One of my favorite places in our area is the Filoli Estate in Woodside, completed in 1917, built by William Bourn whose family gained wealth during the Gold Rush. It is part of the National Trust with an amazing mansion with gorgeous grounds during any season. The name Filoli comes from Bourn's motto: Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, and live a good life. They did! As did the Roth family who bought it from them.

For more photos of Filoli: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XcZ8yzdzmYUkEDgy8

 O the wonderful days of December, not TOO dampened by the restrictions of Covid

Here in Palo Alto we are always grateful for the dedicated annual creche exhibit volunteers who have given this gift now for 32 Christmas seasons—with love for our community and for the glory of God—and are now going forward with a virtual version for number 33, available this year all over the world! Click on: #givethanks

33rd Annual Christmas Crèche Exhibit

BRIGHTNESS OF HOPE

You can experience 25 days of Christmas hope with nativities from around the world, holiday music, children’s activities, and stories by community members. Click on the link below.

Virtual ‣ December 1–25, 2020

An all virtual experience for 2020.

Be inspired by photos, videos, and online experiences. Add your voice, your hands, your heart.

Share your photos and videos at this online form.

christmascreche.org #ChristmasCreche #LightTheWorld

The Menlo Park Stake and The Los Altos Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I am so grateful for possibilities, if we are willing to be open to them. My life is not perfect, but I have experienced many beautiful and perfect moments. I have had lots of good and bad happen in my life as I am sure you have too. I have experienced love, happiness, heart break, peace, joy, and victory just to name a few. There is always the possibility to grow, be better and even heal. There is always someone to cheer, to help, to love. And I know the Savior is always there to offer us these things, too. He knows us.

This sculpture in our local park reminds me I can do hard things!

There also are the ginkgo trees (bigger now) where we took a Christmas card photo in 1980.

and throughout my house I have creches, photos, etc. to remind me of how blessed I have been to have had so many experiences and adventures. I am enjoying my 2020 tree even if few others will be!

May we have a joyful December as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. And may we hope for a 2021 with less suffering, more justice, healing, and greater compassion, understanding and peace for all. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year 2021!!

 

Happy Thanksgiving. We can count our blessing rather than recount our sorrows and regrets of 2020. And look forward with hope!

Happy Thanksgiving, a commemoration of the gratitude and mutual respect between our Pilgrim forefathers and the Wampanoag natives of Plymouth, Cape Cod. I am so grateful to be descended from many of these first Americans. Enjoy this and other short videos:

https://youtu.be/rvI0nnsH3sQ

Please watch a short video of Hope and Healing from the beloved and energetic Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcILxGmVrI

Thank You to All of Our Veterans! Last year was the 100th anniversary.   Wednesday is Veterans Day, a time when we recognize and give our thanks to all of the men and women who have served in our armed forces.   It began in 1919 as Armistice Day, on the first anniversary of the end of World War I. The holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 and has evolved into a time to honor all those who have served the U.S. in military conflicts.

Our beautiful US Capitol building. Democrats and Republicans vie for bare majorities in Congress... We hope they can talk peaceably across the aisle and compromise for the good of our country.

Children in Indonesia stand in line to receive measles vaccinations. 

Measles is even more contagious than the corona virus. Measles deaths worldwide swelled to their highest level in 23 years last year, a stunning rise for a vaccine-preventable disease and one that public health experts fear could grow as the corona virus pandemic continues to disrupt immunization and detection efforts.

The global death tally for 2019 — 207,500 — was 50 percent higher than just three years earlier, according to the analysis, released jointly by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stay healthy and safe by gathering in only small groups. (we took off masks only to eat outside).

Our California governor, Gavin Newsom, getting a Corona virus test

Fall is my favorite season. I'm grateful for the glorious colors around my neighborhood!

Down my street looking from my house. Beautiful yellow ginkgo (a very old species with fossils dating back 270 million years!)

Red grape and maple

ChiChinese pistache, member of the cashew family

And I'm grateful for my neighbors and their friendliness...

and for the Bay, the birds, the fresh air, the peace I feel as I walk...

I'm grateful for my family...a short visit with my sister Elaine, staying near Santa Cruz... and for the technology that lets me talk to them every week....far away but close to my heart.

...and for the adults, youth, and children playing in the park, especially when I can no longer hear their happy squeals from the neighborhood school playground during the pandemic

As our warm October has turned to cooler November, we almost skipped Halloween (a neighbor didn't), but look forward to a modified Thanksgiving. I've enjoyed my garden (flowers and persimmons!) and walks in the park where some play music, others games, others just chat. Sadly Covid-19 continues, cases and deaths increase...my heart goes to those who have suffered and continue to suffer.

I am inspired by good people everywhere who are civically engaged. Never have so many Americans voted.

Mormon Women for a more Ethical Government's third principle: 

Peacemaking demands great tolerance for people and none for injustice.

We believe we are all daughters and sons of God and are, therefore, sisters and brothers. As such, we do not wish ill on each other and try to possess charity for all. However, we boldly reject and oppose any attempt to use power or authority for the purposes of self-interest, justification of evil, or exercising unrighteous dominion or compulsion over others. We seek to dismantle all such corruption and the injustices which it perpetuates. (See Psalm 82:6, Ephesians 5:11, and D&C 121:37.)

The other principles : Peacemaking .........

*is proactive and courageous

*seeks to unify instead of divide

*views human suffering as sacred

*chooses love instead of hate

*believes that ultimate peace is not only possible, but sure

Former Palo Altan, Apostle Gerrit and wife Susan Gong lead ground-breaking for the Taylorsville, Utah Temple. Despite the closures/restrictive use of temples during the pandemic, temple construction moves forward. 

Elder Gong's sister, our dear friend Marguerite Gong Hancock celebrated her 60th birthday with drive-by, walk-by wishes and flowers. Jim Welch gets into the action, and Sinclair came from out of town to surprise her mom, who barely arrived home in time after an a propro visit  to the oldest tree, growing in Sequoia National Park!

What a blessing to have a lovely park (Foothills) so close, with trails, a lake, and wildlife ( wild turkeys, water fowl, birds and deer) as respite from a stressful election and increased Covid cases. It's dry but still a beautiful place to hike.

As the political situation has unfolded we've needed patience, hope and optimism as we cross new bridges....

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. defeated President Trump and has been elected 46th president of the United States. He clinched the Electoral College with Pennsylvania.

Saturday, November 7, 2020

After four tumultuous years in the White House, Mr. Trump became the first incumbent to lose re-election in more than a quarter-century. The election result fulfills Mr. Biden’s decades-long ambition in his third bid for the presidency. It also provides a history-making moment for Senator Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, who became the first woman on a winning presidential ticket. In a brief statement, Mr. Biden called for healing and unity. “With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation,’’ he said. “It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together.” Aleluya que las elecciones ya se han acabado!! Chao, Trump! Biden can bring us back democracy and respect. He just gave a powerful acceptance speech, as did his vice president Kamala Harris (black/Indian parents) who has spent her whole adult life working for equality and justice. They will be a good team. As I write they are doing fireworks! A great day!