My Best Life

Flowers from my backyard

This afternoon I spent a little time in my backyard with Trixie the Wonder Dog. She was sniffing for squirrels (the bane of her existence) and I was after pretty flowers. It's been so long since I had time on a beautiful spring day to just BE, I wanted to capture the moment, the flowers and share them with you. I also want to keep the memory for myself.

I collect unusual ceramic pieces, or ones that speak to me in some way. This particular tea pot belonged to my Grandma Celsi and I inheirited it when she died. I like the contrast in colors between the punch of yellow, shiny and smoooth, and the tangle of flowers. And of course, the flowers are my favorite color.

Happy Spring!

Iowa, You Make Me Smile!

  Today was the best day I remember having in a long time. I woke up early, walked past a crime scene on my walk with Trixie (ok, that wasn't so great), went to Panera and had breakfast with all my blog buddies and logged on for my morning news fix.

And there it was, plain as day. "Iowa Supreme Court unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that a state law banning marriage between same-sex partners is unconstitutional." WOW. What an unexpected and delightful surprise.

It was like 1965 all over again. (Not to mention 1839, when Iowa became the first state to ban slavery) Iowa has a long history of defending civil rights. My dear friend Merle Fleming was a member of the first Civil Rights Commission, which in cooperation with a Democratic legislature, wrote and enacted volumes of new civil rights legislation that historic year. I also happened to be the year my folks got married and the year I was conceived.

Merle would be so pleased to see that gay people in Iowa are finally legally able to have their relationships recognized. Because isn't that all people really need? Recognition for who they are, what they stand for, and that their life means just as much as the people next door? I think that this is what it's all about.

So excuse me, I have some more smiling to do.