Happy Jerusha Day...

Here it is again. We're three years into this amazing journey, and I'm so grateful we're making it together.

Bless you, Jerusha...

Shawn
***

How'd it get to be Memorial Day weekend already?

Happy Memorial Day!

Is it proper to wish it a "happy" day? I guess it might be, in the sense that we can be relatively happy, and we should be grateful to those veterans in the past who made it possible for us to enjoy a safe and pretty comfortable life in America these days.

This is a gorgeous Saturday, with big blue skies and American flags fluttering in the breeze. People are out and about, despite the price of gas. When I went to town this morning, I did notice one thing--there were quite a few people having yard and garage sales. That's pretty typical for this time of year on any given weekend, but still, there was a sense that people were wanting to do it for the sake of getting some cash, rather than just get rid of extra stuff. There weren't very many people buying, either. (I have long since given up on shopping garage-sales, a former favorite Saturday morning activity).

I'm going to try and enjoy the weekend with an attitude of *appreciation* for what freedoms we have, as well as a sense of *anticipation* for the bright and sunny days of summer.

Shawn
****

Where were you when the mountain blew?

I was in California at the time, and I was preparing to leave El Cajon and come home to Washington. I remember that morning, when friends came running in and said, "The mountain erupted!" Of course, the first thought was of Mt. Rainier, and believe me, if that happened, what I once knew as "home" would be no more. Horrifying thought. The fact that it was St. Helens wasn't good news, by any means.

I honestly hadn't been keeping up with the news, nor did I expect that in about another week, when I was actually on the trip north I'd encounter a repeat eruption and end up enduring the day from Hell. It would take too long to go into detail, but let me just say that if you ever catch a Mt. St. Helens documentary on the Discovery Channel, you'll have some idea.

I do have friends who were near the mountain on May 18th, and what they've related about their experiences would curl your hair. Campers literally blown from their tents by the blast and heat...One particular couple was up top on Mt. Rainier, having made an early morning climb, and they looked across the miles of clouds to see Mt. St. Helens go up in smoke. They made a very fast descent, to say the least. The pictures they took are unbelievable.

Anyway, I'm remembering my times camping at Spirit Lake, funny memories of Harry Truman, a real character who would tease and harrass us, just generally cussed, yet quite lovable in his own, unique way.

I'm glad I got to know Harry. I'm glad I got to have lazy times on the lake, laying in a rowboat, looking up at the mountain when it was pristine and silent but for bird songs.

Oh yeah, and Harry whistling and hollering at us from the shore...

Shawn
****

The Big Question...

So, why did I cross the road?

BARACK OBAMA:
The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE!
The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN:My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON:When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before
adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH:Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the
rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY:Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE:That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN:To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART:No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.
JERRY FALWELL:
Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth?' That's why they call it the 'other side.' Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media white washes with seemingly harmless phrases like 'the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.
GRANDPA:
In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart-warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE:
It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will
never cra...#@&&^ C% ......reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?
and
DICK CHENEY:
Where's my gun?

Many thanks to the person who shared this with us. Now, I've got some chicken to get into the oven....

Shawn
***

Making the most of May....

Wow! I didn't realize it had been this long since I've stopped by to blog. There's not a lot to say, really...Just been enjoying the springtime blooms and birdsong, anticipating the approach of summer. Some things coming to an end, the approach of new beginnings, lots of changes.

Shawn
***

Picture: Coastal rhododendron in Washington, remembering Mama

You've probably heard this one, but....

A young blonde was on vacation in the depths of Louisiana. She wanted a
pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but was very reluctant
to pay the high prices the local vendors were asking. After becoming
very frustrated with the "no haggle" attitude of one of the shopkeepers,
the blonde shouted, "Maybe I'll just go out and catch my own alligator
so I can get a pair of shoes at a reasonable price!"
The shopkeeper said, "By all means, be my guest. Maybe you'll luck out
and catch yourself a big one!" Determined, the blonde turned and headed
for the swamps, set on catching herself an alligator. Later in the day,
the shopkeeper was driving home, when he spotted the young woman
standing waist deep in the water, shotgun in hand. Just then, he saw a
huge 9-foot alligator swimming quickly toward her. She took aim, killed
the creature, and with a great deal of effort hauled it on to the swamp
bank. Lying nearby were several more of the dead creatures. The
shopkeeper watched in amazement. Just then the blonde flipped the
alligator on its back, and frustrated, shouts out, "Damn it, this one
isn't wearing any shoes either!"

