What next?

This is a difficult post for me. It concerns a case recently argued before the United States Supreme Court. In the case, the plaintiff argues that a cross erected at Sunrise Rock, on government land 75 years ago by a group of WWI veterans to commemorate the many dead who lie buried in foreign graves. The cross has been replaced several times to maintain it. A former park employee challenged the right of the cross to be on government land. A lower court found for the employee but the cross was not taken down. Instead, it was covered by a large box.

While the Supreme Court overruled the decision of the lower court, I am disturbed by the implications of the entire matter. This lonely memorial is seen by few people. It was erected in good faith by a group who had seen the horrors of war and wanted to memorialize their dead comrades. The fact that a man did not want that cross, which he saw as strictly a Christian symbol on government land is disturbing. That a court in California agreed with him is more so.

I believe that this case reaching the Supreme Court is the result of interpretation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. That states:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free expression thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,or the press, or the right of people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

I do not see where the erection of a memorial conflicts with that amendment. There have been other cases, notably the plaque of the ten commandments in a state house, which have been decided differently. While the constitution insists on the separation of church and state, I can not find anywhere that it forbids the use of a religious symbol on government land, or even in government buildings.

While I am not a Christian, crosses to me, symbolize sacrifice and honor, not the religion. It disturbs me that such a case can make it to the Supreme Court. What will the "politically correct" demand next? Covering the crosses and stars in National Cemeteries perhaps? It just seems wrong.

If you want to look at this, the case is Salazar v. Buono, 08-472.

Weather changes things

left to right
salvia and iris
hardy orchid blossom

goldfish in a row

azaleas blooming above the pond

For the past few months, I've had the "blahs". I really didn't want to get out of bed and put off doing everything until the last minute, or later. But a few days of sunshine and nice temperatures, backed by a good evening rain storm seems to have turned the corner for me.

As you can see, I've been the garden a bit. After the rain, the weeds were easier to pull and we still had two years of weeding to do. When we went to Ireland last year, we missed all the decent gardening weather for the summer. We got a little done in fall, but there were too many other things on my plate and Fran's knees were bothering her. That meant a summer's worth of weeds were allowed full play everywhere.

It took me two days just to clear the paths of leaves. Yesterday and today, I hit the weeds in both the gardens and on the paths. I just about have the paths done. The gardens take a little longer. It helps that I am in weeding mode now. That means I walk around admiring, taking pictures and picking off weeds that come to hand. That can be a little embarrassing when I do it in friend's gardens.

I also weeded my in box. Now there is a manageable amount of "to do's" and I am working through them.

A very good friend asked me to write. I am literally years behind on my correspondence. Writing has been very dry for me, but I hope that this mood swing will get me back on track. I have a short story to finish and another to rewrite. (A terrific editor gave me her time and went through three of my stories. They are filled with suggestions to make them better and more marketable.)

I may even find the energy to post here more often.

another recipe

I promised Bobbie Smith that I'd look up my Oma's recipe for this one. I found two, both featuring almond paste. The first is what Oma called apricot kugel.

Ingredients

½ Lb. (225g) margarine

1 cup sugar

4 egg yolks (reserve one white)

3 cups general purpose flour

1 lemon

apricot preserves

Directions

Juice lemon and grate rind. Using a dough or low speed mixer, blend other ingredients.

Grease a cookie tin, then sprinkle with flour. Use half the dough. "Spread the dough over the bottom like you were making brownies."¹

Cover with a layer of apricot preserves.

1Oma's exact words.

The next is for almond dough "cigars".

Ingredients

1 can (8 oz. 227g) almond paste

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg white

½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Blend at low speed until uniform.

Roll the almond dough into long, thin "cigars", about 1 cm (½ inch) wide. Keep your hands wet while rolling to prevent the dough from sticking to you. (It's not a bad idea to take off any rings while working dough. If you do not, you may end up with a surprize gift in your pastry or bread.)

Place cigars on apricot preserve layer. Flatten with a moistened fork.

Bake at 325°F (163°C) on lowest rack for 15 minutes. Add second layer of cake, preserves and "cigars". Bake again.

Allow to cool. Cut into square cookies

(Keks).

These are both quite good. The combination of apricot and almond is sweet, but not overly so. Enjoy.

another belly ache

It's been a lovely Spring day. The flowers are blooming. The birds are singing. I spent most of it sleeping and waiting for a doctor to see me. Blah!

This has not been the best month of my life. I haven't gotten any work done and have missed writing to and responding to friends. I discovered that I had no stamina (not even as much as in February). I've had trouble sleeping and been tired all the time as a result. Today, I located the possible cause. My stomach. Last night, I was unable to lie down for more than half an hour before the belly began to complain. Walking made it a little better, so I spent about four hours pacing in the dark, hoping the pain would go away.

It seems like my guts have been playing an all too important role in my life for the past couple of years. Even so, I have to have this checked out. At least the docs gave me good drugs.

This is not an old man's medical complaint blog. But this time, it's made so much of an impression that I had to share.

Those of you with whom I correspond now have my excuse. This is going to get better, probably very soon. Mean time, please be patient.