July 18, 2021 a thought for today, The hypocrite is known by his actions, not by his clothes. Mexican Proverb

This Sunday is bright and sunny with no rain in sight, for the time being at least. Our church service attendances haven’t picked up too much yet since things have lightened from the pandemic.  It seems to be a slow return to “normal”. 

Yesterday’s photo title was “sun”. In the morning when I started thinking of the photo for the day I thought I was going to have a problem. The skies were heavily overcast. So I started thinking of what I might have in my archives. Finally, afternoon, the sun preformed beautifully. I captured the suns glows on the leaves of the Boston fern hanging on the porch (by the way, with a nest having been painstakingly built in it). I caught the effects of the sun in a gorgeous shadow of the spider plant on the other side of the porch along with the shadow of the rain chain that neighbors the spider plant. Ultimately I decided on one from the archive, one that has a glimpse of the sun itself behind a group of clouds. 

Last night the turn out for the free meal at HM3 seemed, at first to be a good bit more than the week before. But after the “official” count it was only about two more on the total than the week before. Hopefully the word will get out and more will start coming back. 

Today is going to be on the laid back side although I do have one extra task to get done actually it is two extra tasks. I am uploading the video of today’s church service to our Facebook page. That takes some time I am also trying to get a chart template update and sent to the appropriate people.  

The word for today is cheer.  I would go to the deeps a hundred times to cheer a downcast spirit. It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is weary. Charles Spurgeon.  The best of healers is good cheer. Pindar.  Wherever the invitation of men or your own occasions lead you, speak the very truth, as your life and conscience teach it, and cheer the waiting, fainting hearts of men with new hope and new revelation. Ralph Waldo Emerson. Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance - the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it; better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen. Thomas Carlyle. O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams. Saint Augustine. One's age should be tranquil, as childhood should be playful. Hard work at either extremity of life seems out of place. At midday the sun may burn, and men labor under it; but the morning and evening should be alike calm and cheerful. Thomas Arnold.  To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent that is to triumph over old age. Amos Bronson Alcott.  Music is either sacred or secular. The sacred agrees with its dignity, and here has its greatest effect on life, an effect that remains the same through all ages and epochs. Secular music should be cheerful throughout. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.  Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence, Aristotle. Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid, John Keats.  I want a warm and faithful friend, To cheer the adverse hour; Who ne'er to flatter will descend, Nor bend the knee to power,- A friend to chide me when I'm wrong, My inmost soul to see; And that my friendship prove as strong For him as his for me, John Quincy Adams.  

Today’s photo challenge is “life is....” I went in search of an idea at my “photo haunt”, Westgate park. After a few ho-hum shots I latched onto the image of a couple at a picnic table under some of the trees in the park’s small forest. In the Photoshop darkroom I decided to add a Topaz Simplify 4, Line and Ink, Flat filter to give a “dreamy” look. 

What caught my eye about this article want “COVID puppies”. The article is also discussing the fact of a serious labor shortage in vets offices right now. There was an increase in the buying and adopting of pets during the pandemic. People were using whatever means they could to “alleviate” some of the loneliness that came about in that period of time. As people return to work there is another change in their lives that affects their pets. One of the things that also occurred during that period of time was that families were being more aware of their pet’s activities and daily living activities. Due to this they are more aware of the health of this “family” members. There is a shortage of veterinary staff right now so there is also an amount of stress in vet offices. People are bringing their animals in for check ups. As the pandemic time went by the animal shelters notices a rise in adoptions and “inspired” good feelings about the empty cages and the fact that abandoned or abused animals were finding forever homes. Now “wait times for checkup are taking longer, sometimes up to weeks. During the pandemic there were curbside services. Owners would wait in their cars while the pets were taken into the office to be examined. Conversations were held from the owners in their cars with the vets in the office (note: thank goodness for cell phones). Eventually the staff at the vets’ offices began to see what were called COVID puppies. That was the nickname that was give to newly adopted or purchased pets during the pandemic. According to the article many of them came form “less-than-ethical breeders and eventually many showed health problems. Now the vets are seeing “problems related to anxiety and isolation” due to the animals being left alone after twenty-four hour contacts during the pandemic. Some of problems with less staff in the clinics are shortages of child care and low pay for the staff. The reduction in available staff means longer wait times once an appointment can be made. One of the large veterinary clinics in Columbus, MedVet, has developed a triage system over the phone as pets are brought to the clinic. There are times of stress for the workers as people become angry much like other industries are experiencing. The article said “pet owners must be patient”.

It will be take-out for dinner tonight....haven’t decided where yet. 

Joy

                     puddles and something else with a hint of red