Update about blogCa

Who knew all this would happen afterwards! Welcome to my little town.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Flowers to admire

 

From the internet


From my neighborhood

A friend gifted me some peonies, and I found a vase that  seemed right to put them in.

I'm so proud of all the people who are persisting by marching and holding  signs to express outrage. When's the next day of marching against the autocrats?

Sharing with almost... Wordless Wednesday


Some quotes:



"The official Facebook announcement for the Mary Oliver Shop dropped on April 1, fitting for something that feels like an April Fool’s joke. “Created with care and intention, this storefront gives fans and readers a way to carry Mary’s words out into the world.”...

"Mary Oliver is one of the best-selling poets of all time—whatever that means. She and her estate likely haven’t made evil-billionaire money by selling poetry collections but surely that means something. I doubt her close friends have nefarious motives for selling a tote bag that says “If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate.” But if this store isn’t a cash grab than that means it’s something else.

"Mary Oliver died without becoming a brand and yet became one anyway and maybe that’s inevitable. Maybe we don’t know how to love anything anymore without turning it into something commercial. Maybe we don’t know how to admire a person without turning them into a one-dimensional persona either: a collection of quotations devoid of context, a bumper sticker, an inspiration.' "

by Tove Danovich - in Substack article May 8, 2025 -
 "Mary Oliver has a store now: Let the soft animal of your brand shill what it shills"





My sculpture of Kali, the goddess of destruction (aka a spiritual garbage collector).


And reality check from Jay Kuo regarding the House of Representatives passing the Big (BAD) Budget Bill:

"...it’s fair to say that nothing that the House does right now—whether it’s deep cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, the canceling of green energy projects, or blowing a huge hole in the deficit yet again—really matters in the end. The Senate is going to change this Big Beautiful Bill, and probably by a lot."

15 comments:

  1. Another outlet to boycott! If I want a Mary Oliver quotation, I'll embroider it myself.

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    Replies
    1. Before I saw this Facebook article on the shop of Mary Oliver, I had purchased a shirt from our Tailgate Market with a saying attributed to her...though I don't remember ever reading it in her poetry. My bad!

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  2. I love all your pretty flowers, the poems and your photos Barb!
    The peonies look lovely in the vase.
    Have a great day and happy week ahead.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Eileen. I love starting out the week with pretty things.

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  3. Replies
    1. The ones outside were just staked up so they wouldn't drag, but the very next hot day they all started loosing petals and looking forelorn.

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  4. ...I love peonies, the ants not so much.

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    Replies
    1. Fortunately we haven't ants in our buildings, as they spray regularly.

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  5. I like your peonies, but I struggle to know what is so bad about a Mary Oliver store.

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    Replies
    1. She isn't represented in any profits, any decisions, and yet they are using her copyrighted materials. Slightly illegal.

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  6. Peonies are so beautiful. Mine haven't opened yet.

    .

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    Replies
    1. You can be enjoying yours while ours have died.

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  7. I like the pottery and the sculpture. The poem about love/glove made me laugh.

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  8. The next big day of protest is Saturday June 14th! There are several different themes but in my location it is "NO KINGS".

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  9. Ah, peonies! So lovely, Especially in your vase.
    I love that sculpture! I knew you did pottery, but not sculpture too. So talented, my friend.

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There is today, more than ever, the need for a compassionate regenerative world civilization.