Heavy, But Important and/or Inspiring: Ebb & Flow

 

4/11/26 -NOTE: I started this post a while back. It has morphed and broadened. Let's see where it goes as I try to fit the pieces together here.

FROM DRAFT: Catherine posted a link, quietly at the end of her post, Holding On. It led to a Rumble Strip podcast about the origin of the song. You may have heard it in the news stories about the protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere. But that is not where it began. It is a hard, but worthy listen. So, if you are feeling sensitive, be warned.

Once I'd listened to the Rumble Strip story, I began following links and got lost down the singing as resistance rabbit hole. I found: Singing Resistance, where I discovered the Singing Resistance Songbook. Then I moved on to Rise Up Singing. I listened to the videos here. It is easy to listen while ripping apart magazines for art's sake.

4/1/26: Then Dee shared her story about her son Danny.

AllYouFascistsBoundtoLose 4k BetteMidler 2026

LINK 2:49 minutes

I had dug out the old Camp Kinneret songbook and these two which belonged to my mom. 

CELEBRATING PETE SEEGER: Song & Conversation

Link 1:28:05

This is the music I was raised on. For 3 summers when I was young, I joined with others on a grassy hill at the end of a camp day...and I raised my voice in song and/or listened and absorbed the moment. These (and a zillion others) are a huge part of the heart of me, the authentic me.

"I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield (knock, knock - on the the guitar) down by the riverside...I ain't gonna study war no more..."

Today there was another protest at Good Trouble Corner 2.0. There are protests there every Saturday. We stopped there today while out running errands. Voices rising up.

There were sturdy signs. Signs made to last for all of the days ahead. There were multiple speakers blasting music and folks dancing. There was an organizer with a megaphone. There were only about 20 people there...and a decent amount of horn honking. It was not like a No Kings Day protest for sure, it was more like a constant hum of a people who will not give up.

The river moves away from the fallen tree, yet both tree and river remain. We move away from worries and sorrows, yet they remain too. We travel together, side-by-side.

Anderson Cooper's "All There Is" podcast popped up on you tube. I've been listening to episodes, something I had not done in months. I've found value within them.

Almost home, we come upon a Crow Meeting at the big corner near our place. This is the corner, the trees & light poles...the buildings where we watch the crows sit and swoop and just outright play. They especially love windy days and really come alive in the sky here. This is their day-neighborhood. About 20 crows, give or take stood around under the tree, doing whatever a murder of crows does in a situation like this. Some flew in and landed, others flew off and landed elsewhere (like the tops of buildings). Their coming and going seemed random to this human, but perhaps I was not meant to know any more than what I saw with my eyes and felt with my heart.

LINK about the differences between Crows and Ravens

I'm not sure I can throw a neat circle around these thoughts, which right now seem to be circling around in little dust devils of their own. All I can think of is the idea of ebb & flow. Like everything in life, like everything during these days...ebb & flow.

What makes a strong connection for you?

 

May you bear witness

May you join in

May you ebb and flow

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

Trees, Song, and Stitch

 The weather apps report 82° right now. Thursday and Friday we will be under a heat advisory when it gets up into the low 90° 's.

A musical rewrite (work in process).   Maybe you will get a kick out of my evening self- entertainment!    😂  Listening to a you tube commentator, this song came to mind. The parody came next!                   

My Most Loathed Things

Kidnappings, torture and wars for no reason

Busting up families and all kinds of treason

A sick old man that thinks he’s a king

These are a few of my most loathed things

Social insecurity and thugs in the street

Psychotic narcissist and his penchant to cheat

Paying for a love shack, flying with wings

These are a few of my most loathed things

Girls in old files with criminal rich men

Undoing history with the stroke of a pen

Deleted aid for the ailing, what that brings

These are a few of my most loathed things

When the thieves steal

When the liars speak

When I’m feeling mad

I work to correct my most loathed things

And then I don't feel so bad

Lyrics by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

This stitching is done. I'll share the front side soon. I found that I do have a bit more leather, which makes me glad, as my resource to purchase more has not been available for a few years. The vendor who sold this at Pow Wow pre-pandemic, has not been there since. Anyway, now I can move on to the next parts.

I took apart the two name holders I'd hung onto for so long...things I was proud of - presenting at an ECE conference and two week-long training sessions, all prior to 2009. 

I've been thinking about a post of Dee's where there was a question regarding "things you are proud of".

