 Wednesday, November 5th, 2025
The Attic Martin Park Neighborhood Detroit, Michigan At church, I’m among a circle of Unitarian Universalists who imagine a better, sustainable and more just world. Call us dreamers. We’re not the only ones. We call ourselves the Social Justice Committee. Last Sunday, we enjoyed a visit from Ian Matchett and a leader from Brick & Mortar Collective. We didn’t wear name tags, but the second leader identified as MJ. MJ works as a farmer with Keep Growing Detroit. With all hands helping, MJ solves problems at the house at Jefferson and Bewick. For example, the duplex house at 1480 Bewick once didn’t have forced air heat. A nationwide lender that specializes in loans to housing justice projects put up the cash. Our local branch, if I heard correctly, is the Detroit Community Wealth Fund. The Community Wealth Fund is a nationwide network with financial strength. Even better, loan repayments from Detroit projects stay in the Detroit economy. Money from paying back the heating loan stays in Detroit for more loans. Detroit Community Wealth Fund doesn’t publish a list of clients, but sources suggest that Pingree Detroit, Book Suey, 27th Letter Books and Sanctuary Farms all have benefited from wealth fund investments. All of the following rests upon seeming facts that one can locate on the internet. The Brick & Mortar housing project must have started with raw space. The last sale on record states that the house sold for 12 thousand dollars in 2015. One source estimates the property value now at 135 thousand. This is good news because the residents have a share in the equity of the house. Decisions made by the house, including choosing new residents to join the collective, are made by consensus if possible. When a few residents chose to move out, the collective held a few days of open house to meet prospective residents. The culture at Brick & Mortar can be described as unique. Matchett is a first rate painter of human experience. At 27th Letter Books, Matchett’s exhibition of couples in their home gave me an insight into day to day life at the collective. I loved to see the look of the faces in those paintings, the peaceful look of humans when loved and protected. I suggested that Matchett, who no longer lives at Bewick but supports the collective, come talk to our social justice committee. Brick & Mortar has managed well enough that the owners of the Day House on Trumbull (2640 Trumbull, Detroit) turned over ownership of the ten bedroom Dorothy Day House to Brick & Mortar. I’m uncertain of the exact details of the real estate deal to be honest. The fund that put up money for the Brick & Mortar heating project hopes to invest in the renovation of the Day House. Before the fund can write a check, Matchett must have an architectural study of the renovation. And Matchett must find a donor or donors who will pay for that study. Matchett came to practice a road show, perfecting the ask for money. Matchett and MJ kept us enthralled for well over a half hour. The Social Justice Committee looks into the small details too. The membership of the social justice committee loves the fact that our coffee teams serve coffee in recyclable coffee cups. We are exploring finding a vendor who will come to pick up the cups and yard clippings and food scraps and turn them into black gold for gardens. MJ recommended that we reach out to nearby Sanctuary Farms, a farm and composting operation with land three miles from Grosse Pointe Unitarian. From what we can tell, Sanctuary Farms converts organic waste into compost sold for fifty five dollars per cubic yard, delivered within a 30 mile radius of the farm. Deliveries appear to be available until the first of December. The committee already has talked with Sanctuary Farms, 3171 Lakeview Street, Detroit. Jøn Kent, one of the founders, pointed us in the direction of Midtown Composting, 4272 Alter Rd, Detroit. Midtown picks up compost on routes and delivers the raw material to Sanctuary Farms. So the committee has already reached out to Midtown to discuss a deal for picking up our cups and compost. Midtown Composting has a yard at Alter and Waveney, less than three miles away from our sanctuary. Bricks & Mortar Collective at Bewick and Jefferson stands close to Pewabic Pottery. The collective is a mile and a half further at 4.5 miles from our church home. By looking at the issues of sustainable housing and coffee cup recycling, we have begun lighting up partners in our fence communities east of Alter.
