#Friends of Zion Museum

[lihyot-am-chofshi-beartzeinu]

Indigenous embassy opens in Jerusalem

"The Jewish people are the indigenous people of the land of Israel and so we are thrilled with the support of the global first peoples' community," says Hassan-Nahoum.

By Bruce Hill February 15, 2024, 12:13 pm

Indigenous groups from around the world have come together to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Located at the Friends of Zion Museum, it was opened by Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum on February 1.

The ceremony attracted expressions of support from indigenous leaders from Singapore, Taiwan, Samoa, American Samoa, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, Native American chiefs and paramount chiefs from Southern Africa.

“The Jewish people are the indigenous people of the land of Israel and so we are thrilled with the support of the global first peoples’ community,” Hassan-Nahoum said.

Embassy director Dr Sheree Trotter, from New Zealand, said, “One of the falsehoods underlying the [recent] surge in antisemitism is the narrative that Jews are ‘foreign colonisers’ who have ‘oppressed and dispossessed the indigenous Palestinians’. Many indigenous peoples reject this historical revisionism and recognise the Jewish people as indigenous to the land of Israel.”

She says the embassy is getting support from indigenous groups around the world, including North and South America.

“I have connections with indigenous friends in Australia, and I’ve reached out to them. We’ve got a large network across the Pacific and all the way from Taiwan to Hawaii and a lot of Pacific nations which we’re all connected to,” Trotter said.

[ausetkmt]

A quilt resurfaces with stories from a long-gone Detroit neighborhood : NPR

The signature quilt hanging in a museum display. The pattern is made of blue and white fabric with 20 X-shaped blocks. There are embroidered names, telephone numbers and addresses in each, done in red and blue thread.

Sophia Saliby

Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood thrived as a center of African American life and culture in the first half of the 20th century, until the construction of a highway and government-mandated redevelopment all but wiped it out.

Now, a recently discovered quilt is providing a peek into what life there was like more than 50 years ago.

The minute Marsha MacDowell saw it in an online sale in 2018, she knew it had to come home to Michigan.

Quilted in blue and white fabric, the design includes 20 X-shaped blocks. Embroidered on each are names like Sister Roberta Wilson and Mrs. Mollie Mason, along with addresses and telephone numbers.

As someone who grew up in Detroit, the Michigan State University Museum Curator of Folk Arts and Quilt Studies recognized the street names.

"It is in a location where urban renewal in the 1960s pretty much took down every residential building," MacDowell said. "If you go on Google Maps, what you see are vacant lots."

One of the few buildings still standing is the Zion Congregational Church of God in Christ on Mack Avenue. The nearly-century-old church is near what was once Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood. The community, which grew from African Americans migrating from the South, included dozens of Black-owned businesses and a well-known music and night club scene.

In 2021, MacDowell decided to post photos of the quilt to a church Facebook page.

"We were flooded with responses that, 'I know this person. This is my mother. This is my aunt. This is a person I knew in the Zion Church.'"

Marsha MacDowell says the blanket is what's known as a "signature" or "autograph" quilt because this group of women inscribed their names on it. Women like Mrs. Mollie Mason embroidered their names, along with their addresses, in Detroit, Michigan. Sophia Saliby hide caption

toggle caption

Sophia Saliby

"The most exciting thing for me was to know that some artifact that my mother had been a part of still existed," Quinn said.

Quinn, who's in her nineties now, remembers her mother being involved in a sewing circle with other women of the church. She's positive the quilt was made for a fundraiser sometime in the 1940s.

"She found her niche when the sewing circle started. She was always making something and having us do embroidery," she said.

A year after that first post, in April 2022, MacDowell worked with leaders of the church to bring together people like Quinn to reflect on their close-knit community.

Quinn called it a reunion of sorts. They remembered the sewing circles, the women who ran them and how church life wasn't just about church, such as when she and her friends were old enough to sneak out of service to stop by the local candy store.

MacDowell says the quilt is more than just a blanket or even a piece of folk art. It's a piece of history.

"This quilt is a textual document of what was a thriving neighborhood and a thriving relationship amongst those individuals whose names were inscribed on the quilt," MacDowell said.

Marsha Music is a current member of the congregation. She says it's significant the women of the church put their names on the quilt.

"There was a part of them that wanted to make sure it was known that 'We made this,' and it has stood the test of time," Music said.

MacDowell is continuing to dig into the origins of the quilt and its creators and hopes to use recently released census data to learn more.

#Detroit #Black Bottom #Detroit Black History #Recently found quilt tells the story of a long-gone historic Detroit neighborhood

[sgtmickeyslaughter]

weekly tag wednesday buds!!

thanks for tagging me @softmick

name: gigi 🐇

zodiac sign: virgo

fuzzy socks or fuzzy blankets? neither! i perfer thick soft (?) over fuzzy

do you enjoy winter? i would love winter if the sun set at a remotely reasonable time instead of the middle of the fucking afternoon, and if we actually got any snow, otherwise im pretty indifferent

what’s your comfort book or movie? Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez and Julie and Julia

what’s your favorite way to wind down after a long day? depends on what kind of wind down, if im amped up and need to get rid of some energy i go for a run, if im just drained i watch a comfort movie and make a really delicious soothing dinner

tell me something you like about yourself: my constant creative drive, which is probably my most defining characteristic. i paint and cook and sketch and woodwork when i have access to a woodshop, my work is designing space, and now i create fanworks! it is incessant and relentless and i hope it never goes away :)

favorite artist? I have a lot of favorites tbh but im a big fan of diego riveras work

how do you practice self-care? i just spend time by my self lol, I am a hardcore introvert and once that social timer goes off its time to away from people and on my lovely lonesome, sometimes that means taking a whole day and wandering around the city going to museums by myself if im feeling fancy

what’s a song that makes you feel joyful?

this song will always be the most nostalgic for me. it just feels like the happiest, warmest days of my childhood bc my mom loooooved the chicks in the early 2000s and rest assured after they verbally smacked the dogshit out of bush they were still being played loud as hell in her house

a book you want to read this year: the vegetarian by han kang is my favorite book of all time so i will probably reread that bc i didnt last year

but here is the complete list of books im hoping to read this year, if anyone has read these please chime in with reviews

what advice would you give your younger self?

