Category Archives: Blogging Community

Strange Birds

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To wear a hair shirt means to suffer a self-imposed punishment, trial, or burden. Those who are sentenced to prison have their punishment imposed on them from society. A very famous prison is located on an island in the San Francisco Bay. It’s name is Alcatraz. The name Alcatraz is thought to have originated from the Spanish word alcatraces for “strange birds.” There are many sea birds that nest on Alcatraz Island. It has a very interesting history. Many people are familiar with the name Alcatraz, the high security Federal prison, that housed some of the most hardened criminals. Reading a few short biographies of some of these men, I realize that their life stories would definitely make great films, and of course, some films have already been done. There is also a great sense of darkness about these men and this prison.  Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Robert Stroud, Roy Gardner, James “Whitey” Bulger,  and Mickey Cohen are some of the more famous inmates. Roy Gardner was called the ” King of the Escape Artists” because he managed to escape twice while under guard by U.S. Marshalls and escaped from prison twice. No one escaped from Alcatraz.

Fake head made by prisoners in escape attempt via NPS Alcatraz Island website

Image of human head via US National Park Service Alcatraz Island website

“In 1962, three inmates attempting to escape from Alcatraz created fake human heads out of cardboard and human hair. They placed the heads on their pillows in their cells so it appeared as though they were sleeping.” ( NPS Alcatraz Island website)

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Christmas 1954 menu for prisoners via NPS Alcatraz Island website

Nowadays, the prison is empty. Wild birds make their homes on the island and they are free to fly away.

Snowy Egret of Alcatraz Island via National Park Service

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt word for today is “hair.” Information for this post was obtained from The US National Park Service Alcatraz Island website and Alcatraz History.com. Featured Image of ‘Snowy Egret with mating plumage’ via NPS Alcatraz Island website.

Thank You Note

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I have a group of regular readers who have been reading and commenting pretty much since I started blogging in 2014. The size of my readership fits my personality as I enjoy getting together with a few friends at a time. I appreciate the followers and readers I do have and especially those who drop by, like, and comment on my posts. Thanks guys. ❤

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Notes On The Sagebrush has 501 followers

Leavings

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When you walk through a grove of trees, depending on the type of trees, you are walking over fallen leaves, twigs, small cones, pine needles,and dead foliage and such. The twigs,leaves, and cones crunch under your feet yet muffle the sound of your step and release a woodsy frangrance. Besides providing a fragrant carpet these leavings return nutrients to the earth. Let me leave something that contibutes to life.

Did you see the Google Doodle about Fred Korematsu?  January 30 is Fred Korematsu Day in California, and he would have been 98 years old. He died in 2005. He was a civil liberties activist who fought against the internment of the Japanese during WWII. I don’t know how he survived psychologically all the oppression he experienced, but he did. What an inspiration he is. If I could have a fraction of his courage. Click on the links and read about him, you won’t be disappointed.

This is the last entry for JustJotItJanuary hosted by Linda G Hill. The word prompt for today is ” detritus ” suggested by Lorraine of Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip https://myfrillyfreudianslip.wordpress.com/

I have aimed to keep my posts positive lately in hopes of uplifting spirits. We are in an unsettling transition time that feels like the ground is moving under our feet. We must speak up if we think something is wrong. Featured image is of ‘Fallen Giant Sequoia cones and foliage; Sugar Pine and White Fir foliage; other woody debris’ by Walter Siegmund via wikimedia. Photo taken at Mariposa Grove, Yosemite, California.

'The Umbrellas' by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Blue

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I am not blue about the winter weather in Southern California. I am liking it after 6 years of drought. It is nice to have colder temperatures and rain for a welcome change. I am working on keeping an even keel and not feeling anxiety about this transition period in my country’s leadership. There have been other times during my life that there has been tumultuous and anxious times in my country. The country and its people survived. The featured image at the top is ‘The Umbrellas’ by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1881-86). He used a lot of blue in this painting. The pigments used for the blues were cobalt blue and ultramarine. I am wondering why he chose to use to so much blue . It was a popular fashion color in France at the time. Many artists use color to express a feeling. Could it be that the rainy weather calls for a subdued color pallette. Subdued is a good feeling right now. I would like to maintain that feeling, calm and subdued but not blue.

