tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64210548390135178462024-03-13T23:50:12.982-05:00Seeking Spiritwife, grandma, mother, friend, therapist, writer, photographer, musician, gardener, thinker, quaker, episcopalian, boater, southern marylander, seeker, listener, lover of silence and natural placesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-84108708466137675672007-07-21T23:11:00.000-05:002007-07-21T23:15:52.129-05:00new address<a href="http://aseekingspirit.wordpress.com/" mce_href="http://aseekingspirit.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#666666;">seeking spirit</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-89225408034923143462007-07-21T10:57:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:20.756-05:00Waiting for Rain<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RqI4y3uqJHI/AAAAAAAABmU/CJ2my75lk7A/s1600-h/bg2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089692975486346354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 475px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 378px" height="257" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RqI4y3uqJHI/AAAAAAAABmU/CJ2my75lk7A/s320/bg2.jpg" width="351" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RqI4gXuqJGI/AAAAAAAABmM/PO7oP5rFQ3Q/s1600-h/photos_0003.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#336666;"><strong>Song of the Rain</strong></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Kahlil Gibran</span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong> I am dotted silver threads dropped from heaven by the gods.</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Nature then takes me, to adorn her fields and valleys. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I am beautiful pearls,</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Plucked from the crown of Ishtar by the daughter of Dawn to embellish the gardens. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>When I cry the hills laugh; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>When I humble myself the flowers rejoice; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>When I bow, all things are elated. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The field and the cloud are lovers </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>And between them I am a messenger of mercy. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I quench the thirst of one; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I cure the ailment of the other. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The voice of thunder declares my arrival; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The rainbow announces my departure. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I am like earthly life, </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Which begins at the feet of the mad elements</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>And ends under the upraised wings of death. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I emerge from the heard of the sea </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Soar with the breeze.</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>When I see a field in need,</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I descend and embrace the flowers and the trees in a million little ways. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I touch gently at the windows with my soft fingers, </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>And my announcement is a welcome song all can hear</strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>But only the sensitive can understand. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The heat in the air gives birth to me, </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>But in turn I kill it, </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>As woman overcomes man with the strength she takes from him. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>I am the sigh of the sea; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The laughter of the field; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>The tears of heaven. </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>So with love - </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Sighs from the deep sea of affection; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Laughter from the colourful field of the spirit; </strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>Tears from the endless heaven of memories.</strong></span></div><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-68228057840263603202007-07-09T14:20:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:21.915-05:00BLOGGING BREAKFAST<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKNGMqVSlI/AAAAAAAABlU/j-iBTZxkalM/s1600-h/100_7743.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085282066872224338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKNGMqVSlI/AAAAAAAABlU/j-iBTZxkalM/s320/100_7743.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKM78qVSkI/AAAAAAAABlM/HKqX4unLRwE/s1600-h/100_7735.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085281890778565186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKM78qVSkI/AAAAAAAABlM/HKqX4unLRwE/s320/100_7735.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMw8qVSjI/AAAAAAAABlE/qd_wLxWrSIU/s1600-h/100_7738.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085281701800004146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMw8qVSjI/AAAAAAAABlE/qd_wLxWrSIU/s320/100_7738.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMmcqVSiI/AAAAAAAABk8/UnwOZDZeVd8/s1600-h/100_7741.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085281521411377698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMmcqVSiI/AAAAAAAABk8/UnwOZDZeVd8/s320/100_7741.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMbsqVShI/AAAAAAAABk0/mtOYgRcEzY4/s1600-h/100_7742.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085281336727783954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMbsqVShI/AAAAAAAABk0/mtOYgRcEzY4/s320/100_7742.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMRcqVSgI/AAAAAAAABks/qYcgOmHdGkk/s1600-h/100_7736.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085281160634124802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMRcqVSgI/AAAAAAAABks/qYcgOmHdGkk/s320/100_7736.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMDsqVSfI/AAAAAAAABkk/cfIJHFJXQe8/s1600-h/100_7740.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085280924410923506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpKMDsqVSfI/AAAAAAAABkk/cfIJHFJXQe8/s320/100_7740.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Our favorite waitress in a "special pose."<br /><br /><div><br />Two or three times a week my husband and I have the great pleasure of having breakfast together at our local spot, Cindy's Pancakes also known as Pancakes Plus.<br /><br />We love the people who come there daily: they are the locals, the workers, the older couples, and the men who make it a habit and especially like to sit at the counter, read their paper, and drink their coffee.<br /><br />The help are all well-connected and most have worked there for years. They have learned to work as a unit. They help each other to make the tasks flow. They can fill in and substitute to do all of the jobs. They have forged life-long friendships working together.<br /><br />They get to know all their customers very well. They observe their comings and goings, and miss them when they haven't been there as usual. They chat about all these things with their patrons, the ones who want to chat.<br /><br />I love the place and the people.</div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-20412558653708603432007-07-08T12:35:00.001-05:002008-11-13T04:50:22.909-05:00WAITING FOR THE WORLD TO CHANGE<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFhfcqVSdI/AAAAAAAABkU/rs7PpjLc8rI/s1600-h/police-kanye-west-400w.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084952647175588306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFhfcqVSdI/AAAAAAAABkU/rs7PpjLc8rI/s320/police-kanye-west-400w.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFhRMqVScI/AAAAAAAABkM/wcjD5JDeWlA/s1600-h/peter-gabriel--v2-music-200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084952402362452418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFhRMqVScI/AAAAAAAABkM/wcjD5JDeWlA/s320/peter-gabriel--v2-music-200.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#000066;">MUSIC BRINGS US TOGETHER AND THE LYRICS GIVE US A MARCHING SONG. GOD HELP US TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOME, THE EARTH AND MAY WE ALL WORK FOR PEACE!</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFfM8qVSbI/AAAAAAAABkE/aEgifUvYrF4/s1600-h/tina-turner-mick-jagger-music-v2-200.jpg"><span style="color:#000066;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084950130324752818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpFfM8qVSbI/AAAAAAAABkE/aEgifUvYrF4/s320/tina-turner-mick-jagger-music-v2-200.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000066;"><br /></span><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEkfsqVSaI/AAAAAAAABj8/b_eQcfZPxyI/s1600-h/melissaNYliveearth.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084885581261261218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEkfsqVSaI/AAAAAAAABj8/b_eQcfZPxyI/s320/melissaNYliveearth.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEhQMqVSYI/AAAAAAAABjs/dAvoOj97NVA/s1600-h/liveearth4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084882016438405506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEhQMqVSYI/AAAAAAAABjs/dAvoOj97NVA/s320/liveearth4.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEhlsqVSZI/AAAAAAAABj0/hneLCX28vlM/s1600-h/NY_JohnMayer_ap_400.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084882385805592978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RpEhlsqVSZI/AAAAAAAABj0/hneLCX28vlM/s320/NY_JohnMayer_ap_400.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#000066;">Waiting On The World To Change - John Mayer<br /><br />Me and all my friends<br />We're all misunderstood<br />They say we stand for nothing and<br />There's no way we ever could<br />Now we see everything is going wrong<br />With the world and those who lead it<br />We just feel like we don't have the means<br />To rise above and beat it<br /><br />So we keep waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />We keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />It’s hard to beat the system<br />When we're standing at a distance<br />So we keep waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br /><br />Now if we had the power<br />To bring our neighbors home from war<br />They would have never missed a Christmas<br />No more ribbons on their door<br />When you trust your television<br />What you get is what you got<br />‘Cuz’ when they own the information ooohhh,<br />They can bend it all they want<br /><br />So while we're waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />We keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />It's not that we don't care<br />We just know that the fight ain't fair<br />So we keep waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br /><br />(Guitar solo)<br /><br />We're still waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />We keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />One day our generation<br />Is gonna rule the population<br /><br />So we keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />Know we keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />we keep on waiting (waiting)<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />Waiting on the world to change<br />Waiting on the world to change</span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-35937014766057932882007-07-05T09:30:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:23.099-05:00BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Ro0BdMqVR3I/AAAAAAAABes/IvGgRO9AUFY/s1600-h/file009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083721155497772914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Ro0BdMqVR3I/AAAAAAAABes/IvGgRO9AUFY/s320/file009.jpg" border="0" /></a><a title="Permanent Link to And…Bloom where you are planted" href="http://theanchoressonline.com/2007/07/01/andbloom-where-you-are-planted/" rel="bookmark"><span style="color:#006600;"><em><strong>Bloom where you are planted</strong></em></span></a><em><strong><br /><br /></strong></em><em><strong></strong></em><span style="color:#336666;"><blockquote><strong></strong></blockquote><blockquote><em><strong></strong></em></blockquote></span><em><span style="color:#990000;"></span></em></span><em><span style="color:#990000;"></span></em><blockquote><strong></strong></blockquote><span style="color:#663366;"><em><strong>No creature is fully itself till it is, like the dandelion, opened in the bloom of pure relationship to the sun, the entire living cosmos.