July 4th, 2022

[H2O Man]

Sitting on the stones in the 90 degree heat, I stop to wipe the sweat from my brow. It has been a beautiful day to work in the garden, pulling weeds. But this old bag of bones can feel a storm coming, and the leaves on the trees at the edge of the woods indicate it will be a strong one.

A chipmuck is sitting half-way up the nearby compost pile, enjoying a snack as it watches me. Luckily, it is too hot for the cats to be out in the garden, and this tiny being is safe to fill iys belly before heading under the stacks of firewood to sit out the approaching storm.

As the Neil Young CD comes to an end, as all CDs eventually do, I can hear a house wren singing in the distance. It is setting on top of the small birdhouse that house wrens have occupied for the past twenty-five years. I'm reminded of Chief Waterman's saying that the songs of the smallest birds are the most beautiful music.

I add the piles of weeds I've pulled to one of the compost piles as a few drops of rain begin to fall. The dark clouds from the northwest are moving in faster than I can put what tools I've used today into the garage, then grab the CD player and stack of CDs and head inside.

The dog, who has a strong dislike of being out in the rain, signals that she must go outside immediately. So, of course, I take her out. She immediately goes around to the back of the house, and stares at one of the two gray fox that come for a meal of corn and sunflower seeds under one of the bird-feeders. The female fox always runs at the sight of the hound, but the male stares back in between mouthfuls of food. The dog's tail wags at a high speed, before we leave the fox and head inside to stay dry. It reminds me of a cartoon my children watched about a fox and a hound.

Soon after we get inside, the fox disappears into the woods, and a young buck comes for its fill. He always comes at about this time, like clockwork. This evening, he decides to come close to the house, to eat some buds from the hege roses for desert. I am always impressed with how quickly their antlers grow at this time of year. As the wind and rain pick up, he heads under an apple tree at the edge of the lawn, and curls up to sit out the storm.

The electric, internet, and phone go off for about 15 minutes. I find myself thinking about how previous inhabitants of the house watched storms here, long before electricity, much less telephones or the internet. There are flashes of light, although I cannot see the actual lightning bolts. But I can sure hear the thunder!

In a short time, the power comes back on, and I tend to things like re-setting the clock on the stove, then turning the computer back on. The storm continues to rage, as I melt into the couch and drift off to sleep. The next thing I know, the dog is licking my ear, and it is morning.

Drinking my morning cup of coffee, I take my morning jog down the information highway. I see that two of my friends have posted memes about there being no reason to celebrate the 4th of July, because Democracy is dead. I ask if we should at least hold an Irish Wake? But no one thinks I'm funny, except me. Still, I recognize it is time to be serious.

Democracy is not dead. It has been injured, seriously injured, by attempts to deny people their rights. The Supreme Court is vile, and the republican party poses a threat to the concepts expressed in that Declaration of Independence. I remember being in grade school, and learning that in the Revolutionary War, the colonists had learned the best way to fight the English troops, who fought in stiff formation, was to copy the style of the Indians.

Chief Waterman used to say that human beings were the only non-essential species on this earth. He said that this means we are here to study and learn from the natural world, with the knowledge that we are part of its web of life. Storms come up every so often, and the current climate is indeed severe. But it isn't the end of democracy. We have President Biden, and the Congress -- including the J6 Committee. And we have millions of people at the grass roots level.

Our job at that grass roots' level is to be organized to do use our weapons -- which include Amendment 1, and voter registration & education -- to pick off republican politicians at all levels. That's what the 4th of July, 2022 means to me.

[NBachers]

1. I find myself replying more to the pleas for donations- making small donations across the board,

and filling out their petitions. This, of course, means that the stream of requests is becoming a flood, and the flood will become a tsunami. But it's one way I can do my part. Still working at 73, I'm lucky to have job, benefits, and be functional enough to put in the 18,000 steps a day my work requires. I could use new shoulders, knees, and a new foot, but if I keep moving, I'll keep living. I'm working today, and I'll work the 4th. I'm lucky to have a woman friend who wants to go out hiking together on our rare days off.

[H2O Man]

2. I get daily requests

for financial donations, both from candidates and groups backing democratic politics. Being retired and on a limited income, I'm only able to send money to a few select candidates. I sign petitions, even though I know they are of limited value. I do wish that more of the grass roots groups would send requests for actions, rather than money. Those that only ask for cash soon get removed from my e-mail list.

[Hekate]

3. Thank you. Your perspective means a lot.

[H2O Man]

4. Thank you!

I'm ready to keep fighting for this country. Non-violently, of course. I think about the lessons of Gandhi and King a lot lately.

[malaise]

5. Beautifully written as always

Keep fighting bro!

[H2O Man]

7. Thanks!

I'm just warming up for November. We are going to kick the stuffing out of the republicans, across the board.

Did you see where Trump is talking about announcing his 2024 candidacy? Must be he thinks that provides him with some type of legal protection.

[spanone]

6. 🇺🇸K&R🇺🇸

Happy 4th H2O Man

Thanks!

[H2O Man]

8. And to you & yours!

The 4th belongs to us, not them.

[H2O Man]

9. Happy 4th of July.