Regarding my last post about the crisis in South Dakota, Christine asked,
"Good heavens, do you have an update on this? "
Yes, Christine, help is still needed - and I hope everyone will contact their representatives to make this situation clear to them!
Native American Heritage Association
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Thank you, lovely readers! And happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!
From HUNAP:
January 28, 2010, Cambridge – Native American Caucus students at the Harvard Kennedy School are taking action in response to the inadequate national response to the crisis on Indian reservations in the Dakotas due to severe ice storms and freezing temperatures. Last weekend, a powerful snow and ice storm ripped through the region, felling power lines, and cutting off power and water to thousands of South Dakotans, many of them on the Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Indian Reservations. When full power and water will be restored remains in question.
The ice storms cut off electricity in an area about the size of Connecticut. With no electricity, no heat, no running water, and a wind chill below zero, a crisis is mounting. The Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has declared a state of emergency for his community and is calling for immediate assistance.
The tribes are working hard to bring families in out of the cold into shelters. The South Dakota National Guard, the State’s Department of Public Safety as well as the Army Corps of Engineers have come to the reservation and supplied some emergency generators. Help also is coming in the Red Cross and other tribes. But even with this assistance these tribes, among the poorest communities in the United States, are not able to meet the overwhelming needs of their communities.
Outside the frozen plains of the Dakotas, this human crisis has received little attention. The Native American Caucus student organization at Harvard Kennedy School would be grateful to American citizens to give the spotlight to their fellow Native American citizens. They are in great need of your help and aid. The American People need to be aware of this emergency situation.
To assist the Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Tribes, contact Stacy LaCompte at Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place at (605) 280-8588.
MEDICAL NEEDS: Dialysis Patients/Glucose Strips/Financial Support for Hotels
The dialysis patients have all been evacuated three hours away to Rapid City , SD. They are staying in hotels for at least a week and half, probably longer. Financial contributions are needed to help the families pay for their hotel expenses and food. An account has been set up at Wells Fargo to help with these expenses. You can contribute at any Wells Fargo or send to the Rapid City branch. Link To News Story
CONTRIBUTIONS:
Wells Fargo
Cheyenne Dialysis Patients (c/o Dew Bad Warrior)
Acct. #: 5815904338
1615 N 7th St.
Rapid City, SD 55701
Medical Items Needed on the Reservation (shipping address below):
° Glucose Strips
° First Aid Kits
° Children’s Tylenol
° Children’s Cough Syrup
FINANCIAL DONATIONS:
The Tribe has depleted its emergency budget with the two blizzards that already hit the reservation since December. It needs funds to help buy food and supplies for the community and volunteers, to pay for gas and overtime for the workers, to replace the motor at the water pump station that was destroyed, etc.
WIRE DONATIONS TO:
Cheyenne River Sioux 2010 Disaster Account
Direct to: United Bkrs Bloomington ABA # 091 001 322
Beneficiary Bank: Account Number 250 3373
State Bank of Eagle Butte
Eagle Butte , SD 57625
Final Credit: Account Holder @ UBB Customers Bank
Account Holder: CRST 2010 Disaster, Account Number 103173
MAIL CHECK DONATIONS TO:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe/2010 Disaster Account
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman’s Office
Attn: Ice Storm Emergency Fund
PO Box 590
2001 Main Street (Tribal Offices)
Eagle Butte , SD 57625
CHEYNNNE RIVER SIOUX CONTACTS:
Robin Le Beau, Chairman’s Assistant: (610) 568-2101
Joe Brings Plenty, Tribal Chairman: (605) 365-6548
CRST Emergency Coordination Center : (605) 964-7711
I subscribe to The Daily Om. Today's message was one that really spoke to me. In this economic climate, I often hear people complaining that someone makes "too much" money. Chef Jeff will respond to such a complaint with the comment, "How much is too much? $100 more than the complainer makes? $1,000? $10,000? How much should the person make - and why does the complainer think they have the right to decide that amount for another human being?"
