The Northern Lights

~ MaryG ~ 36 Comments

I think a lot of people in the Northeast (including me!) checked off “See the Northern Lights” from their buckets lists last night. This was especially rewarding for those of us who missed seeing them in May. Who knew our once-in-a-lifetime chance would come twice in one year?

The Northern Lights from my very own neighborhood last night around 7:15pm. I was on my way to choir practice and happened to look up.

This feels like a lot of things.

Remembrance

The lights and colors in the sky last night reminded me of my close friend from college, Carla, who died in 2022. She had brain cancer. She really wanted to see the Northern Lights before she died, but was too sick to travel, so her friends and family found a way to project them onto the ceiling in her bedroom in Santa Fe. It was beautiful.

A Sign

I know I’m not alone in feeling a lot of anxiety about the state of the country and the way it feels like we’re never going to go back to “normal” — no matter who wins the election. I’ve never in my life been afraid of a US election, but I’m afraid of this one.

Similarly, I never once saw the Northern Lights as a kid growing up in Massachusetts, but this year, many New Englanders saw them twice! A little girl standing near me last night said, “this is God.” Maybe so. Or maybe it’s a sign of transition to a new era—an era where completely new things happen.

Unknown new things are scary and I have a strong urge to “circle the wagons” and try to protect the ones I love. (I think to myself, “please stay in Massachusetts where you’ll maybe be a bit safer from gun violence, flooding, dangerous reproductive care, crappy public schools, etc.)

But I know that’s not really possible.

My new granddaughter will hopefully live into the next century. She will live out most of her life in this new era, whatever it may be. I want her to feel free, adventurous, and safe to explore the world beyond her home state.

Living in the transitional time

An activist friend of mine left for New Zealand yesterday. She’s staying until the end of the month. She said she just needed to get out of the country for these last few weeks before the election. I can relate. In some ways, it’s all just too much.

Maybe seeing the aurora borealis is the reminder some of us needed to center ourselves and live in the moment. Humans have been around a long time and have accomplished many great things and many terrible things. Even though it sometimes feels like end times are upon us, there’s a decent chance that something great is just around the corner too.

Final thought: just breathe

Related post:

Northern Lights II

Love Story

~ MaryG ~ 12 Comments

I attended the local NoKings3 protest yesterday and it was very cold. I helped lead the singing, but took no photos. I feel like there were not as many people as there were at NoKings2 in October and the energy was not as good. There were very few young people. Honestly, I’m feeling like it’s a very dark time for the country (and by extension, the world), even though my family and I are in no physical danger. I hope that others found yesterday energizing. From the innocent children currently being held in ICE detention centers, to the working people who can’t afford healthcare AND food, to the families of the marines currently being sent to the Middle East, there is so much anxiety, suffering, and uncertainty right now.

In other news…(lame transition!)

I feel like I would be a remiss GenXer, if I did not comment on a certain TV show that demanded watching.

Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, created by Ryan Murphy, premiered in February on FX and Hulu became a streaming hit immediately. The nine-episode series stars two unknowns (Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly) as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and JFK, Jr.

If she was alive today, Carolyn would be my age exactly: 60.

I’m not going to re-tell the whole story, but I’ll just say that Ryan Murphy had to make up a LOT of stuff to create this series. All of the private moments and conversations depicted in the series are obviously unknown. But he linked in enough of the public moments and iconic photos I remember that it all seemed rather believable to me.

In my twenties, nobody was more “hunkified” by People and other magazines than JFK, Jr. And living in Massachusetts (Kennedy country), we’d have the occasional sighting or close encounter. My father (a pilot) once saw him come into the hangar after landing his plane at a small airport. My friend Katherine was at a wedding with him once. (Her sister-in-law was a classmate of his at Brown.)

So naturally, the woman he chose to marry at long last was of tremendous interest! And she was soooo cool and pretty—NYC hipness just emanated from her. Her sleek, shift wedding dress was so iconic that it’s still influencing bridal fashions to this day.

THE iconic wedding photo that all of us GenX women studied with great interest.
My nephew and his bride in 2022. She said Carolyn Bessette’s wedding look was her inspiration.

With Love Story, I came to understand the horribly sad side of her loss of anonymity. She was too famous to do literally anything. One scene I found very moving is when Carolyn learns that Princess Diana has died following a high speed car crash caused by paparazzi. The parallels to her own life were obvious and she goes into a deep depression. JFK, Jr had been living under a microscope his whole life, so he remains relatively unaffected, making Carolyn feel even more alone.

Now, who knows if that actually happened or not, but if I was upset for days about Princess Diana, it seems very likely that Carolyn would have been too.

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg (President Kennedy’s only other child) who tragically just lost her own adult daughter to cancer, is capably played by Grace Gummer. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the actress looked enough like Caroline. (Grace Gummer is the daughter of Meryl Streep, so I kept thinking about how much she looks like her mother and didn’t totally buy her as Caroline.)

