1963 Children's Crusade
Courtesy National Archives, College Park, MD, USA
When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put out a call for people to go to jail in the fight against segregation (he himself was jailed for a period of time), much to his disappointment no adults responded—it was the high school students who volunteered and stood up, willing to go to jail in the fight for freedom. There was much controversy around that and protest from many of the parents but the children were unstoppable and the movement grew secretly and almost overnight. When King was confronted about allowing children in this role, he stood his ground and calmly spoke: “Don’t worry about your children. They are going to be alright. Don’t hold them back if they want to go to jail for they are doing a job for all America and all of mankind…”
about the Birmingham Alabama civil rights marches in the 1960s, highlighting the bravery of young activists involved in the 1963 Children’s Crusade. The film won an Academy Award in 2005 in the category of Documentary Short Subject. This is a chapter in American history that many of us might have heard about but without being aware of its extraordinary details.
Know Your Rights
from former law enforcement officer, Kramer Hammy):
"It is clear that US citizens' ignorance of federal laws and law enforcement duties, procedures, and limits of authority is getting to the point where it is deadly. I spent probably 3 hours watching and re-watching, and finding every single video and angle I could of the situation in Minnesota yesterday and came to one immovable conclusion based off of what I saw and what I know from a professional standpoint. This is long, but please give it a read.
"As a former officer, let me make something clear: ICE agents ARE NOT police officers, deputy sheriffs, or troopers. They are not local/state law enforcement. They are not federal criminal law enforcement. They have an INCREDIBLY limited scope of authority, and that scope of authority exists in detaining and arresting with probable cause and/or SIGNED WARRANTS those investigated and suspected of being in the US illegally.
"They cannot just pull anyone over for a traffic violation or because their car is in a place they don't want it. They have NO authority to pull people over for ANYTHING other than immigration enforcement- and even then that involves probable cause, such as a known vehicle of someone they have been tracking, or a warrant. On very rare occasions they have the legal authority to pull someone over if they are threatening the lives of others, but that was not happening in this case. They do not have the training nor the authority to pull ANYONE else over. They cannot arrest legal citizens. They cannot detain legal citizens without probable cause to believe they might not be legal. They have ZERO authority to be attempting to force entry into a vehicle- without even identifying themselves, without a warrant, without exigent circumstances such as a life being directly threatened- that is trying to drive down the street without probable cause in relation to IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. "This ENTIRE situation in Minnesota was outside of the scope of legal authority from the get go. None of it was done within the scope of authority of ICE. Every single behavior those agents made was procedurally incorrect, done without proper authority, and was based off of intimidation and the assumption that people do not understand the law and their rights in regards to interactions with ICE.
"On no planet should an officer, agent, or any human being ever step in front of a car in 'drive' that is actively trying to leave and use their body as a shield to prevent a person from LEGALLY LEAVING a situation in which they are not legally being detained. It takes maybe a week of any kind of actual law enforcement training to understand that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES do you ever place yourself in front of a vehicle in 'drive.' That agent had every single opportunity to simply take two steps to the right and not be standing directly in front of a vehicle attempting to conduct their legal right to drive away. "You can see the wheels are turned, [Renee] backed up and turned them to the right, moved forward a bit to leave, couldn't because an agent was standing in front of her, and continued to try to leave by TURNING HER WHEELS TO THE RIGHT and moving forward. He continually chose to stand there and not allow her to legally leave as she had every single right to do.
The officer pulling on her door and banging on her window and swearing at her had ZERO authority to order her out of her vehicle or attempt to make entry into her vehicle. NONE. A single day of actual training of the legal scope of authority and the LAW would've prevented that from happening.
"You now have a frightened citizen being blockaded by immigration agents (with another person in her vehicle) who had zero obligation to follow legally invalid orders from that agent, being blocked in and having a fully grown, masked man attempting to make entry into her car. If this were reversed, every single person would immediately feel she had every reasonable expectation to fear for her safety. It doesn't matter if she knew it was ICE because the agents weren't even acting in their scope of authority anyway.
"Whether or not she made the right decision by very CLEARLY- based off of how hard her wheels were turned and how low and to the driver corner windshield that shot was fired- trying to drive to the left of that agent is IRRELEVANT in the picture as a whole. None of this would have happened if those agents had done even one single thing correctly. Not just correctly, but within their legal scope of authority. Every single moment of that interaction was escalated by untrained, unprofessional, procedurally inept "agents" who not only had zero control of themselves but everything around them. And not because they are helpless, but because their actions that did not fall under their scope of power CAUSED this. Their tempers, lack of training, and the knowledge that they can get away with violating their own scope of authority caused this.
"I will always be the first to defend law enforcement when lethal force very clearly is required. But this was not even remotely the case, and as an actual TRAINED professional in that field with experience and understanding of both the law and procedures, there is no justification for this- and it would benefit EVERYONE to actually read up on the laws, scope of authority, and use a single shred of common sense to see that this situation was started, escalated, and caused by the ICE agents involved. I have zero respect for those in power who are ignorant of the scope of their authority and abuse it at the cost of lives around them." (courtesy Tom Hoefling's substack)
To make a Know Your Rights zine to distribute, click here
A Wonderful
History Teacher
In clear, succinct, and simple terms, she walks us through the history of Venezuela and shows the role of the world and most specifically the United States' role in that country. Needless to say, the picture is not pretty.
She has produced many more history lessons on video--go find her on tiktok.
Here is another of her teaching sessions--her lesson on inflation that I found very informative...
Jumpstart Your Creativity
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 264: Nuremberg the Film, Poem by Fatimah Asghar, Eggplant Recipe
Nuremberg
Courtesy National Archives, College Park, MD, USA
Based on the the 2013 book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai, NUREMBERG is centered on the army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley who was hired to evaluate the characters of the top ranking Nazis in order to gauge their competency for trial and gain insights into their personalities in preparation before and during the trials. One leaves with a robust portrait of these characters, especially Herman Goering (played brilliantly by Russell Crowe). In addition, we gain a broad picture of the messy ins and outs of the international negotiations that led up to the trials, and insight into the key American and European figures who played the role of prosecutors. Douglas Kelley, played beautifully by Rami Malek, is a particularly poignant figure.
The film serves as a warning against those whose psychological tendencies mirror the Nazis in our world today. Perhaps this knowledge, seen through the lens of history, will enable us to do something about the current actors before it is too late...
