LOVE OF FAMILY, FRIENDS, DOGS, AND OTHER WONDERFUL THINGS

 

A series of essays….

BEING THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT 
APPEARS RIGHT AND BEING ABLE TO
CHANGE THAT WHICH IS DEFINITELY WRONG

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

I am thankful for and hopeful in my belief that the war between Israel and Hamas will be declared neutral and inviolable by positive political arrangements between or through level headed leaders and people who can manipulate the bullies on either side. 

On November 21, 2023, via the key negotiator, Qatar, a deal has been laid out for a four-day pause in fighting and the release of at least 50 women and children held hostage in Gaza. This is a major diplomatic breakthrough nearly seven weeks in the making. As I say, I am hopeful that relief will, finally, come to the Palestinian people and the Israeli hostages will all be returned to their loved ones. I am grateful that people are still able to talk, attempt to work things out, and negotiate through common sense and logic.

I am eternally thankful for such leaders and beautiful souls as we have seen in Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the sixth president of Ukraine. His courage, love of country and her people, and mental strength coupled with unimaginable determination has fought hatred, civil abominations, and blatant acquisition of Ukrainian land for going on two years. 

Unfortunately, this war has become non-negotiable through reasonable talks with key negotiators. This war has the backing of a power-hungry leader of a, largely brainwashed nation whom Vladimir Putin has placed fear and retaliation in the forefront and egregious amounts of monetary rewards for those who stand by him in Moscow. No amount of talk or negotiations or common sense or love of life on Putin’s part will resolve this conflict. We can only hope that the military aid to President Zelenskyy, Ukraine, and her soldiers will make a difference and the strength and courage of all Ukrainien people will prevail.

Sitting around the round maple, four-sided, drop leaf table in my parent’s large dining room early afternoon on Thanksgiving Day, I can still hear the tinkling of glasses and that of familiar voices vying for attention with stories and anecdotes from the past year. My fingers gently outlined the intricate tablecloth pattern in swirls of dark brown and orange on a sea of aged beige linen that helped to shield the soft maple from spills and other calamities. With a matching napkin on my lap, it was time for either Dad or Grandpa to say grace and encourage all of us to be thankful for the bounty before us.

How many early Thanksgiving Thursday mornings has Mom gotten up in the deeply shadowed hours before dawn to prep Tom, Dick, or Harry (names my brothers and I chose to call our turkey—Tom jr. If it were under ten pounds) by washing, seasoning, filling its cavity with homemade sausage stuffing, slathering its skin with real butter for browning, and placing it in the hot oven to sleep for up to five hours or so? The rich aroma would spiral up to the second floor bedrooms only to find the rest of us asleep but dreaming of the feast she was preparing for all of us.

So, by the time grace was being said by our patriarch in the wood paneled dining room, our exhausted Mom was quite anxious to bring out (George that year) the golden, plattered turkey to have Dad carve at the table, leaving most of us wishing for more than two drumsticks! 

After the power-show between man and cutlery, I would help Mom bring out from the adjoining kitchen steaming bowls, plates, baskets of dinner rolls, saucers of butter, chilled sauces, divided dishes of varied pickles and olives, and a gravy boat that couldn’t sail but provided us with the fabulous homemade gravy she would claim from the rich turkey drippings in the pan. Mom was a Master Chef feeding her family of six throughout the year, but she was awarded five Michelin stars on Thanksgiving Day!

Now came the moment of truth; the time to expel from our lips the true, unhomogenized reasons for being thankful for at least one circumstance in our lives. We’d either had a whole year to think about it, or only a few minutes because, with all of the enticing food placed before our eyes, the stomach ruled over the heart at that particular moment. 

Icy fear crept over me. Was I going to be totally original in my decree of gratitude or would someone else steal my thunder first and make me think that much harder? With our feast chilling more and more with every second, we began with Grandma and worked our way around the table. I knew I was being selfish, but I preferred having my turkey and mashed potatoes warm, if not hot.

My younger brother Larry’s response was all that sat between me and allowing the world to hear my words of thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of this great food and just want to eat!, he proclaimed while, hastily, buttering a dinner roll and given a ‘side-eye’ by Dad. There. He was done. My turn, finally. I am thankful for being loved by all of you, every day!, I blurted out. And, I truly meant it with all of my heart because being loved and giving love back, even as a small child, has always been my motivating factor. 

Last, but certainly not least (as the saying goes), it was Mom’s turn to wrap this enlightening tradition up in a sweet, pastel bow and then get this party started. With tired eyes but a red-lipstick smile that stretched across her pretty face, she said, I am thankful for being able to pacify your hunger today and very grateful to see us all together as one family, sitting side-by-side, ignoring our differences, and delighting in each other’s presence. Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, near and far, with all of my love and best hopes for a brighter and loved-filled future….!

