Notions amid the approaching Full Snow Moon II

Incredible promo photo from the 2009 movie 'Agora'

The film 'Agora' was about the life of the brilliant Greek mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher Hypatia in 4th century BCE Roman-Egypt. Click here and blow up this wonderful computer generated image to its full extent and notice the realistic detail. It's something of a time machine, showing what 4th century Alexandria may have really looked like. Included is the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, which from all accounts, functioned just like any modern lighthouse. The great mystery being how the light and power was generated, since it was destroyed by earthquakes many centuries later. Actually the lighthouse was constructed after the time of Hypatia. Murdered by a Christian mob for heresy, Hypatia belongs right up there with Boudicca, Joan of Arc, or Queen Isabella as one of the greatest women in history.


Cucina Aurora - A neopagan enterprise

I always read where neopagans, right up to the present, are always poor. Well, perhaps that is changing a bit. With the Irminfolk in New York state minting their own currency, the Asatru Folk Assembly in northern California having recently purchased great building and property, and with a few business upstarts like the New Hampshire-based Cucina Aurora, true socio-economic communities may take some type of form. Presumably a person may go out of their way or pay a little more to patronize or support something they feel connected to.

Dawn Hunt ("the kitchen witch") is the owner, an Italian-American, and a great cook. I first heard of her when she was a guest on a podcast by Raven Grimassi and his wife, and it was a great interview. I don't know if she practices Stregheria or not, but she is a neopagan witch and active in that community.

Cucina Aurora website

Cucina Aurora YouTube



Introducing Cucina Aurora and Dawn the Kitchen Witch!

Cucina Aurora

A Kitchen Witch is any one who has ever said a prayer over a meal. She is any one who has ever thought of the smiling faces on her guests when they taste the dinner she has made. He is any one who has ever put love into a surprise dinner that he made for his sweetheart. The Kitchen Witch puts intention in the foods that she or he eats and shares with others. Meet Dawn Hunt "The Kitchen witch" of Cucina Aurora.

Having a long standing love for cooking, a passion for good food and joy for gathering friends around the dinner table, Dawn started Cucina Aurora in 2008. Her purpose is to bring families and friends together around simple, naturally delicious and good for you foods. Cucina Aurora’s products are centered on home, family and the nurturing of those things. Check out her products, recipes & cooking demos at cucinaaurora.com.


Stephen Hawking Claims Black Holes Are Gateway To Another Universe

According to a new theory from astrophysicist Stephen Hawking, humans can escape from the irresistible pull of a black hole by traversing the event horizon into another universe entirely. "The existence of alternative histories with black holes suggests this might be possible,” Hawking said at a Stockholm event.

"The hole would need to be large and if it was rotating it might have a passage to another universe. But you couldn’t come back to our universe. So although I’m keen on space flight, I’m not going to try that." Humans might also appear as a ghost image or an extraterrestrial hologram hovering on the edge of the super-dense abyss, Hawking said. The theoretical information might be preserved like a frame grab of their passage into another dimension or parallel universe.

"If you feel you are in a black hole, don’t give up," Hawking said. "There’s a way out."

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As I've said many times, the "Theism vs. Atheism" Hegelian dialectic blinders will soon be on its way out. Even a hardcore lifelong Atheist like Stephen Hawking is talking Metaphysical science. Far from being put out to pasture, Christians and Atheists will be jumping aboard and saying "I was with ya all along!"

DiscoverTheForest.org

Wikipedia is also a good source, with lists and webpages for nearby national, state, and county parks. There are also other areas that you can make note of, which may be be "forests" or even official parks, but contain smaller groves of trees and wooded trails which are just like forests.

A moment in time, a man in his element

Glen Campbell and the late Jerry Reed performing 'Southern Nights', and doing it just as good or better than a studio recording. This was probably from around 1990. Campbell is from Arkansas, and lived there his entire life I think. From his shirt, I'm guessing that this was in Arkansas somewhere, in perhaps late summer, along a lake, in a small setting, during a warm late afternoon. This would be one to go full screen. His perfect moment in time...

Jerry Reed and Glen Campbell - Southern Nights

santickles

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Irminfolk of New York - "Folkish Summer Hallowing"

Apparently the Irminfolk is to New York State, what the Asatru Folk Assembly is to Northern California. Their website is Irminfolk.com. They have actually developed their own beautiful currently if you want to look up that article and video. They're looking to purchase some significant land as an Odinic retreat. These are ideas that set a good example for what can be accomplished.