The truth is, there is more than enough to go around, for everyone. An attitude of abundance - and sharing one's blessings - increases one's prosperity (and that doesn't just mean financial prosperity, but a prosperity of the soul - friendships, joy, awareness...)
It is only when one begins thinking from a sense of abundance rather than a sense of lack that one realizes that it's ok - it's even great - for someone else to have more than it seems they could ever utilize in one lifetime. That means it's possible for us to receive such blessings in this lifetime, too!
Be happy for people who are blessed. When you are blessed, share with an open heart. Have confidence that The Universe will provide for all of your needs. Ask for, and believe in, abundance.
May you have abundance in all things: health, wealth, and happiness.
An Instrument of Change
Wealth Is Neutral
At its most basic, money is a tool that enables us to meet our individual needs. As a form of potential energy that empowers us to generate change, it is neither good nor bad. Yet many people react emotionally to issues concerning finances, unconsciously condemning currency itself, the manner in which money is spent, and people who live lives of financial abundance. Individuals who are rich in gifts such as high intelligence are acknowledged for their positive traits while those who have acquired material riches or aspire to become wealthy are frequently judged harshly. However, wealth is not a trait upon which judgment can be legitimately passed. It tells us nothing about how a person lives, what they believe in, whom they care for, or the scope of their values. Like any blessing, wealth is merely an instrument of purpose that can be used both constructively and destructively.
From an early age, people learn to court wealth while simultaneously associating money with greed, selfishness, and unethical behavior. Consequently, this idea becomes entrenched in their hearts as envy. To attain a balanced and rational comprehension of money, as well as a fairer perspective of wealth, we need to recognize that outward manifestations of wealth tell us little about the individuals enjoying those blessings. When we feel the finger of jealousy prompting us to draw unflattering conclusions about people whose lives seem more financially secure than our own, we should remind ourselves that there are many elements of their circumstances we cannot see. Their wealth may be the result of long hours of taxing labor, they may donate a large percentage of their resources to charitable causes, or their bounty may be an incidental aspect of a life spent doing what they love. Ultimately, we can heal our hurtful associations with money by turning a blind eye toward both wealth and poverty when interacting with others and instead focusing on the individual before us.
If you take a moment to consider you own feelings regarding money and wealth, you may discover that you equate financial prosperity with happiness, power, security, independence, or self-indulgence. Money itself, however, is none of these things. You can begin developing a healthier view of wealth by simply accepting that while some possess great wealth and others do not, we all have the potential to create lives of beauty, substance, and wisdom using the resources we have been granted.
A feature write-up about Jeff's grandpa appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today. It is here.
We've created a memorial website for Bill, which can be found here.
I also found a couple of photos of Bill in his younger days, which I really like. Thought you might like them, too.
Hey! Help the Tuppinz pups support Spay and Neuter Day 2009!
Kary entered her boy, Diesel, and I've entered Emma & Molly, and we're having a friendly fundraising contest.
But I also supported Bella, and we think she deserves a ton of votes... won't you donate in her name? That little girl really deserves some donations to be made in her name!
Please spay and neuter your pets, and please support your local shelter - they need your help now more than ever.
Yay for "recycled" pets!
Musings on the February Lady Sweater:
1) A lovely pattern... for someone who isn't pear-shaped like me.
2) I like the color I chose, but I don't like the "Factory Farms" yarn. Splitty.
3) Come to think of it, I don't much like "Factory Farm Yarns" itself any more. I had an awful time with their interchangeable needles. I did some research online and found out many people had trouble with them. Yes, I know they are exchanging them out... but for how long? And why should I have to wait when I want to knit?
I also had several poor experiences with "Factory Farm Yarns'" customer service. We're talking bad enough to make me cry.
I then heard that "Factory Farm Yarns" allegedly asked for information from an American craftsman (someone I actually know) about how his product was made... and promptly took that information, and resources from the craftsman's supplier, and had their own similar product manufactured overseas. The craftsman's handmade items - and his family - took a hit. Not cool.
I realize that "Factory Farm Yarns'" prices are "good" - but with those low prices comes a lack of personal attention. When I made a goof on this sweater using "Factory Farm's" yarn, I certainly wasn't going to be rude enough to take it to my LYS to ask for their help. So I saved some money, but who did I have to help me out?
