 | |
| Our Purple Mountain Ash tree ready for its yearly dump of leaves. |
 |
| Our deck this morning after a rainy, windy night. |
 |
| A close-up of the leaves. Aren't they pretty together? |
 |
| Update: The boys dropped by after church for a very autumn-y moment. |
Weather: Rain. Yesterday we guessed that our Purple Mountain Ash would shed all its leaves by next weekend. Today, after last night's rainstorm, I amend that guess to earlier in the week. See photos
above.
Waffletown Blocks: Jamie has discovered the joy of waffletown blocks. He and grandpa are having fun building with them and moving them around. (I made the photo into art using Waterlogue.)
Sick: I've been sick this week. I'll spare you the details but suffice it to say I read little and have little to share so the posting will be short this week. I'm on the mend, but staying home from church just in case I'm still contagious.
Books:
- I did finish one book this week: The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeycutt by Annie Lyons. I think it will supply good fodder for our book club discussion dealing with the topic of end-of-life/death issues.
- Still reading:
- The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates. For an upcoming book club. Print, 75% completed.
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Classic. E-Book. 22%.
- Blog post you might find interesting: Six Degrees of Separation --- The Lottery and Other Stories to...
News I found interesting this week (some of it distressing):
- COVID-19 cases linked to new cases of diabetes, and could be more severe effects for those cases (National Geographic, October 8th)
- The Senate committee report on the ways Trump attempted to weaponize the DOJ so he could stay in power after losing the election. Sounds like a coup attempt to me. (TPM, Oct. 7th)
Vaccination requirements work. They drive up vaccination rates, which makes our communities and schools safer, along with strengthening our economic recovery. Vaccine requirements are widely supported, proven successful, and quickly becoming the standard across the country. pic.twitter.com/qo1swxjbYg
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 7, 2021
- Facebook knows its service is dividing country whistleblower reports. "Facebook makes its money from “engagement-based ranking” -- that is, maximizing clicks from material that generates strong reactions. Sadly, negative emotions such as anger and bias guarantee more engagement. Thus, Facebook’s algorithms prioritize content that in many instances instills anger, fear and anxiety." (WaPo, Oct. 6th)
- Surfing beyond life's scars in Liberia. I used to live in Liberia and I'm always happy to read good news out of this troubled country. (Reasons to be Cheerful, Oct. 7th)
- Beach front property seized in 1924 from Black owners is being returned to heirs 97 years later. It is now worth 75 million. If this story doesn't make you smile, nothing will. (Reasons to Be Cheerful, Oct. 6th)
Funnies...
 |
| This one goes with the Critical Race theory and teaching of uncomfortable topics in schools (above) |
 |
| (This one's for you, Carly!) Ha! |
And what are Fred and George up to this week?
 |
| Fred is tangled up in charging cords. |
 |
| Fred again. Just hanging out in the sink. |
 |
| Is this George? I don't know. It's definitely a cat, not a drumstick. |
-Anne
