@enlightenededu.bsky.social

@enlightenededu.bsky.social

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"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem he has to solve." – Erich Fromm

Captured this moment when one of my neighbor squirrels looked squarely into the eyes of a concrete cat I have on the deck. This male squirrel has a black coat and a beautiful, bushy amber colored tail. He's enjoying some sunflower seeds & seemed to all of a sudden notice that the gray object beside him looks familiar in some way...hmmm what could it be...
Photograph of some wildflowers I picked that were growing in the grass. Common Blue Violet & Violet Wood Sorrel.
Pictured is a page from 365 Tao by Deng Ming-Dao It's a meditation on DEFENCE. And one that I read often... Demons who enter your circle Must be pushed out No matter what world you walk in — office, school, temple, prison, or the streets — there is an underworld populated with demons. These are people who are avaricious, aggressive, sadistic, and cynical. They not only take advantage of others without compunction, they delight in it. They find pleasure in seeing others suffer. The why of it cannot be answered. There is only the fact, with no metaphysical meaning or other ramifications. It is not karma, it is not fate. If these people decide to attack you, it is circumstance. You must fight or be mowed down. Compassion and humility may be among the most treasured of human virtues, but they are not useful in conflict. A beautiful gold statue of your most adored god is a treasure, but you would not use it as a weapon. Virtue is to be valued in the proper context; only a sword will do in battle. Whether an attack is physical — assault, rape, murder — or whether it is mental — business intrigues, emotional abuse — you must be prepared. It is best to prepare for conflict by learning as much self-defense as possible. You will not become a bully or a monster, but instead, you will learn that you can respond to any situation. If you are never attacked, that will be wonderful. Training will still help you work out your fears, inhibitions, and anxieties. In the case of conflict, no one, not even a veteran, is ever sure that they will come out alive from a confrontation. But they resolve to go in there and give themselves a fighting chance. This in itself is a triumph over evil. Deng Ming-Dao
My faith has been tempered in Hell. My faith has emerged from the flames of the crematoria, from the concrete of the gas chamber. I have seen that it is not man who is impotent in the struggle against evil, but the power of evil that is impotent in the struggle against man. The powerlessness of kindness, of senseless kindness, is the secret of its immortality. It can never be conquered. The more stupid, the more senseless, the more helpless it may seem, the vaster it is. Evil is impotent before it. The prophets, religious teachers, reformers, social and political leaders are impotent before it. This dumb, blind love is man's meaning. Human history is not the battle of good struggling to overcome evil. It is a battle fought by a great evil struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness. But if what is human in human beings has not been destroyed even now, then evil will never conquer.” ― Vasily Grossman, Life and Fate
Tuxi cat "Alphie" splayed out in a sunbeam.
Photo of a small decorated Winter Tree decorated with white lights, glass icicles, & red ornaments.
This is a photo of a Swarovski crystal ornament hanging in the window on a snowy day. Gorgeous display of ROYGBIV.
Sunset tonight. Picture of the cloud filled sky after the sun set this evening. The band of the clouds at the horizon were a blazing red-orange. Puffy clouds above were golden yellow and orange. Gorgeous.
This is a close up of the very first bloom on my Thanksgiving Cactus plant. The morning light makes the pink bloom & the green stems ("cladodes") so vibrant.
Took this picture yesterday of a yearling buck friend who came to nap in the yard. He is used to me taking a picture or two... He is in a "loaf" position in the grass, in front of a pine tree. His antlers are just beginning to grow past the height of his ears. Really lovely to enjoy a fall afternoon with him.
Close up photo of blooming chrysanthemums. Flowers are various shades of yellow and orange.
I took this photo outside on my deck, where the sun was bright, the trees and plants are lush & green. In the foreground, a bowl of deep red cherries sits atop THE HUMAN BRAIN BOOK by Rita Carter. This pictures elements which make my brain happy: nature, learning, and healthy food.
This is a photo of a white tea towel that hangs next to my kitchen apron. The tea towel is printed with "You're the Mom Everyone Wishes They Had" in black. It was a gift from my daughter.
Cartoon of Sigmund Freud, born on May 6, 1856, by Mark Newgarden taken from 1990 Pee Wee Playhouse Calendar. Freud is pictured as a baby in a diaper, sitting in a leaky, wet diaper. He's wearing his iconic glasses, has a beard, and is holding a notepad & pen. He looks puzzled and says "Hmm."
