Magnet Monday: A-maze-ing I'itoi

Cheesy Refrigerator Magnet for Monday, January 19, 2015
"I'itoi", Man in the Maze, carved and painted wood, circa 2012

The legend of the Man in the Maze* has to do with the the creator god I'itoi and his house (either a floorplan of it, or a map to it), but many focus directly on the maze and less so on I'itoi. The maze represents your life journey to whatever goal that resides in the center, and the labyrinth represents all the experiences and choices you make along the way. At very center is the opportunity to reflect on your life's labyrinth before passing to the next. I prefer to think that paths to many goals in life make each their own labyrinth, and a chance to reflect and learn from them. 

Family visiting the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center in Arizona picked this up for us. Hopefully we'll be able to visit the center ourselves on one of our trips.



*There's more to the legend of I'itoi. Traditional stories tell that he was capricious and unkind. He brought ancestral Tohono O'odham peoples out from the earth, then tried to kill them all. He brought war to the peoples, but also the Himdag, a set of guiding principles for people to live in balance with the world. A sort of mischievous good cop, bad cop. And sounding very human for a god. 

Magnet Monday features a selection from our semi-vast and ever growing collection of cheesy refrigerator magnets. Without doubt the perfect souvenir. Only slightly less cheesy than collecting snow globes but maybe a lot easier to smuggle in your bra. If need be. Which I hope it never is. Unless it's really worth it.

Weekly Randomness for January 16, 2015

News that made me stop what I was doing to look it up.

• All females like a well kept bachelor pad. 
• And this is why it's illegal to lock your car in downtown Churchill, Manitoba (not that cars were an option then...)

Weekly Shits n' Giggles

• Miss Pokey 'tis a wee dragon.  
• Quarters seems so civilized by comparison...
• Waffle iron hack: tofu. Huh.
• My Pinteresting Randomness

Weekend Aims

• Looking into keeping a Meyer Lemon Tree as a container plant.  
• Aaaaand: more cleaning. This will be a nauseatingly recurrent theme.
• GO PACK GO!!! In line to take the NFC (boo hiss to the Seahawks)

Magnet Monday: ComicQuail

Cheesy Refrigerator Magnet for Monday, January 12, 2015
"Tucson, AZ", quails, handpainted on sandstone, circa 2004

We've visited Tucson numerous times, and these little quail are everywhere. The way they run is so comical to me. Our family there has deep-rooted dislike for them because they eat garden flowers (apparently they are persistent and piggy, but hard to keep out). Even so, I find it hard to dislike them. I'm sure I would feel differently if it were my garden (it's all out war here against deer and rabbit, so I understand the pain).

I have no recollection of where exactly we purchased this magnet, other than that it was on my first trip to Tucson. I can say it was in a gift shop of some kind, possibly even the airport. 

Magnet Monday features a selection from our semi-vast and ever growing collection of cheesy refrigerator magnets. Without doubt the perfect souvenir. Only slightly less cheesy than collecting snow globes but maybe a lot easier to smuggle in your bra. If need be. Which I hope it never is. Unless it's really worth it.

Weekly Randomness for January 9, 2015

We're a little late for the holidays, but she insisted. 

News that made me stop what I was doing to look it up.

• Everything old is new again, including how to implode a civilization (water is the new oil we will fight over...)
• Does this count as global confession?
• Oh Phillae, I dearly hope so. 

Weekly Shits n' Giggles

• Talent in the unexpected.  
• New meaning to armchair travel. 
• My Pinteresting Randomness

Weekend Aims

• Spring cleaning starts early here. Kitchen fridge already dismantled and cleaned out. Next come the open dish shelves. 
• Uh... washing dishes. And shelves. 
• Uh.... PACKER FOOTBALL!!!!

Magnet Monday: Zinners Have Much More Fun

Cheesy Refrigerator Magnet for Monday, January 5, 2015
"Forgive Me, for I Have Zinned", vinyl covered board, circa 2009

Mae West said "to zin is human, but it feels divine" (I'm paraphrasing). There was much zinning in our house through the holidays (some of the zin did look more like champagne though). I have no remorse: although I have zinned, I expect I will zin again. 

This magnet was purchased at a winery somewhere in the Willamette Valley region of western Oregon. We spent a week in Portland with family, seeing the sights, tasting some wines. We have really fond memories (so we didn't zin too too much); hope to visit again. 

Magnet Monday features a selection from our semi-vast and ever growing collection of cheesy refrigerator magnets. Without doubt the perfect souvenir. Only slightly less cheesy than collecting snow globes but maybe a lot easier to smuggle in your bra. If need be. Which I hope it never is. Unless it's really worth it.

The Twelve Days of Yule: Happy New Year!!!

Thank you 2014 - Hello 2015!!

My twelve days of merry yuletide giving have passed for this year. I really enjoyed finding ways to express our "attitude of gratitude." It's a solid reminder to be grateful for the ease of our lives, and that we have enough to share so we all make it through the cold.   

To recap: 
Day 1: Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
Day 2: Peace Action Wisconsin
Day 3: Doctors Without Borders
Day 4: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Day 5: Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans
Day 6: The Livestock Conservancy
Day 7: Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Day 8: Kiva
Day 9: COA Youth & Family Centers
Day 10: Milwaukee Achiever Adult Literacy Services
Day 11: Adaptive Adventures
Day 12: Interfaith Older Adult Programs

Something else I learned to be grateful for: the shear breadth of efforts of people doing things to help others. I know I don't have the resources to help every person, every cause, every day, all the time. Like many people, I choose to focus on something meaningful to me. But: I can in turn support others and their passions, even in very small ways (because those add up, am I right?). And collectively, we get it done.

I found a number of groups I wanted to feature but ran out of days. I may wait until next Yule, or find other festivals through the year to celebrate with some giving. 

Historic Milwaukee: Since 1974, promoting interest and preservation of Milwaukee's architectural heritage. They have great walking tours! International Institute of Wisconsin: Immigrant resettlement and assistance, since 1936
Next Door Foundation: Early childhood education, since 1969
Project SNOWstorm: Tracking the southern irruption of Snowy owl migration.
VolunteerMatch.org: When you want to help, but don't know where to start.


If you followed along, or maybe even chose to do some gratitude attitude giving of your own, I hope you found joy in the experience. 

I wish for you and yours every happiness - may your 2015 be blessed!!

Image from The Graphics Fairy

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out. 

The Twelve Days of Yule: Day 12, January 1, 2015

Twelve Bells Ringing

Interfaith Older Adult Programs
http://interfaithmilw.org/

Like many people, I have parents reaching a time in their life when they need more help with day to day things. I count our family as lucky as my parents have the resources to live in a place where they can get help immediately when they need it. There are also three of us children, and spouses, and families, and we all pitch in when needed. And for that I'm truly grateful. 

There are a lot of folks not so lucky. Too many elder folk without family or family close by, or without other resources. Interfaith does an amazing job of connecting elder folk who need help and the people who help them. They provide meals free, or $2.50 if you like, with no income restrictions - the idea is to bring people together to form friendships. Volunteers also help with regular telephone safety calls, transportation, or doing minor chores around the house. Funds cover meals, volunteer training, and other overhead. How does this fit with twelve bells ringing, you ask: I think it does because the relationships we have caring for each other is part of the whole point of having festivals and feasty celebrations. 

Click here to donate.

Charity Navigator: listed but not rated

Twelve Days of Yule = Twelve Days of Giving is a personal initiative by me at the SoMil Homesteader to bring some focus to a holiday about gratitude. I don't have any official connections to any of these organizations, other than being a very small donor. Peace out.