LOL! Sorry, but it's the best I can do on short notice. Work was interrupted for a bit and so I'm just killing time... No, we don't advocate killing alligators and don't own a pair of gator shoes (but I have been considering getting some Gators, is that what they're called?) Yeah, this is me, Shawn, the fashionista!

Enjoy what's left of your week!

Shawn
***

Time flies....

Whew! I guess it's been a little while since I stopped by. Time to catch up! We've both been working very hard...(well, he's been working a lot harder than I have).

There's brand new office furniture waiting to get set up. That's going to be great, when we're all situated with nearly side-by-side armoires (planning a bookcase in between, easy access). I can hardly wait to have everything in place and organized. I can picture it in my mind and see that it's pretty doable, so we'll see how it actually turns out.

There was some pretty wild weather during the last week or so. Hope everybody is AOK in Tornado Alley and thereabouts. Our sweet Texas friend "apple" was worried about us and checked in, so very thoughtful, but all was well. I'm thinking March and April got their wires crossed up a bit, maybe, but today it was a lovely April day, and we took a "bloom walk" in the neighborhood.

Other than that, it's been a matter of keeping our noses to the grindstone, we've have had a bit of recreation (including seeing SGTex's son in a fabulous college production- WOW!) and best of all, in spite of everything, we're just madly in love as ever...

So, keep checking in. We're really glad to have you stop by!

Shawn
****

Like dandelions....

"So put your hand in the hand of mine, and we'll spread this love like dandelions." Toby Mac

Yesterday I spent some time on one of our message boards and participated in a discussion about love relationships. It was quite disturbing to read what some had to say about what had happened to them over the years, how they'd been bitterly disappointed, had loved and lost. To those who dared to post they were happy, the response was basically, "Yeah, maybe you're happy now, but just you wait..." Apparently it's naive and unrealistic to hope that our love is real, that it will last, that committment is meaningful...

Frankly, it shook me up to see what was said there, and I'm not really eager to go back and pay the board a visit, or at least a very long one. Sure, this morning I nabbed a good recipe that was shared by one of the posters, but I didn't venture much further down the page. I don't want to read about the dissolution of someone's marriage that's happening right now. I don't want to delve much into the sordid details and carry the sadness, then thoughtlessly let it spill onto the man I happen to love with my whole being.....because that's what happened last night. I tend to share my thoughts and ask what he thinks about it all, and before I knew it, I'd burdened him with my "lack of happy." That wasn't good.

So, this morning my hope is restored.

I've put my hand in his, and we're going to make like dandelions...

Shawn
***

Remembering Briita...

"Our little rosebud."

That's what they said about you on that March day, more than a half-century ago, the day you were born and died. Soon after, you were laid to rest on a hill by the sea. Those who loved you walked away from that little grave and kept you tucked away in their hearts. Now they, too, have gone on to what comes after this. I hope you're all together again, having a happy reunion. I'm all for reunions...

Happy Birthday, Briita.

Shawn
***

Erin Go Bragh...

"May good luck be with you wherever you go, and your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow!"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Shawn(aka "Irish")&SGTex
****

Spring forward Sunday....

It's a great Sunday afternoon...Hope yours is going well, too! Have a success-filled week!

Shawn&SGTex
****

Mule versus mountain lion...

This story was sent to me in an e-mail, sharing it here. Told by a gent named Crayt.

"This may be a first...

A couple from Montana were out riding on the range, he with his rifle and she (fortunately) with her camera. Their dogs always followed them, but on this occasion a mountain lion decided that he wanted to stalk the dogs (you'll see the dogs in the background watching). Very, very bad decision.

The hunter got off the mule with his rifle and decided to shoot in the air to scare away the lion, but before he could get off a shot the lion charged in and decided he wanted a piece of those dogs. With that, the mule took off and decided HE wanted a piece of that lion. That's when all hell broke loose for the lion.

