and stopping every hour or so to stretch my legs. Next chapter will show some of Kentucky. Once I was on the interstates, I had to find interesting places to stop.

And I have shared my granddaughter’s photo “The Piemaker” as my header…also saving it here. 

It sounds and smells like a delicious pumpkin pie!

My son Russ and his wife, Michelle, working in their kitchen. She whipped up lasagna in a couple of hours, from scratch! Russ works from home and definitely puts in many long hours.

The lost goddesses

  Max Dashu's presentation: Restoring women to cultural history: Max starts her talk at minute 21 or so.

Today there are many interesting archaeological goddesses in Max Dashu's talk. I hope you look at a bit of it, if you don't have time for the whole thing. 

She also did several other YouTube videos, about the Suppressed Histories of the Goddess. 

I was very fortunate to be in one of her day-long workshops many years ago. What a wealth of knowledge! She  spread a sheet on the floor,  then mapped out the ancient worlds by outlines of major continents. Then she presented each goddess culture that was dominant in those diverse areas in ancient times. It was amazing. She'd put a little figure to represent each goddess on the huge map at our feet as we sat in a circle, taking voracious notes!

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This lovely goddess is from the Tel Halaf culture which refers to an archaeological culture from the Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age (approximately circa 6000–3500 BCE) that was centred in what is now north-eastern Syria, in the region of the Khabur River. It is known primarily through excavations at the site of Tell Halaf, an important archaeological tell (an ancient mound created by human occupation) near the modern town of Ras al-Ayn, Syria.

Jenny Mendez Ceramics on FaceBook

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Today's quote: (Not sure I agree with this one!)

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.  -Iris Murdoch, writer (1919-1999)

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One more shot of the trip north Monday.

My initial part of the trip going through Hot Springs NC and then to Newport TN to avoid the single lane back-up on I-40 between Asheville and Knoxville…where continuing floods hit the highway. Here we had about a 5 minute back-up for construction - the only one on my whole day of over 300 miles.

The road (US  25/70) followed the French Broad River into Hot Springs NC, where the Appalachian Trail also intersects. Here was the only construction I had a delay from all day.

 

On the road again

 

This goes along with my theme of traveling. Today I'm on the road to my son and his family's home in Columbus OH. The weather reports say it's going to be rainy. Oh no! But I shall persevere! I spent one night in a hotel on the way from home, so am taking my time getting there.

I'm grateful not to be traveling the way people in Asheville NC did in 1886

For a week I'll not see my dear Appalachian Mountains. But instead I'll see my dear granddaughters and their parents (and their friends too quite possibly.)

Just before I wrote this post, I enjoyed this chocolate croissant...and almost forgot to take a photo of it! 

Though I seriously considered flying for the visit, I would not have a non-stop trip. So the worry of moving around with my carry-on in one airport or another was a big concern for my limited breathing and walking these days. The above Pan Am DC-7 was similar to ones on which I was a stewardess in the smaller airports of the Caribbean in 1963. Some places didn't have long enough runways yet for jets.

Willie Nelson sings On the Road Again at the Grand Ole Opry

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Today's quote:

Out of the quarrel with others we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with ourselves we make poetry. 

-William Butler Yeats, writer, Nobel laureate (1865-1939)

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Goddess of the day:

4000 year old mother goddess figurine 18.5 cm high -the iconography of the eyes is typical of the late Chalcolithic or early 4th millennium BC.

National Archaeological Museum of Bulgaria, Sofia.

Thanks Jenny Mendes Pottery site on FB

Statues in a pocket park commemorating public education in Berea KY. I stopped to stretch my legs on my 2 day drive to Columbus OH. More of my trip pics will be shared eventually. But of course first I’ll see my family!

It's just from getting older!

 

A week ago I went to my dermatologist. Here I am in the new-fangled gown with wings on the shoulders. My dermatologist thinks I must have spent most of my 83 years outside in the sun. Hey, I have been using sunblock moisturizers for at least the last 5 years! Before that, I worked indoors, but spent vacations outdoors at least!