While at the week-long training, I created my own unique plastic name holder by beading and braiding. It was a good way to relax in the evenings after a long day of gathering and learning new information. I hadn't remembered there was my 'vegetarian' meal ticket, a business card and fortune tucked inside. Funny. I saved the pieces to repurpose them somewhere else. We'll see. 

At any rate, I keep returning to that thought "things you are proud of"...and wonderings regarding what those things are. I don't think I am done with this idea yet.

What are you proud of?

 

May you redefine

May you reframe

May you repurpose

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

Just a Quick Post

 

A few lil tidbits...

Starting off with something I did not expect to like, but really did! In some things, I am a snob, a purist, a "we don't need to re-do or change" classic...iconic things...we don't need sequels or prequels or whatever kind of "quel" someone has come up with. I'll stick with the "original" that I've known (even if that is not the very first true original presentation).

I feel this way about certain books, movies...music. I like the Judy Garland 'original' "Wizard of Oz" movie - yes I know it was a book first. Same for the movie of "To Kill a Mockingbird" - I've read the book, but to me the story resides in that old black and white movie. I do no like the remake, mash-up (whatever) of the song "Knocking on Heaven's Door" by Guns N' Roses...I'll stick with the Dylan version I know so well. There are others, where only the Original to Me will do, but you get the idea.

And that's really what it is...when things become a part of the fabric of me, the culture of me...I don't need to make additions or changes or ??? I realize how 'refusing to change' or stuck or closed minded (creatively), or non-growth-like this appears, but it is one of my quirks.

However, when I saw this video pop up, I thought Mmmm...interesting, I'll give it a quick listen. I, well both of us were pleasantly surprised. It helped that Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr, with special guests Mick Fleetwood and Peter Frampton play/sing on it.

What do you think?

Here is a brief interview with Dolly about the making of this album. 

LINK

~~~~~~

I'm pretty good at enjoying, accepting, viewing things through Gallows Humor.

"jokes or humorous remarks that are made about unpleasant or worrying subjects such as death and illness" (quote from HERE)

Gallows Humor has always appealed to me and I've certainly embraced it in the year that 2023 has been!

So Saturday, at my annual mammogram, which always falls during the October Breast Cancer Awareness (AKA All things Pink) month, I was once again treated to the medical contest (why is everything a contest, competition?) of Art Bras. The "Breast Cancer is Nothing to Snicker At" bra won. This is typically not my style of art, but I get it and everyone creates in their own way.

I wish all cancers or at least many other types of cancer could get awareness campaigns and funding for research as Breast Cancer has done. There is so much unknown and so much suffering with this umbrella disease.

On this particular visit, I noticed things never seen before (this is NOT my first visit to this department!!). I notice signs that made me wonder or chuckle, just like that sign at the VA Medical facility, shown HERE. I was again scratching my head when I read this one.

I was instantly singing this old song from Sesame Street...

I really feel like there MUST be something I am missing about the understanding of Medical Departments! This next sign though was quite easy to 'get'...as a little positive, lighthearted messaging can go a long way to those in medical situations. Although, I will also comment that I was half-expecting to see the other words in the now famously overused quote of "Live, Laugh, Love". I had a small gold necklace of that quote back in high school. 🙂 Maybe other dressing rooms had different words?

It is one of the things so curious to me...how we can go through life Not Noticing so very much. Obviously this is not a new sign, I just had never really looked closely at it in the past. Makes one wonder: What else has been missed? How can one see everything with all of sensory overload we are exposed to in our current world?

Also noticed on this visit...these two pieces of art. Again, not really my kind of art...but what I noticed was my brain instantly translated these to cloth work by Jude. Her ability to morph one thing into another...moon - flower, leaf-feather...

I was interested in how the leaves and flowers could present so similarly, almost confusing the mind on what one was looking at. Interesting.

This fellow visitor's sweatshirt (sorry for the blurry pic) gave me more to ponder. The grammar of it felt awkward. Is it? And the message of a butterfly's metamorphosis...? The words empower, yet the images show one of nature's magical occurring moments. Does the caterpillar have the empowerment needed to 'make it well'? What does that even mean? Wouldn't we all want to make things "well" (as in health, strength, longevity, done with care...etc.)??

Last, but not least...thankfully I had the idea to snap a quick photo of one of two freezer aisles...to prove my "rightness" on the location of a particular product! 🤣 I win! haha

Well that is about enough unnecessary rambling fluff for a Sunday morning, even if I enjoyed diving into something less weighted or serious or deeply meaningful for a change.

~~~~~

May you live (well)

May you laugh (always)

May you love (in all ways possible)

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2023

Goodnight Bob

 

STORY HERE

Or HERE TOO

 

Both sides now...

