A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those (forests) did catch on fire...

But a section of soldiers downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action.

A Canandian General commenting on why burning down 10' marijuana plants in Afganistan is not a brilliant idea.

A day at Belmont Lake State Park

I was home with my family this past weekend and had a simply marvelous time! Even the weather was on its best behavior! We went to the beach a couple of times (Mom has those pics on her digital camera so I will not be able to post those until someone teaches her how to upload photos to Snapfish). =)

On Monday, we packed a picnic lunch and headed to the park... the leaves were just starting to change and looked so pretty I just had to take a couple of snapshots! =P

We rented a row boat and enjoyed our lunch in the middle of the lake, surrounded by ducks and seagulls.

I LOVE the way autumn foliage looks when reflected on the water!

 

"Except for my wife and family, that is my favorite photo"

It says it all. There's the south, the same people as the north, the same resources north and south, and the big difference is in the south it's a free political system and a free economic system.

Mr. Rumsfeld on the satellite image revealing N. Korea's lack of electricity.

Quote of the Day

At the age of eleven or thereabouts women acquire a poise and an ability to handle difficult situations which a man, if he is lucky, manages to achieve somewhere in the later seventies.

~PG Wodehouse

Keep Praying

I was listening to the radio as I drove back from work (as is my usual habit) and heard the newscaster talking about the presence of the Amish people at the funeral of the man who had murdered their children and shattered their peaceful little world. I read several articles that described the killer's wife as "deeply moved," and discussed how these families could be so forgiving in the face of such tradgedy. One article began with, "The blood was hardly dry on the bare, board floor of the West Nickel Mines School when Amish parents sent words of forgiveness to the family of the killer who had executed their children." Time and time again newspapers wrote what the rest of the world was feeling. Amazement and wonder were reflected in the voices of newscasters. Those of us who grew up attending church know that forgiveness is the "Christian thing to do" and yet... I wonder if I could do it...
Of all the theories out there on how forgiveness and faith coping mechanisms, I think the writer who summed it up by quoting the sign from a nearby church got closest to the heart of the matter: "Keep praying." Forgiveness is an ongoing process that is not a natural reaction, but a gift from above.

Wake up and smell the coffee

I had a good laugh the other day when a friend came over and spent the night. Since I leave so early in the morning for work, I told her where to find the coffee maker, ground coffee, filters, sugar, and cream. I also showed her how the coffee maker worked since she had never used one before... or at least I thought I showed her. When I got home the coffee maker was sitting there with dry coffee grounds still in it and water in the glass pot where the coffee is supposed to drip. Apparently I forgot to mention one very important detail - to pour the water into the machine after measuring it out. =P

As promised, she shall remain anonomous... I just had to tell the story, though!