Tuesday February 28

Wet, windy, and chilly -- the five or six of us had a companionable hour, but when the courthouse clock struck six, we did not linger to put away the signs and our umbrellas.

Monday, 27 February

I arrived a few minutes past 5.  Four were there; one a new woman.  The nearby bench was festively decorated with assorted umbrellas drying.  7 for some section of the hour; one came bearing gingerbread people.   Near the end a high energy young woman danced into our midst saying it had been a great day and she'd like to stand with us.  She danced with her sign; cheerful and vibrant  she said she'll be there again.  And,  one must not neglect to mention - one dog for the hour.

Sunday February 26

Three or four of us to start the hour, eight at the end. It was rainy and cold, and at the end we hurried to put the signs away.

Saturday February 25

Four of us for most of the hour. There is a website of pictures from the Iraq war with the disclaimer "The images on this website are gut-wrenching", and we looked at some photographs. Gut-wrenching indeed. What is the effect of looking at pictures like that? :(

Friday February 24

Half a dozen people throughout a rainy hour. We had a long discussion about showing graphic images of casualties of the US wars: would that shock people into thinking about what war is really like? or would it simply shock and offend? We reached no conclusion. 

Thursday February 23

Today the vigil was extended to almost two hours. The local chapters of Americans for Prosperity and the Tea Party held a rally on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse from 4:30PM to 6:00. In order not to struggle for sidewalk space, we started the peace vigil around 4:00PM. Our presence there before 5:00PM startled some passersby, used to seeing us only at our "regular" time -- one person did a double take and glanced up at the courthouse clock. :)
There was some dialogue, but generally the two groups are simply addressing different issues. The AfP and Tea Party folks were particularly concerned about how a riparian zone established by Benton County affects rights of private property.

Wednesday February 22

Four or five to start the hour, thirteen at the end.

Tuesday February 21

Seven or eight of us throughout the hour. A little rain, enough for umbrellas, but not much. The Corvallis branch of the Tea Party is planning a protest in front of the courthouse during the vigil hour on Thursday. We talked about how that would affect our presence.

Monday, 20 February

One of those coming and going evenings, 4 to start, two more, one gone another coming.  Anyway, 7 for much of the hour with cookies arriving later and two more folks to finish the hour.  Friendly waves and a VW bug with a bicycle horn signaling a squeak squeak cheer for no war.   I am told about a letter drafted and circulated in the local Unitarian Fellowship regarding the ramping up of rhetoric toward war on Iran.  They will send it out to all our elected officials.  I think we could write something similar from the vigil.
Can we really be approaching another war disaster?

Sunday February 19

Five to ten of us at different times. Plenty of encouraging honks and waves, but one car passed with the driver giving us TWO thumbs down. I gestured back with a thumb up -- at least the person was paying attention -- but I wonder, what does he object to? Does he presume that the vigil is anti-American? does he think that war is a good thing? or at least necessary?

Saturday, 18 February

The 5 pm rain was with us again today, not so fierce as yesterday, but started right as the first of us arrived and the clock chimed the hour.  A belated birthday celebration brought good humor to the 8 of us - and chocolate.
Kansas City, MO  Public Schools were decertified by the state - I am mystified.  How can we invest trillions in war and not fund schools adequately?   Is this the restoration of America that is ballyhooed by the alleged conservatives?
A passing car with a dog leaning out the window; a friendly bark from one of us draws the attention of both dog and human passengers.  The dog looks, the man looks and gives us "the finger."  There is a comment - that at least he saw us and later he'll think about it and wish he had chosen a different response.  We can dream! Maybe some of the angry ones do eventually come to such thoughts, sometimes.

Friday, 17 February

Just at 5 a blustery rain squall settled in, except for umbrellas none of the three of us were prepared for the intensity of the rain.  The merits of wool socks were tested.  The heavy rain was not long lived (unlike the nation's habits of war).  The wind persisted a fourth arrived to join us and, briefly another stopped to talk.  Later a flurry of arrivals brought our number to 7 shivery folks.  New job, jigsaw puzzles and the frustrations of distraction, floated through the conversations - sometimes one just can't bear to talk politics.

Thursday, 16 February

Small numbers as several regulars are out of down.  Four for the hour with a brief mid-hour visit by another.  The lengthening light adds energy to the vigil - we can see the people in the cars again, making the exchange of waves and other friendly gestures more reciprocal.
Another anniversary approaches, how to mark it.

Tuesday February 14

A half dozen attenders, later as many as ten people. We talked a bit about raising chickens and a bit about Corvallis shops which decline to do business with vigil participants.

Sunday February 12

Three to start the hour, eight of us at 6:00PM. Some discussion, sparked by a nonviolence workshop earlier in the day, about how best to respond to folks who completely repudiate us and our signs.

Saturday February 11

Four at the beginning of the hour, then ten at the end. Some interesting discussion of Bill McKibben's book Eaarth and his suggestions for making our society and our world better.

Thursday February 9

Four early in the hour, six at the end. We got some encouragement from people walking by, always welcome. Some discussion of the growth of Corvallis and Oregon State University.

Wednesday February 8

Six of us for much of the hour grew to nine at 6:00PM. There was steady rain -- funny how that makes the hour longer.

Tuesday February 7

Half a dozen of us. We talked a bit about two interesting books, Capitalism Hits the Fan by Richard Wolff and The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker.

Sunday February 5

Four of us at 5:00PM, six or seven at 6:00. A quiet evening at the vigil.

Abe's birthday

Four or five "regulars", plus a dozen more -- for his birthday, Abe brought a dozen family and friends to join the vigil. We are honored. And there were no vulgar gestures from passersby.

Friday February 4

Four to six of us throughout the hour. One conversation, what can we do to oppose an attack on Iran?

Thursday February 3

Half a dozen people. Most provocative conversation: in what ways does the contemporary United States resemble a fascist state?