“The lady’s not for turning”

I cannot allow this day to slip away without noting a significant passing on the world stage.
Baroness and Lady, Prime Minister and mother, wife and world leader Margaret Thatcher, quietly departed this world today at the age of 87.

I admired Mrs. Thatcher tremendously. She was a woman who dared going where no woman had ever trod. She dared speaking her mind in a male dominated world and stood by her convictions, never wavering. This is not a forum for those who do not agree with Mrs. Thatcher’s politics or her leadership style. This is not a forum for disparaging remarks towards democracy or those who ardently fought to maintain (or those who continue to maintain) that of a “free” world.

Yes I know there are many who disagree in my stopping to take notice of this once very powerful world figure and the loss of her this day— and that’s ok. I know there are many who would tell me that I have no idea what I’m talking about as I am not British and did not live in England during the time she was Prime Minister. I did not live in England during WWII, nor was I even born at that time, but that has not stopped me in my deep admiration and appreciation for Sir Winston Churchill and the gift of freedom I take for granted today because of his non-tiring efforts in preserving my very freedom. A freedom that Margaret Thatcher continued fighting for.

I appreciate Mrs. Thatcher for a myriad of reasons but the most obvious is for the way she carried out her leadership style– doing so with grace and dignity. She let other woman know that they could lead, still be a woman, a wife, a mother, have strong convictions and beliefs all the while maintaining a graciousness of self.

So it is on this day that this one woman offers her appreciation to another woman for a job well done. Good show MT

Beware of the Beavers

Last fall, while out walking in the woods, I came upon this most odd looking tree. My husband informed me that the poor tree was intended for a beaver dam but it appeared as if the beaver decided at the last minute to pick a smaller tree. I was amazed at what this small animal was capable of doing to such a huge tree.

I know that anyone who has had to contend with beavers and the “breaking up” of a beaver dam does not share in my amazement. Where I see ingenuity and determination, they see a formidable pest and annoyance.

When I was in elementary school, our school mascot was a beaver (why in the world a Fulton Co school chose a beaver for a mascot is beyond my soul. We were in a major metropolitan area—the closest thing to nature was a squirrel, but I digress). Each morning, after the Pledge, the teachers were to open all the classroom doors and the entire elementary school would join in singing the school’s “fight” song. Now as to why an elementary school had a “fight” song, I am not certain, but sing we did, each and every morning. Now remember, this was the early 1960’s, we were in the midst of a Cold War, coming off the whole Cuban Missile Crisis deal, patriotism was at an all time high, I suppose we had to show our fighting American Spirit wherever possible…and that is not a bad thing.

I suppose it is so ingrained in my memory that I still can recall the lyrics with the key line being “…we work like beavers, never waste a day…” So I have taken with me the mindset that beavers are hard working, determined and never wasteful…good attributes. So this little discourse today is not intended to draw the ire of any land owner or farmer who has had to fight the mighty beaver to reclaim their property…it is rather a look at determination and hard work.

When I was in the classroom, each morning I would give my kids the daily run down. I kind of felt like Sarge from HillStreet Blues as he would gather the officers, each morning before sending them out on the streets, giving them an overview of the day’s workload, concerns and responsibilities before telling them to “be safe out there”. But rather than telling my kids to be “safe out there,” I would tell them to the be the diligent beaver I knew each of them to be. I explained how one of the hardest working animals in the animal kingdom was the beaver–they never complained, lamented that they were tired but simply went out each day, cutting down trees, dragging things so much heavier than their little bodies, in order to built a “home”/ den.

It is on this Monday that I am mindful that it is the start of a new week complete with new possibilities—be the diligent beaver, be determined, not wasteful of time or abilities, and do your best at whatever it is you do—hard working—all good attributes.
“be safe out there” as well….

Before and After

What may look like a weed to some…. I see compound butter….

What was my ingredient for compound butter… the tiger swallowtail caterpillars saw as supper

This year I must plant enough dill to share……….