Some Serious Snow February 14, 2007

We’ve received between 12 and 18 inches of so or so here in Cleveland, and it’s no joke!  I measured the drifts at my house and they’re about 18 inches and the driveway measured in at about 12 to 14.  I had to stay home from work because I was literally snowed in, and that is very unusual, especially since we are pretty much ready for big storms around here.  I looked out my window this morning and almost no one was driving (we were actually advised to stay off of the roads today).  Road conditions were so bad last night that visibility was close to zero, and it took me close to three hours to get home from work.  When we did get home, it was all I could do to get the car off of the street and into the driveway.  At that point we were plain stuck because I couldn’t barrel over all the snow in the drive, even in a 4×4. 

It’s a bit odd to think of global “warming” at a time like this, but it’s not so strange to see this as evidence of climate change.  I’m reminded of Al Gore talking in “An Inconvenient Truth” about how climate patterns all over the world are becoming less predictable and more chaotic.  In the middle of a long, hard blizzard that caused massive snow accumulation – I can see how new climate extremes are beginning to rear their ugly heads.  Here are some photos to give you the full effect.  The snow plow couldn’t get past my stuck car, so I had to shovel a small “path” just so we can walk down the driveway. 

           

Little Big Muffins February 11, 2007

Tonight we made organic, apple-cinnamon, mini-muffins.  A simple recipe, I just added a bit of diced organic apple and organic half-and-half to a mix I bought at the store.  Aria and I have been enjoying them already tonight, although we actually made them as a grab-and-go breakfast item for this coming up week.  Hopefully they’ll last ’til then!

This weekend has been one filled with cooking, relaxation and today, spiritual cleansing.  We heard the sermon of a substitute pastor at church this morning (he’s a friend of our pastor’s and was serving our church in her absence today).  Even at appearances, it was obvious the pastor’s message would be unusual today.  The substitute pastor was a tall man of African-American descent who spoke with a big, booming voice.  Our regular pastor is female, relatively soft-spoken and Caucasian.

I bring this up mainly because I couldn’t help being reminded of Martin Luther King, Jr. as the pastor spoke to the congregation this morning.  His message was powerful.  I was moved to tears more than once.  He talked – like Martin Luther King, Jr. did – about how the world is not as it should with regard to human equality and justice.  He said, the world is more ”inside-out and upside down” than it is anything else, where so much of our western culture idolizes celebrities with, at best, questionable public personnas and supports politicians with, at best, questionable agendas.  Despite this, we must, individually, consciously and continuously strive for an ideal (“a dream”) of divine justice by working to make this world a better place for the less fortunate.  We are called to care for those who cannot do for themselves now.  Not only for the sick and the suffering of today, but also for those who cannot yet do for themselves. This includes our children and future generations  - those who will be here long after we are gone.  To the children and generations of the future we have a responsibility to live right – or at least, to live a little more mindfully of others.

So as Aria and I eat our “mini” muffins this week, I hope I’m reminded that it’s the little things that matter.  It’s the little acts of caring about our environment, of reaching out a hand to open a door for someone else, of giving a little of our time and money - that will acumulate and grow into something much bigger.  It all matters, and it can lead to the change needed to preserve us as a people, to preserve our place on this planet we call home.

“Momentum Building,” Finally? February 5, 2007

A panel of the world’s leading climate scientists and gov’t officials is reporting that momentum is finally building across the world about the global warming crisis… but they also report that the problem is so huge, it is not really “stoppable” at this point.  We can only hope to make it less severe.  However, since the climate change effects are going to be so dramatic, we absolutely have to make every effort to curb the problem at the highest possible human level.  To not act would be, as South Africa’s Environmental Affairs Minister said, “indefensible.”  Even with this latest report, which the Bush Administration has reportedly praised, the U.S. is still not agreeing to mandatory emissions cuts – saying that the desired cut-backs can be achieved through reliance on new technologies to curb greenhouse gasses and decrease the burning of fossil fuels.  That’s great and all, but if you read the article about the report, it’s crazy that we’re still “allowed” to not take stronger action.  We continue to effectively do nothing but allow selfishness to reign supreme.

Groundhogs Up Earlier this Year? February 1, 2007

This headline takes the cake.  “Global Warming Wakes Groundhogs Earlier.”  It’s a serious article, and although the title might sound comical, it’s based on scientific findings!

Family Inspiration February 1, 2007

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here.  In short, life got in the way.  My Grandparents have been so kind as to travel to Cleveland to help me solve some unexpected and difficult home maintenance problems.  They truly are “super-human” and unbelievably service-oriented people, really an inspiration.  As such they’ve made many a trip here from western Kentucky to help me out when times get extra tough.  This time the downstairs toilet went kaputz (and was deemed relatively inoperable by the plumber I’d called), as did the ice maker and several previously working doors in the house.  I’m sure that’s more information than you want to know, but I just thought I’d share the reason I haven’t been around for a while.  Back to the main subject of this blog, one of the frequent topics of conversation during my Grandparents visit was their noting the change in the contents of our food pantry and refridgerator.  My Grandmother asked me whether I’d started shopping at the health food stores, and I said, “yes.” And she said, “well isn’t it much more expensive”?  I replied that yes, it was but if you make a list and get just what you need, it’s still doable on a budget.  Especially if you shop at one of the larger eco-friendly stores like Wild Oats or Whole Foods versus the family owned grocery that also stocks organics.  The more established chains can afford to have a sale once in a while.  My Grandmother seemed to be ok with that rationale, and that made me happy – because her opinion counts an awful lot!