Friday, July 31, 2009

Make your plans now. How will you recognize Women's Suffrage Day on August 26? That is the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Our foremothers worked so hard to secure our right to vote. Then endured ridicule, imprisonment, even force-feeding.

Susan B. Anthony once was arrested for the "crime" of voting. As women were not allowed to vote, her attempt to do so was "criminal."

In many other countries voting is universal and compulsory. We don't have to vote. But we have that right. People have suffered and even died to secure and protect that right. I think that to NOT vote is an affront to those people.

I don't know how I will celebrate August 26 but I have started to think about it. My local League of Women Voters will have a party in the park--that's a start. Maybe I'll wear white, as did the suffragists.

Peace, y'all

Molly

Thursday, July 30, 2009


Violet-eared Emerald - awesome, huh? This picture was taken by Greg Prelich, a very good photographer and decent guy on our Costa Rica trip in the Spring.
I like the Quaker connection to Costa Rica. The Q's from Fairhope, Alabama moved to Costa Rica in the 1940s or 1950's. They were delighted to move to a country that had no military. Their trip was arduous. They bought some land they named Green Mountain, or Monteverde, as it is known today. They also bought a large chunk of land and made it a preserve. And, they introduced cheese making to the area. The dairy and cheesemaking continue to this day, as does the Meeting. The area still has a number of Quakers. And today Costa Rica has a huge number of preserves and national parks. I don't know if Monteverde's was the first but it was certainly among the first. And now the people in Monteverde and nearby Santa Elena have opposed the paving of the road up to their lands, because there are too many traffic problems there already!
Peace, y'all
Molly