Being from Massachusetts, I know a lot about the Kennedy clan and all their many tragedies. I even read the memoir “What Remains” by Carole Radziwill—the widow of JFK Jr’s best friend and cousin Anthony Radziwill. My husband, on the other hand, can’t keep all the Carols straight and doesn’t really care about the Kennedys.

So there you have it. I think Love Story is more of a woman thing. The mysterious, chic, tragic Carolyn Bessette made real, human.

Do I feel guilty about all the living people who are portrayed without their permission? A little. The actress Daryl Hannah (JFK Jr’s last girlfriend before Carolyn) is pissed over her rather unflattering portrayal in the series. And of course, I wonder how Caroline feels about the portrayal. Did she even watch it? We will probably never know because Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg is a private, stoic, non-whiny person. A class act. The best kind of Kennedy.

Fortunately, Carolyn Bessette’s mother (who lost not one but TWO daughters in the tragic plane crash) is already dead, so this portrayal can’t hurt her further. But still, there’s one living Bessette sister still out there somewhere. You wonder how she feels.

Sadly, Carolyn Bessette gave herself over to the public domain the minute she married the American Prince, much like Princess Diana. Maybe our GenX “Princess Bride” fantasy should finally just be put to rest.

Watercolors—baby farm animal #5

~ MaryG ~ 10 Comments

OK, last farm animal from my 5-week paint-along class and it’s not a baby! It’s a full-grown cock 😜

The teacher asked me point blank if I plan to return for the next session, which was awkward. I mean…I had some fun and learned a few things, but this paint-along-with-the-teacher style class is not really for me. I asked her to “please keep me on the mailing list.” Maybe I’ll return if she chooses a subject I really want help with, like sunsets.

Thank you to my very awesome WordPress blog friends who have patiently looked at all of my BFAs.

🙏🏼

By the way, “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is one of my granddaughter’s favorite songs and I absolutely love singing it with her. It’s fun to take a long pause before you sing the next animal’s name. It adds drama and excitement!

NO KINGS 3, this Saturday

~ MaryG ~ 15 Comments

My husband has had a bit of a setback with his recovery, but I’m still planning to get out there to protest Trump on Saturday.

The second round of “No Kings” protests (“No Kings 2”) in October 2025 drew roughly 5–7 million Americans nationwide, making it one of the largest single-day demonstrations in U.S. history at about 2% of the population.  Social scientists and historians often point to the so-called “3.5% rule,” which finds that sustained, nonviolent movements become very hard for governments to ignore when about 3.5% of the population participates—in the U.S., that’s roughly 11–12 million people. 

So, all hands on deck! No Kings 2 was actually a lot of fun. You don’t want to sit on the sidelines for this nationwide protest. Even if you don’t have time to make a sign, getting your body out there makes a difference.

I’m planning to lead singing with a small group from a bandstand as I have done in the past. I can sing loudly and clearly into a microphone, which is the main qualification for this role. I’m not out there protesting on overpasses or at ICE facilities, but I try to contribute my singing voice, when asked. We all need to try to do something to save the Republic. 🇺🇸

Not sure I’ll have time to make a sign, but if I do, I think it’s going to say:

NO MAD KINGS

We The People…don’t want any of this: 

*Abortion bans

*War

*Immigrant hate 

*Measles outbreaks, FFS!

Find a protest near you.

Anandamayi

~ MaryG ~ 11 Comments

Yesterday at Sacred Circle Dance, a newcomer named Ananda joined us. She’s a lovely woman, about my age, who is mostly deaf but communicates well. We learned that she was named after Anandamayi Ma—the revered Indian spiritual teacher. Ananda told us that she had traveled to India as a young woman in search of Anandamayi and saw her in person after a long journey across the country.

Ananda’s main memory was of seeing Anandamayi at the end of a long hallway—a very old woman with a wrinkled face. Yet, Ananda experienced her as “the most beautiful woman” she had ever seen.

To be honest, I had never heard of Anandamayi Ma before, but others in the Circle had. In fact, Ron (the leader of the Circle) knew a dance inspired by her and named after her, which he taught to us.

My experience of the dance was very positive. I felt a real sense of peace and connection with the other dancers—and by extension, other humans.

Ananda told us that her name means Joy or Bliss. I feel like this long-deceased woman from the other side of the world brought a sense of that to our Circle yesterday.

Short bio written by ChatGPT:

Anandamayi Ma (1896–1982) was a revered Indian spiritual teacher known for her profound sense of divine joy and inner realization. Born as Nirmala Sundari in present-day Bangladesh, she displayed spiritual awareness from a young age, often entering deep states of meditation without formal training. Her followers believed that her wisdom was innate rather than learned, and she rarely identified with any particular religious doctrine, instead emphasizing direct experience of the divine.