appreciate where you are right now instead of thinking about where you want to be and what you want to accomplish in the future, you will have time, stand still and breathe for a second

and finally, you’re given a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, no strings attached. where are you going?

im planning a trip to ireland for this spring!!! and im hoping to get out to both zion and yellowstone national parks this year. i really want to visit hong kong and patagonia someday but i think those are both strings attached trips so thats probably my answer

i also might try to go to chicago again sometime this year with a friend bc i had so much fun last time and its such a cheap and easy trip

play along!! @fierromilkovich @callivich @gallavichroom @iansw0rld @jrooc @hazeisblue

#sgt says #tag game #Spotify

[ourblued]

highly selective multimuse blog for both canon and original characters from various media. sometimes will run on a queue, unless stated otherwise. please the rules below before interacting. all commissioned items are from @anacommissions!

rules & older muses. memes. banned.

affiliations with: @staggerbackwards, @lovepctions, @h0pefall, @gemhinis, @whispcrcr, etc.

featured muses: astrid bishop ( original character with they/them pronouns), hange zoe from attack on titan ( they/them pronouns), annika atwater from YOU on netflix, demetria holland ( original character with they/them pronouns), harry osborn from the mcu / tasm movies ( they/them pronouns), callisto ' cal ' holmes ( star wars original character with they/them pronouns), etc.

NEW MUSES.

collette mendoza, played by genesis rodriguez. 36, tour guide at a museum. bisexual, open + active.

valeria cardoza, played by karla souza. 36, principal at a middle school, pansexual. open + active.

nicholas ' nick ' lane, played by hunter doohan. 27, film major. bisexual with male lean. open + semi active.

dylan hartigan, played by topher grace. 43, divorced author of fictional books. bisexual with male lean. open + semi active.

luna la, played by zion moreno. 18-21, former student of constance billard, former victim of gossip girl, model for oscar de la renta. pansexual, open + semi active.

callisto ' cal ' holmes, played by brigette lundy paine. 26-29, scavenger, avid believer in the rebellion, amateur pilot. pansexual, open + highly active. (they/them pronouns).

allison argent, played by crystal reed. age unknown. huntress, part of the mccall pack. pansexual, open + semi active.

charlie west, played by brigette lundy paine. 18-21, former high school student at east highland, english major. pansexual, open + semi active. (they/them pronouns).

shivani ' shiv ' klein, played by megan suri. 23. college student, film major, communications minor. pansexual, open + semi active.

annika atwater, played by kathryn gallagher. 26-29, social media influencer, former best friend to beck & peach. pansexual, open + highly active.

hange zoe, animated. 29-31, 14th commander of the survey corps, titan extraordinaire. heterosexual, open + highly active. ( they/them pronouns).

annika yeun, played by tati gabrielle. 28, private investigator. pansexual, open + highly active.

mei mei, animated. 33, jujutsu sorcerer. bisexual, open + highly active. single shipped with staggerbackwards’ nanami kento.

sasha braus, animated. 19, member of the scout regiment, former member of the 104th cadet corps. heterosexual, open + highly active.

yuta okkotsu, animated. 17-18, ( special ) grade 2 student at jujutsu high. bisexual, open + highly active.

mai zen'in, animated. 16-18, second year student at kyoto jujutsu high, member of the zen'in clan, younger twin sister of maki zen'in. questioning, open + testing.

mindy meeks martin, played by jasmine savoy brown. 19-20, former student at woodsboro high, college student at blackmore university, one of the ghostface killers. lesbian, open + active.

ethan landry, played by jack champion. 19-20, student at blackmore university, ghostface killer. bisexual with male lean, open + active.

annie leonhart, animated. 23, the female titan, graduate of the 104th training corps, former member of the military police brigade. bisexual, open + active.

ymir, animated. 75+, the jaw titan, graduate of the 104th training corps, former member of the survey corps. lesbian, open + active.

petra ral, animated. 22, hand picked soldier of the survey corps, placed in the special operations squad. bisexual, open + active.

sukuna, animated. 1,000+, cursed spirit, the king of curses. unlabeled, open + testing.

craig tucker, tanner buchanan. 18-21, college student at park county community college, member of the boy's only club. homosexual, open + testing.

kokichi muta / mechamaru, animated. 17, second year at kyoto jujutsu high, curse user. due to his frail body, he uses ultimate mechamaru to get around. unlabeled, open + testing.

kamo noritoshi, animated. 18, third year at kyoto metropolitan jujutsu high, former heir to the kamo clan. heterosexual, open + testing.

nobara kugisaki, animated. 16-18, first year student at tokyo jujutsu high, grade three jujutsu sorcerer. possessed by the curse king, ryomen sukuna. bisexual, open + testing. ( please keep in mind that this is the only portrayal i will be writing of nobara. )

britta perry, gillian jacobs. 30, student at greendale community college. bisexual, open + reserved for gemhinis.

florette, fc coming soon / animated. age unknown, the local florist puppet who started as a recurring character on the show, then made her way into being one of the various main characters. she's bright purple, almost lilac with blonde hair. unlabled, open + testing.

stan marsh, cameron cuffe. 20-22, student at park county community college, member of the south park boys' only club. bisexual, open + testing.

anika kayoko, devyn nekoda. 21, student at blackmore university, one of the ghostface killers. lesbian, open + testing.

barry berkman, bill hader. 44, former marine turned hitman. amateur actor. bisexual, open + testing.

bailey mcalister, brigette lundy paine. 29, interim astronomer, former college student. pansexual, open + active. ( they/them pronouns ).

billie callahan, brigette lundy paine. 28, assistant to roman roy at waystar royco. pansexual, open + active. ( they/them pronouns ).

marlene alraune, annie murphy. unknown. former museum employee, corporate executive, social worker, secretary, archeologist, student, wife. heterosexual, open + active.

maria hill, cobie smulders. 44, former deputy director of shield, former commander of shield. pansexual, open + active.

