January 10, 2022 a thought for today, Honesty makes you rich, but she works slowly. German Proverb

Yesterday turned out to be a great Sunday. One of my two favorite ministers gave the sermon and she didn’t disappoint me. The message was once again right on. She related several timely stories that tied the ancient words of the bible to today’s daily ways of living. I also had a touching message from a dear old friend. Also a message about a community service that came to one of our ministries out of the blue. 

The photo of the day for January 9 was titled “play”. The first thing on my mind was kids playing a game or maybe a basketball or basketball net or tennis nets at the park. When I got to church our choir director was practicing and I thought “playing the piano” .... perfect. 

It looks like this week is going to be one of the quieter ones for this month. Today there’s not much on the agenda. I did get a chance to work on the bulletin. I think most of it is done except for the information from the pastor, that should be here tomorrow. I worked on clearing some things from the frig and getting a full load in the dishwasher. 

It’s still cold outside. I think it is here to stay for a couple of months. At least it’s not snowing and the sun is out and as bright as it can be.

Todays photo of the day is "makes me smile". I have had pets all my life, each with their own personality and characters, their own special gift of love, their on place in my heart. This one does too, she is so very gentle, shy and drops her head when scolded (like maybe memories of abuse earlier in her life?). And to think she was “thrown away” because her original owner (when she was but a pup) mistook her chronic digestive problem as one of peeing on the floor that they couldn’t break. She’s mine for life as they each have been.  

The word for today is observation.  Observation more than books and experience more than persons, are the prime educators. Amos Bronson Alcott.  Observation is an old man's memory, Jonathan Swift. Observation, not old age, brings wisdom, Publilius Syrus. Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life. Marcus Aurelius.  Where observation is concerned, chance favors only the prepared mind,  Louis Pasteur.  A careful observation of Nature will disclose pleasantries of superb irony. She has for instance placed toads close to flowers, Honoré de Balzac.  I'm not smart, but I like to observe. Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why. William Hazlitt.  The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses. Francis Bacon.  Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them. Marcus Aurelius. To know a man, observe how he wins his object, rather than how he loses it; for when we fail, our pride supports us - when we succeed, it betrays us. Charles Caleb Colton. 

This is one of the days I have two photos of the day assignments. This one is titled “circles, squares and/or triangles”. I took cans out of my pantry and lined up my image of circles. 

Here’s more about Columbus’s future and history. The title of the article is “Shaping Columbus for decades to come.”  At the beginning of the article it mentions how the pandemic affected “development” in our city. Warehouse and residential construction was a “boon”. But retail and offices “not so much”. According to the article there are ten projects planed for 2022 that will “shape Columbus for decades to come”. One project is the Peninsula and East Franklinton. Here there will be an office building and two apartments with parking garages going up. Then a hotel and a 34-story tower. Further down on Broad Street will be a mixed use “Gravity 2 development”. Some people wonder if these additions will affect the “historic core of Downtown”. Next there is work on the North Market Tower in the Downtown area. This project will be a 171-apartment complex including 212 hotel rooms, some office space and parking. Along with those is a 28-story Hilton expansion across High Street. These two projects will “fill the gap” in the area between the Arena District and the Short North. Combined with these growths and “improvements” is the Trolley District. There has been eight years of work on this area. It is a $25 million district built “from the shell of the city’s trolley car facilities form the 1880s”. There is continuing growth in the New Albany area of our city and surroundings. Another area of growth and renewal is The Ohio State University. The campus is being “transformed” in what, according to the article, is termed the ‘Innovation District’ where there are labs and commercial office space which include a 26-story addition to the Wexner Medical Center. This will “change the skyline....forecast to create 12,000 jobs”. There is more going on in the Arena District. The construction of Lower Field seems to have been the beginning of more to come. An area called Astor Park is planned for the area, office buildings, apartments and parking, all adding to the riverfront setting. Upper Arlington is another area where changes are occurring. Lane Avenue is a major part of the growth with Arlington Gateway, Westmont at the Lane, senior housing restaurants and parking are things to watch for. Capital Square yet another area of movement is expecting a “rebound” from a period of low interest.  To add to all of the energy and excitement for our city is the fact that warehouses were built during the pandemic. Many warehouses that were vacant were revitalized from “West Jefferson to new Albany to Etna”. Distribution centers “have risen”.  One more area to keep an interested eye on would be Nationwide Children’s Hospital where there is and has been continual updates and innovations. So we can take pride in our city and the efforts to keep us modern, vital, and continually moving into the future. 

I am making beef stew for dinner, I’m giving the pressure cooker a work out today. 

Joy

overlooked