Hi, Hey, Hello!
Goodness, I’m so happy to see you! How the heck are you?!
I’m so glad we have the time to settle in for a proper chat! What can I get started for you? I’m brewing up some black tea with milk and honey (obviously) but also have coffee or any herbal tea your heart could desire.
Let’s catch up on the week, shall we?
#nokings
My home town, Santa Fe, is a beautiful and unique place that usually shows up for itself, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised yesterday at the No Kings protest. The crowd was like no other I’ve seen. Everyone was kind and present and peaceful. Pissed off? Yes, but at our political climate, not anyone there. The only heat was the temperature (+90*F) and I left feeling hopeful, truly hopeful, for the first time in a long time, about our future here in the USA. Despite the many who did not attend due to work commitments or personal reasons (yes, there is some fear, even here in NM), the numbers from yesterday’s event are a solid reminder that we are not alone in our willingness to show up and have our voices heard.
Did you attend a local #nokings protest? What are your thoughts/feelings about what you saw yesterday?
Summer Time Goodness
With our late Spring rains behind us, the temperatures are soaring into the 90s consistently now. The pool is up, the plants are thriving, and the animals are all doing their animal things…
Including Rue, the very-big-puppy, really hoping Kira, the not-having-it-barn cat, would just come out and play 😉
And also, the newest ducklings and some very pregnant mama goats.
I’m spending most early mornings out and about on the farm, coming in either when a task is completed or it’s simply too hot to carry on. There are always inside chores to do and, when I’m lucky or especially fast with what needs to be done, I might even get a little computer time.
How are your summer days rolling out? Any fun to balance the work? Or work to balance the fun?
Speaking of Computer Time
I was recently able to:
- Complete my 50 before 50 bucket list and publish it here to blog. My family is all in-the-know and excited to help me cross things off my list. I honestly can’t wait to start!
- Update my about pages here, on the family history blog, and on the farm blog. These a fun little Two Truths and One Lie question on my about page here if you want to wager a guess 🙂 I also figured out how to set up WooCommerce on the (newly moved from Square Space to WP) family history blog and aim to have my t-shirt and mug shop back up and running in the next couple of weeks.
- Draft and submit my very first Author’s Bio to the Publisher of the upcoming Anthology my piece is being published in.
- Post my first farm video to youtube in a million years. OK, maybe not a million, but a lot. The pure goodness of new life left me with truly no option but to get that video out into the public. Surely you understand 🙂
What is your computer time focused on these days?
In addition to all this goodness, my wife and I shared a delicious meal with a couple of her work friends at their most gorgeous home with the most amazing sunset views over the Jemez Mountains (my favorite mountains). And yes, that is a rare and spectacular Agave flower spike! So, I’ll leave you with this gorgeous moment and wish you the very best week ahead!
Thanks for sharing a cuppa with me this week! I so appreciate the company 🙂
As always, big thanks to Natalie for hosting us and providing a platform for us to find each other.
If you have a few extra minutes, please pop over and see what others are up to, too!
Onward,
Melissa
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I am glad your No Kings protest went so well. I did not go to any of the bigger protests around here, but there was a late afternoon one at the library in front of my house, so I hung out and waved a flag for an hour. Maybe 40 people,but not bad for our small village. Mostly positive, but we had laughs at some of the people who tried to be not nice but mostly just looked foolish.
Hi Trent, I’m so glad you got to attend! The small groups I’ve seen all over the internet bring me so much hope! There’s always at least one who has to act a fool, so I’m glad they did, in fact, look foolish 😉
I couldn’t see how to add a comment on your blog, Melissa, but thanks for raising my attention to the protests. I live in Australia and you hear snippets of news and don’t always put them all together and I had been reading about the Middle East and strikes between Israel and Iran, and I must say we’re grateful to be home because we returned via Qatar.
I thought you might be interested to read about what was written on the protests here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-15/donald-trump-no-kings-protests-united-states/105418228
Hope you have a great week. Hope things improve over your way.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Hi Rowena, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so glad it came through 🙂 Thank you also for sharing this article. I always enjoy seeing how others around the world view the world and the US. The protests across the country brought out millions of people and were so very inspiring. Now we just have to keep showing up!
