‘Just Chillin’ A little History...& More! Upbeat March 2017…Thoreau-ly Green!


by Ellie Schmidt ~ eschmidt@upbeattimes.com


Sonoma County, CA. ~ Everyone really wishes to be Irish on St. Pat- rick’s Day.


Perhaps


because the inevi- table signs of Spring dictates the notion that you can pin down a day in March and call it the First day of Spring!


--It is


still a puzzle to me that a March date is singled out for “Day- light Saving Time Be- gins!” I thought it was somehow connected to planting crops way back when. But then, as a practicing humanist, I’m sorry for all of those who fi nd it tough not to be quite awake any morning of the year. Since baseball season is synonymous with Spring, we should recall the incomparable Yogi Berra who declared: “It’s get- ting late earlier!” T e clever Irish have a saying:


“You know its summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer.” T e rain in Sonoma County this year was far from gentle. However, even in our soaked back and front yards, it is astonishing to me to witness the force of Mother Na- ture coaxing anything and every- thing that can be labeled green to emerge bravely and boldly. More surprising is the fact that the birds have a clock of their own. Even


tiny hummingbirds, small brown birds, fairly manic blue birds, and the beautiful doves have arrived and visit our messy, wet garden and drink from the overfl owing make-shiſt bird baths. –A lovely Upbeat sight. One can work up an


appetite with all the clean-up that needs to be done. And as a re- ward, think again along the delightful Irish


lines: “Only Irish coff ee provides all main essential food groups: alcohol, caff eine, sugar and fat!” --Or, the one I loved when as a child I was invited to dinner at a dear playmate’s home. T e kid was


a non-stop talker—oſt en


with his mouth full—which is a dangerous practice. His cheery, ample-bosomed mother would loom over his head holding a big wooden spoon and say, in her grand, melodious voice: “Shut your mouth and eat your dinner.” –What fun it was to be with them! T e Santa Rosa Rec and Parks re- minds one and all that on March 12th the 6th Annual St. Patrick’s Day 5K Race begins at 3pm in Fin- ley Park. It kicks off “Fix-a-Leak Week!” –just in case you didn’t know. It is always wise to prepare.


In


this instance, as they say in heated auction rooms: “Fair Warning” be- fore the auctioneer seals a bid: T e Bi-Centennial of T oreau’s birth will be on July 12, 1817. T e world is


such a diff er-


ent place, perhaps few will make a commotion about it. However, Hen- ry David T oreau happens to be one of the most im- portant people in American Histo- ry. Because I was a fairly obedient student, I did my homework and learned about T o- reau’s writings. Henry David T o- reau was a non-stop writer. A glib summary would be to say he was a “true Renaissance Man” since


anyone who leaves behind impres- sive, lasting contributions, in clear indisputably original writings that overfl ow twenty volumes might be. At fi rst, I was


particularly fond of T oreau’s “Walden.” Mainly because I felt such a great impact in my own life each year—liv- ing a NYC urban life from September to May—relishing being part of my parents’ inn nestled in deep woods in the gently rolling mountains in up-


state New York during the warm months. But it took a family trip to Concord, Mass decades ago to really feel the impact of T oreau’s


... continued on page 23


UPBEAT TIMES, INC. • March 2017 • 5 JOKES & Humor # 2


You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed. On your right side is a sharp drop off, and on your left side is an elephant traveling at the same speed as you. Directly in front of you is another galloping horse but your horse is unable to overtake it. Behind you is a lion run- ning at the same speed as you and the horse in front of you. What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation? Wait till the merry-go-round stops, and disembark!


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UPBEAT TIMES, INC. • March 2017 • 5


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