Discernment, ascertainment, moths, mushroom soup and a thank you

Discernment is one of those great words that people in the religious life or thinking about it use to describe the careful process of understanding their path. Most of us do some form of it. 

My own recent path, looking for a spiritual life that fitted, led me, via a year long attendance at a weekly online centering prayer group, silent meditation in company, which, nice as the people were, didn't fit, to the adjacent outreach work for homeless and addicted people. 

That's the Sock Ministry hq, where I found I was needed by their knitting group as the only sock knitter. That fitted. Discernment done for now, but ready to revisit if it becomes physically unwise.

Unlike Ascertainment which was an unintentionally comic aspect of the years when I worked in public television, exciting stuff, first person in the country to have the job of working with higher ed and broadcasters in presenting adult instruction, via public airwaves. Another time I'll tell you. That had its comic side too.

Anyway, one of the legal requirements on the public broadcast license was for representative execs of the network, in this case a four-transmitter statewide setup, to troop annually to the transmitter locations. There we would be open to questioning on anything at open public meetings. 

Which sounds very good, and appropriate, taxpayers asking what we were doing with their money. What it usually came down to was having more execs than public, being grilled about things that didn't even involve the network.

A lot of people would challenge us on things that commercial tv did, or that public broadcasters that weren't us, did or didn't. Quite dismayed to find they were banging on the wrong door.  

Those who were better informed challenged us to do more programming for various groups, usually stuff we were already doing anyway. 

We'd politely refer them to the day and time to watch programming made by and for the  Hispanic population, or for seniors, in cooperation with senior organizations. Etc. Etc. 

We'd troop home again, long drive at night since our offices and Master Control were central, so we tended to live around there, and the transmitters were at the four corners of the state, for best coverage and reception. 

Not sure anything other than bragging rights ever came out of Ascertainment.  That and the ability to point out to complaining state legislators that we did,  too, offer the public the chance to meet face to face. Happy days!

On more interesting subjects, yesterday the butterfly bush was mobbed with clearwing hummingbird moths, never seen so many. Like this, not my pic

I noticed that no monarchs showed up until they departed. Then two or three did. I've never seen monarchs and clearwings at the same time. I wonder if there's a territorial thing going on? Anyone who knows, please say.

Now, admittedly, one person drinking tea and observing one butterfly bush, is not statistically significant, except don't dismiss the findings of a lone observer. 

I mean, look at Len Howard, who made all kinds of avian discoveries alone in the woods. If you don't know about her, check her out, she's amazing. Anyway if you have any info about the relations of monarchs and clearwings, please let us know.

Misfits arrived yesterday, yes, different day, I ordered early before they put up the minimum order price. Supply chain issues, shipping issues, they're raising the minimum to order rather than individual item prices.

But I got in for one last minimum at the old rate.

And went on to make cream of mushroom soup. Using chicken bones and collard greens water (Ellen saying yeah, mighta guessed!) for broth. I also peeled and added in the last few white potatoes. 

It could have been cream of chicken soup, really good, but I was committed to the mushrooms I'd cooked down.

And it was just fine.

One sad note today, one of my best art teachers, at Mercer County College,  from whom I learned all I know about life drawing and paper making, has gone. 

Look her up, renowned paper maker. Also had six children.  One husband. Really happy and such a life. I'm glad I knew her.

And on Ukraine, my state legislator, who has gone to bat for me more than once when the state bureaucracy was determined not to honor their legal obligation to seniors and taxes 

So that's where we are today. Happy day!