be enjoying life and return to "reconnect" and find all the countless horrors I've missed in that mere hour or two.

Craig.

Have just one 'mater and a pepper out there but a pile of citrus I'm nurturing. Plus a mature male ruby throated hummer that screeches at me whenever he comes to the feeder while I am sitting out there.

plants closer and closer. He resembles Devin Nunes, which bothers me.

I just spit out the pop tart I was eating!

Coyote urine keeps them away, but it goes away during a rain if you just spray it around. You can set up a "drip" cloth setup where you fill plastic bottles perforated with small holes with the stuff, then tape an old, long rag over the perforations and have it touch the ground. Spread bottles around the perimeter of your garden. The method also keep snakes out, as well as rabbits, squirrels and mice.

I just have to be careful because it's really hot.

This weekend, I'm going to set up a chaise lawn chair beneath the limbs of my 'air conditioning' maple tree, make a nice refreshing, icy adult beverage and escape into some long neglected historical biographies.

After I get home from the rally, of course.

That's what I get for typing while drinking a lager and lime!!!

I was going to convert half of my veg garden back to lawn, but now I'm going to use it to grow root veg.

Of cukes and tomatoes last year, we took several boxes of them to the Second Harvest food bank. We got the idea to plant the same this year with the intent of giving them to the food bank. They were so happy to get fresh produce.

I make and freeze a lot of stewed tomatoes, pasta sauce and ratatouille. All of the work makes for some mighty tasty Winter comfort foods.

Especially the ratatouille, I make that, too.

....TV would have been off longer, but felt compelled to get the latest on the Annapolis horror.....

will turn it off again after Rachel.....and go see if I have any bigger jalapeño peppers....or any roses to snip.... and to scare the deer off from their evening strolls in my direction..... (my neighbor feeds them twice a day )

I am joyful in our backyard. I sit and look at our pond. Our two dogs and cats are with me. I am reading a good book; it is peaceful here in Northern California. I walk into the house and check DU or turn on the news: the world explodes.

while playing to keep myself calm.

Good point, that we have lives — that are quite normal — outside politics.

But i do think it's a good idea to get away from it all from time to time if you can.

and our hearts break for so many these days.

....that we've lived here combined.

We should seek occasional R&R from battle but this fight is now the unwanted but necessary job of every non-treasonous American citizen.

I'm concerned about the health of people I know who are mad with worry, can depression be far behind, or a stroke, heart attack? I can't help them, hell, it's all I can do to keep myself together, but there's just no relief so I sleep too much -- at odd hours -- but the anguish still remains.

For the first time ever. Said his BP was up.

I'm making an effort to pull back a bit, for mental health's sake. No concessions, just changing focus. Last night, it was a movie, tonight it will be a baseball game.

and enjoy "escaping" watching games.

This morning I woke up and after a few minutes the events of yesterday entered my brain ... I swear I get a tightness in my stomach whenever I think of what the cruel Republican assholes are doing to our country.... feels like riding in a bus going over a cliff sometimes....

Occasionally taking our collective eye off the ball to preserve strength and sanity will be important in the long run.

It's very tough to maintain resistance in the face defeats, horrors, and incessant outrage.

But these are the times for all of us to summon our inner reserves of strength and spirit.

Our future and that of our children depend on it.

Every day, I get to talk with each of my children. That keeps me somewhat sane, or as close to sane as I ever am.

I also interact with my dogs, cats, and rabbits. And I see wildlife -- birds, deer, and gray fox -- here daily.

I try to work on my lawn and garden. My youngest daughter helps on most of that. I have been paying particular attention to my roses this year.

Watching/reading the news can be draining. Trump & Co have caused a lot of suffering for people, including innocent children. Yet, I remain fully confident that we will win. I wish that I could say that we've got them right where we want them, but that is obviously not true. What is true is that they have us in a very dangerous place, one where we cannot afford anything less than our very best efforts.

Recognizing this, I take breaks, just as I once did in between rounds while boxing. I think it's a good idea. We can't afford to have good people burning out.

My liquor bill has exploded since Trump's inauguration.

Escaping the insanity periodically for a lengthy run of time (multiple days) is needed here. And tuning in to the news can only be handled in small doses.

Am really hoping that things aren't going to be even worse than we might imagine (but I'm leaning pessimistic on that).

I am more concerned about getting to work and putting dog and human food on the table. All of this hopelessness is quite depressing.

I don't have time to go down a spiral or depression.

It's a great relief from the national dysfunction. but I'm also on an anti-kayak crusade. I'm a canoe kinda guy.

but i can't look away for long. it's too important.

are you guys perchance marching in Raleigh tomorrow? would love to see you!

https://act.moveon.org/event/families-belong-together/19949/signup/?akid=&zip=&source=&s=