Inconcievable Wonder

The Auroras of Autumn

It leaps through us, through all our heavens leaps,

Extinguishing our planets, one by one,

Leaving, of where we were and looked, of where

We knew each other and of each other thought,

A shivering residue, chilled and foregone,

Except for that crown and mystical cabala.

~ Wallace Stevens

I did not take this photograph, but how I wished to observe the Northern Lights on our trip to Alaska last year. It's on my list of things to do and see before I kick the bucket...... bucket list, I think they call it. The Aurora Borealis is not one of the seven wonders (now eight, I believe) of the world. Why not, I do not know. Unless it is because it is not always visible. It is certainly one of God's top wonders. I wish I could give credit to this photographer, but I do not know who he or she is. My apologies, whoever you are! And a big thanks to God Himself, who paints the skies with such magnificent color!

Puzzle

What is it?

Financial Instability

An interesting quote from Thomas Jefferson.....

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.

Something to ponder these days, no?

Conundrums

Main Entry: co·nun·drum
Pronunciation: \kə-ˈnən-drəm\
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1645

1: a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun

2 a: a question or problem having only a conjectural answer b: an intricate and difficult problem

I like the way this word rolls around the tongue! Here is an example of one type of a conundrum:

The master of a country house called his servants by their title, i.e., butler, maid, cook, etc. and not politely by their first name, which was standard practice in society in the Victorian era.

One day a maid took matters into her own hands and said to her master, "Sir, I demand, I am a maid named Iris."

What was rather peculiar about that statement?

I will give the answer to this later this week. Meantime, let's see how many of you can figure the correct answer out!

A Bilingual Children's Christmas Carol

What a treat to listen to the 3 Meiers children usher us into the Christmas season following Thanksgiving dinner..... first in Spanish, then English! Due to technical difficulties, I cannot provide you with the video on my blog, but if you click on the link below, you can view the 'concert'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0mwAzPI494

Squirrel Header

A bit about the Santa squirrel on the blog header: my niece, Lela, captured the squirrel stealing the stuffing from her outside furniture, looking like it has a snowy white Santa beard. Then she input a Santa hat on it. Pretty clever!

Camera Play

Life from a fish bowl.....

When your cat rubs the side of its face along your leg, it's affectionately marking you with its scent, identifying you as its private property, saying, in effect, 'You belong to me'
~Susan McDonough