Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 9

I am going to write a book about cooking for ducks. Well, it's not really cooking, but it is work. These six girls love their greens. Sometimes they squeak incessantly until I bring some chopped up greens. I have gone out in to the yard to pick the dandelion leaves. (I suppose it's a good thing there are dandelions in our lawn.) Other times I chop lettuce from the fridge. It is almost midnight, a few minutes ago one of the noisiest girls was squeaking away, and now they are quiet. I chopped a big Romaine leaf up finely, and fed it to them. You should see how happy they get! I think they ate 6 large romaine leaves today. They'll be working on a whole head of lettuce in a week or so.

Since the new brooder design we have to pick the girls up and put them in the original small galvanized steel washbasin (with a towel on the bottom to protect their young duckie feet, because this is the time they can injure their little feet.) Then we remove the poopy wet towels, and clean out the double-decker kiddie pool brooder. Then we transfer them back with fresh water and food. The ducks poop so much, and get things so wet, that this has to happen at least three times a day.

Yesterday, Bev called the doctor, because her eye was itchy and red. She thought that maybe she got duck poop in her eye, and that she had some disease as a result of that. The doctor gave her something for it. She feels better now. I guess she had duckpoopeyetis. ta-dum.

Well, that's all for now. The ducks are quiet again, and it's late. Here is one more photo. They are so cute, and I am sure they know it. Bev's co-workers at BU Dental School wanted to see photos of the ducks. Here she is taking some photos with her cell phone. Check out these little posers!

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 8

Day 8 was another day of quacking crazy girls wanting Duck Daddy's attention. The one change was that I had to figure out how to make their brooder something they could not jump out of without putting a net over the top. They were simply getting too tall for the netting.

Indian Runners stand tall when excited, and need headroom. I have read that they will have a crooked neck look if they are penned in places too short. So here was the solution as suggested by Jeff Menasco when he came to see the girls yesterday.
I had a second plastic kiddie pool. I cut the bottom out of it leaving just the sides, and clamped that upside down on the top of the first kiddie pool brooder. Now the sides are twice as high, and the girls don't even think about trying to get out now.

No Video yet of the ducks. Look for that in the next two days.

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 7

Baby ducks grow amazingly fast. Their little heads are now beginning to stick out over the edge of our makeshift plastic kiddie pool brooder, and the net we put over the top of it is getting too close to their heads. Of course, they eat amazing amounts of food, and drink more water than we do.

In the last seven days, we have changed their brooder to a larger one, and changed their waterer to a gallon version from the quart version which we were refilling every couple hours. I guess today's change will be to adapt the brooder to their height. Not sure how I will do that yet.

The little girls are becoming more and more familiar with us, and squeak for my attention when I leave the room. Yesterday was day 7. It was also Memorial Day.

I had to pick up a second bag of mash (this is the duck food which has been ground into fine grit). It is necessary for them to eat it as mash until they are about a month old. Note: If you are going to get your own cute little Indian Runner ducks, because they are so cute in the pictures here don't give them chicken feed starter mash!

Chickens are prone to disease, and typically are fed medicated starter mash. Ducks are typically disease resistant, and the medicated starter mash given to chickens is not good for them. It will compromise their immune systems,and make them more susceptible to disease. Remember that when you decide whether you should get chickens - maybe you ought to think about ducks instead. :-) Besides look how cute they are!

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 6

Yesterday, Memorial Day, was day six with Duck Daddy and his six girls. The weather is typical New England spring weather. At one moment a bit chilly with the clouds passing, and the breeze blowing, and at another moment warm with the sun shining, and the wind still. We brought the girls outside on one of those warm moments, and they puttered about the lawn attacking dandelion heads, and chasing little gnats.

The weather has swung from the 90ºF days from a couple days ago to cold evenings. It is forecasted to be in the high 30s tonight. Even though we have the girls inside, we need to carefully monitor their kiddie pool brooder, and make sure that we keep the temperatures up around 90º. Last night the temperature dropped lower than it has been in weeks, and this morning at 5am I checked the brooder to see the little duckies all huddled together. The temperature was closer to 80º than 90º, and I had to adjust the heat lamp accordingly.

Yesterday, we spent a little more time allowing Holly the greyhound to spend time near the ducks. Of course it is always on a leash, and out of snapping distance. The ducks are not only cute, but the are crunchy too. Holly spent the first years of her life chasing small simulated crunchy things around the rail of a racetrack. She still gets excited about such things. Her favorite word is "squirrel."

We are beginning to see the personality of these little girls begin to emerge more and more from day to day. One girl tries to leap out of the brooder regularly. Another girl squeaks loudly for my attention when I am not in the room. One girl loves to sit in my cupped hands and nibble at my wedding ring. One girl loves to stand by my hands and nibble at the hair on my arm. Another is the first to go back to sleep after a feeding, and when she rests she sticks her legs behind her, and in the air a bit. One drinks by submerging her head completely, and she always looks like she is trying to get that BrylCream part your hair in the middle 50's hair do.

Okay. A few last photos for the day:

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 5

Yesterday, being Sunday was our 5th day with our six little Indian Runner girlie ducks. I went off to prepare for church services early in the morning, and Bev stayed behind to care for the girls, and then join me at the morning service later.

About 9:30am Bev called me.

"Do you have any ideas how make a wall around the tub for the ducks?"

"Why? Did one of them jump out?" I knew this was on the verge of occurring, because I saw one of the little girls leap high enough to almost clear the top of the plastic pool we are using as brooder #2.

