traveling up and down the blind highway

The anger of Los Angeles and other cities has erupted in my small Midwest town. It was a quiet Friday morning. Early for the lunch crowd, we went to our favorite Middle Eastern restaurant for a quiet lunch. As we finished our order, a young man with dreadlocks waited to receive his order.
“This has cheese, I don’t eat cheese.”
The clerk apologized and took the order back. In a few minutes he returned with a fresh salad.
“This has peas, I don’t eat peas,” he shouted.
The salad didn’t have any peas. This was not an item on the menu. An argument ensued. The customer grabbed a cup to fill it at the drink dispenser.
“Hey, You didn’t pay for that.”
Voices were raised. The customer was asked to leave. Once outside, he started to verbalize racial slurs against Arabs , muslins and and the police, after being told that they had been called.
The owner had locked the door after the irate young man left. He continued to yell and bang on the locked door until the police arrived. Instead of one patrol car there were three cars arriving at the same time. The young man was subdued and put in handcuffs as we watched. I don’t know if the young man had mental, anger issues or wanted to cause a diversion. The clerk commented after the incident that his Smart watch was gone.
Social fuses are burning in the country, including this small Michigan burrow. Where will it end?

*** poem
Smoldering embers
anger, hostility
quarrel sparks voices rising
body language in each other’s face
asked to leave, shouts, racial slurs slams the door
with stolen watch

carolaspot@aol.com
copyrighted 6/15/25

This past week, we have had haze and smoke from Canadian wild fires causing poor air quality over most of Michigan. Normally, there is an increase in Carbon monoxide in spring before oxygen is produced from plants and trees. This year the CO increased to 3.5 parts per million. This may not sound serious but this trend is higher yearly.
The Jet stream and lack of rain has pushed the smoke from the high atmosphere down to the earths surface, causing pollution to linger.
The fires in sections of British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have continued to burn for over a year, causing smoke to remain in the air.
What does it mean for person’s living in the Great Lakes area? Last year, we had 14 ozone action days where air quality was in the dangerous levels for the elderly, children, pregnant women and people with pre existing conditions such as heart or breathing conditions.
This past week, we have had ozone action days. Last Friday, despite such conditions, John and I went for a 10 mile bike ride. Biking and walking are labeled moderate exercise. We are in our seventies but healthy. I experienced mild difficulty biking uphill. I had trouble drawing a deep breath. My respiratory system continued to produce phlegm during the whole ride and for a short time after.
What can we do to protect from smoke. A surgical or paper mask does not filter the small particles from the air. A N95 respiratory mask can protect from most air born pollutants. These will not protect from active fires.
It is likely that the chance of hazy weather will continue to be a factor in our weather. Be aware of current conditions and take precautions. Then go and plant another tree.
poem
Take a breath
We need to breathe,
oxygen laden air from plants and trees.
CO is used, oxygen exchanged.
But smoke produced haze,
disrupts to make it harder
to take a breath.
carolaspot@aol.com
copyright 6/9/25

My husband John is a control master when it comes to his garden, yard and plantings. He cuts, trims and weeds to perfection. All is perfect, except for the wild turkeys. We have several that roam the neighborhood, looking for bird feeder leftovers.
The problem? John has new red colored mulch on the hill, behind the stone wall. The turkeys, like chickens, scratch the mulch by kicking backward to move the mulch to find dropped seeds. They kick the mulch decorating the green grass with bright red wood. Though this may look pretty, It is not in John’s control.
Last week, He shopped at the local farm store to purchase metal cattle panels that had four by six inch openings to discourage the turkeys from scratching and moving the mulch. The turkeys decided to scratch the mulch on the edge of the fencing, making the same mess. Score Turkeys 1, John 0.
John took the challenge to heart. He edged the area between to the wall and the mulch with 8 inch wood fencing to keep the mulch from being moved by the turkeys.
Score John 1, Turkeys 1. This is working but the turkeys have disappeared for now. additionally, John’s out of pocket expense is over sixty dollars.
The back yard is perfect again, but for how long? I think I heard the turkeys in conference in the woods.
poem
Turkey Assault
To scratch is their nature, making a mess.
What is the solution, for us no rest.
metal fencing, standing wood slats.
Turkeys confer, behind our hedge.
Plan for round three.
I’ll wait and see.
carolaspot@aol.com copyrighted 6/2/2025 .

