Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

3 November

Flower Art, Sunday, November 3, 2024. Making A Stand For Color, Light, Beauty And Hope. No One Is Stealing My Soul

by Jon Katz

What I see outside my bedroom window in winter is wonderful… I like my life.” –  At The Denver Museum, Georgia O’Keeffe.

Around us, life bursts forth with miracles  – a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops; if you live in awareness (of yourself), it is easy to find miracles everywhere.“— Thich Nhat Hanh

I think O’Keeffe and Thich Nhat Hanh were saying the same thing.

I say this every morning and a dozen times a day.  People who live in an awareness are blessed. Maria is the first person I knew well who does this day and night, wherever she goes. Some people are aware of the miracles of life; many people are too busy or greedy. I’m learning to see the world anew. My photography and flower pictures are a significant part of that.

 

 

Every flower is a miracle to me, waiting to share its secrets. I’m stuck on Tulips at the moment; they are so beautiful and open.

Flowers have all kinds of secrets…

They can dance and sing.

 

 

A fire in a flower’s eyes;

We are getting to the heart of it.

The light inside of us…

Grace

 

3 November

Americana: The Old Farm Trucks And Wagons

by Jon Katz

The symbols of old rural America are disappearing rapidly; new barns are made of aluminum, old ones collapsing, and the wood sold for fires. Once in a while, I come across an ancient farm wagon that used to travel from place to place selling produce.

A neighbor was good enough to save the wagon and keeps it in his back yard, a precious piece of America in the day’s way before supermarkets. Some farmers just put their wagons on the road, and people could put payment in a jar or bucket. This may have been one of those.

The old culture is gone chiefly now, Americans are not good at preserving historical treasures.

3 November

Sarah’s Requests: Still Seeking Cereal And Ramen Noodles For The Back Pack Program For Children.

by Jon Katz

“We are out of cereal and Ramen Noodles for the backpack children,” says Sarah. I know how much people have contributed; we are grateful, but if anyone in the Army of Good could help us with these two items, the families and the children (and me) would be grateful. Sarah found the best bargains possible from Amazon for both.

The backpack program is a collaboration between the Cambridge Food Pantry and the Central School in Cambridge. With the help of teachers, the school identified children who may be without nutritious or adequate food over the weekends. We pack the backs full of warm dinners, snacks, energy drinks, and food and stuff them in backpacks Thursday morning.

This gives those 67 children warm meals throughout the weekend. Those two items are critical for the children:

Because of the record-breaking number of people coming through the pantry, these two items—staples for the backpacks—are gone; your help would be appreciated.

 

Cereals.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Breakfast Cereal, 12 Oz. Cereal Box, $1.99.

Life Breakfast Cereal Cinnamon, 13 Oz  Boxes (3 Pack), $8.62.

____

Ramen:

Nissin Top Ramen Noodle Soup, Beef, 3 Ounce (Pack of 24), $18.97.

Maruchan Ramen Port, Instant Ramen Noodles, Ready To Eat, 24 Count, $6.00.

Maruchan Ramen Chicken, Instant Ramen Noodles, Ready To Eat Meals, 3 Oz. 24 Count, $6.00.

 

 

You can access and browse the Cambridge Amazon Food Pantry anytime, day or night, by clicking on any of the links here or going to the green button “Cambridge food pantry” at the bottom of every blog post. Thank you for helping; you are heroes here. The wish list is updated frequently throughout the day. Everything on it is wanted but either impossible or difficult to find.

 

 

 

 

 

3 November

Bud Comes In From The Cold

by Jon Katz

The philosopher Thomas Aquinas taught that animals were not direct objects of moral concern but presciently forbade cruelty to them. Aquinas warned that those cruel to animals would inexorably “graduate” to people, an insight bolstered by decades of research. He was the spiritual founder of the animal rights movement but would have been horrified at how cruel it has become to humans in the name of loving animals. How ironic.

I often think of Aquinas when I see Bud sleeping comfortably by the fire or in a patch of sunlight through the window. Bud also reminds us to learn mercy and hope that also graduates to people.

The vet who brought Bud back to life in Arkansas told me he nearly died from exposure to the cold. Boston Terriers have short snouts that make it hard for them to cool and warm themselves in extreme weather. Whenever the temperature gets chilly or bitter cold, we make sure Bud’s visits to our doors are very brief. If it’s freezing, we put the paper down near the bathroom so he knows to go there if he can’t go outside.

This morning, Bud was much too cold to be outside for more than a minute or two; he always found the spots where the sun was coming through or curled up near the wood stove. We have to be vigilant with Bud if he is hot on the trail of a mouse or mole or chipmunk, he would freeze to death before giving up. We have to make sure he comes inside. t lifts the heart to see him warm.

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