I love the little cat paws sprinkled across the view from my studio window. Hope you all are staying cozy and enjoying the winter as much as I am!
#fensterfreitag #windowFriday #photography #winter #kentucky
I love the little cat paws sprinkled across the view from my studio window. Hope you all are staying cozy and enjoying the winter as much as I am!
#fensterfreitag #windowFriday #photography #winter #kentucky
"Charles Booker, a #Democratic candidate for the US Senate in #Kentucky, praised the organizations for showing solidarity in the face of a crackdown by federal agents.
“This is what it takes,” he wrote in a social media post. “It is time for the people to stand and take back our power. We need a general strike! Love and solidarity to our family in Minneapolis who are refusing to go along with a status quo... More of this!”"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/minneapolis-ice-general-strike
From 2014: Passionate Couple, USDA, Team up for 'Miracle:' Bringing Back the American Chestnut
February 14, 2014 at 3:30 PM
"It was on a hilltop in eastern Kentucky where I first met James and Gail Cope, looking at the 27 newly planted American chestnut seedlings on their land. It was our common love for this rare tree that brought us together.
"American chestnut trees once dominated the Appalachian landscape, but during the early 1900s a fungus struck the trees causing them nearly to vanish. The American Chestnut Blight, an Asian fungus, first struck in 1904 in New York City and quickly spread, leaving in its wake a trail of dead and dying stems. By the 1950s, the keystone species of some nine million acres of forests had disappeared.
"The tree is important because it produces bushels of nuts for wildlife, and animals like squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, black bear, and grouse depend on the nuts for a major food source.
"The tree also has a history tied intimately with an earlier America. Commonly referred to as the 'redwood of the East,' the American chestnut tree was used to build cabins and fences and feed hogs.
"Through a Conservation Innovation Grant from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Cope family is working with the American Chestnut Foundation to plant the trees and study how to reforest them successfully.
"This month, USDA is highlighting innovative agricultural and conservation efforts, and NRCS is currently accepting grant proposals.
"The grant of $500,000 from NRCS has enabled the foundation to create research orchards, like the one on the Copes’ land. The forests consist of chestnuts, northern red oaks and white pines, and the goal is to find ways to out compete the white pines.
The American Chestnut Foundation was founded in 1983 by a group of plant scientists who recognized the severe impact the demise of the American chestnut tree had on communities, forests and wildlife.
"The foundation started #crossbreeding American chestnut trees with #ChineseChestnutTrees, which are naturally resistant to the blight. Once a half American-half Chinese tree was created, it was then crossbred with an American, resulting in a 75 percent American chestnut tree. These trees don’t have any Chinese characteristics, except for a resistance to the blight.
"As a part of this grant program, the group or individual awarded the grant must work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. In this case, they worked with the Cope family to study and monitor chestnut growth.
"The Copes’ enthusiasm made them a great candidate. Actually, James Cope still has the froe, a cutting tool, his grandparents used to split chestnut shake shingles and rails for split rail fences.
"We’re excited and hopeful about the work underway at the Copes’ land. One of the things I most love about my country is that even in the bleakest of circumstances, there is always room for a miracle. For me, one of those miracles is the 27 tiny American chestnuts struggling on a hillside in eastern #Kentucky."
#SolarPunkSunday #Trees #SaveTheForests #SaveTheTrees #CastaneaDentata #AmericanChestnuts #AmericanChestnutTree #ChestnutTrees #ChestnutBlight
From 2014: Passionate Couple, USDA, Team up for 'Miracle:' Bringing Back the American Chestnut
February 14, 2014 at 3:30 PM
"It was on a hilltop in eastern Kentucky where I first met James and Gail Cope, looking at the 27 newly planted American chestnut seedlings on their land. It was our common love for this rare tree that brought us together.
"American chestnut trees once dominated the Appalachian landscape, but during the early 1900s a fungus struck the trees causing them nearly to vanish. The American Chestnut Blight, an Asian fungus, first struck in 1904 in New York City and quickly spread, leaving in its wake a trail of dead and dying stems. By the 1950s, the keystone species of some nine million acres of forests had disappeared.
"The tree is important because it produces bushels of nuts for wildlife, and animals like squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, black bear, and grouse depend on the nuts for a major food source.
"The tree also has a history tied intimately with an earlier America. Commonly referred to as the 'redwood of the East,' the American chestnut tree was used to build cabins and fences and feed hogs.
"Through a Conservation Innovation Grant from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Cope family is working with the American Chestnut Foundation to plant the trees and study how to reforest them successfully.
"This month, USDA is highlighting innovative agricultural and conservation efforts, and NRCS is currently accepting grant proposals.
