By Diane: Ice Storm and how I as a widow process the second acquittal

Rose buds incased in ice but the freezing rain did not last. Though others in Albany were without power for day, our neighborhood was much more fortunate with only a short outage.

   

Friday I wanted some comfort food when I woke with no power.  Going outside for firewood at 4:30 AM, the only light was from the sky lit by surrounding areas with power.  The dim sky light was enhanced by light bouncing back from the ice covered earth. Silence everywhere until I heard the crack of trees breaking. But I did not fear for myself because I knew the sound was not on my property.  Fisherman Hubby took care of our trees. And last week my grandson and girlfriend pruned the fruit trees severely.  Several years ago the rotting birch tree was downed. We did not have shade in the summer, but in winter I feel a little better for not having big, old trees around the house.

        I got a good fire going with just one match. I felt a surge of confidence. Just maybe I will be OK living in place.  It took awhile for the firebox to get hot but I did finally have hot chocolate and left over roast beef with fresh steamed vegetables on two corn tortillas. I learned a faster meal could be had by placing the tortillas on aluminum foil. I was satisfied.  

        Almost 7:00 AM I was surprised to get power back. But not trusting the outcome later, I emptied the ice from the wheelbarrow and brought in wood from the stacks between the house and studio. 

But still nearly no contact with the outside world until afternoon!  My server was down. Then OP B TV coverage was down but finally figured out the radio option on my lap top. 

         I heard the closing statements of the trial of the impeachment. So my thoughts went to how these arguments are being received. All that really maters is public opinion. His Senate trial is not a criminal trial. Trump should be tried as a criminal in State and Federal courts. 

         Though I am very much  a Left Liberal, I believe Trump should not be the main target of disgust. I feel collectively guilty. I'll explain later in another post tomorrow.

         All afternoon rain or shine I heard chain saws in the distance. By 3:00 PM most of the ice had melted. And after listening to the last part of the trial on the radio, I could turn on TV for a short while listening to pundits speculate on the motives of the Republicans who voted not guilty.

         I believe we are all human and mostly good but sometimes do very, very, bad, bad things. Criminal behavior is real;  the trouble with using the word "evil"  as a hot button word is that it can be used to categorize behavior so continued searching for meaning is stopped.  Like in destructive, polarizing propaganda, in my opinion, on both sides.  Bad propaganda often is based on the core conviction that bad tendencies dominate behavior. When our core shifts to the belief that we are mostly bad, we will believe statements that validate this core belief without examining the complexities.

         Watched cartoons and children's programs instead of repetitive news analysis and predictions.  I read some of my first issue of January and February "Mother Jones" and ordered "Nation" to inform my more Liberal opinions.

          For a snack I had microwaved sweet potato dipped in ground almonds. For lunch I had steamed salmon, salad and fruit. For dinner I had Romaine lettuce salad, home made chunky beef pot roast soup and sweet potato/salmon mash softened with milk and a thin melted pad of butter.

         Sunday morning I was treated by Mr. Rodger's trip to a museum. In addition to a wonderful demonstration of how to make the experience exciting for preschooler to early youth, I learned that a Van Gogh country landscape had similarities to finger-painting. The grass fields forming a patch work quilt of fields moving back to the horizon.  Van Gogh's brush work can be likened to thumbs making vertical short lines in the foreground.  Then with each more distant patch  progressively smaller fingers make lighter shorter vertical lines and the sky moshed around and round with all fingers. His mark making so much like the marks of a hand and finger might be part of the appeal of his style.  Can I develop this connection in my own paintings?