My great aunt, Minnie Turnbull, was a skilled knitter. She would knit lovely sweaters for nieces and nephews for birthday gifts. They had details such as covered buttons, and mohair striping in the body. My favorite was a bright pink sweater with two white mohair stripes on the chest. I loved to run my fingers across the white stripe noting the difference between the white and pink stitches. Wearing that sweater, I felt special.
All too soon, I outgrew the sweater. My mother cleaned it to store for future family members. It was stored for many years in a cedar chest. When my niece, Katelyn, was old enough to wear it, the sweater was gifted to her. Rubbing her fingers across the mohair gave her pleasure. Wearing the sweater for a year, she finally out grew it. It was cleaned and packed away again to wait for another Turnbull girl.
When my daughter was five, the sweater was unpacked and given to her. She loved to feel the mohair stripes on the chest of the sweater. She wore the garment until it was outgrown.
The other day, I was visiting my two grand nieces. The oldest one, Eliza, sported a pink sweater with two white mohair stripes on the chest. Knitted by loving hands over seventy five years before. It has held up to the test of time over generations. I told the sweater’s journey, as Eliza rubbed her fingers across the white mohair striping.
carolaspot@aol.com
Copyright 5-26-2025

One year ago today, I wrote a poem about life giving water. We need nurturing whether with water or acceptance. My poem is below.
May 19th 2024
Life giving water
It pours on trees, bushes and grass.
Filling ponds and rivers with healing.
Squirrels and deer lap up it’s strength.
I hope for a portion of the gift.
This life giving water..

This poem was sent to Lynda in our poetry postcard exchange last May. With the weather yesterday, it seems appropriate for the blog. We are working on six sections of the book, selecting poems for each section. Lynda just sent me the people and places section. I am selecting my poems today. The harder work for a book is what to choose and what to keep for another project. Lynda produced an outline and I suggested some minor changes. We each selected three of the section to be responsible for. From over 336 poems I will select 20 to 24 poems for each section. That will be 120 to 130 total poems, Lynda will do the same. We go through each selection to check for spelling, punctuation and font. Then we send the section to each other.
Currently we are sending our poems to on line and printed magazines to have published. We are hoping to have at least 30 to 60 poems published this year. This is a way we can connect with publishers and make interest in our work. When the book is completed, we will have a group of people to contact about the work.
I will keep you posted on our progress. I will end with a teaser from our book.
6
Handsome an acrostic poem

“Howdy Handsome.”
A wagging tail greeting.
“Nice dog.”
“Don’t know why he likes you.”
“Strangers are greeted with growls.”
“Only you he likes.”
“Maybe it’s my quiet voice.”
“Easy when you are holding a biscuit.”

carolaspot@aol.com
copyright 5-1

Disclaimer: Some of the facts were different on different sites. I tried to present them as factual as possible.
Carol
After the passing of Pope Francis, a story of His Holiness and a chocolate Labrador has been circulated. The Pope was said to have found the stray under a bridge . After looking into his soul filled eyes, Pope Frances adopted the dog. Though Vatican regulations forbid animals in the Papal residence, Pope Frances was not the first Pope to demonstrate his love of animals.
The open courtyard of the papal gardens have been the home of many exotic gifts to the pope. In the middle ages, such gifts were sent to cement favors from the current pope.
In modern times Pope Leo XIII had an elephant that was kept in the garden. The Pope kept Hana for two years on the Vatican grounds. This was collaborated by the recent of excavation near the Vatican library revealing the remains of Hana’s bones.
Pope Pious the XII is reported to have rescued an injured finch in the gardens. The finch had an broken wing. The Pope nursed the bird back to health and continued to keep the bird in his residence. Pope Pious was given several canaries. During the Popes meals, the birds were allowed to roam freely. Gretel was an inseparable companion. The Pope would be seen having a conversation with the bird on his finger.
Pope John the XXIII had a French bulldog named Winston. The pontiff named the dog for Former prime minster Winston Churchill.
Pope Paul the VI would take scraps on his walks to feed stray animals that he would encounter in the Vatican gardens. He forbid gardeners from killing insects. He had the cat at the beginning of his papacy. named Margaret.
Pope John Paul II wrote in 1990 a doctrine that reminded that all living creatures came into being by the breath of God. He wrote that all animals have a soul. He advocated for animal and their dignity. He told an interviewer about a dream he had. The dream was himself following a mother cat with 6 kittens. He followed the family as they tried to find food and shelter in a snow storm. The first was a doorman at a high rise, then a Jesuit Catholic church and an Anglican church. The cat family was shooed away as the Pope watched helplessly. Finally, the Feline family came to a poor woman’s small home. She welcomed the cats into the warmth of her small dwelling.
Pope Benedict was known as a cat lover. He had a cat named Chico at his home in Germany. On his walks, he would fill his pockets with scrapes to give to the stray cats. Often, they would follow him for some distance. When he retired, He would go into the gardens to find cats to feed. Pope Benedict disagreed that animals had souls.
Pope Frances believed that animals we befriended would be raised into glory forever. One small boy told his parents that his dog was so kind and loving that he had to go to heaven. Humans take a lifetime to learn the same lesson.
Pope Leo XIV predecessor Leo XIII, was an advocate for the rights of the workers. We will wait to see if he advocates the rights of all of God’s creatures.
Carolaspot@aol.com
copyrighted 5-12-25

