Life Flashing By in 30 Seconds

Earlier today I posted a pictorial view of the flood waters in the Davenport Iowa area where we never really recovered from the snow melt flood to be now additionally inundated by spring rains with more to come. Today at 3:30 the levee barriers that had been erected failed and now flood waters are coursing through the lowers areas of downtown.

The cars pictures above had people in them as they were doing their everyday tasks when in a matter of 30 seconds, they are surrounded so that they could not even drive out of it and had to run to safety. the people in the building which is now apartments had to be rescued by the fire department rescue squad.

Fortunately no one was injured which is the most important thing but this is a reminder to never try to drive through water. There is just too much that could happen.

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More damage

The picture above is an area just north of us where you see the entire town is under water not from the levee break but just the flooding and you see the main highway just to the north has been totally been cut off.

If you could please keep this area in prayer along with other smaller towns along the Mississippi that are really suffering with over 38 days of major flood stage over 20 feet. Some have lost their homes and now business’ are also unexpectedly being affected.

The Fun Side of Easter

We approach this new season with a lightness in our hearts. New life comes up from the ground as new flowers begin to show their faces. The air is warmer and we enjoy outside more. We open the windows to breath in fresh air and thankful for the brightness around us.

Where we have fun at Christmas while we celebrate His birth, the celebration of His rising at Easter brings us all new life, new hope and the strength to carry on. Even if you are not a believer in Christ, the understand of what it means is somewhat familiar to all. It is fun to share the newness of life about the resurrection and be able to relate it to children with the newness of spring.

New flowers who have been dead all winter are not waking up to new life parallel with the resurrection story. The trees and bushes coming back to life with the new leaves of new life.

New wildlife babies are born representing the newness of life as created by our Father in heaven.

Then there are those who love to decorate their home to show a newness of life or the welcoming of spring, like door wreaths.

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This pair of purple house finches are the first to visit my feeder this year. They are really pretty.

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I also like to show off some of my mothers fun Easter stuff as it makes me smile and remember the fun parts of her. The silly waving rabbit family I painted for her when I was in college.

So while Easter is a celebration that should never be taken lightly for its true meaning, we can enjoy the newness of spring as it also bring us new life and new hope for the coming year. And as you take in the new life, let it send out kindness roots that spreads kindness seedlings wherever it goes.

Fun with Poetry

As I play with my blog, I enjoy what others say, write and photograph. Today I saw a photograph that so inspired me that I thought again I would write about it. I have done this in the past and it is relaxing to me. After the wonderful day of 48 degrees (before it plummets back to single digits) I was able to get out and enjoy the sun so I think more fun is good thing to do. Irene of Heaven’s Sunshine takes lovely and fun pictures of nature and things around nature and today she posted a Leafy Heart. Do drop by her blog and enjoy her photographs. So below are my words to go with Irene’s Leafy Heart.

The Autumn Leaf

The audible sigh of the leaf in fall as it begins to die

Drops slowly from trees above like tears when you cry

We wait for them all winter as they quietly rest and sleep

Popping out at spring and stretching to soak up warmth so deep

As summer comes in to brighten their worth, they create abundant shade

For we sit and rest under them and block the heat that is made.

As changing season turns again once more to cooler fall

The leaves display their dying hues that are admired by one and all

The leaf hangs tight to its dear life as long as it possibly can

But winds of fall will toss them down to be crushed by steps of man

As other lives rush over them when preparing their own winter deeds

A spider crawls around them to see if there is anything he needs

But alas he leaves as nothing was found for him of the leaf to give

And he heads towards home and other things in hopes of his life to live.

-Anita Neal-

And always in closing I remind all of the extraordinary value of kindness and how if we can share that kindness with others, even when we don’t feel like it, that may be the only kindness shared with that one person on that day.

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A Reprieve

Reprieve – To give relief or deliverance for a time.

That is what we had today – a one day reprieve from this tirade of winter 2019. The temps today got up to 48 degrees here in western Iowa and even thought we know that Nadia is closing fast, we accepted this gift of a reprieve to helps us not lose hope in spring forgetting us as in Horton who heard the Whos – We are here! We are here! We are here!

So today I was actually able to get out and run a few errands and of course refill the bird feeders. With all of that ice on top of the snow, I was just too fearful to try. But as we type the temps are already falling and will drop back to single digits. I was ever grateful for this reprieve of shining sun and “balmy” temps.