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When Reverend Mitra returned to serve as interim minister at Grosse Pointe Unitarian in the fall of 2023, she discerned that a mission was needed to give shape and focus to her service. Mitra had previously served as our minister earlier in the church’s history. Many were grateful that she was once again available to guide us during a transitional time. From the pulpit, Mitra often spoke candidly about matters of health and human dignity. She also recognized the importance of a clear, visible witness to the broader community. Thus, she resolved that Grosse Pointe Unitarian would place two signs on the church lawn: “Trans people are loved here.” “Queer people are loved here.” The act required more than words. It required tools. One Sunday, Mitra was seen walking through the building searching for a mallet. When none could be found, she went to a hardware store and bought one. The installation of the signs was briefly delayed, but on November 12, 2023, after coffee hour, parishioners gathered with Mitra on the lawn to set the signs in place. The signs quickly became a visible symbol. One local fine art painter, passing by on Maumee Avenue, told me she noticed them every time and felt drawn to visit the church because of them. To this day, the signs remain on the lawn, bearing their steady witness. On Mitra’s last Sunday with us, the service was filled with music, gratitude, and reflection. As part of her final sermon, she brought two objects to the pulpit. First, a packed roller suitcase. Second—revealed later—a mallet. The very mallet she had purchased to pound in the signposts. Mitra made a request to the congregation: someone would need to take up the mallet, to keep the posts firm against the push of frost and weather. The St. John family—Valerie and Jen—volunteered. This was especially meaningful as Jen St. John had recently been admitted to seminary. Our board of directors voted to sponsor Jen for ordination as a Unitarian Universalist minister. On Sunday, August 24, 2025, the St. Johns gathered on the church lawn to fulfill their promise. Photos show the family driving the posts back into place, ensuring the signs would stand through the winter. When spring comes, the congregation will surely revisit the signs again, renewed in spirit and commitment. The mallet itself now carries a story: of witness, of continuity, and of love.   I offered a watercolor paint party as part of the Tropical Island–themed auction. My benefactor and partner organized today’s gathering at the Annex, the event center of Grosse Pointe Unitarian. She arrived with an indoor picnic that felt like an artwork in itself — sandwiches from a little deli near the big lake in St. Clair Shores, crisp dill pickles, cider and donuts, and a bright bottle of piquant white wine. Paint-and-sip parties may be the rage, but we all chose the cider and donuts.
Now, as the afternoon fades, I find myself replaying the hours with quiet delight. About seven of us gathered in the Annex. We sat around a round table and talked — about ourselves, our creative leanings, and our shared affection for free thinking. Without much coaxing, we moved over to the table set with watercolor paper, brushes, and trays of color. My plan was simple: invite everyone to make a small postcard-sized study, something quick and free. What happened surprised me. The participants loved the small format. A few ventured to the 9x12 sheets, but most found joy within the frame of the postcard. Two hours passed easily. Laughter, color, and conversation filled the room. When it was time to pack up, everyone left with a little palette of paint — squeezed fresh from the tubes — and the glow of having made something of their own. I really did very little. I set out paper and brushes, said a few words about keeping them clean, and then stepped back to let creativity take over. That’s the secret, I think — to offer a space, a few materials, and permission to begin. My partner gave me a ride home just ahead of the rain. The storm came in with bluster and promise, and now I’m on the porch, dry under a good roof, grateful for the day. I wish every day left me feeling this way — optimistic, connected, and quietly successful in the one thing that keeps me whole: helping others rediscover their creative light. I texted these words of gratitude to my benefactor Thanks again for being my partner in the watercolor painting party. You put your heart into it. That's why I glad all who attended loved it. Painting by my partner, Robin Ramsay  Pictured above: Michelle Magee and Jeffrey Gardner handle the coffee and donut details on Kickoff Sunday, September 7th, 2025. After enjoying lemonade after services during the reign of the “Summer Pianist” Anne Roberts, we returned to coffee hour in our spacious lobby. Sunday, September 14th could be thought of as the return to “ordinary coffee time”. Coffee time gives us time to network, greet our guests and celebrate the beloved community. We have home bakers who delight us with a batch of cookies or brownies although, like manna from heaven, one can’t count on baked goods.
