The Mighty “Mississip”, Snow Melt Begins

The river is still rising. Currently at 20.4 feet expected to crest at well over 21 feet. Depending on where you are along this section of the Mississippi, it leaves it banks anywhere from 16′ to 18′. Therein lies the problem when you are over 20′ of flood stage.

IMG_20190406_161202 — This is River Drive, how appropriate.

The biggest concern now is tomorrow – rain storm possible with flash flooding – really. There is no where for the flash flood to go, it will just add to the flood already in progress. Lets put this into scientific facts for you. The Mississippi’s current water flow on an average(no flood) day is 2 million cubic feet per second…per second! Okay, lets try to bring that better into perspective. There are 7.489 gallons per cubic foot which weigh 62.4 lbs. A 48′ long semi truck trailer holds 3,600 cubic feet. To boil it all down – its a lot of water. Some of the smaller communities along the river in this area that rely on their wells for water can not longer use their wells due to the flooding. So they basically have no water. I am reminded of a phrase – Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.

I am still amazed that currently, the trains are still running but I hear that is going to change soon if the water keeps rising. And it looks like it probably will.

I went onto the walkway of the bridge to get these shots. Yes – I walked, yea me. For those who are new to my postings, I am recovering from foot surgery.

IMG_20190406_161402 — There is a walkway where you can walk across the bridge. Some amazing shots from there. Check out the current around the piling of the bridge.

Below is the one shot I really wanted to get. I just have my phone camera so I can’t do long distances but that concrete building beyond the ball field is the back of a bandstand and there are outdoor chairs bolted down to a concrete pad to watch the band with a dance pad between the chairs and the band stand. The chairs are totally under water.

IMG_20190406_162253 — A winding sidewalk with lamppost is between those big trees and the river bank. The retaining wall for that sidewalk is underwater.

So always be aware of what water can do. Even the tiniest leak can be a real headache. But I learned when young and living in Florida that water can be a beast to reckon with. Please keep these communities along this river in your prayers. This is a LONG river and the further south it goes the wider it gets. They are telling us this amount of flood stage will be with us for awhile.

And I close with good thoughts of sharing kindness, even when life gets tough. There is always room for sharing God’s light in kindness. It may be the one spark of love that person may see that day.

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Gift of Thankfulness, SoCS “fab”

My devotional reading this morning was about thankfulness. When you focus on what you don’t have or on situations that displease you, you inner mind becomes dark and disgruntled. When you approach God with thanksgiving, the light of His presence surrounds you. Lets have some examples from my life –

The harshness of this past winter only to be reminded of the ever resilient fabulous bulbs of spring.

The poor commitment of the “handy man” that showed up to get the old curtains down but has yet to show up to put up the new rods. But yet the light shining through the windows has been beautiful and helped my violet to burst forth in fabulous white and purple blooms.

The most inconvenient idea of being without a refrigerator for 10 days, yet I can still enjoy a fabulous cup of hot tea. And last but not least…

The ability of being able to enjoy fabulous fruits all year long from those warm climate zones and the trucking industry getting them to the stores for us to enjoy.

The inconvenient challenges of life can drag us down or we can give thanks to God that we have an ability to view those challenges through His eyes and find that silver lining – there is always one however small it may be.

So all the more reason to understand you inconvenience and be thankful of the light they can shed on us and bringing forth kindness to others who are also experiencing inconveniences themselves. Remember to always be kind.

Linda G Hill’s challenge today for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “fab.” And I think if we really look around we can find more fab than non-fab. You just need to correct frame of mind. So I challenge you to review and give thanks for all the fabulous things you have in life. You could probably amaze yourself in seeing your gifts.

Catastrophe, Not real A-Z Challenge

Note to self…If you are going to participate in providing a word for Linda G Hill’s Not so Legitimate A-Z Challenge, make sure it is a calm word…not a catastrophic word. Yes I am a day late in posting my “C” word, one that I donated to the challenge but that is because my day was a day of mild catastrophe. A mild catastrophe is a situation that is more inconvenient than it is disastrous.

I was awakened at 4:00 a.m. to an odd sound. What is that? Mimi is sound asleep and for once not snoring so its not her. I cleared the cobb webs from my brain and listen closer. There it was again…drat. The field mice are back. I get up to bang on the wall hoping to scare them away, albeit it only temporarily, but maybe I could pick up a few more Zs. It worked so I got back to sleep only to be rudely awaken by the alarm clock. Drat, therapy before going to work…last week…last week.

I trudge to the bathroom and flip on the light and in a matter of a split second, all hell broke loose. The mouse had made it inside, in my bathroom, the light and seeing me scared him into a screaming frenzy, that set off Mimi who was not in full bark chase mode, I am standing in the doorway and fully in the way of the chase and run, ready to scream myself. I am sure if you were a fly on the wall you would have found it a most humorous situation. The mouse scampered behind the cabinet before Mimi caught it and somehow in the catastrophe the glass(plastic, thank goodness) holding my toothbrush and tooth paste had hit the floor and got stepped on with a long squirt of toothpaste shot across the bathroom floor. Beat a cup of coffee any day in waking me up.