"The grant of $500,000 from NRCS has enabled the foundation to create research orchards, like the one on the Copes’ land. The forests consist of chestnuts, northern red oaks and white pines, and the goal is to find ways to out compete the white pines.
The American Chestnut Foundation was founded in 1983 by a group of plant scientists who recognized the severe impact the demise of the American chestnut tree had on communities, forests and wildlife.
"The foundation started #crossbreeding American chestnut trees with #ChineseChestnutTrees, which are naturally resistant to the blight. Once a half American-half Chinese tree was created, it was then crossbred with an American, resulting in a 75 percent American chestnut tree. These trees don’t have any Chinese characteristics, except for a resistance to the blight.
"As a part of this grant program, the group or individual awarded the grant must work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. In this case, they worked with the Cope family to study and monitor chestnut growth.
"The Copes’ enthusiasm made them a great candidate. Actually, James Cope still has the froe, a cutting tool, his grandparents used to split chestnut shake shingles and rails for split rail fences.
"We’re excited and hopeful about the work underway at the Copes’ land. One of the things I most love about my country is that even in the bleakest of circumstances, there is always room for a miracle. For me, one of those miracles is the 27 tiny American chestnuts struggling on a hillside in eastern #Kentucky."
#SolarPunkSunday #Trees #SaveTheForests #SaveTheTrees #CastaneaDentata #AmericanChestnuts #AmericanChestnutTree #ChestnutTrees #ChestnutBlight
U.S. federal safety investigators have located the "black box" recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff from the airport at Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least 12 people. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/06/world/ups-plane-black-boxes/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #ups #kentucky #us #airaccidents
A UPS plane crashed and erupted into a fireball shortly after takeoff on Tuesday from an airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing seven people and injuring 11 others. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/05/world/ups-plane-crash-kentucky/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #ups #kentucky #us #airaccidents
Three #AntiProtestLaws recently passed in #Arizona, #Kentucky and #Texas
Source: https://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/
Arizona
HB 2880: Banning #protest #encampments on #campus
Bars protest encampments on the campuses of state colleges and universities. Under the new law, individuals or groups that establish an “encampment” are no longer lawfully present on campus for the purpose of speech protections under Arizona law; they are criminally liable to prosecution for trespass; and they are liable for any damage they cause, including the "direct and indirect costs" of removing the encampment and "restoring" campus. The new law defines “encampment” as “temporary shelter” installed on campus and used to stay overnight or “for a prolonged period of time.” The law requires colleges and universities to order individuals to dismantle and vacate any encampment; if the individuals refuse to comply, the institution is required to take disciplinary action and report the individuals to local law enforcement for trespassing. The sponsor of the new law said that it was motivated by #ProPalestine protests on college campuses.
Full bill text:
https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/83353
Status: enacted
Introduced 12 Feb 2025; Approved by House 3 March 2025; Approved by Senate 30 April 2025; Signed by Governor Hobbs 7 May 2025
Issue(s): #CampusProtests, #Trespass, Camping
Kentucky
HB 399: New penalties for protesters at the capitol
Creates serious new criminal offenses that can cover #PeacefulProtesters at the state capitol, as well as anyone who “conspires” with or otherwise supports them. The first new offense applies to someone who enters the capitol, or impedes access to the capitol by a legislator or legislative staff, with intent to disrupt or impede legislative business—regardless of whether legislative business was in fact “impeded.” “Conspir[ing]” to engage in such conduct or “facilitat[ing]” another person to engage in the conduct is subject to the same penalties as actually engaging in it. It is a Class B misdemeanor (punishable by up to 3 months in jail) for a first incident, and a Class A misdemeanor (up to one year in jail) for subsequent incident. The law creates a second, more serious offense for someone who engages in “disorderly or disruptive conduct” inside the Capitol with intent to disrupt or impede legislative business, if their conduct in fact “disrupts” or “impedes” the legislature’s business—even momentarily. As written, the offense could cover a demonstrator who shouts a single chant during a legislative hearing. “Conspir[ing]” to engage in such conduct or “facilitat[ing]” another person to engage in the conduct is subject to the same penalties as actually engaging in it. The offense would be a Class A misdemeanor (punishable by up to one year in jail) for the first incident, and a Class D felony (up to 5 years in prison) for third and subsequent incident. Prior to passing the bill, lawmakers added an amendment which provides that the law will not be construed "to prohibit... [a]ssembly in traditional public forums, including but not limited to the Capitol rotunda and outdoor areas of the Capitol grounds." While helpful, the amendment does not immunize all peaceful protest activity that the law could potentially punish, including protest organizing. When he vetoed the bill (later overridden), Governor Beshear noted the risks it poses to lawful #FirstAmendment activity.
