A Perfect Fall Day

I just happened to look up through my window at work and it was beautiful. The wind had picked up and the leaves were falling through the air. Lighty drifting toward the ground. I will confess the background in a bit industrial for my taste--this would have been better in the woods or a hiking trail in the mountains... As it is; a train is passing through, there is a flatbed parked in the back of the lot, and three storage trailers are VERY visible and obscure the view of the trees that I can see. But when the leaves start blowing and falling, the leaves are all that I see. Add that to the cool crisp morning, the clear blue sky with just a wisp of cloud, and *deep sigh of contentment* this is why I love fall so much.

Deeply Affected at the Frist

(Not a standard post...)

I went to the Frist Center for the Arts between church and more church yesterday. The featured exhibit was photography from the Eastman House Collection. For the most part I found the pictures to be interesting, but not deeply moving. Many were well known prints, seen in coffee table books across America. I have never been one to think that a picture is necessarily better as a print behind glass than in a book. I am showing my ignorance to those that have studied the art of photography. With sculpture, (or my personal favorite) stained glass, or even with paintings, there is a texture that can be appreciated in a live format that is just non-existent in the coffee table book (or even a print on the wall)... All this to say, I am a texture person. I love the 3D element. Perhaps this is why my artistic outlets are extremely tactile in nature... When working with stained glass, a lot of thought goes into the texture of the glass, the feel of the surface, the refractions of light. Or considering my lesser pursuits of quilting, I prefer the textural look and feel of a hand stitched quilt to that done on a machine. Or cross stitch, I rarely choose a pattern that doesn't have bead work with it.

So, that is my disclaimer. I have completely down played the photography exhibit. But there were pictures that caught my eye. There were photos that brought laughter, or pulled at my emotions in some way. All this to tell you about one photo that I could hardly take my eye off of I realize now that I want to write about it, I didn't even read the caption so I can only assume the subject matter, but I really have no idea. It was in the War room, I know this. My emotions were already extremely close to the surface, having seen some of the war pictures. And there it was, in the corner as you were about the exit the room. I was stuck and even now I can't get my mind to forget the image. I think it was in Vietnam, but again, I don't know this. They were children. The anguish and pain on their faces was so apparent, so raw. I am not even sure that I can attempt a commentary or even separate the thoughts that are jumbled inside my brain. The only thought that kept repeating and still repeats... This is war. The innocence torn. The hope extinguished. This is war.

What is the true evil? The CO detector or the Battery?

It happens every time. It is not before I go to bed that the battery starts the warning beeps. It is not after my alarm goes off in the morning that it will begin. NO, it is sometime in the middle of the night. It is when I am the most sound asleep. It is when the dogs are warm and cuddled up and (most importantly) peaceful beside me. It is when I am in the middle of an amazing dream. That is when the beeping starts. BEEP. And the first few times it happens, I am still in the middle of sleep, barely awake and unable to pinpoint what the problem is. BEEP. A little curious as to why I am awake, but have no idea what it could have been. Back to sleep. BEEP. One eye opens, easily fall back asleep, even catch a few remnants of the same dream. BEEP. Both eyes open now, but still no real worries, sleep again... BEEP. Now the dogs have begun to stir. I turn over, my arm goes over my ear and sleep... beep. (this time a little more muffled, but the arm is not completely working, besides that does not prevent the dogs from noticing). Miriam raises her head and looks at me like, aren't you going to do something about this? Seriously, that is the look she gave me. So I turn over look at the corner and wait... BEEP. But which is it, I still have no clue--the CO detector or the smoke alarm? BEEP. It is getting more persistent and more demanding now... BEEP. Okay, I am getting up. I throw the covers off. Burrrrrrrr. The windows are open and out of the covers is cold, so very cold. BEEP. Dragging the piano bench over now. Still don't know which one it is. BEEP. I think I know the who the culprit is. I remove the Smoke alarm and shove it under the sofa cushions to be dealt with later. All seems quiet. I crawl back in bed, oh how warm. Dogs get to resettle in their warm places. Ready for a little more sleep before facing the day... BEEEEEPPPPP. I chose poorly. It was not the smoke alarm, it was the CO detector. Back out into the cold, back up onto the piano bench (balance please), CO detector down, and it is now resting beside the Smoke alarm under the sofa cushions, back to bed, dogs back by my side. Sleep, Dream. ALARM CLOCK...