Tuesday, February 8, 2011
I Got Nothin'
but the tangerines are good!
And so are the kumquats; but strangely enough, I'm the only one here who eats them!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Falo delle vanita
Today commemorates the most noted of the bonfires of the vanities. This occurred on February 7, 1497 when followers of Savonarola publicly burned thousands of objects which they regarded as occasions for sin. These things included, unfortunately, not only cosmetics and mirrors, the "sinful" nature of which is obvious, but also music, musical instruments and works of other arts such as paintings and books.
Savonarola of Florence who lived from 1452 to 1498 was a preacher who was much concerned about the state of the Church and the clergy. He preached piety and clean living. It is said that he was the forerunner of the Reformation, but he was nonetheless Roman Catholic to the end. Pope Alexander VI was not pleased, and ordered the priest's execution for heresy and sedition. Savonarola was tortured for a month, then hanged and burned to death.
Just prior to the execution, the bishop said, "I separate you from the church militant and from the church triumphant."
Savonarola replied, "You have no power to separate me from the church triumphant to which I go."
References
Dr. Philip G. Ryken • Window on the World
Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia • May 23, 1999
Copyright reserved • Internet access via www.tenth.org
Google search "bonfire of the vanities savonarola" for many very interesting articles on this subject.
Savonarola of Florence who lived from 1452 to 1498 was a preacher who was much concerned about the state of the Church and the clergy. He preached piety and clean living. It is said that he was the forerunner of the Reformation, but he was nonetheless Roman Catholic to the end. Pope Alexander VI was not pleased, and ordered the priest's execution for heresy and sedition. Savonarola was tortured for a month, then hanged and burned to death.
Just prior to the execution, the bishop said, "I separate you from the church militant and from the church triumphant."
Savonarola replied, "You have no power to separate me from the church triumphant to which I go."
References
Dr. Philip G. Ryken • Window on the World
Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia • May 23, 1999
Copyright reserved • Internet access via www.tenth.org
Google search "bonfire of the vanities savonarola" for many very interesting articles on this subject.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I Walk the Line Aisle
Yes, I remembered. Today is our wedding anniversary, Dear. It was eleven years ago that we met at the altar and said our vows.We are still together. Interesting? To say the least. Humdrum existence? Not by the wildest stretch of the imagination. Tempestuous? I am not telling.
You have loved me when I wasn't all that lovable; though perhaps I've not been so "obstreperous" (your word) as you claim from time to time. Am I hard-headed and set in my ways? Are you? Am I going to be in such deep weeds over this post that I won't see daylight for a week? Nah. Your sense of humor and mine intersect on occasion. Then, too, they don't always.
Do I love
And to think, some of our friends said it "would never last." Silly folk.
Wanna go for another eleven? Okay, one day at a time.
I Love You, JoAnn.
Remembering the Tenth Anniversary.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Military History
February 5, 1958. H-bomb, "The Tybee Bomb," jettisoned in Wassaw Sound. To date, never recovered.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Praise and Worship in the Piney Woods?
No, it is not. 
We were advised by our hosts that should we go to these woods early in the morning, place bread in our hands and hold them out, the scrub jays would come and eat from our extended palms.
Six-thirty a.m. arrived and I awoke. My stirring about awakened BBBH, who claims there is no six-thirty in the morning.
We prepared ourselves and presented at the appointed time; made the trip to the woods. This is what you would have beheld had you driven up on these crazy people. That is what you would have thought. And you might have been right.
As my arms tired from holding aloft a dozen bread crumbs, which got heavier and heavier with each passing moment, I declared that our "friends" had taken us on a snipe hunt. No, I was assured. Sometimes it takes a half hour to attract the birds. Half hour? Yikes! Well, you don't expect to always catch a fish instantly upon casting the bait into the water, I was told. Be patient. I was. We were. So were the birds, who, I am convinced, were in the scrub laughing their little heads off. I hope. That they laughed their heads OFF, that is.
We departed the woods, saving the bread for another excursion. Yeah, right. We went into the village and had breakfast. Now that's more like it!
The trip to the woods was not a complete loss, birdwise. We passed a flock of wild turkey, comprised of perhaps a dozen hens and a tom who was sporting his fan! Also saw two storks and assorted waterfowl.
We were advised by our hosts that should we go to these woods early in the morning, place bread in our hands and hold them out, the scrub jays would come and eat from our extended palms.