For more, go here, to NPR...or search around 🙂

Of course the word 'clouds' jumped out at me!

Both sides together

I already shared this side

The other side, with the little house button I found.

As soon as I saw it in the bag, with all of the others...

it hit me like a ton of bricks...

after all of these years, I thought had made Dee a Medicine Bag...

but I had not

I had not.

🏚

I think the timing ended up to be just right.

Many of the yarns are from Dee too.

Wonderful

~~~~~

May the thread that runs through, run deep

May you pick it up when needed

May you drift with the clouds, all the way home

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2022

More Music, A Stocking, A Quilt...Singing and Lots of Love

.  

 LINK

LYRICS Let the fires burn tonight, let the jugs of wine get drunk Let the truth be known tonight, don’t go let yourself hide Go and sing to the mountain, go and sing to the moon Go and sing to just about everything, ‘cause everything is you Listen to the rhythm of your heart play like a drum Listen to the night-call singing songs from all around Go and sing to the mountain, go and sing to the moon Go and sing to just about everything, ‘cause everything is you And let your voice go Let it pierce through your soul

❤️

Thanks to Liz for sharing this tune over at Jude's. Isn't it wonderful?!

Don't you love all of the howling?!!

And the idea of 'letting your voice go'? What does that mean to you? I'm considering allowing yourself to be yourself...allowing yourself to speak up...being authentic to self. Sing out!

🎵 ❤️ 🎵

Friday welcomed a new little one to the world.

May she grow to sing to the mountain, the moon, to everything.

May her voice rise up and be strong

May she thrive

❤️

Her Christmas Stocking is number three in the planned bunch, completed last night.

😊 It turned out especially cheerful. 😊

4 colorful ginger folks to represent her family. Hearts, a star and gifts...lots of abalone buttons to honor her name, which you can read about HERE...so a touch of the sea for little Isla.

Her stocking makes 125 total count since the making began in 1995, all either gifted and sold.

That's a lot of holiday cheer!

Upon hearing her full name after her birth, I immediately had this song running through my head. I think it was the sweet first name and the middle "J" name which did it. So I went looking and found the Elizabeth Mitchell version. I really like Elizabeth Mitchell's music for children, as it is all so sweet and reminds me of a gentler time.

LINK

Me being me, I changed the name to "Little Isla James"...after all it fit so perfectly!

Again, me being me, and with input from J. ("there is so many versions of that song")...I went on a long listening journey with so many artists ~ some with a variety of lyrics, amazing picking and so on! Here are just a few more.

Nina Simone

Tom Wills with Tommy Duncan

Alison Krauss and Union Station

Of course then my mind got going..."She's got friends in Old Newhall, little Isla James"

Then it really got going..."I got teeth, you ain't got none! little Isla James. You'll grow some, then I'll have none! little Isla James"

🎶 🎵 🎶

All of this led to thoughts about Zipper Songs and how often teachers of young children make songs their own. My mom was so talented at changing the lyrics of whole songs

zipper song

Zipper song and so much more

Which led to actual, scientific zipper made music!

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

To wrap this post up in all of the love that is felt, with all the love it deserves...full circle I was reminded of the little quilt below, while reading Liz's recent post about E's quilt and how P. helped by applying Inktense pencils on cloth. Anyway, the little quilt below (comfort size) was made for newbie Isla's mom when she was born, back in the early 1990's. It was created in collaboration with the four older 'siblings'.  I used fabric paint to make their handprints, offered them fabric crayons so they could "draw something for the baby" and I then taught the three oldest children how to embroider, using iron on designs. I used the last square to stitch my own message of love from all of us. Each child picked their own design from the booklet and paint color for their hands. The back and the boarders were made of super soft flannel (the 'good' kind, pre-flame retardant kind).  Ties held the whole thing together.

She loved this quilt...used it for years...wore it completely out!

❤️

May all of the babies be wrapped in love

May they become a part of long-standing traditions

May they inspire new ones

xo

All photos NAE @pomegranate trail ©2021

7th Night, Open House

 It's the 7th Night of  Hanukkah, welcome once again.

The Menorah looks beautiful and I can't wait until tomorrow when it is all full, ablaze!

One more candle to go...

Light One Candle

Peter, Paul and Mary - 25th Anniversary

(This one is most surely for Michelle. I can almost hear her comment now. I really miss her)

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn't die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they've not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Peter Yarrow

Light One Candle lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc

 

This is the tree skirt I made, early on, probably 1980.

