Monthly Archives: July 2020

Jul31

get in the way.

Posted on by
Standard

The Bloodiest Sunday 

Bloody Sunday was a cruel incident that occurred on March 7, 1965  in Selma, Alabama. Six hundred orderly protesters were ready to march to Selma on a Sunday to support the Voting Rights Movement. They were led by John Lewis, SNCC, and SCLC activists. All six hundred of them crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, but were blocked by Alabama State Troopers. The police commanded them to turn around, but the protesters refused. The police say ‘they had no choice’ other than to start shooting teargas into the crowd, and beating the non-violent protesters. Sadly, they hospitalized over sixty people. To this day, Lewis still has a visible scar on his forehead from Bloody Sunday. This week, I watched as you made one final trip over that bridge, in your casket, with Alabama State Troopers saluting you, and people holding you in their hearts for all you did for them. You will always be remembered as a brave and compassionate leader who truly led by example.

—

RIP, John Lewis, thank you for always getting in the way, and showing us how it’s done.

 

—

“you must be bold, brave, and courageous and find a way… to get in the way.”

-john lewis

Jul30

being empty.

Posted on by
Standard

aftermath of our afternoon trip down the river – 2020 style

—

what started out as a promising enterprise

full of air and up on top

 waylaid by the first set of cascades

day’s lazy dreams dashed against the rocks

so quickly deflated

 yet just as suddenly

floated back up

found a way 

after all

not as planned

this will always be remembered as the year that was

for so many reasons

that taught us how to make it to the end

safety vests strapped on and fingers crossed

even if we had to body surf our way through it

or borrow a raft now and then. 

—

“there is even rhythm in being empty.”

-miyamoto musashi

Jul29

chew n’ brew.

Posted on by
Standard

Fried Beer- a crispy creation that lets you bite into your brew.

You receive a plate of fried, ravioli-shaped dough with a dark filling. You take a bite expecting meat and are met with the flavor of warm, rich stout. Welcome to the world of fried beer.

Fried beer is the brainchild of Mark Zable, who debuted his creation at the Texas State Fair in 2010 and won that year’s Most Creative award (an honor also bestowed tofried Coke in 2006). Even for those who might be skeptical of the culinary appeal, one has to admire the logistics of deep-frying a liquid. It would be easy to simply fry a beer-based batter, but fried beer keeps the brew—Guinness, to be specific—intact while frying the pretzel dough around it. This is no easy task. It took Zable three years to figure it out. Although he won’t reveal the exact recipe, speed is key. Each nugget of beer-filled dough should be deep-fried for no more than 20 seconds.

And just how does it taste?  Zable says, “It tastes like you took a bite of hot pretzel dough and then took a drink of beer.”

Have your ID handy. You must be 21 or older to enjoy fried beer.

 

—

“food is vital, but also associated with enjoyment. ”    

– grethe berg

 

 

—

credits: David Berkowitz, Gastro Obscura 

Jul28

secret forts.

Posted on by
Standard

grandie j heads out

mohawk helmet on

backpack filled

with pokemon cards, water, hope

off on his bike to meet friends 

at their ‘secret fort’

in the neighborhood.

after he makes his grand exit

grandie b, left behind, shares –

“we all have the same secret fort, but no one knows it.”

 

—

“well i know the secret places. and the nests in hedge and tree;

at what doors are friendly faces, in what hearts are thoughts of me.”

-henry wadsworth longfellow

Jul27

peaceful.

Posted on by
Standard

 

 am – peaceful walk in the woods

 pm -peaceful protest on the streets

 

—

day 1, 99 to go.

—

“there may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest. “

-elie wiesel

Jul26

100.

Posted on by
Standard

until the election

think, read, listen, ask, talk, learn, know

make your choice

vote. 

 

—

“everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made.

if you want a different result, make a different choice.”

-jonathan kiavi

Jul25

birch.

Posted on by
Standard

standing in my yard

a child

 small among the birch trees

i would slowly peel away the bark

creating the most delicate pieces of beautiful paper

a gift from the tree

uncurled and waiting to be my papyrus.

 

—

“out of sight above the house, the mirror moon reflected the sun of a day not yet dawned,

shining the pale light of tomorrow on the yard and on the paper birches.”

 -dean koontz

 

 

 

—

image credit: white birch fragrance oil

Jul24

pond.

Posted on by
Standard

where sky and pond meet

—

“a field of water betrays the spirit that is in the air.

it is continually receiving new life and motion from above.

it is intermediate in its nature between land and sky.”

  • henry david thoreau

 

 

—

matthaei botanical gardens, ann arbor, michigan, usa – summer 2020