color in the skys

         It's now getting lighter every morning! Seconds count! Yea!!  

        For 6 weeks I have wanted to share a series of photos my daughter made by noticing the sky was showing off its spectacular self. She made the instant decision to run outside with her iPhone to record the changes she realized were happening, quickly. All these photos were made within 5 minutes. A lot can happen in that short length of time! Hold on to your hats, here we go:

CLOUD PHOTOS by REBECCA WRIGHT

 

Whew! Wow! Wonderful!     And now for some recent photos of mine, fairly seasonal:

We'll have almost a whole week together!

a gift to the world in her Christmas jammies

another gift, via UPS

        

    wrapping it up

      My more or less monthly writers group finally was able to meet in person a few weeks ago, in Lexington, with one of us in D.C.  We had our annual Christmas meal and some words to share and some tears of happiness just from being together.

       

Then there's the sky outside my window tonight, always a gift, in my book.

       I sure hope the message about getting vaccines can be liberated from the politics it has brought on. Lies are so dangerous. Common sense is worth a lot more than it is given credit for.  I also hope you have enjoyed these few photos.  May you have something beautiful to be surprised by every day.  I look forward to posting again in two weeks.  Snow??  Ann

tornadoes, winds, and rain

        I want to be clear -- the terrible tornadoes (T.Ts) of this weekend were not in my part of Kentucky. This state lies east-west, across two time zones.  Eastern Kentucky is all in the Appalachian mountains and hills, in the Eastern Standard Time zone. This weekend's tragedy took place in western Kentucky and along the Mississippi River, in Central Time.  Until now, we in the eastern part have few tornadoes, but the changing climate might shift all that.  We don't know for sure..  We just know that our climate is changing, crying out for help, feeling the effects of generations of humans acting out of heedless greed.  It's not like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill here, because if I look around, listen to scientists, and use common sense, I want to be loud, I want us to look beyond our noses, and I want to rejoice in the gifts of the earth. (That statement is not at all extravagant. It is what it is.)

 

 

       These two friends, Julia and Dick Roberts, visited me a while ago at my home in northeastern Kentucky. They live in Bowling Green, KY, where Friday night there were winds of 150 m.p.h.  I am holding them and everyone at WKU (Western Kentucky University) in my heart.  

        Also, I am grateful Kentucky has an outstanding governor in Andy Beshear. Besides all the Republicans eager to throw him out of office, out of spite, he has had the Pandemic to deal with and now the most damage ever in Kentucky from tornadoes. He deserves our thanks, our cooperation, and our continuing admiration!

        I still am amazed by this photo from quite a few years ago. I have shared it before.  While in Denver, with family, I was trying out what would be show up sharp if I made a photo of the Christmas tree bulbs on their tree.  This has become my best wishes photo, in hopes everyone can make the things work that they are curious about or care about!

     And here is a newer Christmas photo a friend sent. I really like the simplicity in this photo and the color of the every day door. It feels very welcoming.

         I am wishing for all of us to stay well and help each other. I was so heartened to talk with MaKayla in the grocery store tonight about all the items they were gathering to send to the tornado torn counties.  She is the Ag Teacher at Elliott County's High School and the granddaughter of my friend Sandy.  She says each eastern Kentucky county is trying to supply only certain things so the needs are balanced out among them. 

     Thank you for checking on my blog as we reach out to all those impacted by the T.T.s though, in fact, we are all impacted by what happened to many of us.   Ann