Exterminator was called and he came today and found three separate entrance holes beside the house and put out bait. Sorry folks but my rule is you live outside you stay outside or else…The only time mice are cute are in fairy tales and cartoon and I question that logic even then.

And yes as much as I ask us all to be kind, sorry, with vermin(or snakes), it hard for me to be there. So, I ask you to try to be kind in all circumstances and if the mice(and snakes) stay out, then I will be kind in leaving them be. But with people and dogs, I push for kindness. May you have a blessed day.

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Escapist Coloring Club Prompt; Spring

The monthly prompt from Linda on coloring gives those of us who enjoy the adult coloring books, calender’s, desk blobs, etc. to show off how much fun we had. Its not about the beauty and perfection of your drawing, however some are quite strikingly as Linda’s dragon, but its about the fun. I do my doodling/coloring at night when I have trouble sleeping because my brain is still going 900 miles an hour…and I am retired…semi-retired. Compared to what I used to do, answering the phones 3 days a week at the church is a major cake walk. However, being ADD, well…y’all know how that can be.

Anyway, since the winter was so brutal, we are all excited for spring being right around the corner so I drew a reminder spring. Come join in Linda G Hill’s Escapist Coloring Club Prompts this month’s and share your fun.

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The bird even with out coloring was quite elegant.

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And as always, I remind us all to be kind. Now that spring is getting close, we will be outside more so remember to share this great gift; the immeasurable gift of kindness.

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Bonkers, A-Z Challenge

Interesting challenge Linda Hill has created for us in A-Z challenge.

I too can be a bit of a rebel for reason that fit only my purposes. So I come along side illegally as well to play when I can. You may to have good use of dictionary I fear as this goes on, at least for some of us. Sometimes it drives me bonkers as I can’t think of anything to say, yet I still want to play. You know there are many forms of bonkers other than how things are recently driving me. There is the TV series…

Then there is candy…., don’t know that I have ever seen it.

bonkers candy

And don’t let us forget the famous scientist….

But for me, bonkers is just out of control crazy with too many things happening at one time and I get in bonker overload.

binkers

But even if you find yourself in overloaded bonkers, there is always time to stop for a second and be kind. That slow down may be the very thing to get you out of bonker overload. So, always have kindness at the front of anything you may do. It could change your entire perspective.

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Roll With the Punches, TPC

When I first saw the challenge for Tuesday Photo Challenge of Roll by Jansenphoto, my brain went straight to a song from my college days – “Rolling, rolling, rolling down the river” but nobody wants to here me sing so I will display my recent “Punch of Life”, and I will added a bit of poor man’s poetry. Come along and join in on the fun.

The Lack of Cold

Ole Fridge, Ole Fridge

How could you leave me so warm?

The ice cream now puddle on the floor

For bees to come swarm.

Ole Fridge, Ole Fridge

With my life visible on display

Of pictures and magnets in sad disarray

Ole Fridge, Ole Fridge

Repairman could not be repaired

Stripping you clean of life really seems unfair

IMG_20190401_170641 — The hideous wallpaper looks even worse now, that’s the next project

Ole Fridge, Ole Fridge

As the punch slams you to the floor

We roll for new cold we can find in the store

New Fridge, New Fridge

Which one shall we choose

I think the silver will be better, with it we can’t lose.

As with all of life, there are times where you just have to Roll with the Punches. So in remembrance of how life can hit us square in the face, know that it hits others just as hard, so try to give extra effort in being kind. That may be the only time that day an individual may receive any form of kindness. Always be kind.

Flower kind4

Sunday Morning Surprise

Surprises are supposed to be good things …right??? Not always. It never ceases to amaze me the things satan will do to try to keep you from going to church; weather issues( 3+ inches of snow will do it for me and my southern roots), health issues and then home issues.

This morning I woke to milk being all over the floor in the kitchen – what?? Turned out it was not milk but melted ice cream. Fridge died during the night and every thing in it was dead as well…or dying. The way I looked at it – it will be there when I get home from church. Going to church anyway. I cleaned the mess off the floor and the freezer was quickly checked and what could be saved was taken downstairs to the big freezer. After lunch we tackled the refrigerator side.

IMG_20190331_133731 — Truth be known, there were some things that should have been tossed last month

So March is going out with a bang. Yippee! I guess the good thing was that due to commitments yesterday, I didn’t get to the grocery store as the normal Saturday chore.

Sunday service was great and I was glad I didn’t miss it. Worship was titled “Is It Real” and dealt with what is worship according to the scriptures and how does that translate to you. I guess satan didn’t want me hearing that message or lifting my heart in praise and worship. Sorry dude, you loose. Worship was great.

Life can throw curve balls at us and how we handle those helps us either strike out or hit a home run. I don’t strike out a lot, but do sometimes. I seldom hit a home run but once in a while it does happen. I am more of a base hitter trying to get all the way around the bases and with God’s help I usually do but I need His constant guidance knowing when to run and when to stay on base.

I pray that this week, you too get all through the bases, maybe even a home run. Feel His love as He guides your steps and honor Him with your praises. And as you are moving from base to base remember to always be kind. Kindness is a form of love and worship as he tells us “what ever you do for the least of these, you are doing it to me”. So be kind.