Charles Kellogg Backus, architect of our building, provided at least three wonderful gathering spaces in our sanctuary building: the lobby, the fireplace room and the memorial garden porch. Backus also provided us with a small, tidy kitchen, just enough room to wash dishes, keep a refrigerator and store dishes plus utensils. Our annex has more of a service kitchen, helpful for caterers of special events. During services, three coffee urns must be set to brewing before service, one for boiling tea water and one for decaffeinated coffee and one for caffeinated coffee. The kitchen has just enough room for a rolling coffee table. A special team, led by Kathy Konwiak, leads the volunteers who sign up for coffee preparation. One will find the sign-up sheet on the front table by the door, right where visitors can find the name tags and Sharpies. Konwiak balances an interesting set of duties. Frequently, when we host meetings of political candidates and the like, Konwiak serves as greeter and host. Konwiak also leads the Social Justice Committee, which usually meets on the first Sunday of the month. Look for the committee in the religious education wing Sunday, October 5th. We’ll be in the room with the piano. So, thanks to Konwiak, give us justice and piping hot coffee for the cause, served up with sugar, cream and oat milk. Konwiak gradually shared the opportunity of coffee ministry. Now, a steady cohort of partners, two at a time, slip out of service after offering to push the cart into the foyer. Coffee duty is a loving way to spend quality time with your favorite human. By the time we’re shaking hands with Reverend Aaron at the sanctuary portal, many are already adding cream to their first cup. Yes, we see the conflict. One can congratulate reverend on another great homily or get one of the first pours of caffeinated bliss. Let’s finish with an anecdote. Last Sunday, the coffee pot gushed precious cups out of the top, mimicking a coffee volcano. Board Member Jeremiah Hess spotted the calamity first and began clean-up with a paper towel. Ameera Bandy went to the front lines, making the coffee cart look as if nothing had ever happened. Doing a check-up, the team decided, “We really need to increase our brewing capacity. We’re drawing a full house every Sunday after Reverend Aaron settled in as our minister.” New volunteers don’t struggle alone. Members of the team take volunteers through a full apprenticeship. Konwiak is never far from the kitchenette as the newbies learn the system. The current sign-in sheet has a few assignments available as we make the journey into Fall with a warm cup of love. Thank you to the coffee teams. This is not a complete list, and we apologize if we overlooked any names. Jeff Gardner and Sean Kelly Steve and Joy Spurr Michelle Magee Sonja and Mark Franchett Lauri Hoese Mollie Fletcher Randi Borys Meghan Boomhower When Anne Roberts joined Grosse Pointe Unitarian Universalist Church (GPUUC) in 1991, she encountered a custom that surprised her: the congregation took a break from services in the summer. For Anne, a lifelong Presbyterian, and her spouse John, married now for 43 years, this practice was less than ideal. The couple loved spending their winters in Florida, which meant that summer breaks at GPUUC reduced their time with their beloved community on the east side. A few congregants teamed up with Anne and Reverend John Corrado to create a new vision: member and guest-led summer services that would feature diverse voices from the pulpit of conscience. Congregant Sue Lattanzio became a leader of these summer services, and Anne lent her musical gifts at the piano, freeing Music Director Joseph Palazzolo to focus on planning music for the year. The Summer Services were kept simple. Instead of the full coffee hour, congregants shared lemonade alongside homemade baked goods. This summer, Tom Pelle, a professional gardener working with Full Circle Foundation, brightened our tables with tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and zucchini for salads from the Edible Garden in Detroit. In those early days, Anne helped plan the services with others, but leadership gradually passed to the Worship Committee, where Anne continues to guide musical programming. Anne feels that attending and belonging to a Unitarian Church reflects and supports her values, for which she is most grateful. On June 29th, 2025, Anne delivered a sermon of her own, titled “From Baptism to Revelation.” In it, she shared her spiritual journey from her Presbyterian roots to her embrace of Unitarian Universalism. This summer, Anne’s resilience was tested after she underwent hip replacement surgery with Dr. Richard Perry. She returned to the piano while still recovering and, one Sunday, was suddenly gripped by muscle spasms mid-service. Like an athlete playing through injury, she finished the service despite the pain. During Anne’s recovery, the congregation enjoyed performances from guest pianists. Freda Giblin, a close friend of the church and a passionate advocate for social justice, played for three services. Rocky Bocci, a student in our religious education program, even helped at the keyboard. At GPUUC, the bench runs deep at the Steinway. When Anne returned to the piano three weeks later, her playing was as vibrant as ever. The congregation welcomed her back with joy, delighted by her bright and confident performance. Anne’s relationship with the piano spans a lifetime. She first touched the keys at age three, when her family moved into a new home, complete with a gift from her grandmother, a Knabe piano. By age six, she had formal lessons. The piano has been at the heart of her life ever since. Even at home, Anne and John play duets together—dueling pianos in their home. Beyond GPUUC, she continues to add to her repertoire by performing with Crescendo, a society of pianists that meets each winter around the islands of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Anne’s summer contributions are immense. She plays two hymns and at least four programmatic pieces at each of the eleven services—more than sixty distinct pieces to master. Asked how she manages, Anne smiles and says simply, “I have a deep repertoire.” The season of summer services concludes with Music Sunday on August 31st, 2025. Members and friends will gather to share music and community before the church resumes its regular season on September 7th. On that first Sunday in September, we will feature coffee and doughnuts in the garden, hosted by John Engstrom. Following, all are invited to a noon gathering in the Religious Education wing where Kathy Konwiak will lead the kickoff of the Social Justice Committee, complete with bagels and cream cheese. Dueling Pianos Concert Anne has rehearsed with Hans Barbe for an upcoming concert program. On Saturday, October 11, at 4 p.m., Anne and Hans will perform a dueling pianos concert at the church. Joseph Palazzolo will also revisit the church to play two pieces with Anne. Tickets are available for $25, and front-row seating is available for $50.   ## GROSSE POINTE UNITARIAN DECLARED A GREEN SANCTUARY BY THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION
For the past year, the Social Justice Committee has engaged in thoughtful conversation and diligent work to develop a Green Sanctuary application. After a series of workshops and revisions, the committee formally approved a submission to the Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team of the UUA, led by Reverend Rachel Myslivy. Following that, our Board of Directors also reviewed and affirmed the application. The application was then submitted by Kathy Konwiak, Chair of the Social Justice Committee. Reverend Rachel returned the application with a single, thoughtful note: “Have you structured this using the **Four Essentials of Climate Action**?” These four guideposts—core to the UUA’s climate justice strategy through 2030—help congregations center their work around impact and equity: --- ### Congregational Transformation *Reimagine your congregation from the inside out—infusing climate justice into worship, governance, and education to build a community aligned with ecological values.* ### Community Resilience *Strengthen your capacity to face climate disruptions by building local networks of care, preparedness, and spiritual grounding that support thriving through uncertainty.* ### Justice *Center the voices and needs of those most impacted by climate change. Climate action is incomplete without equity, solidarity, and community partnership.* ### Mitigation *Take practical steps to reduce emissions and environmental harm—from energy efficiency to low-waste practices—because every action matters.* --- In response, our team reconvened and reorganized our application as a climate action plan structured around these Four Essentials. The result? Reverend Rachel not only loved the revised version—she asked to publish it as an example for other congregations, with a few modest adjustments. We are deeply gratified by this recognition. It affirms the work already underway in our congregation to heal and honor the Earth, starting at our church home. Looking ahead, we are eager to engage in vibrant discussion and faithful action—this year, and in the years leading up to 2030. In 2026, we will file a report on our progress and a refreshed action plan as part of our ongoing commitment to the Green Sanctuary program. The Social Justice Committee looks forward to partnering with all of our committees and our members as we grow together into our role as a Green Sanctuary Congregation.— at Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church. From the Grosse Pointe News ...
By Jody McVeigh, Editor Mary Fodell’s brother, Tom Peelle, has been hard at work making improvements to the Edible Garden. He recently built two large wicking beds, which are raised garden beds built over a water reservoir of the same size, allowing the plants in the bed to absorb water at a natural rate, even if the surrounding soil is dry. Or, in the case of one of Full Circle’s beds, if it rests on a concrete parking lot. “There’s a reservoir with 4 1/2 inches of water underneath,” Peelle said. “A pond liner goes up halfway, then I put tubes down, which provide a way for there to be 150 to 200 gallons of water underneath the dirt.” A layer of straw and sand are added beneath the actual garden, helping wick water up to the plants’ roots. “And if it’s raining a lot, there’s a drain so it never floods.” Currently, Peelle and a team of Eagle Scouts are building composting bioreactors that involve fungal-based compost as opposed to bacteria-based compost. “All the major compost people are switching their beds to this type,” Peelle said. “You don’t have to turn it. It’s neat. You just load in the chicken (waste), then the organics. There’s a wire screen in the bottom that keeps rodents out. The idea is to have all the compost within a foot of air, which allows the air to penetrate constantly. It’s healthier than bacteria-based compost. Plants need fungus in their soil. It’s easy and it’s neat and it’s faster. And it’s not smelly.” Peelle’s plans for the Edible Garden don’t stop with his latest offerings. “I want a hoop house next year, with our own well and drip watering system,” he said. “I want this to be all organic and self-sustaining, where we’re not using city water or electricity from the outside. “And if the chickens do too good, I want to add rabbit hutches,” he added. #EdibleGarden #TomPeelle #MaryFodell #RiverviewHealth #FullCircle #WickingBeds #FungalCompost #OrganicFarming #SustainableLiving #EagleScouts #CommunityGarden #UrbanAgriculture #HoopHouse #RabbitHutch #ChickenCoop #CompostRevolution #GardenInnovation #fullcirclefoundation— at Full Circle Foundation.  Each week, our order of service reads like a spiritual detective story. Where do these inspirations come from? How do sacred words find their way into the pulpit, and through whose hands? I spent a few moments up in the pulpit with Carol Guither, worship associate and our gentle yoga guru. Guither had carefully scripted every word for last Sunday’s service. I wanted to make sure I was locked in on Guither’s reading for the chalice lighting. Jon Noble, head of adult religious education and worship leader, lit the chalice to Rumi’s words.