And if I don't support my local LYS, they may not be there in the future! That's more important than ever with the little hiccup the economy just had. I'll be damned if I'll see Dixie ever go out of business, after she and Cindi were so kind and welcoming to me. If not for the LYS, I probably wouldn't have any friends in this town, as that's the only place a farmer lady gets to meet others - and I've met so many dear people there! (Hi Sue, Sonja, Dianne, and of course Michelle!)
I don't buy factory farmed meat. As with my food, I want to buy local when it comes to my yarn and needles - needles that I may just need the same day in an emergency, rather than a week later... and ones which I expect to last a lifetime rather than fall apart on their first outing.
So I'm making a couple of resolutions for 2009:
Buy local in all things and support vendors in my community. If I need something they don't have, I'll buy from another small vendor (I will be loyal to YDK but I can continue shopping at The Loopy Ewe for Araucania, and because of their great personal service.)
No more "Factory Farm Yarns". I'm not sending my dollars straight to their executives' pockets, with no benefits going to the poor people in other countries who make their allegedly copied stuff.
No. More. Sweaters. I need simple, meditative knitting that I can pick up at any time, without following a pattern - especially with Chef Jeff here after his company's reorganization! [SHOOT ME NOW, SHOOT ME NOW!] I just gave over half of my clothes to Goodwill because, living on a farm, I never wear anything that isn't sweats/fleece or Polartec or denim.
With four dogs jumping on me all day, I definitely do not need a lace cardigan. (A lace shawl, though, to take away this constant chill, would be a good thing. And that's what I'm going to cast on with my YDK yarn just as soon as I've ripped out this cardigan. Maybe before.)
And I would like to knit more for charity in 2009 - helpful for my mental state, and helpful to someone who actually needs clothing.
Now, what to do with my "Factory Farm Yarns" stash...? It's bugging me to look at it. I feel like a sellout having it here.
Hi gang. How've you been? We've had a busy summer here at Tuppinz. It's been two years since we moved here, and we still haven't made a dent in the junk the former owners dumped hid "forgot" when they left.
Let's just say they might not have had the best environmental policies. Between the paint and chemical cans, and the 30 (so far) tires we've cleared, we're having to pay quite a chunk of change for someone to sort through it and for appropriate disposal.
When we left our last house, it was clean and tidy, the lawn was mowed, and we didn't steal all the lightbulbs when we moved out. Just sayin'...
I learned an important lesson from the previous owners: when people advertise how "religious" they are, it just might be because they're compensating for guilt in the ethics department. Then again, they might just not care about lying, if it helps them achieve their goals.
No, it hasn't been an easy time thus far. The move, Chef Jeff's new job, and the serious illnesses and subsequent deaths of my father, our three dogs, and our cat were not made more tolerable by (to mention just a few things): a bathtub that leaks through the kitchen ceiling; constant seepage in the cellar; incorrect and potentially dangerous wiring and plumbing; laundry and bathroom pipes that freeze solid in the winter; and a bedroom that never gets above 45° during snow season despite $500-per-month propane heating bills. Top it all off by discovering structural defects due to an undisclosed fire and "reconstruction" they did themselves, and it leads one to believe that the last folks here had never heard the phrase, "sins of omission."
Why didn't we hire a home inspector, you ask? Actually, we did. Now that was money well spent. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard the seemingly endless stream of repairmen say, "It'd be cheaper to tear the house down and rebuild, than to fix all that's wrong with it," and one even asked, "Did the inspector actually see the house before filling out his report?" Apparently any schmuck can become a "home inspector." Next time (well, there will not be a next time, but if there were,) I'd hire an actual general contractor. Those that can, do, as they say... those that can't apparently hang out a shingle and pretend they're qualified to give advice.