Photo of a single violet I just picked while making a quick trip outside to the recycling bin. It just rained and the grass is littered with violets and dandelions. Gorgeous.
This is a close-up photo of the peanut oatmeal cookies I just baked. I tried out a new recipe... it's a keeper.
FEMININE - Mother is the feminine principle. She represents the yin, the anima, the receptive, the earth. Though she must at times take the role of the masculine principle, it is the feminine which gives her power and from which she draws her strength. She teaches her daughters to respect their feminine nature. She teaches her sons to respect their feminine side and thus all women. The truly feminine mother never cringes or defers. Her strength is unshakeable, like the earth upon which we walk but which can topple us with a single deep breath. - The Tao of Motherhood by Vimala McClure
Daffodils in a clear vase on a cherry wood round coffee table
My daughter sent this picture of Alphie, her tuxi cat, lying on his back in a sunbeam.
Kitchen prep area with cutting board, knife. Cabbage, carrots, & onion ready to begin making Kapusnyak, a Ukrainian recipe for Cabbage Soup.
Local grocer's ad for shrimp on sale next week: "Wild Caught in the Gulf of Mexico!"
Picture of two brothers sitting in a chair. The older brother is holding a new born and gazing at the baby's face. The younger brother sits at his side and appears disengaged, head down, staring into space. The caption reads: THE MOMENT HE REALIZED HE WAS NOW THE MIDDLE CHILD
This is a photo of some very impressive icicles hanging from the roof over the back deck. The sun was setting and illuminated them with golden shimmers.
Ring camera captures neighborhood cat visit.
Photograph I took on a cold, dark night of my little Winter Tree. The room is dark except for the glow of the white lights on the tree.
This is a strip cartoon from the great Kate Beaton entitled "INTERVENTION". 1st frame: A man is pictured intently playing the game Hungry Hungry Hippos. A worried woman stands beside him & pleads "This addiction is tearing us apart, can't you see!!" 2nd frame: He looks enraged as she falls to her knees beside him in a desperate plea: "The hippos will always be hungry" 3rd frame: Woman is standing alone sobbing with her hands covering her face "They will never be satisfied"
Two gray squirrels peeking their heads out of a hole in my backyard tuliptree.
Photo I took of a candle illuminating a framed poster I was given by a colleague after we survived that first covid year. There is a rainbow design in which a few bands contain this Amanda Gorman quote: "For there is always light If only we are brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."
Photo of my backyard neighbors I took in June: Two grey squirrels peeking out of their hole in the tuliptree.
Large green New Jersey Turnpike sign that says "Welcome to New Jersey" Beneath it is a smaller brown sign that says "We don't ban books here"
New Jersey Turnpike sign which reads "Welcome to New Jersey" Beneath it a small brown metal sign was added which reads, "We Don't Ban Books Here"
From the Failed Tattoos File, a tattoo on an upper arm which reads: "Never don't give up"
December poem from Maurice Sendak's Chicken Soup With Rice. Illustration shows three children excitedly entering a room with spoons in hand. They are looking at a small tree decorated with baubles & soup bowls. A dog is in the foreground quietly eating steamy hot soup from a dog dish on the floor.
Photo of my small Winter Tree
Picture of a white mug filled with black coffee & a small plastic human skull floating on the surface.
Thanksgiving coloring page of an elderly woman proudly holding a platter with a whole turkey.
My Pee Wee Herman doll sitting on a book in my library.
Photo of a wood fire burning in a fire bowl.
Photo I took during a snow storm of a very fluffy little tufted titmouse finding shelter in the hemlock tree outside my 2nd story window. He is looking directly at me and stayed in that spot for about 20 minutes.
Photo of Alphie, tuxie cat, sitting on the landing between upstairs & downstairs. He looks comfy, sitting on his tail, back to the wall. Staring into camera as if to say, "You're not going to ask me to move, are you??"
This is a picture I took of my daughter & SIL's tuxie cat "Alphie". He is lying on the floor looking up at me through a blue and green play tunnel.
Illustrates the paradox of tolerance, which is a philosophical concept by Karl Popper, suggests that if a society is too tolerant of intolerance, it risks the eventual dominance of intolerance, which would undermine the principle of tolerance itself.
Photo of a very cute tuxi cat lying on his back in a sunbeam.
Photo is of a bowl of homemade soup
This is Alphie, my daughter/SIL's tuxie cat. He's pictured relaxing with a silly pink hat on.