- D.H. Lawrence </strong></em><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#663366;"></span><span style="color:#663366;"><blockquote><strong></strong></blockquote></span><span style="color:#6633ff;"><em><strong>Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul.- Michel Eyquem de Montaigne </strong></em><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color:#6633ff;"></span></span><span style="color:#6633ff;"><blockquote><em><strong></strong></em></blockquote></span></span><strong><span style="color:#999900;"><em>To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.- e.e. cummings</em></span><br /></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#ff6600;"><strong>Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.- Oscar Wilde, De Profundis, 1905<br /></strong></span></em><br /><span style="color:#009900;"><em><strong>How much easier is self-sacrifice than self-realization.- Eric Hoffer </strong></em><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color:#009900;"></span><span style="color:#009900;"><blockquote><strong></strong></blockquote></span><strong><em><span style="color:#993300;">Rabbi Zusya said that on the Day of Judgment, God would ask him, not why he had not been Moses, but why he had not been Zusya.- Walter Kaufmann <blockquote></blockquote></span></em></strong></span><p><strong><em>and finally: "A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves."--Edward R. Murrow</em> </strong></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-39050554097221368662007-07-02T18:13:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:23.225-05:00WHERE EAGLES FLY<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RomT9sqVRqI/AAAAAAAABdE/2ed5skAB2TA/s1600-h/_42434544_baldeagle_ap416.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5082756342634333858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RomT9sqVRqI/AAAAAAAABdE/2ed5skAB2TA/s320/_42434544_baldeagle_ap416.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HxlCPjAsUA"><span style="color:#663333;">Eaglewatch</span></a><span style="color:#663333;"><br /></span><a class="newvtitlelink" onclick="_hbLink('LimuwsFirstFlight','VidHorz');" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACJUh1dDLe0" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#663333;">Limuw's First Flight</span></a><span style="color:#663333;"><br /></span><a class="newvtitlelink" onclick="_hbLink('Memories2007PartII','VidHorz');" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHCLqLkk_IA" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#663333;">Memories 2007 - Part II</span></a><span style="color:#663333;"><br /></span><a class="newvtitlelink" onclick="_hbLink('UpUpAway','VidHorz');" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cc9MM0XAFo" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#663333;">Up Up & Away!</span></a><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#663333;">Videos of the bald eagle's nest on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California. Web cam sponsored by Institute for Wildlife Studies (IWS) and Ventura County of Education (VCOE).</span></em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-10328898053032155992007-06-28T16:15:00.001-05:002008-11-13T04:50:23.397-05:00SHALOM<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoQoTsqVRiI/AAAAAAAABcA/7MrSx_2C7VQ/s1600-h/KATHERINE-G.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081230598452102690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoQoTsqVRiI/AAAAAAAABcA/7MrSx_2C7VQ/s320/KATHERINE-G.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoQm08qVRgI/AAAAAAAABbw/zlMSJmEy1Bg/s1600-h/KATHERINEJAMESTOWN.jpg"></a><span style="color:#006600;"><em>There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place<br />And I know that it's the spirit of the Lord<br />There are sweet expressions on each face<br />And I know that it's the presence of the Lord<br />Sweet Holy Spirit<br />Sweet heavenly dove<br />Stay right here with us<br />Filling us with your love<br />And for these blessings<br />We lift our hearts in praise<br /><br /></em></span><div></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Isaiah declares, "The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners."</em></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-21310665833114583232007-06-26T22:23:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:24.636-05:00THE QUIET FAITH OF MAN<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHn48qVRZI/AAAAAAAABa4/VRmkCJG2j6I/s1600-h/100_7515.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080596820193002898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHn48qVRZI/AAAAAAAABa4/VRmkCJG2j6I/s320/100_7515.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">For two decades our family has lived near this farm in White Plains, Maryland. It was always reassuring to me to pass by it because it is so much like farms in Ohio, my childhood home. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">The changes of the seasons would come and go, and I would quietly mark the subtle differences in the trees, wildlife, crops, and even the wild flowers along its pastures. Quite recently the farm was sold to developers. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">This may be its last season of productivity as farm land. I grieve the inevitable changes as do many passersby, who along with me have enjoyed the changing seasons on the farm. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#006600;">Today, I happened to come by when the workers were harvesting the grain. I remember when they first plowed and seeded in the Spring. I took pictures shortly after the green shoots came up and cast their color on the contours of the farm.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#006600;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#006600;">I hope you will enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them. ..........</span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#006600;">Sharon</span><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHbcsqVRRI/AAAAAAAABZ4/zFJq2R9RIRg/s1600-h/100_6197.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080583140722165010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHbcsqVRRI/AAAAAAAABZ4/zFJq2R9RIRg/s320/100_6197.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHbLcqVRQI/AAAAAAAABZw/Zg6VMyMIWGk/s1600-h/100_6895.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080582844369421570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHbLcqVRQI/AAAAAAAABZw/Zg6VMyMIWGk/s320/100_6895.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHfocqVRWI/AAAAAAAABag/VziDI8Oi0Uk/s1600-h/100_7506.JPG"></a><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHa28qVRPI/AAAAAAAABZo/aa5_TKRTl3A/s1600-h/100_6890.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080582492182103282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHa28qVRPI/AAAAAAAABZo/aa5_TKRTl3A/s320/100_6890.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHaecqVRNI/AAAAAAAABZY/ZLxjmIdin2o/s1600-h/100_6892.JPG"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHfO8qVRUI/AAAAAAAABaQ/hvIIAHCYv4M/s1600-h/100_7498.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080587302545474882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHfO8qVRUI/AAAAAAAABaQ/hvIIAHCYv4M/s320/100_7498.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHe9cqVRTI/AAAAAAAABaI/tGhxvBCduU4/s1600-h/100_7493.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080587001897764146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 318px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" height="239" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHe9cqVRTI/AAAAAAAABaI/tGhxvBCduU4/s320/100_7493.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHgH8qVRYI/AAAAAAAABaw/gpKlYpRvKeE/s1600-h/100_7491.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080588281798018434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHgH8qVRYI/AAAAAAAABaw/gpKlYpRvKeE/s320/100_7491.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHfbMqVRVI/AAAAAAAABaY/2tCo6GMdjDA/s1600-h/100_7501.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080587512998872402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHfbMqVRVI/AAAAAAAABaY/2tCo6GMdjDA/s320/100_7501.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHew8qVRSI/AAAAAAAABaA/xU_BszsHT1o/s1600-h/100_7489.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080586787149399330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoHew8qVRSI/AAAAAAAABaA/xU_BszsHT1o/s320/100_7489.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><blockquote></blockquote></span></div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><blockquote><span style="color:#006600;"></span></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div>.</div><div><em>A tractor makes its way along the fence line</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>And drops the seeds precisely in a row</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>If the rains are kind and the winds don't take the topsoil</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Before too long the crops will start to show.</em></span></div><div><br /><em></em></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>The farmer sees the fields around him growin'</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>He whispers something low beneath his breath</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Perhaps a little prayer to help the growin'</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Perhaps a word of thanks for all the rest.</em></span></div><div><br /><em></em></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>A baby child is born along the highway</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>A tiny little thing upon the land</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>An okie with his dreams out on the byway</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Lifts the tiny baby in his hand</em></span></div><div><br /><em></em></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>The woman smiles a little smile of knowing</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>And whispers something softly in his ear</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Perhaps a little prayer to help the growing</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Perhaps a word of comfort through the fears.