So there it is: Hobby Farm Mistake No. 1 - the Big Kahuna of them all: believing that, because we're honest, other people are, too. Well, just because someone has the letters of an accreditation organization next to their name, or their parent was a minister, or they attended a Bible college, or they teach vacation Bible school and paint sayings about the Lord on their kitchen wall, doesn't make them honest. Silly us, the naive city people getting taken in by the "honest" country folk. Won't happen again, I can tell you. We can learn to use the tractor, take care of the animals and the land, and give vaccinations or trim hooves from books (and we have!)... but getting royally robbed is one lesson that can only be learned by living through it. I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemies (which, now that I think about it, would be those who did it to us. Better give me a second to re-think that... Nah, you know me better than that. I have faith in karma. Wonder if they'll be coming back as slugs...)
Despite the various "surprises" that awaited us in this house, (which have caused me significant stress and sorrow though I try to keep it from you all, as this is supposed to be a positive blog), I hope I'm still the kind of person who "uses her powers for good." That's one less victory for the Dark Side, so poo on them.
But I have met many truly good, moral, generous, inspirational, and kind people since moving here, so there is still hope in my little world!
I believe the animals' energy is helping to clear some of the bad residual karma from the farm. There's nothing like a happy bunch of animals thankful that they didn't end up at market to cheer a place up. When we're outside, it's actually pleasant here. One sign that our respect for the land is paying off - this gorgeous Antheraea polyphemus moth caterpillar I found the other day:
I'm continually amazed at the striking coloring of the Nigerian dwarf kids. Pansy's Elfine (Jeff calls her Elephant) is still the tiniest goat of all, but fun-loving and just as naughty as her sister and cousins. The little ones give me palpitations by slipping out of the paddock gate and hollering for their mamas, who obviously can't follow. No, it's too much work for them to go out to the pasture to graze - they'd rather be in the shade, nibbling on pine or willow, while screaming for the other goats to join them. Of course, the other goats, furious that they can neither taste the goodies nor go out to pasture without the babies, bellow right back.
If you've never heard baby goats' calls, let's just say that there's probably a reason the little ones are called kids - imagine a cranky newborn human, but ten times the decibel level. Sometimes, we even get an echo here in the valley. It's not fun at vaccination time.
I'll be glad when they're a little bigger and can't slip through the gate any longer.
Sitka is Elephant's Elfine's half-sister, and she, too, gets her amazing color patterns from her father, Dexter - that is him behind her, and Sitka's sister, Sequoia, just behind him. He was wethered under sedation by our vet, so now can spend the remainder of his life living with his family and the other goats.
Elfine was the last of the kids to be born here, as we can't bear to send any of these intelligent creatures off to unknown futures, and certainly can't afford to keep more than the 24 we have! So much for the goat breeding idea... but goats are truly good for the soul. There's nothing to bring a smile to your face like a goat's antics!
Believe it or not, I have gotten some knitting done the past couple of months. When I think of the amount of knitting and spinning and dyeing and creating I did before moving here, it seems unbelievable. You fiberartists thinking of getting sheep - don't say I didn't warn you, if you're not careful what you wish for! Most days I can't even fit in a shower, much less fiber time.
Here are a couple of hats and half a pair of mittens I've done for Macuwita Sni. I've used STR in the Bunny Foo Foo and Pink Granite colorways combined together on the left hat. Bunny Foo Foo was used for the mitten and the hat on the right.
The hat pattern is from a recent Spin-Off magazine*. It claimed to enable the reader to make the hat using any gauge yarn. Unfortunately, no formulas (think Elizabeth Zimmermann percentage system) were provided - only two variations of the hat in two particular handspun yarns.
I finally got the formula figured out and now will be able to make the hat with any yarn. The flap nicely covers one's ears and the back of one's neck. In future, I will start the hat with seven or eight sections, as six just makes it too peaky. But I love that it's knit top-down! No casting on a bazillion stitches - by starting at the top, I can stop increasing at any time when the circumference is appropriate to the intended victim wearer.
As for the mitten, I was determined to learn to knit one from the fingertips up. It's that casting on a lot of stitches thing again... just hate that. I think it worked well - next time, I will try a round fingertip area, so that the mittens will fit well on either hand no matter where I choose to place the thumbs. With this one, I'm going to have to remember to make the next one with an opposite thumb. That's a mistake waiting to happen...
