New Dominion?

Today in Richmond about 1,000 people - some men, but mostly women - descended on the State Capital Grounds to silently protest the a law passed two weeks that restricts a woman's ability to make decisions for her own reproductive rights.

I wonder if they covered their faces so that their mothers wouldn't know what they were doing?

The law requires that any women seeking an abortion have an abdominal ultrasound - which she must pay for - prior to having the abortion.  The original bill required an ultrasound to determine the gestational age of the fetus.  Apparently the proponents did not know/understand that in the first trimester a traditional abdominal ultrasound does not work to determine fetal age.  The only way to accomplish that is a trans-vaginal ultrasound.  That is, an ultrasound probe that is inserted thru the vagina.  After a demonstration last week, that requirement was dropped, and the abdominal procedure ("jelly on the belly") specified.

A second law that would have given "personhood" to a fertilized egg was tabled until next year.

Apparently those protesters who were arrested had seated themselves on the steps of the Capital - silently - and failed to leave when asked by Capital Police to do so.  At that point riot police with tear gas and rifles were called in to establish "order".

I thought we fought these battles in the late 1970's and early 1980's.  I'm sorry I didn't know about the rally in time.   I would have been more than willing to be arrested for this issue.

Update:  I have now seen some film of the event and learned that the protesters were not silent.  They did not appear to be putting anyone in danger; merely shouting slogans and chanting.  They have been charged with "unlawful assembly".  Isn't there something in the Constitution about a "right to assemble"?

Today's thought From the Garden Bench is that this is a clock that we do not need to turn backward.

Flowers in the House

Spring is creeping in.  I can feel it.  I can see little tiny pieces of it.  By next week I might have my own-grown flowers, but not today.

Today it's store-brought, and plain old alstroemeria.  Actually, I love them, but 90% of the time it's what I buy.  I did check for roses yesterday.  They were all "soft", so I did not purchase.

Since it was my old standby, I wanted to try something more creative than "plop in the vase", so what I was going for was vertical and layers.  This is close to what I had in mind, and at least it's a bit of creativity thought.

And, you know that I have a pot of spring bulbs this time of year.  We have had these hyacinths for more than a week and they are still perfuming the entire house.  Many of their ancestors from previous winters are starting to bloom in the garden ... as they will next year!

Please be sure to visit Jane at SmallButCharming.  She is our hostess today, as she is every last Monday!  Lots to see, so be sure to hop over there to find out what's blooming in other parts of the world.