</em></span></div><div><br /><em></em></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>There's a storm tossed ship tonight out on the ocean</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>There's a soul somewhere adrift out on the blue</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>There's a dreamer with his eyes upon the heavens</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>They're all looking for a way to make it through.</em></span></div><div><br /><em></em></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>You trust the moon to move the mighty ocean</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>You trust the sun to shine upon the land</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>You take the little that you know</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>And you do the best you can</em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>And you leave the rest to the quiet faith of man. </em><blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="color:#006600;"><em>Bill Staines</em></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-37041314736133640532007-06-26T08:48:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:24.736-05:00MY BLOG'S FILM RATING<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoEZuiKbGTI/AAAAAAAABZI/Tep4o1ozH5o/s1600-h/g.jpg"><span style="color:#ff0000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080370141885831474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RoEZuiKbGTI/AAAAAAAABZI/Tep4o1ozH5o/s320/g.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span><div><span style="color:#333333;">Note: This tool also works on myspace profiles, livejournals, facebook, and most websites<br />This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:<br /></span></div><br /><div><span style="color:#666666;"><span style="color:#333333;">death (1x)</span> </span></div><div><span style="color:#666666;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#666666;"></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;"><em>CLICK ON BLOG <strong>TITLE</strong> (NOT ON RATING ABOVE) TO GO TO SITE TO GET YOUR OWN RATING!</em></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-13582220085086371782007-06-21T12:49:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:25.410-05:00FIRST DAY OF SUMMER<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq-GyKbGQI/AAAAAAAABYs/pN13-O-nVyw/s1600-h/summer+day+chapel+point.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078580553567639810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq-GyKbGQI/AAAAAAAABYs/pN13-O-nVyw/s320/summer+day+chapel+point.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq9PiKbGPI/AAAAAAAABYk/bnWtSsrcd7E/s1600-h/100_7346.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078579604379867378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq9PiKbGPI/AAAAAAAABYk/bnWtSsrcd7E/s320/100_7346.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8_yKbGOI/AAAAAAAABYc/U-xnzH6M7dw/s1600-h/100_7350.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078579333796927714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8_yKbGOI/AAAAAAAABYc/U-xnzH6M7dw/s320/100_7350.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq82CKbGNI/AAAAAAAABYU/0xkhyNeAVVk/s1600-h/100_7351.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078579166293203154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq82CKbGNI/AAAAAAAABYU/0xkhyNeAVVk/s320/100_7351.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8lyKbGMI/AAAAAAAABYM/L6WL7bAzf5E/s1600-h/100_7393.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078578887120328898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8lyKbGMI/AAAAAAAABYM/L6WL7bAzf5E/s320/100_7393.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8ByKbGJI/AAAAAAAABX0/0Y5m6I3MeAc/s1600-h/100_7390.JPGfirstdaysummervirginiacreeper.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5078578268645038226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rnq8ByKbGJI/AAAAAAAABX0/0Y5m6I3MeAc/s320/100_7390.JPGfirstdaysummervirginiacreeper.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-75989068243109422092007-06-19T10:07:00.001-05:002008-11-13T04:50:25.662-05:00WHAT SHALL WE GIVE THE CHILDREN?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfxSiKbGHI/AAAAAAAABXk/WGw6rBfkF_Y/s1600-h/100_6417c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077792405593987186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfxSiKbGHI/AAAAAAAABXk/WGw6rBfkF_Y/s320/100_6417c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfxLSKbGGI/AAAAAAAABXc/DeX2O98ADk0/s1600-h/100_6417b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077792281039935586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfxLSKbGGI/AAAAAAAABXc/DeX2O98ADk0/s320/100_6417b.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-16238671255854638612007-06-19T08:12:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:25.766-05:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfkQSKbGFI/AAAAAAAABXU/KLzz2RCRBRI/s1600-h/100_6416.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077778073288120402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnfkQSKbGFI/AAAAAAAABXU/KLzz2RCRBRI/s320/100_6416.JPG" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Child Of Mine</span></strong> <div><span style="font-size:85%;color:#009900;">Bill Staines</span></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Child of mine, you are the wildest wind and the dearest dream<br />I will ever know.<br />Love's lasting light shines out from deep within this father's heart<br />As I watch you grow.<br /></span></strong></div><strong><span style="color:#009900;"><blockquote><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong></blockquote></span></strong><strong><span style="color:#009900;"><div></div><div>Child of mine, you are the break of dawn and the brightest star<br />I will ever know<br />Love's lasting light comes shining on and on from this mother's heart<br />As I watch you grow<br /></div></span></strong><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#009900;"><em>Chorus<br /></em>There is a road, and that road is all your own<br />But we are here, you need not walk alone.<br />To face, not fear each coming new unknown<br />Is the way to lift your wings<br /></span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Child of mine, you are the sweetest song and the greatest gift<br />I will ever know.<br />Child of mine, where spirits fly above there is but one<br />that belongs to you.<br />So let it grow and it will thrive on love<br />For it is love that sees us through<br /></span></strong></div><br /><div><span style="color:#009900;"><strong>You have the hands that will open up the doors<br />You have the hopes this world is waiting for<br />You are my own, but you are so much more<br />You are tomorrow on the wing, </strong><strong>Child of mine.</strong></span></div><div><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;"><blockquote><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#996633;"></span></strong></blockquote>WE ARE</span></strong> <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#cc9933;">lyrics by Asaya Barnwell, Sweet Honey in the Rock</span></em></div><div></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote>For each child that’s born,</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>a morning star rises</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>and sings to the universe</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>who we are<br /></strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote>We are our grandmothers’ prayers</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>We are our grandfathers’ dreamings</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>We are the breath of the ancestors</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>We are the spirit of God<br /></strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote>We are</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Mothers of courage</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Father of time</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Daughters of dust</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>The sons of great visions</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Sisters of mercy</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Brothers of love</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Lovers of life</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Builders of nations</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Seekers of truth</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Keepers of faith</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Makers of peace</strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>Wisdom of ages<br /></strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote>We are one.</strong></span></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663300;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">On Children</span> </strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Kahlil Gibran</em></span><strong><br /></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Your children are not your children.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">They come through you but not from you,</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.<br /></span><br /></span><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">You may give them your love but not your thoughts, </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">For they have their own thoughts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">You may house their bodies but not their souls,</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">You may strive to be like them, </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">but seek not to make them like you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;"></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">You are the bows from which your children</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">as living arrows are sent forth.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">and He bends you with His might </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">that His arrows may go swift and far.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">For even as He loves the arrow that flies, </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;">so He loves also the bow that is stable.</span></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663300;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#663300;"></span></strong></div><br /><div><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>WHAT SHALL WE GIVE THE CHILDREN?</strong></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><em>(author unknown)</em></span></span></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#663300;"></span></strong></div><div><span style="color:#006600;">....The open sky, the brown earth, the leafy tree, the golden sand, the blue water, the stars in their courses and the awareness of these. </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="color:#ff6666;">Birdsong, butterflies, clouds, and rainbows. Sunlight, moonlight, firelight.</span> </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="color:#990000;">A large hand reaching down for a small hand. Impromptu praise, an unexpected kiss, a straight answer.</span> </span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="color:#33cc00;">The gift of enthusiasm and a sense of wonder. Long days to be merry in and nights without fear.</span> </span><span style="color:#cc0000;">and most of all,</span></div><div><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="color:#cc0000;">The memory of a good home.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-66474186545764299262007-06-18T23:18:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:25.867-05:00BEST DAD, HANDS DOWN<span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong><span style="color:#000099;">Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.