"Yes! I was sitting right there in front of the ducks, and one of them jumped out in front of me." They do always appear to want to get as close to you as possible.

So Bev pulled out the netting we have to put over the duck pen when they finally make it outside, and stretched over the top, and clipped it with clothes pins.

Here the girls are trying to look over the edge of the plastic pool brooder. I suppose we ought to figure that ducks called "runners" might also turn out to be jumpers.

Bev's netting solution works fine, but these little girls always want attention, and so we have to sit down and unclip it to get our hands inside to hand-feed them or just hold them.

Holly our greyhound had her first encounter face to face with the ducks today, We put Holly on a leash. We let the ducks run around the lawn, and Holly looked on. We Holly gets excited about chasing squirrels her ears go straight up. When she first saw the ducks her ears went up. She exhibited the shaky jaw syndrome which also comes with chase nostalgia, bua few gentle reminders, and she calmed down. Here is Holly with the ducks back in the house with the brooder for the first time.

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 4

Today was colder than yesterday here in Salem, MA. Because the temps were in the 60's we did not have another outdoor excursion for the girls. Their new brooder - the plastic pool with the heat lamp hanging about 18" over it was larger than the previous wash basin so the girls started running around a bit more.

This evening they started doing a quick lap when they got excited. Okay, I think maybe I am getting the idea why they are called Indian Runner Ducks.


Two of the little girls started snuggling up in my hands when I kneel down and hold them cupped together. Here's one of them in this photo. She likes ot simply sit in my hand and nibble at my fingers lightly.

If they are awake, but not feeding one of the girls starts squeaking for attention, and then sometimes they all join in, and once one of us (especially me - the Duck Daddy) shows up, they all stand at attention excited, or maybe even run a lap for us.

Bev went to Agway, and bought a new waterer. This one is a gallon size, and we don't have to change it every hour on the hour anymore.

The girls met a few new friends today. Bev's dad come over in the morning. Now I know where Bev gets her farm girl ways. She grew up on a dairy farm. It is no longer a working farm, but her dad still lives there, and wishes it was a working farm. They don't have animals anymore, but at the end of breakfast her dad said, "I was thinkin'...maybe I should get some ducks and keep them in the barn." Bev's step-mom replied, "Oh no you don't!" He kind of had a slightly sad far away look in his eyes - poor dad.

Bev decided to read the Duck Daddy chronicles today, and she was laughing. Jeepers, she is living it and she's laughing.

Carlos came over to see the ducks while I went down to the church to prepare for tomorrow morning's service. Carlos is a sociologist. I guess that helps him understand ducks. Carlos started quacking like a duck, and they all stood perfectly still, and at attention - straight and tall as he quacked. I wish I was here to take a picture of that.

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 3.5

End of a long duck day. I have been able to work from home. Today was mostly prep for the new company I am starting with my buddy Gareth Jones. As you can see, I was a little more relaxed with the girls - sipping on my icy IBC Rootbeer on a 90º day.

Since my morning post, and that sick pic of the poopy brooder the girls have had a busy day. It was a day of firsts. Of course, when you are 4 days old most experiences are firsts.

They ate out of our hands for the first time.


They went outside for the first time, and meandered through the grass.
Now their grass excursion was fun. I let them out once during the afternoon for a few minutes, and they looked a little nervous, and had to warm up to the idea of walking through grass almost as tall as they are. The second time is pictured here, and they were quite comfortable, and started wandering around. The nibbled at grass they could not eat, they caught tiny flying bugs just above the grass line, and ate them. Unbelievable! Four days old and they are already catching tiny bugs.


They graduated to a larger brooder. The washbasin was having to be changed five times a day, and it was small for them now that they are running around. We bought a plastic kiddie pool, and this will become their pond in the duck pen once they go outside.

Well, that's day 3 with Duck Daddy and his Girls. Bev is quite happy with our new family members. Although she had a discussion with a co-worker about the ducks.

Bev: "We have six Indian Runner Ducks, and my dad is coming over tomorrow for breakfast."

Co-worker: "How are you going to cook them?"

Well, here they are at the end of day three.
Aren't they cute?

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 3

So, I thought I might share a few links to let you know why Bev and I decided to go about the ridiculous task of raising Indian Runner Ducks from day old babies.

Here's our story:

Bev was raised on a farm. Bev does not feel complete without animals around her. From time to time over the 26 years of marriage Bev would call me at work and say, "I have a surprise for you." By the tone of her voice I would realize that she would actually have a surprise for herself, and that it would be a living, breathing, eating, pooping kind of surprise.

"When are you getting off work"

"Soon. I should be home in about an hour."

"Well...I have a surprise for you when you get home."

(pause)

"You got a Greyhound, didn't you?"

(pause)

"No. What makes you think that I would do that?"

Well, guess what was at the front door when I got home. Yep, a greyhound - only a few weeks off the track.

So, Bev has been threatening (she does not see it that way) to get some kind of farm-like animal for awhile.

First she wanted chickens. I reminded her of the stinkiness, and the potential for disease, and since she has bird flu phobia, that idea was nixed easily.

Then it was a desire for a miniature horse. I suggested that with a mere quarter of an acre in urban Salem, MA, and city rules which would make a complaint by a neighbor force you to get rid of your horse that this might not be a good idea. Whew, dodged that one!

