Climate Catastrophe

 

Photograph taken by Rosa Arroyo
near Villanueva, New Mexico:
two of her dogs romping in the snow.

We awakened to still more snow and it continued snowing for several hours after we were preparing breakfast. I am so aware this "unseasonal weather" here and across much of the United States is another reminder that the climate catastrophe is upon us. Our inadequate, and in some areas nonexistent, preparation for such events is bringing to "front and center" that altering these ways of going about our lives will determine our future. 

I receive regular posts from Susan Wittig Albert who lives in the Hill Country of Texas. In her recent one she wrote of their preparations on their property and about what she is learning. Included in this post were "comments" and in one of these the below appeared: 

Prayer for Texas

God, they are boiling water

and it is simply to drink,

except in places

where they is no power for boiling.

They are lighting candles

when the lights have gone out,

and there are fires.

They face frozen pipelines

and frost-bitten fingers,

icy highways,

desperate nursing homes,

hospitals, and dialysis centers,

waiting lines for propane,

blankets, shelter and food,

new guidelines

for using melted snow.

Mostly, there is this new fear

among the hurricane-wise,

drought-savvy, tornado-ready,

even, thanks to Harvey,

flood-trained,

who are so blizzard-innocent.

As winds, snow, deep cold

endanger lives

across all the country,

and we grieve losses,

encourage those who restore power,

enable vaccine lines,

support those who offer shelter

with as much

pandemic-protection as possible,

we pray especially for those

across southern states,

who learn quickly,

but find themselves saying,

like folks in an old church hall –

“we’ve never done it this way.”

Amen.

                              MAREN TIRABASSI, a New England pastor

Also early this morning during sitting I read an "Earth Prayer" that seems fitting for these catastrophic events many of us are experiencing now or have experienced during this year passed.

Let there be peace, welfare and righteousness

in every part of the world.

Let confidence and friendship prevail

for the good of the east and west

for the good of the needy south

for the good of all humanity.

Let the people inspire their leaders

helping them to seek peace by peaceful means

helping them and urging them

to build a better world

a world with a home for everybody

a world with food and work for everybody

a world with spiritual freedom 

for everybody.

Let those who have the power of money

be motivated by selfless compassion.

Let money become a tool

for the good of humankind.

Let those who have power

deal respectfully with resources of the planet.

Let them respect and maintain

the purity of the air, water, land and subsoil.

Let them co-operate to restore

the ecological soundness of Mother Earth.

Photograph taken by Rob Bartlett,
Santa Rosa, California:
California Pipevine in bloom,
February 18, 2021.

Let trees grow up by the billons

around the world.

Let green life invade the deserts.

Let industry serve humanity

and produce waste that serves nature.

Let technology respect 

the holiness of Mother Earth.

Let those who control the mass media

contribute to create mutual understanding

contribute to create optimism and confidence.

Let ordinary people

meet by the millions across the borders.

Let them create a universal network

of love and friendship.

Let billons of human beings

co-operate to create a good future

for their children and grandchildren.

Let us survive

in peace and harmony with Mother Earth.

                                         HAGEN HASSELBALCH

As we all experience the climate catastrophe, whether during wildfires or hurricanes or prolonged frigid weather, may we consider altering how we live our daily lives and 

3 year, 4 month Vacation

As most of you have now read, or heard from me directly, we are leaving Santa Fe, New Mexico, to return "home", as Shasta says, "and none too soon! Let's 'shake a leg' and do it . . . now!" Of course, we are not going back to MuRefuge, rather we are looking to buy a small house, i.e., bungalow, in Petaluma. I trust just the "perfect" one will have just posted for sale as we arrive at our short term rental in Sebastopol.

AND I am considering the wonderful time we have all spent in Santa Fe as an extended vacation of 3 years and 4 months. We have experienced the Pueblo native culture and visited stunningly beautiful sites that only New Mexico has. The entertainment before the pandemic was world class and only a few minutes drive from our home. The neighborhood in which we live is the very best that the city has to offer. And as Dwight says, "this is one of the top two homes I have ever lived in." We will sorely miss our Stamm home which will go on the market March 06, 2021.