#&*. pinned post.

[pbandjesse]

What am unexpectedly lovely day. I am in a very good mood right now. I am at the museum which is unexpected. But that is okay.

I didn't sleep great. The sleep itself was fine but I woke up at 6 and looked at my phone and I had slightly offended one of James's aunts and I felt so bad about it! I was just making a teasing post about Massachusetts. Because one of the ways I show love is with gentle bullying. But I never want it to come across as actually mean!! So I apologized but then I was a little upset and couldn't fall back asleep.

I got up for real at 7 and James made the best slowly. They would take their time today and I was glad about that. They do to much.

I got dressed and felt very cute for my camp day.

I headed out with some snacks and my water and stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. Why the McDonald's near our house was 50 cents cheaper I will never know.

I had a good drive out to camp. And was the first one there! I was so nervous about being late so that was nice.

I headed up to arts and crafts to put the boxes I brought away. And headed down to wait for Elizabeth with the keys to ropes.

I was nervous about leading low ropes, as I had only assisted before. But it would be fine one Zion showed me the set up. It all basically came flooding back.

The school that was there spent the night last night. And they were doing a free choice thing so we had four options they could chose from. The thought being half did these yesterday. But it ended up shaking out a little strange.

The school was for disabled teens. I wasn't sure exactly what that would mean or look like. So I was prepared for anything and the group of boys I had were awesome.

They were older teens and were such a sweet group together, like obviously good friends. And we had so many laughs. We started with a walk up to the ground elements area. And that was a good workout.

And then we did the team building programs. We started with whale watcher, where they have to balance together. They took a while to figure it out but ended up with a time of 1:55!! I have never had a group go that long so it was awesome to see.

Next we did one called kings fingers where they have to lift a tire up over a pole with ropes held taught. That one seems easy but can't be a little tough and was fun for everyone.

It started raining a bit. We went to do the buddy walkers next, where they have to walk on boards on the ground on a group. That one I made a race and it was very exciting when the one group won.

We finished with low ropes. Where they work as a team to make it across wire stretched between to telephone poles. That one was really fun. And I had a good time doing it with them.

We finished up on time. Took a bathroom break. And met another group to walk down to the field. I helped a girl who had hurt her ankle a little and she would lean on my shoulder on steps. I could be strong for someone else.

The second half of the morning was a little messier organizationally.

The kids at the zip line were running a half hour behind. So me and Rachel weren't sure what to do. I would end up taking some charge and sent some kids to horses, some with Rachel to archery, and since no one wanted to do ground elements I headed to zip to help direct traffic.

I would stay at zip to help with harnesses so we could move quicker. And that was great. I had some excellent chats with everyone. Got a huge reaction when someone asked Zion how old her was (19) and then was like. Ms Jesse how old are you? And I got to say 31! And have all the chaperones freak out. It was very funny. Always is.

We finished up there after some teachers went. We did have one kid almost get hurt but thankfully didn't. And I would head over to ground elements to put things away.

I was starting to lose steam. I put everything away and tried to make it neat. And headed down to the office to give the keys and check in before I headed home.

It was beautiful out. Even with the little bit of rain. And I was just super happy to be there.

After chatting with everyone I headed home. I was excited to eat a car snack. But I wanted to rest.

The drive back wasn't horrible. And I parked and got rid of the trash in the car before I headed in.

James was out biking. So I got cozy and played Stardew. I sort of wanted to do some art but I wasn't didn't want to use my brain for a while.

James would get home and shower. I would build a bunny hutch for my farm. And eventually get off the game. James headed out to get groceries. And I got in bed with rest.

I am real glad I didn't fall asleep because around 445 Jessica called me in a panic.

There was an event tonight and Kelly forgot to communicate with Jessica about an educator. But I wasn't to tired. So even though James was only half way done dinner I drove here.

Where I have been having a blast. I got to meet the musician and show him the ring of fire. It's a corporates event and they have been awesome.

I got a whole group of them to hear my tour from both cannery, machine, and pharmacy. And everyone has been so engaged and lovely. I would end up having almost a half hour conversation with three men who I think thought I was the most fascinating person and whenever that happens I will just keep talking. Don't encourage me! But it was great. Eventually I had to just walk and talk because they were missing dinner. But it was a struggle for us to stop we were having a blast.

Now I am sitting in the machine shop. I don't think anyone else will come back. I will probably go home soon.

Where James has stuffed shells for me. And I will take a shower and things will be good.

Tomorrow is a busy day at the museum. But it will be fun. I hope you all have fun too. Goodnight everyone! Take care of yourself!

[roscoebarnes3]

A Hero of the Civil Rights Movement

James Lee Stokes (1928 to 2023) was an Army veteran, a businessman, deacon, minister, and spokesman for the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Photos courtesy of Courtny Smith, Stokes’ granddaughter

BY ROSCOE BARNES III

Special to The Natchez Democrat

(Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, pages 1A, 6A)