Next it was pygmy goats. Dang they are cute! as the below You Tube video link will attest, but I thought that 5 or 6 pygmy goats might be problematic for neighborliness as well. Besides Bev was thinking of something practical, like getting milk from goats. I began to make fun of the idea of milking pygmy goats. I mean, heck what are they gonna do? Stand over your coffee cup in the morning? Do you have milk them with tweezers? Pygmy Goats Stand on Big Dog

Then Bev came up with the idea of getting ducks. She looked at You Tube videos of ducks, read about ducks, and became obsessed with ducks. The prolific Indian Runner Ducks came to the top of her list.

Well, I had a roommate in college who had a couple ducks. The girlie duck laid eggs around the yard, and they were better eggs than one buys at the store. The ducks were easy care, disease resistant (compared to chickens), and not a bother to neighbors who loved them. So realizing that a surprise might eventually be in store, I agreed that ducks would be an acceptable offering for our little urban farm to be. Heck, Mark and Kelly across the street have bees, and they don't even have a quarter of the yard we do.

So, here is my morning offering of our six girls, now on their third day at home with us. I need to show you what their washbasin brooder looks like just before we change it. They play in their water as much as they drink it, and at this age they should not be getting too wet, but everything gets wet, and then they poop like crazy. In fact they will poop in the newly changed washbasin as soon as we put them in it. (We have two basins, and simply rotate them) So, here's the mess they make:

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 2.5

It's midnight, and I am up having just changed the towels in the washbasin brooder. I will check on them once again before I go to bed.

This is day two of the adventures of Duck Daddy, and oh boy were these six little girls busy today.

When it comes to drinking water these girls have put a full grown man to shame. Did you get your eight full glasses of water today? Well they did! and more! Now it may have taken all six girls to do it, but when you consider that together they might weigh two pounds - maybe, it is amazing that the quart water feeder had to be filled six times today.

We have been using towels on the bottom of our washbasin brooder, and today we must have changed it five times, and I had to do a load of wash to handle all the wet, dirty ones. It is important that these little girls don't get too wet in their first days, so we have to keep their area dry. Keeping ducks dry? and giving them lots of water? Okay someone tell me - what's wrong with this scenario? This sounds like a near impossible task.

Now Bev had the great idea of using Walgreen's super absorbant "Certainty™" underpads instead of the towels we have been using. Whoops bad idea. She cut them to fit the washbasin, and those little duckies started picking out all the stuffing they could pull on. Then the underpads seeped some kind of absorbency goo, and she was afraid the little ducks might eat that nasty, hyper-exotic, neo-chemical stuff. So much for "certainty."

The little ducks sleep. The little ducks rise. The little ducks get excited, and run around the brooder like crazy. The little ducks eat at a frenetic pace. The little ducks do their best to drink a million times their body weight in water.

When they eat they peck at the starter mash
in the little round trough, and then they shake their heads forward and back really fast as though they are trying to get the stuff down their throats. Then after a few seconds of wild head shaking they go to the water trough. Now if it wasn't for the narrow drinking space of the water trough, they would probably go submarine. You have never seen someone as excited about water as these little girls! Sometimes all six of them are crowded around the water trough at the same time pushing and diving in for water. A bite of mash - heads shake - a drink of water - repeat - repeat again - repeat again....

Then they all fade about the same time and huddle up in a little pile together.

Well, I decided to check on them since they last huddled up together for the evening. That was half an hour ago now.Yikes! Don't they ever settle down for more than a few minutes?

Well, our retired racing greyhound, Holly, doesn't really know they exist yet. The girls are in a back room, and Holly doesn't go there. She must hear them squeaking, but we have finches too, so Holly probably thinks the finches are just being noisy the last two days. Here's Holly with a yogurt cup stuck on her snout. Maybe we need to permanently attach it before she meets the ducks.

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls - Day 2

The brooder galvanized washbasin has been kept at 90ºF to keep these little girls warm. Last night while we slept the temperature dropped to about 85º, and they were all huddled together in the morning. So I moved the heat lamp a little closer to raise the temperature back up to 90º.

They sleep in short spurts, and anytime they hear someone in the room they all get up, and get excited. Often they move together like a little troop of clumsy, fuzzy soldiers. I guess this is why Indian Runners are used to train herding dogs in their herding skills.

Last night a mosquito hawk flew into the washbasin. I would not want to be a bug in a duck brooder. I wish I had a picture of that moment. These little girls went to town on that bug. First one saw it, and snagged it with her little bill. She tried to munch on it, but it was a bit too big to swallow. Then another saw what was going on and tried to steal the bug from the first duck. Pretty soon the poor bug was being picked up, dropped, and passed around from duck to duck. They were not quite big or strong enough to kill it, and eat it, but they gave it a solid thrashing until it eventually gave up the bug-ghost. Meanwhile they were all happily squeaking at the adventure.

They are now three days old, and quite active. Indian Runners are funny ducks. They are like the clowns of the duck world. They are very sociable, they stand erect like penguins, and they travel together. I am amazed how erect they stand when excited - even now at only three days old.

Duck Daddy and His Six Girls

Philip the Evangelist had seven daughters who were prophets. Philip of Salem has six daughters. We'll see how prophetic they will be.

Today our six Indian Runner Ducks arrived. They are one day old. They traveled by freight from Pennsylvania to Agway Feed Store in Danvers, MA. I picked them up at Agway and drove them the 4 or 5 miles home in a boot box. Here they are on the ride home. They were chirping all the way, and jumping against the side of the shoebox hotel wanting to get out.

