Last Friday, January 31, 2025, it rained most of the day. In the late morning, I walked over to my friend Donna’s place. We’ve needed the rain and, as a gardener, I especially enjoyed my rainy walk. As always, I had a good time at Donna’s home. We talked about many things: our families, books, our aches and pains, the political situation, and Donna read a poem. She made a good loaf of bread, which we enjoyed with butter, jam, and tea.
In the mid-afternoon, I went home to prepare for dinner guests. Our daughter and son-in-law (Sarah and Mike) and their dogs (Connor and Susie) were coming over. Tom and I enjoy getting ready for these guys, because we always have a pleasant and mellow time.
Two Things Happened I think I might have been setting the table. In the late afternoon, I happened to look out our big balcony window. Somehow, I didn’t have the good rainy day feeling I had had earlier, I saw dark menacing clouds–crazy dark and menacing–and almost palpable. I felt like I was in Minas Tirith gazing eastward as the shadows of Mordor advanced.* I don’t think I am exaggerating. I wanted to write to some of my fellow The Lord Of the Rings aficionados to share my experience, but it felt too acute and sad to share except with Tom. A little while later we were fixing dinner and we heard a loud crash. For no reason that we could see, the Ben Shahn dove print that our friend Laura gave us about 50 years ago had spontaneously fallen off the wall.
Shadows of Mordor and the peace dove falling down: We need the free peoples of this earth of ours to come together to fight the scourge we are facing at the hands of the current U.S. president and his coterie. I want to be as cheerful and brave as a hobbit. I am not cheerful or brave, but I am trying.
Note: The dove sustained no injuries. We will find a stronger fastening and put her up again.
How the Birds Fly by Ben Shahn
*I first read The Lord of the Rings when I was a 17 year old college freshman. I guess I have read the trilogy at least six or seven times–twice (with Tom) aloud to our children. You can read about Minas Tirith, bravery, good, and evil in Book Five of LOTR, which is in The Return of the King (book three of the trilogy).
Close to the Ground: Living Inductively 
The shadows of Mordor are spreading quickly, the eye of Sauron is watching and the Nazgul are at large. The orcs are searching for the DEI.
Quite frankly, I am a little frightened for myself and more importantly, the entire planet.
So am I, and more than a little! Hoping that trying to care for one another and the planet will ultimately save us.