NATCHEZ, Miss. -- The Rev. James Lee Stokes will be remembered for his  leadership and the sacrifices he made in the struggle for freedom and justice during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, according to the people who knew him. He will also be remembered as an armed protector of the Black community and the much-quoted spokesman for the Natchez Deacons for Defense and Justice. The Deacons were a paramilitary organization that provided armed protection for civil rights workers and the Black community. "James Stokes done gone, but his human rights work lives on," said his longtime friend, Ser Seshsh Ab Heter-Clifford M. Boxley. He described Stokes as a "Natchez Mississippi modern civil rights movement hero."  Stokes died on Thursday, Sept. 21, at the age of 95. His funeral was held Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Zion Hill Baptist Church #1. Stokes was born in 1928 to parents who were share-croppers on a plantation near Natchez. He served in the U.S. Army and later graduated from Natchez College, according to his obituary. In addition to working for many years as a car salesman, he served as an active member of the NAACP. During the civil rights movement, he reportedly ran a gas station. He also became a deacon and associate minister at Zion Hill. Courtny Smith, granddaughter of Stokes, said he was "a very loving and caring person that loved all of his family dearly." As he grew older, he became more of a comedian, she said, noting he always had a good story to tell.  "He was a man of God," Smith said. "He wanted everyone to know the word of God and to hear about how good God has been to him and how much of a blessing it is to be here at 95." Smith said her grandfather will be remembered by all the things he has done in this community as a minister, NAACP activist, and as a veteran. "He will forever be remembered and missed daily," she said. Pillar in the community William Terrell,  publisher of The Bluff City Post, said Stokes was a great friend, a family man, and a fearless leader in the civil rights movement. "I have known Mr. James Stokes for most of my life," Terrell said. "He was a friend of my late sisters and brothers-in-law. They traveled in the same circles during those early days, and I had a chance to also develop a relationship with him.  "Mr. Stokes was a bold advocate for civil rights, and he was not afraid to speak out about the injustices that were so prevalent during those times. His journey led him to become a member of the Deacons for Defense. In addition, he was also a minister who voiced his concerns for justice." Terrell said Stokes would often come by the Bluff City Post just to talk and make his views known. "We have lost a trailblazer, one who taught us that determination is better than fear," Terrell said. According to Bobby Dennis, director of the Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, Stokes was a man with a good reputation and a strong community leader. "He was one of our community's less talked-about leaders during the civil  Rights Era as well as a pillar of the Woodlawn District," Dennis said.

James Lee Stokes

Denise Jackson Ford, daughter of slain Natchez civil rights leader, Wharlest Jackson Sr., described Stokes as a "gentle giant" who was involved in the safety of many Blacks who fought for the rights to vote. 

"He didn’t mind speaking his voice or standing up for others," Ford said. "Reverend Stokes will be truly missed. There was already a void due to his absence from his church and community."

Recognized by scholars   As the official spokesperson for the Natchez Deacons, Stokes was often quoted and featured in articles and books about Mississippi history.   Dr. Lance Hill featured him in his book, "The Deacons for Defense: Armed Resistance and the Civil Rights Movement" (UNC Press, 2004).   "Stokes was a natural choice as a spokesperson for the Deacons," Hill wrote. "A well-spoken, articulate man with a flair for the dramatic, he had honed his leadership abilities as a church deacon and choir director and union steward, and he had traveled extensively around the world in the army's entertainment unit from 1953 to 1955."   Hill noted that in 1965, the same year the Natchez Deacons officially organized, Stokes established a chapter of the Deacons in Woodville. This chapter, Hill wrote, went on to recruit about 40 members from Woodville, Centreville, and rural areas in Wilkinson County.   Stokes also appears in Richard Grant's book, "The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi" (Simon & Schuster, 2020).   When Natchez teetered on the brink of a race war following the bombing of George Metcalfe's car by the Ku Klux Klan in August 1965, Stokes found himself in "the thick of things," wrote Grant. He said that Stokes was "trying to stop white motorists from getting hurt and trying to keep the white police from attacking the rioters."   The civil rights movement in Natchez became the most successful movement in Mississippi, and the Deacons played a significant role in that success, according to historians.   Years after the movement, people in the black community held "vivid and powerful" memories of the civil rights era, including the contributions of the Deacons, noted Grant. "James Stokes, and the other surviving Deacons, were often approached in public and thanked for their courage and achievements," he wrote.   When Grant learned of Stokes' passing, he shared these words: "It was my honor to meet him. May he now rest in peace."   Stanley Nelson, author of "Devils Walking: Klan Murders Along the Mississippi River in the 1960s" (LSU Press, 2016), commented on Stokes' work as a Natchez Deacon. He explained that Stokes and the other Deacons were committed and ready to do what was necessary for their cause.   "Men like James Stokes through their work with the Deacons provided protection and support to many communities by making sure marchers, activists and ordinary citizens were protected from harm in the quest for equal rights," Nelson said. "The Deacons’ mission was to protect and not to attack, but if the Klan wanted a fight, Deacons like Mr. Stokes were always ready to battle."

#civilrights #blackhistory #visitnatchez #NatchezHistory #NatchezCulturalLegacy #MississippiHistory #DeaconsForDefenseandJustice #NatchezDeaconsforDefense #KKK

[stephsyearinreview]

Steph’s Year in Review – 2022 Edition

2022 was a year of celebration and it was a hoot! It felt like our first “real” year of retirement as in 2021 Craig was so involved with closing his parents’ estate. The freedom this gave us, combined with celebrating my 60th birthday all year long, had me/us seeing many friends and family around the country/world

I started the year in the Tucson area for pickleball with Joan Hanson, Dave Brown, Johnny Stutsman, and Heidi Thorsen (SEA pickleball peeps) and a visit with Marilyn Byrne (MSFT friend).  In February, Craig and I took a quick ski trip to Sun River/Mt Bachelor as a trial run for our road trip “ski safari”.  The three-week safari took us through Idaho, where we visited with Bob and Ann Arnold (MSFT friends) and down to Salt Lake City (SLC).  In UT, we had great fun skiing Snowbird, Alta, Deer Valley, and Solitude.  We also had dinner with Colleen Daly (MSFT friend).  After SLC, we went over to Steamboat Springs where we visited with Brandon and Scott Jones (cousins).  Guy Michaelsen (SEA neighbor) joined us in Steamboat and we had fun hanging with him. Driving home from CO, we stopped in Jackson Hole for some snow mobiling, and Montana for one last ski mountain, Big Sky. I was wondering if I’d get tired of all that skiing and I never did!  

April 11th marked my 60th birthday and my pickleball peeps helped me celebrate, at the local SEA bowling alley, which was a blast.  Craig surprised me with a 10-day trip to Palm Springs to mark the official milestone. While there, I was doubly surprised when Jan and Gray Crary (Univ of CO friends) showed up from LA to help celebrate. In addition, Heather Pollock (childhood friend), came over from Santa Monica for a visit.

