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mermaidcamp

Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water

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Smiling Indians by Ryan Redcorn

March 30, 2014 — 1 Comment

Ryan Redcorn, an Osage entrepreneur, has produced this video of smiling Indians.  It is dedicated to Edward Curtis whose Native American images dominate the web and the memory.  Just yesterday I was at the Arizona State Museum viewing some Curtis photos shot in Arizona, and all were new to me.  His seemingly endless portfolio was shot in the first decades of the 20th century.   The work has become controversial.  Mr. Redcorn believes in producing yourself, which inspired him to create this video as a counterpoint to Curtis.

I was in Pawhuska, Oklahoma a few years ago on an ancestry hunt.  My cousin and I were trying to sort out a story that our great-grandmother as Cherokee.  We never found any evidence pro or con, but we went to the tribal headquarters of both the Osage and Cherokee tribes to seek answers.  My cousin (like many Americans) was stuck on the romantic notion that we are Cherokee.  When I saw the tiny museum in Pawhuska and talked to the curators I wanted to be Osage.  They were always distinct among the 5 civilized tribes.  They got rich from oil and spent much of their wealth buying products from France, especially elaborate fashion items.   My father told me when he was a kid the Osage used to drive around in Cadillacs with goats in the back seat.  I am probably not descended from the Osage tribe, but I do really admire the way they are.  I loved the art, the history, and their sense of humor on my visit with them.  Now I also love Ryan Redcorn who has a sense of humor and a bigger sense of justice.

Poetry at the Gardens

March 29, 2014 — 1 Comment

Today at the Tucson Botanical Gardens docents from the U of A Poetry Center offered a reading and workshop in Ekphrastic Poetry. This style of poem is a response to a piece of art, the Ek being from Greek and referring to echo. The group attending was a mixture of students, visual artists, and poets.  By far the most emotional poem of the day was read by a Nam Vet who sat behind me. He chose to read War Photograph by Kate Daniels.  His choked up emotions brought tears to his eyes which brought tears to the eyes of the audience.  The other poems were discussed and analyzed but we were all very touched and had nothing more to say after he read.  At the end of the session participants wrote poems about the photos in the gallery.  All were striking.  I apologize, gentle reader, for cutting off the very beginning of some of these gentle readings.  It was a well produced and very well appreciated poetry experience, and we all have beautiful handouts to finish at home.  There is one more session this spring of Poetry in the Gardens, Native poetry on April 26, 2014.  These programs are included with garden admission.  It is SUCH A DEAL!!

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Philip Sherman

March 27, 2014 — 2 Comments

Philip Sherman's house

Philip Sherman’s house

My 8th great grandfather moved to Rhode Island as many of my ancestors did.  He became a Quaker and the first secretary of Rhode Island Colony.

Philip Sherman (1610 – 1687)
is my 8th great grandfather
Eber Sherman (1634 – 1706)
son of Philip Sherman
Mary Sherman (1688 – 1751)
daughter of Eber Sherman
Thomas Sweet (1732 – 1813)
son of Mary Sherman
Thomas Sweet (1759 – 1844)
son of Thomas Sweet
Valentine Sweet (1791 – 1858)
son of Thomas Sweet
Sarah LaVina Sweet (1840 – 1923)
daughter of Valentine Sweet
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Sarah LaVina Sweet
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

THE HON. PHILIP SHERMAN, WAS THE SON OF SAMUEL SHERMAN AND PHILIPPA WARD. HE MARRIED SARAH ODDING; THE DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM GEORGE ODDING AND MARGARET POTTER OF BRAINTREE, ESSEX CT, ENGLAND IN (1633/XX/XX),HE WAS A MAN OF MELANCOLY TEMPER WHO CAME TO BOSTON IN (1633/XX/XX) AND UPON A JUST CALLING HE WENT BACK TO ENGLAND AND RETURNED BETWEEN (1636-1637) WITH A BLESSING, IN (1637) BECAUSE OF HIS RELIGIOUS FEELINGS HE WAS BANISHED ALONG WITH JOHN COGGESHALL AND HENRY BULL FROM THE ROXBURY BAY COLONY, BOSTON, MASS, USA. LEAVING FOR RHODES ISLANDS WERE ALL BECAME RULING OFFICIALS CHOSEN TWONE CLERKE (JUNE 1649-1656), TOWNE MAGISTRATE (1656-1679), LAYER OUT OF HIGHWAYS (1683), MEMBER OF COMM. ADJUICATION (1684-1687), AND WAS THE FIRST SECRETARY AND RECORDER OF THE COLONY OF RHODES ISLANDS.