A short video about the painting by The Frick Collection on You Tube:

JustJotItJanuary is hosted by Linda G Hill. The prompt word for today is ” blue” suggested by John Holton at The Sound of One Hand Typing, https://thesoundofonehandtyping.wordpress.com/.

compromise

 

Herstory

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“I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed … anything that could be counted, I did.”    -Katherine Johnson

Really like that a light is shining on women’s history in science. Washington Post had an article by Victoria St. Martin on Katherine Johnson, (now 98),  who is one of the mathematicians who worked at NASA and is featured in the film ‘Hidden Figures.’ I found a great video of Ms. Johnson talking about her life and work on The Makers website. It is worth it to click on the link and watch. Here’s another video from PBS about the film.

 

Here’s a video (below) from the NASA website about Katherine Johnson’s life and career. It’s very inspiring, ‘The Girl Who Loved to Count.’

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Katherine Johnson recieves Presidential Medal of Freedom 2015

JustJotItJanuary is hosted by Linda G Hill. And we’re almost through with this blogging challenge but click on the link to see what it’s all about and read some of the other blogs that are participating. Prompt word for today is “history” suggested by K L Caley of New2Writing, https://new2writing.wordpress.com/.Featured image, at top, of Katherine Johnson in 1966 and image of her recieving the Presidential Medal of Freedom via NASA on wikimedia.

compromise

Complete

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We are often seeking something outside ourselves but we already are complete.

“To be beautiful means to be yourself.You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. When you are born a lotus flower, be a beautiful lotus flower, don’t try to be a magnolia flower. If you crave acceptance and recognition and try to change yourself to fit what other people want you to be, you will suffer all your life. True happiness and true power lie in understanding yourself, accepting yourself, having confidence in yourself.”

-Thich Nhat Hanh

JustJotItJanuary is hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt word is “incomplete” suggested by Cyn K of That Cynking Feeling, https://cynk.wordpress.com/.  I decided to write about the opposite. Featured image is of the beautiful Redwood National Park, California via Pixabay.com.

compromise

Extraordinary

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“From outward appearances, no one can tell, the rich inner lives we lead.”                 ∼Notes Tied on the Sagebrush

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Lucy Maude Montgomery

“There isn’t any such thing as an ordinary life.”-L.M. Montgomery

Today is Bessie Coleman’s 125th Birthday , First African American woman pilot,Google reminded me. JustJotItJanuary is hosted by Linda G Hill. Featured image (top of post) ‘Contemplation’ by Maurice Fillonneau on wikimedia. Photo of Lucy Maude Montgomery via wikimedia. Today’s prompt word is “extraordinary” suggested by Kelly of Forty, C’est Fantastique!(https://fortyandfantastique.wordpress.com/)

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Mystery Mansion

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Sarah Winchester sought to be elusive to the ghosts who haunted her after the death of her husband and only child. She had married into a wealthy family and inherited a huge fortune on the death of her husband.* She spent a large part of her fortune and the major part of her life building onto her mysterious mansion. The workmen never stopped, working in continuous round the clock shifts. No expense was spared and many luxurious materials went into the construction. The house was built to appease the ghosts who haunted Sarah and possibly confuse them, with some doors that go no where or stairs going up to the ceiling. She would sleep in different rooms to elude the spirits and held séances to communicate with them. The number 13 is a recurrent theme in the house’s construction. Many rooms were constructed only to be torn apart. I have a memory of visiting there but now realize how little I knew about this mysterious house and lady. It is a disturbing story, a spooky Halloween tale. I hope she found peace in the end.

*heir to the inventor of the Winchester rifle. For a bit more history click on the links.

JustJotItJanuary is guest hosted today by Judy E. Martin of Edwina’s Episodes.

The prompt word “elusive” was suggested by Evelyn of Eclectic Evelyn (http://www.eclecticevelyn.com/).

Featured image of the Winchester Mystery House mansion via San Jose Library Archives on Flickr.