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

DON’T DIE WONDERING

 

A series of essays….

THE VALUE OF HAVING A GOOD CONSTITUTION

                      Image by artist Pedro X. Molina

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Life consists of many different levels of happiness, sadness, loneliness, surprises, with accolades bestowed upon worthy recipients in all fields, shapes, and sizes! Our heads and minds are being spun out of control by so much activity at any given time that, if given a title, vertigo may suit a situation, perfectly. So, I ask, when is the best time to throw in the towel and allow the brain to relax? Or, in today’s world—would that action even be wise given the intense pressure we live under?

Michael Langenmayr, of the Daily Kos, recently wrote an article entitled: "We are sleepwalking towards authoritarianism." I believe he hit it right on the head. Just as we remain in deep disbelief and denial of his four years in office with all of his lying and cheating in order to monetarily line his own pockets with ‘the people’s hard earned gold,’ his long-term plan to undermine the U.S. Constitution, our government, her citizens, and Democracy (with a big ‘D’) itself remains in constant motion.  Always moving forward towards his intended goals, he remains the venomous snake slithering in the tall grass.

We have handled his past actions with kid gloves—and continue to do so today under the title of ‘being fair,’ ‘after all, he was our president,’ and, ‘he’s a human being and a citizen of our nation and deserves justice.’ I ask you, does he, really? Does he deserve what I would call ‘special treatment’ after pitting us against one another and dividing our nation in two? I ask that he be treated, within our court system, as any other citizen of the United States would be treated. I ask for justice for all of us who have had our lives disrupted by this unethical and highly despicable man. 

“It doesn’t echo ‘Mein Kamph,’” says fascism expert and Yale professor, Jason Stanley, as drumpf compares political rivals to vermin, “This is textbook ‘Mein Kampf.’” Evidently, far from being a banned book in the very open and liberal environment he grew-up in, Mein Kamph served as Drumph’s bible, text book, and bedside reading material incorporating his pledge to “root out the Communists, Marxists, Fascists, and Radical Left Thugs that live like vermin.”

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, the definition of vermin is: wild animals believed to be harmful to crops, farm animals or game and carry disease; parasitic worms or insects; people perceived as despicable and as causing problems for the rest of society. I ask you now, who, as any given individual with or without the power to impact minds and change the flow of democracy to suit his own agenda, spits in the face of innocent immigrants seeking a better life, discontinues programs meant solely to benefit the people, and forces his will on vulnerable politicians convincing them that his path is the righteous one? 

It seems to be a point of fact, given the past nearly eight years, that to even attempt to understand this lowly human being and what he says and does, one must take the words he spits out of his puckered mouth as the truth about himself, instead. When he speaks ill of others, one must turn the tables with the knowledge that he is speaking about what he has done, is currently doing, or will be doing in the future in order to become the leader of his newly formed authoritarian regime. He has always been demoralizing and self-serving.

His point of repetitiveness is a tactic that has been used throughout the ages to teach or convince others about anything you’d like them to believe. Placing an audio tape of my French lessons under my pillow and listening to its content over and over again may have helped me on my French quiz the following day, but it still remains a form of brainwashing. This is why repetitive chants of ‘lock her up’ can be so effective at bringing crowds of people together as one while convincing them that to lock her up is the best plan to follow.

Can you imagine how beautiful it would be to channel all of the energy he places in hate and fear into good deeds and programs that would benefit all of humankind? This is what President Biden has been doing throughout his presidency, as well as working on filling the ‘dark void’ created by his predecessor. 

But, if we truly are ‘sleepwalking towards authoritarianism,’ are we, the people, not half of the problem? Have zombie-like weaknesses inhibited our own stance on saving democratic ideals while allowing this long term plan of chaos and self-importance to become a reality? Do we truly believe that good will overtake evil even if we choose to sit back and do absolutely nothing about it?

Once again, the press is, effectively, trying to ‘even the playing field’ and stir the simmering pot of hate and fear by consciously pitting President Biden and close family members against the unraveling of our nation by a man whose criminal record and deeds (and those of his close family members) rival those of all of the mob bosses that have preceded him! 

These are not normal times. The things happening in this country right now are anything but making us feel normal. The standards by which we’ve come to know and respect in our lifetime are being dragged through the mud on a daily basis by thugs who idolize power over country and push all limits in order to grasp that power. Why are we allowing ourselves to ‘sleepwalk towards authoritarianism’ and refuse to wake up to the fact that all of this is actually happening? There are many people out there who want to participate in this ‘new regime,’ this Mein Kamph manifesto of one of history’s greatest antisemites and symbols of pure hate; the man that Donald idolizes and outlines his own political ideology and future plans for the United States of America!

