LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Honk Country Dispatches - Top 'O Fox Hunting Morning

The temperature in our bedroom upon arising this AM was 62 degrees. According to C'town Accu Weather, outside is 27°. We shut down the heat upstairs almost all day, turning it on only to warm up the bathroom for showers.


We've slept comfortably under comforter and what I call the Bed Sweater, a king-sized bed afghan knitted out of cashmere-silk wool -- is there such a thing? -- by MIL long ago, which we never use at home. It's too nice, and way too warm, generally. It's perfect for current conditions here. However, as el V left yesterday afternoon for long weekend in NYC and then George Mason University, I wondered how snug sleeping would be without him. Turns out to still be perfect, though the waking up isn't as enjoyable.

It's official: coyotes are here, in large numbers, in all of Maryland's counties. Part of the official word is that there are way too many deer in Maryland, but I knew that already.  Coyotes do kill the fawns -- several of those kills were discovered this spring.  This aspect is pleasing to the Fish and Wildlife people, because the deer are also throwing twin births (hormones in the water from fertilizer run-off?), which used to be unusual, which contributes to the deer population explosion -- that devour the crops and other produce in this agricultural economy.

A Horse Lady at the library yesterday informed we interested sorts that 20 - 25 years ago you seldom saw a fox in Kent County. Now the fox hound pack, horse-riding hunters, chase them from late fall through until cubbing season (March and April), when the babies start to come out of the dens, who aren't experienced or fast enough to take refuge if a hound finds them. In the 1730's this proper red fox was introduced here from England in order that proper fox hunting take place. The point for horses and hunters and dogs is the running, for no foxes are allowed to be caught or killed. (The first fox hunting club - pack was established in Maryland in 1650, when Robert Brooke arrived here with his pack of hunting dogs, which were the root of several strains of American Hounds. These dogs remained in the Brooke family for nearly 300 years.)

Horse Lady's horses love fox hunting time. Running all over the place as fast as you can go! With lots of other horses! Yay! She had to rush off to take care of her horses as they knew, in the ways that horses know these things, that they were going out for the first Hunt of the year this morning, and were 'champing at the bit."

The fox hunters and the Fish and Wildlife people are concerned that the coyote population will soar like the deer population (Lyme's has soared again -- our admin at the Starr Center had it, and all the evidence is that it is very painful, very awful, and the medication for it basically leaves you starving, since so many foods react badly with it). Coyotes kill and eat foxes.

Her listeners disbelieved Horse Lady's  information that the coyotes had arrived, and were here at least five years ago. "I've never seen one!" Horse Lady snorted. "Coyotes are very good at that." She warned that your small dogs and cats better be kept indoors now.

I asked about the black bears. She said one had been spied a couple of years ago, making its way down to Alabama "for some unfathomable reason." It was was tracked all the way from New Jersey by the Fish and Wildlife people in order to learn what they can about black bear migration from north to south.

This morning's hard ground (no mud or ice), sunny and bright and cold weather -- makes perfect fox hunting conditions.

There are many Hunt Clubs here in Maryland, and throughout the Delmarva region, which includes D.C., which has a Club with its own pack, and Pennsylvania too, where the region merges with that north of Baltimore.

I wish "Maryland (1940) a 20th Century-Fox Hunting and Riding Film at Roxy" were available on dvd.

6 comments:

K. said...

The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable!

I know now everything there is to know about the Beveridge Model and privatized consumer-driven health care.

Foxessa said...

How ... how Oscar Wilde of you, dear K!

Is it a lot to know, knowing about the Beveridge Model and privatized consumer-driven health care? Does it make sense?

Cuba's health care makes sense, or so it seems, at least, from what I've observed, experienced and hear.

Other than the doctors don't get rich ... though in England they seem to do much better, speaking at this moment the doctors in the public practice part; those in private practice surely do immensely better, though maybe the competition from the public health system keeps their costs down quite below those here?

Love, C.

K. said...

The coolest distinction about Cuban health care, IMHO, is that the PCPs have to live in neighborhood where they practice. That way, they're always available, plus develop personal relationships with the people they care for.

I hate to admit it, but the privatizers are the only ones out there who have thought through a response to a couple of particular problems. I think the response is unworkable, but they have tried to tackle these issues of supply-driven care and the absence of patient/consumer involvement in the economics of health care. See Citizen K. tomorrow.

Their rhetoric can be over the top, too, as with one guy who wrote that under the current contraption based on employer insurance and Medicare, patients don't "get" to spend their own money. To me, I don't "get" to see Leonard Cohen or I don't "get" to visit Cuba. But I generally don't think in terms of I don't "get" to run through my savings on chemotherapy.

Foxessa said...

I haz newz 4 that fello: You always get 2 spend ur own money. Even -- GASP NOW -- in Cuba.

Love, c.

Foxessa said...

How has this nation produced so many idiots? Not that producing idiots is something we do very very very well, and always have.

The more I read, the more idiocy I see.

Nor am I equating necessarily self-interest and selfishness = idiocy. Though, sometimes, it's difficult not to. Jefferson made it very clear to himself, as you see in his papers. He knew slavery was evil, morally pernicious, wrong and even a sin, if that is part of your ethical vocabulary. He also foresaw that the longer slavery as an institution continued in this nation the greater the evils. Yet, selfish economic and comfortable self-interest left him doing NOTHING. And he knew it too. They keyword for so many of these founding fathers when it came to slavery was 'inconvenience.' Slavey was so convenient for them. Just as keeping women oppressed everywher is so convenient for all men everywhere.

Love, C.

K. said...

What's the line in Huckleberry Finn? "Ain't I got all the fools in town on my side? And ain't that a majority in any town?"

Let's face it: Regarding race, just about every president not named Lincoln, Grant, Truman, Johnson, and (sort of) Clinton punted on it.