In early May, my girlfriend Susan Landahl (MSFT friend) and I went to Phoenix for a long weekend.  And in mid-May, Peggy O’Connor (Univ of CO friend) and Suzanne Coupe (Pat Kirkland Leadership friend) met me in Tulsa for a weekend of reading and girl-time.  Unfortunately, when I got home, I came down with Covid. While Craig got it from me, miraculously neither Peggy nor Suzanne did!

At the end of June, Craig and I headed to the Midwest. The ultimate impetus was a joint birthday party in Bloomington, IN.  My sister, Jan, turned 80 in September and I turned 60 in April so we had a joint birthday party over the 4th of July weekend.  It was fun to see the whole fam damnly (as well as Bea Travis, Ellen Campbell, and Gary Hafner & Jane Clay -  all old friends from Bloomington).  Leading up to the visit to my hometown, Craig and I spent some time in Cleveland checking out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and going to the water park at Cedar Point. While in Cleveland we saw my Portland friend, Cathy Wilcox.  On this Midwest junket, we also went to Detroit where we toured the Ford museum and did some fun bike riding.  We also had a lovely dinner with my Booking.com friend, Amy Accetura.

It was great spending the majority of the summer in the Seattle area.  Craig talked about a perfect week including hiking, biking, and stand up paddleboarding and we had several of those trifecta weeks!  

In September, Craig and I headed to the desert and did some great site seeing & hiking in Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Zion before ending up in Vegas.  In sin city, we met up with my niece, Melanie Schwandt, and “the Scots” Jules and Dougal.  The five of us headed for Lees Ferry and took an amazing two-week rafting trip the Colorado.

In late September, Craig and I took what Craig called Secret Squirrel “The Fall Tour” (the second part of my surprise birthday trip/celebration).  We went down to the WA/OR border and slept in a tree house (!) for three nights before heading to the beach and spending three more at Cannon Beach.  

In October, we headed to North Carolina for my niece, Clare Cady’s wedding to Austin Tepsic.  After our time in Raleigh, we did some exploring of the Outer Banks and the Southern Banks.  When we got home, I was so excited to be home for two whole months.  Who would think I’d get a bit burnt out on traveling.  

On November 16th, I had a small accident with my 2017 Fusion Hybrid.  “Füshy B” as I call her has less than 30k miles on her and will be paid off Feb 9! Fortunately, no one was hurt. While technically I hit the other person, it was her fault as she pulled out in front of me.  Amazing how much damage can be done to cars even going at a relatively slow speed.  As of January 14th, Progressive hadn’t decided yet whether to fix it or consider it a complete loss.  

In mid-December, we caught the travel bug again and were very excited to fly to Iceland and Sweden for our arctic adventure. While the crazy weather in Iceland curtailed some of our activities, the time in Sweden was perfect.  I spent time with my step mother, Eva, as well as my Swedish family Margareta & Bengt, and Chatarina, Lief, and Elisabet. Christmas day, Craig and I flew up to The Ice Hotel -  200k above the Arctic Circle.  We spent one night in an ice room and two nights in a warm room.  Activities there included dog sledding (where we were mushers), snow mobiling, Nordic skiing, and eating lots of yummy food.  

In between all these great trips, when home, I play pickleball three times a week and continue to be honored to volunteer for End of Life Washington.  

As I wrap up this missive, I love the fact that this year I did so many fun things and saw so many of my friends and family in person. I love this quote from Carol Zizzo (Henley Leadership Group) in response to one of our blog posts:  I imagine you on your deathbed saying "Yep, been there, did that, as I said I would, and it was fantastic!”

On that note, I’ll sign off and continue planning our 2023 adventures.  

Love & Kisses - Steph 

[waltergmeyer-blog]

Driving to Zion

The day we left St. George was one of driving. We had been warned by the host of the place we were staying in West Yellowstone, Montana, to get north of the greater Salt Lake City area by 3 p.m. or risk being stuck in traffic for hours. The place had a firm cutoff for checking in no later than 10 p.m., so we did get an early start and took turns driving pretty much nonstop through a lot of wide-open space in Utah, keeping the Wasatch Range on our right pretty much the entire time.

We wanted to be sure to clear traffic, and did so with no problem and so wished we had taken a few minutes to at least drive by the capitol and the large temple in Salt Lake. We at least saw the capitol dome from the interstate.

At some point, Zach came up with the idea that we should take a photo of the “Welcome to…” sign as we entered each state. Not always easy at 80 mph on the interstate. And he decided that once we crossed the state line, we should listen to the state song of the place we had just entered. This was not always possible until we could next get a phone signal. There are lots of dead zones in those wide-open spaces. The verdict is that most state songs are horrible. Really, really bad. Like if a fourth grader with no sense of rhythm or poetry was assigned the task of writing it, forgot to do their homework and penned it on the bus on the way to school that morning. California’s state song is particularly bad. Look it up on YouTube. We need to start a movement to change it to “California, Here I come.”

I posted on Facebook that we were traveling through Idaho and a friend messaged me to suggest we hit Upper and Lower Mesa Falls. I am so glad he did. They were some of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. We got there just before dark and were among a handful of other visitors.

But before we got to the falls, we saw a sign for the Idaho Potato Museum. How can you pass that up in Idaho? A former railroad station had been turned into a shrine to the state’s vegetable. There were singing animatronic potatoes. (I still have the song stuck in my head, “Potato, potato, potato. Potato, Potato, Potato…” dozens of verses of those catchy lyrics. It would actually be a better state song than the one Idaho is currently using.)

There is a huge collection of Potato Head toys and a large assortment of potato mashers. There is the world’s largest pringle. Also on display is the letter from the governor of Idaho to Vice-President Dan Quayle on how to spell potato. There was a potato bar where I had the best baked potato I’ve ever had. But in addition to the fun or goofy stuff, there was a lot of history, very well presented—how the vegetable made it from the new world to become a staple in Europe and became so important that a fungus on the crop in Ireland caused massive starvation and a huge migration to the U.S. There were statistics and maps and other information presented clearly and in an easily digestible way. (See what I did there?) It was quirky, but interesting and we were really glad we stopped.

