StoryPoint

Here is an interesting thing:  Much media attention has been given to the Al Qaeda and their taking of hostages in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Does anyone out there know or even care that the subcell Al Qaeda group Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines has held three ICRC volunteers hotage?  Not only are they humanitarian workers with the International Red Cross, they are women!  These scumbag cowards took these women hostage 73 days ago and counting.  The president of the ICRC issued the statement found on the link below.  Why is it that the people of the Philippines get so little attention from the United States and it’s media?  Afterall, the Philippines was the only colony the United States ever had, it was the U.S.’s staunchest ally in WWII and it’s people are some of the greatest human assets this country has, especially in the nursing community.  So, again, why does the American media ignore the plight of three women, humanitarian workers, one swiss, one Italian and one Filipina, not get one-half a minute of air time on the nightly news?  Abu Sayyaf is, afterall, Al Qaeda in the Philippines.  I guess this is no longer a known fact in the U.S.  However, it is a dear subject to me, since I was willing enough to give my life in combat in the jungles of Min. post 9/11 when our U.S. Army Special Forces was deployed to the region to train with Army of the Philippines counterparts.  Be not decieved these guys are genuinely evil, strongly support Al Qaeda and were heavily involved in the downing and attepts to down International Airlines plying the SouthEast Asian skies.  Three women, three humanitarians and the threat of being beheaded for doing good.  God bless the Philippine military and may they succeed in wiping these scumballs off the face of the planet.  Abu Sayyaf, you are cowards, dogs and infidels, curse you for preying upon women, children and the weak and old.  Repent or may you burn in hell for all eternity. God bless the Philippines a sadly exploited country and people with so much beauty and deserving of a far better shake in the world and a better life.

The ICRC in the Philippines

Ok, so here’s a link to the site of my good friend and most of all, my guardian angel, Ms. Remy.  I guess we are all sort of getting into some spring fever or, maybe, just seeing history repeat itself and have the wisdom to notice, not that I consider myself a wise man.  For those of you who don’t know (yet), Ms. Remy is actually Ms. Remy Benoit, a former history teacher, editor, author, mother, grandmother, encourager, a Vet’s BEST friend and advocate and most of all just one plain damn good woman.  She reminds me of Proverbs 31.  That’s the Bible for those who aren’t familiar.  More particularly I kind of see her as more the Ruth type.  Nevertheless, we have both been venturing into our journey through American history, World history and the history of mankind as a toiler of the soil, and, with it, a toiler of the soul.  There is truly something very, very theraputic about digging gloved hands into dark brown/black rich soil and crumbling the moist clods between one’s fingers.  Yes, it takes strength at times and, other times, just the right soft touch.  Getting in touch with God’s creation, the very thing from which man first came, is a surreal and ironic experience.  Gardening has gotten a bad rap for quite some time, in my opinion.  I grew up in rural Georgia next to a very large farm.  I knew farming, hunting and fishing practically from birth.  And what did it get me?  Well, it made basic training in the Army look like a vacation where everyone seems to complain but me and there seems to be a lot of yelling over nothing, at least, not me.  It was all pretty much normal, common sense stuff and, heck, I did a lot more than that growing up.  I loved watching the mama boys wondering what the buttons were for on an iron, doing laundry, watching them shake holding a “live” round of amunition as if it were going to explode in their hands and, well, you get the idea. 