As the lion approached the dogs, the mule snatched him up by the tail and started whirling him around, banging its head on the ground on every pass. Then he dropped it, stomped on it and held it to the ground by the throat. The mule then got down on his knees and bit the thing all over a couple of dozen times to make sure it was dead, then whipped it into the air again, walked back over to the couple (that were stunned in silence), and stood there ready to continue his ride as if nothing had just happened.

Fortunately, even though the hunter didn't get off a shot, his wife got off these four pictures. Crayt "


Sharing the first of the images

Shawn
***

Not a blessed thing to say, but ....

...hey, it's Friday, and I find myself with most of the day off.

No, wait, actually it's more of a day on, what with errand-running to the bank, gas in the car (prices up again), antique store (selling, not buying), grocery store (FUZE 10/$10!), USPS, and one latte' later, I'm where? Back at the computer.

Isn't it fun, cramming the weekend into about 3 hours the day before, in order to not have to think about it when the work starts pouring in again? Such is life, when it's doing business at home. Wouldn't have it any other way, though, as far as working at home, I mean. All sorts of perks come with having a home office, but don't let anybody kidya, it's not as easy as you'd think, keeping on top of stuff around the house. I keep suggesting we find ourselves a housekeeper-type grandma, but so far, no go on that... And I would like to keep the work more contained within "normal" working hours and a "normal" 8-hour-day-kinda schedule, but right now that's not very doable. Maybe someday we'll take our weekends and actually end the week, or even add a bank holiday here and there...

But for now, we're makin' hay while the sun shines, so to speak, and when we're not makin' hay, we're makin' ______.
Pick one:
a. trouble
b. whoopie
c. coffee
d. all of the above

Go ahead, fill in the blank ;+)

All of the above was just an excuse to post this picture of an elegant blue heron who lives on Vashon Island, WA.
Shawn
****

What was the question? 'way back in 1998, that is...

"Evolutionists, tell me what the theory of evolution is."

"...Thanks for asking. The theory of evolution began as an elegant and plausible scientific account of the mechanism whereby new species have developed through natural selection. Its general tenets have stood up well to an onslaught of emotional and religious objections and are presently so well-substantiated as to be something of a given in the field of biology, to the great chagrin of fundamentalists.
During this century other advances in rationalist-materialist understanding have meshed with the biological evolution theory to supply a most thorough description of the development of all things, so that it is quite accurate and proper to refer to the evolution of the chemical elements and the evolution of complex chemical systems early in the history of Earth.
This debate board exists because the theory of evolution is so much more than that. Christian philosophy is so heavily invested in prescientific dogma of the supernatural that it rightly regards evolution theory as an anathema. Christians don't usually argue against other standard science---gravity, atomic theory, the germ theory of disease---but when it comes to evolution, there is an urgent and frantic denial, emotions run high and objectivity goes right out the window. Why?
Because evolution theory (and all the knowledge that is seamlessly continuous with it) has fully defined and explained what life is and how it got here. "Evolution," i.e., rationalist/humanist/materialist naturalism, has supplied answers about the meaning and value of our existence, thus outdoing and showing up the pulpit. The monumental resentment will take another century to die down. Evolution theory manifests the two vehicles to Buddhahood, Learning and Realization. It is wonder and glory and purpose and moral imperative. It is emancipation."

Posted by SGTex on September 11, 1998 at 22:59:34 on CARM

Shawn, for SGTex
***
Photograph: Salvia faranicea "Evolution"

The greatest of these...

"Love is not love that alters when it alteration finds."
W.S.

Or, in the words of St. Paul:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowlege, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains and have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. Love suffereth long and is kind. Love envieth not. Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Love never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowlege, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know, even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three...

...but the greatest of these is love.

I Corinthians 13, King James Version

Shawn
***

All work and no play.....

...makes one want to stop and get off!!

That's pretty much what we did this morning, and it was a very welcome change. A really good reason for working hard doesn't change the fact that it gets beyond tough, at times. He's working much harder than I am, bless his heart (and it's greatly appreciated), so when the opportunity came to absolutely relax, we did stop and we did get off...and it was heavenly.

Even a little bit of that goes a long way!

Can't wait to do it again ;+)

Shawn
***

photo: Sea lions snoozing in Astoria, OR

Saturday's Sweethearts....

Someone posted this picture on one of the boards we frequent, and I thought it was too cute to not put here, anticipating Valentine's Day.