We had a hard time finding our accommodations in West Yellowstone in the pitch darkness, but we made it by the appointed hour. But, before we explore Yellowstone, let’s back up a moment to Zion. 

#zion national park #national park #utah #travel #adventure #photography

[the-firebird69]

I did ask Gregorio from ancient aliens to do a secret of investigation. And he says it was successful he went to Zion and it means a place where you are protected and it means protected by God and he did the investigation to see if that was the birthplace of the clones of Tommy f and he said yes a lot of results were positive and they are conclusive and he's handing it off to Mac Daddy no he did earlier and mac daddy said thank you and bless you and his and other clansmen are examining it and the Bible is Chuck full of his stuff it's extremely important it's all making sense everything that they're looking at is making sense and the computer in space is important and it's in the Bible now these are family names he says and they're going through it and they're trying to figure out who they are and the names of the devil are all fitting Tommy favino and his characters every single one of them lines up and other books are now starting to line up and they're calling him the devil and that is also something that's matching this is happening right now and mac daddy is speaking that last sentence and I am narrating now it was Zeus Hera up to now and he's saying that it is a moment in time and wants his own talk so we're going to switch over but it is a moment in time and it is huge

Thor Freya

I'm probably my husband and he's a real trooper and he did the right thing and Jason is a friend they arguing fight it's so caustic no one can stand it they can't stand it but they have to do it it's like being in the museum of science and not going to the Omni room and you just have to know and so it worked on that guy he's trying to figure out what you're talking about and he found out he was horrified he said this is the answer while a bunch of boobs and it's working and there's some smarter people involved I'm so proud and so happy today

Hera Zues

I can't ride to ride I can't wait to ride my dirt bike with him and motorcycles and all sorts of things he says we won't go real fast it's more fun if you don't try and break your neck and I agree

We're going into this now and we're going to let Mac Daddy I have his speech here and it's very important

Olympus

[ledenews]

