Standing Into Danger

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Magic Hour

I can't tell you how much I love Venice!
I never tire of roaming along its canals and narrow passageways.
Here are some photos I took while wandering last fall.

Installing New Glass

Venice, Italy

September 12, 2018

Please, Ma'am, May I Have Some?

Waiting for a Ferry

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Companions

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Private Garden

Venice, Italy

September 23, 2018

Masquerade Ready

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Delivering the Mail

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Farmers Market

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Colorful Wares at the Farmers Market

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

An Argument for Traveling Light

Ponte degli Scalzi

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Night Alley

Venice, Italy

September 12, 2018

Feathered Diners Unwelcome!

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Terry Along the Grand Canal

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Eve Tempts Adam in the Garden of Eden

and Their Expulsion (in the background)

"Original Sin" by Tintoretto, Early 1550s

Accademia di Belle Arti

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Passing Gondolas

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Window Display

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Eterna

Venice, Italy

2018

On Duty on A Shop Stoop

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

An Unexpected Surprise

A Walk in a Wooded Public Park

Venice, Italy

September 21, 2018

Wedding Photographer

St. Mark's Square

Venice, Italy

September 2018

Newspaper Stand

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Quiet Evening along a Canal

Venice, Italy

September 22, 2018

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Yours Truly

St. Mark's Square, Venice, Italy

Note: Somehow earlier this evening I accidentally published an unfinished post I am working on.

It was full of mistakes and cut and pastes, so I quickly took it down when I realized what had happened. My apologies if you saw it. Thanks for leaving kind comments, Jean and Alex. They'll probably repost when I finish it.

For Map Lovers Like Me:

Location of Italy

Wikimedia

Location of Venice

Google Maps 2018

Venice, Italy

Wikimedia

Friday, May 8, 2020

On the Intrinsic Value of Human Life

Today I need to speak up about something that is profoundly upsetting me.
During the Covid-19 crisis it seems like human life
has become increasingly cheap in the United States.

I have actually been told to my face that it's okay
if a bunch of old people are killed by the virus
because it's just cleaning out the dead wood.
And, it's okay if old or sick people die
because we're getting rid of burdens on society.

THIS IS NOT OKAY!

Every human life has value, no matter how old an individual is,
how sick, how disabled.
Every human being has the inherent right to be treated with dignity and with compassion.
No individual is more valuable than another.

Sheltered by Love from My Beginning

My Mother and Father with Me

Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada

March 1950

I believe that the vast majority of people around the world value human life.
I think the people who are cheapening human life are the tiny minority,
but they are grabbing the headlines.
I am afraid that if we don't stand up for the intrinsic value of every human life,
we will slide into an acceptance of getting rid of
the "dead wood" and "burdens" on society.

Loving Care

My Mother with Me

Stanhope Beach, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Summer 1951

Loving Fun

My Mother with Me

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Summer 1952

Loving Celebrations

My Mother with Me at My 6th Birthday Celebration ~
Delayed by the Birth of my sister Barb

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Spring 1956

Abraham Lincoln, a great American president said,
"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
This is a time for us to stand up for the value every human life.

I am posting some treasured pictures of my mother,
the most amazing human being I have ever known.
When she died, when I saw her take her last breath,
I begged God to let her breathe even one more time,
because I couldn't bear to lose this magnificent human being,
this person I loved with everything in me.

Sara Margaret MacDonald MacBeath

She might have callously been viewed
by some stranger as "dead wood" or "a burden,"
but to me and the people who loved her, she was irreplaceable.

Almost twenty years later there is a hole in my heart
because I love and miss my mother so much.

I posted these words on Facebook this morning,
after a discussion about this topic with my sister Donnie last night.
As we talked I realized that it was shameful for me to stay silent.
I woke up knowing I had to speak out, say something.

My Parents Dating

(My Dad is Wearing a Bowtie)

Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada

Circa 1946

Their Wedding Day

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

September 4, 1948

Their Honeymoon

Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

September 5 or 6, 1948

A friend of mine told me in a comment
about the despicable treatment of an elderly neighbor,
a neighbor she described as "the most amazing lady,
someone she absolutely loves.

This lady is in her mid-eighties.
She went out for a walk yesterday and encountered two people
who were walking while holding hands and blocking the entire sidewalk.
She asked them to give her a little space, and they responded,
"Why don't you just stay home, old woman."
She answered sadly that she hoped they wouldn't get the virus.

It's heartbreaking to know that some people
feel empowered to treat others in such a callous way.
They do not understand the phrase,
"There but for the grace of God, go I."

Perhaps they haven't lived long enough to understand
how fragile life is and how it can change in a heartbeat.
They can't imagine, in their youth and healthiness,
that they might suffer a devastating illness or accident
that leads to their incapacitation or their dependence on others.
They can't imagine that someday, if they are fortunate,
they will live to be as old.

We cannot treat others like this.
We need to support civility;
but even more importantly,
we need to stand up for the value of every single human life.

It is my deepest hope that we learn from this surreal and difficult time,
that we recognize the importance of every human being,
that we build a better and more equal world.
We cannot sit back and be silent.

Throughout this post I have shared pictures of my mother.
I encourage everyone to share stories and photos
of the irreplaceable people in their lives.
Let's counteract callousness and hate with love.

