The sun begins to rise with the moon still in the sky.The sun is higher and the moon begins to fade. The day takes over.The sun is setting just over the bridge and the night takes over.
Several of my friends at work are celebrating Ramadan this month. It started with the sunset last night. They all have said this is a good month for it. They have morning rituals before the sun rises so that they can eat before the daily fasting begins. After the sun sets they can celebrate with food and community. It is a month of charity with many celebrations of free food after the sun sets each night. The working day is an exercise in will-power sustained by their faith.
I can relate to measuring time by the sunrises and the sunsets. Anyone who works with the land and nature can feel and experience time with and through the natural workings of the world we live within. When you can leave behind the artificial lights of technology and begin your day with bird song and the warmth of natural light, you can feel your body responding to a natural cycle of days and nights. You can sleep and feel better when your body begins to sync with this natural cycle.
I hope this new month of March can bring freshness and renewal.
I have several thoughts on my mind this Sunday. I think I posted about the cardinal flower yesterday because Pope Francis has been in the news. My thoughts and prayers are with him.
Last week I received my Virginia Real ID. This is my birthday month, and it was time to renew my driver's license, so since the law has changed regarding this, I upgraded to a real ID. I am good now for eight years before the need will arise again.
My inside joke is that I will be blessed next week since adding one year to my age will make my age 'code' for blessed. I see this word written on clothes, garden stones, garden fairies, etc. Making it a joke is one way to lessen the thought of 'older age' or 'old age'. I don't feel old.
This hypertufa planter I made 14 years ago is still standing strong. The inside needs to be redesigned with new plant material and fun features. I found the recipe online at gardeners.com. Here is a picture.
You can find directions at the above mentioned website. I did not follow these exact directions when I made mine years ago. If I remember correctly I found the directions in a book or magazine. They were not complete directions, so I had to improvise with how to make the form. I used a big old picnic basket that I lined with a super-sized, plastic, heavy duty garden refuse bag. I used gloves to slap the mixture on the sides. It was much harder to make than I expected. Once you start the process, you have to finish it. I was very blessed that it turned out as well as it did. The only reason I made one is because I kept seeing them at an upscale garden center, and I really wanted one, though their price was more than I could justify or felt comfortable paying.
Since I will be blessed this year (ha!), I should redesign the planter with some new mini or dwarf plantings. It currently holds a dwarf azalea, and some dwarf hostas named "Mouse Ears." These are drought tolerant. I still have the faded fairy with the word "Bless" on it. I will look for more garden decor with the words: bless, blessed, or blessing. Also I need to look for an automatic way to water it.
Looking ahead with plans to improve some things is a good way to feel positive right now.
The cardinal flower likes to have its feet in watery mud. The cool refreshing environment keeps it hydrated. The nectar filled flowers are pulsing with life. The hummingbird comes consistently during hot summer days. The flower's nectar helps power its flight. The swamp milkweed in the background has its own special suitor. It arrives later in the summer and lays its eggs under the leaves. The monarch's eggs will develop into caterpillars that eat and eat. The excitement of the chrysalis is payment for the patient gardener.
The other day when I was looking for monastery pictures, I found this picture buried in my files.
This allium bulb shot upward in the spring, and then an insect or worm intervened. The resulting curl made it stand out in its warped appearance. Another type of beauty came alive. Its development continued. Its flower came out the best that it could under these circumstances. A very unique looking flower stood proud. It did not fold.
The flower's story is an inspiration. Disruptors exist all around us. We can continue to bloom to the best of our ability, or we can give up. In the end the Earth always takes us back and prepares for the future. Continue to pray for all of us. God is with us when we pray. The rain outside gives me hope. Life is possible.
The hawk picture is from the Flickr account for the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C. The picture of the white monk statue is a picture I took long ago at this monastery.
I was looking for a Valentine story, specifically a Saint Valentine story. According to church history, he existed. I found the story to be depressing, so I will let you look it up if interested. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/st-valentine-beheaded
In my search I decided to visit the online Franciscan Monastery in Washington D.C. I discovered their photo albums. I was particularly interested in their red tail hawk pictures. They have a Flickr account. I also have my own pictures from a visit I made there long ago. One is pictured above.
The history of the name Valentine is only history. What is most important is the love you share today with those around you in your life. I hope you have a happy Valentine's Day!
Sunday, February 9th, 2025, will be a big day for players, mascots, and fans.
I am not a huge football fan; however, this upcoming Super Bowl has the potential to be a record-breaking game.
I have my pretzel bites and buffalo chicken dip ready to serve on Sunday. I have some whole wheat pizza dough ready to defrost. I might not need it. My husband brought home a Sam's club pizza tonight. I don't have an appetite for eating pizza all weekend. I do have some orange juice and blue moon beer. I rarely drink alcohol. I might have a beer mimosa this Sunday.
I looked up the team mascots today. They are cute and look like they can rally up their team's spirits and get the crowd roaring!
Good Luck to all and let us all hope the game is fairly played.
I was introduced to the “gumball problem” when I read about a mall contest that offered a prize to the person that could most accurately guess the correct number of gumballs in a giant machine. This image is AI generated.
There is a statistical theorem called the Central Limit Theorem that addresses this problem. If you want to get technical, you can research this theorem. I looked to Microsoft's co-pilot to explain it in simple terms. I wanted to make it understandable to school children with short attention spans.
Ask Microsoft co-pilot if you want to dive into another math challenge.
If you want the most accurate average, it is best to have a large number of random educated guesses. The more guesses you have, the more likely you are to arrive at the correct answer.
Also, having a diverse group with a range of perspectives can lead to a better average that hits or gets closest to the correct number.
Here is my editorial opinion: I think the "wisdom of crowds" can be used in many ways. We all want to be right or think we have the best answer, and the best way of arriving at it. However, I think it would be far more interesting to see many different methods of trying to guess the correct answer. This way you can learn something about how different people think about different problems, and the many methods you might try. Keep in mind the gumballs have to stay in the machine. You cannot remove any during the contest, or else the number will change.
The 10th anniversary was in 2021. I was reminded of this earthquake when I read about the 2.8 earthquake today.
I vividly remember the earthquake in 2011. I was in my kitchen in Sterling, Virginia, and it sounded and felt like a giant was jumping on the roof of our house. Today's earthquake was not felt by me. I happened to read about it in the news, though, it was not big news, especially with everything else going on in our country and around the world.
I did not know that the 2011 earthquake was the most widely felt earthquake in America. I learned this today.
update 4/14/25: I deleted this, then restored it to drafts. Today I was debating whether to permanently delete it. My decision was to republish it because of the drum roll. Also, it shows a fact that I learned many years after the event.
Jimmy Carter became president of the United States my senior year in high school. My mother was a Carter delegate from Virginia. The Robbs from Virginia stopped by our house briefly for a campaign event. My mother was very excited. I don’t remember this belt buckle, however, it was used in his campaign advertising. It is representative of his Georgia family history.
Jimmy Carter was an honorable man. I want to recognize and honor his contributions to this country and to humanity. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.
To read a little about his campaign history you can go to the American History museum and their collection of President Jimmy Carter memorabilia.
One of his greatest contributions to society was his work with Habitat for Humanity. Look here:
On this sixth day of January 2025 it is snowing. Overnight enough had been accumulated to give school kids the day off. Happy Snow Day to those who get to play.
movingforwardslowly 