</span> </strong></span><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">Elizabeth Stone</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></em><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">There is no stronger need in childhood, than the need for a father's protection.</span></strong><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RndZeyKbF8I/AAAAAAAABWM/HHdRJVcB3vY/s1600-h/100_6414.JPG"><span style="color:#000099;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077625490279962562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="264" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RndZeyKbF8I/AAAAAAAABWM/HHdRJVcB3vY/s320/100_6414.JPG" width="335" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000099;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;"><em>S. Freud.<br /></em></span><span style="color:#3366ff;">She's got her Father's eyes, her Father's eyes: Eyes that find the good in things, </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">When good is not around. </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Eyes that find the source of help, </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">When help just can't be found. </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Eyes full of compassion, seeing every pain. Knowin' what you're going through, </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">and feeling it the same. </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Just like my Father's eyes,</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">my Father's eyes.</span> <em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">Amy Grant</span></em><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Blessed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.</strong></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Lydia M. Child, in Philothea</em><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000099;"><strong>Father and Daughter</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">If you leap awake</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">In the mirror of a bad dream</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And for a fraction of a second</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">You can't remember where you are</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Just open your window </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And follow your memory upstream</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">To the meadow in the mountain</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Where we counted every falling star</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">I believe the light that shines on you</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Will shine on you forever</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And though I can't guarantee </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">There's nothing scary hiding under your bed</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">I’m gonna stand guard</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Like a postcard of a Golden Retriever</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And never leave till I leave you </span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">With a sweet dream in your head</span><br /><blockquote><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></blockquote><span style="color:#3366ff;">I'm gonna watch you shine</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Gonna watch you grow</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Gonna paint a sign</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">So you'll always know</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">As long as one and one is two</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">There could never be a father</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Who loved his daughter more than I love you</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Trust your intuition</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">It's just like going fishing</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">You cast your line</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">And hope you'll get a bite</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">But you don't need to waste your time</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Worrying about the market place</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Try to help the human race</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Struggling to survive its harshest night</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">I'm gonna watch you shine</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Gonna watch you grow</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Gonna paint a sign</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">So you'll always know</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">As long as one and one is two</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">There could never be a father</span><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Who loved his daughter more than I love you</span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000000;">Paul Simon</span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-21942434797613718762007-06-15T15:06:00.001-05:002008-11-13T04:50:27.523-05:00LET'S BE FRIENDS, ENCOUNTERS OF THE FIRST KIND<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0cyKbF5I/AAAAAAAABV0/cQX_rHdxXMo/s1600-h/ATT00058MA12998939-0026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076388505338976146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0cyKbF5I/AAAAAAAABV0/cQX_rHdxXMo/s320/ATT00058MA12998939-0026.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0XCKbF4I/AAAAAAAABVs/X72HUE6JnPo/s1600-h/ATT00055MA12998939-0025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076388406554728322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0XCKbF4I/AAAAAAAABVs/X72HUE6JnPo/s320/ATT00055MA12998939-0025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0NSKbF3I/AAAAAAAABVk/5TD_xyEujkw/s1600-h/ATT00043MA12998939-0021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076388239051003762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0NSKbF3I/AAAAAAAABVk/5TD_xyEujkw/s320/ATT00043MA12998939-0021.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0FCKbF2I/AAAAAAAABVc/z6bfbL3tFUQ/s1600-h/ATT00031MA12998939-0017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076388097317082978" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnL0FCKbF2I/AAAAAAAABVc/z6bfbL3tFUQ/s320/ATT00031MA12998939-0017.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLz8SKbF1I/AAAAAAAABVU/zVXiKE3eOEY/s1600-h/ATT00052MA12998939-0024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076387946993227602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLz8SKbF1I/AAAAAAAABVU/zVXiKE3eOEY/s320/ATT00052MA12998939-0024.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLz0iKbF0I/AAAAAAAABVM/4EYArA-mK_4/s1600-h/ATT00038MA14570310-0017.jpe"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076387813849241410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLz0iKbF0I/AAAAAAAABVM/4EYArA-mK_4/s320/ATT00038MA14570310-0017.jpe" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLztiKbFzI/AAAAAAAABVE/7BIPhI4uxoI/s1600-h/ATT00029MA14570310-0014.jpe"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076387693590157106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLztiKbFzI/AAAAAAAABVE/7BIPhI4uxoI/s320/ATT00029MA14570310-0014.jpe" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzgSKbFxI/AAAAAAAABU0/2x0_wi2s34o/s1600-h/ATT00023MA14570310-0012.jpe"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076387465956890386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzgSKbFxI/AAAAAAAABU0/2x0_wi2s34o/s320/ATT00023MA14570310-0012.jpe" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzmCKbFyI/AAAAAAAABU8/803OSKI4U8Y/s1600-h/ATT7MA12998792-0007.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzPyKbFwI/AAAAAAAABUs/WzuVr6wYjVo/s1600-h/ATT00063MA13770120-0006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076387182489048834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzPyKbFwI/AAAAAAAABUs/WzuVr6wYjVo/s320/ATT00063MA13770120-0006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzESKbFvI/AAAAAAAABUk/U2yY_MStG2g/s1600-h/image006MA12237876-0006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076386984920553202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLzESKbFvI/AAAAAAAABUk/U2yY_MStG2g/s320/image006MA12237876-0006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLy7CKbFuI/AAAAAAAABUc/EP8YN6gHVgQ/s1600-h/image007MA12237876-0007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076386826006763234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLy7CKbFuI/AAAAAAAABUc/EP8YN6gHVgQ/s320/image007MA12237876-0007.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLxTiKbFsI/AAAAAAAABUM/Tss1pN9lw9U/s1600-h/02137_85.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076385047890302658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RnLxTiKbFsI/AAAAAAAABUM/Tss1pN9lw9U/s320/02137_85.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">As some of you know, we have a house full of animals: four doves, two cats, a Quaker parakeet, a dog, two canaries, and some fish at the office. In addition, we live across from a lake in a little wooded area with birds of all shapes and sizes. <blockquote></blockquote>Our cats and dog have always had an active sibling relationship. Our oldest cat is 19 years old and she has a definite "stay to herself personality." She has always been this way, but will come and warm up when we are very quiet. The other cat and our dog respect this and give her wide berth. <blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">We feed the wood ducks frequently and they come over to our yard and pay us a visit every morning and sometimes later during the day. We also go to visit their various families at the lake whenever our granddaughters come over, and at other times when we have a few minutes. Mika, our dog, always goes along. Over the months the ducks have come to know that they can trust Mika to hang around and not be a problem for them. Occasionally she will playfully scamper toward them, but this is rare. The ducklings are now learning to trust Mika also. Each fall the mature ducks move on to other lakes and streams and the young ones stay behind to winter over and raise their own new babies the next year. We faithfully feed them through the cold winter months, as do most of our neighbors. <blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">Our cats give space to our birds, although our younger cat does like to annoy the canaries by poking her paws in their cage. I guess you could call it play time. <blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">So we have many of those moments of encounter in our animal family world: watching the first hello, the thoughtful pause, waiting for trust to be established. <blockquote></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">These pictures that I have found on the internet in a variety of places captures some of the essence of animal relationships. I hope you enjoy them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#663300;">Thanks to letsbefriends.blogspot.com for several of the pictures. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663300;">Sharon</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663300;"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-83007575048780742512007-06-10T04:20:00.003-05:002008-11-13T04:50:28.728-05:00WHO WILL WATCH THE HOME PLACE?