They are all girls (supposedly), and have little white bands around their legs to mark that they were sexed at the duck farm before they were shipped. We don.'t really want to raise ducks in our not too large yard, and we don't want to eat them, but we do want eggs. Indian Runners are supposed to lay as many as 300 eggs a year - that's 300 per duck - that's potentially 1,800 eggs a year.

Once we arrived home, I let Holly (our greyhound) out, and said the famous word she is so fond of - "squirrel!" She ran around the yard, and I carried the girls in past her unobservant nose.

Once inside I took them out of their temporary shoebox home, and placed them in the galvanized washbasin we are using as a brooder.



It took them a little time to figure out how to drink. I placed some water we had prepared with honey (one tablespoon for a quart) in a shallow dish, and they took a bit of time to figure out that they were supposed to drink.

They pecked at the dish from underneath. They tried to climb over it. They tried to climb in it. I guess that makes sense. They are ducks after all.

I had sprinkled finely chopped grass clippings on the water. Apparently this helps them drink. It seemed to work. After the initial drink, they return to their water trough excitedly whenever I add grass clippings.
In a similar manner it took them sometime to figure out the feeder, and begin to eat the starter mash we have in the small feed trough. Once they did eat some mash they would shake their heads trying to get the mash down. I made sure to be there to give them some water at first, but they eventually discovered that it is good to drink after a mouthful of dry mash.

The girls all seem happy and healthy. This is the first hour home, and I am Duck Daddy.
For now, this is the beginning of the adventure of Duck Daddy and his Six girls. I'll be on this duty for at least a month I imagine. So, stay tuned.

Miss USA, Perez Hilton and Prejudice

Prejudice was the news of the day yesterday. The UN racism conference in Geneva had a walkout when Iran's President Ahmadinejad called Israel a racist state. Then Perez Hilton tells us that Miss California lost the title because she made the comment that she does not favor gay marriage.

These are two examples of reverse discrimination in action. Irrespective of one's beliefs about these issues, the fact that reverse discrimination rears its ugly head on the public scene should be noted, and called for what it is - prejudice, racism, and unacceptable public behavior.

Walkout - good. See video here. This speaks for itself. The clowns at the beginning add a little craziness to the spectacle which this already is.

Miss California loosing for graciously disagreeing with same sex marriage - bad. See video here. This is reverse discrimination from the judges of Miss USA. Is it no longer acceptable to be conservative on social issues, and therefore something which disqualifies a person from beauty winning contests? I hope the pageant gets sued for millions, and sponsors back out from supporting them. Perez Hilton's response to someone who disagrees with his personal agenda for living is a prejudiced disgrace. See Perez' response on Larry King here.

Change We Can Believe In? (Part 1)

Guantanamo is to close - within a year. The detainees may end up in Levinworth, or Ireland. Ireland wants them. Levinworth does not. See story from down under.

In day two of action America quietly becomes the world's largest exporter of abortion. See story from over the eastern pond.

Seeing the Middle East from a Jewish Perspective

I know it is popular among many Christians today to openly decry the acts of Israel toward the Gaza, but I can't help but wonder if we have forgotten something about the past in being too quick to pick a side. This evening a couple visited church, and we discussed a afternoon they spent with Iraqi friends who told them they needed to pick a side to understand the issue of the Middle East's struggles. Is the Iraqi friend correct? I don't know.

This I do know, or I should say feel. I am of three main ancestral backgrounds: Primarily Welsh, then somewhere following Norwegian and Jewish. (Yet, I was never raised religiously Jewish, and do not have that background to attach to.) In the my Welsh ancestry I see similar yet less dramatic and tragic similarities to my Jewish heritage.

So tonight I heard this wonderful program on WBUR, an NPR station. It was a program presented at Boston University a week or so ago. I was driving home from church, and heard Elie Wiesel being introduced. I had to run in the house and listen to the program. To understand one perspective of the Middle East struggles, I recommend hearing this program which asks, "Can an Act of Revenge Be Just?"

Listen and go back to "Kristallnacht" The Night of Broken Glass.

More SynchroBlogs on Faith and Ethnicity:

Phil Wyman (That's me) on Seeing the Middle East from a Jewish Perspective
Joshua Jinno the Antechurch
Raffi Shahinian on Faith and Ethnicity: A True Story
Susan Barnes on Just a God of the West
K.W. Leslie on Why I went to an all-white church
Adam Gonnerman on Multicultural experience (and inexperience)
Matt Stone on Is the church ready for a multiethnic future?
Beth Patterson on Viva la particularities
Steve Hayes on Christianity and ethnicity"
Matthew Snyder asks What's Your Nation?
Jeff Goins on Gypsies in Spain

Scenes from Snow Storm in the Northeast (Salem, MA)

Done with that Thick Book on Shamanism!

Okay, I've finally completed something that has been a long time coming. It seems like I've been reading Mircea Eliade's book Shamanism" since I was a little kid. Now I know it has been only a a couple months of start and go reading with lots of underlining and thought as I read, but it still seems like longer.

Yea, I am done, and now I am starting to write my thoughts out about the book at Square No More.

This book is over 50 years old, but still is a great read from a religious historian who writes about shamanism. I will be writing about Jesus, and how He quintessentially answers the search for those looking for hope in the shaman.

The book is a great read. Interested? You can order it below.

Catching up with Iolo Morganwg

Yep, I've been caught reading and eating, reading and walking, and just plain reading too much this week. I feel better, and less guilty about not getting enough reading in. I had better not start reading about someone who prays untold hours each day - then I will develop another guilt complex.