For the next two weeks, Holland Michigan will celebrate Tulip time on the West lakeshore of Michigan. It is estimated that between three and five hundred thousand visitors come to experience the Dutch heritage, see the tulip farms and buy Holland’s arts and crafts. This festival is in it’s ninety fifth consecutive years of operation.
First Proposed by Len Rogers, a school biology teacher in nineteen twenty seven to promote the cities history using tulips as a symbol and plantings in the downtown area. The first year, the city planted one hundred thousand bulbs imported from the Netherlands. It has grown over the years to include, a carnival, a tour of tall ships, tours of gardens and an artisan area. Many of the events are free or a nominal fee. The citizens dress in the 16th century costumes. The Dutch used their expertise to cultivate tulips, daffodils and crocuses. The number and variety of tulips alone number 85. From the early midgets to the giant black swan flowers, the tulips can produce a showy display for the whole spring season.
Holland is 40 miles away by car. I have visited the festival on several occasions.
We visited the wooden shoe factory to purchased a pair of birch clogs. The foot ware is traditionally. used in wet soggy fields.
The tulip farms demonstrate sorting and grading the bulbs for sale. Care is taken to not cut or harm the individual bulbs.
In a four mile area of downtown Holland, all the festival activities take place. Dutch foods and crafts such as embroidery and quilting are shown. Dutch dancers entertain and give dance lessons in a traditional form of clogging. Clogging is performed with wooden shoes to make a percussion sound to add to the music. made by the accordion and the barrel organ.
In the evening the festival has a musical show and entertainers at the Holland Civic Center in Downtown Holland.
This year the Tulip time started on on Saturday and runs through the second weekend of May. Whether you love to see flowers, enjoy Dutch cooking or tour Dutch Island park to see a historical windmill and gardens, Holland Michigan has something for every one.
**** Poem
Windmill An acrostic Poem
Western lakeshore hosts tulip time.
Individuals can enjoy Dutch heritage.
Nautical activities are found near the city’s docks.
Downtown bustles with costumed Hollanders.
Many demonstrations of Dutch crafts can be purchased.
Initiated in 1929.
Lead by a high school biology teacher.
Len Rogers, idea promoted Holland’s identity.
carolaspot@aol.com
copyrighted 5/5/25

After the death of Pope Frances, I realized I have memories of seven popes. I was too young to recall Pope Pious XII. I do have a memory of Pope John XXIII . There were stories in the Catholic Treasure Chest comic book. Short, Stocky, always smiling, he reminded me of my grandfathers rather than the head of the church. One story told about the pope feeling sorry for the Swiss guards who carried him in the raised throne in the crowds. He petitioned the Vatican to pay the guards extra because of his weight.
Pope Paul VI served as Pope from 1963 to 1978. He was the first pope to visit six continents. He was a scholar and wrote many encyclicals on a variety of subjects. He was pope when I was a teen and young adult. Many young Catholics rejected the doctrine of the use of any contraception. Like many woman, I used some form of birth control to avoid pregnancy.
Pope Paul was the last pope to have a coronation.
In 1978, Pope John Paul the 1st was in the papacy for only 33 days before suffering a fatal heart attack. He opted to use a motor vehicle referred to as the pope mobile rather than be carried in a raised throne.
Pope John Paul II was elected pope in the fall of 1978. At 58, he was one of the youngest popes in recent times. He served as pope for 26 years. I remember him for traveling, he visited 103 countries. There is a story told about John Paul when he was bishop of Krakow . He would escape his duties to ski. He was known as the daredevil of Tetra Mountains. One story related the bishop skied across the boarder and was detained. He was released after he was recognized. He was the first Polish pope.
Benedict XVI was pope from 2005 until he abdicated in 2013 due to illness. He died in 2022 at age 95. He was member of the ruling body of the church. He was part of the second Vatican counsel in the 1960’s.
Pope Frances was elected to the Papacy in 2013 and served for 12 years. He was a pastoral pope. He was the most comfortable serving the marginalized and migrant populations. He was the first pope to be from South America. He lived a simple life choosing not to live in the palace.His stone says the single word Frances in latin.
He changed the clothing of the papacy, making the robes and extras such as the staff, miter not used. Pope Frances often wore only a pileolus . He was seen giving rides in the pope mobile. Before an audience, he was told the 90 year old mother of an interpreter was ill. He started to give her the anointing of the sick. The son worried about the pope’s schedule and reminded him that people were waiting. The pope replied, “They can wait.”
Even his burial place was nontraditional. He is being buried outside Vatican City in the Basilica of Mary Major. It was reported he often prayed before the icon of of Mary before He would travel. Pope Frances toured the basilica to select his tomb site. He found a nook serving as a storage area for extra candelabras. This will do for my burial.”
136 cardinals will meet to select the new pope in a conclave that must meet starting in the first week of May. Italians say a fat pope is followed by a thin pope. A tall pope is followed by a short pope. The Sistine Chapel is being readied. A metal floor will protect the marble and prevent listening devices from being used. The cardinals will be sequestered until they elect the next pope. It is in God’s hands.

