There isn’t anything funny about the state of our country and world today. But in order to remain sane, you’ve got to have balance including the good, with the bad, and the ugly.
The Bad — Of the 80 or so Executive Orders (EO) that have been disgorged over the past couple of weeks is EO # 14172 entitled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness.”
It directs the reinstatement of the name “Mount McKinley” to the highest peak in North America by reversing the 2015 decision to call it by its 10,000-year-old name “Denali,” and renames the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” In renaming landmarks it emphasizes the importance of national heritage and patriotism — in short, only all-American names.
As for Mt. McKinley, it was never an official name. A prospector gave it that moniker because he liked the President at the time. But McKinley was from Ohio, an Iroquois tribal name meaning “good river.”
The federal Board on Geographic Names (BGN) which maintains uniformity may have a difficult time. Changing one or two might be possible, but to carry out the mandate the President would have to change the names of 22 states named after Native tribes, not American patriots. Don’t get me started on cities, counties, and landmarks. There are multitudes.
Alabama (Choctaw); Alaska (Aleut); Arizona (O’odham); Arkansas (Quapaw); Connecticut (Pequot); Dakotas (Sioux); Illinois (Illiniwek); Kentucky (Iroquois or Shawnee); Massachusetts (Algonquin); Mississippi (Ojibwa); Tennessee (Cherokee); Texas (Caddo Peoples); Utah (Utes). You get the picture.
What about the Southern White House in Palm Beach? It’s an hour and a half from Miami. The name Miami comes from the Mayaimi tribe who lived in the region for centuries. You drive through Hialeah (Muskogee Creek Tribe ) and Boca Raton to reach Palm Beach — probably the most patriotic American name in the bunch. But where does that leave Okeechobee, Tampa, Tallahassee, and Chattahoochee?
How about our most beloved songs? Half of the towns mentioned in “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” have Native American names. “Don’t forget Winona” (Dakota Sioux). What about “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “My Tallahassee Lassie,” “By the Time I get to Phoenix,” “Kansas City,” “Tennessee Waltz,” “Oklahoma,” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas?”
Are there enough patriotic names to go around? There’s no definition in the EO. I know that both HW and George W would pass because of the father of our country. But Obama? Even America is named after an Italian — Amerigo Vespucci. Scusa?
The Ugly— Evidently a Congress member from Florida has introduced a bill to put T’s face on Mt. Rushmore. She might want to reconsider since the State is named after the Lakota tribe. Back in 2020, then Governor Kristi Noem’s office said it was a “good idea” and that “there is room” on the mountain. But it’s 2025 now and his head has gotten bigger.
On second thought, it might work. They were a hairy bunch. Lincoln had hair from his hat to his neck. Washington’s locks covered his ears and curled into a flip. Both he and Jefferson sported pony tails and often wore wigs. A complicated combover would require a master craftsman for sure. I could see it working if T lost the bangs, grew a ponytail, and changed out the long tie for a ruffled collar.
Or he could go with Teddy’s look by parting his hair in the middle rather than over his left ear and growing a healthy stash. A pair of rimless spectacles would complete the look.
But wait! Let him don (Don?) his MAGA cap, resolving the hair issue. Fortunately, Abe left his stovepipe at home. Allow T’s golden visage to dominate the other four in sheer size, his hat throwing shade on the others. Meow, meow.
The Good — Spent all day Saturday on First St. Met friends for an early lunch at the cozy and delightful Cafe at the Inn. Slept in, so ordered the hashed browns and a “hen egg” which was only $3. Figured what with bird flu the egg would be much more. My friend, Fran, ordered the tasty and ample quinoa and his wife Karen the breakfast sandwich —an English muffin stuffed with a fried egg, sausage, and white cheddar cheese. Delectable!
We headed up to NYC2CA Gallery to see the “Mad Hatter Show” — great fun and something all ages will enjoy. Entering the Gallery you’re greeted by the animated faces of over two dozen women each on her own pedestal wearing an enormous, fantastical, hat or headpiece. We had entered a surrealistic garden party. Images from Alice in Wonderland, the Kentucky Derby, Federico Fellini, Schiaparelli, Robert Arneson, and our own Pam Dixon danced in my head.
A collaboration between husband and wife team Maureen and Peter Langenbach, the busts are crafted from recycled materials. I initially thought that they were made of ceramic, but no. Peter masterfully carves each sculpture out of old wooden fence posts, using the shape, grain, and size of the post to craft individual facial features and expressions. Fine wrinkles in the wood translate to delicate laugh lines strategically placed under an eye. Growth rings on a burl are utilized to create Madonna-like pointy breasts revealing his skill and sense of humor.
Maureen, a watercolorist, assisted by her niece Kelly Dillon, creates the monumental and fanciful headdresses and embellishes them with fabric scraps, buttons, ribbons, sequins, and lace. Animated and highly made up faces are painted on the carved heads, expressive eyes and exaggerated eyelashes, bee stung lips stained with luscious reds and pinks, pouting, laughing, pursed, and bored.
The scope of this show is huge and must have taken years to complete.
Take another half hour to play the “Mad Match Up” game by pairing the textile collages on the walls with the freestanding sculptures. Three of us joined forces and made quick work of it. Ask owner Vicki Marchand for helpful strategies. It’s an ingenious way to encourage you to study each piece. Go before February 28, when there will be a drawing to win a hand-carved and painted Alice in Wonderland Chess Set.
The day with more friends and an early dinner at Bella Siena. Perfection!
Letters From Benicia 