Six-thirty a.m. arrived and I awoke. My stirring about awakened BBBH, who claims there is no six-thirty in the morning.
We prepared ourselves and presented at the appointed time; made the trip to the woods. This is what you would have beheld had you driven up on these crazy people. That is what you would have thought. And you might have been right.
As my arms tired from holding aloft a dozen bread crumbs, which got heavier and heavier with each passing moment, I declared that our "friends" had taken us on a snipe hunt. No, I was assured. Sometimes it takes a half hour to attract the birds. Half hour? Yikes! Well, you don't expect to always catch a fish instantly upon casting the bait into the water, I was told. Be patient. I was. We were. So were the birds, who, I am convinced, were in the scrub laughing their little heads off. I hope. That they laughed their heads OFF, that is.
We departed the woods, saving the bread for another excursion. Yeah, right. We went into the village and had breakfast. Now that's more like it!
The trip to the woods was not a complete loss, birdwise. We passed a flock of wild turkey, comprised of perhaps a dozen hens and a tom who was sporting his fan! Also saw two storks and assorted waterfowl.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Near the Hearth There Lives a Melody
We are utilizing Diane's RV pad. Diane has a beautiful little tricolor kitty named Melody. Isn't that an appropriate name for the pet belonging to a professional musician? Diane is a violinist, an outstandingly good violinist. She is busy from dawn to dusk with practice, lessons and preparations for concerts. Then she is busy at the concerts.
As is so typical of cats, Melody chose me to be her playmate. Perverse creatures; not that I didn't have fun. And I only got bitten once.Very pretty cat.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Woodchuck, Quit Chuckin' My Wood!
Today is the day of marmota monax. Perpetuating superstition, we proclaim his emergence from his tunnel to find, or fail to find, his umbra in preparation for prognostication of winter's demise, or not.
There is not a scintilla of doubt that the groundhog will see his shadow if he emerges here.
Little rodent, round and sleek
Come on out and take a peek
At the sky and look around
See if your shadow can be found.
No matter what the groundhog thinks
We know this winter truly stinks
So go away, cold icy wind
Bring this winter to an end.
© 2011 David W. Lacy
There is not a scintilla of doubt that the groundhog will see his shadow if he emerges here.
Little rodent, round and sleek
Come on out and take a peek
At the sky and look around
See if your shadow can be found.
No matter what the groundhog thinks
We know this winter truly stinks
So go away, cold icy wind
Bring this winter to an end.
© 2011 David W. Lacy
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
More Winter Weather
(The following is a reprint of a post we put up on January 7 last year. Now I am hearing weather forecasts that suggest the possibility of a storm across the Midwest and the East that may be worse than "any storm in memory."
We are hopeful that all who are hit by this storm will stay safe. This can be no fun for anyone in the storm zone, and it has already been a winter of "too much" for too many.)
I found an envelope in my desk tagged "Blizzard of 78." Inside were strips of 35mm black and white negatives. I no longer have equipment to print negatives via wet chemical processes, and I don't know anyone in the area who does this anymore. So, onto the scanner, into a folder in the computer, and with a good deal of "messing around" with two or three programs, I managed to "develop" these images.
The first shot shows me in front of our house. The rest of the pictures were taken at the school shortly after the snowfall stopped. I had to walk over a mile, through drifts and all, to get to the building.
From the inside looking out.
We are hopeful that all who are hit by this storm will stay safe. This can be no fun for anyone in the storm zone, and it has already been a winter of "too much" for too many.)
I found an envelope in my desk tagged "Blizzard of 78." Inside were strips of 35mm black and white negatives. I no longer have equipment to print negatives via wet chemical processes, and I don't know anyone in the area who does this anymore. So, onto the scanner, into a folder in the computer, and with a good deal of "messing around" with two or three programs, I managed to "develop" these images.The first shot shows me in front of our house. The rest of the pictures were taken at the school shortly after the snowfall stopped. I had to walk over a mile, through drifts and all, to get to the building.
From the inside looking out.This January snow was delivered by winds in excess of sixty mph, and the howling went on for hours. There were still remnants of this snowfall on the ground in April.
As I write this in the warmth of my cozy home, though it is 11 degrees outside, I hear the "forecast" for a nasty storm to start tonight. It is not anticipated to be anything like the blizzard of '78, but for me, even four or five inches of snow is more than enough!
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