Monday Morning Musings:
Hold These Truths
“Legacy, what is a legacy?
It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see”
From Lin-Manuel Miranda, “The World Was Wide Enough,” Hamilton
Hold these truths,
make a declaration
to secure light and rights—
for all
recall the whispers of freedom,
the shots—and the deaths–
repression, hope, freedom
cycle over and again—we’re here
on the precipice, the earth beneath crumbling. . .
listen to the crows,
ancient wisdom carried from shadowed time
to glowing dawns of robin song
Early Morning Light, Shadow, River, and Birds
Now as berries ripen under a blue sky,
hold fast the simple joys, sunshine and love,
cake and cats,
drink some wine–
the storms will come—rain, snow, wind–
but so will spring, each one full of if,
a flower of possibility waiting to bloom.
Today is the Fourth of July, Independence Day, the day the Declaration of Independence was published. (It was actually signed on 2 July.) In this document, the thirteen colonies declared independence from Great Britain. Through the Revolution and post war period, America was a confederation of states. Our United States came with the Constitution, written in 1787. This is the document that set up our branches of government and lays out our rights and freedoms—some in the original document and Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments), and its subsequent amendments. A minority of reactionaries are trying to destroy our democracy, aided by a rogue and reactionary Supreme Court. The Fourth of July feels very different this year—like drinking a toast on the Titanic after it’s hit the iceberg. We need to rescue ourselves—every vote in November matters.
In need of escapism this week, we finished The Umbrella Academy and Stranger Things ( a title that sounds like a warning of what’s to come.). We also picked blueberries.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
beautiful .. happy 4th Merril! 💖
Thank you, Cindy. Same to you. 💙
Beautiful work, M; both the writing (inspirational) and the photos. Salute, and Thanks for sharing. July 4 is big in my life, too, since it’s when My Beloved Sandra and I got started… Have a GREAT day!
Thank you so much, Ron. for stopping by and leaving such kind words. Wishing you and your beloved Sandra a lovely day! My daughter and her husband celebrate their wedding anniversary today.
beautiful, love your intro photos
Happy 4th July
Thank you very much!
Your prose, poetry, and photos give me hope, Merril. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and truth. Some how we will make it through these turbulent times. ❤
Thank you so much, Colleen. ❤️
I have to hope so. It will take everyone working together.
I agree. It will test us more than we, as a democracy, have ever been tested before.
I think so, too. 😞
Happy 4th Merril. Beautiful photos – we need visible beauty to help offset everything else.
Thank you very much, Susan.
I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment:”The Fourth of July feels very different this year—like drinking a toast on the Titanic after it’s hit the iceberg.” My husband and I spent the day yesterday on a scenic drive, just enjoying high summer on the back roads.
Thank you, Liz. It’s nice you and your husband got out.
You’re welcome, Merril. My husband and I really needed that day out!
Strange and troubling times indeed, Merril: and your words chime with them!
Thank you very much, Ingrid.
It does feel different. The city is very quiet, not celebratory at all. My neighbor who decorates wildly for every holiday still has her Pride flags up–she didn’t change them to red white and blue. The only other flags I saw when out walking this morning were Ukrainian…
But voting is so important. And in primaries and in local elections. I know so many young people that don’t vote at all because the candidates aren’t “pure” enough. I think there was 23% turnout for the recent primary here.
I know I’ve said it before, but you have such a beautiful place to walk. And your photos are always wonderful. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. We weren’t in the city, but I know there were events planned. Lots of flags flying around here. . .
Voting is so important. I hope people can be convinced to vote blue.
Fingers crossed.
💙
I wish you all well
Thank you, Derrick.
When you think about it, so many of the ideas that we use as framework (or props) for our laws and beliefs are just old, outdated and often (like most sacred texts) barbaric. They all need an overhaul, pruning and weeding. The big fear is that public opinion is no more humane now than it was 4000 years ago.
Yes, I’ve heard people say we should rewrite the Constitution, but I can’t imagine trying to re-form our government until some other things are fixed.
You’d want to be very careful about who you let rewrite it…
Yes, exactly.
Here it’s just tinkering with the Constitution. It’s not considered sacriligious
Well, our tinkering has been in adding amendments. That hasn’t been considered sacrilegious either, but the new reactionary wing considers everything they don’t approve is sacrilegious, and the reactionary members of the Supreme Court agrees.
Plato wouldn’t have stood for it. There’s a lot of his ideas that obviously sound rather out-dated now, but the core issues are the same. How you stop the idiots destroying a great idea.
😊
Sorry I’m late, Merril. I had a difficult time scrolling beyond the first photo. It’s stunning!
Aww–thank you so much, Jill!
Beautifully done, Merril. And as always, your photos, sublime!
Yes, your country needs to rescue itself! And hopefully, people will go out and vote!
We are on episode 2 of Umbrella Academy. I still haven’t touched Stranger Things – on my too-long list!
Thank you very much, Dale.
Every day seems to bring new awful things.
Both shows are fun. I like how they handled Elliot Page on Umbrella Academy in this recent season.
My pleasure.
And it does, unfortunately.
We have not yet see how they handled it and are looking forward to it 🙂
What a delightful feast for the eyes, so many points of beauty and wonder to just sit with. I feel pain in your words “the earth beneath crumbling” It must feel strange right now, I have no concept of how you are feeling about it all or what it means more personally, but I do have a sense of grief as I watch what appears to be a crumbling nation right before our eyes. It seems that justice is absent.
Thank you so much for reading, Paul, and for your kind and empathetic words.
It is very scary, and too many are in denial. We need a mass movement to fight those who are intent on destroying our nation.
Yes, a groundswell of aware people, hoping that will come, and soon. An axial moment.
💙
Merril, I’ve got shivers of fright thinking of what is happening in the USA.
I truly hope Dems turn out in hoards in November.
Yet, if they win by a landslide… will new laws in some states take the wins away?
There is an ill wind that brings an odd odour.
Thank you, Resa.
It’s scary–and hard to say what will happen. The GOP will definitely contest wins by Dems.
Sick!
😞
Your photos are stunning! thanks for sharing. Am sure happier times are up ahead for you
Thank you very much. I hope so!