MS. POTATO HEAD CHOOSES RUNNING MATE

While "out on the stump" this morning at The Farm, Ms. Potato Head took advantage of the beautiful day to announce that Ms. Gnome has accepted the invitation to serve as her running mate for the upcoming 2008 election.

As Ms. Gnome stood sweetly at her side, Ms. PH welcomed her to the campaign, promising that the two would make a formidable duo when it comes to "tackling the tough issues and bringing about the changes so many folks desire in this great country!" "Ms. Gnome may appear a bit matronly, but make no mistake about it--she's a concerned citizen who knows a lot of little people and understands what they seek in leaders at the national level. Beyond that, we share a passion for eye-catching 'head adornment'--sort of like Her Majesty and Camila," Ms. PH declared.

A relative newcomer on the political scene, Ms. Gnome will provide balance to the outspoken spud. Ms. Gnome always wears a smile, despite the fact that her nose has been broken for over 15 years. When asked about her rather not so chic choice of apparel, Ms. Gnome laughed off the notion that she's "fashionably"out of touch. "I'd rather stop and smell the flowers (see below)... breathe in the essence of our beings... touch the Earth... than concern myself with the superficialities of image. Thinking people can look beyond my 'old world' wardrobe," she explained.


Following today's announcement, strategists for the Ms. PH / Ms.G met to begin talks about the direction of their campaign. As for the two running mates, they took the afternoon off to bask in the sun and discuss milliners and haute couture.

IS THIS WEEK CRAZY OR WHAT?????

Does anyone out there know if we're in some weird cosmic alignment that might explain why people are flipping out? It would seem there's some sort of cosmic PMS vibe encircling the planet that's universally affecting both genders at the moment.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE FARM!!

Convinced that the citizens of this great nation are "chompin' at the bit" and ready for a change, Ms. Potato Head officially tossed her newly purchased blue plastic hat into the ring and declared herself a candidate for the presidency of the United States. During a press conference held this afternoon at The Farm, Ms. PH confidently proclaimed," Citizens of this country are ready for a woman at the helm. There will be nothing "polyester" about my campaign." With an "I embrace all" gesture, she promised to be the candidate of all Americans, plastic or not.

When asked what she considered the most pressing issue facing our country at the moment, "Sweet Tater" (as she is often called) capitalized on current political rumblings and replied, "Dumpin' Donald Rumsfeld! That guy's gotta go!" And when asked who she would appoint as his replacement, she replied," Someone competent...Someone like Inspecteur Jacques Clousseau. I've known Clousseau for years, and I have total faith in his ability to find a solution to the mess that Rummie and crew have created."

When pressed further, Ms. PH also expressed her disgust with current V-P Dick Cheney, stating "He'd be a close second to getting the boot if I were in charge." She did not, however, go so far as to suggest an immediate replacement for Cheney, but sources close to her campaign were quoted as saying Ms. PH has been most impressed with Elmer Fudd in recent political strategy meetings. Ms. PH withheld commentary on President George Bush for the moment.

Several folks who attended the press conference expressed pleasure with the new look that Ms. Potato Head could bring to the D.C. scene. "Ya gotta love those lips!" stated an anonymous passerby.

TODAY'S MANTRA....

OHM....

SHANTI......SHANTI.....SHANTI.....

OHM......

Peace.....T.

FARM UPDATE - SPRING
Here at the farm, the crocuses have come and gone...The daffodils are in full bloom- perhaps a bit sparcer in number this year, but trumpeting the arrival of spring nonetheless...From the deck, the forsythia glow brillantly yellow, and the little grape hyacinths add their pretty purple to the little bed near the barn...The lilacs, rhododendron, flaming azalea, crab apple,and roses are sprouting new growth. Buds will soon open! I've gotten broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce, kale, and cabbage in the ground, and just today, I noticed some tiny volunteer sunflowers pushing up through the ground in the bed off the garage. The farm tractor has had its spring tune-up; the first mowing frenzy took place yesterday! And, the old garden plot in the field below the barn has been plowed and awaits planting for the first time in ten years. I saw my first butterfly of the season today as I was adding brush to the ever-growing brush pile, and shortly thereafter, a bat flew over~~I always remember my friend, Mr. Henry Miller, at this time of year---"Tanya, when the Earth comes alive, we come alive with it!" And truly we do...

