The day after

I'm taking it easy today - the day after getting my first COVID vaccination. My arm is sore, but not too bad - that arm is always sore anyway because of the problems in my shoulder, so this isn't very different! Otherwise, I feel ok, but am not taking on much. E.g., I'm postponing recording for the Hymnology course until tomorrow. Ellen is taking a walk with Nancy T., and I'm at the Dummerston Church.

Later this afternoon we will participate in a Guilford Church Lenten prayer group on Zoom that features the poetry of Emily Dickinson as a source of  insights into the spiritual journey of Lent.

Today's poem:

A little Madness in the Spring (1356)

A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King,
But God be with the Clown – 
Who ponders this tremendous scene – 
This whole Experiment of Green – 
As if it were his own!

Someone named  Jacque Hutchinson comments:

Dickinson’s word choice is very particular in the types of people that she decides to discuss in the poem: a king and a clown. Today, when we think about a “clown” we think of a jokester or performer, but “clown” in Dickinson’s time meant something much different. A “clown” was a “countryman” or “peasant” in Dickinson’s era. This would then draw a line between the royal king and the lowly peasant. The king looked on nature from the outside; he does not come into contact with it and even has his servants tend to it. But the “clown” or “countryman” would encounter nature in a more physical way. He would need to chop trees for firewood, harvest crops for food, and set traps for pests. The king, however, does not have such direct contact with nature. He observes from afar, possibly taking evening strolls, but he is not working the land. He has servants who would do that for him. He can enjoy the product of groomed nature without getting his hands dirty.

Dickinson is making the point that no one, directly or indirectly interacting with nature, can lay claim on it. It does not matter if you work with nature every day or see it from afar. Nature is to remain unclaimed, unaltered, and free.

***************

I think the interpretive crux in this poem is the line "God be with the Clown."

Is this negative (e.g., "God help the Clown") or positive (e.g., "God bless the Clown")

Stewart Letter #29

                                                                    Homberg, Germany

                                                                                                                            Feb 22, 1946

Dear Dad,

I took CQ1 today because it counts as a Sunday, and I don't want to miss a Sunday unless I really have to.2 Since it is Washington's Birthday, the battalion is taking a day off, but someone has to stay here and answer the phone. It isn't bad. because there is a coal stove and a radio, and a few magazines to read to pass away the time. I came here at 0600 this morning and will leave at 2200 tonight.3

A movie is shown each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings at 1830 in the theater, which is part of the building in which I have my cot. In the same building is the PX, barber shop, and Protestant Chapel. I haven't seen the chaplain yet, because he didn't get here for last Sunday's service.

My duties are practically nil at the moment, because there are more than enough personnel in the personnel office at present, although by June 30 almost everyone except us new replacements will be gone. Most of our wrk is connected with putting information on the service record. Also, reports must be sent in each day to Div. Hq.

I haven't been issued an ETO jacket, overshoes, an extra pair of combat boots, or the insignia that goes on this division's uniform. The supply room did not have on hand a jacket with a sleeve long enough, or footwear large enough for me. I will not suffer, however, for I do not have to spend very much time outdoors. We have close order drill with rifle and cartridge belt Wednesday and Friday mornings. Last Wednesday, however, some ran fell, so the drill was cancelled. We pull guard about once a month, since there are only three posts to guard. An inspection is held every Saturday morning, and we get the afternoon off. Wednesday afternoon, however, we do not get off. We had a good snowstorm two days ago, and it (has) started to melt, but last night some more fell, so that now there is about four inches of snow on the ground. The air however, is quite warm and I do not think it will stay long.

I'm not doing much exercising, and yet I am eating well. The other day, a fellow shot three large deer, the largest weighing above 300 pounds. Two were used by the mess hall, and we had deer steak and hamburgers a la venison. The milk is, I believe, powdered, but perfectly all right for breakfast cereal. We get plenty of canned fruit and vegetables, and fresh potatoes.

1 CQ means Charge of Quarters.

2 This sentence isn't clear to me. I don't know what "missing a Sunday" means.

3 14 hours with nothing to do!

Homberg is located between Marburg and Kassel. The whole 10 Engr Combat Bn is stationed here, but each company has its own mess. The Red Cross Club fresh doughnuts and coffee all the time, and one can also listen to the radio, play games, ping-pong, or write letters.

Homberg, Germany today - maybe it looked like this in 1946

Statue of  Landgraf Phillip der Grossmütige (1504-1567) in Homberg - Phillip was an important Protestant ruler in Germany. He was actually present as a 17-year-old at the Diet of Worms when Luther made his stand and was excommunicated. 

There is a dry-cleaning plant here, operated by GI's, and one can get his clothes washed by German women.

The only news we get is over the radio and in the. Stars and Stripes, which comes out every day (Germany edition), just as you said when you were over here.

This winter weather serves only to remind me of home, and since I can't keep busy enough to keep from thinking about it, I am beginning to be a little homesick. I won't let it make me feel too bad, however, for this is still a new experience to me. Two-year men are being considered for discharge now, so maybe they will get down to 18 months by next year at this time, when I will have that much time on active duty.

After going through 17 weeks of training which was completely new to me, this is pretty dull, however.. Sometimes I wish that I could have been in combat as an infantryman, although I realize that it would have been an awful experience, and perhaps fatal.4

I am still undecided as to what I want to specialize in when I start in college, although I am certain that I will take advantage of the GI Bill of Rights when I am discharged. Perhaps I will be able to decide before I come home.

I must finish this letter now, since it is 2200, and I must get my night's sleep. 

