Spring art show at The Estates

 Here at the Estates on Friday evening Bob had a small (and brief--3 hours) one artist show. Most paintings were from our apartment, but three came from the storage shelves at our daughter's home. Two were new this year. Champagne and hors d'oeuvres were served. What you see on the walls hangs in the lobby, not the show. It was very popular with our neighbors and people are still talking about it and which was their favorite. Lots of variety. Pheasants in the snow. Santa Marie Fishing boat. Aarni washing potatoes in the lake. Bicycles in Lakeside. Phil Bruce. Young Haitian woman. Abby reading. Andy docked on Lake Erie. Verde River, Arizona. Indian woman with veil. Jack sailing Webb 3. Southern Ohio barn. Ireland Plateau. Pavilion in Snow at Lakeside. Stockbridge, Scotland, Leith River.

  

  

Celebrating 250 years with the USPS

A special postage stamp appeared in July 2025, but I hadn't shopped for stamps for a while and hadn't seen it. Today I bought a sheet celebrating USPS, "250 years of Delivering" issue. I admit, I was baffled by the message (of the art). I could see a town/neighborhood, seasons of the year, clothing that did not identify as female, vehicles/vans, birds, dogs, cats, black employees, no automobiles, people gardening and having summer activities on rooftops of buildings, babies and children, and a few businesses that could be a bookstore or a restaurant. One thing was clear; in this make believe town square there was a statue of a pony express rider. I looked at a couple of websites for an explanation and this video sort of explains it. https://youtu.be/0rfif1Lv7c0?si=pnPSzqgyZVMOgCxr It is following one current black female employee through time in the U,S. She's the only person in the art that is clearly a woman. Or even whose ethnicity is clear. It's why you see no changes in our life and culture except the models of the mail vans. Not even the clothing changes--not even ADA rules for handicap access (the ramps have no railings).

Qoheleth in today's words of Justices of SCOTUS

 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 1:9 (Qoheleth) Listen up, Democrats.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has given a stirring speech about the dangers and weaknesses of "progressivism" (aka Marxism) pointing to Woodrow Wilson and speaks directly to the likes and emotional appeals of Justice Ketanji Brown who relies on current cultural trends, and lower courts to draw policy and legal opinions. She and other progressives are opposed to the ideas of the Declaration of Independence. That is not the purpose of SCOTUS. She's an embarrassment. 

"Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Wednesday delivered a televised broadside against progressivism, a political philosophy he described as an existential threat to America and the principles that founded it 250 years ago.

“Progressivism seeks to replace the basic premises of the Declaration of Independence and hence our form of government,” Thomas said in a speech at the University of Texas Austin Law School pegged to the nation’s upcoming milestone birthday.

A spirit of “cynicism, rejection, hostility and animus” toward America -- by Americans -- has taken hold, Thomas said in remarks carried live on CSPAN." ABC News

Justice Clarence Thomas Says Progressivism at Odds with Declaration of Independence Principles | Video | C-SPAN.org

The Clarence Thomas Lecture at The University of Texas at Austin

"Qoheleth in the Book of Ecclesiastes emerges as a regal, wise, and deeply reflective figure-almost certainly Solomon, based on the robust internal and historical testimony. This Teacher convenes his audience through the text to examine life’s meaning and embrace the reality that all human pursuits find fulfillment only when rooted in reverence for God.

Ecclesiastes thus stands as a potent portion of biblical Wisdom Literature, shining throughout history and into the present day. The identity of Qoheleth reminds readers that even the greatest king with unmatched riches, fame, and intellect must ultimately conclude that life’s genuine purpose is found in acknowledging and fearing the Lord, who created all things and to whom everyone must give account." Bible Hub

He Found It

When I got to the dining room at The Estates for breakfast today, the early risers were all a flutter. Chairs pulled out, people searching. One man had lost a hearing aid. Someone turned on her phone flashlight, others were patting his clothing, another was looking through the sugar packets. He had to leave to catch the taxi (he still works), so after he was gone, I suggested we pray about it. I asked Ginny to lead us in prayer--she's the daughter of a missionary, a Baptist and goes to Bible study here. So, she started. And she barely got "Dear Lord" out, when someone stuck her head in the door and said He Found It. It was inside his belt buckle.

Edna St. Vincent Millay -- a favorite

 My friend Joan has recently lost her husband and has reposted this poem--always a favorite of mine since college.

