Green Mountain Meandering Missives

Attached image (screenshot of post): Earlier this evening, after browsing the three editions of Montpelier's Front Porch Forum (FPF) posted today (Monday, February 26, 2024), I noticed a very brief post posted within the top of the third edition -- under the category of lost and found -- about how a package had been misdelivered to the wrong address. It was the correct number listed for the address, but had been delivered to the wrong street. Having known the person who the package was addressed to and intended for, I texted and emailed them to provide the person with a heads up concerning it. They texted me back later, thanking me. This brought to mind an old, humorous, FPF post of mine posted on the subject of misdelivered packages a couple of years ago (circa: January 2022): Text of post (excerpted; copied and pasted): After reading lots of posts posted to this particular forum over the years and also recently concerning misdelivered packages as well as having seen many delive

After having come across my recent blog posts concerning Spiritual Matters , yesterday (Saturday, February 24, 2024), a neighbor of mine was inspired to graciously gift me with a brand new copy of Thomas Merton's autobiography, The Seven Mountain   (Fiftieth Anniversary Edition; published by HarperOne), a book that I had not previously come across or read before. Have since read both the Introduction to the book written by Robert Giroux as well as A Note to the Reader by William H. Shannon, both of these recommended reading in my opinion. However, given that reading books often comes hard as well as slow on my part, I have  begun listening to an audiobook version of the book available via video on YouTube (view embedded video player, below):

Photo: Vermont State House, in Winter (taken by Morgan W. Brown; circa: Sunday, February 10, 2013) Had read in Friday's vtdigger Final Reading column about how the Vermont House of Representatives recently passed H.132 , a vastly amended version of the homeless bill of rights legislation (compared to what had been originally introduced), which is now in the hands of the state Senate (fourth item down page; related excerpts of column), here : [...] As Vermont continues to struggle with rising rates of homelessness , lawmakers are trying to ensure that people without permanent shelter aren’t discriminated against because of their housing status.   On Friday, the House passed H.132 , a bill that would essentially add homelessness as a protected class to the state’s various anti-discrimination laws, including Vermont’s Fair Housing Act and Fair Employment Practices Act . Under the latter law, an employer can’t refuse to hire someone based on their race, for example, or their se

Photo: Camel's Hump (taken, by Morgan W. Brown, from the Hubbard Park Tower in Montpelier; circa: May 31, 2009) Although not a native born Vermonter, having only been a resident of the Green Mountain State for nearly thirty five (35) years now; and, more than likely, including due to my heavy Southern New England accent as well as accompanying sarcastic sense of humor and wit, shall always be considered a flatlander as well as resident tourist , at best, by many of those whose preceding generations are and have long been native to the state; when I first became a permanent resident of the state years ago, the fact is that I finally moved home or so it seemed, planting and eventually growing deep, solid, strong roots and have enjoyed living here ever since; something which cannot necessarily be said of those numerous places where I had previously traveled or lived, at least not to the same degree. While neither the State or the communities where I relocated to might not have inv

Had ordered three used hard copy books on Quakerism earlier this month (via Thrift Books ) and, after receiving two of the books on Saturday (February 17th), received the third one yesterday (Thursday, the 22nd). The latter book is  Quaker Faith and Practice  (second edition; 1999; fifth edition available, here ): The book of Christian discipline of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Britain. Excerpts from the Introduction (last two paragraphs):  We are seekers but we are also the holders of a precious heritage of discoveries. We, like every generation, must find the Light and Life again for ourselves. Only what we have valued and truly made our own, not by assertion but by lives of faithful commitment, can we hand on to the future. Even then, we must humbly acknowledge that our vision of the truth will, again and again, be amended.   In the Religious Society of Friends we commit ourselves not to words but to a way .  To that, I simply say, Amen!   The

Caption: Homelessness vigil poster, reads: Housing Removes “less” from homeless Nearly fifty one (51) years ago, at the age of seventeen (17; in October 1973), I found myself literally living on the street.  Being unhoused (aka homeless) for the first time, with nothing to lose, no place to sleep or rest and with no clue about where to seek assistance, my thumb was held out to get farther up the road. After hitchhiking much of the United States eastern coast down and back on my own without money or food and, only the clothes that I wore upon my thin bony frame, I was beyond being exhausted and hungry. Nearing the end of the return leg, I had serious doubts about ever being able to reach my chosen destination. Hope eventually faded. Negative and scary thoughts concerning my fate took over, pounding away over and over within my already aching head. The next thing I knew, a commercial short-haul truck pulled over to give me a ride. Opening the passenger door, I cautiously sized up the sit

Have never considered myself to be a religious person per se (i.e., one to practice religion), however, I have tended to view myself as being a spiritual or rather to be a spiritually motivated person and, speaking for myself only (of course), have usually not felt comfortable in most churches or attending formal church services.  In fact, my church of choice has been the outdoors, found among nature. Yet, when someone I know and well respect mentioned about their being a Quaker last week, something that I had not previously known, I felt drawn to seriously consider becoming a Quaker myself, particularly after having done some online research about being a Quaker and, finding that Quaker way of life as well as core beliefs, principles and values appear to mirror as well as closely align with my own, seeking information about where Quaker meetings are held in the area as well. Not only did I email the person about it, but I also posted on Montpelier's Front Porch Forum (FPF) askin