<span style="font-family:arial;"><strong><span style="color:#999900;"><em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rm3vPiKbFYI/AAAAAAAABRs/d5sutYpsMRs/s1600-h/Great+Divide.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074975405264016770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 187px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 185px" height="243" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rm3vPiKbFYI/AAAAAAAABRs/d5sutYpsMRs/s320/Great+Divide.jpg" width="195" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Deep friendships that have lasted a life time. Friendships that have spanned a continent with unspeakable losses that frame their innocence and wonder. Grace-filled days. Music filled nights and weekends. Back-yard carry-in dinners at friend's homes. Babies. Kindergarten. God-parents. Sharing of family ties. Flower and vegetable gardens. Workouts and saunas. Running and walking. Tennis. Afternoons in the Park. Music festivals. Exploring our pasts and deepening our present. Fixing our cars. Birthdays and breakups. Leaving and being left. Tears, laughter and personal triumphs.</span></em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Yesterday morning I had an opportunity, when Lewis and I were picking up some potting soil and half-price mulch, to listen to a track from a CD of an old dear friend of mine.<br /><br />Her name is Sallie. I haven't seen her face for many years now, but I hear from her still and I think of her often. Christmas before last she sent me her latest CD. We were once in a strong friendship circle. There was Debbie, Ruth, and Betty and all the men. Boyfriends and husbands. And more.<br /><br />We worked together and learned our craft of therapy together. Our lives moved on. Decisions were made. For Sallie, it was the West that called her, where the "rivers change direction, across the Great Divide." Sallie and I loved to sing harmony and play instruments together.<br /><br />She was the original Song Catcher. She went to all the festivals in West Virginia for many years and made friends with Hazel Dickens and others who sang the way my mother sang, the shaped note songs, the passed down musical traditions that can be traced back to their Celtic roots. In her group's CD she sings them perfectly, the exact inflections of rhythm, the nuances of harmony and wording. I am but a connoiseur and enjoy the singing and the songs. She is the real artist.</span></span></strong></span><br /><br /><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>I wanted her to stay. It was so hard to say goodbye. I cried and cried. Just as I did when Debbie left. And when we moved away ourselves. </strong></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#999900;"><strong>My primary craft at the time was my work as a therapist, developing and directing a child mental health service, teaching family therapy technique with eager learners as my colleagues. We were each other's teachers, and serious about it. We did not compete but revelled in each other's growth and change. </strong></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>We each moved on. But the grief went deep. And yesterday morning I cried for a long spell as I listened to Sallie's sweet and clear voice. I put the track on repeat and listened over and over again as she sang these words:</strong></span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Leaves are falling and turning in showers of gold</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>As the postman climbs up our long hill</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>There's sympathy written all over his face</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>As he hands me a couple more bills.<br /></strong></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvOqiKbFQI/AAAAAAAABQs/QeW5JgEAvbM/s1600-h/Family+and+hometown+graveyard.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074376635283346690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 177px" height="155" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvOqiKbFQI/AAAAAAAABQs/QeW5JgEAvbM/s320/Family+and+hometown+graveyard.jpg" width="248" border="0" /></strong></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvQayKbFUI/AAAAAAAABRM/cZL5fPUyFrk/s1600-h/farm+lane.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074378563723662658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvQayKbFUI/AAAAAAAABRM/cZL5fPUyFrk/s320/farm+lane.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><br /></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote></strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><div></div><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote></blockquote></strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><div>Chorus:</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will watch the home place</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will tend my heart's dear space</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will fill my empty place</strong></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>When I am gone from here. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvP4iKbFTI/AAAAAAAABRE/sR0ih8pQ8BY/s1600-h/farm+yard,+was+barn+yard.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074377975313143090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvP4iKbFTI/AAAAAAAABRE/sR0ih8pQ8BY/s320/farm+yard,+was+barn+yard.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>There's a lovely green nook by a clear running stream<br />It was my place when I was quite small<br />And its creatures and sounds would soothe my worst fears<br />but today they don't ease me at all.</strong></span></div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Chorus</strong></span></p></blockquote></strong></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvROyKbFVI/AAAAAAAABRU/hD3xVoyta_M/s1600-h/shop+tools2.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074379457076860242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvROyKbFVI/AAAAAAAABRU/hD3xVoyta_M/s320/shop+tools2.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvPcyKbFSI/AAAAAAAABQ8/wDXwhkmnpsA/s1600-h/farm+shop.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074377498571773218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmvPcyKbFSI/AAAAAAAABQ8/wDXwhkmnpsA/s320/farm+shop.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>In my grandfather's shed there are hundreds of tools. </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>I know them by feel and by name. </strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>And like parts of my body they've patched this old place</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>When I move them they won't be the same.<br /></strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Now I wander around touching each precious thing</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>The chimney, the tables, the trees</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>And my memories swirl 'round me like birds on a wing</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#999900;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>When I leave here, oh, who will I be </strong><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#999900;"><br /></span></strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#999900;"></span></strong></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will watch the home place</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will tend my heart's dear space</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>Who will fill my empty place</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong>When I am gone from here</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#999900;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Music lyrics, courtesy of Laurie Lewis, click title above to hear and farm pictures are of my Grandfather's farm</strong></span><strong>...</strong><br /></span><a href="http://wildcoyotes-stringband.com/Sound%20Files/Wild%20Coyotes%20on%20WVa%20Public%20Radio.wma"><span style="color:#999900;"><em>Click here and listen to Wild Coyotes, Sallie's band, play on WV public radio show</em></span></a><br /><em>and here is the http// address: wildcoyotes-stringband.com</em></span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-67145125792005584892007-06-06T09:42:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:32.097-05:00100 (PLUS) YEARS IN MY HOME TOWN<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbM5SKbEtI/AAAAAAAABMU/98A9lXS6x34/s1600-h/swohiomap1780.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072967314779607762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 356px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px" height="258" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbM5SKbEtI/AAAAAAAABMU/98A9lXS6x34/s320/swohiomap1780.jpg" width="332" border="0" /></a>Lynchburg, the town where I grew up in Highland County, Ohio, was a robust community at the turn of the twentieth century, much because of a successful distillary that was located there. However, the economic times were soon to change, when the local women's temperence union was successful in obtaining political pressure to remove the distillary from the area. If you click on the letter written by the owners of the distillary in 1915 warning of the economic impact, you will see that they were saying they were not so much interested in selling it locally as they were interested in exporting it. These local church women, some possibly from the church pictured below, won the day. The rest, as they say, is history. click <a href="http://www.wctu.org/crusades.html"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Crusades</span> </a>to learn more <br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmggaSKbFGI/AAAAAAAABPc/tBDy9gNeXOE/s1600-h/highlandcocartoon.jpg"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Today the WCTU is the oldest voluntary, non-sectarian woman's organization in continuous existence in the world. The WCTU is a founding member (1888) of the National Council for Women (Frances Willard was its first president) and the International Council of Women in 1893.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073340616157107298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmggaSKbFGI/AAAAAAAABPc/tBDy9gNeXOE/s320/highlandcocartoon.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgqOiKbFLI/AAAAAAAABQE/2Xujrc_rXOk/s1600-h/484e_1.jpg"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073351409409922226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgqOiKbFLI/AAAAAAAABQE/2Xujrc_rXOk/s320/484e_1.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rmgg8yKbFHI/AAAAAAAABPk/Go9Td8uQLNc/s1600-h/1073543820-18891-18929-664225-815-1983012051_Om2752_001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073341208862594162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rmgg8yKbFHI/AAAAAAAABPk/Go9Td8uQLNc/s320/1073543820-18891-18929-664225-815-1983012051_Om2752_001.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmghWyKbFII/AAAAAAAABPs/bmCWB_yfZXI/s1600-h/1073543825-18772-8018-9216-96-1983012051_Om2752_002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073341655539192962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmghWyKbFII/AAAAAAAABPs/bmCWB_yfZXI/s320/1073543825-18772-8018-9216-96-1983012051_Om2752_002.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgeYiKbFCI/AAAAAAAABO8/xotlxg1Gb7E/s1600-h/whiskeylabel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073338387069080610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgeYiKbFCI/AAAAAAAABO8/xotlxg1Gb7E/s320/whiskeylabel.