Please ask yourself if we can afford to allow any of this to happen. Have we become so complacent and satisfied with the current situation that we are unconcerned with changing it? Drumph is attempting to change our lives by trashing America and her ideals—and is succeeding just by being able to run for president even after he’s been indicted for crimes against the democracy we hold so dear. He has not once shown any interest in making people’s lives better. Let’s face the facts. It all comes down to a choice between fascism and democracy and which one you and I will ultimately choose.

Are we capable of turning a blind eye to what is happening around us or will we be a part of the noise around us? Our job within the next year is to make the noise work for us! We have to filter all of the noise that is currently surrounding us, extract the positive, and take it ten steps further by letting our voices be heard, loud and clear. 

We need a good storyteller in the White House. Someone who will represent the Biden Administration, the Democratic Party, in a positive manner while teaching the entire American public, not just those of us who wish to keep our country thriving under democracy, about our nation’s history, current status, as well as setting a future for her people that holds all lives valuable, healthy, and strong. We need a storyteller to point out the achievements of those working hard to make the economy improve, provide healthcare for all, offer new jobs to the jobless, give hope for the future instead of trashing America, and make life that much better day after day. Let’s find our storyteller!

I am only one person who has lived long enough to see the imbalances of good versus evil and understands the differences between them. Who am I to give references on how to improve life for all of us, you might ask. I am an American citizen who loves her country and will not die left wondering if we were strong enough to thwart this threatening evil brought on by the power hungry liars, cheaters, and narcissists of this world. Let’s wake up and stop our ‘sleepwalking towards authoritarianism!’ Become active and learn to make lots and lots of good noise.

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

LE JOURNAL 4: NAVIGATING WALES

 

A series of essays….

SNOWDON AND LLYN LLYAW ON A BLISSFUL SEPTEMBER DAY

….as seen through my eyes!

By: Jacqueline E Hughes

Wales consists of a myriad of small paved roads, but mostly even narrower lanes that we might call ‘two tracks’ composed of two dirt tracks carved by the tires that utilize them, day-in and day-out, and the natural grass that grows between them.   

The main, paved roads, will eventually get you through small towns, as well as draw one into populated areas such as Cardiff in the south or Anglesey to the north. Some of the main roads meander across the mountain ridges with an open expanse of land and sky that can blow your mind with its natural beauty and soften the heart by placing humans in their proper perspective with the planet we inhabit. 

I believe we drove on nearly each and every road and lane that spoked-out from our cozy little stone cottage in Llansilin along the Wales and English border. We learned quickly that it was necessary to recalculate our way of thinking when it came to travel time from any given place to another. In the States, we generally calculate driving time at approximately one minute per mile, or highway travel at sixty miles per hour. Mostly due to the narrow lanes, constant twists and turns, and, literally, squeezing by other vehicles along the way, we had to mentally prepare ourselves for the reality of traveling in Wales. 

THE SMALL ‘TWO TRACKS’ ROADS OF WALES

SAMPLES OF ROADS AS WE
NAVIGATED WALES

If we were to plan a trip, let’s say, from Kalamazoo to South Haven, we would assume travel time to be around a thirty minute drive. Navigating Wales, this same trip would take nearly five times as long; in essence, a thirty minute drive has now become close to two and a half hours. This is no exaggeration and I can’t even imagine if we had to deal with major downpours or(heaven forbid) snow!

Dan and I have always opted to rent a car and navigate our destinations ourselves via maps and/or GPS. It’s been our desire to feel close to the local  people by being able to go and stop wherever and whenever we want to. It has, usually, worked very well for us in other places throughout the years, including the narrow roads of Ireland and Scotland. 

The topography of Wales, which includes the arrangement of its natural and artificial physical features, lends itself beautifully to this curvaceous rhythm and pattern which includes mountain ranges, waterfalls, rock formations, stone bridges, ancient stone farmhouses (never to be relocated), and churches that help to denote populated settlements from hundreds of years before.

Navigating Wales includes knowing that there is no straight route to anywhere or anything. Nothing is flat. Even the roads along the coastline coming up from the sea have you climbing up to the heavens, and looking back, the view from there is nothing less than spectacular! Our day trip along the coastline heading down to St. Davids and Pembrokeshire was time consuming (but, with spectacular views of the sea, mountains, and rolling green landscapes—who really cares?). Stopping in small, coastal villages to eat and take a walk to stretch tightened muscles and weary bones was always a memorable reprieve from car travel.