Belmont County NAACP's Freedom Fund Dinner Scheduled for October 1

Belmont County NAACP is excited to present this year’s Freedom Fund Dinner held at Belmont Hills Country Club, October 1, 2022, at 6 PM (dinner) with a social hour starting at 5 PM (cash bar).  This year we will be honoring three (3) people of the community of Belmont County that have been outstanding in their respective fields of leadership, dedication, service, and loyalty to the community. This year we have a Power Couple as our guest speakers.  They are hardworking and dedicated in their respective fields, world-renowned public speakers, teaching at the collegiate level here and abroad. Dr. Clėment A. Akassi is a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Monique L. Akassi is the DEI Director and Strategies Coordinator at West Liberty University. All are welcome to join us and help celebrate with us.  Tickets in advance $40.00.  Tickets at the door $45.00.  There will be 50/50 raffle and a Chinese Auction.  Applications will on the premises for all wanting to become a member of the NAACP. Dr. John Mattox The late Dr. John Mattox served as the curator and founder of the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing, Ohio. The museum was founded in 1993 by the late Dr. John Mattox and his late wife, Rosalind Mattox. Dr. Mattox passed away at the age of 84 on July 17, 2019.  He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Dr. Mattox graduated from Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. In 2008, he received an Honorary Doctor of Public Service Degree from Ohio University. In addition, Dr. Mattox served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959-1962.  He was Commander of the American Legion Post 366, V.F.W. #7342 in Flushing, Ohio, for many years. Furthermore, he was a proud member of the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Ohio, Lodge #298, Flushing, Ohio.  Dr. Mattox dedicated his time to the museum, as well as volunteered with various community organizations.  He served on the following boards: Sargus Juvenile Center, Ohio University Eastern, Harrison Community Hospital, A Special Wish Foundation, and Belmont Correctional Institution Reentry Coalition. He also worked closely with the Ohio National Road Association, Friends of Freedom Society, Inc., Zion Retreat, Belmont County Tourism Office, and numerous others. Dr. Mattox was eager to share his love of history with others. As curator of the Underground Railroad Museum, he was passionate about preserving the past for future generations. The museum was accepted to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. Dr. Mattox was a dedicated leader, always willing to lend a helping hand to others.  He is remembered for his work and community involvement in the Ohio Valley. Dr. Monique L. Akassi Dr. Monique L. Akassi Touted as a “Thought Leader, Change Agent, Innovator, and one who will Transform the Impossible into the Possible with Results”— I am an award-winning, transformative, servant leader, entrepreneur, & manager in higher education with over a decade of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion, academic affairs, student affairs & fundraising. Dr. Akassi is currently the Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Strategic Initiatives at West Liberty University. I am member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Girl Scouts Leader in Wheeling, West Virginia.  I am Founding President of the Jacksonville, Florida Chapter Interest Group for the National Coalition of 100 Black Women; Founding President & CEO of Drs. Akassi & Akassi’s Global Languages and Leadership Academy; and Founding President and CEO of Drs. Akassi & Akassi’s Second Chance Program. I’m also a lifelong educator, administrator, author, editor, researcher, curriculum designer, digital literacy expert, assessment specialist, humanitarian, & public figure in higher education. I earned my Post Doctorate Certificates in Management Development & Women in Education Leadership from Harvard University; a B.A in English & Comparative Literature from the University of Cincinnati; an M.A in English Composition & Rhetoric from Wright State University; & a Ph.D in English Composition & Rhetoric with minors in Literary Criticism Theory &African American Literature from Morgan State University. I am Full Professor Tenured. I am the founder & President of Africana Critical Composition & Rhetoric Association. I am author/editor of over 23 publications, including 7 books & 2 journals, including the Journal of Africana Composition & Rhetoric & Undergraduate Journal of Research & Writing Across The Curriculum. Moreover, my book entitled, Research & Writing Across The Curriculum (2 ed), is a must have with Pearson Publishing. My Post-Colonial Composition Pedagogy: Using The Culture of Marginalized Students To Teach Writing, I coined Post-Colonial Composition Pedagogy, marking a major paradigm shift in the current methods of teaching instruction in writing courses today. My first book, Neo Hybrid Pedagogy: An Investigation On Writing Portfolios For African American Students is the first study of its kind. My latest book, W.E.B. Du Bois and the Africana Rhetoric of Dealienation is the first book of scholarship in collaboration with a family member of W.E.B. Du Bois’, great grandson of Arthur McFarlane II. Penelton “Tobay” Clark Penelton “Tobay” Clark Served as the Belmont County NAACP Vice President through the 1990s. He assisted in ensuring the citizens of Belmont County were treated fairly and strived for equality and social justice. Tobay was raised in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Dellamae and Penelton Clark and had 8 siblings. He attended Peabody High School. His father died when he was young. He was the oldest son, so he began to work to support his family. He served in the US Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. After returning from the Korean War, the Clark Family moved to Bridgeport, Ohio in the 1960s.Tobay attended the police academy and became a police officer for the village. He protected and served the citizens of Bridgeport and was known to be tough but fair. He married his true love, Kathy. They had 3 sons, Penn, Mario, and Ryan. He worked two jobs to support his family. They later moved from Bridgeport to Bellaire. Tobay was also a member of Children Services for the county and volunteered his time to promote a safe environment for underprivileged children. Tobay spent most his life protecting and supporting the needs of others. He would be very proud of being recognized for all of his hard work. He would be even happier that the local chapter of the NAACP that he had help start and worked for all those years ago has been reestablished and supporting the community. Dr. Clement A. Akassi Dr. Clement A. Akassi Dr. Clement A. Akassi is an international scholar, Associate Professor of Spanish, French, and Portugueses and Graduate Director for the World Languages Departent at Howard University in Washington DC. He is former President of the College Language Association. He earned a  Ph.D. in Spanish w/concentration: in Afro-Caribbean/Afro-Hispanic Studies. Dissertation’s Title: “Conciencia de la condena y de la libertad en la obra poética del escritor afrocubano Gastón Baquero.” Option: Doctorado Europeo. Universidad de Alcalá/Madrid, Spain. 2004. He is the author or editor of over 20 publications, including  Discursos poscoloniales y renegociacones de las identidades negras. Áfricas, Américas, Caribes, Europa. Perpignan, France: Presses Universitaires de Perpignan, 2010. Abbey Maroon: Lifetime Achievement Award - Belmont County chapter of the NAACP With a natural spirit for entrepreneurship and a passion for helping his hometown thrive, Abbey Maroon is an Ohio Valley icon with over six decades of experience in business development, management and entertainment operations. Born and raised in Bridgeport, Ohio, Abbey’s professional history started by hitchhiking from Bridgeport to the Wheeling Country Club to caddy for golfers. With his charm, people skills, leadership abilities and dashing good looks, Abbey quickly took an interest in management and working with people. He soon found himself running his first of many local businesses, Hickey’s Gift and Card Shop. He officially entered the nightlife business in his early twenties–and he hasn’t stopped since. Over the years, Abbey has employed hundreds of Ohio Valley residents with his successful business ventures, including the Jolly Roger Night Club, the Roof Garden, the Alamo, the Merrymint Lounge, Tom’s Night Club, Abbey’s Lounge and his current business, Abbey’s Restaurant and Lounge on the Wheeling Island. He has a long list of regulars who’ve followed him from business to business, who still remember dancing into the early morning hours at the Merrymint or sipping cocktails with friends at Abbey’s Lounge in the Ohio Valley Mall. Outside of his professional life, Abbey is an active philanthropist and frequently donates food from his restaurant to local organizations, clothing to families in need and monetary donations to organizations helping people all around the world. He served in the United States Coast Guard Reserves for eight years. Currently, he resides in St. Clairsville and is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Abbey enjoyed nearly 60 years of marriage with his wife, the late Kathy Maroon–he likes to think she enjoyed their time together, too. The two met while Abbey was working at Hickey’s Gift and Card Shop and were both alumni of St. John Central High School. While he misses her every day and wishes she could be here to celebrate this award with him, he knows she didn’t need another reason to be impressed with him anyways–and has the best view as she watches from above. Abbey is deeply honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Belmont County chapter of the NAACP. He would like to give a special thank you to his family: his children Angie, Joey, Lenora and Vanessa; in-laws Bob, Dawn, Al and Dean; grandchildren Lauren, Abbey, Joey, Jake, Anna, Deea and Dino; and great-grandson Braxton. He loves you more than words can say. Read the full article

[noizchild]

What This Week Looks Like:

Monday-Wednesday:

New Year’s Eve/Christmas Trip (Original, Chapters 4-10)

Summary: The students and staff of Tokyo-Zion Academy are going to spend their New Year's Eve home countries and states.

Wednesday:

Fortunate Daughter (Wasteland 2011, Original, Chapter Two)

Summary: Daisy Philips is a soldier fighting an endless war in a dying world. She does what she can to survive. Daisy Philips is an average girl going to school in California. She is adjusting to what "normal" is. The only problem is she can't tell which life is real.

Thursday:

Nishi Kaze (Original, Chapter Ninety-Two)

Summary: Once upon a time, there was a boy named Fujita Yuki. His parents died when he was small, his older sister acts like his mother, he had no friends, and he had been picked on all of his life. That was until a lovely demon named Shizuma came along. The two boys entered into the dance of love. But with every step comes a battle. The whole school seems to want to break them up. But like the west wind, love will always return to its starting point.

Friday:

Summary: Lupin gets himself into a new kind of trouble with some elves when he and his crew steal Celtic stone from an opening history museum. The only way to fix it is to prevent himself from stealing the stone in the present.y:

Lupin IV (Chapter Six, Lupin III)

Summary: Lupin gets himself into a new kind of trouble with some elves when he and his crew steal Celtic stone from an opening history museum. The only way to fix it is to prevent himself from stealing the stone in the present.

Saturday:

Leo and Kana (Inuyasha, Chapter thirty-one)

Summary: A young thug dies from getting shot to death. But strangely, he is brought back from the dead when a nymph accidentally gets trapped in his body and can’t get out. Now, they must find a way to separate again.