In Bertha L. Stratton’s book, “Sherman and Other Families,” she made the statement that Philip Sherman intended to settle in New Hampshre, but the climate proved too severe and so the lands there were abandoned. Upon discussion with Roger Williams at Providence, Rhode Island, the other people from Massachusetts bought Aquidneck Island in Narraganset Bay. Nineteen men signed the compact for the town in 1638. Upon leaving the church in Roxbury, Philip joined with the Friends. The Massachusetts Court ordered Philip to appear before them on 12 Mar 1638, he did not go. But he continued as a prominent figure in Rhode Island; he was the General Recorder in 1648-1652 & the Deputy to the Assembly in 1665-1667. Tradition says he was a “devout and determined man, and he was also a “neat and expert penman & an educated man,” and his Last Will & Testament “shows that he was wealthy for those times.”

Philip Sherman immigrated to Roxbury, MA and married Sarah Odding shortly after his arrival. He might have felt pressured to marry quickly, because bachelors especially of such an advanced age as 23 were looked upon with suspicion, and their single state could even effect business opportunities and social acceptance.

According to Representative Men of Old Families of Southeastern Massachussets, by J. H. Beers & Company, in a biographical entry of one of Philip’s descendants, Philip Sherman “took the side of Anne Hutchinson,” a brave woman in Salem, MA who maintained that women should be allowed to hold prayer meetings as well as men, and proceeded to hold such meetings in her home in defiance of the rules of the time and demands that she quit. She, with some members of her family including young grandchildren, were driven out of Salem into the wilderness of Rhode Island. Families in sympathy for her or in fear of retaliation for their past support and/or defense of her beliefs soon followed to Rhode Island, and Philip Sherman and his family were among the group that left Salem following her ouster.

In Providence, Philip met Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island promising religious freedom to it’s citizens. Williams advised Philip andthe members of his party to purchase Aquidneck from the Indians, which they did on 1 Jul 1639. They created their own government with Coddington chosen to be the first governor of Rhode Island, and Philip chosen to be secretary.

Some historians believe that the death of Anne Hutchinson with most of her family during an attack of native Americans was the first act in several that led to the end of the Puritan Church. Members of the communities in all the colonies were horrified that she was banished for her beliefs and suffered so. Many felt banished themselves from England when their Puritan faith had been banned, and her treatment forced them to recognize their own harshness.

 

Philip left what is now called “the Congressional Church” and joined the Society of Friends, or Quakers.

He was the father of 13 children, and many of his descendants served America as congressmen and soldiers.

Pandora and Eve, First Ladies of Earth

March 27, 2014 — 3 Comments

Pandora was created as a trophy bride for Prometheus’ younger brother, Epimetheus.  She was intentionally created of earth and water to play havoc with humans. The gods endowed her with super powers, thus worthy of her name which means all-gifted.  After her arrival at her husband’s house she opened her famous box (or jar) which was full of evil spirits.  Like Eve, she had orders to keep the box closed but her curiosity was too strong.  Unlike Eve, at the bottom of Pandora’s box one spirit remained, Elpis, the spirit or diamon of hope.  While the evil spirits escaped and forced man to do hard labor, just like the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, hope remained in Pandora’s box.  Her daughter, Pyrrha was the first mortal child born on earth.  Pyrrha and her husband survived the Great Deluge to repopulate the earth, not unlike Noah and his family.

Can you think of events in your life or in history that remind you of Pandora’s box?

 

iPhone and I, Who’s Smarter?