Iolo Morganwg and Feeling Bad About Not Being Able to read Enough

I can not find a copy of the old drawing of the Iolo Marganwg, which I saw yesterday in a book by Ronald Hutton entitled "The Druids," so this is the best I could recapture for now.

Iolo is the founder of modern bardic philosophy and culture as we know it, especially in the nation of Wales. His name is actually Edward, and of course, as a Bard it goes without saying that he must have another name - a real name that is.

My point is this: Iolo was walking and reading at the same time. I remember I used to do that often. I have not done it in some time, but I have so much reading to catch up on, that I thought that I must return to reading and walking.

Of course, doing that kind of thing is what made my mother call me the absent-minded professor when I was a little kid. The absent-mindedness has never left me, so I might as well return to the professorial quirkiness of reading and walking, and other such oddities.

This actually was the kind of moment we evangelicals call a moment of "conviction." I think.

Writer's Block and Tiredness

So, do I have writer's block, because I am so busy, and often tired, or do I have writer's block, because I am now over 50, and getting dumber?

Disgrace of an Election Cycle? I think so.

Today's Wall Street Journal Article by Jeffery Scott Shapiro marks my own feelings better than I can describe. From both the left and the right this has been the worst electoral campaign I have seen in my life. With the exception of McCain's acceptance and concession speeches everything has smacked of partisan bickering, and exaggerated fear tactics. Unfortunately most of it has been leveled at Bush. I have been ashamed at times of my own Christian brethren who have joined the rancerous banter of Bush bashing. Should we all be ashamed of ourselves? Read the article here. Could it be that those who behave in this manner are part of the problem in American politics - not part of the answer?

Why I Voted for McCain

I really leaned toward writing in Ben Stein, but decided that I would vote McCain at the end. What I saw in his acceptance speech at the Republican Convention, and what I saw last night in the concession speech make me realize that I made the right vote. These are the things I expect in politics:

Boston Legal, Calling People Stupid and The Sickness of Politics in America

I just finished watching Boston Legal. It was not simply television entertainment, but a horrendously biased commercial for Barrack Obama. This is the second experience in the last few days, which has disgusted me about politics, and the human heart.

A couple days ago, I had a discussion with a man who is intelligent, works with people in government positions, and was born in the Netherlands. He said that he can not believe how stupid Americans are. This was based upon Americans choosing Republicans in their electoral choices.

Should Boston Legal be forced to charge Barrack Obama tens of millions of dollars for the commercial time they gave to him?

Should every person who continues to use the tired old argumentum ad hominem of stupidity as the only reason one would vote Republican be called on the carpet for being stupid enough to use that argument? (Republicans occasionally use that argument, but it is normally the Democrats who use it, and it is unfortunately all too common to hear in the Boston area.)

I am sure that politics are sick in every country, but it has reached unbelievable proportions, and this has been the worst Presidential election for people being divided and cruel I have seen in my voting days, which began in 1976.

Both parties declare themselves to be the agents of change. They have both proven that they do not have what it takes to change the politics of the age, because neither of them have run a different kind of campaign. Positive change still seems a long ways off to me.

My Favorite Article about Bailout Plan

Just had to link to this. Now this is thinking that I can identify with. It is kind of harsh sounding, but it makes sense to me. Maybe the first thing that has made sense in all this economic talk yet.

Do you think that bankruptcy may indeed be the answer to the problem instead of being the big fearful monster to avoid?

My Thoughts on Bailout Plan Failure

Barney Frank says that Republicans were offended by Nancy Pelosi's partisan speech about the bailout plan, and so decided to punish the American people. I say, muzzle Barney, please.

In the final tally, 140 Democrats and 65 Republicans voted in support, while 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans voted against it. That is bipartisan rejection! Were 95 Democrats offended by Nancy? No. These are people who really had a problem with the bill.

I love this reporter's notebook view of the moments before the vote. Don't get uppity you anti-Fox News People. This is a great article of those few moments.

The Democratic Congressman from our region, John Tierney voted against the plan. Yeah John! One Democratic Congressman who voted against it, whose name I can not remember said that something this large should take more than 9 days to consider, because the best we could get is a bad plan. I'm with him.

Who's Grandstanding Now?

"Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made their case for the bailout plan Wednesday in a closed-door meeting with House Republicans. Those who were there said lawmakers voiced new doubts, and said their constituents are overwhelmingly opposed.

House GOP leader John Boehner said Americans are "furious" that they're being asked to put up $700 billion. But he added that Congress "has a responsibility to act," and that he hopes a bipartisan deal can be reached.

A Republican said only four of his GOP colleagues raised their hands during the meeting when asked how many of them supported the plan. Tom Davis of Virginia said it's a "terrible plan," but that he hasn't "heard anything better.""

Above quote comes from this article on the 24 of September - three days ago.

Now, there has been talk from Democrats like Barney Frank (from my state) who have been saying that McCain's short reprise from his campaign was grandstanding. Yet Barney, and Chris Dodd and others have been saying that the Republicans who disagreed with the bailout plan should have stated something before everyone sat down at the table.

Okay, if their disagreement was public knowledge before they sat down together, who's grandstanding now?

I had mentioned on my other blog that this political season was having me wanting to move to Wales, and and join a peaceful Free Wales movement (simply to have something to really care about). Things haven't changed - except this, I will post my political thoughts on this blog from now on, and I think I'm leaning right on the bailout plan.