Anyway, I had been wondering what to truly (officially) launch this new blog and I guess this is how it kind of fell into place, perfect.  A look at gardening as a way to find healing for the soul, exercise for the mind and body and food for the table.  Going back in time when everyone had a garden of some size and sort.  Particularly, the so-called “Great Depression.”  A strenuous subject with me because I call this 2006-2009-(who knows when), period the “Greater Depression.”  Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see it but, oh boy are there a lot people still believing the media and thinking America is just going to bounce right back out of this so-called “Recession.”  I say “look at history.”  And how do we figure getting deeper in debt with “bailouts” and loans is going to fix things?  If that worked, then using a charge card for groceries makes just as much since.  Think about it.  You buy food on credit, you eat the thing you went into debt for, become hungry again but have no more credit available.  Now, not only are you deeper in debt and hungry, but, you have to work twice as hard to pay off what you already ate.  Waiting for politicians to put food on your table will not only cause you to sell the table for grocery money, but, you will be selling the bed for the car payment, then the car for the mortgage and then the house for a pocket of cash to get groceries.  Bad cycle.  So, now that I have gotten that off my chest, here’s the point:  If you want to truly live, live and have a life, then, by God’s grace of good health, start doing things for yourself.  Do things yourself.  Stop the financial bleeding.  As a side point, I sat talking to my Dad this evening and pointed out the garden I had been working on for the past three weeks.  All I had was a shovel, a rake, a small hoe and a wheelbarrow.  Actually, I only recently got the wheelbarrow.  Before that, I used an old large green tub to haul soil, hay and compost.  I said “Dad, that big ol’ garden out there, you see it?  How much have we spent on it?  He pondered a minute and said, hmmm.  I injected the conversation with the answer:  $56.65.  That’s it.  Twenty one days of getting up early, working sun up to sun down (with small breaks) and there it is, so far.  The $56.65?  That was for the seed.  Not just any seed.  Burpee Seed.  Two things I learned early in life, bad soil-no life, no life-no food.  Second, bad seed- bad fruit.  Bad fruit-hungry.  And it works the other way around.  The harder you work the ground, the better the seed you sow the better the reward you reap.  Yeah, this sounds more like a sermon than a gardening lesson, doesn’t it?  And that IS the POINT!  So, let’s study this journey for a little while over the coming weeks and see what we can learn, if you are interested.  If so, post comments and let’s all talk about the garden.  Yours, mine, ours.  The soil outside the apartment window, on the balcony, in the backyard or out in the field.  And, we can talk politics, religion and “how’s the family?” stuff, too.    Here’s Remy’s link: 

Raw hard Georgia clay ground and tons of crab grass.

building compost heapsGrass hacked out; Starting to break the soil (all this done with a shovel, rake and hoe.)Soil completely turned by hand with a shovel 8"s at a time! Two days.All the turned soil broken back down from hard, 8x11" clods to smooth, fine soil. More compost heaps, ready to row. Three Days. Oh, only a rake and a shovel and a very sore back, feet and hands.Two days ago form this post. Finally setting in rows and seeding. 3 hours per row, shovel, rake and hoe, AGAIN.

I wonder how many of these vets were trying to make claims due to depleted uranium exposure?

I wasn’t there, I don’t know.  What I do know is; soldiers kill or get killed.  That is the basic, truest bottomline.  Nuff said.  Did Newell go over the line?  What more is there to the story?  The article has a lot of unanswered questions.  For my take, I say Newell, it is between you and God.  You did it and it is done.  Your dreams alone will bear hard on you for better or worse.  A judge and jury were not necessary.  God give you peace and always be strong.  Your talents, skills and abilities may come from both heaven and hell, you just do and do it well.  It isn’t your war brother, it’s your life and the life of us.  I have no strength to lift a stone, my friend.  My sins are enough.  God speed.

Well, everyone has been wondering and waiting for my first post and where I have been.  I have been working on my newest project, a 1,600 sq. ft. vegetable garden!  The weather is getting warmer here in Ft. Valley (even though it snowed Sunday!), Spring is close at hand.  So, I have started working the ground with my bare hands, literally at times, to put my heart, mind and soul into my labor and desire to reap the rewards.  On to the news I presume most truly want to hear:  I will begin my inaugural post within the week, most likely during the weekend.  I welcome everyone, anyone and all to stop by, read, post, comment or whatever, just please do keep it clean.  You can vent, rant or rave.  You can rejoice, praise and encourage.  Just watch the language.  Otherwise, all voices are welcom and MOST OF ALL DON’T worry about being politically correct!  In the meantime, here is a little video I received this morning and would like to pass along for viewing.  Feel free to express your opinion and make your “story point” here at mine.  Blessings, Lonnie

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