March 26, 2014 — 5 Comments

We are not compatible. I am SO not adjusting to my iPhone and what it has to offer. I have now owned my smarty pants phone for 3 months, and have used it for a total of about 15 minutes. This is not a productive relationship, and the issues are all mine. The phone is and was neutral, but my use (or non-use) of it are a hold over from the past that makes no sense.  I do not use my cell phone now although I was a very early adaptor of the technology.  There is something I really do not like about the attachment to the phone I observe all around me.  This is the turn off for me.   I am amazed at the places I see smart phone addiction. The weight room is now a place where interval means lift some heavy stuff and then text for a few minutes.  Needing to see the phone next to them on the floor next to the bench makes these big, strong, bovine guys look pretty wimpy.

I am not in danger of needing to be with my phone each moment, so I am not sure why I never even turn it on.  I need to deal with my problems getting into this phone or stop paying $30 a month to have it hooked up all the time.   My problem is not Apple operating systems.  I just see the phone as a creepy distraction for so many that I have purposely bought and used all other iDevises.  I use  iPads, iPod touch 5, a couple of laptops and my original iPod full of tunes.  I own stock in Apple.  What is my resistance to this  iThing?

  • It is tiny
  • It is slow
  • It makes me look normal
  • I can no longer roll over my minutes each month so it is costly
  • I don’t want to be interrupted

The interruption factor I see in others appalls me so I am committed to avoiding it.  People suffer from FOMO while they miss out on the world around them.  I don’t really think that if I carry my phone and use it that I will be overwhelmed with bothersome unwanted news.  I am only viewing the dark side of smart phones and therefore getting no benefit from the truly amazing technology.  Either the thrifty part of me will start to use it to get my money’s worth or this silly aversion will continue.  Don’t expect to see any real-time selfies any time soon.  I have the opposite of FOMO…..FOBI….Fear of Being Inerrupted.  I can’t be the only one.  How about you, Gentle Readers?  How is your relationship with your phone?  I hope yours is less codependent than mine.

Inspired by a 21-Day Gratitude Challenge, they set out to write a worthy song. I’m thinking they nailed it.

March 25, 2014 — 3 Comments

Gratitude is the practice. Liberation is the result.

Spiritbath's avatarSpiritbath

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Grow Down at Tucson Botanical Gardens

March 25, 2014 — 1 Comment

The second annual Grow Down competition was held over the weekend.  Three designers had three days to complete an example of landscape design for our climate and region. Metal was the trending darling material, and chickens won the prize.  I liked all of them very much, but the winner featured shade for the chickens in the coop, but none for the people.  This year they added a feature I think is important to the viewing audience.  Competitors are allowed to ask for donations from suppliers.  The one who hustles up the most donations naturally wins.  This happened last year as well.  Now they make a note of the cost of materials only.  The winner had a materials budget about 30% higher than the other two competitors.  They all showed ingenuity and style.  It is a wonderful way to check out new ideas to incorporate into our own gardens.

Cymburgis Masovia, 16th Great Grandmother

March 24, 2014 — 5 Comments

Cymburgis Masovia

Cymburgis Masovia

My 16th great grandmother was Polish, and was the mother of  a Holy Roman Emperor.  My ancestor, her daughter, Katharina, was Archduchess of Austria:

Cymburgis Masovia (1391 – 1429)
is my 16th great grandmother
Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg (1420 – 1493)
daughter of Cymburgis Masovia
Christof I VanBaden (1453 – 1527)
son of Katharina Archduchess Austria Von Habsburg
Beatrix Zahringen (1492 – 1535)
daughter of Christof I VanBaden
Sabine Grafin VonSimmern (1528 – 1578)
daughter of Beatrix Zahringen
Marie L Egmond (1564 – 1584)
daughter of Sabine Grafin VonSimmern
Richard Sears (1590 – 1676)
son of Marie L Egmond
Silas Sears (1638 – 1697)
son of Richard Sears
Silas Sears (1661 – 1732)
son of Silas Sears
Sarah Sears (1697 – 1785)
daughter of Silas Sears
Sarah Hamblin (1721 – 1814)
daughter of Sarah Sears
Mercy Hazen (1747 – 1819)
daughter of Sarah Hamblin
Martha Mead (1784 – 1860)
daughter of Mercy Hazen
Abner Morse (1808 – 1838)
son of Martha Mead
Daniel Rowland Morse (1838 – 1910)
son of Abner Morse
Jason A Morse (1862 – 1932)
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
Ernest Abner Morse (1890 – 1965)
son of Jason A Morse
Richard Arden Morse (1920 – 2004)
son of Ernest Abner Morse
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse

Cymburgis Masovia

Cymburgis Masovia

 

She was born in Warsaw and died in Lower Austria at an Abbey.  It is said she contributed the protruding lower lip of the Habsburgs.