The blue yarn is EZ's "thumb trick" - I'll just remove it and knit around until I have a thumb. I hope.
I found the percentages for a patternless mitten in Knitting In The Nordic Tradition
Well, I know this will come as a shock to you (not!) but another abandoned cat has shown up. Jeff named him Squeaky II (Squeaky I showed up last year, and was adopted by our vet... I don't think we can pawn another feline off on her, so Squeaky II is here to stay.)
He's an extremely handsome and friendly boy, and has actually helped the other cats to get along a bit better by somehow evening out the teams. He's quite relaxed in his new surroundings, as you can see.
In exciting news, Miss Tikki's new (used) Circle Y Flex Tree saddle arrived, and it seems to fit her! I also got a great deal on a 100% wool 1" saddle pad, which will help keep her comfortable (that's not it in the photo, though.)
I had a setback on my SparkPeople healthy eating program (my own fault and I admit it!), so I won't be hopping on Miss Tiks any time soon, but we've been working on training and walking along the road to see how she does with cars (just fine!) so we're still making some progress. The exercise is beneficial for my fibro pain, if I don't overdo it.
The other donks received pressies as well - custom fly masks and booties from Linda Long. She stands behind her work 100% and is great to deal with.
Yeah, we bad!
Does anyone else get the feeling that Buffy the duck and 'Zola the Jacob ewe are having a good laugh at the donkeys' expense?
The ducks keep laying eggs outside the henhouse (fine by me - tho' duck eggs don't taste any different than hens', there is something about the idea of eating them that gives me the heebie jeebies.) We come across nests in unusual places, like beneath this white pine:
I'm careful to keep the dogs away, because the one time Emma got hold of a rotten duck egg, she hid it in her mouth until she was back indoors, and then popped it in the kitchen. That was not a good day on the farm...
We have a guinea hen on a nest in the pasture right now, so we're hoping that one of the other guineas is a male so that this one will actually hatch out the clutch and we'll have more tick-eating keets this fall. It is SO nice to be able to walk through the pasture without dozens of ticks latching on! Guinea fowl are the way to go!
Jeff and I are betting against each other about Eggbertina's gender. As s/he grows older, I swear I see saddle feathers - an indication that s/he may be a rooster. But s/he hasn't crowed (despite being twice as large as any of the other young chickens - but perhaps that's due to being house-hatched and hand-fed?) What do you think? Don't let the beard fool you - the only chickens with facial feathers around here are all girls.
There has been a decided chill in the air at night the past week - perfect sleeping weather. In my book, there is no more glorious season than fall, and I'm enjoying the beautiful sunsets we've been having lately:
Pic by Chef Jeff
Pic by Chef Jeff
May you be well and happy, my friends. Remember - no matter how many problems you have, there is always beauty to be found when living in the moment. Sometimes, it's more helpful (and hopeful) to see the small picture. Just don't forget to keep the camera with you!
* Anyone else getting a tidge irritated that Interweave continues to force subscribers to log on to their website for patterns, rather than including them in the magazine? Why not just go completely paperless, then?
I have joined SparkPeople at the suggestion of another donkey-riding gal who is trying to lose weight for her mount's sake. It is wonderful!
If you join, look for me - I'm TIKKI-N-ME over there.
It's like Ravelry, but for nutrition and exercise - lots of easy, motivating tools to help you live a healthy lifestyle. Like Ravelry, it'll suck you in for two or three days while you learn your way around and get your preferences set up, but it's worth it! Enjoy!
At Kary's suggestion, I have also joined Kiva - a site that helps aspiring entrepreneurs in developing countries receive direct loans from those who can help - no wasteful overhead in fundraising. When your loan is repaid, you can help another person, one-to-one. What a wonderful idea. (Kary is always a great inspiration for ways to help the world be a better place!)
Hope your day is as motivating as mine! I am now off to KNIT, to put some oil in my lamp. Maybe I will have something to show for it next time...
