HEY, HAY ...

I'm hearing from horse rescue organizations that hay prices are higher than ever and not just because of the drought.  I have a letter here in front of me that tells us that "the sky is the limit" on hay prices because China is buying up U.S. hay ... AND that China is shipping the hay back in their own ships, as they return (home) from delivering to the U.S. all the goods Americans are buying from China.  The letter also says that over the years, hay prices have gone up and down depending on weather, but the current situation is beyond "anything ever experienced".  Also, the letter mentions some dairies that are killing off their livestock and cashing it in because they can't afford to feed their cows anymore.  Of course, this leaves horse rescuing organizations and the horses already in their care in a precarious place -- that of no hay to eat because it is scarce and very, very expensive.

Someone, please tell me how this horrific trade situation (U.S. and China) has evolved to this extent.  Honestly, we in the U.S. (as a nation and as a people) have been kept so busy with a a glut of inane celebrity gossipy "news" -- while almost being pushed into taking divisive political sides regarding issues such as gun control, the ill-conceived crazy war on drugs, racism, police brutality, foreign terrorism, domestic terrorism, the struggle for gay rights, reproductive rights, government invasion of citizens' personal records, along with the myriad of issues that scream of inequities and wrongdoings and corruption connected with the wealth of our country being concentrated in the hands of a small, powerful percentage of our population ... that I guess I have answered my own question.  The country's vital import and export policies and what's actually going on, though very visible in stores and catalogs, just aren't able to compete in terms of newsworthiness.  Also and sadly, many of us have become conditioned to imported (even inferior) goods as the new normal way of life.  I hope someone in our government can and will take the personal risks necessary to initiate a policy that "encourages" U.S. corporations to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and put some controls on our exports (such as hay) as well.   Bottom Line:  Where I'm going with this is that a giant news item about hay isn't likely to make the scene, so it remains unspoken news.  But hey, hay is extremely important!

To anyone wanting to donate hay money to horse rescue organizations that have near-empty hay barns and hundreds of horses (who have been rescued from the most horrendous of conditions) to be fed,  you might want to contact Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue at info@wildhorsercue.org; www.wildhorserescue.org, Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, 661-727-0049; or Southern Winds Equine Rescue at 316-830-0013; www.southernwindsequinerescue.org. 

The Full Moon Of May's Dwindling Days ...

 ... is in the astrological sign of Sagittarius (the moon is always full in the opposite sign of where the Sun is ... hence Sagittarius the 9th sign/Gemini the 3rd sign, with the moon in a fire sign and the sun in an air sign.   

I have put my newest song “Vanishing Freedom” up on my Reverbnation page at http://www.reverbnation.com/clarasolobluesjazzandexoticmixes.  Different in character and genre than my usual stuff, it provides me with an opportunity to vent some of my thoughts and feelings about what the government has done and continues to do with our lives, the earth, logic, and ethics. I think it’s worth a listen and hope you’ll tune in :)

Over the past weeks and months I’ve been putting a lot of time and work into a different kind of project that I’m really looking forward to unveiling via this blog, when its time is right. Yes, I’m excited about it and will post about it as soon as I can. My above comments about the astrological signs bring to mind the concept of “cusps”.   My project is on the cusp of becoming news!

Drum circle, anyone? I’m eager to find or form a recreational and/or shamanic drum circle so my wonderful djembe Ruby and loyal hand-drum Gabriel can meet and enjoy the camaraderie of other drums :) The two circles I used to attend are no longer meeting.  I drum almost every day as part of my meditation. The drumming puts and keeps me in the moment and is very soothing in a quietly exciting way.  Playing piano or keyboard and singing also provides me with a blissed-out though different kind of feeling; the hand-drum is especially centering.  If you're in the Knoxville area and are interested, please let me know.

I found a wonderful organization that is working to save U.S. wolves from annihilation. Howling For The Wolves has a marvelous website at http://www.howlingforwolves.org/  To help rescue and protect U.S. horses from slaughter and inhumane transport, please check out all-volunteer Southern Winds Equine Rescue at http://www.southernwindsequinerescue.org/ .

Peace, love, light, and blessings!

Sugar, Spice And A Toss Of The Dice!