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The decline of the spiritual clan

There are many writings about the decline of the family unit, but that's not exactly what I mean by "clan," and I wish to go in a little bit of a different direction. To even discuss "the family unit"--due to contrived politics, conflicting values, disinformation, etc.--can be problematic in of itself. One of the UN's stated goals from the start is the elimination of the family unit, just as the Communists had declared before them. Then we can document the Fabianist bankers having regular meetings with the Communist International for a long period of time, and other such strange and dangerous bedfellows... suffice to say that "the family" doesn't have many true proponents on the true-literal far right or far left. Bella Dodd was one important person who told her account of this type of manipulation of our country, and many others by these people. Their job is as it's always been.. to take the normal working and business class for everything their worth. They're the predators, and we're the prey. However, there is a different type of social phenomenon that has taken place over the decades. One more subtle, and is perhaps more of an unintended consequence.

There was a time where common people lived in close proximity to the graves of their ancestors, some of which they never knew. There was a well defined "homestead," most often the house of the passively dominant family of a clan. I think "clan" can sometimes also mean a larger collective of people who are very similar. People that one would grow up with. I saw a program this past year about the Amish, and at one point there was a brief shot from outside an Amish homestead in the early evening. The windows of the house stood out in the darkness, and the kindred inside could be heard singing Christian themed songs together. I find it telling that Americans are now so interested in the Amish world, even though it would seem that they are socially cut off from the larger society. Could it be human instinct that people may feel that the Amish "have" something that is missing in their own lives? That sense of true community. Even in certain traditional Italian-American communities, even in places that one may not thing of.. like Kansas City or St. Louis.. there is a close-knot sense of community where even people who are not related are still considered "family."

The movie 'Indian Summer' (1993) was about a summer camp in the northern woods which was closing, and the longtime camp director (played by Alan Arkin) decided to invite a few of the former attendees from the camp's "golden age" who were now in their early 30s (Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Vincent Spano, etc.).. up to spend a week or two. Of course this would be unlikely to really happen, but it's was a fun creative license anyway. When people begin their adult lives, everything changes, and it's not the same as when they were kids and they shared experiences together in a different way. I saw part of a movie this past week--which I had watched numerous times before--entitled 'Dazed N' Confused' (1993) about people from eighth grade to early twenties in 1976 Austin, Texas... although it could have well been in many places. Near the end of the movie, a group of friends were on a football field at night, drinking beer and talking about the meaning of life in a lively candid way that adults would rarely do. It was the last day of school, and they stayed out all night, and then it showed the sun rising on a calm clear morning.

More to the point, eventually people within a town or district move on, and the sense of community and kindred spirits break up. Of course, this may not happen in every instance.. but more frequently than not. The movie 'Beautiful Girls' (1996) reflected this. Former students, now about 30, from a town in rural Massachusetts come home for a high school reunion. Some had moved far away mostly for economic reasons, to big cities; while others still lived in the area. Realistically, some people wish to cling to their roots, while others can't wait to do away with it.. if for no other reason than a change in scenery; or maybe they grew up in a bad place. Still, those bonds from childhood are broken. In larger urban areas, this type of change is due mostly to mass movements of people, but the results are pretty much the same. As far as the family unit, this also frequently becomes more and more detached over time. For example, children may not really even know their grandparents. However, the internet may have aided this dilemma a bit.

About two weeks ago I brought a few boxes of items to the Salvation Army to donate. This process of letting go of things may or may not be difficult for people. Usually it's just "stuff".. and nothing to cry over. One of the items I brought there was a Christmas themed stuffed polar bear mama which my mother had brought out during the holidays. It was stored in plastic bags, so it is still like new. She no longer cares about it, and I decided to donate it along with other "stuff." As I drove away, and for the next three or so miles, I realized that I wasn't ready to give it up. I drove back, and reclaimed it. I felt a childhood connection to it, as like a representation of my mother and holiday memories.

I think because so many things from our early memories of family and community are taken away, we may occasionally want to cling to items from our past. I think many people think about.. something like the idea of taking a walk on perhaps a cold dark early evening on Christmas Eve, and as they walk back to the homestead they see the window, the Christmas tree, the lights, and the warmth inside. Their family, their mother, their father, and they don't want to think that it's gone in the sense that their parents can continue on as powerful maternal or paternal figures long after the nuclear unit is detached. Perhaps I'm rambling on a bit, but if you can imagine times when you may have put a lot of stock in a new person who later betrays you... then you think of certain people who were in your corner all along.. who maybe you had gotten away from for too long. That spiritual sense of clan and community is a fragile thing.

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Northern Italy Genealogy Discussion List (Yahoo group) is closing

Regina, the founder of the "Northern Italy Genealogy Discussion List," is closing the group; apparently due to it slowing down quite a bit this year. It was particularly popular between mid-2000 through 2007. There were 1,694 members prior to her closing down. Actually it's open for members to search it until it actually is deleted.

