That is the only word I have for the news this morning.
Bleak.
One man’s meat is another man’s poison. This feels very true this morning, too. I get that we cannot possibly all agree. Politics is super charged with emotion here. Dangerous territory. I know.
I keep taking my hands off the keyboard to think but it may take a few days before my natural optimism returns this time.
Skies help.
Go HERE for some quiet time with the chickens.
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I am going to have to spend some solid time thinking about how to live here in the USA, now. In rural Illinois. As an immigrant. And as a woman. And as an environmentalist.
I have my birthday in Melbourne, Australia, in December to look forward to. It will be good to spend some real life time with like minded people. And a new garden there to put in.
Much love my American friends. Take care my European and Australasian friends.
My words will be back tomorrow. But today (and I know this is a selfish thought) but today I cannot get past the very real fact that the majority of American people (including those very close to me) voted against everything I believe in. Truth being the first to fall.
Talk soon.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
55 responses to “Bleak.”
Me, too, friend. Me, too. But we are survivors: we and the people we love, we will survive this together. 💕
Just makes me feel so powerless.
Dear Celi, I agree with you completely. Today is deeply emotional and depressing. And I live in a blue state but it is little comfort when I think of all the damage in our future.
It is a comfort to have your trips to see your children.
Take care
Yes! I look forward to getting away this time. My children and their myriad vege gardens where we talk about all kinds of stuff as we weed will be great.
Well-said. I am heartsick and distraught this morning after a nearly sleepless night. Still, my loving cat was eager to greet me this morning with some fresh throw up on the carpet. Life goes on.
Oh nice!! Cats bring us back to earth with a no-nonsense thump!
Celi, I don’t know what truth is, anymore. Political truth seems non-existent. My truth lives in daily life, doing what the moment calls me to do. Politics takes a back seat, and I didn’t even follow the election, except by default. The whole world seemed focused on what the Presidential candidates said about each other. Like you, I care for the environment where we humans live and breathe, along with all the nonvoting animals and plants. And, I am female. But political structures throughout the world are dominated by men, with rare exceptions.
I’m not sure anyone can lead such a diverse and internally conflicted geopolitical entity like this. New Zealand is small. Even Britain is small, but the British Empire excelled in navigational expertise, led by strong queens, like Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria.
My point is that people of like minds do find each other, but it is not determined by sex or political persuasion.
We can still count on the sun coming up tomorrow.
Yes – NZ is small and not necessarily perfect but that is the way of people and politics. We all seem to have found each other here which is lovely and a comfort for sure.
I am gutted as well and trying to figure out a way to keep “planting an apple tree”, but geez. I’m curious why you stay here. Seems like you have better options in better places. You don’t have to answer.
Sara
I am presently asking myself this exact same question. And I have no answer yet. Something has to give though. Because all I hear in the house today is the crowing voice of Mr Trump (my husband is delighted) and four years of this is going to do me in.
On the other side of the world, we look on in amazement and despair, as seemingly the majority of our America friends have voted to put into power a man, a bigot, who goes against everything we’ve always believed in. That each man is equal never mind where he was born and the colour of his skin. That women are equal to men (didn’t those women who went before us fight for their rights) and of course, we are all immigrants so where does it leave you and many of my American friends. None of us can change what happened yesterday, but we will all be affected by it whereever we live in the world.
I have no word of hope for you, No way of saying this will get better. We cry along with you,
It will get worse with all these toadies he has gathered around him getting big payouts and rewards and govt contracts and rights to the oldest forests. I feel so torn. And rural Illinois is all red down here. I am in the wrong place. but we have to try to look on the bright side it is human nature – yes? Maybe the bright side is that it will galvanise me into a change.
“Bleak” is an apt word, Celi. I am sorry for what so many of my countrymen and women chose to do. I think nostalgia for an idea of better times has kept a lot of people from creating better times. I, too, am a woman and an environmentalist. I happened to have scheduled a brief trip to California to gather with old friends, musicians and singers all. I will take some solace in that as you will in visiting your family. And then we will go on in whatever way we can.
I am so glad you are going off to sing and hit the drums and life yourself up. That is good. I am also glad that I had scheduled this trip away. Sometimes we need to just admit that getting out from under the cause of the misery is the only way. Then we can see more clearly.
I hear you! I really hoped to wake up to better news this morning. This has far-reaching implications beyond the US border. As a Canadian, I am very concerned.
I am also concerned about the international ramifications. No man is an island and this goes for countries too.
Your bleak skies oppress me like the state of our nation this morning. I have read Thomas Hardy’s poem on a bleak day, The Darkling Thrush, & think the best thing for my despair would be a walk, to fill my lungs with fresh air & perhaps to hear a lingering bird singing its hopeful song for me too.
I love that word ‘darkling’ and yes while I was outside working this morning I felt so much better – I hope your work did you good. We can think about what comes next another day – so much is out of our hands now.
It’s a bloody mess. I’ve already commented over on Substack. Apparently it’s got to get a lot worse before change is effected. And that scares me. So I keep repeating like a mantra… do the work… radical hope.
Celi I reblogged this on Bridgesburning. I fear there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth when they realize he meant every threat, every word that sounded demented and people dismissed. I am heartsick for my American friends and for the world. And they should have believed him when he said, “Vote for me this time and you will never have to vote again. Chris
Deeply disappointed and frustrated. Working hard to move forward.
Yes. We have to work through it. I am turning the news off my phone – though I am not sure how. The headline variety of news just adds to the miasma.
The world watches on, and breathes to itself “there but for the grace of god”, not realising that ripples travel out, and out and out. This will damage us all. Poverty and discontent breed dictators. If the hand of madness is on the red button, where will it end.
this is exactly what I was thinking last night. This rot will spread.
My husband and I have been depressed as well. But I know I do NOT want that man to live rent free in my head for the next four years. We’ve been asking ourselves, who’s going to be hurt worst? Who’s not safe right now? And what can we do to help? Just thinking that might help us feel a bit less powerless.
I have turned the news off (or I think I would go mad) and turning to supporting the members of my extended family who are at risk / plus planting lots and lots of trees! 🌳 I hope you are not as depressed now. Getting busy sure does help.