Saturday, September 14, 2013

Summer 2013


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MARCIA POWELL -- Blog article (#12) – September 15, 2013


First, the news: The world actually DID end. The government covered it up.

My concern about the world situation continues, but some recent inflow leads me to hope that the “White Hat” coalition may indeed be succeeding in taking down the “Black Hats.” It's still wise to have some food and water stored, just in case.

It was when I first looked at the “TAKE ACTION” part of the www.ThriveMovement.com website that I noticed that Monsanto headquarters is in St. Louis. Then and there I postulated that if there was ever a protest held there, I would drive down. The opportunity came on May 25th, the worldwide March Against Monsanto day. Six of us drove down and marched with 600 others in the cold drizzle. It was a photo of me with my sign that got picked up on Reuters! Deep breath... 




Also marched in the local July 4th parade with the Moms Against Monsanto group. 
The University is doing a research project on the relation of nutrition and memory. I was chosen because I'm in such good health. After one memory test, the guy looked up and said, “No one has ever gotten it right the first time!” And yet, when I filled out the big long computer questionnaire about what I eat, there was no way to note that I eat ORGANIC! Needless to say, I wrote to the head of the project about this outpoint.

In June a friend and I drove 50 miles north to tour Stelle (www.Midwest Permaculture.com) and see firsthand a rain garden, aquaponics, and other aspects of sustainable living. So much to learn!


My friend, Lee Kessler, recently published her third book in the White King trilogy, “White King and the Battle of America: The Endgame.” In her well-crafted novel, she presents a solution to the threat of global economic meltdown that is nothing short of brilliant. Please go to Amazon, get it, read it, and promote it to your friends.

In addition to the Affinity Exchange and my 3 music students, I continued to have the part-time job of helping Frank complete his dissertation in soil science. He called me today to say his diploma arrived. Well done, Dr. Hagen! Now just a little more work to create a couple of articles to get published in journals (what every university wants).

My 70th (yikes!) birthday was September 10th. My present to me arrived on September 12th... my new (modular) house! Hope to move in by November 1st. 
 

Now my next challenge is working out how to get the funds to purchase trees and plants for my food forest. Www.savannainstitute.org tells about the Woody Perennial Polyculture that is being researched at the University of Illinois. Kevin, who is doing his PhD on this, founded the institute. By signing up as an active participant, he and his team will help design my food forest, will purchase and plant the trees/shrubs/berries, and then do followup consulting. Feels like a good match!

Meanwhile my 2013 yard garden was waaaay better than last year's. I harvested and ate quite a bit of produce, and gave some away. And, most important, learned a lot. 
 

Finally broke down and purchased my first bike helmet as I'm biking more. Maybe by the time it comes to move (18 miles away), I'll ride my bike out rather than risk it being damaged in a moving van. 
 

I continue my role as Secretary for the local Libertarian Party. At my urging, we put up a booth at the local Sweet Corn Festival and pulled in 43 new names! I'll be attending the Illinois State Libertarian Party convention next week in Chicago. Meanwhile, I continue to encourage everyone to subscribe to and follow the lead of www.DownsizeDC.org.

In July, Ashley (my daughter) flew to Indianapolis, where I picked her up and we drove to the Outer Banks (Kitty Hawk, NC). Every other summer we join my niece and her family, plus a couple of old family friends, at a big beach house and enjoy a week of beach, sun, swimming, ping-pong, cards, Scrabble, Bananagrams, and lots of visiting. Of course my 16-yr-old nephew beat me at ping-pong, but I made him sweat a couple of times. Thanks to my laptop, I was able to stay current with the business. 
 

It was great having a lot of time to visit with Ashley. She is a successful licensed massage therapist in Portland, is now living with her boyfriend, and just became the lead singer in a new 3-person band!

Saw Kenneth Branagh's production of Mozart's “Magic Flute” at the local Art theater—quite a work of art! For those of you familiar with the rock group REO Speedwagon, did you know they came from Champaign-Urbana?!

Hope you all are flourishing and prospering (thriving)!
Please write and give me an update on your adventures.

Love to all, Marcia (217) 607-0632 home (818) 552-2211 cell