Odd drop

It is way too hot to go out searching for a shot, so I am sitting here in the AC looking in my files for something odd.

The oddness about this shot is what I don't remember.

I remember where it was--the Rose Garden at the Yakima Arboretum.

I remember why we were there--killing time between medical appointments.

I remember why I took the shot--a certain fascination with ponds and fountains and running water.

What I don't remember is what was causing the rings and bubbles. Was this a fountain or a pond? Was it raining, or was there water splashing from the fountain? Why did the bubbles form?

Did you find something odd this week? Or did you have to go searching in your photo files like I did?

Sunday's Psalm--18th Sunday of Ordinary Time

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and of great kindness.

The LORD is good to all

and compassionate toward all his works.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The eyes of all look hopefully to you,

and you give them their food in due season;

you open your hand

and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The LORD is just in all his ways

and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.

The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

from Psalm 145

VBS

Heard from child as Vacation Bible School drew to a close:

"What? We're not coming back on Monday?"

From volunteers:

"Whew!" where did all that energy come from?

Must be the mark of a successful event.

~~~~~~~
(Reporting after a nap).

Revisiting a B

This ABC round I am revisitng places we've been and enjoyed. Last week we went to Arches National Park. This week we will go to the beach.

B is for beach.

We  visited Kalaloch Beach in Olympic National Park in April of 2010 for Coastal Clean-up Day. This was taken Friday evening. Friday night it rained. No, it poured. It continued to rain for the clean-up day. I am glad we got a bit of fun on the beach that Friday evening.

ABC Wednesday is found here. It is Round 9.

Odd Shot -- harking back

I took this a year ago today.

 Why is this odd?

I don't know if the street is new--perhaps newness is relative.

We found this street sign in Edinburgh, Scotland just off the Royal Mile.

The history of the Royal Mile goes back to the Middle Ages.

So I think this new street is probably pretty old.

Sunday's Psalm--Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Lord, I love your commands.

I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Lord, I love your commands.

Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.

 

Lord, I love your commands.

 For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.

Lord, I love your commands.

Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.

The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.

Lord, I love your commands.

from Psalm 119

ABC Wednesday begins a ninth round.

As we begin Round 9 of ABC Wednesday, I think I will look into my files to revisit earlier adventures.

A is for Arches National Park, which we visited in November of 2008.

You can find the collection of ABC Wednesday Round 9's A posts here.

Odd toes

I had seen these shoes advertised, but I had never expected to see them on someone's feet.

And then later I saw these. I have seen them advertised, too--or shoes much like them. I just didn't expect to see them in line at a picnic.

Sunday's Psalm--Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Lord, you are good and forgiving.

You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.

 Lord, you are good and forgiving.

All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.

For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.

Lord, you are good and forgiving.

You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.

Lord, you are good and forgiving.

from Psalm 86

SkyWatching this past weekend

Yes, July!

SkyWatch is here.

ABC Wednesday--Z is for...

Zones

I used the ecological zones of Mt. Rainier for the letter z last year, too. The idea came to me again this weekend as we made a day trip to the park. Snow was still deep at Sunrise--in the Sub-Alpine ZONE. As it melts out quickly in the warm days the anenome is one of the first flowers to bloom.

About three thousands feet lower in elevation, the Lowland Forest ZONE is almost snow free.














The early blooms there are the trillium.

ABC Wednesday winds down its eighth round. Little did Denise realize when she first suggested it four years ago. Will you join us on Wednesdays in round nine?

You CAN take it with you...

...but do you WANT to?

Sunday's Psalm--Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

You have visited the land and watered it;

greatly have you enriched it.
God’s watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods,

Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

You have crowned the year with your bounty,

and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.

The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

The fields are garmented with flocks

and the valleys blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy.
The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.

from Psalm 65 and Luke 8

ABC Wednesday--Y (and X because I skipped last week)

I think I told you before about the seagulls who were YELLING at the campground.

When we camped witht he kids a couple of weeks later they were much more well behaved.

And catching up with a couple of Xs. You can always find something that crosses something to make an X.

 


ABC Wednesday, coming to the end of the 8th Round here.

Who Has Seen the Wind?

While we were camping last week, the entire state was apparently under an unstable low pressure area. In case you are as un-techy as I am about weather science, what that means is that it was pretty windy all over. Since we were camped in the Lower Grand Coulee, that had a particular significance.

You see, a coulee is:

1. Western U.S. A deep gulch or ravine with sloping sides, often dry in summer. (American Heritage Dictionary)

2. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) Western US and Canadian a dry stream valley, especially a long steep-sided gorge or ravine that once carried melt water from a glacier. (Collins English Dictionary)

Who Has Seen The Wind?

By Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

Source: The Golden Book of Poetry (1947)

Believe when I say that the leaves did not simply tremble. The trees did not simply bow down their heads.

Pancakes flew. Plates, bowls, lids, plastic silverware, and a number of other things were chased by children. (Had to send either the children or the marathoners, this senior hiker would never have caught up with them.) Spray from sprinklers on the nearby golf course cooled our campsite with their mists. Chairs topple and folded.  

After the first night of wind, this is my son's tent:

Okay, you may say. It is listing a bit to the right and you can see that the rainfly is clinging,

but is that so odd?

But you see, when he set it up the afternoon before, it was fully facing to the left and sitting on the tarp. While he and the children slept in it--at least two hundred pounds of sleeping humanity--the wind moved it over and turned it a different direction. Needless to say, as soon as he was awaken he had borrowed the hammer and put in the stakes he felt comfortable in neglecting the night before.

A perfect dome? NOT!

Sunday's Psalm--Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

I will extol you, O my God and King,

and I will bless your name forever and ever.

Every day will I bless you,

and I will praise your name forever and ever.

 I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

The LORD is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and of great kindness.

The LORD is good to all

and compassionate toward all his works.






 I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,

and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might.

I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

The LORD is faithful in all his words

and holy in all his works.

The LORD lifts up all who are falling

and raises up all who are bowed down.

 I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.

from Psalm 145

Caribou Trail

Whatever reason this trail is called the Caribou Trail, it does not involve animals native to the area. I looked forward to following the trail to the end, and some of my kids and grandkids joined me. This is what we found at the top beyond the gate. The field of white is yarrow, and probably marks a spot where the water pools from spring rains.

Skywatch