I bought the fabric yards, but then didn't quite know how to make that long rectangle become a circle! I had not grown up with much sewing experience for myself, just the typical mandated sewing class in 7th grade and another short term private course. My mama was not a maker and as soon as she married my daddy, well, we just sent everything 'downtown' to his factory, where he'd have one of 'his girls' fix whatever needed fixing. So, here I was, 8 hours from home, new baby...and clueless! My solution was to sew pre-made bias tape around the edge and call it done! Through the rest of my marriage, my children's childhoods...all the way until I was no longer getting a tree...this is what I used. I would lay it around the tree and then scrunch and arrange it, print side up. The wrapped gifts covered any imperfections and it looked festive and like a part of our tradition. Years later, when I was using community pages on FB, selling and such, when I heard from a woman who wanted to buy ornaments very cheap. In a nutshell, she had gotten out of a bad relationship, leaving her and her son with not a lot and nothing to make their Christmas bright. I sent her a PM and let her know I had some lights and some ornaments...and this tree skirt.

She was very grateful. So was I. 

 This little guy was bought at a craft fair somewhere along the line when my children were very young. It's small, maybe 3 inches, a little beanbag. Every year as we decorated the tree, they would fight over who got to hang "the frog", as they both loved it so. When they were both grown, out of the house, I kept the frog as one of a handful of favorites. I just could see a fair way to let one of them have it back then. Eventually, after checking with my son, I gave it to my daughter & her young son. Here we are even more years later, my son now has a little one and who knows where "the frog" is?! But it was sure loved for a long time!

May you keep the flame bright

May you give freely

May you love

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2020

Amapola

     

This is my mama singing.
She was about 13 years old.
There are others from six years later.
My sister and I discovered the records after my mama passed away.
We didn't even know they existed...
but they sure did, along with the others that other family members recorded.
We wish we could have asked her for more of the story behind these.
I love her voice. I really love her voice.
Every time we hear "Good Morning" from "Singing in the Rain",
J and I agree it sounds like my mama.
My sister remembered the story of how mom wanted to join a band,
and was set to do so until my Nana said 'no way'!

The record skipping and crackling is such a part of the charm,
don't you agree?

Eventually, what was learned about how these were made is explained here: 
(Don't ya just love online research?!)

From this site: Audio-Restorations

• Homemade record speeds can vary from 78, 45  and 33 1/3 rpm.
   
• They were made using a home record maker similar to the one shown to the right. (picture not copied here)
   
• Years ago, some stores had a little recording booth you could go into and record yourself, these were called "automat" recording machines.
   
• Many of these records were made during WWll and the Korean war as letter-records (" Your Man in Service" ).
   
• USO records were generally branded " USO" , " Pepsi" " GEM" or  " Coca Cola".

• Other brands include Recordio, Wilcox Gay, Voice-O-Graph, Silvertone, Federal Perma, Audiodisc, Duo Disc and many more. 

• The titles and artist's names are generally hand written on the disk. 

• Often there is more than one hole in the disk, sometimes as many as four. 

• Some records are made of metal, some are cardboard. Some have a layer of "black paint" (lacquer), some are colored red or green.  

All are very noisy and require specialized, extra care and professional experience to achieve a satisfying and safe transfer to CD. 

• Here's a close-up photo of a homemade record.

Our family chose to record their version of popular songs,
mock interviews with each other and re-worked holiday songs, 
with heir own personalized lyrics.
What a fun find!
What a great time I've had creating this.


Here are a couple of original versions, if you'd like to listen.

1941 Amapola

1946 The Hut Sut Song

It is funny, but I'm so used to hearing my mom's sweet voice all of these years,
that I really like her version best! Only a little biased, right?!

My Auntie's did a an equally wonderful version of Delores.
I have no idea which version in her day inspired her, 
but she and my mom LOVED Frank!
So, that's the one I used here.  
Maybe because she was older, 
her voice was so much deeper, fuller than my mom's.
Hers was beautiful as well.

Lastly, I happened to notice the following song while on You Tube,
and I just couldn't resist putting it here too.
My mom sang this to me and then to my children.
I loved it because I loved the word play.
She loved these nonsense songs, so of course I did too! 

Mairzy Doats

I'm so glad to finally finish this video started so long ago.
I still have a few others I'd like to wrap up while this computer still works.
I'm grateful for a dying computer to kick me into gear.
I'm grateful for the time to play.

May you find and use your inspiration where you can
May you embrace nonsense now and again
May you sing! 
xo

Photographs by NAE ©2020