Welcome back, dear readers!  If you had deserted my blog I wouldn't have blamed you.  I haven't posted to this, my original blog, in a year or so.  I'll try and make my posts stimulating and I'd like to strike some balance between serious and inane :)

420 --

Yes, April 20th is the long-established day that honors the amazing, yet vilified Cannabis plant, which was re-named marijuana many years ago by our government in the effort to misrepresent it and make it sound foreign and scary.  My comments about it here aren't from the perspective of a user, but rather, from the standpoint of an herbal and wildflower enthusiast who thinks that God knew what He/She was doing when He/She created the Earth and populated it with plants and animals.  The Cannabis plant is among the most versatile, useful, and beneficial in this world.  Fortunately (although 75 years late) its prohibition, persecution, and blatantly untrue bad press are showing signs of ceasing, with two progressive states declaring it a legal plant and many other states coming forth with various decriminalization measures.  You can follow this progress by going to the website of NORML at http://norml.org/.  Anyone who wants to know the truth about what happened 75 years ago -- and how and why the government escalated its persecution and imprisonment of cannabis users -- to include seizing their homes and cars -- can refer to the History Channel's documentary and several other historical publications.  It's obvious that the federal government  had deemed itself wiser and mightier than the earth's Creator and that it was accountable to no one.

New Song --

I've written another new song (not sure where my music reporting left off in my earlier blogging).  This song is not in my usual blues, jazz, ballad, spiritual, light classic genres; it is a protest song.  Instead of being played on guitar like most protest songs of the past that I've heard, it is done on the piano.  For recording purposes, I'll play it on my split keyboard so I can use the bass feature, too.  The name of the song is Vanishing Freedom.  The song's content covers some challenging territory and, yet, remains lyrical.  When I get it done, I'll put it up on my website and on Reverbnation.

Reverbnation --

Some months ago I joined Reverbnation and have some songs up there on my page.  The title of my account there is "Clara (Solo) Blues, jazz, and Exotic Mixes".  I hope you'll visit.
http://www.reverbnation.com/clarasolobluesjazzandexoticmixes   

Facebook Artist Page --

When I joined Reverbnation, I found that my days as a FB hold-out (I didn't want to join) were over because Reverbnation considers a subscriber having a FB page as a given.  So I created, with the help of a dear friend, an "artist" FB page.  The artist pages are somewhat different from the regular FB accounts.  I'm still learning the drill as far as how to navigate the page and how to post to other people's regular FB pages.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/claras-music/378791192206945

Two New CDs --

During the past year, I did two new music CDs.  They are both for sale on  my new and improved website at www.claralandau.com.   The first, "Clara (solo) The Journey and The Gem" has some truly mesmerizing songs ... some originals and some awesome covers.  The second, "Songs for Spirit" is a collection of original spiritual (not religious) songs ... and one of the songs is by my friend, Sandy Garrett.  His song is absolutely beautiful and I dare say that mine are nice too :)  You can hear some of my stuff on my website's Song Page link, but you will need to get the CDs to hear some of the most delectable renderings.

New U.S. Secretary Of The Interior --

The appointment of new U.S. secretary of the interior Sally Jewell took place last week.  She replaces Ken Salazar.  This change in leadership governing our public lands and environment has been needed ever since  Salazar took hold of the reins; the role he chose to play was disastrous for the environment and endangered species.  I am especially hopeful that Secretary Jewell will return protection to U.S. wolves (who were removed from the Endangered List during the final moments of W's presidency and are currently being pursued and killed).  Also I'm hoping that Secretary Jewell will put a stop to the horrendous helicopter wild horse round-ups that lead many terrified adult horses and new foals to their deaths ... and that she will protect U.S. horses from being barbarically slaughtered in the U.S. or across the borders in Canada and Mexico.

Our Fellow-Beings the Non-Human Animals --

A recent mailing from ASPCA about the rise in animal cruelty, including instances of cruelty involving many species of animals -- seems to echo the violence being perpetrated on humans by other humans.  Also, I've got a mailing from WSPA that speaks of the routine very inhumane treatment of animals who are considered "food" and food-producing units.  It doesn't need to be this way. Why are so many members of our species so hell-bent on cruelty?  Where is the compassion?

My Magazine Article --

About six months ago, I finally wrote my article that chronicles my other-dimensional experiences ... events that were uplifting, amazing and, in several instances, saved my life.  I don't know what publication to submit it to.  It's entitled "An Angel At My Shoulder", though it's about many circumstances and spiritual beings.  But I feel the title is appropriate and the term "angel" fits well my benefactor and guardian (several years ago I wrote a song by the same title).  The article is, at once, shamanic and mystical and enthralling.  Perhaps I'll publish it on my blog.  Please let me know if you have an ideal publication in mind that might be suitable for it.