A good version of Rumi’s meditation comes from Coleman Barks “The Essential Rumi”. Often, scholars refer to Rumi’s poem as “A Great Wagon” or “Don’t Go Back to Sleep”. The version read by Guither closely matched the text translated by Barks: Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language—even the phrase each other-- doesn’t make any sense. The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don’t go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don’t go back to sleep. These words echo throughout our city, a city that rapidly grows closer and closer to the Middle East, heart of the Arabic world. Adnan Charara, gallerist of Gallerie Camille in Midtown, has painted the following words by the doorway to the gallery: Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When we light the chalice, we illuminate near and far. In a perfect world, we could save those worship associate scripts the way fans save set lists from cherished concerts. To paint the wall with Rumi’s words stands as a brave and compassionate act. Charara came to America as a refugee, establishing a lively studio and gallery in the building that houses La Feria Detroit and Cata Vino Detroit. Sadly, my friend has looked pensive the last few times that I visited the gallery. Friends know that Charara’s family in Lebanon has suffered deeply as the conflicts proceed in the region. Let us turn to the mystery of next week’s service. I was put on the chase by a Facebook post from Ameera Bandy. Bandy has taken to the air waves as a host on newly established Passenger Recovery Radio. Twice a month, Bandy produces “Who’s Listening Anyways” for the online radio channel. Who’s listening? Ameera, you have our full attention. Who is Ameera? It’s more than a question. It’s the title of Bandy’s web page. How well do we know our church administrative lead? Bandy is totally redefining the role of “church secretary”. Bandy leads the effort to produce the Corktown Music Festival. Who knew? It gets better. Sunday afternoon, reflecting upon the service at Starbucks in The Village, Downtown Grosse Pointe, I looked at the credentials for next Sunday’s guest in our pulpit. Bryan Wolf comes to our pulpit as a first order musician. Yet, Wolf’s role as director of programming at Passenger Recovery in Hamtramck piqued my attention more. Passenger Recovery occupies the former convent of Saint Ladislaus in Hamtramck. The church is up for sale. The parochial school now functions as a charter school. Performers at The Majestic all the way up to Little Caesars Arena often need a green room where talent can wait for their curtain call in a drug and alcohol free environment. Passenger Recovery provides that haven. The recovery centered program is open to all, even people outside the industry. The Passenger part comes from the Iggy Pop anthem “The Passenger”. Harry Houdini would have been safer while awaiting the curtain at the Majestic if Passenger Recovery had existed October 1926. I immediately put out a message to Jimmy Doom, sober punk rocker teaching Keyboard Catharsis right then at Passenger Recovery that afternoon. Keyboard Catharsis is Doom’s writing method that has empowered the writer to publish far, far more than one thousand stories on Substack on a daily cadence. I took a session earlier this year, a total unlock for my muse. “Oh hello yes I know Bryan. He's about 40 feet from me right now. Stellar individual.” When we light the chalice, we illuminate near and far. Coming to service next Sunday? Bring a passenger. Two Passengers ... Bryan Wolf & Ameera Bandy -- at Passenger Radio WHCK.  At the History Department, we scan the news for the good work of our members in the Beloved Community. This letter was published in the Thursday, July 17th, 2025 edition of the Grosse Pointe News. We reached out to Paul, who provided the picture.