IMG_20190214_130638 — Blue skies and shining sun today

As as we brace for another cold and snowy onslaught, we will remember this breath of fresh air in hoping spring to come sooner that later.

And as we wait for milder weather, let us remember to be mild ourselves and show kindness where we can.

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Are You Kidding Me?!? #SoCS

Really! I dare not ask what’s next because enough is already enough. With all the subfreezing temperatures, ridiculous amounts of snow, horrific wind chills finally took its toll on my sump pump line. Of course if it had been properly installed….That was a scheduled project slated for spring. The short of it is, I now have my own personal ice rink, not that I wanted one; when in fact I am still not walking without a limp.

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Temporarily I have adding another piece of PVC, to at lease divert the water to the yard instead of the porch. But depending on what amounts of snow we get tomorrow….oh good grief! This is how I currently feel.

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Initially I was not going to post for Linda G Hill’s Stream of Consciousness because I could not come up with anything on words ending in “ly”. But, guess what! I think I would have rather not found ways to use “ly”.

And I guess I can also use it in my normally nice ending in remind you to think and act kindly towards others.

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Frozen Beauty

BEAUTY IN COLD

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We huddle close to fight the fierce and raging wind

Hoping to not face it as we round the next bend.

As we reach the building edge and peek around to see

We gets blasted in the face as the wind howls “look at me”.

Winter’s demanding blast this year, a force to reckon with

As snow joins low temps to break some record making myths.

But misery moves aside to reflect the beauty God can make

As we look around at mounds of white and tree crystals we pray don’t break.

We’d rather have warm temperatures with flowers all around

But will accept this fate for now until comforting times are found.

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When I got to the church this morning the trees were really beautiful but the parking lot was still to icy for much walking about for pictures. But as I was leaving this afternoon, the ice was still hanging in the trees and looked like crystal chandeliers so I was able to get a few pictures. Hope you enjoy them and are safe and warm.

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I also remind you of indisputable power of kindness. When we are all under stress due to this oppressive cold, remember the spark of kindness could warm a hurtful soul.

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Value of Old

To the many gifted photographers who pictures I admire and will periodically use, I thank you for you fabulous gift. It allows us in this blogging world to use them for the expansion of our imagination by taking them yet to another medium. Today’s picture came from Jansenphoto of Dutch Goes the Photo on Living in a Square World . Coming from grandparents that had farms, the pictures really struck me one in particular. Go check out his work and enjoy my take on his picture.

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RUSTY OLD MILK CAN

It’s just an old milk can, some people would say,

But what if it could talk and tell of its day.

It would tell of its stories when the farm ran strong,

Amazing in it wonders for days were so long.

It sits in the yard now, its value no longer needed

As time and life march by, it’s worth totally unheeded.

Is this all there is to be, it wonders in dismay

As metal begins to flake and the rust eats away.

In same manner of this can, is this how we treat man?

As he begins to decline and struggles to stand.

How sad are we, who deftly refuse to see

The profound value of life, regardless of it’s age to be

To understand its wisdom and love still to give

So that the young may learn, for a better life to live.

As we all go through this life, remember it is all a cycle. So remember to be kind through your cycle so that hopefully the cycle will in turn be kind to you.

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Waiting for Spring, Twitter tales #122

Why so anxious, we know not why

Phil said,”There’s more to come by”

We stare at the radar as more winter is coming

As rain and sleet start falling and icicles are forming

So closing our eyes, we dream of far warmer places

With a healing warmth of sunshine, for our toes and our faces.

Kat’s prompt for Twittering Tales #122 – It starts with one word, challenged us with to be creative. Mine turned more into poetry than flash fiction but creative all the same.

Remember also the warmth of Kindness.

Welcome February, Photoaday

After a record breaking month of cold and snowfall for January of over 40″ and -34 degrees…good riddance. Hello February with a bright morning sunrise. Please be a kind month.

Come play along with Citysonnet’s Photo A Day challenge. It promises to be amazing.

And as always, remember to be kind. kindness3

Wintry Blast, #1LinerWed/JusJoJan

Prayerfully waiting for the 60+ degree warm-up on Saturday of 40+ degree highs with one sentence but many pictures. Thanks to John for the picture I am copying as it helps give the visual of…GOOD GRIEF!