Update On Dixie Lee --

My beautiful dog is doing fine following the very difficult year she/we had with her fistula situation.  She miraculously recovered during summer of 2012 and has been well ever since -- all traces of the condition are gone!  She is looking forward to her 11th birthday this August.  For those of you who are interested in the science of numbers, 11 is a mystical number and one with which I'm very familiar in the best sense of the word : )

Blog Post Reprint --

This would be a good time for me to reprint my long-ago published post that lends some levity (and truth) to our current national and world conditions.  Here it is (reprinted from an earlier post that appeared in my now-deleted "Classic Clara" blog).

Mini-Series...

Continuing with the pro-animal, pro-environment mini-series, I want to update readers about the Rep. Nicely (not nice) horse slaughter bill in Tennessee. It has (for the time being) been withdrawn and sent to committee for "summer study". To date, it has not been withdrawn in the complete sense. Mr. Nicely's ugly bill was opposed, overwhelmingly, by the general public and, very notably, by singer Willie Nelson. Sincere thanks to Willie and everybody else who rallied on behalf of Tennessee's horses, to defeat this bill. Hopefully, the bill will roll off the books and not resurface at a future session.

My current posting is about wolves and you will find it immediately below this paragraph. There are more topics to come ... some will be provocative. If you're reading me and my stuff, I think you'll want to stay tuned. I'll be putting up subsequent series posts weekly.

Horses Need "Neigh" Votes!

At a time when our federal government is moving toward banning the shipment of U.S. horses across the borders to Canada and Mexico (where the horses are slaughtered in very inhumane, horrific ways for consumption in Europe, as a delicacy) ... and at a time when other states (most recently Florida) have made horse slaughter a felony, there are some greedy legislators with no scruples in the state of Tennessee who are pushing to establish horse slaughter houses here. The bill is scheduled to go up for a vote on Tuesday, in the Ways & Means department. If you thought the "road-kill" bill was an embarrassment, consider how seriously terrible it would be for our state to officially endorse the slaughter of horses. Please read my previous post which presents the facts about this and, if you live in Tennessee, please contact your representative and urge a "no" vote to HB 1428.

Horse Sense & Sensibility --

Hi ... Clara here. Many people know that, in addition to being a musician, artist, writer, and holistic practitioner, I’m also an advocate and volunteer for animals. For ten years I traveled to schools, youth organizations, adult civic groups, and churches, presenting a program I scripted about kindness to animals and respect for the earth.

I’d like to talk with you about animals who need our help and will offer here a sort of mini-series, beginning with those that are most urgent.

HORSES --

In recent years, our country passed legislation to stop horse slaughter here in the U.S. This is very good, except that our horses (including wild mustangs and burros rounded up by the Bureau Of Land Management, and previously-owned family and working horses) are still being auctioned, bought by meat dealers – who truck them, by the thousands–to Canada and Mexico. During transit, they are crowded together without food and water. Once at their destination, they are killed in ways that are barbaric and horrifying. In Mexico, the terrified horses are repeatedly stabbed, by men with hand-held knives, until the bleeding horses can no longer stand up. In Canada, a "stun bolt" is used, which often doesn’t knock the horse out, before he or she is slaughtered. The horse meat is exported as exotic food for dinner tables in parts of Europe. There are horse rescue organizations that are able to buy and rescue a small number of these horses at auction; however, the meat buyers often are able to outbid them. Organizations such as Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue in Maryland, whose website is at www.gentlegiantsdrafthorserescue.com, are among the dedicated groups that buy and rescue horses during those last defining moments at the auctions. Currently, a legislator in the state of Tennessee is pushing a mercenary, ugly, backward bill that would legalize horse slaughterhouses in Tennessee, even in the face of pending federal legislation that has been moving toward outlawing the transport of horses (as described above). There are many reasons that horse slaughter is an abominable thing. I will list them, as follows:

1-Stun-guns (such as currently used in Canada) are not accurate on horses, as horses thrash about in terror in the kill box and, therefore, are often conscious during slaughter.

2-The appalling nature of the method in use in Mexico is self-evident.

