Tuesday October 30

Four to seven vigil-ers throughout the hour. Some talk about everyday affairs, health, families, books, but nothing about the storm in the eastern United States. I marvel about the simple daily-ness of living.

Monday October 29

Five people at the beginning of the hour (and two dogs), nine at the end. The dogs enjoyed doggie treats and the people enjoyed chocolate chip cookies [people treats :)]. Our friend from Tucson, and some of his family, paid us a last visit; we are hoping to see him again before too long.

Sunday October 28

Four people to start the hour, six when the clock struck 6:00. A man dropping off his vote at the courthouse walked up to say that he feared that the United States would be taken over by the Chinese and the Japanese. We did not respond but only listened.

Saturday October 27

Three of us at 5:00PM, six at the end. No football in Corvallis, a low-traffic day at the vigil.

Friday October 26

Four at the beginning, five or six at 6:00PM. The courthouse vigil has become a popular subject for budding documentary film-makers, and this afternoon two cameras showed up. One day maybe the film crews will outnumber the vigil-ers. :) Now if only the US government paid attention ...

Thursday October 25

Four or five during the first part of the hour. The six-year-old grandson of one vigil-er joined us, as well as a visitor. "Doggie treats" have for now become an afternoon routine, affording us all pleasure and opportunities to feel appreciated. :)

Wednesday October 24

Four right after 5:00PM increased one by one to seven at the end of the vigil. There was a medium-long sprinkle early, enough so that umbrellas and rain hoods went up, but there was less rain than we expected. Toward the end a double rainbow spread across half the sky in the east. It was a lovely vigil afternoon.

Tuesday October 23

Another dry-ish hour on a wet day. Four or five at the beginning of the hour, eight at the end. One person had recommendations from a trusted lawyer about the two elections of judges for the Oregon state courts, but it turned out that most of the participants had voted already.

Monday October 22

Four or five at 5:00PM, eight when the courthouse clock struck 6:00. On an often rainy day the vigil hour was dry; we feel fortunate. We had lively discussions about voting in the November 6 election and about the Benton County citizens' initiative to ban GMOs from the county.

Sunday October 21

Five people at the start, eight at the end, and today four dogs. As peacekeepers, we separated the barking factions to maintain calm. :)

Saturday October 20

From four to eight people throughout the hour, and three dogs. The dogs barked back and forth, making the peace vigil not so peaceful. :) After a shower-y day, the vigil itself was dry; we count our good fortune.

Thursday October 18 and Friday October 19

Two to start the vigil on both days, four or five at the end. Friday we discussed the national election. Most people discuss who to vote for, but at the vigil the only question which comes up is, to vote or not to vote? Most of us favor the lesser of two evils, but one or two choose not to take part in the United States' version of democracy. Our friend from Tucson talked a little about state issues in Arizona; SB1070, "don't be nice to immigrants", is still a major issue there.

Wednesday October 17

Six of us for most of the hour, with a couple more coming a little before 6:00PM. Some discussion of the Tuesday night debate between the presidential candidates, wondering who had won [other than the military :(].

Tuesday October 16

Five or six of us throughout the hour. We were joined by a friend from Tucson, who each year visits relatives in Corvallis and who often comes to the vigil while he is here. We had only a few of our signs, and he admonished us that we should have a sign "DON'T ATTACK IRAN". Indeed.

Corvallis Peace Vigil 10-5-12

Corvallis Peace vigil 10-5-12

Corvallis Peace Vigil 10-5-12

Monday October 15

Two for the first ten minutes, then seven or eight of us at 6:00PM. Though it was a showery day, the vigil hour was mostly dry. We read aloud the children's book Courage by Bernard Waber.

Sunday October 14

Four people to start the hour, five at the end. A quiet day -- we talked about our vacations away and visitors from other places.

Saturday October 13

Two people at 5:00PM, six and a dog when the clock struck six. We had several young visitors, one a young cyclist who wanted to tell us that the Uniform Code of Military Justice makes it legal for soldiers to kill, and then a group of four attracted by the jar of pickles shared by one of the vigilers. :)

Friday October 12

Two at 5:00PM, four of us at the end. A rainy day marked the end of a months-long dry spell. The vigil had rain from start to finish. As I remember, in the winter of 2011-12 the vigil hour was usually dry, even on days which were otherwise rainy. I wonder if this year will be different.

Thursday October 11

I arrived late today. There were three or four of us throughout the hour. Shortly before 6:00 a fire truck and a police car sirened down Fourth Street, and soon afterward there was a traffic jam right in front of us. Standing with a sign, staring at an unmoving car, feels different from standing as cars whiz by.

Wednesday October 10

Four at the start, six at the end. A quiet day. We talked a bit about the play Rumors, being put on by the south Corvallis AAA Theatre.

Tuesday October 9

One person at 5:00PM, six or seven at the end of the hour. A woman came to talk to "the guy with the ponytail", but he was not there. She is thinking of making a documentary about the vigil. I don't know whether the vigil is having an effect, but evidently it is interesting to filmmakers!

Monday October 8

Year 12, day 2. Three people to start the hour, seven at the end. We put up a new Earth flag, contributed by a friend of the vigil. And we talked briefly about the workshop presented on the weekend by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund; our discussion touched on the history of the United States but not on possible ways forward.

Sunday October 7

October 7 is the actual eleven-year anniversary of the United States attack on Afghanistan. Eleven years of war -- I fear that the soul of America is dying. Thirteen or fourteen people came to the vigil, but there was little discussion of our war.

Saturday October 6

After too much to do in the afternoon, I arrived halfway through the hour. The nine people present when I came stayed until the end. In one conversation we talked about the complex of issues around ethics and lawfulness, with respect to the United States taking of Native American lands and the Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

Friday October 5

Today we marked the eleventh anniversary of the attack on Afghanistan and the start of the vigil. The Afghanistan war began October 7, 2001, so we were two days early, taking advantage of more traffic on Friday. A friend of the vigil had made two new banners -- thanks! About forty people were a presence all along the block in front of the courthouse. Much of the time our wars leave me in sorrow and despair, and I am grateful for the people who stand with us.

Thursday October 4

No one on the sidewalk when the clock struck 5:00. :( Then four people by five minutes after the hour, and maybe seven at the end of the vigil. One person brought a small American flag with a sign "The 1% should pay more taxes", which set off an interesting discussion about flags and patriotism--with no resolution.

Wednesday October 3

Four people to start the hour, seven of us (plus three dogs) at the end. I suspect like many residents of Corvallis, we talked about the power outage that started a bit before 11:00AM. It lasted long enough for me to wonder how we would live without electricity. Would there be more or less war?

Tuesday October 2

Four of us at 5:00PM, eight or nine at 6:00. One of our friends and occasional participants brought an earth flag to donate. The flag that has marked our stretch of sidewalk for thousands of evenings is noticeably worn, but we have mixed feelings about replacing it.

Monday October 1

The first day of October. Three to begin the hour, maybe nine at the end. Monday is cookie day, and we had a choice of chocolate chip cookies or icebox cookies. :)

Sunday September 30

Three at 5:00PM, seven of us at the end. Just before 6:00 three young folks crossed the street to talk to us, a young woman and two young Iranian men. The three were visiting Corvallis from Portland. The woman had played in an ultimate frisbee tournament at Willamette Park. The Iranians both bemoaned the situation in their country and agreed that war would be not make it better.