Month: June 2023

Hard to believe that June

Is ending, but it is, and we

Still, get subtle reminders

That winter is not that far 

Removed or away. Looking

Out we cannot see the

Horizon. We look up and down

But it is not to be seen. A

Huge fire in Canada has sent

Smoke to us, which has fogged

Our sky, blocked the sun

There are no filtering rays in

The woods and all the fauna

Seems quiet, and the flora is

Still the wind, not even

A slight breeze is moving anything

The sun has been an ally on

Some days but mostly, it has been

Gray and depressing. Older people

Are dismayed as they feel that they

Have a few days, weeks, months and  

To enjoy the spring, summer, and fall.

Winter, though has been prevalent

And whether the smoke is coming from

California or Canada, the outcome is

The same and allergy medications

Cause drowsiness and make life

Miserable for those who cannot find

Something positive to hold on to.

Music helps, and old classical movies

Lift the doldrums for a while but in

The back of the mind, reality does not

Vanish. So we wait. This cannot last

Forever, can it? We hope not.

Stanski

June 30, 2023, ^

I feel the cool breeze on this

This gray overcast day. I cannot

Let it cause depression because

I know that there is a purpose

For it even though I do not know

What that purpose is. People in

The community are working to

Make the day an enjoyable one

As we celebrate the birth of a

Nation, although flawed, once

More. There will be the usual

Activities with the children’s parade

Taking place on Friday and the grand

Parade on Saturday. there will be

Vendors selling their wares and

The Lions will be hawking their

Famous hot dogs. Looking back

We will be missing those who have

Gone to their rewards and who we

Had a good relationship with. It

Is with heavy hearts that we

Realize that we must go on without

Them. Such is the way of life and

We can never understand why it

Must be this way, although in the end

We will all be together again. There

Are some who we eagerly await and

Others, as we are just human, that we

Could care less if we see them or not.

It is not the way we have been taught

But that feeling remains just the same.

The day continues and the cheerleaders

Are selling raffle tickets to raise money

For their needs. Little folks are looking

For candy which has been thrown to

The crowd. The old-timers musical float

Will come by and then park and entertain

Us with music from days gone by. The same

Activities are repeated each year and one

Of the favorites is the parade of old or

Unusual cars that join the parade. After

So many hours the crowd disperses. It

Has been a lovely day even without the

Sunshine and warmth. Maybe next year.

Stanski one June 29, 2023, ^

I was riding my horse steadily

In an uncertain stream, handling

Conditions and making changes

As necessary, following the guidance

Of my superiors, operating without

Complaint and making changes as

Necessary and receiving complements

Along the way, when suddenly

Thirteen horseman rushed the

Stream and tore down ten years

Of work and vetoed the possibility

Of restoration. Then they wanted the

Teardowns to auction off in order to

Raise money for their purpose.

It is not pride that gets in my way, but

The lack of critical thinking by those

Who had the say. The misunderstanding

Of the purpose of the project and

The feeble reasons for discarding the

Efforts of ten years. I was the committee

Of one and was not invited to elaborate

On the reasons for change. The discarded

Work, some of which went missing, was

Roughly stored. Some pieces of the art

Were damaged and some were selected

For other purposes. I had procured over

Ninety percent of the art through dealings

With artists, directly of with gallery owners.

Some of the art, through transactions was

owned by the hospital but over fifty percent  

was not and the ownership of it belongs to

me, although this is not assumed by the

committee of thirteen.

Stanski

June 28, 2023, ^

There may not be trumpets

Playing or drums beating, but

We know when we are

Called to perform some

Inherent duty. It may be

Mundane or important

But the key is listen to the

Call and respond to the call

And do so to the best of

Your ability to achieve

Maximum effect. Too many

Times these calls are

Ignored and people may

Suffer needlessly because

of our failure. When the

Shoe is on the other foot

We are often not understanding

And hold the one called upon

Guilty. We may have no excuse

For ignoring the call other

Than we have things

To do and in our mind it is

Okay, but in reality it is a

Waste of opportunity and

We may be held accountable.

Our shortcomings or laziness are

No excuses for ignoring someone

In need and the goodness we miss

Our on is irreplaceable. Wisdom

Should drive us to make the

Right decisions.

Stanski

June 27, 2023, ^

A gray, rainy morning

Whit haze so thick that

You can hardly see

The horizon makes

You wonder what God

Has in plan for you

There are many things 

But this is summer and

Your plans called for

Outdoor activities.

Thanksgiving for a new

Day is in order and then

You can figure out what

Is next on your agenda.

I have laundry to do and

A little organizing is in

Order so I can fill up some

Of the unexpected free

Time. I have exercises to do

So I will eagerly attend to

Those. Then shower and

Straighten bathroom, do

Some banking and then

Read. That will be all for

Today and when finished

I will give thanks and take

A nap. It sounds like a full

Day.