3-A humane kill method (for example, humane injection) would make the animal’s "meat" toxic for humans.

4-Since the USDA no longer inspects horsemeat, buyers would all be foreign...coming in and ravaging our horses.

5-When Tennessee’s (or any local) horse supply is gone, non-legal acquisitions/theft would likely begin.

6-Horse slaughter will do nothing to help neglected, starving horses, as meat buyers don’t buy thin horses.

7-Profits from slaughter houses would be skimmed/siphoned off by foreign corporations (who pay no tax because the end product is used in other countries); the U.S. towns where the slaughter houses are located would not make money. This is what happened in the past when there were three horse slaughter-houses located in the U.S.

So you can see that the only logical and humane way to dispose of ailing and no-longer-wanted companion horses is to have them humanely euthanized by a veterinarian.

Horses are part of our country’s national and natural heritage. They have served us on battlefields, as transportation, as companions, as farm help, and as movie stars. They are highly intelligent individuals and deserve humane and honorable regard.

To help them, please contact your senators and congressmen in Washington DC, imploring them to propose, support, and enact the needed federal law. You can find your federal representatives’ names and addresses at http://www.usa.gov/. and Tennessee state legislators at http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators
　
Thank you.

The 21 Polo Ponies --

Bless those dear, innocent animals. I've looked in the mainstream news for updates; the absence is very noticeable. Media sources, last Sunday, promised that conclusive test results would be available by week's end. Well, I guess that's tomorrow. I remember thinking, at the time, that a week gives a time and strategy buffer to whoever is responsible for poisoning the horses. A web search today found a report that says no cause of death has been determined, although blood was in the horses' lungs. Further, the report said that a Florida pharmacy made a mistake in the horses' medication. It also said that no ingredients were made public. My first question is: Was this really medication (if so, for what?) or was it a steroid or pain-numbing drug? My second question is: Why isn't this story still "news"? I hope the outcome will not be squelched or convoluted in a cover-up. Accountability is needed. Truth is needed.

Help Our Animal Friends --

They need us and our best efforts, folks. Locally, please support your animal shelter’s volunteer, spay-neuter, and pet adoption programs. These dogs and cats want loving homes, not euthanasia. Spay-neuter is the only humane way to reduce pet overpopulation and make unnecessary the sad and gut-wrenching job of putting these healthy companion animals to sleep.

And to help horses who have been abused and neglected, please support the rescue, volunteer, and adoption efforts of Horse Haven of Tennessee. Visit the HHT website at www.horsehaven.net. You will love it!

And go to the "daily click" website that provides free food for shelter animals at www.theanimalrescuesite.com.

Animals & Nature -- Natural Healers

Anyone who knows me and/or has read my blog over a period of time, knows I greatly love nature and animals and have the utmost feeling of spiritual connection with them. Many of my songs were written, or at least begun, while walking in the park or hiking on a trail.

On Thursday of this week, I went for my second visit to Horse Haven of Tennessee, this time as a volunteer. My initial scant knowledge about horses has been growing. Thanks in part to my internet searches about horse care and behavior, though much more directly to the volunteers at HHT (please see my July post about this wonderful rescue organization), I now don’t feel like such a rookie and I am gathering considerable practical horse skills. On Thursday, I was able to pet a beautiful but frightened horse, who is on her own road back ... from abuse, fear, and pain. The first couple of times I gently touched her, I could see and feel her shoulder muscle flinching. I followed the suggestions of volunteer Sue and, within minutes, this magnificent horse relaxed and enjoyed my gently stroking her shoulder. It was a rewarding, centering, and joyful moment for me.

Along with that experience, I just happen to have two pet-sitting gigs at the moment ... two dogs (Annie and Dusty) and one cat (Scout). Each of these animals is a delight in her/his own way.

Ruby, The Horse Who Captured My Heart --

Yes, I will tell you about her. Also, I want to tell you about a wonderful local organization that rescues and rehabilitates neglected and abused horses. It was my major pleasure to visit their facility this past Saturday, which was their monthly adoption and visiting day. First, though, I’ll preface the details of what brought me there at that particular moment in time, with a bit of background.