NUREMBERG is available on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video and YouTube Movies & TV.
And as an aside and a warning, I never thought I would be quoting Jesse Ventura, ex-governor of Minnesota, but listen to his admonition and urgent call to action.
Poem by
Fatimah Asghar
Photo courtesy Mercedes Zapata
by FATIMAH ASGHAR
these are my people & I find
them on the street & shadow
through any wild all wild
my people my people
a dance of strangers in my blood
the old woman’s sari dissolving to wind
bindi a new moon on her forehead
I claim her my kin & sew
the star of her to my breast
the toddler dangling from stroller
hair a fountain of dandelion seed
at the bakery I claim them too
the sikh uncle at the airport
who apologizes for the pat
down the muslim man who abandons
his car at the traffic light drops
to his knees at the call of the azan
& the muslim man who sips
good whiskey at the start of maghrib
the lone khala at the park
pairing her kurta with crocs
my people my people I can’t be lost
when I see you my compass
is brown & gold & blood
my compass a muslim teenager
snapback & high-tops gracing
the subway platform
mashallah I claim them all
my country is made
in my people’s image
if they come for you they
come for me too in the dead
of winter a flock of
aunties step out on the sand
their dupattas turn to ocean
a colony of uncles grind their palms
& a thousand jasmines bell the air
my people I follow you like constellations
we hear the glass smashing the street
& the nights opening their dark
our names this country’s wood
for the fire my people my people
the long years we’ve survived the long
years yet to come I see you map
my sky the light your lantern long
ahead & I follow I follow
Eggplant Wrap Recipe
VIRAL EGGPLANT WRAP
Preheat oven to 350F.
Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice an eggplant thin (I used one that was on the thinner side).
Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet in a rectangle, being careful to make sure the ends of each circle are touching.
Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.
Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella .
Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Remove from oven.
Invert it and flip it over.
Fill it with whatever you want! .
Jumpstart Your Creativity
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 263: Zohran Mamdani, Power to the People, American Bald Eagle
Zohran Mamdani
Mayor of NYC
Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City
Zohran Mamdani with his wife, artist Rama Duwaji
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also delivered a beautiful, emotional speech, which is also well worth a listen. And I would like to salute my cousin's son, David Kahn, who works for Jumaane Williams in the capacity of Community Organizer for Environmental Justice and Infrastructure. As a young person, David has a very strong moral code and has worked hard and stayed engaged over the years to promote liberty and justice for all...So proud of him!
People Have The Power
Patti Smith singing People Have the Power Choir Choir Choir
American Bald
Eagle
American Bald Eagle
Here are two stories from the instagram account Haunted Conspiracy, a site full of touching stories about animal rescues.
An eagle asks for help
A friendship between a horse and an Eagle
An interesting fact: The "bald" in bald eagle does not mean hairless in this case. The name derives from the Middle English word "balde" which means shining white, referring to its bright white head and tail.
Paintings of the Week
Pam Smilow Tree Tops, Detail of my Tree of Life Series pieces, each tree measurimg 60” x 22” mixed media on paper
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 262: Architect Frank Gehry, ICE Protests, Roots of the Americas
Architect Frank Gehry
(1929-2025)
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
Walt Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
I got permission from fellow substacker Cool Stories About Art to include this AI video as normal buildings morph into Gehry's vision, with the help of NASA software.
If you want to dig deeper, here's a piece CBS Sunday Morning produced on the Canadian architect and a great documentary entitled Sketches of Frank Gehry on his life and process.
IAC Media Building, New York, NY
Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris, France
This is the Way to Do It
Priest says No
ICE Out of New York City
Rockland Maine says no to ICE
Ohio's way of doing it
Minneapolis police resistance
Blocking ICE from exiting a parking lot in New York
"To read an article in The New Yorker about how Orange County is resisting, click here
Roots of the Americas
With special thanks to Indigenous Revolution 🎥 TikTok
"We are not the past of this continent—we are its future."
A last minute Hanukkah video (a little late) with Mandy Patinkin and family and our new mayor Zohran Mamdani, who they tried to paint as Anti-Semitic…
Collage of the Week
Pam Smilow Heart and Soul mixed media on handmade paper
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 261: Michelle Obama, Poem by William Carlos Williams, Holiday Songs from the Whitt Brothers
Michelle Obama The Look, Winter Trees by William Carlos Williams, Holiday Songs Playlist by the Whitt Brothers on wrfr.org
Michelle Obama
Full of amazing photos, The Look brings readers behind the scenes not only to reveal how her most memorable looks came together but also to tell a story about how we present ourselves, the values we reflect through the clothes we wear and how as the first black lady in the White House, she was in a race against time to define herself rather than let others, misogyny and racism tell that story....
I get the feeling that part of the reason Michelle wrote the book, in typical modest Obama style, was to celebrate the designers, the dressers, the braiders and hair stylists, the estheticians, the make up artists....voices of the people who have helped make her look possible... She mentions by name Meredith Koop, Obama’s trusted stylist, as well as her makeup artist Carl Ray, hairstylists Yene Damtew, Johnny Wright, and Njeri Radway, and many of the designers who have dressed Obama for notable events over the years.
Michelle Obama is unabashedly a clothes hound with great style and has been ever since she was a young girl. It was so fascinating to hear the story of her navigating the many roles she has had throughout her life: schoolgirl, lawyer and as the most important woman in America, while staying true to herself and her image. I personally had so much fun admiring the myriad of looks illustrated in "The Look. and hearing her thoughts on so many issues related to fashion, hair and identity.
Poem by William Carlos Williams
by William Carlos Williams (1883 –1963)
All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.
Holiday Songs
Brothers Bill and Eddie Holm, The Liner Notes by the Whitt Brothers
And just because Christmas is a season that Jews often feel left out of, I have included two of my favorite
Chanukah songs:
Maoz-Tzur
"Sevivon
The Menorah my Dad, Mel Smilow, made for our family. Simple, elegant, very mid-century!