Full bill text:
https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25rs/hb399.html
Status: enacted
Introduced 6 Feb 2025; Approved by House 7 March 2025; Approved by Senate 13 March 2025; Vetoed by Governor Beshear 25 March 2025; Veto overridden 27 March 2025
Issue(s): Protest Supporters or Funders, Police Response
Texas
#SB2972: New restrictions on #CampusProtests
Requires public colleges and universities to adopt new limitations on campus protests that among other things would ban protest encampments, limit protesters’ ability to wear a mask, and restrict vigils and other demonstrations at night. Under the law—which revises Texas’s 2019 law on campus speech—all public colleges and universities in the state must have policies that among other things prohibit: a) erecting tents or otherwise “camping” on campus; b) wearing a mask or other disguise while engaging in “expressive activities” on campus with certain intent, including intent to “intimidate others;” c) engaging in “expressive activities” between 10pm and 8am; d) engaging in “expressive activities” in the last two weeks of a school term by inviting speakers or using sound amplification or drums; and e) using sound amplification while engaging in “expressive activities” during class hours if it “intimidate[s] others.” Preexisting provisions of the law define “expressive activities” broadly as “any speech or expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment,” including but not limited to assemblies, protests, speeches, carrying signs, or distributing written material. As such, colleges and universities would seemingly be required to ban all kinds of expression between 10pm and 8am, from conversations in the dining hall to someone sending a text or wearing expressive clothing. The law repeals a provision in the 2019 law that established all common outdoor areas of campus as traditional public forums where anyone could engage in First Amendment activity, and replaced it with a provision authorizing the governing boards of schools to designate select areas as public forums.
Full bill text: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2972
Status: enacted
Introduced 14 Mar 2025; Approved by Senate 14 May 2025; Approved by House 28 May 2025; Signed by Governor Abbott 20 June 2025
Issue(s): Campus Protests, Face Covering, Camping
#USPol #CriminalizingProtest #CriminalizingDissent #AntiProtestLaws #TexasProtestLaws #KentuckyProtestLaws #ArizonaProtestLaws #ClothingBans #CollegeCampusProtests #MaskBans #EncampmentBans
Just now finding out about https://pol.is/home - the #opensource software being used to reach community consensus to make policy.
First used by the Taiwan government, currently being used in a #Kentucky town called Bowling Green: https://www.webpronews.com/bowling-green-kentucky-uses-ai-to-bridge-divides-on-community-issues/
The idea is to give people a voice, reach consensus, reduce polarisation, and promote #democracy
It's open source and can be used by any community.
Anyone here have experience with Polis?
Just now finding out about https://pol.is/home - the #opensource software being used to reach community consensus to make policy.
First used by the Taiwan government, currently being used in a #Kentucky town called Bowling Green: https://www.webpronews.com/bowling-green-kentucky-uses-ai-to-bridge-divides-on-community-issues/
The idea is to give people a voice, reach consensus, reduce polarisation, and promote #democracy
It's open source and can be used by any community.
Anyone here have experience with Polis?
I FINALLY got around to decorating and firing some of the lidded tea bowls that I made a few months ago.
Here's one of my favorites: a bunny with radishes
if you want to see them all, I shared photos in my website's latest blog post
#pottery #tea #bunny #rabbit #radish #garden #handmade #craft #art #kentucky
I FINALLY got around to decorating and firing some of the lidded tea bowls that I made a few months ago.
Here's one of my favorites: a bunny with radishes
if you want to see them all, I shared photos in my website's latest blog post
#pottery #tea #bunny #rabbit #radish #garden #handmade #craft #art #kentucky
The little river town (Augusta, KY) that took me in , nurtured and encouraged me when I was a little baby artist-with a dream of making art my life, had a plein air painting event last friday.
I wanted to create something that captured all the gratitudeI have about that special little river town. I'm so glad I left the house--even when I was tired from a lot of travel.
The little river town (Augusta, KY) that took me in , nurtured and encouraged me when I was a little baby artist-with a dream of making art my life, had a plein air painting event last friday.
I wanted to create something that captured all the gratitudeI have about that special little river town. I'm so glad I left the house--even when I was tired from a lot of travel.
The #MilkyWay from Chimney Rock in the #RedRiverGorge #kentucky
I'm excited to reveal the artwork for this year's LIMESTONE CYCLING TOUR t-shirt. I was asked to make a design that included bicycles and downtown Maysville.
This woodcut design uses 3 colors - and white- to keep the t-shirt printing process simple -and in budget
If you'd like to to participate in this year's ride (and get one of their beautiful t-shirts) more information is available on their website:
https://limestonecyclingtour.com
#printmaking #woodcut #bike #cycling #kentucky #handmade #craft
