Being Grateful

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. ~Johannes A. Gaertner

dallas_fall16

Kid home to visit.
Mama can’t keep up with blogging.
Forgive her, won’t you?

Note: Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! I’ll be away from Blogland for a few days while I celebrate. Catch up with you all soon.

Who’s Thirsty?

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732 (British physician and preacher)

Earlier this week, a water main broke in my neighborhood, and the city issued a boil order.

For those unaware of such things, let’s just call it a Royal Pain-in-the-You-Know-What.

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Sunday’s Gem — Jade

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

Since prehistoric times, man has used Jade for tools, weapons, jewelry, religious ornaments, and other purposes.

Wealthy ancient Chinese people used jade burial suits (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-significance-of-jade-in-Chinese-culture)

Wealthy ancient Chinese people used jade burial suits (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-significance-of-jade-in-Chinese-culture)

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Election Day 2016

Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.  ~Robert Byrne, American author

It’s all anybody has talked about for months on end —
This Presidential Election Day madness.
Candidates have been out in full force
Flying to and fro across this great land,
Seeking to persuade the electorate
They know best what needs to be done
To solve problems in the economy, healthcare,
And other areas often seen as perplexing.

At last We the People have our say.

Most of us are tired of the rhetoric.
The innuendos, the promises, the ugliness of it all.
And while these “public servants” purport to work for us,
We’re wise enough to see they really don’t.
They vote themselves raises, they take advantage of laws
That put them above the common man.
If they really worked for us, we could fire them
At any time … and sometimes, we should.

At last We the People have our say.

We’ve suffered through this every-four-years ritual.
We’ve listened to debates, read newspaper analyses,
Heard television ads, grown accustomed to personalities.
Some of us have prayed for wisdom in choosing,
Others have sought discernment from those they respect.
The time for deciding is finally upon us.
What’s important now is going to the polls,
Making your voice count, exercising your voting right.

At last We the People have our say.

Elections are somewhat similar to athletic competitions.
We put on our Game Day faces, taunt our adversaries,
Brag about how hard we’re going to beat them.
But when push turns into shove, and the game’s at its end,
Opposing coaches and teams clasp hands and say “Good game.”
And just as they return to work, our opposing political parties
Make nice with one another, smile, offer congratulations,
And tuck all the nastiness away for another four years.

At last We the People have our say.

Taking a Fall Walk

Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him. ~Hal Borland, American author and journalist

This past weekend was spectacular, just perfect for a long walk outdoors. Come with me, and I’ll show you some of the gorgeous Fall colors in Central Illinois!

We’ll start with a glorious maple in a red dress:

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