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgeDSKbFBI/AAAAAAAABO0/tORMfTHsR6Y/s1600-h/distilleryworkers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073338021996860434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgeDSKbFBI/AAAAAAAABO0/tORMfTHsR6Y/s320/distilleryworkers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbMBSKbEsI/AAAAAAAABMM/k3YaWweFwXI/s1600-h/dodsontwpmap1871detail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072966352706933442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbMBSKbEsI/AAAAAAAABMM/k3YaWweFwXI/s320/dodsontwpmap1871detail.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgevSKbFDI/AAAAAAAABPE/74gaVbIoseE/s1600-h/origplatmaplynchburg1830.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073338777911104562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgevSKbFDI/AAAAAAAABPE/74gaVbIoseE/s320/origplatmaplynchburg1830.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbK2CKbEpI/AAAAAAAABL0/R2rUa6TXWPg/s1600-h/lynch1910LetterCarrier.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072965059921777298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbK2CKbEpI/AAAAAAAABL0/R2rUa6TXWPg/s320/lynch1910LetterCarrier.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgfDSKbFEI/AAAAAAAABPM/L8WeMEmpeZY/s1600-h/mainstlynchburgnodate.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073339121508488258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgfDSKbFEI/AAAAAAAABPM/L8WeMEmpeZY/s320/mainstlynchburgnodate.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbLsiKbErI/AAAAAAAABME/cANhGqy7whg/s1600-h/272679742JlvKHn_th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072965996224647858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbLsiKbErI/AAAAAAAABME/cANhGqy7whg/s320/272679742JlvKHn_th.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgkRCKbFKI/AAAAAAAABP8/o0J6ZXEb2pM/s1600-h/mainstlynchburg1890b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073344855289828514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgkRCKbFKI/AAAAAAAABP8/o0J6ZXEb2pM/s320/mainstlynchburg1890b.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbKbSKbEoI/AAAAAAAABLs/bZjVo_OjI0Q/s1600-h/mainstlynchburg1910masoniclodgeatleftx.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072964600360276610" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbKbSKbEoI/AAAAAAAABLs/bZjVo_OjI0Q/s320/mainstlynchburg1910masoniclodgeatleftx.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbKBiKbEnI/AAAAAAAABLk/rZOUos05e3o/s1600-h/mainstlynchburg1900.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072964157978645106" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbKBiKbEnI/AAAAAAAABLk/rZOUos05e3o/s320/mainstlynchburg1900.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbJRyKbElI/AAAAAAAABLU/JWZMPY16Nb8/s1600-h/distillery1950s.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072963337639891538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbJRyKbElI/AAAAAAAABLU/JWZMPY16Nb8/s320/distillery1950s.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The gray-toned picture was taken after part of the distillary was converted to a feed mill (Ewing's) Below are my junior high school, the local Christian church, and a recent downtown scene. The other feedmill picture below and taken more recently is much more similar to how it looked when I was there in the 50-60's. By that time it still functioned as a feed mill. The building in front was the locker where we kept our frozen meat that we had butchered.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgfhiKbFFI/AAAAAAAABPU/a6qGURezCgw/s1600-h/lynchdistillery.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073339641199531090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgfhiKbFFI/AAAAAAAABPU/a6qGURezCgw/s320/lynchdistillery.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbJyiKbEmI/AAAAAAAABLc/Bwv49T9DU74/s1600-h/lynchmainst2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072963900280607330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbJyiKbEmI/AAAAAAAABLc/Bwv49T9DU74/s320/lynchmainst2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgdciKbFAI/AAAAAAAABOs/EIFHNLo0Z0k/s1600-h/47129579RTiAVX_th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073337356276929538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 103px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 67px" height="79" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmgdciKbFAI/AAAAAAAABOs/EIFHNLo0Z0k/s320/47129579RTiAVX_th.jpg" width="116" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmexWyKbE9I/AAAAAAAABOU/GrYjphMQqQA/s1600-h/47129429YvGJiQ_th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073218510236881874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 114px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 68px" height="69" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmexWyKbE9I/AAAAAAAABOU/GrYjphMQqQA/s320/47129429YvGJiQ_th.jpg" width="113" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmcWfiKbEyI/AAAAAAAABM8/i3l4wn2xrX4/s1600-h/100_5523.jpga.jpglibrary.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073048236258431778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmcWfiKbEyI/AAAAAAAABM8/i3l4wn2xrX4/s320/100_5523.jpga.jpglibrary.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmewOyKbE7I/AAAAAAAABOE/jg799lCR50Y/s1600-h/47129423zMifHr_th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073217273286300594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 107px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 71px" height="73" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmewOyKbE7I/AAAAAAAABOE/jg799lCR50Y/s320/47129423zMifHr_th.jpg" width="109" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmcXIyKbE1I/AAAAAAAABNU/7g3Ld6aM4eU/s1600-h/1158.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073048944928035666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmcXIyKbE1I/AAAAAAAABNU/7g3Ld6aM4eU/s320/1158.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmewgCKbE8I/AAAAAAAABOM/PMKM0VeXEmU/s1600-h/47129414uqxDRu_th.jpg"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbIqiKbEjI/AAAAAAAABLE/IfR_RJTa_zc/s1600-h/87251499nJAZUS_th.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072962663330026034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmbIqiKbEjI/AAAAAAAABLE/IfR_RJTa_zc/s320/87251499nJAZUS_th.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>These last pictures were taken after the turn of the 21st Century by a photographer whose family is from Lynchburg, along with a picture I found of the new local library. I am very happy to read of how large and active the library is. When I was a girl growing up that is where I spent many of my afternoons. Mrs. Wilt, the librarian, was always helping me discover new good books. The covered bridge was on our route home to the farm from town and now the road has been re-routed to help form a park.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-19125781173243913332007-06-03T12:05:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:32.585-05:00I BIND UNTO MYSELF TODAY<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMSTKaoAZI/AAAAAAAABKM/me8UBDMLdKQ/s1600-h/303.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071917725772153234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMSTKaoAZI/AAAAAAAABKM/me8UBDMLdKQ/s320/303.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">I bind unto myself the Name,</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">The strong Name of the Trinity,</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">By invocation of the same,</span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">The Three in One and One in Three.</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><blockquote><span style="color:#993300;"></span></blockquote></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /></span><span style="color:#993300;">By Whom all nature hath creation,<br />Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:<br />Praise to the Lord of my salvation,<br />Salvation is of Christ the Lord.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">I bind unto myself today</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">The strong name of the Trinity</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">By invocation of the same,</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">The Three in One and One in Three.<br />I bind this day to me forever,</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">His baptism in the Jordan River,</span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmL4ZaaoASI/AAAAAAAABJU/wEwlCsK6OTI/s1600-h/River-Boat-001.jpg"><span style="color:#993300;"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071889245844013346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmL4ZaaoASI/AAAAAAAABJU/wEwlCsK6OTI/s320/River-Boat-001.jpg" border="0" /></strong></span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"><blockquote></blockquote></span></span><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"><blockquote><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;"></span></span></blockquote><p></p><blockquote></blockquote><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>His cross of death for my salvation,</p><blockquote></blockquote><p></span></span></p><p><span style="color:#993300;"><span style="color:#993300;">His bursting from the spiced tomb,<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMZiqaoAaI/AAAAAAAABKU/0w7R6pZbUxw/s1600-h/Garden-Tomb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071925688641520034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMZiqaoAaI/AAAAAAAABKU/0w7R6pZbUxw/s320/Garden-Tomb.jpg" border="0" /></a></p></span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;">His riding up the heavenly way,<br />His coming at the day of doom,<br />I bind unto myself today.<br /><br />I bind unto myself today<br />The virtues of the starlit heaven,</span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMQRaaoAXI/AAAAAAAABJ8/sVpV7BBknd0/s1600-h/Centaurus-A-v3.jpg"><strong><span style="color:#993300;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071915496684126578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMQRaaoAXI/AAAAAAAABJ8/sVpV7BBknd0/s320/Centaurus-A-v3.jpg" border="0" /></span></strong></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">The glorious sun’s life giving ray,<br />The whiteness of the moon at even,</span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMQk6aoAYI/AAAAAAAABKE/iySo-GD-x3Y/s1600-h/nea_199801240230.gif"><strong><span style="color:#993300;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071915831691575682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmMQk6aoAYI/AAAAAAAABKE/iySo-GD-x3Y/s320/nea_199801240230.gif" border="0" /></span></strong></a><span style="color:#993300;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#993300;"><br /></span><span style="color:#993300;"><br /></span><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /></span><span style="color:#993300;">The flashing of the lightning free,<br />The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,<br />The stable earth, the deep salt sea,<br />Around the old eternal rocks.<br /><br />I bind unto myself today<br />The power of God to hold and lead,<br />His eye to watch, his might to stay,<br />His ear to hearken to my need,<br />The wisdom of my God to teach,<br />His hand to guide, his shield to ward,<br />The Word of God to give me speech,<br /><br />His heavenly host to be my guard.<br />Against the demon snares of sin,<br />The vice that gives temptation force,<br />The natural lusts that war within,<br />The hostile men that mar my course;<br />Or few or many, far or nigh,<br />In every place and in all hours,<br />Against their fierce hostility<br />I bind to me these holy powers.