Night Is Purer Than Day; It Is Better For Thinking And Loving And Dreaming. At Night Everything Is More

Night is purer than day; it is better for thinking and loving and dreaming. At night everything is more intense, more true. The echo of words that have been spoken during the day takes on a new and deeper meaning.

— Elie Wiesel, Dawn

Lioness Steals a Photographer’s Camera, Gives It to Her Cubs as a New Toy

A slightly frosty morning, October 2020.

Q&A: Betty Reid Soskin reflects on her life and multifaceted career as a singer, activist and park ranger

“What a gem.”

“A national treasure.”

“The most amazing ranger you’ll ever meet!”

What more can we say about ranger Betty Reid Soskin that hasn’t already been said? How about, Happy 100th birthday? We thank you for your dedication and years of service in helping preserve and protect our nation’s history.

Ranger Betty was born in 1921, just a few years after the creation of the National Park Service. She grew up in a Cajun-Creole, African American family that settled in Oakland, California after the “Great Flood” that devastated New Orleans in 1927. She didn’t begin her career with the National Park Service until the age of 84, when she took a job at Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park. There she was able to share with visitors her first hand and lived experiences from World War II, especially the untold experiences of African-Americans during that war.

Help us send ranger Betty all the birthday wishes today!  

Photo description: Ranger Betty sits on a concrete block while dressed in her park ranger dress uniform.

it’s easy to put God first and obey Him when you think of it less as an obligation, and more just doing it for someone you love

and when you think about it, it’s EASY to love God. 

if you love another person, they’re made in God’s image. 

if you love nature, He made it to reflect His character. 

if you love beauty, light, truth, justice, mercy, peace - God is all that. 

really, He’s everything good in this world. What WOULDN’T you do for someone like that? 

Ramps should be the standard. Automatic doors should be the standard. Elevators in multi-story buildings should be the standard. ASL interpreters at events should be the standard. Braille menus at restaurants should be the standard. Accessibility should be the standard. You cannot meaningfully support Disabled people without supporting accessibility.

— zipporah@coffeespoonie