I am feeling more like a global citizen after our trip to Europe and flying there via the US. I did well last weekend and read the newspaper, but my cough is a bit under the weather and I slept much of today. My husband and I are both struggling with jet lag still. He is also working today Sunday with an early start. Feel sorry for him, but grateful too that he looks after us. I haven’t been able to work due to my health but I’m reconsidering things. We’ll see.
Best wishes,
Rowena
Thank you for attending the No Kings protest. I wish I could’ve attended but my parents weren’t available to watch my kid.
I attended a protest a while ago when I did have a sitter. There’s a lot of good energy and you meet lots of people.
It was a wonderful experience! We all show up when we can and I know you were there in spirit 🙂 Hope your weekend has been wonderful!
Hey, living in Portugal I am not sure what the the protest was for because I’ve tried to stop watching world news and all the political shit. You guys in the US have certainly had more than your fair share … so well done you for braving 90F and standing up for what you believe in.
Love your duckling video they are SO cute.
And the view from your wife’s work freind is amazing! Sunset is my favourit time of day.
Congrats on your bucket list 🙂
Hi! Thank you so much for your wonderful reply! It did, in fact, show up! It seems there is a bit of a lag for some people between commenting and the comment showing up, but I did get them all 🙂
Our nationwide protest was about Trump’s governmental overreach. It’s been planned for a while but his recent push to deport immigrants and deploying the military to California against the Governor’s wishes just added fuel to the fire. We’re over his shenanigans and the protest was proof 🙂 Thank goodness!
I’m glad you enjoyed the ducklings and the sunset. Two very good things <3 Hope your week ahead is wonderful!
Did my comment show up? IT disappeared
I love the adorable ducklings in your video and the beautiful sunset. Your 50 before 50 bucket list is brilliant. My computer time is focused on writing up blog posts for the weekly Weekend Coffee Share link-up, reading blogs and commenting 🙂 Thank you for sharing over a cuppa. Have a wonderful week ahead!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the ducklings, there’s just something about new life that snaps me back from anything else that might be weighing on me 🙂 Thank you for spending so much time and intention on your posts and our coffee share. I so appreciate all you share with us! Have a lovely week ahead!
Our No Kings protest was much larger than organizers expected and had lots of good energy!
Love the ducklings. Thanks for sharing them with us.
I am so glad to hear this! Bigger than expected and peaceful is the best!
You’re the second blogger today to mention the No Kings Protest and it sounds like people really united. I think that’s just wonderful. We definitely aren’t dealing with any hot weather yet though it is supposed to get up into the mid-70’s today so I’m excited and breaking out my shorts. It’s been a much cooler and rainier spring than usual so I am more than ready!
It really was lovely to be in community with people and then to get home and see how others turned out around the US and the world 🙂 I hope your week has been filled with enjoyable shorts weather! Have a great weekend ahead!
Didn’t go to the nearby protest because of my ding-dang creaky knees. I cannot stand for any length of time. I am thinking of getting a cane with a little stool so that I can go to protests and sit if I need to. Glad you were able to go.
I sure hope you have a find a tool that works for you that will enable you to attend future protests comfortably. It was such a lovely experience to be in community with people. It truly filled my heart and I do believe we hit the 3.5% mark across the country which is *very hopeful!
Yay!!!
It is so wonderful to see people showing up.. this is the American way.. not whatever the crazies on the other side are trying to push.
Look at those cherries! Our weather is in the 60’s today. So still not feeling like summer yet.
Exactly! I’m so glad you understand 🙂
We’ve been in the upper 80s/low 90s all week, I’d happily trade for some 60s at this point.
Glad to hear your No Kings protest went well too! I attended one in Alabama and was SO encouraged by how many people came out. I never know what to expect here, as you can imagine. ha. Our crowd was also very peaceful, even though fired up about preserving our democracy. I’m not sure what will come out of it, but at least we all were able to use our voices.
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad to hear you were able to attend and that your event was well attended. “Fired up about preserving our democracy” is the perfect description of what this protest brought to the surface. I sure hope we keep showing up! Gotta keep the momentum moving!
I was terrified to participate in one of the many No Kings Rallies near me. The police were polite and helpful and the crowds reminded me that, even in Texas, I am far from being alone in my views about these people who are in charge of our country. It gave me great hope.
Hi Deb! I am so glad you were able to attend one of your local rallies and that it was a positive experience! I hope we can continue to come together to create positive change against these horrible times we’re living through!