Time Does Not Bring Relief.

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,
And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane;
But last year’s bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide.
There are a hundred places where I fear
To go,—so with his memory they brim.
And entering with relief some quiet place
Where never fell his foot or shone his face
I say, “There is no memory of him here!”
And so stand stricken, so remembering him.

Analysis of Time does not bring relief; you all have lied - Poemotopia

Flashback to the Korean War deals

I remember the Korean War (1950-53) better than WWII, which ended when I was 5 and my dad and all my uncles (except one) came home. In 1950s and in the 2000s I knew a lot of WWII vets and some had served in both wars. 

Did you know it wasn't a war? No, it was the Korean Conflict. FDR actually "facilitated" (Yalta, giving USSR a foothold in Korea) because like Trump, he was trying to clean up (after the war in Europe) and "made a deal" which for millions of Europeans and Asians went really bad. Kinda like Obama making a deal to give Iran enough money to destroy the USA. So, it was left to Trump to do the real clean up decades later after FDR's went haywire and Obama's blew up the whole Middle East. Although FDR had a lot of Communist friends, so I suppose it's a matter of opinion if you want the world enslaved by Communists or Fascists or Islamists. The Communists killed far more people, mostly their own citizens, and if you read history, Trump is making far better deals. Unfortunately, we now have even more Communists in our government than we had in the 1940s.

Enjoying a night at the movies at The Estates

Tonight's movie at the Estates is Brigadoon, and according to Rotten Tomatoes: "Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson), two American pals on a Scottish hunting trip, get lost in the woods and come upon the magical village of Brigadoon. Rising out of the Scottish mist only once every 100 years, and only for one day, Brigadoon is an enchanted place where life is simpler and easier, untouched by the worries of the modern world. When Tommy falls for beautiful villager Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse), he must decide whether to stay or to return to his life."

 
Watching these old movies is refreshing just for the fashions of the fifties and forties. Of course, it's fantasy, but so is the news. Last night was To catch a Thief with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly; Friday was The Country Girl with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly; April 4 (Saturday) was A Tree grows in Brooklyn; March 27 was Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck; March 29 was a real sleeper I'd never heard of and not very old, Secondhand Lions with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall--great old cars. Sunday March 15 we watched the movie The Swan with Grace Kelly. Sort of like a Hallmark movie where royals get married.  Friday March 13 was Big with Tom Hanks.

More gender craziness

They're at it again--the gender mafia are attacking Christians who care for the sick and aged without discrimination. Will the government of radical NY win or will the Constitution win?

"Catholic nuns who have cared for terminally ill patients in New York for over a century have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a state law they say forces them to violate their religious beliefs about sex and gender identity. " Christian Post

It's my opinion that craziness starts in academe, then is fertilized in California, then spreads like a virus to the east coast where it is harvested by the media to poison the nation.

Which would you prefer: pay more money to Iran to terrorize us?

Ross Rant (investment letter) reports: "Many people decry the war as disrupting the market or the economy and isn’t this terrible. The Dems and media take every opportunity to attack Trump and declare the war illegal or by choice or whatever. Yes, it was by choice. The real question is, would you prefer to have a few months of economic disruption or Iran with nukes and permanent control of Hormuz. It is that simple. If we were to follow the Obama/Biden policies of paying money to Iran, and letting them build up their proxy forces, and terrorist networks then the damage to the US would be far greater over time. Trump took a decision that had to made to save the world and Israel from a far more dangerous and risky history. There is no question if he had not acted in June and now, it would have been too late. The Dems and media hate Trump so much they are blind to reality of the world beyond US politics. The Obama policies toward Iran, followed by Biden, were enablers of terror and of nuclear blackmail and potential devastation. The JPOCA deal was the most irresponsible treaty ever signed since Munich in 1938, and was done so despite Netanyahu coming to Congress to say so. He was right then. The parallels are very obvious which is why I consistently say today is 1938 2.0."

My thoughts exactly. Obama got us here, now someone needs to stop empowering Iran to be a military and nuclear power. If you think Dems in Congress are outraged now, imagine how they'd rage at Trump if Iran lobbed a few bombs into Hawaii or California. I haven't forgotten how they blamed Bush for not stopping 9/11, or even pausing to think when he was told the news during a visit to a classroom.