<br /><br />Christ be with me,<br />Christ within me,<br />Christ behind me,<br />Christ before me,<br />Christ beside me,<br />Christ to win me,<br />Christ to comfort and restore me.<br /><br />Christ beneath me,<br />Christ above me,<br />Christ in quiet,<br />Christ in danger,<br />Christ in hearts of all that love me,<br />Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993300;">*</span><a class="search" href="http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78703_84234_ENG_HTM.htm"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993300;">Presiding Bishop's homily at House of Bishops' closing Eucharist</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="color:#993300;">The icon above is Rublev's and it depicts the relationship of the Trinity. Bishop Schori discusses her views of this icon and its implications in her sermon. You can go to it by clicking on the link at the beginning of this paragraph. </span></span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993300;"><span style="color:#336666;"><strong>An excerpt</strong>: "</span><span style="color:#336666;">Recall Rublev’s great icon of the Trinity, and the way in which each of the members of the Trinity looks in a different direction. They are not gazing out into space, however, but at another being, at another of those present around the circle. If we are created in the image of that social God, we too are invited to look as God does, toward another image of God, to turn our eyes upon Jesus—and also on the many images of God all around us. </span></span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#993300;"><span style="color:#336666;"><br />"The ability and willingness to focus on those many images of God around us is fundamental to our lives as Christians. God has the ability to hold all of us together in one field of view, affirming each one as child and beloved. Our baptism into the life of God is about seeing as God sees, with integrity."</span></span></em> </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-33523041434123057812007-06-02T16:23:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:33.052-05:00BLUE ON BLUE<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHlnKaoAJI/AAAAAAAABII/1fXh4rRere8/s1600-h/800px-Abstract_blue_background7APOHYSIS.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071587116369576082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHlnKaoAJI/AAAAAAAABII/1fXh4rRere8/s320/800px-Abstract_blue_background7APOHYSIS.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHkOaaoAII/AAAAAAAABIA/v-pt-xzVRJU/s1600-h/image001MA12407989-0002.jpg"></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHiqqaoAHI/AAAAAAAABH4/tVGzLee6mvc/s1600-h/NO4_300x350.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071583877964234866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHiqqaoAHI/AAAAAAAABH4/tVGzLee6mvc/s320/NO4_300x350.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHiFKaoAFI/AAAAAAAABHo/by5q9B720QI/s1600-h/050817_milkywaybar.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071583233719140434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHiFKaoAFI/AAAAAAAABHo/by5q9B720QI/s320/050817_milkywaybar.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Hypothetical Arms in the Milky Way, Courtesy National Geographic<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHhw6aoADI/AAAAAAAABHY/txWfCFctGwA/s1600-h/06331_30.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071582885826789426" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHhw6aoADI/AAAAAAAABHY/txWfCFctGwA/s320/06331_30.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHh5qaoAEI/AAAAAAAABHg/R4m0W1_JEmY/s1600-h/06461_55.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHha6aoABI/AAAAAAAABHI/4MNODUY6to8/s1600-h/1907GRANDCANYON.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071582507869667346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHha6aoABI/AAAAAAAABHI/4MNODUY6to8/s320/1907GRANDCANYON.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmIX-qaoAMI/AAAAAAAABIg/OQvUJv4h5bw/s1600-h/music-sgt-peppers-z-200a053107.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-49663027495708579072007-06-02T11:56:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:33.399-05:00Bishop Robinson<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHdwaan__I/AAAAAAAABG4/Mf_uRX1GvJE/s1600-h/ph_bishopsm.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071578479190343666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmHdwaan__I/AAAAAAAABG4/Mf_uRX1GvJE/s320/ph_bishopsm.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#663366;">Bishop Robinson</span></strong><br /><br />Chorus:<br />And here's to you, Bishop Robinson,<br />Jesus loves you more than you will know.<br />God bless you, please, Bishop Robinson.<br />Heaven holds a place for you today,<br />Hey, hey, hey<br /><br />We'd like to know a bit about your sexuality<br />We'd like to help you learn be our guest.<br />Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes,<br />Stroll around at Lambeth, just don't force us to confess.<br /><br />Go back in the hiding place where no one ever goes.<br />Stay there in the closet with the rest.<br />Just a little service to our Anglican affair.<br />Most of all, please, hide it from the press.<br /><br />Koo-koo-ka-choo, Bishop Robinson,<br />Jesus loves you more than you will know.<br />God bless you, please, Bishop Robinson.<br />Heaven holds a place for those who pray,<br />Hey, hey, hey<br /><br />Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon<br />Don't think about your marriage or your fate.<br />Try to laugh, and not shout about it,<br />Now you've got to choose<br />Every way you look at this you lose.<br /><br />Where have you gone, Jesus, Lamb of God<br />Your children turn their lonely eyes to you.<br />What's that you say, Bishop Robinson.<br />The Holy Spirit guides and comforts you.<br />Woo woo woo. Woo woo woo.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">adaptation from Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson; picture courtesy of New Hampshire Episcopal Diocese</span></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-13743597198703949832007-05-30T08:47:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:33.533-05:00I AM SPIRIT LED BY LOVE<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rl2Vzqan_1I/AAAAAAAABFo/6RGkglfrfes/s1600-h/100_1296b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5070373470280875858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rl2Vzqan_1I/AAAAAAAABFo/6RGkglfrfes/s320/100_1296b.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><em><strong>I am the ship, </strong></em></span><div><blockquote><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><em><strong>My billowing sails will hold, though tempests lash and tear! </strong></em></span></p><span style="color:#003333;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><em><strong>The hungry waves in fury seek to rend me bow to stern, undaunted I remain... </strong></em></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></p><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>My Captain steers our course into the sun.<br /></strong></span></em></p><br /><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>I am the Light. Though monstrous shadows lurk with cunning guile,<br />And seek to shroud the way . . . to cow the self with phantoms of the night, </strong></span></em></p><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>Courageously I shed my radiance . . .dispel the gloom.<br /></strong></span></em></p><br /><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>I am the force That staunchly stands immovable and firm . . . foundations strong. Savagely protective . . . pliable . . . serene </strong></span></em></p><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>I am the soul of adoration, weaving dreams of stardust , cosmic ecstacy.<br /></strong></span></em></p><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>I am the Alpha . . .the Omega . . . the dream . . . reality, that brings rich promise of eternities to come.<br /></strong></span></em></p><br /><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong></strong></span></em></blockquote><p><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;"><strong>I am spirit led by love . . . your other self am I . . .<br />The song of hope that whispers in the breeze with soft caress, I beckon and entice towards mystic shores.</strong></span></em></p><p>Aspiration</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">by Ann Davies, 1943</span></span></p></blockquote></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-23701725076329170022007-05-28T11:10:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:33.695-05:00INTENTIONALITY<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlsD2qan_wI/AAAAAAAABFA/4EiABevZYcM/s1600-h/The%2520Shepherd,%2520by%2520Julien%2520Dupre%2520(1851-1910).jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069650043169406722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlsD2qan_wI/AAAAAAAABFA/4EiABevZYcM/s320/The%2520Shepherd,%2520by%2520Julien%2520Dupre%2520(1851-1910).jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#663300;">The secret of beginning a life of deep awareness and sensitivity lies in our willingness to pay attention. Our growth as conscious, awake human beings is marked not so much by grand gestures and visible renunciations as by extending loving attention to the minutest particulars of our lives. <blockquote></blockquote></span><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#663300;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;color:#663300;">Every relationship, every thought, every gesture is blessed with meaning through the wholehearted attention we bring to it. In the complexities of our minds and lives we easily forget the power of attention, yet without attention we live only on the surface of existence. </div></span><blockquote></blockquote><div><span style="color:#663300;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:130%;">It is just simple attention that allows us truly to listen to the song of a bird, to see deeply the glory of an autumn leaf, to touch the heart of another and be touched. We need to be fully present in order to love a single thing wholeheartedly. We need to be fully awake in this moment if we are to receive and respond to the learning inherent in it.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:85%;color:#663300;">Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield, Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart, </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0553372114/elisecomA/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#663300;">More on book, and order through Amazon</span> </span></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0553372114/elisecomA/" target="_blank"></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-88637792837127425192007-05-27T11:28:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:34.360-05:00PENTECOST PROMISE<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rltxkqan_yI/AAAAAAAABFQ/nJ8PDVtvP7A/s1600-h/100_7180.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069770680210816802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rltxkqan_yI/AAAAAAAABFQ/nJ8PDVtvP7A/s320/100_7180.JPG" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color:#990000;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bishops Klusmeyer (W.Va.) and Curry (N.C.) arrive</span></span></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /></strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlnWEaan_tI/AAAAAAAABEo/BHAeCFV_3og/s1600-h/100_7198.