Mary Anne

  • Mary Anne is a mother of five, sister of six, and beloved of countless more. Her symbol is a palm tree.

Donald Edward Jr.

  • a
    Donald Edward Jr. is a farmer, poet, musician and freelance monk living in Chatham County, North Carolina. His symbol is Canada geese.

Julie Elizabeth

  • a
    Julie is a professor of religion living in Brooklyn, New York. Her symbol is a flower.

Donald Edward III

  • Donny is a farmer, teacher and freelance monk living in Chatham County, North Carolina. He is wedded to Lakaisha Nicole. His symbol is a butterfly.

Clare Siobhan

  • Clare is a dancer, teacher and choreographer living in Vermont. Her symbol is a seashell.

Mary McMonigal

  • Mary is a writer, songwriter and musician living in Brooklyn, New York. Her symbol is sage.

Monica Catherine

  • Monica is a writer and playwright living in Durham, North Carolina. Her symbol is a star.

Family

  • All of us in various combinations. (Not chronological.)

Leaving Annville

  • The magnolia tree bloomed just in time for our departure from Annville, Pennsylvania.

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January 23, 2009

Comments

Jeanne Manzer

How exciting to be in D.C. at such a time! Here in Wyoming, where only 33% of the voters voted for Obama (that's the lowest rate in all the 50 States), where an acquaintance told me if Obama wins she will move to Canada, where a 7 year old child told me "Obama kills children", where the Cheney's came after they left D.C., arrived at the Legislature and were given a standing ovation, I thought of these lines from Emily Dickinson: "When I hoped, I recollect/Just the place I stood -/At a window facing West-/Roughest Air-was good-/Not a sleet could bite me-/Not a frost could cool-/Hope it was that kept me warm-/Not Merino shawl-/..." Of course, I was facing East, not West...and I thought of it this way...one out of every 3 of us voters here in Wyoming, helped made this happen!! Thank you for asking...Jeanne

Clare

Jeanne - are you a big Emily Dickinson fan? I must know! I'm a bit obsessed right now, reading her poems straight through and will be sad when I get through all 1,789 of them. I listened to the inauguration on the radio, sitting in a car with Sharon Estacio at UVM - I loved Nancy Pelosi's welcome, a woman welcoming the world to a new era, and the final benediction, which made me cry. Obama himself was stern stuff, but I'm enjoying the speech more and more as I rehear clips of it!

Jeanne

Clare...My undergraduate degree was in English. That was a million years ago! I always liked Emily Dickinson. The first year we were married (32 years ago) we spent with Bill's family. His sisters and sister in laws all got lovely Christmas gifts from their husbands...some expensive jewelry, some pieces of furniture, some gorgeous clothing. Bill gave me THE COMPLETE POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON. I could see/feel that none of them understood that gift...but to me, it was the most romantic gift of all the gifts given that first Christmas that I was part of the Manzer Family. They all received material things...but I was given something spiritual/intellectual... And that touched me and bonded me to the poetry of Emily Dickinson. I still have that volume right in front in one of our book cases...it has never been moved to make room for newer books. And I HAVE noticed you quoting her on your web site. Jeanne

Jeanne

Correction: We spent our first Christmas with Bill's family...not our first year with them. And that first New Year's Eve we spent with your Byrne Grandparents out at Forest Lake! Jeanne

Jeanne Manzer

Corrwection: We spent our first Christmas with Bill's Family, not our first year with them. And that first New Year's Eve we spent with your Byrne Grandparents out at Forest Lake. Jeanne

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