Let the Sun Shine In...

Girl Whirl catching some late afternoon sun...she loves basking in the sun...a gal after my own heart!!

Wordless Wednesday

'Moses'

Sistine Chapel, Rome, 1508
Michelangelo

Go Down Moses

'Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord," 'Let my people go, that they may serve me.'

Exodus 8:1

'When Israel was in Egypt's land
Let my people go
Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go

Go down Moses
Way down in Egypt's land
Tell old, Pharoh
Let my people go!

Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said
Let my people go
If not, I'll smite your first born dead
Let my people go

Go down Moses,
Way down in Egypt's land,
Tell old, Pharoh,
Let my people go!

No more shall they in bondage toil
Let my people go
Let them come out with Egypt's spoil
Let my people go

Go down Moses
Way down in Egypt's land
Tell old, Pharoh
Let my people go!'

Negro Spiritual, around 1862
This song is sung at many a Sedar celebration during the reading of the Haggadah.

Happy Passover!!
(read the entire story of Passover here)

Speaking of Eagles...

So many of us have been hooked on the nesting eagles in a tree at the fish hatchery in Decorah, Iowa. The wonders of having a webcam in the tree, seeing the eggs hatch, and these 3 precious and endangered eaglets so lovingly protected by both Mama and Papa eagle. Everyone seems to be doing quite well. We continue to watch......

However, when scrolling through the 'Animal Pictures of the Week', from The Daily Telegraph of the United Kingdom, this amazing eagle caught my eye!!!! Is this not a gorgeous, gorgeous bird?? A seven-year-old Philippine Eagle (Pithecopaga jefferyi) named Binay displays its feathers at the Philippine Eagle Centre on the outskirts of Davao City, on the island of Mindanao. The giant forest raptor is endemic to the Philippines and is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world. It is however, also one of the world's rarest and most critically endangered, with only 500 pairs remaining in the wild.

Remnants...

I see the smallest of buds on the pear tree, the lilac bush, the dogwood, the first sightings of the hostas and lilies are also present. I actually did some 'gardening', if you will, yesterday. I cut back the thick, thick dried stalks/leaves from some lilies mixed w/ some hostas, w/ my mini-rake (no laughing). I raked under some of our bushes in the front of the house to draw out the leaves which were not going to budge w/out my help. I am thrilled. Planning a new garden, looking into growing some 'other' things, which I will keep to my self for now. What really struck me was this planter. I kept it out on the deck all winter and the brutality of these past few months is evident in the picture. The glaze literally broke off from pot...be it the cold, the snow, the ice. But, you know what, I LOVE IT...I'm going to do a small repair job @ it's base, but it is so chiseled and so organic...after all, it has literally been changed by the elements. I am most definitely going to plant something special in it. It may be very porous, but, I'm keeping it around as a reminder. It is a remnant, a remaining quantity of what it once was, a vestige of this harsh winter past.

But, it's still here....

Mercy Me, Words for Wednesday

Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east
Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah, oh mercy, mercy me
Ah, things ain't what they used to be, no, no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Ah, things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na . . .
My sweet Lord . . . No
My Lord . . . My sweet Lord