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069318226881019602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px" height="271" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlnWEaan_tI/AAAAAAAABEo/BHAeCFV_3og/s320/100_7198.JPG" width="237" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlm_rKan_qI/AAAAAAAABEQ/KXXmMD8MHbA/s1600-h/100_7181c.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069293603833511586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlm_rKan_qI/AAAAAAAABEQ/KXXmMD8MHbA/s320/100_7181c.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong></strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong>Presiding Bishop</strong></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;color:#990000;"><strong>Katherine Jefferts-Schori listens to the preludes </strong></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#990000;"></span></strong><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Yesterday, in the nave of Washington Cathedral, Shannon S. Johnston was consecrated as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Virginia.<br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"><blockquote></blockquote>The liturgical service was one of joy, solemnity, and beauty with a variety of musical contributions and including a traditional Anglican chant sung by those in attendance. Bishop Johnston will ultimately succeed Bishop Peter James Lee who will retire in 2010 and now leads 195 congregations of the Diocese of Virginia through a particularly stormy time of dealing with breakaway parish issues that have arisen as a result of the consecration of a gay bishop within The Episcopal Communion.</span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><blockquote></blockquote><span style="color:#990000;">Johnston long time friend Rev. J. Neil Alexander, Bishop of Atlanta, delivered a bell-ringing sermon and reassured us all that the ordination of a new bishop is an act of faith and a sign of hope and it sends a message to the naysayers that "Our faith is strong and vigorous....we will not give up," He urged Shannon Johnston to follow the example of the first Bishop of Canterbury, whose feast we were celebrating, to witness to the Resurrection, and to "call us from things passing away...so that a new creation is a present reality for those who are in Christ," continuing Jesus' mission of justice and mercy.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"></span><span style="color:#990000;"><blockquote></blockquote>Alexander challenged him to faithfully serve the common good with words of encouragement and to boldly and relentlessly speak truth to power in the public square and in the church for those who are unable to speak in their own behalf, those whose voices are not heard: the hungry and the homeless, the sick and infirm and also "those who suffer from unrighteous discrimination because they are differently blessed."</span><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><blockquote></blockquote><span style="color:#990000;">Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori led the service while thirty Bishops from around the Communion encircled and laid hands on Johnston as he kneeled and then was presented to the congregation as he affirmed his consecration saying, "My spirit rejoices in God our savior!...My heart today is indeed very full."</span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlm-0aan_pI/AAAAAAAABEI/sEDlXSvbHuo/s1600-h/bildeb.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069292663235673746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlm-0aan_pI/AAAAAAAABEI/sEDlXSvbHuo/s320/bildeb.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#990000;">To watch a webcast of the Consecration, available through the National Cathedral, click the blog title and scroll to 50 minutes to begin the service after the preludes. To go to the sermon scroll to 1 hour 50 minutes. This photo courtesy of AP</span><br /></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="color:#990000;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlnqv6an_vI/AAAAAAAABE4/MTsjk_NG3ws/s1600-h/100_7190b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069340964437884658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rlnqv6an_vI/AAAAAAAABE4/MTsjk_NG3ws/s320/100_7190b.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;">Magdalen friends, Eleanor from Vienna, Va. and Christopher from Philadelphia chat with Lewis (WA) before the service. </span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlncN6an_uI/AAAAAAAABEw/jf-obJjBp8Q/s1600-h/100_7246b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069324987159543522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlncN6an_uI/AAAAAAAABEw/jf-obJjBp8Q/s320/100_7246b.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#990000;">An informal reception was held in the Bishop's Garden</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-25606893727241678432007-05-26T03:01:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:35.147-05:00OUR FINE FEATHERED FRIENDS<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RltuA6an_xI/AAAAAAAABFI/UWxRsZZN510/s1600-h/100_7274.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069766767495610130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RltuA6an_xI/AAAAAAAABFI/UWxRsZZN510/s320/100_7274.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RljvVqan_oI/AAAAAAAABEA/69HeQgB_vqA/s1600-h/100_7145.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069064536047746690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RljvVqan_oI/AAAAAAAABEA/69HeQgB_vqA/s320/100_7145.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rljqhqan_mI/AAAAAAAABDw/sWq_1gtDkAo/s1600-h/100_7081.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069059244648037986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="219" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rljqhqan_mI/AAAAAAAABDw/sWq_1gtDkAo/s320/100_7081.JPG" width="308" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rljr0qan_nI/AAAAAAAABD4/QasMXL_hjZc/s1600-h/100_6926b.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069060670577180274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 271px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px" height="264" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/Rljr0qan_nI/AAAAAAAABD4/QasMXL_hjZc/s320/100_6926b.jpg" width="301" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmezuSKbE-I/AAAAAAAABOc/BK0LWU8u4gc/s1600-h/normal_bluebird1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073221112987063266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RmezuSKbE-I/AAAAAAAABOc/BK0LWU8u4gc/s320/normal_bluebird1.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RljpI6an_lI/AAAAAAAABDo/NVWswv-SyeY/s1600-h/100_7170.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069057719934647890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="210" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RljpI6an_lI/AAAAAAAABDo/NVWswv-SyeY/s320/100_7170.JPG" width="287" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlftZ6an_kI/AAAAAAAABDg/aLzFeHCqkl8/s1600-h/100_6906.JPG"></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-61965114828228065102007-05-23T12:27:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:35.241-05:00SUPREME LIGHT<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlSdr6an_dI/AAAAAAAABCo/2wHRtS4P1tQ/s1600-h/509739948_e49ed8bef2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067848858439515602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlSdr6an_dI/AAAAAAAABCo/2wHRtS4P1tQ/s320/509739948_e49ed8bef2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="color:#999900;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><em>PHOTO COURTESY OF ICHIMUSAI </em></span></span><div align="center"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><em><span style="color:#999900;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Thou art the Supreme Light</span><br />Thou art the supreme light, and the eyes of the pure soul shall see Thee, and clouds of sin shall hide Thee from the eyes of sinners.</span></em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><em></em></strong></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><em>Thou art the light hidden in this world and revealed in the world of beauty, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen."</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/jewish/shelomo_ibn_gabirol/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/jewish/shelomo_ibn_gabirol/"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999900;"><em>Shelomo Ibn Gabriol</em></span></a></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><blockquote><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#999900;"><strong><em></em></strong></span></blockquote><strong><em><span style="color:#999900;">Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you." [Luke 11:36] </span></em></strong></span></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#999900;"><strong><em></em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><em><span style="color:#999900;">"I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace, When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One." Namaste</span></em></strong> </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6421054839013517846.post-36831229428990736802007-05-20T06:55:00.000-05:002008-11-13T04:50:35.326-05:00GRANDPARENTS<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlBFjaan_ZI/AAAAAAAABCA/sLceml78V8k/s1600-h/100_7110.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5066626055480540562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HIvgl2vvyeo/RlBFjaan_ZI/AAAAAAAABCA/sLceml78V8k/s320/100_7110.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#003300;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Grandma. Grandma. Music to my ears. I love the sound of these words. As I come through the door, the girls look up, and seeing me, they often come running toward me, with arms open and smiling. It melts my heart.<br /><br />BOKA. BOKA. THAT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO MY HUSBAND BY THE GIRLS. HE IS A FRIEND TO ALL CHILDREN. AND HE LOVES TO SPEND TIME WITH THE GIRLS AND THEY KNOW IT. HE QUICKLY JOINS THEM IN THEIR REVERIES AND EXPLORATION. USUALLY HE HAS A GENTLE AND REASSURING TOUCH. SOMETIMES, THOUGH, HE GETS GOING WITH THEM, JUST AS HE DID WITH OUR BOYS. THEY GET ROUGH AND TUMBLE AROUND THROUGH HIS ARMS AND ONTO THE FLOOR. SOMETIMES IT IS A BACKWARDS SOMERSAULT, OTHER TIMES A RIDE ON HIS BACK AROUND THE FAMILY ROOM.<br /><br />Yesterday we went for a ride in Northern Virginia. We stopped by the beachfront on the other side of the Harry Nice Bridge and enjoyed watching the fishermen and families along the edge of the water. One family began to form along the edge and their profiles were so interesting I reached for my camera and took a few shots.</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style="color:#003300;">They were young and vigorous, but as I listened to the play I heard the young boy cry out, "Grandma, Look!" They were picking up rocks and skipping them along on the surface of the water and his had been a success.<br /><br />IN MY PRACTICE I SEE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A TIME OF DEPRESSION. ONE OF THE LOSSES THAT OFTEN STANDS OUT IS THAT OF A GRANDPARENT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT MANY OF THESE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES PRIMARILY ATTACHED TO A GRANDMOTHER WHO RAISED THEM, OFTEN WHEN PARENTS WERE BUSY TRYING TO MAKE THE MONEY NECESSARY FOR THEIR SURVIVAL OR JUST TOO IMMATURE TO ASSUME THE PARENTING ROLE. GRANDMAS HAVE STEPPED IN.<br /><br />Retirement plans are forestalled, vacations rearranged: all for grandchildren. And these grandparents wouldn't want to have it any other way. It is their joy and satisfaction in life.</span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0