Painting of the Week
Flower Power Series: Purple mixed media on canvas 55” x 97”
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 260: Costco's Founder Jim Sinegal, Snowy Night by Mary Oliver, Winter Songs Playlist
Snowy Owl in the Maine Woods41.25” x 29.5”, Watercolor, Gouache, Matt Medium, Embroidery on Rives BFK Paper
Costco Co-Founder Jim Sinegal
Jim Sinegal, who co-founded Costco
Sinegal, born in 1936, started at the bottom, beginning as a bagger at a grocery store in San Diego, California. Over the years, he found he loved the retail industry and made his way around it, ending up in 1983 as Costco's president and CEO. Sinegal always had a broad vision and his ideas and innovations created the first big box "warehouse club", selling a large variety of products including clothing, eye glasses, tires, food, electronics, pharmaceuticals, etc. His approach was hands-on, and he made it his business to visit every Costco store across the country in order to stay in touch, ensure good quality control and worker satisfaction. You can kind of tell when people are happy in their jobs and I get that vibe there--when workers feel they are treated respectfully by their employers. Quoting Sinegal from a Wall Street Journal article, "You can't say people are our most important product then treat them like shit...If you don't mean it, it is reflected very quickly. The same thing is true about the quality of the product you are selling. Your customers and your suppliers are going to see you don't really mean it..
For all the reasons above, he is a target for our current president...All the more reason to frequent and support Costco over other big box stores...I hope like me you are trying to avoid Target, Home Depot and Amazon as much as possible.
Snowy Night by Mary Oliver
Diana Arcadipone, mixed media on paper
Photo courtesy Peter Ralson, A Warm and Cozy Winter Break, available on his website www.ralstongallery.com
by Mary Oliver
Last night, an owl
in the blue dark
tossed an indeterminate number
of carefully shaped sounds into
the world, in which,
a quarter of a mile away, I happened
to be standing.
I couldn’t tell
which one it was –
the barred or the great-horned
ship of the air –
it was that distant. But, anyway,
aren’t there moments
that are better than knowing something,
and sweeter? Snow was falling,
so much like stars
filling the dark trees
that one could easily imagine
its reason for being was nothing more
than prettiness. I suppose
if this were someone else’s story
they would have insisted on knowing
whatever is knowable – would have hurried
over the fields
to name it – the owl, I mean.
But it’s mine, this poem of the night,
and I just stood there, listening and holding out
my hands to the soft glitter
falling through the air. I love this world,
but not for its answers.
And I wish good luck to the owl,
whatever its name –
and I wish great welcome to the snow,
whatever its severe and comfortless
and beautiful meaning.
Courtesy Peter Ralston, Going By, available on his website at www.ralstongallery.com/winter
Winter Songs
Playlist
Photo courtesy Billy Heyman to accompany the song River written by Joni Mitchell
Here goes:
The River Joni Mitchell
Valley Winter Song Fountains of Wayne
Reindeer King Tori Amos
Quiet, The Winter Harbor Mazzy Star
Song for a Winter's Night Gordon Lightfoot
Winter Lady Leonard Cohen
Snowstorm Galaxie 500
Hazy Shade of Winter cover The Bangles
The River (again--I love this version!) cover Robert Downey Jr.
Painting of the Week
House im Snow, mixed media on canvas, 54” x 80” $8500
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
Book of the Week
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 259: Graham Platner/Mike Herz, Artist Diana Arcadipone, Heated Toilet Seat
Artist
Diana Arcadipone
Fast friends Frenchy and Holly
I feel differently about Arcadipone's work. My criteria for falling in love with art is when I find something that I would have loved to have created myself. And something that sends me right back into my studio all inspired. Diana Arcadipone's art has that effect on me.
She lives deep in the woods of interior Maine with her partner Scott and is content to lead a simple life. She swims twice a week, takes good care of her body with a personal trainer, is an avid cross-country skiier in winter and otherwise produces the most stunning of nature paintings. She has a complex of buildings on her property--one devoted solely for her art, another where they live in a very handmade kind of way, and a hip guest house for when she has visitors...Most of the construction work and interiors she and her husband have put together themselves. So in a way, her life is a piece of art in and of itself. What she produces in the studio reflects her simple life and appreciation for what surrounds her.
Her mixed media Tree Ring pieces, lovingly and painstakenly embroidered by hand, send my heart rate up...each piece more beautiful than the next...Her deer paintings combine a variety of media--gouache, pencil, handwriting, embroidery, beading, the kitchen sink (just kidding)...Enough said: have a look for yourself.
And if you feel so inclined, I would encourage you to visit her website and if you can, support living artists. We exist in the world because of supporters like you.
Graham Platner/Mike Herz
click image to hear Platner speak about his candidacy
The drama of American politics is playing out in Maine right now with the race for U.S. Senate. Graham Platner, an ex-soldier and oyster farmer is trying to take over Susan Collins' seat for the U.S. Senate. Collins, a republican, has been in office for 29 years, much to the chagrin of many. (She is a worm to put it in kind terms.) Platner represents a new generation of Democrats, fighting not only against Trump and the republican establishment but also the ensconced, old school, Democratic leadership.
89-year old Mike Herz, known as a "lifelong leader for change", has been active in democratic politics his whole life, and embodies that fight. Danish TV, as they do, found their way to him and the town hall in my small town of Damariscotta to familiarize themselves with Graham Platner and the American issues of the day...(I make a joke that when I want to hear about what is going on politically in the U.S., I ask my Danish sister-in-law Hanne, who is likely more informed than I am through Danish media!).
He shared this interview they did with him which aired recently on Danish TV (complete with subtitles)--as usual, leave it to the Danes to always be one step ahead of the rest of the world, in seeing a clear picture.
P.S. Mike is a new friend up here--he and his wife Kate live down the street from me and we have been having regular playdates for our dogs: my daughter's dog Frenchy, who is on an extended visit and their newly rescued beautiful, cheerful Holly...
Heated Toilet Seats
Curiously, on my recent trip to the Bay Area, there was one thing I literally found in every house I visited except one: a heated toilet seat/bidet! My guess is that California is ahead of the trend in this case too and pretty soon this will be coming to a town near you.
Sitting on a heated seat, much like the heated seats in cars, was a particularly pleasant experience for me. I never realized the toilet seat was cold until it wasn't and it felt great. Not in a sexual way, just in a cozy, I'm warm way...Here is some info on how to choose one from the Chicago Tribune, complete with a comparison of prices and companies if you want to get on the bandwagon early.
And by the way, if you are interested in the history of the bidet, which originated in France and spread to Japan, click here.