He froze off some spots on my nose...so then I spent the last week covering the swollen area with Vaseline, and a Band-Aid! Here I am on Wednesday morning. I continued to have the red bump on the tip of my nose, since Vaseline is great to oil my pores down.

The band-aid is off, and I'm not sure if this scabby thing will be coming off or not. Not much improvement yet!

I'm posting blogs from a different place this week...more will be revealed soon!

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Today's quote:

Women can support each other and bring back the sacred sisterhood we yearn for at our core. Venus figure from the Siberian Paleolithic site of Mala, dated approximately 24,000 BP. There is a leaf shaped mark on her right shoulder/breast and a hole drilled in the base, presumably indicating it was worn or hung as a pendant. Source: The Mother Goddess site on FaceBook Er, just 6 more Mondays in 2025! ------------------------ And just a bit more about the Rovin' Toad (see header photo of my old camper van.) Marty, my oldest son using my typewriter, with the van's door open behind him, taken on our long summer camping trip in 74 or 75. I think it was 75. My younger son turned 8 that summer, and entered 3rd grade in Tallahassee when we finally settled again. Here's an older blog about our trip...without many details.  A photo of the real van...the only one  I have. ----------- From last Wednesday I want  to share a newsletter about NC and Charlotte and ICE and politics. Skip it if you've had enough already! Asheville Watchdog -  "Democracy Watch: How the shocking killing of a Charlotte woman has shaped the Republican Party’s strategy for winning North Carolina elections against “soft-on-crime” Democrats"

Who do you trust?

First a note about the new header (a  duplicate below because eventually I'll change the header)

The underside shows how I built the ceramic van  with slabs, painted with acrylics, and indicates the 12 years I drove that really cool van! Not sure which of my sons might like the clay version when I'm gone... 

I called it the Rovin' Toad...a play on Open Road which made the conversion set up. It slept 4 (2 children or small people up above). had a gas stove with oven, water heater, furnace, various configurations of seating/table/bed, a chemical toilet in a little closet, which we didn't use, and a few seat belts. It wasn't air conditioned, and I lived in Florida most of the time I owned it. I dream about it frequently still. The engine block froze over a long weekend in Gainesville FL over Christmas in '84.

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Back to trustworthiness.

My lifelong attitude is that people are naturally trustworthy. So a stranger is just as good as a friend who I just haven't gotten to know yet.

That's not exactly the case in all situations. Look at ICE and how people are being treated. I sure wouldn't trust anyone wearing that gear and a mask.

Strangers who give services in my home are sometimes the hardest for me to say I can trust them. A recent new cleaning person did an ok job. I'll hire her again.

But this morning I couldn't find my jewelry box (aka a glasses case.) I looked all over where it is usually kept, and nearby, and remembered the last time I picked it up and put things in it, prior to the cleaning woman, so she would be able to dust easily.

Where did I put it? Did she take it? I hate thinking that, but as I struggled with opening drawers and cabinets, that came to my mind.

I finally found it of course. And I asked myself, do I trust strangers any more?

More questions might be lurking in our social networking sites... 

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Yes, I have one of these, but mine looks different.

Just saying...

We have a president (note no capital letters) who lies continually. And now he's not only called a female reporter a "Piggie" but said members of congress should be hanged (due to the above).

Remember the Mi Li incident in Viet Nam? Look it up if you don't.

What about things that just don't add up?

Social media loves  to show us the short-comings of others... or maybe in their world cats can say Woof!

But this is just wrong!

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On my other blog Alchemy of Clay (about art) there're some great sculptures!

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Today's quotes:

Truth-tellers are not always palatable. There is a preference for candy bars. 

-Gwendolyn Brooks, poet (1917-2000)

Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits.

 -Dan Barker, former preacher, musician (b. 25 Jun 1949)

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Today's goddess:

Amazon Goddess by Barbara Rogers, 2011