Cymburgis (also Cimburgis, Zimburgis or Cimburga) of Masovia (Polish: Cymbarka mazowiecka) (1394 or 1397 – September 28, 1429) in January 1412 became the second wife of the Habsburg Duke Ernest the Iron of Austria (since 1414 Archduke) and thus a Duchess/Archduchess of the Inner Austrian line in Styria, Carinthia and Carniola.

Cimburgis was born at Warsaw in the Duchy of Masovia to Duke Siemovit IV of the Masovian Piast dynasty and his wife Alexandra of Lithuania, daughter of Grand Duke Algirdas, a scion of the Gediminid dynasty, and sister of Władysław II Jagiełło, King of Poland.

Though his elder brother William’s engagement with the Polish princess Jadwiga had mortifyingly failed, Ernest after the death of his first wife Margaret of Pomerania proceeded to Kraków to court Cymburgis. Though not approved by the Habsburg family, the marriage turned out to be a happy one. As the mother of the later Emperor Frederick III, Cymburgis, after Gertrude of Hohenburg, became the second female ancestor of all later Habsburgs, as only his branch of the family survived in the male line. Although controversial, it has been claimed (since at least by Robert Burton in 1621) that she brought the distinctive protruding lower lip (progenism) into the family, a particular physical characteristic of most members of the family for many generations until the 18th century.[2] It can even be recognized in some of her distant descendants today (though not as markedly). Cymburgis’ statue in the Innsbruck Hofkirche church however does not show this feature.

Tradition has it that she was also known for her exceptional strength, which, for example, she showed by driving nails into the wall with her bare hands and cracking nuts between her fingers. Strength also distinguished one of her descendants, Augustus II the Strong, who allegedly broke a horseshoe bare fisted. Cymburgis outlived her husband and died at Türnitz in present-day Lower Austria. She is buried at Lilienfeld Abbey.

Descendants
5 children died at young age
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor (1415–1493)
Margaret, wife of Frederick II, Elector of Saxony
Albert VI, Archduke of Austria (1418–1463)
Catherine (1420–1493), wife of Charles I, Margrave of Baden-Baden

Cymburgis Masovia

Cymburgis Masovia

Flashback in the USSR

March 23, 2014 — 5 Comments

How prescient was Sir Paul when he said of course it’s going to go well here when we talk about the Ukraine girls?  This song was sarcastic when it was written, and is more ironic now than ever.  We are back in a state very similar to the Cold War, and the joke is heavy.  Was there ever true communism??? I say no, just state capitalism, which is a sorry substitute.  Today we know that putting our heads down in the hall of the school will not protect us from a full blown nuke attack.  Do you see a good way to end the Russian stand-off, gentle readers?

Pastiche Food and Drink in Tucson

March 23, 2014 — 4 Comments

Pastiche opened in the neighborhood 16 years ago as a “modern eaterty”.  This year it was closed for a couple of weeks in January to update and remodel the space. The bar was made larger, walls changed and removed for a new look. The colors are beautiful and the new bar very classy.  We went for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the new look and the old menu.  Bob had a sirloin steak and I had a grilled Portobello with asparagus.  I chose French fries as a first course, while Bob enjoyed a cup of the delicious shiitake mushroom soup.  Service was impeccable, which we have come to expect from Pastiche.  One addition they have made is to feature a very extensive list of whiskies by the glass.  I tried the Hochstadter’s Rock and Rye with my mushroom dish and thought it was a perfect match for the flavors in my entrée.  I like the fun of tasting  the different kinds of whiskey without investing in a bottle.  We left with some Irish whiskey pie to eat later at home. For me this restaurant rates  an A plus in all categories.  The menu is just the right size, and everything is always prepared perfectly.  Service is friendly and seamless.  The wine list and beers on tap make the patron choose from a very extensive selection, a pleasant problem the wait staff can help you solve.  We are happy this is just a hop, skip and a jump from home.  It has always been well run, and now is once more very modern.