Paintings of the Week
Tree of Life Series I, II, III mixed media on paper 60” x 22” each
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 258: Dopamine Decor, Story by Rachel Macy Stafford Over A Leaky Toilet, Achievement
Dopamine Decor
The truth was that I remembered Irmi Selver's Cape Cod kitchen from when I was a little girl and that bright cheery space stuck in my mind for sixty years! Even my Dad, who was Mr. Brown Beige Guy, loved it! So when I dared ask my really nice landlords, and they said "go for it," (the current kitchen was depressing dark navy blue walls and navy blue cabinets), I jumped at the occasion.
Turns out, who knew that the term Dopamine Decor is a current trend. And it is consistent with the theme of this newsletter. Joy! Happiness! Color! Positive Energy! Even Elle Decor has written about how Dopamine Decor can affect your whole being and it is neurological...
Story by Rachel Macy Stafford Over a Leaky Toilet
Here the story about a simple every day encounter in its full glory, including the poem inside the story that touched Arthur and prompted their connection:
GET OFF THE SCALE
by Rachel Macy Stafford
Get off the scale. It cannot measure the depths of your heart.
Put down the measuring stick. It is not long enough to assess your worth.
Ignore the score. It does not show your true potential.
Don’t get hung up on the salary. It doesn’t even come close to showing your value.
Ban the mirror. It cannot reflect how much you are loved.
Ignore the critic. It has no idea how far you’ve come.
Instead, look for evidence of a day well lived:
I made someone smile. I gave a tender kiss. I hugged and wasn’t the first to let go.
I encouraged. I laughed. I believed. I forgave. I lived. I loved.
What is most important in life cannot be measured, but instead felt through the hands, heart, and soul of each life we touch.
-Rachel Macy Stafford, Only Love Today, (p. 55)
Simple Lesson re: Achievement from Winnie The Pooh
Painting of the Week
Equinox Health Club, East 61st Street, New York, NY
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 257: Andrea Gibson Documentary; To Make You Smile; Some of My Favorite Stores
Andrea Gibson Documentary
Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021, the film documents the last year of the Poet Laureate of Colorado's life."
I first saw the film at the Camden International Film Festival a few months ago. Andrea's partner, Meg Falley, was at the showing. It made a huge impression on me and I 've been waiting for it to come out to the public so I could recommend it--and it was just released on Apple TV for all to see.. I would go as far as to say that Andrea Gibson and COME SEE ME IN THE GOOD LIGHT is a manual of how to live a good life, even in the face of death...As they realized, When I accept it (their death), all of the sweetness trickles in....then I get to be with life." And they realized, "whatever you are feeling right now, whether it be fear or sadness, just call it love..."
Their partner, Meg Falley, in addition to their own substack, is carrying on their legacy by taking over Andrea's substack and they have found a beautiful way to continue to celebrate Andrea's beautiful life...I recommend, if you are interested, to delve into the lives of these two extraordinary human beings, who meet unbelievable challenges with strength and grace...
A Few Joyous Moments to Make You Smile Today
This one little kid turned a whole subway car into pure joy: Pure joy
Beautiful at a grocery store We could all do this, at least once in a while, at the grocery store
Story about a biker and his daughter. You will thank me after reading--it is really an unbelievable beautiful story...
Sweet wonderful dog story
Local Shopping
BEACH PLUM
THE KINGFISHER & THE QUEEN!
THE KINGFISHER AND THE QUEEN, 79 Main St, Damariscotta, ME 04543 (www.thekingfisherandthequeen.com) I always find really interesting things in this store--an eclectic combination of vintage inspired and new products, many things from Scandinavia and France. For this time of year, they transform their already beautiful store into a European Christmas wonderland complete with carefully curated items from the other side of the pond! They have a great children's section too--nice wooden toys (you won't find plastic here), really cute, high end children's clothing, and some of my favorite children's authors (Swedish Elsa Beskow, Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking, and Jan Brett to name a few...The store is scattered with literary references, handwritten quotes and often features a poem a week in the window.
ROCK PAPER SCISSORS
IN THE CLOVER
IN THE CLOVER, 85A Main St, Wiscasset, ME 04578 (inthecloverbeauty.com) also in Wiscasset, right across the street from Rock Paper Scissors, is my clothing store of choice up here. They carry a great selection of women's clothing--the kind of stuff I like to wear--as well as jewelry, lots of bodycare products, scarves, and an abundance of terrific sweaters right now...They also have a carefully curated choice of a few books, all worth reading. The owner haw great taste and I go in there at my own risk--I can't just go in to browse--I always come out with something I love...
Dress Series I, II, III each mixed media on paper 30” x 22” $1500
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 256: Laura Lynne Jackson, Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life, The Telepathy Tapes Season 2
Laura Lynne Jackson
Beginning at the age of 11, Laura knew something about her was different--on a hot day in the middle of July, swimming in the family pool, a feeling came over her and she insisted on going with her mom to visit her grandfather, even though her mom tried to convince her to stay home to stay cool in the pool... She knew right then and there that her grandfather was about to die and that this would be her last chance to see him one more time (he hadn't been sick previously). At that early age, she thought she was a freak and it made her very uncomfortable and ashamed but thanks to her wonderful mom, she explained to Laura that it was okay, there was nothing wrong with her--in fact it was a great gift that actually ran in the family...
Jackson's first book is entitled THE LIGHT BETWEEN US, and for anyone curious about mediumship, this is the book to read. No woo woo here, Jackson explains about her life and in a very clear way what it is like for her to receive the information she does and how it works in her mind...This is a great book for starters and an introduction to the paranormal...
Her second book entitled SIGNS: THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF THE UNIVERSE (you might have seen it around as it is extremely popular), explains her belief that we all have the ability to connect with our loved ones on the other side and through many amazing examples, shows how ordinary people can ask for certain (nothing is too outlandish) signs and they will receive them. Very comforting for those who are going through grief, her books are also mind expanding about the nature of reality and even the most skeptic of all skeptics has to at least entertain the idea that there is something more here...
