March 24, 2024 a thought for today, Do not make yourself so big, you are not so small. Jewish Proverb

On of the uploads for yesterday is “street art”. This is on the outside of a local business. 

The next photo upload for yesterday was “bird convocation”. I took this one a while back when I was on a leisure drive along one of the rivers near and through our city. 

The third upload for the 23rd was “healthy”. I think most fruits are on the healthy side of our diets. These are to of the most frequent fruits I have on hand. 

Life today. It’s one of the times in life that throws a bit of a curve. Late Friday night, around bed time, Sweet Pea came in from her last visit to the outdoors before bed time with one of her legs hanging uselessly. I checked it out as best I could, no blood, no visible injuries. I was truly awake all night long worrying about what could be wrong, about what the diagnosis would be, what would happen to that leg, if it would lead to something terminal or otherwise. It was typical worrier thoughts. So the first thing Saturday morning I was making arrangements to get her to a doctor. It all came about at ten o’clock. With an exam, blood work, xrays and full exams it was determined that she has a torn ACL. I am learning about the trials of such an injury. I have learned that it is a long process with restrictions. The doctor would rather not approach the upper most treatment which be surgery. She is thirteen and a half years old, not in the top shape for the surgery outcome. So we are trying medication and rest for fourteen days to see where that takes us. It is hard for me to watch her limp around. The pain and anti-inflamation medications make her “loopy”, and disoriented. I am afraid she will hurt herself worse under those conditions, she almost walked off both porches without even stopping. It’s almost like she is “high” like a human having had a major dose of drugs. 

The first photo a day image for today is “ugly food”. I try not to have “ugly food” around the house and at present I don’t have any in house. However, this is a bowl of Sweet Peas food which to me to fit the description.

Today at church was a good start on Holy Week. The hymns and message lead us into the week, reminding us of the meaning of the days to come.....and the days that were. 

The rest of the day, for me, will be the usual rest and refresh on a Sunday. 

The second upload for today is “button”. My sister has a “fur” coat. It is, and has been for a while, her favorite winter outer ware. It had the best button I could find in the house right now.  

The word for today is cast.  Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish. Ovid.  Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live. Marcus Aurelius.  Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct. Thomas Jefferson.  I cannot write poetically, for I am no poet. I cannot make fine artistic phrases that cast light and shadow, for I am no painter. I can neither by signs nor by pantomime express my thoughts and feelings, for I am no dancer; but I can by tones, for I am a musician. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours. Lao Tzu.  In this world, full often, our joys are only the tender shadows which our sorrows cast. Henry Ward Beecher.  Our soul is cast into a body, where it finds number, time, dimension. Thereupon it reasons, and calls this nature necessity, and can believe nothing else. Blaise Pascal. In the lack of judgment great harm arises, but one vote cast can set right a house. Aeschylus.  Let who will boast their courage in the field, I find but little safety from my shield, Nature's, not honour's law we must obey: This made me cast my useless shield away. Archilochus.  If you are cast in a different mould to the majority, it is no merit of yours: Nature did it. Charlotte Bronte.  The ultimate triumph of philosophy would be to cast light upon the mysterious ways in which Providence moves to achieve the designs it has for man. Marquis de Sade.  

The last upload for today is “anything outdoors”. This view is a favorite of mine. It is part of the many trees we have in the park near my home. 

This article may offer a hint in how to ‘manage anger’. It’s always nice to learn how to de-escalate even if it is on oneself, maybe particularly when I it oneself. The title is “Chilling out rather than blowing off steam is a better way to manage anger”. The article starts out explaining how “hitting a punching bag, jogging and other types of “exercise” are not effective ways for people to “cool off”. This information was gathered from a “review of 154 studies” that  showed there was an increase rather than decrease in “physiological” response to anger. These responses cause increases in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing. As the physical effects increase anger and aggressions become more pronounced. There are some things a person can do when experiencing these affects, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, meditations may help to control the angry feelings. They found in these studies that the activity of jogging that many felt help reduce anger actually increased it. A reason for that in the jogging case is monotony and frustration are increased. According to the article “engaging in ball sports and physical education classes decreased anger”. This could be because it is a group activity with positive emotions attached. 

I am going to make my mother’s recipe of tuna balls for dinner.

Joy

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