I think Regina is from San Francisco. Anyway, it's sad to see it go. There were members from all over the world. The membership was always very tactful, which is rarely the case in forums or discussion groups now. I sent e-mails and direct messages to a few members, including the following, to try to interest them in networking in the future. The searchable membership lists are closed. It's a shame.

The following is the last post in October:


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ItalyNW Yahoo! Group is now closed

The ItalyNW Yahoo! Group has reached the end of its useful life. It provided a welcoming forum to genealogy researchers for twelve years, but current Group activity indicates that the Group is no longer needed.

The ItalyNW Yahoo! Group is now closed to new members and to new posts. Message archives will still be available to current members for a few months.

Regards,
Regina


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The following are several old posts regarding the Val Camonica:


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Hallo there,
 
The "Val Camonica" or "Valle Camonica" is the biggest of the three valleys which comprise the Alpine portion of the Province of Brescia, in the Region of Lombardy. The river that follows the whole valley is the river Oglio: where the valley closes this river forms the Lake of Iseo, which the Romans in antiquity called Lake Sebino. The area around the Lake is still called the Sebino area. The Val Camonica has been part of the territory of Brescia since the 15th century, but it is now trying to became a province in its own right, with Breno as its capital city. I know the area very well (I am a native Bresciano), as I worked there for several years, before moving to Canada. It is a very beautiful corner of Lombardy, with a rich History and a very active community, proud of its identity. Hope this helps.
 
Vigilio Salvoni


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i'm happy to read about mu edolo,in valle camonica,provincia brescia and regione lombardia also my parents came from edolo work in lorraine france , siderurgy 1952 for my father and 1953 form my mother with tree children in may and i came sept 53!!!!

I go to edolo many holidays during l long time of years
I know very well edolo and mu..... i will send to you fotos and others informations I understand your grand father during the war because when i was young talk too many italie was a "few"
wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to days many people assert his italianity memory


I "make" ma tree genealogy
bye
margherita

 
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Hi

My great grandfather left Mu, near Edolo, Lombardia in 1900 for Australia. He never returned and our family has known very little about Mu as he could not talk to his children about Italy when they were young as he was regarded as an alien in Australia during the First World War. He had to prove he was loyal to Australia and so his children learned no Italian. I was interested to join this group to learn more about life in the mountains north of Brescia.

Regards
Jan Smith

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“Patihi, Patahé!” The Camuni of Brescia in Monongahela City: Part III

On Saturday, while attending the Stanford-Washington college football game, someone pointed out to me that #5 on the sidelines of the Washington Huskies football team was freshman quarterback Nick Montana; son of legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana. Near the end of the game, he was able to take some snaps; and it occurred to me the article I had found regarding the immigrants from the Camunian Valley who had settled in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, and possibly the most famous Camunian descendant Joe Montana. I thought it was time that I entered it here.

The author, and historic preservation consultant--Terry Necciai--did a great job researching and putting that article together. It was short, but touched upon all the major elements of the Camunian and Brescian Tri-Valley heritage. Maybe the one exception was Beretta Firearms, in continuous business in Val Trompia since 1526; and possibly the actual inventor of the "hand-held cannon" itself, but it was a fascinating read nevertheless.

One interesting coincidence is that Monongahela City is called "Mon City," and in the Val Camonica, the town and comune of Monno was named "Mòn" in the Camunian dialect. Perhaps more coincidental than that are the three-letters "MON" in "ca-MON-ica"; in relation with their settling largely in one city... "Mon City." I don't know, I think that's quite a coincidence in itself, considering that it was the one city in North America that they settled in... in relatively large numbers.

I can see from further reading that we need to cover more material regarding the Monongahela area and it's history. Naturally, it would be great if Camunian descendants from the Monongahela region could hook up with us here, and we could connect with a lot more of our history. I suspect that most of our history would center around the Great Lakes region, and from my own research, it appears that the Pacific Northwest is another area to look at.

It was so interesting to actually learn a little about how Camunians, in an area where they had a large population, interacted with people from other cultures. The greeting "Patihi, Patahé" really captured the spirit of this, from a rough existence in Western Pennsylvania. It was curious, as the author stated, that this phrase is not well-known in modern Brescia/Valcamonica. Apparently, this could be explained from another century-plus of the Italian language overriding the local Brescian and Camunian dialect.

If you happen to be of Camunian ancestry from the Monongahela area, or elsewhere on this continent, feel free to connect with us! We're really more of a larger family clan, than "hyphenated Americans." Remember, all of our Camunian ancestors, yours and mine, were practically "family." So whether we live in Monongahela, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Seattle, Sacramento, or Denver; we're like long lost cousins.

~Patihi, Patahé~

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