Jackson's third book: GUIDED: THE SECRET PATH TO AN ILLUMINATED LIFE, another extraordinary book, was just released on 11/11/2025. I write more about it in the next segment...
click image to hear an interview with Laura Lynne Jackson
Click image to hear an interview about SIGNS: The Secret Language of the Universe
Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life
Laura Lynne Jackson and me at the launch party of her new book Guided
Some of the people whose stories are included in Guided: The Secret Path to an Illuminated Life
I first met Laura Lynne Jackson when I attended a workshop of hers at the Open Center in New York City quite a few years ago. In it, she showed the participants that our souls live on, that the energy does not dissipate, and that everyone is able to connect with their loved ones if one remains open to it. We did various exercises to show that we all have powers well beyond what we experience in the day to day. The one exercise that stood out to me was with very rigid, long parfait spoons that she handed out. She explained that with the group energy of 100 people in the room, we were to concentrate on bending our spoon, even though the task seemed impossible because they were extremely rigid and not bendable at all...I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't done it myself but every person in that room bent their spoon, mine into a horseshoe and some people's spoon released more than once into a pretzel..That workshop opened my mind and in many ways changed my life...
I am at a time when things have just synched up from different aspects of my life: art and creativity-wise, my understanding and acceptance of myself and who I am, what I want to focus on in the future, and I am able to see more clearly the meaning in my life.. The synchronicities, which I used to think of as just coincidences, just keep coming on a daily basis. My Jungian therapist called this "being in the Dao"--experiencing a flow like the ins and outs of our breath... I have to say this is one of the reasons I am enjoying getting older... The chapter on me in GUIDED actually contributed to a better understanding of myself in a more wholistic and cohesive way...Thank you Laura for that and I also would like to acknowledge and thank Alex Tresniowski who worked with Laura on GUIDED and helped me also to see myself in a new broader light... ..
I can't say enough about the book or about the fascinating stories and people that are featured. Laura Lynne Jackson is the real thing and all of us have a lot to learn from her...
The Telepathy Tapes Season 2
After losing my husband Gert in 2013, many of you know that I set out to try and figure out where he went, what death was all about and whether consciousness survived our bodies...Season 2 of The Telepathy Tapes covers and spells out very clearly so much of what I discovered over my ten year research on death and dying...So much of what they talk about will blow your mind. If there is one podcast I highly recommend, I can guarantee you that if you embrace it, and as far as I can see, you have no reason not to, it will change your life...
And as synchronicity would have it, I came at the Telepathy Tapes totally independent of Laura Lynne Jackson, but she is the focus of Season 2, Episode 2 of Ky Dickens Telepathy Tape Podcast...
My newly painted studio in my newly moved in space in Damariscotta, Maine. Still not totally inaugurated and looking a little pristine…Thank you Michael Gorman for doing such a great job tranforming the space by painting the walls white…
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 255: A Simple Profound Thought, Psychic Comedian Peter Antoniou and Mentalist Oz Pearlman, The Mighty Sweet Potato
A Simple Profound Thought
Pam Smilow All You Need is Love, mixed media on canvas 54” x 54”
Peter Antoniou and
Oz Pearlman
Oz Pearlman who calls himself a magician/mentalist.
Peter Antoniou who calls himself a comedic magician/psychic
Last year I attended a performance of comedian/psychic Peter Antoniou at the Waldo Theatre in Waldoboro, Maine. Peter has appeared in many interactive shows in the United States and Europe (he is British), on London's West end and including an America's Got Talent performance, and he has even headlined in Las Vegas. His performance puzzles me to this day. How does he do what he does?!? I have seen true mediums and psychics before so I don't doubt that people have abilities way beyond what we can imagine but still my reaction to him was the same as the hosts of America's Got Talent--one of disbelief, awe and wonder. I was one of the audience members he chose out of the blue and to this day I have no idea how he knew very specific things about me and seemingly was able to read my mind, with facts he had no way of knowing...He knew I was about to travel and to where, even told me I need to go to Las Vegas--that's where I will make a lot of money selling my paintings. I haven't been yet so it is yet to be tested...
Last week I saw another of these mind-reading "mentalists" named Oz Pearlman on MSNBC's Morning Joe and again, it blew my mind. As it did too for Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Have a look at this Morning Joe segment of last week and if you can figure it out, please tell me in the comments how he knows what he knows...
Oz Pearlman has a new book out where he apparently explains somewhat how he does things...It is entitled Read Your Mind: Proven Habits for Success from the World's Greatest Mentalist.I plan on reading it...
Sweet Potato Recipes
2 g protein
0 g total fat
24 g carbs
4 g fiber
7 g sugar
43 mg calcium
62 mg phosphorus
31 mg magnesium
542 mg potassium
21,909 IU vitamin A
22 mg vitamin C
Here is a recipe that looked inspiring to me:
AFRICAN INSPIRED PEANUT AND SWEET POTATO STEW
INGREDIENTS
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 medium onion diced
* 3 garlic cloves minced
* 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp smoked paprika
* ½ tsp ground coriander
* ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
* 1½ lbs sweetpotatoes peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
* 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter
* 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
* 1 can 14 oz coconut milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
* 3 cups leafy greens kale, collards, or spinach, chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Juice of 1 lime
* Fresh cilantro to garnish
* Chopped roasted peanuts to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
* Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
* Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin,smoked paprika, coriander, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
* Add the diced sweetpotatoes and canned tomatoes to the pot. Stir well to coat the sweet potatoes in the aromatic mixture.
* Simmer the Base: Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
* Stir in the Peanut Butter: Whisk the peanut butter into the stew until fully incorporated.
* If using, add the coconut milk for extra creaminess. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
* Add the Greens: Stir in the leafy greens and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a pinch more cayenne if desired.
* Finish with Lime: Stir in the lime juice to brighten the flavors.
* Serve and Garnish: Ladle the stew into bowls and top with chopped roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro or parsley. Serve with crusty bread, rice, or flatbread for a complete meal. * Tips for Success: For a thicker consistency, mash some of the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Courtesy the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES
Courtesy Mark Bittman
INGREDIENTS: (4-6 servings)
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS: Heat the oven to 400 degrees
Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks ¼ to ½ inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil.
Toss the sweet potatoes in a bowl with salt, spices, and pepper..
Spread them out on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
Bake approximately 15 minutes, until brown and crisp on the bottom, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 more minutes.
MAPLE CANDIED SWEET POTATOES
Melissa Clark
You can always count on Melissa Clark to deliver a straightforward old standard which is perfect as an accompaniment for Thanksgiving:
INGREDIENTS (serves 10 to 12)
5 large sweet potatoes (3½ pounds)
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup apple cider
3 tablespoons butter
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Wash the sweet potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Wrap in foil and bake in a 375-degree oven until very tender. This can take anywhere from 50 minutes to 1½ hours, depending upon the girth of the potato. Thinner ones cook more quickly. Cool. Peel just before using.