Let's see....News from the farm crew...Brett and Betsy stopped in a few weeks back. Betsy's a farm natural, and the happiness those two radiated continues to warm my heart. Meera paid a surprise visit last weekend. She's planning her next move--graduate school at either Yale or Berkeley in Non-Profit Management, and then on to the next wonderful adventure. Via James, I hear that Dana made a presentation that was brilliant at a conference in Chicago. James has a blog that I check into frequently. As soon as I learn to make links, I'll have his blog address posted on my blog. James, I'm working on it! :0) Lori called from Maui last night, and as we can all imagine, life in Hawaii leaves little to be desired. She's gotten a full-time position as a nanny with a really cool family whose mom is into aqua cranial sacral ..After Lori's first treatment in the ocean with dolphins swimming all around, Lori said she basically experienced heaven. I want to try! Joe and Elissa are back in Athens and already busy beyond belief with grad school stuff...A year from now, those guys will be graduating, and all of us will be celebrating with them. Bobbi and Isabella are currently spending spring break in Washington, DC. Bob's recuperation from getting banged in the chin with a Pilates bar and the subsequent concussion that she didn't realize she had was a little unexpected challenge to deal wtih recently, but we all know how Bobbi just takes things in stride, gets her acupuncture and Chinese herbs, and gets well. Eliza, right fielder and sometimes left fielder for the Warren Elementary Panther softball team, asked me to report that she's been walked every time she's been at bat so far, but as a result of getting on base, she has scored four runs. We purchased her promotion dress (June 1 @ 7PM)...She looks quite stunning in her ensemble--dress, shawl, earrings, necklace, bracelet, and shoes with a heel that I would last on about 5 seconds. Samuel plans to work in NC this summer as an intern at a winery about 45 minutes from Boone. I don't know the name of the place, but he says it's the second largest winery on the East Coast. (I'm requesting a couple of bottles for safe keeping at the farm). Since the internship lasts only one month, I'm assuming that he'll stay in NC and get a job as a server at some upscale place around the Boone / Blowing Rock area. He's been a busy guy this semester!

What has Tanya been doing? Teaching, keeping my fingers in human rights activities, organizing things on campus, mowing, planting, hauling brush, attempting to get ahead of things here at the farm. Last weekend, long-time friends, Michael Burnham, Barbara Wolf, and Glenn Singer (all from Indian Summer Festival days) were in town for a Storytelling Festival. What a great time hanging out at the farm with those guys...stayed up to talk until 3AM, laughed, walked around the farm, laughed some more, caught up on the last 15 years ! since they were last here....What an incredible big-time love connection we shared! I've been on a high all week....

As I am outdoors enjoying the longer days and the colors that spring continues to bring our way, I am in constant awe of the love connection we all share here at the farm. I see and sense all of you in the all that is thriving and preparing to blossom and grow here..Know that no matter where you are, we are all together here.

Infinite love, happiness, and peace....
~Tanya~

Above: Goddess invoking the April rains so that all will blossom and thrive - from the Llewellyn Witches' Calendar

TWO AMAZING STUDENTS !

Everyone once in a while, teachers are blessed with students who become their teacher's greatest teachers. My SPAN 213 students, Cassie and Levi, are two such individuals--students who have worked diligently over the past two years to learn and perfect their spoken Spanish and who have developed personal interests in Latin America, including issues related to human rights violations in Guatemala and Cuba.

Cassie has actually traveled to Guatemala with members of her church; her plans are to return later this year. Just recently, she came across an article that shed light on an issue regarding the closure of TV and radio stations that broadcast in indigenous languages to the Guatemalan people, and this issue, along with other concerns, led her to propose a project about creating a website related to human rights violations in Guatemala.

Levi has been following the stories of a couple of human rights activists in Cuba for the last two years, and the focus of his proposal is to put up a website with information on Cuban political prisoners with letters of petitions that people can sign to call for their release.

Both sites are a work in progress, but I wanted to get info out about them early on so that the few of you who read my blog can follow Levi and Cassie's progress.

Cassie's site: www.guatemala.infogami.com).

Levi's site (www.geocities.com/lm77853)

What these amazing students teach me includes practical things, like the construction of web sites, creating links, etc. --things that heretofore, I've avoided. As I watch Levi and Cassie, I learn that I, too, can acquire these skills without fear of wiping out the entire web! Much more importantly, these two students serve as fine reminders of human spirit and the goodness in young people who really are concerned about the world we live in and who believe that their efforts might just impact the lives of others in a positive and loving way. ¡¡ Felicitaciones y gracias mil, Cassie and Levi!! I am honored to learn from you!

Things That Have Kept Me Away From My Blog Lately
1. Road trips
2. Farm Work--planting! stacking wood, working on the grapevines--I love it!
3. Loss of internet cable connection (requiring 5! visits from the highly competent folks from the cable company who supposedly had the problem under control after visit #1)
4. Afternoon 8th grade softball games
5. Shopping for an 8th grade promotion dress
6. My full-time job
7. My part-time job
8. Planning a weekend festival for storytellers
9. Shopping for a new washing machine
10. Getting the tractor fixed

#'s 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 are taken care of...at least for the moment
#2 is an ongoing process and one that gets me outdoors--that's good!
#4 will come to a close at the end of the month
#'s 6 and 7 will last a couple more months, and then I'll have a summer break.....¡gracias a Dios!