It also brought to mind how *it's all in our attitude*--let's face and embrace that which seems overwhelming and intimidating...

Most of all, I just wanted to share something that might bring a smile. Hope the days ahead will be filled with good things for us all!

Shawn
***

Welcome, 2008....what took you so long?

That's the thought that's crossed my mind at least a half dozen times since the last burst of fireworks on New Year's Eve. There's a lot to be said for "anticipation," but that sense of "at last" packs a lot of punch, too! I guess it's pretty obvious that we've got a lot going on in the months ahead and we're anxious to get the show on the road.

I've been listening to the song SGTex gave me the other day, Alan Jackson's "Livin' On Love." It really speaks to where my heart will be after all the dust settles and our plans and projects have come to fruition...

I guess that just about covers it.
Shawn
***

photo: Glenn Rose, TX

It's coming, ready or not....

...and I'm glad. So much to do, and I'm actually getting a few of the things finished around the house that have been staring at me for quite some time, now. That's a good feeling, and hopefully it will put a dent in the stack of projects that have yet to get underway. All of it is good, though- at least I'm subtracting and deleting from the iGoogle "to do" list, and not adding to it!

Actually, while I'm working at all of this which seems to matter so much, I think of others who are having to deal with the really important issues during these holidays, and my heart goes out to them. I pray that the new year will be one of blessing and ease, that the sun will shine and hearts will be lifted.

Goodness, I sound sentimental! Must stop now and go feed Sasha kitty. She too, is staring at me, wondering how in the world I can resist that face she's making at me.

That's just it! I can't!


Shawn
***

Mystic Mistletoe...

I was visiting a website not long ago and read up on the history of mistletoe. I've always been curious about it, ever since I was a little girl and would see the little cellophane packages of dried sprigs at the checkout counter of the local grocery store. Then, years later while away at college in South Carolina, I was amazed to see it actually growing up in the trees. I remember one night before leaving to fly home for the holidays, when one of our friends climbed a tree in order to pick some to take home with him (or maybe it was for one of us girls). He fell out of the tree and ended up breaking an arm. I always felt so sorry for him! Now, I'm happy to know that it grows in abundance right close to home, and we hope to gather some for use at our wedding. Here's what I found on the Sisters of the Air website. Maybe you'll find it enjoyable, too:

O! Mistletoe!
Also known as the golden bough. Held sacred by both the Celtic Druids and the Norseman.
Once called Allheal, used in folk medicine to cure many ills. North American Indians used it for toothache, measles and dog bites. Today the plant is still used medicinally, though only in skilled hands...it's a powerful plant.
It was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day.
Mistletoe was used by the Druid priesthood in a very special ceremony held around this time...five days after the New Moon following winter solstice, to be precise. The Druid priests would cut mistletoe from a holy oak tree with a golden sickle. The branches had to be caught before they touched the ground.

Celts believed this parasitic plant held the soul of the host tree.

The priest then divided the branches into many sprigs and distributed them to the people, who hung them over doorways as protection against thunder, lightning and other evils. The folklore, and the magical powers of this plant, blossomed over the centuries A sprig placed in a baby's cradle would protect the child from faeries. Giving a sprig to the first cow calving after New Year would protect the entire herd. And so forth.

Now for the kissing part. Although many sources say that kissing under the mistletoe is a purely English custom, there's another, more charming explanation for its origin that extends back into Norse mythology. It's the story of a loving, if overprotective, mother.
The Norse god Balder was the best loved of all the gods. His mother was Frigga, goddess of love and beauty. She loved her son so much that she wanted to make sure no harm would come to him. So she went through the world, securing promises from everything that sprang from the four elements--fire, water, air, and earth--that they would not harm her beloved Balder.
Leave it to Loki, a sly, evil spirit, to find the loophole. The loophole was mistletoe. He made an arrow from its wood. To make the prank even nastier, he took the arrow to Holder, Balder's brother, who was blind. Guiding Holder's hand, Loki directed the arrow at Balder's heart, and he fell dead.
Frigga's tears became the mistletoe's white berries. In the version of the story with a happy ending, Balder is restored to life, and Frigga is so grateful that she reverses the reputation of the offending plant--making it a symbol of love and promising to bestow a kiss upon anyone who passes under it.
Shawn
***