October 6, 2024 a thought for today, While it pays to be honest you are often a long time collecting. Traditional Proverb

One of the photo challenge uploads for yesterday was “beauty in the ordinary”. The line of trees and the blue sky with fluffy clouds fits the bill for this one. 

The next upload for yesterday was “cancer awareness”. I had to put some
thought in what I had available to use for this one. I tried some pink yarn in the bow shape. It didn’t fit for me. Then found some of my paper quilling strips. It was ok for this one. 

The next upload yesterday was “spider web or webbing”. I found this one with a leave captured in the threads on the back gate. 

The last upload for yesterday is one of the four upload for one day of the month. This one was called “light and shadow”. I have several shadow images in the archives. This one seemed to fit for me. 

Life today. Yesterday was pretty much “normal”. It was grocery pick up day. There was one difference, my order wasn’t ready....that is the fist time for that. So there was a little wait. I was waiting for Sue anyway so I read my ebook for a while. Sweet Pea stuck her nose out the window seeming to enjoy the scents and sounds as we waited. Yesterday would have been my husband’s 85th birthday.

Later in the day there was one of those life’s hiccups that are full of emotions, teaching moments with a few tears on the cheeks. Bob’s estate was closed with an unexpected resolution. I did some extra reading last night. 

My first upload for today is “oktoberfest”. I looked up a definition for Oktoberfest in Goolge: an autumn festival held in Munich, Germany, in late September and early October, featuring the drinking of beer.  So I created this image. My one cane of beer among some fallen autumn leaves. 

Today I needed church. It was good to feel the church family around me and loving friendship all around the sanctuary. Another part of a service besides the message was helpful too. Most of all was a “lesson” part that presented itself in the several discussions of Job....just what I needed for today. Job is an “old biblical friend” of mine, our “relationship” goes back to the time of my children growing up, my daughter in particular. There as an additional benefit today.....communion.

The rest of the day will be a normal Sunday....nothing much on the agenda. 

The next image upload for today is “golden hour”. I set the alarm on my cell phone for the time of sunset today so that I wouldn’t miss this “hour”. The two trees are in my yard the others are in neighbors’ yards. I went upstairs to get the best shot.

The word today is method. The true method of knowledge is experiment. William Blake.  The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. Niccolo Machiavelli.  Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as it is practicable; and to make this custom the more significant, practice it first upon yourself. Marcus Aurelius.  A man is a method, a progressive arrangement; a selecting principle, gathering his like to him; wherever he goes. Ralph Waldo Emerson. We do not pray to God to instruct Him as to what He should do; neither for a moment must we presume to dictate the method of the divine working. Charles Spurgeon.  The proper method for hastening the decay of error is by teaching every man to think for himself. William Godwin.  Make the most of time, it flies away so fast; yet method will teach you to win time. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Reason is the slow and torturous method by which those who do not know the truth discover it. Blaise Pascal.  There is no easy method of learning difficult things. The method is to close the door, give out that you are not at home, and work. Joseph de Maistre. Meditation is not a way to enlightenment, Nor is it a method of achieving anything at all. It is peace itself. It is the actualization of wisdom, The ultimate truth of the oneness of all things. Dogen

The last shot for today is “foggy scenery”. This one is from the archives. We don’t get fog on command so I had to use one I had previously taken. 

Article: It’s time to rake the leaves so maybe this article will shine some light on the subject and help with deciding.  This article talks about “Rake it or leave it? What gross stuff may be hiding under those piles on your lawn?” There are usually small surprise to be found in the piles of fallen leaves returning to “dust to dust....”. Some of these surprises are hard to spot easily....”spiders, ticks, centipedes, snakes, salamanders and rodents are among the many creatures that can flourish in leaf piles”. This isn’t all bad. In fact it’s a part of nature actually created for a benefit in the long run. So there are apparently pros and cons to leave alone or rake. One pro is that that effect is “limiting greenhouse gas emissions from landfills and fertilizing soil”. Here are some tips about what these surprises can bring. The piles of leaves do provide cover for these guys as they prepare for winter. They are mostly harmless though there may be others that might carry disease such as ticks. Small patches of leaves “help maintain an environment that enables important cycles in our ecosystem”. In some area there may a bit larger critter that hides in the piles of leaves, “like rodents and snakes” or maybe a shelter for “salamanders, box turtles, toads and rodents”. They, however also “serve important roles in maintaining the local ecosystem”. The “Loudon Wildlife Society and the National Wildlife Federation suggests that “if you can, leaving some leaves for some of these species like the box turtle and salamanders is beneficial”. So in considering whether to rake “consider making sure any piles or thicker coverings are farther away from your house”. Another part of leaving piles of leaves it the possibility of mold and fungus that will grow. There are two types of fungi to think about. One type is snow mold that causes a lawn disease that damages the lawn and kills the grass.  

Maybe stir fry for dinner. 

Joy                                      hidden