The first official Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. This year, 193 countries participate in earth friendly activities around the globe. Usually, there is a theme each year. In 2025, the emphasis is reassessing the success of past projects. Earth Day has lead to the passage of the Clean Air Act, The clean water Act and the protection of endangered Species Act and the establishing of the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, an independent governmental group that is tasked to oversee environmental concerns. Like many federal agencies, the EPA has seen a hold in approved program funds for reassessment.
In my state of Michigan, there are studies of wildlife, fish and study for water clean up from chemical spills. They are yet to be completed. A pillar of the EPA is to make our country number 1 in AI use. In six years it has been responsible for 20 percent of energy production. The current production of energy from wind, solar, gas and petroleum sources will not be enough to meet demand. Nuclear solutions with small nuclear small nuclear modules to be placed underground and use passive sources to cool the reactors. There are currently no working reactors in the US. They are currently waiting for approval before implementing them in this country. So far, only 2 SNM are operational with over 100 others in the construction phase. They have been studied for 9 years by the Department of Energy. Is this the solution? With only two working nuclear modules, it may be years into the future. A current option may be global cooperation to decrease our energy footprint on our world.
AI***. poem
Five Pillars
Clean air, clean water for all
Artificial Intelligence is
making our country great by
less regulations
May not be good for all.
A different solution may be to decrease each individuals
use of natural resources. shop for containers that can be easily recycled. Compost branch and grass clippings to to produce a mixture rich in nutrients. Plant native plants that encourage diversity while increasing the insect and bird populations, recycle paper and magazines. Lets all work to be part of the clean up.
***. Poem
Remember the ad, with a native American?
He was looking over a large pile of trash.
Showing a closeup of his face, a single tear trickled down his cheek.
As a child, I wanted to help.
Now as an adult I have the power to make a difference.
carolaspot@aol.com
copyrighted 4/22/25

This past Saturday was the pink moon. It was named as the time when flora start to bud and leaf. Other names for this moon are bud moon, pastel moon and awakening moon.
This year Passover started on the evening of the12th. It is celebrated for one week and a day. My mother in law’s church called the celebration , “the night to be observed.” This was on The Thursday before Easter.
Christians are starting their Holy week starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Easter Sunday.
The spring Hindu festival of Holi started on March 14TH and can go on for 40 days. The Muslim holy days of Ramadan are a month long observation ending on March 31. This makes a person wonder if the cosmos is aligned this month.
Returning to the pink moon, I have my own story about a full moon and religion. When I was a young child, I loved to pick violets and dandelions to make a bouquet . I would take the small offering and place it at the feet of Mary outside the church. I was brought up on stories of Mary’s appearances in Lourdes and Fatima. One night of a full moon, I prayed to see Mary. I was alarmed to see the moon appearing to come closer and larger in appearance. I covered my head and prayed to stop the moon from coming any closer. When I peeked from under the covers, the moon was back where it belonged.
As an adult, I can rationalized that I mixed my love of Mary with Glenda, The Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz movie. But that night, I was in terror of what I prayed for. Now, I wonder what if I had said yes. May your prayers, hopes and dreams come true. Blessings

Carol Farnsworth

**** poem
glowing moon
child’s prayer
Imagination
panic
retract wish
back to normal
but I still wonder
what if…
carolaspot@aol.com
copyrighted 4/14/25