Life with Forrest

A few weeks back our ol' buddy Forrest the three legged Greyhound contracted an infection in his remaining back leg. Within a couple short days the infection spread throughout his entire back leg. The leg was compromised having had surgery when he lost his other leg in the surgery back on Halloween '06. We miss him desperately, but after a few days watching the progress of the infection knew we would have to say goodbye to him. That's him smiling big above.

Holly is pictured with him, and she is adapting to life without Forrest. She howls when we leave her at home alone, and snuggles up real close to us in the bed. We adopted Forrest and Holly together, and they had been ever together since they both retired from the racetracks about 8 years ago.

Forrest had really become my buddy. The last two years were filled with caring for him as he recovered from his accident, and the lessons I learned about life while caring for him are far more valuable to me than they were to him I am sure.

If animals end up in heaven, of which I do not have a theological consideration one way or the other, I will want to sit down with Forrest and spend some time hanging out with him long before I will want to visit the typical heroes of my faith like Paul the Apostle, Petr Chelcicky, John Huss, or Harald Bredesen.

Loving Living in Salem

Many of my friends are Witches and Pagans of various types. Tonight some of them gathered for a Pagan Pub Crawl here in Salem.

There were a few new faces, and a few people I have met before but have not gotten to know well. I spent time talking with a Witch who for years practiced being both a Witch and a Christian (first Fundamentalist Baptist, then Greek Orthodox), but gave up trying to be Christian, because "it didn't work." Another woman told of receiving a letter from her sister in law filled with clippings from Chick Tracts. Then I met the owner of the new tattoo parlor here in Salem. The parlor owner was not a Pagan, but perhaps a Buddhist, or maybe a Thelemite. There were discussions of life and death rituals in ancient religious cultures, and discussions about the variety of experiences which Pagans have had with other Christians.

All in all it was a good night with friends who are far different than myself, and who walk in a world not my own. At one point someone mentioned Amsterdam, and suggested that although he loved the city, it probably would not be a city I would feel comfortable living in. I suggested that might be the very reason I would like it all the more. I do believe it is true that I would be quite bored in an environment in which everyone was just like me. After all - I do live in Salem, and I love it.

Glossalalia (Tongues) My Tiny Miracle in Spanish

Tonight I had a weird, but wonderful experience. I spoke Spanish. Okay, I know that millions of people speak Spanish, but I do not. Well, I know a few words like "Mas leche por favor," "taco," and "via con Dios." Perhaps a hundred words of Spanish might be found in my vocabulary if I thought about it hard and long, but that's what happens when you've been to Mexico, and lived near the Mexican border most of your life.

Yet my experience speaking Spanish was unknown to me until after it happened, and it occurred in a spontaneous moment of worship during our Sunday evening service. As a group we spent sometime singing improvisationally to a worship song, simply creating words of praise from our hearts. I sang in tongues during this time, and when the song ended Carlos asked if I knew that I was worshiping in Spanish.

Cool. I have been praying each morning this week about receiving the gift of interpretation of tongues, and then added that I would also like to speak in languages of this earth which I have never learned. Is this the beginning to answering that prayer? I dunno.

Skepticism can be had on this issue, but all I know is that it was weird and cool, all at once, and I am thinking that God was doing something unique among the small group at church tonight.

For more on the experience see the post at our church blog.

Lakeland 2.0 - Testimonials and Comments from Salem Outpouring

The Salem Outpouring is a small version of Lakeland. I guess that would be Lakeland 2.0 in mini version at the moment.

People responded to my last post about the Salem Outpouring, and I thought it might be nice to post their experiences here. So here it goes, unedited, but perhaps with a comment or two from the peanut gallery (me).

"I was there from 7 to about 9:45, when the message was underway, so I didn't see any of what you describe. However, I do think I ought to say that the previous 2+ hours of worship, in particular a very tender and powerful sharing of the Eucharist early on, were amazing. I more or less see the narrative motivating events like these, and the "This Is It" hype, as a discardable part of that religious culture.... but I'm sure that would be harder to do for people who've been inside it." (the commenter is an episcopal priest and comfortable all types of religious settings)

This next person visited on the same night as well.

"Thank you, Pastor Phil, for your thoughtful story -- and, wow, what an incredible photo of the surfer and the wave.

Most of the people at revivals and outpourings are not there to receive physical healings or to witness them. They are there because they are radically in love with Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior, the God who became a human being and walked among us, took the hit for us by dying on the Crsss. Why? He is radically in love with us. We want more of Him. We love because He loved us first.

Pastor Phil, you are an observant and articulate person. You must have noticed, for example, how much the ushers extend themselves to help with the needs of any visitors. I attended on Friday night, too, the same as you. I asked my companion, "Are you thirsty? I'll go get us some water."

An usher overheard us and came back with two bottles of water. No charge.

Jesus bless you."


This next post came from someone from our church who visited two nights after my own visit.

"I went to this event tonight because a friend of mine called me, someone I used to sit side by side in church and haven't now for a year and a half, I've missed her and others that I love. It was wonderful to be there again and see a few familiar faces enjoying the vibrant crowd praising God. For me, worshiping God among those I have relationship with is powerful. Praying for healing for those I know, or recieiving prayer from those that know me personally make it real.

There are things that make it hard for me to worship in the setting tonight...but I just kept praying that God would increase his truth, his word, and his glory, and decrease anything else in the way. I don't want to cut into the worship or what God might do with my critical judgmental thoughts.