And as my friend Rob said upon receiving the picture of our Prius under 7 1/2 inches of snow: "this is your farewell from Mother Nature."

The climate catastrophe has an Arctic Air Mass hovering over most of the Central United States including New Mexico. Record snow levels along with way below freezing temperatures is causing much distress . . . and has now for more than a week in some areas. There were 10 inches in the Seattle area, enough for Dwight's daughter to snowshoe out her front door over the weekend past.

The view from our front door at about 7 a.m. 
on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.

And the view from the sliding glass doors into the backyard.

Snow is continuing to fall on and off all day with again frigid temperatures predicted overnight. 

As we are essentially house bound let us all have a frequent, good belly

Upgrades

View of a stunning sunset
from the back yard.

Upgrades to 1832 San Felipe Circle

prior to our January, 2018 purchase

•  Major electrical upgrade with a new panel, grounded outlets, and recessed lighting 
•  Wifi (in hall closet)
•  Dual pane windows throughout, 
•  New on demand hot water heater, 
•  Remodeled kitchen with a utility room addition,
•  Refinished hardwood floors with matching hardwood floors in the kitchen and utility room,
•  Original fireplace redone as Kiva style fireplace,
•  Small bathroom with shower immediately adjacent to master bedroom,
•  Updated master bathroom,
•  A single car finished, insulated garage with new garage door and storage shelving, 
•  New elastomeric stucco on the entire outside of the house,
•  And a new torch down roof which still has a full year left on its warranty. This warranty is transferrable and can be extended for $300/year

Upgrades to 1832 San Felipe Circle

after January, 2018

•  Incandescent custom light fixtures throughout house,
•  Whole house water filtration system (eliminates chlorine & fluoride) and includes outside watering as well,
•  Spark arrestor installed atop chimney,
•  Hunter Douglas honeycomb insulating window coverings throughout whole house,
•  Two (2) 515 gallon water catchment tanks to collect roof water,
•  Retractable clothes line,
•  Shower outlet was lower 6 inches and hand held shower head installed in small bathroom off the master bedroom, 
•  Landscaping: $16,000+ of organic fruit trees and native plants that use little to no additional water now that they are established. The native trees as they mature will provide shade to the West side of the house,

Evolution of the backyard:
The long raised bed on the left
and the shorter one against the
far adobe wall are covered.

•  3 raised beds (two with plastic covering which functions better than shade cloth to create “hoop” houses) for vegetable growing,
•  “Zen” curtains hung outside of the front windows to eliminate bird collisions and ensuing death,
•  Entire inside of house repainted with Benjamin Moore low VOC paint,
•  And new Trane high efficiency, very quiet furnace and air conditioning and better than HEPA whole house air filtration to reduce allergens and pollutants; all with extended warranties and  SMART thermostat.
•  Immediately after installation of the above, all of the air vents in the house were thoroughly cleaned and new matching screws applied to all vent covers.

This entire property (grounds or home) has had no synthetic chemicals applied to or used in since January, 2018, thus is suitable for chemically sensitive individuals or those with autoimmune disorders that are triggered by toxic chemicals.

Groundhog Day

Frida, the latest addition to our
neighborhood, is Rocio and Tyler's
recently adopted Chihuahua.
Frida is celebrating the 
beginning of her new life
of safety and harmony.

Groundhog Day is a cross quarter day which is half way between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. In other words, this cross quarter day marks the midway point between Winter and Spring. 

In the Celtic calendar this cross quarter day heralds the beginning of Spring and was called Imbolc for lambs' milk as this was the beginning of lambing season. The name Candlemas was the English name for this day which was the day that candles were lit in churches to celebrate "the presentation of the Christ Child" in the Jerusalem temple. It was also called Brigantia "for the Celtic female deity of light" which highlighting the Sun's halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.

Shasta and Hobbs celebrate every morning
that they meet up at Lopez Park.

I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and come unto Me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return. Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold -- all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

                                                 Doreen Valiente

As we celebrate this turning, may we all also enjoy a