who's speaking?

What a busy morning.  I can't believe it is already noon and I am finally sitting down for a bit, as both pressure canners work to process the yummy soups that I finished up this morning. After they are finished and the temperature in the kitchen is a tad lower I will go work on a few for my friends.  I also need to get another loaf of bread made before dinner time, Hubs is completely addicted to it and a loaf simply doesn't last long around him.

Hubs and I enjoyed a bit of time in the rain soaked garden this morning, the thunder last night that heralded the storm was unbelievable, we both jumped out of our chairs and ran for the front door as it sounded as if something had literally exploded in the street outside.  It took several moments to realize the sound had been a combination of thunder and lightning striking at roughly the same moment.  It quickly had us rushing to the garden to prepare it for a rain storm.  I hadn't checked my phone in a good long while, or I would have known it was coming instead of being so shocked.  The poor pups were quite  unhappy about all of the noise and ruckus last night, and approached the garden this morning with a touch of apprehension. 

No damage to be seen and the garden was nicely watered by the heavens.  As we sat out there and enjoyed the morning both of us pleasantly surprised by the string of almost fall like mornings we've been enjoying.  It seems the past couple of years that the seasonal clock has shifted.  In the past April was still cold and wet, the same with May.  Leaving June, July and finally August being the scorcher.  Yet for the past couple of years, I've been able to work my garden as early as late March, early April.  And then May starts getting crazy with July being a sheer scorcher and August turning mild.  I was looking back through photos, seems to have been this way for a few years now. 

Whatever it is, I am definitely not complaining.  I'm not a huge fan of the humidity and heat of the mid-west so I will cherish the coolness and the breezes.  I'm sure my electric bill will also. It's just wonderful to once again sit out in the garden and enjoy breakfast and coffee with my sweet Hubs before he heads out for his day.  Sometimes we chat, sometimes we get caught up in the modern version of the newspaper, both of us reading things that interest us.  He will also find a few "pun of the day" jokes to share, yep he knows I don't find them funny, but he finds them hilarious so... what's a gal to do?  Today was a happy combination of the two.  

grain free bread... amazing!

We chatted about the garden, plans for the weekend, the tomatoes that I wanted him to pick up at the farmers market around the corner from where he was going to be today, we talked about current events and our thoughts surrounding them.  We pondered why people think one way or another.  We even spent a few moments commiserating over the economy, before we decided that topic was better saved for another time as it was just so depressing. 

I've spent my morning preparing wonderful soups that we will enjoy over the course of the winter and hopefully there will be some into spring.  I don't want to waste any of this summers bounty and can't wait to enjoy the flavors when there are no fresh veggies or herbs to cook with.  

While doing that I was listening to a few of my favorite podcasts, and also a new one that I have just found.  He's from the British Isles and he's absolutely fascinating, he bouncing between sharing historical information and speaking about modern day events.  On one of his podcasts he asked a simple question and it is still swirling around in my head.  

"Who will speak for you?" He spoke of some of the greatest humans that have walked the earth and their powerful impact.  Buddha and Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi and Mohammed, people that for the most part advocated for goodness and love.  For bringing people together in a positive and healing manner.  He spoke of some of the not so good folks Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot and the always infamous Hitler to name a few.  Mostly known for their divisiveness and power based ideologies. 

And then he moved into more current times, asking who or what will define our times.  

I realize that is a very volatile topic.  People are very divided and there are times of strong hostilities if you do not have the same ideology as the next person.  The part of it that struck me the strongest was when he asked "who will speak for you".  

I often stay silent, it's easier, there is less confrontation and stress associated with it. I feel people are less and less willing to have an open minded conversation about things these days, so why bother? But maybe that is why it matters to speak up. I personally don't want to be remembered through history as part of some of these groups that are rampant these days.  I don't want to be a footnote of the ones that simply took the quiet route to avoid challenges. This all bears some thought and reflection.  

Who is going to speak for you?  Are you like me?  Or are you on the other side of things and very outspoken? And if you are outspoken, do you keep an open mind?  I often hear things that after much thought I can change my own perception closer to what was presented to me.  Sometimes I admit to being stubborn and unbending.  It depends on the information and the style it was presented in. 

I don't think I will ever been that person that will speak for myself, instead, I think I will continue to let the great one speak for me, and continue to do my best to live my life according to his word. 

Not going for deep or philosophical today, simply wanted to share the experience.  Today I am finishing up some of my canning for the week, I'd like to be able to get another one of my quilt tops on the frame and add another finished quilt to my arsenal this weekend.  I'm finally at the point that completing a few projects matters deeply to me. 

Hey... love and prayers... it's time to go snuggle my puppies for a few minutes while I wait on this last canner...