Ms. Merlin had a birthday!

Ms. Merlin turned Sweet 16 on Dec. 8th, 2013 with a peace party.
On the afternoon before Merlin’s birthday, Gloria attended an event at Kingston, NY’s City Hall with a program program presented by Deep Listening Institute as part of Ione’s 18th Annual Dream Festival with The City of Kingston, with Mayor Shayne Gallo presenting internationally-acclaimed recording artist and Tibetan Buddhist Yungchen Lhamo in a solo concert. Yungchen’s concert, “Discovering Your Inner Health, Healing and Strength” was very auspicious. Baritone Kerry Henderson vocalized with Yungchen, Paul Oliveros accompanied her vocals playing a conch shell and Ione spoke about bringing our dreams of peace into form. Yungchen previously met the Parrots for Peace in Kingston and has asked about them. At the concert Scotty Bruer of PeaceNow.com asked to meet the peace parrots and we arranged for it the following day before he left to fly back to Venice Beach, California. So, on Merlin’s birthday when I told her we were going to have a party at the home of artist Julie Hedrick and musician Peter Wetzler to meet their friend Scotty who had a website generating petitions from one billion people from all 196 countries to ask for peace right now she dropped a wing feather as an offering to him in gratitude for appreciating his joining the global peace work. We presented this sacred feather in a ceremony of union between all people, animals and nature as we work to achieve balance, harmony and respect for all forms of life from the one source creator. Julie and Peter served a wonderful birthday bread and fruit pudding that Merlin and her family all enjoyed with a Happy Birthday song by all.
(photos to come)

Sinterklaas and The Parrots for Peace

Holiday season has begun and The Parrots for Peace are spreading their good cheer. P1910632They were invited to participate in a popular seasonal event in Kingston to bring to life in a contemporary way the legend of Sinterklaas and the spirit of generosity this time of year signals around the world. St. Nicholas was a generous Turkish man who was sainted for his charitable spirit without need for recognition or repayment. This “from the heart” idea of helping and giving is a reminder to us all throughout the year to have compassionate views and to be of service to others. The Parrots for Peace were at the Old Dutch Church in Kingston to start off the day listening to poems, stories, songs, music, watching a dance performance and then getting to meet Sinterklaas. They moved to midtown Kingston for a celebration put on by community members with a traditional song, a warm fruit punch and gift bags of goodies and treats for everyone in the Mexican and Latin American style of the season’s festivities. Then the Parrots for Peace had a one hour time to tell their story and get to meet lots of people to share their love and message of a shared world with mutual respect for all life. They walked in a procession with Sinterklaas and a man with bells ringing out the hopeful and magical times ahead in the coming new year when you see things with an open heart.