Heat oven to 400 degrees and in a small pot, combine syrup, cider, butter, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until somewhat thickened, about 15 minutes. Pour syrup over sliced sweet potatoes and bake, uncovered, until bubbling and brown, 25 to 40 minutes.
Visited one of Gert Mathiesen’s paintings in a client’s home in Truckee, California on my recent trip. It made their hallway come alive which had previously just been dead space…
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 254: Flipper, Forgiveness, Carl Sandburg
Flipper
Click image for theme song
Bel Marin Keys, Novato, Califoria
The view from my friend's deck brought back great memories of one of my most favorite TV shows: Flipper. I kept expecting to see Sandy and Bud on the dock in front of the house, throwing fish to their beloved dolphin friend Flipper. And Porter Ricks showing up soon after in his Boston Whaler type skiff...If you are nostalgic and loved the TV series as much as me and my sister Judy did, have a look at a few of these episodes and tell me about it in the comments...
Sailor Bud Episode
The White Dolphin
What Happened to the Cast
Bel Marin Keys, Marin County, CA
Bel Marin Keys, Novato, California
Touching Story About Forgiveness
Today, that biker rolled up again—the one who sent my boy to the ICU—and for a split second, murder crossed my mind..Forty-seven days. Forty-seven days since Jake, my twelve-year-old boy, got hit crossing the street. Forty-seven days in a coma. And for forty-seven days, this biker—this stranger who destroyed my life—sat in that hospital room chair like he had any right to be there.
I didn't know his name for the first week. The police told me a motorcycle struck my son.
They told me the rider stayed at the scene, called 911, did CPR until the ambulance arrived. They told me he wasn't speeding, wasn't drunk, that Jake ran into the street chasing a basketball.
But I didn't care about any of that. Someone on a motorcycle hit my boy, and my boy wasn't waking up.
The doctors said Jake's brain was swelling. They said we had to wait. They said coma patients sometimes hear everything around them, that we should talk to him, play his favorite music, remind him why he needed to come back.
I couldn't do it. Every time I looked at Jake with those tubes and machines, I broke down.
But this biker—this man I'd never met—he talked to my son every single day.
I first saw him on day three. I walked into Jake's room and found this huge bearded guy in a leather vest sitting next to my son's bed. He was reading out loud from a book. Harry Potter. Jake's favorite.
"Who the hell are you?" I'd demanded.
The man stood up slowly. He was maybe fifty-five, sixty. Big guy, probably 6'2", patches all over his vest. "My name is Marcus," he said quietly. "I'm the one who hit your son."
I lunged at him. I don't even remember doing it. Hospital security pulled me off before I could land more than one punch.
"You need to leave," the head nurse told him. "Right now. We'll call the police if you come back."
But he did come back. The next day. And the day after that.
The hospital couldn't legally ban him from the building. And my wife—God help me—my wife Sarah told them to let him stay. "He wants to be here," she said. "And Jake needs all the support he can get."
I couldn't believe she was defending him. "He PUT Jake in that coma!"
"It was an accident," she said, crying. "The police report said so. Jake ran into the street. Marcus did everything right. He stayed. He helped. He's been visiting every day because he cares."
I didn't want to hear it. As far as I was concerned, Marcus being there was torture. Every time I saw him, I saw the moment my son's life got destroyed. Finally one day, I decided to finish him and pulled out my .. gun from my jacket pocket. My hands were shaking, my vision blurred with rage. Marcus was there again, hunched over Jake's bed, his deep voice murmuring the words of *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*. He didn't see me at first, didn't notice the way I stepped closer, finger hovering over the trigger.
But then Sarah walked in. She froze in the doorway, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. "No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, no. Not like this."
Her words hit me like a splash of cold water. I looked at Jake—my boy, so small and fragile amid the beeps and whirs of the machines. What was I doing? If I pulled that trigger, I'd be the one destroying everything. I'd lose Sarah, lose myself, and Jake... Jake would wake up to a world without his dad.
I lowered the gun, stuffing it back into my pocket before anyone else could see. Marcus turned then, his eyes meeting mine. There was no fear in them, just a deep, weary sadness. "I get it," he said softly. "If it were my kid, I'd feel the same. But I swear to you, I never meant for this to happen."
I sank into the chair across from him, my legs giving out. For the first time, I really looked at him—not as the monster I'd built in my head, but as a man. His vest had patches from veteran groups, a faded American flag, and one that said "Ride Safe." His hands, rough and scarred, held the book like it was something precious.
"Why do you keep coming back?" I asked, my voice raw.
Marcus closed the book gently. "Thirty years ago, I lost my own boy. Drunk driver hit us on the highway. I was riding with him on the back of my bike. He didn't make it. I did. Been carrying that guilt ever since." He paused, swallowing hard. "When I saw Jake lying there in the street, it was like seeing my son all over again. I couldn't just walk away. I had to try to make it right, even if it meant facing you every day."
I didn't know what to say. All those weeks, I'd seen him as the enemy, but he was just another father haunted by what-ifs. Sarah came over, placing a hand on my shoulder, and we sat there in silence for a while, the three of us united in our vigil.
That night, something shifted. I started talking to Jake myself, sharing stories from his Little League games, promising we'd go to the Grand Canyon like we'd always talked about. Marcus joined in, telling tales of his road trips, the places he'd seen on his bike. Sarah played Jake's favorite playlist—Queen, The Beatles, even some silly kids' songs that made us all chuckle through the tears.
On day fifty-two, Jake's eyes fluttered open. Just like that. The doctors called it a miracle, but I knew better. It was the voices, the stories, the love that pulled him back. He was weak, confused at first, but when he saw us—me, Sarah, and yes, Marcus—his face lit up. "Dad? Mom? Who's the big guy?"
We laughed, really laughed, for the first time in months. Marcus knelt down, eye-level with Jake. "I'm Marcus, kid. The one who helped you out when you chased that ball. Glad you're back."
Jake recovered slowly but surely. Physical therapy, check-ups, the works. And Marcus? He became part of the family. Turned out he was a retired mechanic, so he fixed up Jake's bike (the pedal kind) and taught him some basic road safety—stuff every kid should know. I even went on a ride with him once, wind in my face, feeling a bit of the freedom he talked about.