ABERARTH ALONG ST. GEORGE’S CHANNEL

ST. DAVIDS CATHEDRAL

ALONG PEMBROKESHIRE NATIONAL PARK

In order to fully enjoy the beauty of Wales and her people, I would highly recommend to adjust your visit accordingly. Our allotted week should have stretched to at least two or three in order to justify exploring all of Wales. Or, if one week is all you have, may I suggest dividing Wales into two sections and exploring one half on your initial visit and the second half at another time. The whole of Wales may be small in size (8024 square miles and slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey), but her natural beauty packs such a powerful and everlasting punch that you will want to return again and again.

One of our favorite days was finding the road leading to the mountains of  Snowdonia in the county of Gwynedd, Wales. How does one lose an entire mountain in the first place, you might ask. Having a husband/fellow traveler with a creative sense of humor often leads to unique scenarios. 

Snowdonia National Park covers most of Gwynedd County and consists of mountains comprised of old hard rock cut by Ice Age glaciers. The park takes its name from Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh), a peak with an elevation of 3,560 feet, and the highest point in England and Wales. Snowdon lies in the middle of this ancient mountain range and can be difficult to pinpoint due to its central location, as well as the lack of signage along the roads leading up to it. A rack-and-pinion railway (opened in 1896), similar to the clink-clank of a climbing roller coaster, runs from the village of Llanberis to the summit and down to the base on the other side of Snowdon. It has easily become the pride and joy of Snowdonia.

Leaving our little stone cottage on our way to Snowdonia National Park to the  west, Dan decided, since we’d been driving near and around the park for several days, not to use GPS or maps or his navigator wife to guide him. The small lanes we navigated twisted, turned, followed open mountain ridges with meandering sheep our trusty companions, and sunk low into green valleys where tall hedges running along each side of our car often blocked our views of the Welsh landscape. As tourists attempting to capture the beauty of Wales as much as possible, these hedges (purposed by the farmers of the region to secure privacy for themselves) were very unsettling. The roads, already tunnel-like, now seemed sunken and gave us an eerie claustrophobic feeling as the colors green and sky blue totally encased us.

Making it over to where I perceived Snowdon to be, Dan would say, There it is! Let’s get out and take some pictures! After a third stop for pictures and much skepticism and questioning on my part, his grin flashed a mile wide. Was he really trying to avoid visiting Snowdon and trying to pass off so many different mountains as the famed Snowdon with its scenic railroad route?

Following the A5 west and with a brief stop at the very touristy village of Betws-y-Coed, I purchased a paperback novel at the local bookstore and a bottle of water for the road. We swung left onto the A4086 at Capel Curig and I thought, Now we’re getting somewhere! Again, not many signs (if any at all) directing us to the beloved Snowden. 

Thinking back on it now, maybe that was the point in the first place. Maybe if our hearts and minds were in the right place, we didn’t need anyone directing us to this stunning, iconic mountain nestled in the middle of some of the most dynamic  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) that Wales has to offer.

Turning south onto the A498 and following others looking up in awe at the sheer height and shadowed beauty of Snowdon, we parked along a short rock wall that separated us from the base of the mountain and Llyn Llydaw, the lake that gently curves and hugs its base along the southeast side and is said to be one of the possible locations associated with Excalibur’s Lady of the Lake fame.

PICTURES OF THE WANING 
GIBBOUS MOON

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
TRAVELING HOME FROM SNOWDON

Taking pictures of the natural beauty that surrounded us was a privilege. The sun showered its golden light down upon Snowdon and the impressive lake, creating multi-colored shadows on the side of the mountain and sparkling lights on the lake’s surface as if it was a spectacular holiday light show! And the people, including Dan and myself, couldn’t speak as we tried to capture this moment in time and hold it deep within us….for a lifetime.

It took us at least ten minutes to formulate real words after leaving Snowdon and I’m not often speechless. So, why were you playing games with me earlier about the correct location of the mountain?, I asked, as Dan navigated us back down to pickup the A5 and head home. Was it just your attempt at being funny and trying to mess with me?

Well, I figured that by navigating all of those small roads and crossing over narrow bridges and being off of the beaten track would be the best way to see more of Wales in its true light, he said, as he maneuvered onto a narrow lane with another car heading directly toward us. Dan slowly came to a complete stop with our car tipping slightly sideways up the green bank, directly into the shadow of the tall, grassy hedges. 

After the other car passed, with a cursory wave from its driver, we turned towards one another and began laughing until the tears obstructed our vision. Catching our breath, Dan finally said, Let’s get back home. We’re only ten miles away but, according to my calculations—it’s going to take us about an hour to get there. And, he was absolutely right!

   THE RED DRAGON OF WALES

                                                  REPRESENTS THE WELSH PEOPLE’S

                                           FIGHTING SPIRIT AND RESILIENCE

Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved

Photos Copyright © 2023 by Jacqueline E Hughes

All rights reserved