Beneath the Wraps

from  https://www.stephanh.com/2018/07/03/helicopter-role-forest-fires/             The river beds are already low           Now there’s a fire in Days Creek           I heard the helicopters this morning           I don’t hear them anymore           Could that mean that the fire is out?           Now if we could just get this pandemic fire Under control Helicopter passed again before I added the pictures.  Days Creek is further away so it takes them longer.   

           There is still a mask war and I suppose will be for as long as necessary.   Missionaries are required to wear masks while in public.   It is an inspired requirement .   Our ward mission leader is against wearing a mask – which puzzles me for a couple of reasons – well maybe more than a couple, but I will mention only two.           His son married the daughter of his next door neighbor who is avid about wearing masks and keeping social distances as her husband’s health is failing and has been for some time. They share the same grandchildren and yet seem insensitive to the restrictions that his in-laws would like to enforce. I’m not saying that he is insensitive.   I, of course, don’t have all of the facts.   I’m just saying that the action seems insensitive.            Who are we to not honor a requirement that the missionaries t...

                Recently someone posted that the churches were closed in California – again.   It had been posted in the World Wide Unified Group – which has become a support group among various faiths originally to join in a fast and now to continue with prayers. I’m sure there was disappointment as she created her post – probably even more when the administrators shut off the ability to receive comments.   I   understand why they did it – to avoid confrontation and politics.   There are several cases of outbreaks due to large indoor gatherings.   Church just happens to be one of those indoor gatherings that isn’t immune to the virus.   These are just three sites of many here , here and here                Church does not have to be a large gathering of people sitting on pews inside of a building.   We can worship within our hearts. We c...

             I have not unfriended or blocked anyone due to political views although I have unfollowed people due to their ignorant and often offensive memes.   My eldest son is the biggest culprit.   But then I never have shared in his sense of humor (or lack thereof).   I have family members who have unfriended him. He is not the same person he was at one time.   He has forgotten that he lost a wife and has developed into quite an insensitive person. Masks are now mandatory in at least half the states – some are resorting back to lockdown.   I have heard that only USA has made the coronavirus and mask requirement a political issue.   For the most part I have viewed the anti mask wearers or Trump supporters as “me” people.   They abuse their freedoms at the cost of other people.   They are bullies.   Not all of them are Republican.   Not all supporters are Democrats.   What does that even mean t...

What is up with the wind blowing like it’s Halloween I don’t recall ever hearing the wind howl since we have moved to Oregon I half expected to see snow this morning though it has been warming up to boiling What a bizarre thought that it might snow I didn’t fully believe it would but then again it is 2020.   Why not? It is, afterall, fire season.

https://www.guideposts.org/faith-and-prayer/7-trending-faith-and-prayer-topics              I have noticed that there are several prayers that are answered in a way that we would not choose to be answered in that way.   Remember this post? For some of us the answer comes with such devastation that we may not even recognize it as an answer until several months or years down the road.   Allow me to provide some examples.             I remember a sister in my home ward who was always on the go.   It seems she spent many hours driving, serving, nurturing, what have you . . . constantly assisting others but never herself.   She had a desire to spend more time for scripture study and prayed about it.   When she threw out her back initially, I don’t think she viewed it as an answer to her prayers.   She had to stay off her feet for several weeks which gave her the time to ...

          Jenna and I had the day off yesterday.   She had been at a sleepover and I did not have to drive at all.   It will be her last hoorah – although she doesn’t know it yet.   Governor Brown has set the state back to mandatory mask wearing and no indoor gatherings of more than ten.           People complain.   It doesn’t matter what decision is made, someone gets upset.   Seems like even more lawsuits are being filed – against the governors, against the federal government . . .           One lawsuit is to keep students from other countries from having to return to their home countries.   I am in agreement that if they want to be here they should have that choice.   I think a citizen from another country would not even want to be in the U.S. right now.   Surely there are safer countries than this one. ...

                Jenna had asked if I would drop her off at the park at 10:00 and Roland had an audit for the church.   I figured I would have at least a two hour window in which I could catch up on my journaling thoughts and add another post to my blog.   Jenna returned home and then Roland because the computers were down.   The computers are always down whenever he has an audit – or so it seems.   Perhaps it’s the area.   I heard that the cell phones were invaded just the other day.   Smart phones perhaps.   Mine was still working.   My trusty flip phone. Sorry I did not post yesterday

I bought this dress before we went to New York   It doesn’t flatter me Many products look better on the hanger than on me.   I’m certain that it is my body that is not flattering more than my clothes but this dress sure is comfortable It is also a food or grime magnet. First time spit up and pineapple syrup. I was gardening the second time – I remember my lunch falling to my dress though I don’t remember what was for lunch. It makes a good quarantine dress I guess. I’m not very graceful and it shows. Thus I don’t think I’ll be wearing this dress in public. I’ll wear it to be comfortable.

Here is a tale about Anna and her cousin Mike whom I do not know well, but I have met him on occasion.   Each time I remember Mike had a runny nose.   I may be wrong, but it seems like during his early life (I don’t know about now) he seemed to get sick a lot.   I had heard his mom was a neat freak and would keep her house almost sterile.   If something fell on her already-maculate-floor, it would be thrown in the garbage.             Anna, on the other hand, lived in a home with two dogs, a cat, and her parents.   Though my sister tried to keep the house clean, there were still traces of animal fur.   If something fell to the floor her dad would return it to Anna and let her know it was still okay to eat.   I don’t recall her being sick all too often or having a runny nose.   Anna developed a high immune system.               I d...

Earlier this week I found this post of a friend’s timeline.   Trump’s campaign was built on hate, so what’s his problem?   Oh, could it be that the public schools are closed?   Get them reopen so that we can promote hate!   Trump is going to bully himself right out of office.   What exactly is going through his head threatening the country about reopening schools ( here and here ) My sister asked my opinion about what to do about returning to school.   At first I thought I would leave the decision up to Jenna, but the more I think about it, the more miffed I am.   What is Trump’s game plan here? Is he hoping to kill off teachers by exposing them to a wide variety of germs?   Like they don’t have enough to deal with – now they have to stop their lessons to remind students to to keep their masks on, don’t touch other children, don’t play with the Plexiglas . . .” Come on. I sent my sister this email this morning. “My post today will be about...

          Someone looking at this picture may think I love the color red. Not really. I don’t dislike it, but it’s really not my favorite. It was my mom’s favorite and each time I look at these objects I am reminded of her.                The sock over the water bottle lost its mate. I use the sock as a covering to prevent rings when I set it down.             The kindle was a gift as well as the tablet pillow.             Camera and phones are red because I’m always misplacing things and I think they are easier to find than say silver, black or brown. If these phones had been offered in green or blue, I would have picked them over red.             I miss my mom. I am grateful for the reminders.