Love Given and Returned

My Mother with My Brother Toward the End of Her Life

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Possibly the Fall of 2001

Our Last Photo Together

A Few Days Before My Mother Died
The value of her life is written on the faces of her children,
even in the body of her beloved Daxie.
Bertie (left), Roy, Me (Louise), Barb, Donnie

May 2002

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Donnie and I

Point Prim

On the Bay of Fundy

Summer 2018

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

IWSG: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 ~ Woo Hoo!

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex Cavanaugh are Feather Stone, Beverly Stowe McClure, Mary Aalgaard, Kim Lajevardi, and Chemist Ken.

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? Care to share?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy May, Everyone!
I hope all is well with you.

I am so excited today,
because yesterday the 2020 IWSG anthology
Voyagers: The Third Ghost was released!

I've stayed up late the last few nights
reading and rereading
all the wonderful short stories in the book.

And I've read mine over and over.
Why? Because every time I read or reread
one of the other nine great stories in the anthology,
I'm hit with a surge of insecurity and think
My story doesn't belong here when compared with this awesome story!

And then I reread mine and think
My story is 💖💖💖good💖💖💖.
I'm proud of it. It belongs here!

I am proud!
And terrified, because now it's out in the real world for everyone to read.
Deep breath ~ It's all good.

That said, did I have any problem writing a brief review
for each of the other nine authors' short stories?
Feel a sense of insecurity stepping out there with those reviews?
Not at all.
I enjoyed each and every story!
I shared those reviews on our IWSG Anthologies blog.

If you can visit our site today, I'd really appreciate it!
Let's support the amazing IWSG members whose stories appear in this anthology.
Leave them a kind and encouraging word.

Even better, support your fellow IWSG authors by purchasing the book
and settle in for a great read. Amazon

Who knows?
Maybe next year your short story will be featured in the 2021 anthology,
and you'll feel like we 2020 authors are feeling right now.

The full details about this year's contest have been released today
on the IWSG website.
Check them out.
Write a story.
You never know ~ Your story just might be selected!

Then you'll feel like me, opening a package from Dancing Lemur Press,
and seeing your story in print for the first time!
Except, hopefully, you won't be cleaning the freezer
when your book package is dropped on your front doorstep.

I Can't Believe It!

Copies of Voyager: The Third Ghost Arrive

Photo by Terry Barbour

Be safe and healthy!
Happy writing in May!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Author Head Shot

Just to Show I Clean Up Reasonably well!

November 2020

Speaking of supporting fellow IWSG members,
here's a great opportunity to support Diane L. Wolfe,
blogging at Spunk on a Stick,
and learn some excellent publishing information in the process.

Coming on Wednesday, May 19 and 21, 2020 . . .

A great opportunity to learn about publishing!

Diane, the publisher of our IWSG anthologies, will be hosting two webinars:

May 19th: How to Publish Your Book Now Part 1 Cost: $10.00 US dollars

May 21st: How to Publish Your Book Now Part 2 Cost: $10.00 US dollars

https://www.eztalks.com/r/950554940 & https://www.eztalks.com/r/938209289

Friday, May 1, 2020

Sex-in-the-Park Time

I'm late getting a post up today.
I've been laid low the past several days by a bug.
Not Covid-19, I'm almost certain.

Today my goal is to stay vertical,
after two days in my jammies asleep in bed.
I crashed horizontal after getting my anthology post up Wednesday.

This morning is gorgeous, warm and sunny.
I'd love to walk along Piney Creek,
but it might be a day or two before I feel up to it.

It's sex-in-the-park time for our local cottonwoods.
The males are flaunting their burgundy catkins,
the females revealing their pale chartreuse flowers.

The Boys Celebrating Spring

Male Cottonwood Catkins and a Male Red-Winged Blackbird

Along Piney Creek, Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 4, 2018

The Girls Celebrating Spring
A Squirrel (sex unknown) with Female Cottonwood Flowers

Along Piney Creek, Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 4, 2018

I want to get back in my beloved open space asap.

I'm missing all the action.

Things are changing along Piney Creek by the hour.

I'm longing for vigor and energy.

I'm out of my jammies, so that's a promising sign!

Take Care. Stay Safe.

Definitely My Ducks!
My "Middle Pond" Along Piney Creek
Aurora, Colorado, USA

April 21, 2020

Note:

On Tuesday, May 5th the IWSG Anthology

Voyagers: The Third Ghost

containing my short story

"Dare Double Dare" is out!

I am so excited! I have an advance copy,
and it is a thrill to see my name in print.

I'll share more next week!!!

You can read about some of the authors,

including me, at "my anthology post"

that I linked above in this post.

Books Read in 2026

"18 Days in Heaven" by Gale Poirot
"A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Hope, Love, and Overcoming" by Kerrie Rawson
"Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD.
"Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics Deepest Truths" by Eugenia Cheng
"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir
"Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese
"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Life Impossible" by Matthew Haig
"The Lord go the Rings" by JRR Tolkien
"The Match" by Harlan Corben
"The Night the Path Disappeared" by Terri Bergen
"The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper" by Roland Allen
"Theo of Golden" by Allen Levi
"Think Twice" by Harlan Corben
"Why Christianity Must Change Or Die" by John Shelby Spong

Standing Into Danger

Pages

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Magic Hour

Friday, May 8, 2020

On the Intrinsic Value of Human Life

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

IWSG: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 ~ Woo Hoo!

Friday, May 1, 2020

Sex-in-the-Park Time

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