                                                                Your faithful son,

                                                            Stewart

4 I guess the basic message of this letter is that Stewart is bored. He must have been pretty bored to have even considered being an infantryman in combat! Since he had so much time on his hands, I don't understand why we don't have more letters from him during this period in Germany. We only have five or so for the whole year he was there. Maybe some were not saved. 

Vaccine!

I just got my first shot! I'm in the waiting room. They make people with a penicillin allergy wait 1/2 hour. I am almost there. Feeling OK. Ellen is picking me up.

The room I'm waiting in after getting my first vaccine shot

Cold and snow

 Thursday: Like much of the country, we are experiencing cold and snowy weather. But this is not Texas! Vermont is accustomed to it; nothing unusual about what we are getting here weather-wise. It just isn't very good weather for going outside - especially the ice underfoot! So I've stayed inside, for the most part. But right now, we are at Grandma Miller's bakery  stocking up on Morning glory muffins! And a little treat of a chocolate eclair. Yum!

Friday: I just had a session with Dr. Brickly. I had X-rays of my shoulders last Monday, and we went over that. Severe arthritis in both shoulders plus a rotator cuff tear in the right shoulder. He is recommending a referral to an orthopedic specialist, physical therapy for the shoulders and possible injections. 

It is snowing lightly,  but the sun is also trying to come out. 

Andy Davis and I are going to start making little videos of segments of our Hymnology course. The basic approach will be to create thee videos that Andy can edit and combine with screen sharing and recordings, and that will be incorporated into a larger live session that will open live and close with Q&A with participants. We'll see how that works. 

I've just released my little book about the life  of Jerome Holland, an African-American man whom I've come to know through the Guilford Church and with whom I have met numerous times and recorded conversations in which I have asked him questions about his life, pretty much covering his whole life. The book consists of transcriptions of those recordings plus an Introduction and a Time-line of his life. I made copies for him and his family, but he has ok'd making it more widely available through the church, and so far at least a half-dozen people have expressed interest. 

The book about Jerome

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 This card was made by Ellen - thank you my sweetheart!

We have been having a stretch of really cold weather and it has kept me indoors by the fire. We went out briefly this afternoon to return a paper shredder that we had borrowed from John and get some dried mullein leaf from him that I need for mullein/coltsfoot tea. The Brattleboro Coop was totally out of mullein. It's good for lungs. We got a brief glimpse of John and Cynthia at their place. We hadn't actually seen them for some time. So that was great. On our way back from their house we stopped at Allen Brothers hoping to get cider doughnuts, but they were out. We settled for a piece of pizza and a little dessert. 

A bit ago we had an hour Zoom session with Katie and Savanna and got caught up on their news. It's great that we can at least do that!

Soon we will get our first vaccine shots - Ellen next Monday and me the following Tuesday. I am also slated to get shoulder X-rays next week - my shoulders are very painful and Dr. Brickley wants to see what's going on. It's wonderful to think he might be able to help.

Tomorrow is GCC "Vurch" and then Torah Study. The passage is Exodus 25-27 - the building of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Very detailed descriptions! The Mormons take those passages very seriously and have built replicas. Judging from YouTube, there is at least one Jewish replica in Israel as well. It will be interesting to see what kind of discussion these passages produce.

An Israeli replica of the Tabernacle

We are enjoying watching a Netflix series called Anne with an "E" - a new version of Anne of Green Gables. It is very well done. 

We watched, or listened on the radio to, the Impeachment Trial. Pretty much all of it. We are political junkies. The acquittal of Trump by the Republicans was expected but incredibly sad. And then Mitch McConnell gave a speech which excoriated Trump as much or even more than the House Democratic Managers had done - but he voted to acquit! On grounds that Trump could not be impeached after leaving office. After the Senate voted that he could be! It's maddening!

Cellphone crisis

 Yesterday was a stressful day. I hate to admit it, but problems with a cellphone can be very stressful. What happened was a lot my fault because of inattention, though there are mitigating circumstances.  

Sunday night, during the night, our iPhone automatically downloaded and installed new software which upgraded it. It sits next to the bed. I awoke to see a big "Hello" on the screen. I opened the phone to see what was happening and followed prompts. That was my big mistake. I didn't really understand what I was doing. To make a long story short, I set the phone up with a two-stage security system I did not understand and had never seen before - a 6-digit passcode and a fingertip ID. I did not write down the passcode -I thought it was temporary, not a permanent requirement. This, of course, caused problems. For some reason, the fingertip worked without the passcode, but of course it had to be my fingertip, so when Ellen was using the phone, she had to  keep coming to me for my fingertip. Later in the day it stopped working altogether.We were locked out - no passcode. I spent about 3 hours last evening getting all that fixed using WiFi, computer and Apple service up  at the church. A lot of frustration, failed efforts, and such, but final success. We missed the SuperBowl as a result. And Ellen had made snacks. WE were going to watch on the iPhone (no cable TV).

Sigh!!!

Candlemas Day

Yesterday was Candlemas Day, a very old holiday of the church which marks the halfway point between the Solstice and the Spring Equinox and in the Liturgical Year,  it marks the  presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple by his parents and the blessing of Jesus by the elderly prophet, Simeon. It is observed by clearing out all vestiges of the Christmas season in the church, and putting up boxwood to anticipate the coming of Spring. We decided it was the perfect day to take down our Christmas tree! Yes, we had left it up until now. Last night we packed away the ornaments and lights and put the bare tree out on our deck, which is piled pretty high with snow. We played our last Christmas CD while we worked on the tree.  It's nice to consider that Spring is around the corner, though you would not know it to look outside. But it is true that sugaring season will soon be upon us. 

Before

After

It leaves a gap!