Sunday:

Assassin Game (Original, Chapter 5-7)

Summary: The son of a former assassin is kidnapped by her former employers in order to kill her. Now she must fight back to save her child.

#new year's eve/chrismas trip #original works #wasteland 2011 #fortunate daughter #nishi kaze #lupin iv #lupin iii #leo and kana #inuyasha #assassin game

[ourblued]

a semi-selective roleplay blog with muses from various media, written by 𝙉𝙀𝙋𝙏𝙐𝙉𝙀. will sometimes run on a queue, unless stated otherwise.

rules + muses. memes. banned.

with love for @mezzaninem & @ursovain.

NEW MUSES.

collette mendoza, played by genesis rodriguez. 36, tour guide at a museum. bisexual, open + active.

valeria cardoza, played by karla souza. 36, middle school principal. pansexual, open + active.

nicholas ' nick ' lane, played by hunter doohan. 27, film major, bisexual with male lean. open + active.

dylan hartigan, played by topher grace. 43, divorced fiction author. pansexual, open + active.

luna la, played by zion moreno. 17-20, former student at constance billard, former victim of gossip girl, model for oscar de la renta. pansexual, open + active.

callisto ' cal ' holmes, played by brigette lundy paine. 26-29, scavenger, avid believer in the rebellion. pansexual, open + active. ( they/them pronouns)

allison argent, played by crystal reed. age unknown. huntress, part of the mccall pack. pansexual, open + active.

charlie west, played by brigette lundy paine. 18-21. former high school student at east highland ( the overachiever ), english major. pansexual, open + active. (they/them pronouns)

shivani ‘ shiv ‘ klein, played by megan suri. 23, college student, film major, communications minor. pansexual, open + active.

annika atwater, played by kathryn gallagher. 26-29, social media influencer, best friend of both beck and peach. pansexual, open + active.

hange zoe, animated. 29-31, commander of the 14th survey corps, titan extraordinaire. heterosexual, open + active.

#&*. pinned post.

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

"The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not being able to do something, and enter God’s realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His almighty power. Nothing is too small for His love." - Corrie Ten Boom

Visit the Corrie ten Boom Museum virtual tour: http://tenboom.com/en/ | Offered in 20 languages!

Helpful links:

Corrie ten Boom on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrie_ten_Boom

The Corrie ten Boom Museum on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Boom_Museum

The Hiding Place Movie http://billygraham.org

The Jerusalem Prayer Team www.jerusalemprayerteam.org

The Friends of Zion Heritage Center http://www.fozmuseum.com/

#Corrie Ten Boom #tenboom.com #Corrie Ten Boom Museum #The Hiding Place movie #The Jerusalem Prayer Team #The Friends of Zion Heritage Center #prayer #God's realm #everything is possible #Almighty power #hope #love

[hoshvilim]

The Friends of Zion Museum*

The Friends of Zion Museum*

The Friends of Zion Museum is a museum in the historic Nahalat Shiv’a neighborhood of downtown Jerusalem. The museum celebrates Christian Zionists and their contribution to Israel. Located in the heart of Jerusalem, the Friends of Zion Museum brings stories of love and heroism to the world. Magnificently told using ground-breaking technology found nowhere else in the nation, visitors experience…

View On WordPress

#The Friends of Zion Museum

[jewishmuseummd]

Happy #TravelTuesday from the JMM Collections!

Postcard from Emma and Hermann Struck, June 12th; picturing the ship ”Victoria Luise, Hamburg-Amerika Line” with a message in German on front; on the postcard's reverse, Emma shares an account of their passage ; postmarked June 14th in Plymouth, England and sent to Henrietta Szold in New York. JMM 1993.123.9.

Message reads:

“We have had a splendid passage and are sorry to see it soon ended. Have some new members for D.[aughters] of Zion. Love to you and your mother from the trio. Emma.”

#travel tuesday #postcards #messages #letters to friends #daughters of zion #henrietta szold #travel #museums on tumblr #archives #museum collections

[disconsciousness]

and now, the fucking saddest lyrics that i choose to make about wolfstar, here you go if you want the most soul crushing playlist ever: 

- “Me and the dog, we die together” - PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE - Lingua Ignota

- “[Instrumental] [Man crying] [Dog whining]” - For Wanda - Silver Mt Zion

- “Oh what a loss / My soft hands replaced by claws / You’ve turned me into a stray dog / From a mighty human man / Oh what a loss / Oh what a loss / I miss my closest friend” - Headless Horseman - The Microphones

- “He said: ‘it’s so much easier to believe in nothing; / It’s so easy to wait impatiently to die’ / He pulled his pants around his ankles / And showed me all the places he went purple / ‘Cause he held too hard to his own skin / ‘Cause no one else would touch him” - (s)mother - Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum

- “Because guilt is my boyfriend / And I’m very dearly wed / At wakes you don’t wake up / But stay asleep instead / I’m the dour in dowry / The bats in your belfry / And I am your boyfriend” - Guilt is My Boyfriend - Giles Corey

- “And if I don’t survive / I’ll still be by your side / Just clad in ghostly white / I’ll be your spectral bride” - Spectral Bride - Giles Corey

- “We’ve got five years, stuck on my eyes / Five years, my brain hurts a lot / Five years, that’s all we got” - Five Years - David Bowie 

- “They are mine, my only true friends / And I’ll keep them with me until the very end / I’d choose not to remember, but I miss your arrogance / And I need your intelligence, and your hate for authority / But now you’re gone, I read it today / They found you in Spain, face down in the street / With a bottle in your hand, and a wild smile on your face / And a knife in your back, you died in a foreign land” - God Damn the Sun - Swans

- “Up and died / You up and died on me / I can’t believe you actually died / I haven’t cried / It hasn’t rained on me / I can’t believe you actually died” - I Can’t Believe You Actually Died - The Microphones

#truly a sign of mental illness that i made these songs about two fictional dead gay wizards #i've moved on from i bet on losing dogs and tried to have some lesser known pulls but yeah i'm truly miserable now damn #wolfstar #marauders #marauders era #sirius black #remus lupin #james potter #remus x sirius #peter pettigrew