Starting Again

On Saturday, I wrote up a query letter for a new middle grade nonfiction series.  Today I started on a rewrite of a story called Kind of Like Grandma. 

And I'm debating making a move of positions within the library.  I don't know how any of this will pan out, but stuff is happening.

Full Bloom

Even in the rain this morning, everything was in full bloom and the world was lush and beautiful.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

If God Is King...

Americans aren't much for kings.  The last one we had was ridiculed in cartoon and song.  Can't say I blame us, King George.

Even when they threw out their physical king, our founding fathers accepted that there was a Divine Authority to Whom they owed allegiance.  Our Constitution was based on Judeo-Christian laws, bowing to the wisdom of God in establishing an orderly society.

It saddens me that our nation has once again overthrown their King, ridiculing Him in cartoon and song.  We no longer have freedom of religion.  We have activists leading us toward freedom from religion. 

I wish to note here that God does not need our permission to exist.  He doesn't need our permission to act according to His own principles.  It is not His job to give us everything we demand of Him.  He is not required to be politically correct.

Remember kings?  What would happen to someone who came up to the king and demanded anything of him?  What would happen to someone who broke one of the king's laws right in front of his face and then stuck out his tongue at the king and gave him a raspberry? 

So if God does what He does to discipline us, to regain our attention, to remind us He exists, we get angry at Him.  Or better yet, we call it something ungodly like "global warming".

You might review those verses that say there will be signs in the heavens, men's hearts failing them for fear, or the sun will be given power to scorch the earth.  It also says that no one will repent even in the face of earthquakes and other disasters. 

Lack of repentance is one of the signs of the end times. It's worth thinking about.

Mowing

Today Les put a new filter and spark plug into the lawn mower and I tackled the back yard.  We didn't finish any too soon because the clouds built up and we have a gentle thunderstorm grumbling overhead right now. 

My point is that the season is running about two weeks early. 

By my own observation, I see that the summer follows the winter.  Now before you say "Duh!!", what I mean is that if the winter is warm, the summer will be hot.  If the winter is wet, the summer will be too.  And so on.  I use August fogs to predict the winter and the winter to predict the summer.

I'm predicting a hot, wet summer this year.  I've been saying that since January.  So far, my prediction is being borne out.  We'll see as the months pass.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

Good-By, Ed

Les's local best friend died on Monday without any warning.  He had a massive heart attack and that was it.  He was four months older than I am.  That cuts a little close to the bone.

Today was the funeral.  What everyone remembered about Ed was that he lived his life by his Christian faith and his sense of humor.  Ed wrote a number of songs which he posted to youtube.  Here's the link to one of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1KdTnFE3w&feature=related

Ed's brother has a sense of humor too.  He said that when Ed was born he gave his older brother something he'd always wanted - a younger brother to beat up.  We heard some excellent stories.

(tongue in cheek) What hurts me the most about Ed's passing is that Les used to go to his house on Sunday afternoons during football season.  I may have to start watching football now.

Ed and Les were planning to take an on-line class about writing comedy.  They were hilarious together.  Now Les will have to be hilarious all by himself.  It's more work that way.

We'll miss you, Ed.  And we're all jealous that you made it to heaven before we did.  But we're glad you're safely home and didn't have to suffer long.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

                     

Maybe My Favorite Photo

Thanks to Ivy, I have a photo that I could look at forever and not get tired of it.  This is a picture of my baby sister with her grandson.  I love the look on Lori's face.

And now that I'm really looking at it through the eyes of those who are reading this blog, I see something I hadn't noticed before.  I know Lori has Aunt Esther's profile.  But face-on, I see some of Grandma Lena.  This is the exact look Grandma Lena got when she was holding a new grand- or great-grandchild. 

I'm very happy for Lori.  Her childhood was a little tougher than mine.  After all, she had to put up with me for a big sister.  lol

Thanks for visiting with me.  And thanks, Ivy, for taking this picture.  I treasure it.

Kathi

The sun is back in business.  We had a quiet and cool year a couple of summers ago, but the solar storms are back in a big way.  I saw the Northern Lights in southern Indiana a couple of months back and, if the sky clears by tonight, maybe I'll get the opportunity again.

A couple of huge solar flares shot off the sun on Tuesday and are on course to wham into the earth today.  The article said that it will effect the geomagnetic field which can throw of GPS, airline communiations and maybe parts of the power grid. 

My favorite part was that the astronauts in the space station will take shelter for a while.  Question:  where do you go for shelter if you're floating around in space?

Here's the link for the .gov people: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html

And here's the link for regular people: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/07/sun-fires-off-2-huge-solar-flares-could-impact-weather-on-earth/?intcmp=features

The photos are amazing.  You should check them out.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

Last Snow of the Season?

After 70 degrees and tornadoes on Friday, this morning we had snow.  About one inch fell.  That either is the most we've had this season or ties the most.  It's almost been the year without a winter.  Here are some pictures from this morning - and the time is just after 10 a.m.

First thing this morning - just after 6 a.m.

Crocuses in the snow

Going...

Going...

Well, you get the idea.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi

A Wild and Crazy Day

This was a day to watch the weather - which I did for over five hours.  We didn't have a squall line come through.   we had a batch of super cells come through each with one or more tornadoes in it.  I think they counted over 60 tornadoes today and severe ones.  We had Kansas - Oklahoma tornadoes.  Towns are destroyed just south of me. 

A Christian reporter was in the direct path of one of the two tornadoes that went through Henryville.  His van pulled off the interstate and had a choice of two gas stations in which to take shelter.  He chose the one on the right of the road.  The tornado destroyed the gas station on the left side of the road.  The video footage of that tornado was spectacular - and I hope I never get as close to a twister as he did!

All we had here was some rain and a few claps of thunder.  The wind didn't even pick up until after the clouds were passed us.  Praise God for His protection.

Thanks for visiting with me.

Kathi