Older Generation

Now we are the "older generation." With the passing of Martha Nadelhoffer on my 71st birthday, May 14, at about the time I was born in Los Angeles, California, as well as the passing of William Gardner on April 07, 2015, the older generation of our parents, et.al. is no longer in their physical forms.

This is a copy of a very early holiday greeting card picture from Eva'a picture collection
 of
Pearly Clyde Haynes born February 20, 1880 & passed September 24, 1967
and
Anna Wilhema Ernsteina Koch Haynes born February 19, 1883 & passed January 02, 1968
aka Grandpa and Grandma Haynes

This is a copy of a picture my mom gave me. From the notation on the back she says the picture was taken looking at the front porch in Wesley, Iowa, before the addition to the South side of the house and the house was raised for a basement. She ialso dentified those in the picture. I have added the passing dates that I have.
From left: Anna Kock (Cook) Haynes
     born on 02/19/1883 & died 01/02/1968 
          holding Irene Berth born 07/04/1914 & died 10/13/2010
     Clifford (half sibling) born 09/25/1904 & died 10/17/1919 of ruptured appendix
     Harley Walter born 05/25/1908 & died 05/11/1979
         on his knee, Martha Alma born 08/09/1912 & died 05/14/2015
     Evelyn Pearl born on 06/30/1910 & died ?

Those not yet born were in chronicological order:
     Erwin Joseph born 09/19/1916 & died 06/10/1978
     Arlene Margaruite born 09/21/1918 & died 01/20/2004
     Pearly Clair born 05/22/1922 & died 11/21/1965
     Donnadelle Ann born 06/03/1924 & died 12/02/2007

"My 3 boys Ma Haynes" is notation on the back of this photo
Harley
PC
Erwin 

June, 1947
Weslely, Iowa
Haynes' sisters from left to right:
Donna
Arlene
Eva
 Irene, pregnant with Barbara Jean
Martha

There is some copies of ancestral lineage information in my file cabinet. Would anyone
like copies of what I have on the Haynes/Koch (Cook) side?

BEing the older generation, well, I must say I am having some difficulty getting my mind
around that concept. I am reminded of what Grandma Haynes use to say, "everyone  around me is getting older except me." I would be interested to hear what each of you feel about this issue and of immortality which, of course, this is all about.

I still see Grandma Haynes in her garden. Often when I am out working and BEing in my garden I feel her presence supporting my work of restoration of MuRefuge. Do any of you have a connection with or thoughts of/about either of our grandparents? Please feel free to share them.

Native milkweed for the monarchs and native Globe gilia for the pollinators.

Native coastal milkweed amidst the Globe gilia in a "cut out" in our South facing patio.

As we each contemplate immortality may we 

Ducklings' Update

For those of you following the story of the 2 female Indian Runners who came to MuRefuge at just under 2 days old, here's an update on their 8 weeks birthday. They are getting use to BEing with their big sisters. 

Yet these two youngsters spend most of their day floating about in the small pond, aka old bathtub, with one or all four of the older ducks, BEing vigilant, sitting nearby.

I am reminded that not all of you know the history of "laugh" so perhaps I could elucidate this signature reminder at the end of each post. I learned from the late laughing coach, Annette Goodheart (yes, that is her real given last name), that to laugh at what is not really funny in one's life, a cathartic process, releases emotions in the body. She use to say, "you have survived the trauma but the emotions of that trauma remain. Laughing discharges thse emotional remains of the trauma." So please feel free to freely

A Message from Kwan Yin

I received the below forwarded email message from my friend, Louise Cochran, who lives in Vermont. The message seems to me to be an important one for each of us human BEings so I am posting it here for anyone interested to read.

A modern day Kwan Yin sculpted by Dwight.

KwanYin on the Earthquake in Nepal
Posted: 01 May 2015 05:51 PM PDT

I asked my Teacher,  Kwan Yin, to help us understand the terrible catastrophe and suffering in Nepal.  This is what she said:

At one level of understanding, the earthquake is simply an event in the ancient cycle of the massive tectonic plates scraping against each other and releasing enormous amounts of energy.  As you know, this is the geological source of the entire Himalayan range.  One must not ignore this level of understanding; it is foolish to grab some apocalyptic or punishment frame of analysis or interpretation.  It is absolutely not a judgment or a punishment.

All people suffer, regardless of their personal wealth or the level of development of their country.  It is deeply challenging to live in a human body.  Yet it seems such an event can be a stunningly powerful “tool” for awakening countless human beings to the deepest possibilities of compassion, inter-relatedness, and generosity.  It reveals instantly the ridiculousness of the claims of ego.  Perhaps counter-intuitively, it also reminds many of the stunning preciousness of human life.

Nepal has long been the seed-bed of profound spiritual understandings and practices, from the first generations of Hindu practitioners to the highly erudite Buddhist monasteries and wandering devotees.  The Himalayas have been extraordinarily fruitful.  And all this has emerged within the relative cycles of geologic compression and release.

May this great earthquake also serve to bring profound awakening both to the people of Nepal, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and figure out their relationship to modernity and self-governance, and to her friends and fellow citizens around the world.

Light candles and say prayers.  Send money, keep in touch, and encircle the country with your heart.  Encourage yourself and others to grow as deeply as possible, in response to the suffering of the region.

Thank you.  May I post this on my web site?

Yes, of course.  Now, keep your mind calm and open, and do what needs to be done.

Thank you very much.

As each of us ponders this message may each of us