James Bethel James Bethel

Why these postcards . . .

Tuesday, October 6, 2026. It's Tiw's day . . . At this 8 a.m. hour, a seven day warming is in the forecasts for GreenCountry. East Southerlies return, bringing more sunshine and mid 80's to TulseyTown's afternoon.

True of more than marriage. Loving someone. Being present. Beginning again. Remembering how we want to meet this life. We don’t do it once. We do it every day. Remember that intention and honor it. – Jack Kornfield. Ask Jack

The sacred nature of the world was largely lost until its more recent rediscovery by seers that we usually think of as “secular,” “mere” nature mystics, poets, and artists: people like Chief Seattle, John Muir, Rachel Carson, Walt Whitman, Wendell Berry, Annie Dillard, and others. [I would add Mirabai Starr to that list]. Fr. Richard Rohr, “Rediscovering Our Connection to Nature.” Meditations. The Center For action and Contemplation. 10.5.26

Who will reduce the existential risks? – Robert Reich, If There's No Other Way. Posted today.

Postal correspondence has a trapped-in-amber quality that an electronic exchange never can. A postcard or letter from a friend is a snapshot, a moment in time captured and suspended until it is received in my real world porch-mounted mailbox. Responding with a missive of my own is a kind of parallel conversation to our daily tide of text messages, one that accumulates only as much momentum as the rate of the U.S. postal system allows. – Melissa Kirsch, “Slow Motion,” NYTimes 10.3.26

When we are open to beauty, it is more likely to appear to us. When we share that gift by pointing it out to others, we find we have even more of it to celebrate. – Trebbe Johnson

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James Bethel James Bethel

Playing whack-a-mole blindfolded . . .

Monday, October 5, 2026. It's the Moon's day . . . at 10 a.m. a full mailbox. Speaking of full: the skies over GreenCountry today are to be full of sunshine. Forecasts indicate an easy Nor'easterly breeze with low 80's in TulseyTown's afternoon. Another cool morning tomorrow in the mid 50's.

We are all more blind to what we have than to what we have not. – Audre Lorde

Power in America – Robert Reich, The Central Question. Posted today.

Trump is openly using taxpayer money to buy votes in the election. – Heather Cox Richardson, in Letter From An American. Posted for today.

The Week Ahead. – Joyce Vance, in today’s Civil Discourse.‍ ‍

The generally acknowledged father of modern rocketry, Robert Goddard was born today in 1882, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Today is the birthdate of Václav Havel. The Czech playwright, poet, and political dissident who, after the fall of communism, was president of Czechoslovakia was born in 1936, Prague.

Academy Award actor laureate Kate Winslet is 51 today. She was born in 1975 Reading, Berkshire, England. An English actress she is known for her sharply drawn portrayals of spirited and unusual women.

In 1969 the British television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus debuted on the BBC. It proved to be a watershed for TV comedy around the world.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella, had its world premiere on this date in 1961. It became especially known for Audrey Hepburn’s performance as the free-spirited Holly Golightly.

Today in 1877 Chief Joseph surrendered his small band of Nez Percé warriors to U.S. forces that had tracked them through Idaho, Yellowstone Park, and Montana. At the surrender ceremony, Chief Joseph addressed his people and attendees with one of the world's most memorable speeches.

Playing Whack a Mole

Except the moles are midterms and weapons deals.

Except your only mallet is your fist which is zip-tied

behind your back.

…

You don’t know how long this can go on . . .

– Abbey Murray,” Playing Whack a Mole,” Rattle, 10.1.26 Read the whole poem here.

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James Bethel James Bethel

Story telling . . .

Sunday, October 4, 2026. It's Sol's day . . . cool mornings are now de regir across GreenCountry for the foreseeable future. Afternoon forecasts continue their fall roller coaster pattern. TulseyTown is to have moderate Northeasterlies and mid 80's with sun and clouds.

Can you see the holiness in those things you take for granted – a paved road, a washing machine? A leaf falling outside the window behind the toaster that just burned the sourdough?

Today is Damon Runyon's birthdate. the short story writer of broadway's Guys and Dolls, was born in 1884 Manhattan, Kansas.

The creator of the Hardy Boys, the Bobbsey Twins, and Nancy Drew, Edward L. Stratemeyer, was born in 1862 Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Broadway and silent film comedian Buster Keaton was born on this day in 1895 Piqua, Kansas.

It’s the birthdate of blockbuster film actor Charlton Heston, born in 1923 Evanston, Illinois.

And the scupltor Frederic Remington was born today in 1861 Canton, New York.

So, What's up with Kansas? – Robert Reich, Sunday Thought. 10.4.26

A ledgendary lineup. – Heather Cox Richardson, in Letters From An American.

What, who, where, when at Cornell? – Joyce Vance, in Civil Discourse.

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