23 August …
The Eclipse was the BIG event last week.
I had been afraid that the heavy smoke in our air would obscure the event. Our view was about 90%. We could still see the eclipse, but it never got really dark due to the smoke which scattered the sun’s rays. It did get dark enough that we heard some dusk birds call …
and the sand cranes, who usually parade in the evening, joined us.
The temperature did drop some and a cool breeze came up.
Paul got some good looks at the event.
I had an interesting reaction. After the eclipse I started feeling strange … not exactly depressed, but not comfortable either. The feeling lasted until true dusk and told me maybe it was a good thing I wasn’t where you could experience the full eclipse.
Weird …
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We had a good time as a family at the “Back to School” picnic last Wednesday. It involved all the teachers for both the elementary and middle schools. The elementary school principal was the first one to greet us on arrival. That was a nice touch.
Paul got to meet his teacher for the coming year (Mrs. Hannon) and Kamille got to meet the teacher with whom she will be working as well as having a first meet with others.
We weren’t able to stay until they rolled up the tablecloths since we were due at the radio club meeting at 1900. Fortunately, the clubhouse is only about five blocks from the park where the picnic was being held, so we were able to stay until 1845.
Then at the radio club meeting it was a bit of chaos. Two of the members are leaving to spend a year in Israel and wanted to put all loose ends to rest before they leave.
Plus there are the three final events for the summer coming up which need arranging. All three of those events need new leaders. The first has been taken over by a fairly new member but he will need some help. Mark has agreed to handle the second. And it appears the third will be up to me this year.
Oh well …
Just leaned our grandson and his lady will be here from the 7th to the 13th. Kaloo Kalay !
After that, things will settle down until my chosen niece arrives with her family. She has been important to me since before she was born, but I’ve never met her husband and children.
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Weather is still warm (no longer HOT) and the humidity is less.
The air is still smoky to various degrees. In this picture you can barely see the outline of the Mountain just to the left of the furthest left tree. Black Butte is closer and so more visible.
Some times the red sun is eye catching. Other times it is scary. But then, when you live in a forest, that’s just the way things are this time of year.
However, autumn is in the air. Not with temperatures, but mornings are shortening as the sun comes up later and later. It seems it wasn’t too long ago that the sun was up before I got out of bed at 0530 each morning. Now it is becoming light when I get up but not sunny until about 0800. Soon it will be dark at 0530.
The garden is doing well. We bring something into the house nearly every day such as a cucumber …
and there is a seed squash in the corn patch.
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An interesting (!) thing happened with the pictures I took at the County Fair. Remember I told you they had disappeared so I wasn’t able to share with you?
Well …
Last thursday morning, when I turned on my computer, there they were … a slew of icons on my desktop. I have no idea how they got from my camera to the desktop without me being involved. But then, I know so little about computers and am constantly amazed by what they do.
As a result, I now share pictures of the cattle judging …
the sheep and goat barn …
the chainsaw sculpting …
the snake at the “zoo” …
and the corn dog pause.
It was a fun day.
~~~
Now it is time to leave for the appointment with the retinalogist in Medford. Report will be posted next week.
In the meantime … from the Rebbe I read every week …
The Torah tells us that we are created b’tzelem Elokim (Gen. 1:27) — in the image of God. Since God has no corporeal form, it means that we are created with a soul and have intrinsic worth. The Zohar tells us that when the Almighty created Adam, He created him from dirt from all over the earth so that no one people could say that they are better people based on their geographical location. All people have value. All people need to be treated with respect.
Interesting thought …
So … ‘til next week …