Grateful for Gilda's Club To the Editor: It is terrific news that Gilda’s Club will now have a location at The War Memorial. I have been a cancer patient for 5 1/2 years and a Gilda’s Royal Oak member for five of those years. If you do not know, Gilda’s is a phenomenal resource for anyone on a cancer journey — patient, family member, caregiver, etc. If you are a cancer patient and have ever wondered what Gilda’s Club is, the best decision you can make today is to check out what Gilda’s can offer you. No one needs to fight cancer alone — and no one should. You may be surprised just how much other travelers on the journey can help lighten the burden. I encourage you to check Gilda’s out — do it today. - Paul Lipsitz So here’s how we can take action this week. Borrowing from the Grosse Pointe News once more. Starting July 9, Gilda’s Club will begin hosting weekly programs at The War Memorial every Wednesday. These include peer-to-peer support groups, family-focused sessions, and public education events—all free of charge. The club calls this the “Gilda’s Around Town” outreach. So for this upcoming Wednesday, take part in the following events on Lake St. Clair. Online registration is recommended. Follow the link for the calendar and registration. http://bit.ly/40uiYE1 Yoga in the Park Wed, Jul 23, 2025 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM The War Memorial Inclusive and accessible yoga class supporting your body and mind through breathwork, meditation, and mindful movement. We'll explore postures on the mat, kneeling, and standing, with options to adjust intensity based on your comfort and energy level. Yoga will be outside, weather permitting. Lunch & Learn Series: Natural Skin & Beauty Care Wed, Jul 23, 2025 11:30 AM - 01:00 AM The War Memorial Join Stacy Theodossin, owner of Healing Goddess, LLC for this lunch and Learn Series. She is an experienced and compassionate holistic and spiritual entrepreneur. For nearly three decades, she’s been helping people radically improve their health and lives naturally. Together she can help you to explore, address, release & heal imbalances in body, mind & spirit. Register today! Tai Chi on The Lake Wed, Jul 23, 2025 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM The War Memorial Tai Chi is an exercise form with its root from Traditional Chinese Medicine used for healing energy and building life force also known as Qi (pronounced Chee). Tai Chi is now widely practiced across the world for improving health including balance, leg strength and for relaxation. As weather permits we may practice outside. Instructor: Vernice McDaniel, certified meditation coach.— at Grosse Pointe War Memorial.  Neil Sroka recited this poem by Walt Whitman as our pastoral message today. The passage appeared first in the 1860 edition of Leaves of Grass. Our second hymn came from #SamuelLongfellow, Unitarian minister and brother of
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Our service sets gems of literature and music in a perfect setting, dazzling in the light of our chalice's flame. The team at the #DepartmentOfHistory monitors the weekly Grosse Pointe News for the accomplishments of our members. We were well aware of the page dedicated to the works of the Grosse Pointe Rotary Club. Sroka recently passed the president's gavel to a newly president, Jackie Dale. Before passing the gavel, Sroka presented a twenty-five grand check to Mary Fodell, leader of the sheltered workshop at the Full Circle Foundation. We had thought of posting the article on the cork board. We thought of asking Sroka first. Unitarians do the right thing, neglecting to trumpet their good works. Fortunately, an anonymous member pinned the article to the cork for us. So thank you. We care little who breaks the good news first. Even so, we hope you'll drop news tips into the historians' mailbox so we can follow up. Mary Fodell is the sister of new GPUC member and veteran UU Tom Peelle. Peelle recently built a chicken coop for Full Circle's urban farm on Warren in Detroit, designing and building the coop with the help of the local MICHIGAN MASONS. Peelle will be talking with a big daily, so we'll clip and post that ink soon. Several of our beloved community volunteers at the garden, a relationship pointed up in our Green Sanctuary application. Fact checking and commentary requested. --- Miracles by Walt Whitman Why, who makes much of a miracle? As to me I know of nothing else but miracles, Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan, Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky, Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water, Or stand under trees in the woods, Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love, Or sit at table at dinner with the rest, Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car, Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon, Or animals feeding in the fields, Or birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air, Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so quiet and bright, Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring; These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles, The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place. To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every cubic inch of space is a miracle, Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with the same, Every foot of the interior swarms with the same. To me the sea is a continual miracle, The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—the ships with men in them, What stranger miracles are there? --- Walt Whitman by John Plumbe Jr.?, ca. 1848–1854. Whitman Archive ID: zzz.00006 Cite this page: "Walt Whitman by John Plumbe Jr.?, ca. 1848–1854." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 13 July 2025. http://www.whitmanarchive.org. |
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