Beneath the Wraps

                It’s hot.  So hot.  I asked Alexa to tell me the temperature in Las Vegas – it always makes me feel better that it’s cooler in Oregon than elsewhere.  And yet I remember being cold in Las Vegas when I was there in March this year.  COLD in LAS VEGAS.  Cold wind blowing.  I don’t even remember experiencing wind in Las Vegas before.                Today’s first was at the dentist.   Yes, I am a little plastered out of my mind.   The heat does that to me.   Under normal circumstances I cry whenever I am in the dentist chair because I’m a dweeb.   I don’t have anything against the dentist per se – I just don’t like being in a laying down position with my mouth wide open and tools in my mouth and the need to swallow but can’t.                Toda...

    When the wind blows trees dance and things move – some seem to make unpleasant noises like someone is trying to break into your house.   Sometimes the wind itself makes an eerie noise as it blows. When it is just a cool breeze the wind feels nice but it still seems to send me into a coma.   Naughty wind

  The Church is full of imperfect people who are often called to positions they don’t want.   Some people will say “No’ when they are called to a position that they may feel inadequate to serve and some will say “No” to callings they really don’t want.   Many callings are given to the individual so that he or she may learn and grow possibly more than those they are serving.   We grow by the Spirit.   Hopefully we all may rely on the Spirit to guide us.   We are given so many opportunities to do so. Recently I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting.   I started with two hikes on which to use as outlines.   The first happened during a family trip to Arco Idaho almost 40 years ago.   On average the wind in Arco blows 8-10 miles and I would imagine mirrors the season.   It was June and the winds were warm to an already scorching temperature.   The big draw in Arco, Idaho is The Craters of the Moon Monument. There was an unguided walk tour...

             The day we cleaned the shed two black chickens appeared – as though they had been living there and we destroyed their home.   They weren’t.   I have no idea where the two birds came from.   One was pretty much smaller than the other.   Normally Jaime has given names to all the animals that have come into our yard.   But she was not yet up.   Richard named the larger of the birds Myrtle and the smaller one he named Creek.           We managed to keep Bonnie away from them during the morning.   I don’t know whose yard they had come from or why they chose to stay.   I let Bonnie out after 4:00.   I had forgotten about the chickens until I noticed her attacking Myrtle’s corpse.                Poor Creek seemed lost without her companion.   Richard would take Bonnie out and put her on a chain.   I don’t...

           For a week now we have been touching up our house.   The deck REALLY needed a make- over.   I don’t think it’s been painted/stained for two or three years.   It NEEDED a fresh coat of something.   And Richard was concerned about the trim facing west as it also needed a fresh coat of paint in his opinion.   Honestly no one is going to notice.   Nobody ever goes back there – especially to look at the shutters.   But whatever.   So here are some things we have done.   we painted the chairs after this photo was taken clean up             I thought I had posted about our make-shift shed that we made from the tarp of a greenhouse kit.    Richard built the frame to last – but the tarp did not.    It started out with good intentions but became more of an eye sore each time it was moved.    And so much junk accumulated over the years...

 Jesus,  Others,  Yourself          -         in that order