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In The Wake of a Train

When you think about trains…and wake…your brain automatically goes to sound, as train can be very loud. When you think about boats…and wake…your brain goes to the waves put put by a boat as it goes through the water.

Trains can wake you up…but trains don’t make a wake…oh yea…just watch. With the spring thaw the Mississippi is currently at 19 feet with full crest expected at 20.5 feet. The river leaves it banks at several places at different levels depending on the land shape but generally in down town area it starts flooding at 18 feet.

We are expecting rain tonight and tomorrow so who knows what that will do but we feel fortunate as the snow melt north of us has been slow. Their warm up has not been all at once so the snow melt has been gradual which is helping. When I left work today, I went down to see what it looked like from the ground level as from the bridge level it looked really bad. It isn’t good but could be worse. You can’t tell but just past the chain link fence are the white seats of the park with only the tops visible.

I saw some ducks, a mallard and his mate, feasting on the grasses under the water at the edge of the parking lot. Then I saw the train tracks well under water. I had heard that if train tracks get under water they are OK as long as the water is less than a foot. Really?? Amazing. While I was looking at the band stand by the river and the chairs being under water, I saw a train coming, so you know I had to wait and see how it would do.

Sure enough, they crept along very slow but has no issues. So in question to the wake issue, yes, trains can make a wake.

So that was mt fun for the day and my first walking and photo opportunity. I will be curious to see if the added foot of possible flood water will make that not possible. And I wonder how long the flood waters will hang around. It took several weeks last year and there was a lot more snow this year but the spring rains have not started yet. So we will see.

So as we get into a warmer spring, let us also remember to warm and kind to all of creation. As Jimmy Dean says ‘It does a body good.’ We all know what winter has been like and are so looking forward to spring. So remember…

kind spring

Things That Make Me Smile

When I have days like to day that get so busy with other stuff and I get nothing on ‘my list’ completed, I get refreshing relief by going to Pinterest and looking at the various animal categories and scripture categories and get my head back in to the correct groove as it were. Therapy was a beast but I have much improved mobility and only one week left, so that is a plus. The handyman didn’t show so the new curtains and rod are on the floor. I can do that but was trying not to have to climb on a ladder just yet. So that was a bum. Rearranged my living room and got my plants in a position to get outside as soon as the weather stays above 65. So all in all a good day. While we always seem to attribute good days as God being there for us, in reality He is always there for us. Especially on the dark days when we can not see His hand. I saw this picture today and it made me smile so I thought I would pass it on.

Love, what a wonderful word and there are so many forms of love. I wrote a post back in November giving my perspective on just how much God loves us but in reality it can not really be measured. But God doles out love to all who will accept it in all of His creation. Man has the notion that he is superior because of his analytical abilities. I wonder sometimes if that is an admirable attribute when it get so badly misused. Scripture tells us the LOVE is the key. There are well over 100 verses in the bible that involve teaching us about love. Why do we have to be taught about love when it is given so freely to us because he loved us first. Think on that for a minute but don’t over think it with your analytical mind. There are picture after picture of the animal kingdom showing great strides of tender compassionate love to their own kind and sometimes to a totally different specie. Our human minds have a hard time getting around that and we gawk at it in surprise when we see it. I feel sometime we are the silly ones. Its very simple to me, but I am a simple person. 1st – God is love. 2nd – God freely gives that love to His creation 3rd- we in turn are supposed to share that love. Its a circle. This picture I found shows true devoted love between several family members.

God's love — Nurturing, devoted and tender love

Wonder what it is going to be like in Heaven when we all understand what real love is and how to use it with out out analytical minds getting in the way. Then we can use the analytical minds that he gave us as a gift to further His purposes like it was meant to be.

And with love in mind, try to always be kind. Its as much a part of love as love itself.

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A Special Rock? Probably Not.

Tuesday’s Photo Challenge by jansenphoto today is an interesting one. I have been looking at this rock on my shelf for over a year now and can’t decide to toss it in the yard or leave it on the shelf. It was given to me by a friend named Lynn. She loved rocks and she said this was a rock she found while rock hunting and that it was a ___ rock, which means I don’t remember what she said and myself, I have no clue. It does have some interesting colors on it. It sat on my desk for several years but when I retired, I didn’t have the guts to throw it back outside because it meant so much to her. Now I am getting ready to spring clean and faced with again…what do I do with the rock. I will probably just put it in the rock bed out front but thought in tribute to Lynn I would post the pictures of it. If indeed it looks like a special type of rock to you, shoot me a line and tell me what I am looking at.

One side looks like maybe a fossil was embedded in it at some time, kind of a snail type shape.

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But my knowledge of rocks or anything of the fossil type would not fill a mother of pearl inlaid thimble or brass thimble with a petit point band or even a tiny much need of polishing silver thimble all of which belong to my mother’s thimble collection. Rocks need humor to go along with them.

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But regardless of my poor knowledge of that information, I am well acquainted with the need for kindness in this world. So always remember to be kind.

rocks