It took a while, but we put up caution tape along the property line to the left of the house and cleaned up a pile of brush and dead wood.

We voted, and stopped at Walgreen’s for “Senior Day”. Ron picked up two belts.

We caught up on weekend chores.

Did the transfer station run after the Senior Center and in between, dropped off our payment at the CSMLP office in Barnstable village and took a drive to Dennis. Stopped at the Organic Farm and the Underground Cafe.

Put down the hay on the new garden and dug a few more holes for tulip bulbs. Talked with the Trinity Solar people. Made a train wreck for supper with kielbasa from the Organic Farm and organic carrots and potatoes.

Ron changed out the water pitcher filters this past weekend.

1. Mirah RibenDenying abortion access puts women at life-threatening risk and does little to “save” their babies since studies such as Gretchen Sisson, Turnaway Study, found that the vast majority of mothers whose children were placed for adoption were either hoping or planning to have the resources to parent – not abort. Abortion is a time limited option. It is not an option after the birth.What the author of this letter seems unaware of is that there ARE, in fact unwanted children; more than 400,000 of them in American foster care. Older children, disabled children, and sibling groups – all labelled “hard to place” and viewed as damaged and undesirable. They are unwanted and by-and-large ignored by the 2 million prospective adopters. Meanwhile, it is estimated that 36-45 prospective adopters compete for and are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for babies each baby relinquished, making domestic infant adoption a mega-billion-dollar market and demand-driven industry. Anti-abortionists are being to drive yet more commodities to meet this demand.Permanently separating mothers and babies because of temporary crisis adds more infants to the pool of sought-after babies for adoption but does nothing to help the over-looked children who need safe care. We need to promote family preservation, not mor unnecessary separations.Mirah Riben, author, THE STORK MSARKET: America’s Multi-Billion-Dollar Unregulated Adoption IndustryREPLY 0 0SHAREFLAG
2. Mirah Riben4 DAYS AGOThis letter is filled with misinformation, myth, bogus outdated, inaccurate assumptions. For one, assuming that adoptees are “unwanted” is insulting to mothers who loved and wanted their children but were pressured, forced, coerced into having their children adoption to meet a demand, as well as the majority of adoptions that occur as a result of poverty. Perpetuating this “unwanted” falsehood is also hurtful to adoptees.Why would we want to make adoption a “desired alterative”? Separating mothers and babies is a harsh, cruel “solution” that results in a lifetime trauma for mother and child. A far more humane, moral, “Christian“ option to is to work to create a society that provides necessary resources to help expectant mothers who are struggling such as affordable healthcare and daycare and job sharing.I encourage you to read what adopted person have recently said about adoption versus abortion. You might be surprised to note how many would have preferred being aborted:https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2022/06/28/why-adoption-isnt-easy-solution-when-comes-abortion-rights/7747050001/https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2022/06/30/its-a-business-experts-say-adoption-is-no-substitution-for-abortionhttps://www.myadopteetruth.com/blog/adoption-is-not-the-answer-to-abortion?fbclid=IwAR3gAPrkWu4i4AV7p2g-CshpnDHcwNix6fExxJkE6Bb0cY2sRnD06nuqS9ohttps://www.newsweek.com/i-was-adopted-months-after-roe-v-wade-wish-abortion-had-been-option-1719889?fbclid=IwAR3zm9oDEo7kCxL435TOVa7uOVf2y9-zTJN4wtUrWDPwvnG6AwwfdWHmu2shttps://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/08/10/adoptees-abortion-beliefs/Mirah Riben, author and family preservation activist who has been researching adoption for four decades.

It’s been raining all day and more expected tomorrow. Put down more grass seed.

I was able to dig holes for about a dozen and a half tulip bulbs and three of the five new shrubs.

The Tree Guy came by and gave us a great price.

Gorgeous day to do outdoor work.

Ron is almost done with the street clearing. We brought two truckloads to Emma’s for the sheep. As usual, the brave brown sheep enjoyed the greens while the other timid ones stayed back.

I cleared more gone-bys from the back and weeded the garden. Transplanted daisies. Tried digging up the maple, but it has three big roots, including a taproot, so I figured to leave it to the pros.

Saw Dr. Harris today. He offered no encouragement, said the only thing that could be done for my ankle is fusion.

I have late-stage arthritis and no cartilage in my left ankle: I’m walking with bone-on-bone.

Put up the Halloween decorations.

We adore the Falmouth Pet Resort’s dog statues, who wear special hats at holiday times. That’s Ron adjusting a hat that came askew.

Americans share a common understanding of what adoption is, a common belief in the “facts” of adoption, a common view of themselves and the “other” in relation to adoption, and a common undifferentiated belief in adoption as the best solution to many child welfare problems. This American understanding reflects a naive blindness to the roles of self-interest in adoption, a disinterest in the power, privilege, gender inequality, class and wealth differentials that drive and have always driven adoption, as we understand it, and a common ignorance of the history of the institution of adoption.David Smolin and Desiree Smolin

Adoption and Liberalism

Liberal Hypocrisy in Adoption

Got back into the swing of things today. Ron mowed and I did a good chunk of clean-up. This Monarch was nice enough to stay still and spread its wings so I could take its picture.