Stanski

June 26, 2023, ^

Today is a beautiful day.

Is it making up for the

Unusual gray, cold days?

I hope that is the case.

But we take what is given.

And hopefully with thanks.

When I look, I feel hopeful,

Not only for today, but

Forever. Today is just a

Single step on our journey.

The birds are singing praises,

And I think of eternity,

There is not way we can

Measure one day of the

Hereafter but it has been

Said that if a small bird

Sharpens its beak on a

Large bolder once every

Thousand years a single

Day of eternity will have

Passed when the bolder

Is worn away thusly. If

Seeing the sun flickering

Through the trees and

Smelling the fragrance of

Early summer air and

Hearing all the music

Which nature provides

Gives us peace, then we

Should do everything we

Can now to show our

Appreciation for what will

Be coming. In a broken world

We should stand firm on

Goodness and love for others.

Tomorrow will be a new day.

Stanski

June 24, 2023, ^

I viewed an abstract painting and wanted

To interpret its meaning. It had black, white,

Yellow blue, gray, orange, and green, and a

Few others. The black, embellished with

Blue and gray was the Supreme Being. He

Was flanked by the yellow, who were angels,

although we know He needed no help and

was on top of what we might think of as

confusion. The other colors represented

mankind and the degree of human

Evil or goodness. The angels at the top

Were gathering the strays who were

Attempting to circumvent the judgment

Process. They were brought back to their

Place in line. The layer of angels below

The Father were keeping order in the

Process and escort the individuals

To their eternal reward. Sounds of glee

And anguish could be heard. The various

Groups in the lower part of the painting

Were talking about their lives and how

There were no second chances they

Knew of. Some were calm, while others

Were anxious. There was the assumption

That many knew their fate but still had

Hope. The painting gave me a lot to think 

About and I walked away with a new resolve.

Stanski

June 23, 2023, ^

No doorway needed

Just windows and an

Imagination. The sun

Is shining and the wind

Is blowing mildly. Flowers

Planted recently are dancing

And small birds are

Investigating. Oh what a

Delight it is after the long

Spell of cold and gray.

Inspiration is floating

Every which way in the air

The need to grab a yard tool

Is overwhelming and it is

Hard to imagine improving

On what nature has given us

Nothing is perfect, but we will

Find a way. New shrubs would

Not hurt or be an insult to

What exists. Meanwhile the

Lake waters are calm and

Inviting. They are warm and

Cause no hesitation in going

Further away from the shore

There the sun seems warmer

Or even hotter that on the

Shore line. The view of the

Sun filtering its way through

The branches and leaves is

A sight that gives you the I

Can do it feeling. I do a little  

Edging and dump the gatherings

Into a low spot near the edge

Of the woods. This will be a

Long term project and one

That excites the visionary. Tomorrow,

Thankfully, will be another day

Stanski

June 22, 2023, ^

It was a sweet land of liberty

Indians created a battle scene

As we began to travel across

The country. Many people and

Animals were slaughtered needlessly

As we began our manifest destiny

Living was easier as the Indians

Were conquered and kept on reservations

We then advanced through the industrial

Revolution. Then the wars, including the

Civil War, the Spanish-American war,

World War I and II, the Korean war,

Followed by the cold war. Then the conflicts

With Iran and the war with Iraq, Presidents

Reagan and President Trump, demanded peace

At the time of the2020 State of the union address

Our economy was booming, overseas jobs were

Coming home. We exported fuel, secured our borders,

Created jobs at home which were sustainable. Built our

Defense, brought peace to the middle east. Made Jerusalem

The capitol of Israel. Reduced crime in the USA making

It a much safer place to be. Dealt with Covid. Survived

Two impeachments and three investigations, while Mrs

Clinton and Joe Biden with all the evidence against

Them are living Scott free. If reelected president Trump

Will restore what Bided has given away.

Stanski June 18, 2023, ^  

A GLORIOUS DAY

(a meditation by Steve Haarman)

Today is a glorious day.

One that is to be treasured.

We should all use it to good purpose

We gather and pray together that

Everything will be okay. Prayer is good,

But we also need action if we are to

Go forward in our journey to heaven.

There is much to do. the world is in

Chaos including our country. People

Mistake power and control as leadership

And are content in destroying our

Lives and subjecting us to Marxist Socialism

Soon there is no productivity and we

Fall into ruin. We must start no and

Embrace leadership which will turn us

Around and restore religion and rights.

And update our schools and do away

With unions which control what is being

Taught and indoctrinated. We need a new

Chapter of individualism, where people

Do their own thinking and come to the

Conclusion that they know as true.

Only then can we advance and grow.

Stanski

June 16, 2023, ^