The biker who put my son in the hospital showed up again today, but this time, it was for Jake's thirteenth birthday party. He brought a cake shaped like a motorcycle and a stack of new Harry Potter books. And me? I didn't want to kill him. I wanted to thank him—for staying, for caring, for reminding me that accidents don't define us, but what we do after them does.
Life's too short for grudges. We've got a lot of road ahead, and now, we're riding it together.
Carl Sandburg Poem
by Carl Sandburg
A father sees his son nearing manhood.
What shall he tell that son?
"Life is hard; be steel; be a rock."
And this might stand him for the storms
and serve him for humdrum monotony
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
"Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy."
And this too might serve him.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
The growth of a frail flower in a path up
has sometimes shattered and split a rock.
A tough will counts. So does desire.
So does a rich soft wanting.
Without rich wanting nothing arrives
Tell him too much money has killed men
and left them dead years before burial:
the quest of lucre beyond a few easy needs
has twisted good enough men
sometimes into dry thwarted worms.
Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted.
Tell him to be a fool every so often
and to have no shame over having been a fool
yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
thus arriving at intimate understanding
of a world numbering many fools.
Tell him to be alone often and get at himself
and above all tell himself no lies about himself
whatever the white lies and protective fronts
he may use against other people.
Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong
and the final decisions are made in silent rooms.
Tell him to be different from other people
if it comes natural and easy being different.
Let him have lazy days seeking his deeper motives.
Let him seek deep for where he is born natural.
Then he may understand Shakespeare
and the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov,
Michael Faraday and free imaginations
Bringing changes into a world resenting change.
He will be lonely enough
to have time for the work
he knows as his own.
Courtesy Family Friend Poems
Pam Smilow Tea Towels cotton/linen blend six design choices (click image) $25 each great for gifts
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 253: Human/Animal Connections, Next Steps After October 18th: We Can All Do This, Hasselback Chicken
Human Connections with Wild Animals
Next Steps: We Can All Do This
Thank you Jess Craven of Substack, who really spells out a way to make sure we win everywhere on November 4th. Please copy these simple election-info messages, adapt them as you like, and then paste into text messages, emails, or DMs to friends and family in the state/city/county in question. This is called “relational organizing” and it’s actually more effective than postcarding, phonebanking, or even canvassing! People listen most to people they know! Please send these messages!
[If you see a mistake or an important election I’ve missed email me at hijesscraven101@gmail.com. I haven’t covered every single election happening but I’ve tried to get to all of the big ones. Find EVERY election happening on November 4 here.]
VIRGINIA
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important elections in VA on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and from what I’ve heard winning these Virginia elections is key to putting guardrails on him. Please vote for Abigail Spanberger for governor, Ghazala Hashmi for Lt. Governor, and Democrats up and down the ballot. Literally every race matters. Dems aren’t perfect but they’re pro-choice, pro-democracy, and anti-Trump. We’ve got to elect them everywhere we can. If you need help finding your polling place you can go to https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/polling-place-lookup/. Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
NEW JERSEY
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important elections in NJ on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and from what I’ve heard winning these New Jersey elections is key to putting guardrails on him. Please vote for Mikie Sherrill for governor and Democrats up and down the ballot. Literally every race matters. Dems aren’t perfect but they’re pro-choice, pro-democracy, and anti-Trump. We’ve got to elect them everywhere we can. If you need help finding your polling place you can go to https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-polling-location.shtml Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
PENNSYLVANIA
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important elections in PA on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and from what I’ve heard winning these supreme court retention elections is key to putting guardrails on him and protecting the presidential elections in 2028. Please vote YES to retain Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht. They’re pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ and pro-democracy. But there’s more! Please aso vote for Stella Tsai for Commonwealth Court and Brandon P. Neuman for Superior Court! And if you’re in Bucks or York County you have important school board races, too! Please vote for the Democrats! If you need help finding your polling place you can go to https://vote.pa/. Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
CALIFORNIA
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important election in CA on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and believe it or not winning Prop 50 is key to putting guardrails on him–we likely can’t win the midterms without it. Please vote yes–it’s the only question on the ballot, which should have been mailed to you. You don’t even need a stamp to mail it back! If you need more info on why to vote yes this is good https://www.independent.com/2025/10/08/vote-yes-on-californias-prop-50/ Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
NEW YORK CITY
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important election in NYC on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and believe it or not electing Zohran Mamdani is key to putting guardrails on him–Cuomo is Trump’s pick and we can’t have him winning. Please vote for Mamdani! If you need info on your polling place go here: https://www.vote.nyc/page/find-your-poll-site There are other important elections happening too. Please vote blue (anti-Trump) up and down the ballot! Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
GEORGIA
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important statewide elections in GA on November 4. I know you’re as worried about climate change as I am, and winning these Public Service Commission elections is actually super important to our future–and to lowering our utility bills! Please vote for Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard. There will likely be city elections on your ballot, too, and they’re really important. We’ve got to elect Democrats everywhere we can if we want our kids to have a livable future–and grow up in a democracy. If you need help finding your polling place you can go to https://georgia.gov/vote-early-person. Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
MINNESOTA
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important special elections in Minnesota on November 4. The balance of the state legislature will come down to the results and we can’t let MAGA win! If you’re in SD-47 ( Woodbury in Washington county and the southern part of Maplewood in Ramsey county) please vote for Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger, a Democrat running to protect a seat in the Minnesota Senate. If you’re in Minnesota SD-29 (includes much of Wright County, and parts of Hennepin and Meeker counties) please vote for Louis McNutt, who’s running to flip a seat in the state Senate blue. If you need help finding your polling place you can go here https://sos.mn.gov/election-administration-campaigns/elections-calendar/senate-districts-29-and-47-special-elections/ Thanks and please tell anyone you know in those towns!
MISSISSIPPI
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important special elections in Mississippi on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and winning elections for Democrats everywhere is key to putting guardrails on him. Please vote for Dems up and down the ballot. They aren’t perfect but they’re pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ, pro-democracy, and anti-Trump. We’ve got to elect them everywhere we can. If you need help finding your polling place you can go to https://myelectionday.sos.state.ms.us/VoterOutreach/Pages/VOSearch.aspx Feel free to hit me up with questions and I’ll try to help answer them! Thanks!