One of the very noticeable phases the teenage girls of my time experienced was a strong interest in horses. I remember well the excitement of my high school girlfriends about "going horse-back riding" one or more times a week; I remember their descriptions of horses and I remember the sincerity of their passion about horses. I’m thinking that maybe the interest young women have in horses transcends generations and was not specific to the days of my youth. Anyway, those years, for me, were a time of dealing with survival issues, so I was not able to become involved with or think about horses then. Later on (years later), I became a strong animal advocate and have remained so, over the years, working on behalf of marine, farm, wild, and companion animals (dogs & cats). In fact, humane education and animal advocacy are a big part of my identity. But I never championed horses ... not until now.

A couple of years ago, I began writing legislative letters, urging enactment of laws to protect American wild horses and horses in general, from being sent to slaughterhouses. Eventually, a law was passed to ban horse slaughter in the U.S., though these magnificent animals are now shipped, under horrendous conditions, across Canadian and Mexican borders, to be killed there for European and Asian "delicacy" markets. Please read some of my earlier posts that urge letter-writing to legislators to protect our horses from this cruel fate.

Well, that’s enough preface. About two months ago, I was flooded with a deep, spiritual desire to make the acquaintance of horses in a hands-on way, no small wish for someone whose horse experience was limited to feeding Jake, the milk wagon horse, an occasional sugar cube when I was a tiny tyke ... and on one occasion, having a "pony ride" on a poor, patient horse at an amusement park when I was nine years old. As an aside (you know I frequently do asides), Jake faithfully toted his milk wagon around town for daily deliveries and would, occasionally, get disgusted with his toting job and just begin running wild, all over the place, until he either became tired or felt satisfied – with his wagon driver hanging on for dear life.

Anyway, my recent desire to get to know horses led me to Horse Haven of Tennessee. I was welcomed there by Nina, who founded and heads the effort there. A number of capable, cheerful volunteers were on hand and three of them tutored me on various things I needed to know. I took it all in. Remembering my few up-front meetings with Jake (and the driver’s instructions to "hold your hand flat") I asked if I could feed a treat carrot to a horse. Most of the horses were outside, but two were still in the barn. I felt drawn to one of them, softly called to her, and she responded by affectionately nuzzling my neck and then kissing the side of my face, much like Dixie (my dog) often does. So I held a carrot on one of my very "flattened" piano-playing hands and darling Ruby gently and carefully took the treat, and then another, and then another. I fell totally in love with this wonderful horse. On my drive home, the hauntingly beautiful song "Ruby" (from the 50s or 60s) floated into my head and I've played it on the piano many times since. Ruby is available for adoption, as are several other nice horses at Horse Haven.

Horse Haven needs financial contributions to help with the costs of caring for the horses who are there and with the expenses involved with rescuing others. Check out the HHT website at www.horsehavenoftn.com. to read their news and see the horses. You will love it!

Do You Like Horses?

A paragraph from the website of Equine Advocates at www.equineadvocates.com reads: "THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL. The US Senate failed America’s horses and the American people by not allowing S.1915 to come to the floor for a vote last year. If that had happened, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act would have taken effect this year and horse slaughter would have been banned." The same legislation was reintroduced in the Senate as S.311 the following January.

Do you like horses? I hope you do, so here is info regarding the plight of many American horses and how they can be helped. A couple or so years ago, citizens were successful in convincing Congress to outlaw American-run horse slaughtering plants and these terrible places were closed down. That’s good. Now, though, American horses are being shipped by truckload (under horrendous conditions) across US borders into Mexico and Canada, where they are slaughtered in torturous ways, to accommodate a foreign market that considers horsemeat a luxury. That's bad. There are organizations that rescue horses, but rescue alone cannot fix this greed-based situation. The federal legislation needed to stop the international horse shipments was approved in the House of Representatives during 2006, but the Senate refused to allow a vote in the Senate and so the bill was forced to just die without a vote. Now the legislation needs to be re-started ... in the House of Representatives and proceed again to the Senate. If you care about these intelligent and beautiful animals, please contact your federal congressmen and senators, asking them to honor the wishes of American people by supporting this legislation and giving it a favorable vote. The government websites at www.senate.gov and www.house.gov list all US senators and congressman and their contact information. The bill numbers are H.R. 503 and S. 311 and the name of the bill is The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. There is very comprehensive background information at www.equineadvocates.com, the website of Equine Advocates; the organization’s address is P.O. Box 354, Chatham, NY 12037; telephone 518-245-1599.

I urge you to write your letters, send your e-mails, and/or make your phone calls now, as every day counts when it involves suffering that can be remedied by positive action.