SILENCE. MUTE.

This is Feline Friday.  

This is also a day-after Thankful Thursday.

Yesterday we thought to have a quiet day, at home, maybe just tidy up, maybe run Mr. Dyson.

But.  There was June.  Curled up in her window rounder with a friend.

An invisible "do not disturb" sign, no vacuuming nearby.

At least I could gather the scattering and smattering of toys there in 

anticipation of doing it later on ...

There, among furry mice, springs and jingle balls.  My iPhone?

A few inches away in the mess of her toy box, the TV remote?

The iphone: set on SILENCE.

The remote: MUTE.

This little cat, smarter than I ever knew.

Yes. Time to be silent. 

The months of stress, weeks, days.  Drama, angst.  Projections of hate.

The wave had rolled ashore and we could and should now accept the mission

with purpose and grace.  No bragging, no bluster.  Joyful celebration 

is allowed, and time to be thankful, quietly so.

Then to welcome all who came to join us.

And to begin the hard, very hard work of moving forward, of changing

course, standing tall and righting wrongs.

BLOG FOR PEACE

To any who would like to read more about the John Paul II Prayer Garden,

visit this secure and direct link HERE.

BLOG4PEACE

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Yesterday, as I walked to the library to vote, I passed by the Prayer Garden.  Several maintenance workers were readying it for winter, raking falling leaves, trimming shrubs, one last mowing of grass.  All the spring and summer flowers now gone, this small place of respite would still offer a welcome for months to come to all going by who would want to come in, sit awhile and spend a quiet moment.  

I went on to vote and earlier this morning, for over an hour was reading detailed results on my phone, feeling once again the pride of being an American.  Remembering President Obama's words, "yes, we can" and the word often spoken during his campaigns, "hope".  Our hopes had been realized.

What stood out to me most often was not just the "blue wave", but the Washington Post coverage I followed gave personal background on each and every candidate - in races large and small, all over the country.  In truth, many I knew nothing about, states of little interest to me - until this reading.  Candidates (D) who truly worked up through the ranks of city councils and school boards and such: a waitress, a union worker, a teacher, a nurse, an EMT driver.  Yes, with some political background, but more than that, a commitment and a goal to serve and do well for those in their own home towns.  

Truly, a reflection of the best among us.  A reflection of "hope".

On Monday I showed the three legged stool representative of our system of government: judicial, executive, legislative.  We have through our voting begun to repair that broken stool, yet it is still wobbly.  We cannot be naive.  An easy road does not lie ahead, work and challenges remain but it begins now, the blue wave has rolled ashore.  

 

NOVEMBER 3, 2026

LET THE BLUE WAVE BEGIN

 

ONLY YOU CAN REPAIR IT

 

NOVEMBER ~ "NOVEM" from the Latin word "Nine"

Leaves.  Burnt umber, deep gold, red.  

The last falling down, some still clinging to their branches.

Into yard piles only to be wildly tossed 'round the yard again 

by young ones jumping in, and rambunctious dogs at play.

Pumpkins, and straw men on porches.

Cinnamon and nutmeg, pine cones and mulled wine fill the air. 

The air cools, breezes shift, night comes early.

Jackets now heavier, hats, mittens and scarves wait their turn by the door.

Blankets are thrown over sofas and chairs, ready to cover chilly toes.

~ November begins ~

 

A HALLOWEEN HAUNTING 2026

A HALLOWEEN HAUNTING

This should be our 19th year* to publish our traditional A Halloween Haunting poem. 
It first appeared on Zoolatry in 2007.

It has been presented through the different pets who have shared our

lives over time - Maggy, Zoey and Dougie Dog.

What has not changed is our wish for all, humans big and small,

along with pets, to share a fun holiday.  To those who are home, handing out treats,

secure your pets safely, peek out before opening doors.

To those who venture out, with little ones and pets, keep a watchful eye, 

return home safe and sound.

Boo.  Meowz.  Woofs.  

And Happy Halloween from Zoolatry.

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Do not read further, for this is now an opinion, a political opinion.

This is actually the 18th edition of A Halloween Haunting.

On October 31, 2024 we chose to break our own tradition and did not publish this poem.

We were then just 4 days away from a presidential election in the USA, and wrote, in June's voice, 

"I can be catty about this ... I think orange is just fine for

the pumpkin at my door, but never for the leader of my country."  

Yet, it came to be.  And here we are today.  It is absolutely our opinion that this country made 

the wrong choice and we have paid the price.  

Our leaders, all, need to be women and men of good character, morals, decency 

and absent these the rest does not matter.  The choice was clear in 2024.

It is clear again as we will hold elections next week on November 3, 2026.

We can choose better this time.  It may only be a small step forward toward

righting many wrongs, but it is one step in the right direction.

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