I was out weeding and now I’m typing with hands that are smudged with dirt and smell like mint.
Quite a few years back, I went to Hyde park on the Hudson, in New York. I was visiting my brother and he always has good ideas of things to do. We spent hours at the Roosevelt home. I was so excited. I didn’t know it yet, but that was where I really caught the democrat bug - in the heart of the Roosevelt hive.
At one point I ended up in the stables. They play a recording of Eleanor’s voice telling about her horses. No horses are there now.
I have come to understand I like being around horses and democrats. When I was at Hyde park I just wanted so much to know the Roosevelts and go to their parties.
Now when I go to parties here with democrats it is nonstop talking, sort of like a party of extroverts on caffeine. It’s delicious if you’re into that.
I have other outlets for quiet one-on-one conversations. Like today. I used the word bereft to describe an emotion I had around a situation and the other person asked, what does bereft mean? That is so u-coded! And I said what is u-coded and she said it is just the type of word you would use. So I told her why I had felt bereft and she thought it was perfectly fitting in the context. A few moments later I threw out the word guffaw and she said what is guffaw and so we talked about this word. We were gen x and gen z in active learning about each other.
I’m helping line up our dem neighborhood leaders to GOTV (get out the vote) for an election in May. I get to meet a lot of nice people. It’s uplifting to meet and connect with folks who want to pitch in for good local leadership.
I’d rather be in the boat rowing than barfing over the side about how messed up everything is. Or getting sick wearing a blindfold in a dingy floating out to sea.
It’s just nicer to connect with the ones who try.
This doesn’t fit anywhere but I wanted to report that I saw two different swarms of bees within two hours and about 6 blocks, one on 13th and one on 7th. The one on 7th was a swirling cloud around the traffic signal and a nearby tree.
The group on 13th was tighter and halfway in a box and halfway out. There were two beekeepers scooping them with scoops you might use for bulk foods. The bees looked confused like, why are we dumped out on a sidewalk on 13th ave, a half block from Patterson?
Later I went to yoga midra and we did the bumblebee sound meditation.
I was reminded of love letters this morning by Appleton and it reminded me of an idea I just had- to hold love letter conferences. There is no competition, people just read one. Love letter conventions could be in every town. There is a small entrance fee and the proceeds go to local libraries and rivers.
A friend asked if I could be on her 2-person love consultant team and I said yes immediately even though I have no formal training. Then she told me it was a volunteer, non-paid position, to which I said, “my specialty!”
I got to ride a horse named Gaia. She likes carrots.
We brushed the horses before we put saddles on, and again after we took them off.
Something about riding feels really good. It feels like all the right ions are being released into your bloodstream.
Horses have a ton of presence. They look at you or beyond you and just… hold the space. Years back when we were riding we cantered side-by-side in a field, conversing as if having tea at a cafe with gently moving rocking chairs.
Hooves splashed through mud puddles in gravel, making a slooshing clip-clop sound. Each step was rhythmic and rounded so I sat into it. It is a weighted organic contact.
I don’t need to go fast, just being on a horse is higher up, you’re feeling the earth through their legs, their hooves, connecting with an alive network below and above.
I like a network of aliveness. Like bees, horses, democracy, and most importantly love letter conventions.
Democrats, Roosevelts