Throughout her life, Anandamayi Ma traveled across India, attracting devotees from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, politicians, and ordinary seekers. She spoke of the importance of self-realization, devotion, and surrender to God, encouraging individuals to follow their own spiritual paths sincerely. Despite her growing fame, she maintained a simple lifestyle and often referred to herself as a child of the Divine.

Her presence was described as deeply peaceful and transformative, with many reporting a sense of peace and clarity in her company. Even today, her teachings continue to inspire spiritual seekers worldwide, emphasizing unity, love, and the eternal nature of the soul beyond worldly identities.

Year of the Knee – update

~ MaryG ~ 18 Comments

End of Week One of knee replacement #2 (my husband’s not mine) and I’m pleased to report I have achieved “angel of mercy” status. Oh the power of being in charge of the pain meds!

I did slip into “Annie Wilkes mode” once, when I told my husband I had unexpectedly closed the Activity Ring on my AppleWatch “waiting on his ass.” That was mean, admittedly, but at least I was putting my service in a positive light. Turns out that running up and down the stairs to get things, lugging bags of ice, filling and lugging the “polar cube,” and doing all the daily chores myself (loading/unloading dishwasher, cooking, trash and recycling, etc) burns up a decent amount of calories. I can’t be sedentary for too long.

He’s been trying his best to be a good patient, which I appreciate, but knee replacement is really pretty gruesome. The extreme pain, the swelling, the bruising, the leg full of staples…fortunately not too much bleeding from the incision (and the in-home physical therapist deals with bandage changes—phew)

I think things will start feeling better when the staples come out next week.

In the meantime, we are bingeing The Traitors with Alan Cumming on Peacock, which our daughter got us into. It’s pretty entertaining, for a reality competition show. Who doesn’t love a Scottish castle? And Alan’s outfits are over-the-top in the best way.

A lovely bouquet from our very thoughtful daughter and her husband
It’s lasted all week—and now the tulips are opening.
I might try to paint this one very beautiful rose.

Oh and with this knee, we’ve added cannabis to the pain regime. He’s finding that a strategically timed gummy can enhance and lengthen the effect of the prescribed pharmaceuticals.

Aaah, I finally turned my husband into a stoner like me. It only took 33 years.

Surgical Suites

~ MaryG ~ 17 Comments

My husband had his second total knee replacement this morning at 7am and we are back home sitting on our sofas by 12:30pm—the same day.

If you have the option to get your next surgery as an outpatient at a “surgical suite” vs overnight in a hospital, go surgical suite. I wouldn’t have said that a year ago, but now I see how efficient they are. I’ve heard that the post-op infection rates are lower as well.

Actually, who am I kidding? Nobody has options in healthcare anymore. It’s all about what your insurance dictates and insurance prefers surgical suites because they’re cheaper than hospitals. But you don’t need to be upset if they tell you can’t have your surgery in a hospital. Surgical suites are the better option, in my opinion. Same doctors, but fewer sick people. Nobody is coughing or sneezing. Everyone in the surgical suites is getting something fixed or replaced. And if you’ve ever spent even one night in a hospital, you know being at home is preferable.

Also, they’re sparkling clean. Maybe that’s because everyone leaves by 6pm and the cleaning people can do their work unencumbered.

There – I’ve said something nice about healthcare in America.

Related post:

Arthroplasty

Artistic Dilemma

~ MaryG ~ 24 Comments

I decided to try painting something to submit to an “Art for Democracy” contest being run by my church. It’s open to professional artists throughout New England and there are cash prizes, so I’m not getting my hopes up. I’m thinking of it as an “artistic prompt” (like the daily writing prompt here on WordPress).

Here’s the actual prompt:

Art is a powerful tool for social change. Unbound by age, culture or social location, it sparks the imagination and promotes meaningful dialogue. With the goal of encouraging civic engagement, artists across New England are invited to submit works on the theme of protecting and strengthening American democracy. Artworks should express the goals of promoting unity and the common good, which underscores the American ideals that all voices are important and that our strength lies in welcoming diverse perspectives. Our goal is to spur productive dialogue; showcase the work of New England artists; and celebrate democracy.

Like many people, I was inspired by the people of Minneapolis who bravely stood up to ICE in the frigid cold to try to protect their community, even after Nicole Good and Alex Pretti were assassinated. There was one viral photo by an unidentified photographer that really struck me. A woman went outside in her bathrobe and slippers to join a crowd of others documenting ICE actions in their neighborhood:

So I decided to paint that.

Here’s where I’m at with the painting now. I still need to paint the faces, pants, shoes, phones, etc. in the crowd.

So here’s the dilemma: Should I perhaps leave the two Police/ICE agents as unpainted line drawings? Do you think it might be effective like that? From my perspective, they are unwanted invaders in this community. Maybe the contrast with the good people of Minneapolis would be greater if I leave them unpainted. Ghosts in the Machine, so to speak. OR should I paint them monochromatic in shades of grey? What do you think? Which would make a better painting?