Seeing people seeking out healing from God so passionately is great. My prayer is that the Lord will not only bring healing tonight (as a lot of the emphasis was on the event and the timing of receiving blessing right then and there) but also that people will walk away and carry with them the knowledge that the living spirit of God restored them and will continue to do so if only they look to him.

We sometimes need to appeal to our emotions to get carried to a place where our hearts are freer, but it's important that we know the limitations and the distractions of our emotions as well.

God also brought to my heart, when I was feeling awkward or uncomfortable given the different style of expression of faith and when my heart was full of doubt or skeptism, that I need to pray for other churches communities in addition to my own. May Jesus continue to be the focus. May Jesus bring healing to broken hearts, bodies and relationships in all of God's churches, and between them as well.

It's also nice to go to this kind of event and be able to see the good, and have grace for the weird instead of only seeing the weird so I can't even see what God might show me.

It was a BEAUTIFUL thing to see diversity represented as well. How awesome was that!"


Here is another post from someone who was there on the night I visited, and recalled the exact story I told:

"Pastor Phil: I was there too. I feel that you misread the healing time that you mentioned. The woman they were praying for was hispanic and even though they had an interpreter, there was some miscommunication because of the language barrier. The important thing is that she was healed.
I was there Saturday night and they mentioned that GOD was healing many different things. I was healed for a shoulder ailment that I have had for several years. I know that I was healed.

God is the same today as he was 2000 years ago. He still heals. He still seeks unity amoung his churches. What is happening is Salem, aside from the healings, is a great deal of unity among the churches. This is a great testament to GOD. It is a great testament to the memory of Rev. Arthur Robinson and Rev. Rocco Rezza (who recently passed away). Unity among the churches and nationalities is paramount for the advancement of the Kingdom.

Come back this week, give us a chance. Let go of your hurts and let GOD heal you!"


This particular post warranted a response so here is what I said:


"I did not misread that situation. You will notice that I mention that she is Spanish speaking, and that there was an interpreter.

The fact is that she was asked to touch her toes before she was asked what was wrong with her. Herniated discs and touching toes are not a great combination. Now if she is still healed today, and a week from now that is good. If she still has pain, I am concerned that someone was asked to do something potentially harmful in the context of faith healing.

As far as your healing. May the Lord continue to keep you in health, and may the Lord be blessed for what He has done.

It seems that you are making an assumption that I must be harboring hurts and therefore have disagreement with the revival. I do not disagree with these meetings, but I do think that "the little foxes spoil the vine" as they used to say in Pentecostal circles years ago, and it is still true that small things can create big problems. These concerns have been consistent for 25 years - long prior experiencing deceit and false judgments at the hands of Pentecostal leaders. So "healing" doesn't change my concerns.

If the outpouring meetings continue I will visit as I am able.

Rev. Robinson I met years ago, before we moved here. He laid hands upon me when we came to visit him at home in his last few years, and he laid hands upon me and prophesied that I would wear his mantle. What that means I am not sure. That is just what happened in his kitchen on Franklin Street back in the early 90's." (my response)

That's all or now

Not Sure How to Think about Revival - Still

I admit readily that I have been jaundiced by my experiences with Pentecostal revivalist Christians who have been my bane in the last few years. They have proven themselves to be hypocritical, and judgmental, and I have been on the receiving end of this judgment.

Yet, I have been leery of revivalism even before the season of my struggle with my former fellow journeymen in the faith began.

Tonight I visited a meeting happening here in Salem for a half hour or so, and here is what I experienced:

"This woman says she has back back pain. We are going to pray for you. Is that okay?"

The Spanish speaking woman nods her head. The large screen projecting the service to the back of the room shows her face.

"Now as I pray touch your toes. Have you been able to touch your toes since you've had this problem? No?"

The woman shakes her head signifying no.

"Can you touch your toes now?"

Again she shakes her head negatively.

"Go ahead try to touch your toes as we pray."

The woman on the screen reaches down to touch her toes. She is a mother in her late twenties or early thirties.

"Did that hurt?"

She nods affirmatively, and mouths some words I can not hear.

"It hurts a little bit? Let's do it again. Reach down and touch your toes as we pray for you."

She does this again.

"Did it hurt this time?"

She shakes her head, and says, "No."

A brief conversation between the man praying, the young mother, and the interpreter ensues.

"A hernia? Oh a herniated disk. Folks, she has had 2 herniated disks for the last 2 years. No, 2 herniated disks for 6 years! She has had 2 herniated disks for 6 years and tonight she has no pain."

The crowd cheers.

"Oh excuse me. She has had 2 herniated disks for 6 months, and tonight the she has no pain."

The crowd cheers again. Less fervently this time.

I was standing in the back, and put my face in my hands. I thought to myself. Why didn't you ask about the specifics of her condition before you asked her to bend over?"

I am still not fond of the word revival. This particular revival meeting has a connection to the Lakeland, FL event, and I think that there were about 200 people in attendance when I popped in very late for a few minutes tonight.

Late Night with Jamiacan Special and Thinking About Stuff

So tonight was a generally good night at The Vault. I came home following our 6pm service, and decided I wanted to smoke a big ol' fatty Jamaican Special cigar. Not really being a smoker I have them for our guys cigar smoking group, which I jokingly refer to as "Padron Me." Stupid Christian humor I suppose, and maybe a pun most people won't get.

So I laid under the stars on this first 70º night in Salem this year. I contemplated the peacefulness of God as I gazed on the stars through the branches of the silver maple tree in our yard, and periodically had to get up to take care of Forrest our three legged greyhound.

