Cardinal and Mockingbird visit to celebrate the Equinox . . .

Quote:  There never was any heart truly great and generous that was not also tender and compassionate.   ____South

Summer's end . . .

Quote:  Faith is the pencil of the soul that pictures heavenly things.   _____T. Burbridge

Green nails have not dampened Daytona's spirit . . .

Of hummingbirds, butterflies and flowers . . .

Painted Lady

Quote:  Every rose is an autograph from the hand of God on his world about us.  --He has inscribed his thoughts in these marvelous hieroglyphics which sense and science have, these  many thousand year, been seeking to understand.  _____Theodore Parker

And these photos happened on mowing day in the morning . ..

Quote:  It is this unquiet self-love that renders us so sensitive.  The sick man, who sleeps ill, thinks the night long. We exaggerate, from cowardice, all the evils which we encounter; they are great, but our sensibility increases them.   ____Fenelon

After the Birdman we went down to the Mississippi . . . and yes, I prayed for these United States of America on this 18th Anniversary of 911 . . .

The American Queen was docked in Saint Francisville.  My Mississippi is back within its banks.

This rope is attached to the cruise ship.

The Audubon Bridge, my bridge, is in the background.

 

Quote:  As to feel that we can do a thing is often success, so to doubt and despond is a sure step to failure.     ____Unknown

Our son, Aaron, wrote this September 11, 2001

Well, the sun has set on what will soon come to he known as the largest cliche-fest in the history of recorded media. A second "Day That Will Live In Infamy" has passed and all we are left with are disbelief, anger and shock at the fact that we, the only Super-Power on this earth, are ultimately vulnerable. There is but one correct response to this provocation - swift and utter destruction of all parties involved. Advocating that, however, is not my reason for writing.

I walked around outside this evening and peered at the stars. They were all I saw. Normally, there are many strobes and beacons visible because of all of the air traffic in this part of Connecticut, sixty miles from the epicenter of today's events. Their glaring absence is a stark reminder that something has changed. That our seemingly insular existence has been breached so easily and so thoroughly is mind-numbing.

All that remain are questions. "How am I supposed to explain to my children that we really ARE safe, and it's OK to go to sleep tonight because nothing is going to happen when I'm not even sure of that myself?" "How can I put into words the horror that comes from the realization that we, as a nation, may have just lost more people in the span of a few hours than were lost during our entire ten-year involvement in the Viet Nam war?" "Are these tears of rage or tears of sorrow that well up when we view the carnage left in the wake of these hideous acts of cowardice?" To these questions, I have no answers. To a few others, however, the answers are clear.

"Will we pull together as a people, putting aside the differences that suddenly seem so insignificant, and support our leaders as they make the necessary, harsh decisions regarding the pursuit, capture and punishment of all parties responsible for today's atrocities?" Emphatically, Yes.

"Will we, as a people, recover from these events and become a stronger and more cohesive nation?" Emphatically, Yes.

"Will we, as a people, continue to take for granted this wonderful democracy that allows us so many freedoms and abilities?" By God, I hope not.

Isn't it amazing how suddenly the great cultural divide that has split our country in twain seems like a mere rivulet in the sand? Our opinions may place us on opposite sides of an issue, but we, as a people are still on the same coin. Our country has recently been described as divided. Now is the time to unite. For the future of our children, we must stand as one.  

Flutterbyes . ..

I may decide to post photos on and off as I certainly haven’t done much writing!