MAINE
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important special election in Maine on November 4. I know you’re as worried and upset about Trump’s abuses as I am, and winning this election is actually key to putting guardrails on him and the MAGAs trying to make it harder to vote. Please vote NO on Question 1. This measure, championed by Maine conservatives, would upend election procedures, including by imposing a barrage of new restrictions on mail voting and requiring voter ID. We’ve got to beat it. If you need help finding your polling place you can go here . Thanks!
Douglas County, Colorado
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important school board elections in Douglas County on November 4. Conservatives have a 4 to 3 majority, and the right-wing bloc has sided with anti-LGBTQ+ politicians and undermined a state health survey. But on November 4 all four seats currently held by conservatives are up for grabs. Please vote for the Democratic-supported slate (Clark Callahan, Kelly Denzler, Kyrzia Parker, Tony Ryan). School boards are SO IMPORTANT! Find your voting info here: GoVoteColorado.com Thanks!
OTHER Counties in Colorado
Hi. Hope you’re well! Just dropping a line to make sure you know about the super important school board elections in Colorado on November 4. Aurora Public Schools, Cherry Creek School District, Jefferson County and Denver Public Schools are all having school board elections with huge consequences for kids. Please vote for the Democratic-supported candidates who won’t attack LGBTQ kids, ban books, or force MAGA ideology down anyone’s throat! School boards are SO IMPORTANT! Here’s a bit more about these elections https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/10/16/colorado-election-2025-school-boards/
Find your voting info here: GoVoteColorado.com Thanks!
MAYORAL RACES!
There are tons of Mayoral races I didn’t have time to write texts for, but if you live in (or know people who do) Connecticut (Bristol, New Haven, Stamford, Hamden Milford, New Britain, Danbury, Norwalk, or Stratford) they have Mayoral races where Dems need to win! Miami, Fl has a Mayoral race! So does Atlanta, Georgia, Topeka, Kansas, Annapolis, Maryland, Boston, Massachusetts, Dearborn, Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, Manchester, New Hampshire, Gloucester Township, New Jersey, Jersey City, New Jersey, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Binghamton, New York, Buffalo, NY, Syracuse, New York, Charlotte, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, Pittsburgh, PA, Columbia, South Carolina and Seattle, Washington! You can find out who the Dem candidate is here: https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2025-general-election/
Hasselback Chicken Recipe
CNN Town Hall October 15, 2025 with Bernie Sanders and AOC
HASSELBACK CHICKEN
Ingredients
* 3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 large or 2 medium)
* 1 lemon
* 6-8 herb sprigs from a pack of poultry herbs (or a combination of rosemary, sage, and thyme)
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* One large bone-in skin-on chicken breast (about ¾ pound)
* With a very sharp knife. Slice 3/4 pound Yukon gold potatoes as thinly as possible. If you can't slice your potatoes thinner than about ⅛-inch thick, you can just roast all of them underneath the chicken, on the baking sheet.
* Very thinly slice 1/2 lemon. Cut 3 tablespoons butter into small cubes.
* Place one bone-in chicken breast on a work surface. Make crosswise incisions, spacing them about ½-inch apart, cutting all the way down to the bone.
* Very generously season chicken with salt and lots of ground black pepper, opening the "slices" in order to season thoroughly.
* Slide one slice of potato into each slit, as well as the lemon slices, cutting them in half if necessary to fit. Add sprigs of rosemary, sage, and/or thyme into every few folds, as well as the cubed butter, letting whatever butter doesn't fit just sit on top of the breast.
* Drizzle a small baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil, schmear with your fingers to coat, and shingle the remaining potato slices on top, letting them overlap a bit to create a fish scale kind of look. Season generously with salt and pepper.
* Place the hasselbacked chicken on top and drizzle everything with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, giving special attention to the potatoes in the chicken, to help them brown.
* Bake 20 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven, tip it to one corner so the oil and butter can pool, and spoon or brush the chicken (and potatoes and lemon in the chicken) with the fat. (Feel free to drizzle more olive oil on the chicken or potatoes if anything seems dry.)
* Return to the oven and continue baking until the potatoes on the edges of the baking sheet are crisping and golden, and the lemons and potatoes in the chicken have taken on a bit of color, about 18-24 minutes more. At this point, the chicken will be cooked through.
* If you want the potatoes on the baking sheet crispier, remove the chicken to a cutting board and let rest. (If any potatoes in the chicken need more time, you can add them to the baking sheet as well, but I like the contrast of how some of the potatoes don't get entirely tender.)
* Increase temperature to 475 and return potatoes to oven until crisped to your liking, likely 8-14 minutes more.
* Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken breast and potatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.
Pam Smilow Oatmeal Tree mixed media on paper 60” x 22”
Charity of the Week:
ACLU
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.
Blog No. 252: Phil Ochs, Cats, CNN Town Hall
Phil Ochs
Here is a selection of my favorites--no better time then to revive them now and salute this very talented and prolific songwriter who died tragically way to early, when he was only 35.
I'm Not Marchin Anymore
Draft Dodger Rag
There But For Fortune
The Highway Man
Changes
If you would like to delve deeper, here is a documentary all about this remarkable combination of musician/journalist/songwriter/politcal activist.
Cats, Energy, Vibrations and Edgar Cayce
If even just a few of these observations about felines is true, I want to learn more...Thanks to discoveries in modern science, knowledge from ancient history through the Egyptians, the Celts and the Vikings and teachings from the the trance recitations of Edgar Cayce (known as the sleeping prophet), we have learned about the extraordinary abilities of cats.
I didn't know that:
*Every purr from your cat may be more than affection, it could be the exact healing frequency your energy needed to receive...
*Cats have an ability to detect electromagnetic fields
*They can read our energy
*The Egyptians believed that cats were living portals between the physical and spiritual worlds
*A cat’s purr vibrates at a frequency of 25 to 150 hertz, which is the same frequency at which muscles and bones repair themselves.
Bernie Sanders/AOC CNN Town Hall
CNN Town Hall October 15, 2025 with Bernie Sanders and AOC
Pam Smilow Black Heart mixed media on paper 9” x 14”
Charity of the Week:
Indivisible
NO KINGS DAY OCT. 18th
Please show up on October 18th! and click image to donate and find a march near you… Bring a friend or two!
About The Author
New York City based contemporary artist, Pam Smilow, began writing the creative lifestyle blog “things we love” in an effort to foster a sense of community during times of isolation and reflection. To read more about her and her art, visit her website and check out the essay written by Frank Matheis entitled The Sophisticated Innocence of Pam Smilow.