Tomorrow at 5am (only 5 hours from now) I will rise to go work at Starhouse. Within the next couple weeks I will transition from this morning job to a position as a liaison to DSS - I think.

I am hoping to get back to writing regularly again.

Support - what does it mean to you?

What is "support" I have been wondering. Is it making money? Is it emotionally being concerned? Is it being encouraging? Is it all of the above? Is it a combination, which is less quantifiable, and has to do with issues of the heart?

Could it be that there are times someone appears to be supportive, because they carry out all the right actions, but in reality they are unsupportive, because they do not believe in or care for those things which concern us.

What is it to you? and how does this determine how you support others?

Will the Pope Click His Heels?

So this is my favorite story of the Pope's visit. He wears ruby red shoes. It was an NPR listener who made this even more fun. "Does he click his heels and say, 'There's no place like Rome?'" she asked.

No Place for Hate - Running Sound for Witches

I have a propensity for getting myself in trouble. So here we go again. I am setting up sound, and running it for an event called No Place for Hate. The famed Pagan author Margot Adler will be there, and it will be focused on Wiccan lifestyles, and faith. So, here I am once again jumping into the middle of places most Evangelicals (and our little angels) fear to tread. ;-)

Here's more info on the event:

No Place for Hate Committee to Host Panel Discussion
on the Faith and Lifestyles of the Wiccan Faith

The City of Salem’s No Place for Hate Committee will be hosting a panel discussion the evening of April 12th which will focus on practices within the Wiccan faith and the everyday lifestyles of those practicing Paganism. The objective of the event is to inform those in attendance about the religion, lifestyle and culture of those who practice Wicca while also touching on the history and its distinction within the Salem community.

The panel discussion, which will be held on the second floor of Old Town Hall, will be moderated by Salem State College Professor Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello. The discussion will be led by No Place for Hate Committee member Jerrie Hildebrand and Margot Adler of National Public Radio (NPR) and is sponsored by the Salem Witch Museum.

Ms. Adler is the host of NPR’s Justice Talking and is a regular on shows such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition and Weekend Edition. She has been a Wiccan priestess for over 35 years. In 1979, she wrote the book Drawing Down the Moon, a classic study of Neo-Paganism and Wicca which was recently revised and updated. Ms Adler also wrote Heretic's Heart, a 1960's memoir of her life. In addition, she is also a co-producer of the award winning radio drama, War Day.

Ms. Hildebrand is creative principal of a Salem-based marketing company. Since 1986, Ms. Hildebrand has worked with various national religious freedom organizations on issues pertaining to the Wiccan and Pagan religions and in 2005 was ordained by Circle Sanctuary. More notably, Ms. Hildebrand was part of the team from Circle Sanctuary that led the effort in getting the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to add the pentacle to its list of official emblems for the headstones and markers of Wiccan veterans. She illustrated the final version of the official emblem now used.

Both Ms. Adler and Ms. Hildebrand have traveled throughout the country to conferences separately and together doing presentations and discussion on related subjects. After the two are through speaking, the panel will open to questions from the public.

This will be the second event sponsored by the No Place for Hate Committee within its second year of existence. In June of 2007, the City of Salem was officially named a No Place for Hate community by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) after the Committee organized three events which focused on promoting respect and diversity. The Committee will need to sponsor two events each year in order to regain the City’s certification as a No Place for Hate community.

The Panel Discussion on Wicca and Paganism is free and open to the public. It will be held on Saturday, April 12th at 7 pm in Old Town Hall. The event will also feature opening remarks by Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and will conclude with a song from Rev. Amy “Gypsy” Ravish from the Temple of Nine Wells located in Salem.

Wales - Grand Slam! Six Nations Rugby

I spent this afternoon with my Welsh friends at McGann's Pub in Boston. It was a day of Rugby games. I arrived while England was trouncing Ireland (to my surprise), and to the chagrin of the green jerseys in the standing room only pub.

The Wales/France game began at 1pm, and only a lone voice or two with French accents rose in the pub now filled with more red shirts than remaining Irish green. This was unique moment for the Boston Welsh Society, and in fact for a Welsh gathering in the US. There was actually a good group of Welsh together and yelling for their team.

As the game began, the Welsh expats, and myself stood and sang the Welsh national anthem together. Well, I gave it a try, but still haven't memorized the words. Sorry for the 2005 link, but the 2008 one isn't out yet.

"Wales! Wales! Wales...!" the pub rocked with the cheering, and the flags of the Ddraig Goch, and Aled Jones' red and yellow flag of Owain Glyndwr flew whenever Wales scored. After a mixed first half of trading penalty kicks, and France beginning to show some serious muscle on the run, Wales hard hitting defense, and ability to take advantage of mistakes paid off with a second half rout.

29-12 was the final score. Phil Budden, the British Consul General in Boston arrived toward the end of the game, and provided free Beer and Guinness for we celebrating Welsh fans. I can't describe how at home I feel with anything Welsh. Strange for a California boy (or is that "boyo?") like myself.

So, at the end I suggested a plan for putting St. David's day on the map next year in Boston. If you are Welsh, you will want to watch for this! The more people we can get to participate the more media attention we can get. We are going to pray like St. David on St. David's Day! Like those early Celtic monks, we are going to gather a group together to stand in the river up to our waists on St. David's Day next year! Wanna join the fun? It'll be followed by a seriously Welsh Saint practice of downing a pint following I'm sure! Watch for information to come sometime late this year.

Where I Hope to be Some March 1st