~~~Ripples~~~

Words.....reaction......response......behavior......attitude...









..........like droplets into the waters of life...............













.......which create ripples circling outward and outward and outward freely interacting with all in their path,





sharing uncontrollably our positive or negative influence on the world and the people around us.








Don't kid yourself, we don't live unto ourselves only, but we are part of the whole creation, and we DO contribute whether consciously or not.

A kind word sent rippling outward will eventually have a good effect.

A negative word sent rippling outward will eventually have a damaging effect.


Our words, reactions, responses, behaviors, and attitudes must be chosen carefully, thoughtfully as much as possible, with the realization that they will hurt, discourage, or destroy, or they will heal, soothe, or comfort.
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Once an old woman was visited by a lovely young maiden seeking the wisdom of her elder.

"Wise Mother, I fear I have done a harmful thing. I have told many people a terrible lie about my friend because of my jealousy and pride. Now I am sorry for the rash words, sorry that I have lied, sorry that my friend is miserable and weeping because of me. What shall I do?"

"Oh, my child, first, remember the grief you have seen on your friend's face, remember her pain, and your pain for causing such anguish. Second, young maiden, take these downy feathers." As she spoke the old woman handed the young woman a cotton sack full of white goose feathers. "Lay one feather on the doorstep of each home in the village, then return to me."

The young woman carefully placed a light feather on the doorstep of each and every home, a task which took hours. After the last feather was faithfully set upon the last doorstep the woman slowly walked back to the home of her mentor.

"I've done as you have asked. I am very tired. It is nearly evening and the breezes are beginning to blow. Now, please, explain to me why I have been instructed to lay the feathers? What has it to do with my wrong?"

"Ah, but you are not finished with your task." At this the young woman's shoulders drooped. The old woman continued, "Return to each and every home, pick up the feathers, and bring them back to me."

The young woman's jaw sagged and her eyes opened wide. "I cannot begin to do that, Mother, for the feathers have blown away! I can never retrieve them all!"

"And you can never retrieve the words you have spoken."

The young maiden began to weep.

Pulling the young maiden close in an embrace, the old woman whispered gently, "Consider the quality of your words and deeds every moment, that they offer the world help and hope rather than discouragement and destruction."

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Forgiving ourselves and others for what has occured in the past, we can strive to learn from the pain we've received and given, we can look to today and tomorrow, determining in our hearts and minds, that we will be agents of comfort, wisdom, and hope rippling across the waters of life!


May the ripples coming your way today be pleasant to receive and share!

She's Wooing Me.....

Two years have passed since Tom, the girls, and I traveled to Alaska and had the adventure of our lives! The locals told us that she would woo us back, and it's happening. It's happening. We hear the sounds of the waters, the swish of the fish in the streams, feel the spongy moss under our feet, smell the fresh evergreen scented air, picturing in our minds the frozen giants - the glaciers - and turn our hearts north, to the Land of the Midnight Sun.

How grateful we are to have memories of such a wild and pristine land!

Grateful, too, for photographs, to nudge the memories into full color and accuracy.



We'll go back again, of that I am sure.

Other places await our arrival between now and then. To look forward, to explore new and for us uncharted areas, that is a wooing stronger than Alaska's call right now.




Imagination is fertile ground!


"A secret to radiant health and well-being is neither envying anyone nor blaming anyone. Be at rest in your self. Bless all as you proceed serenely on your way through life." ~~ J.D. Walters

The Birthday Girl

Caroline turned 11 today! What a happy little girl. She knows how to have fun, and today she did!



















This cake was made by Cassie, to order for Miss Caroline! It tasted GREAT!


And blowing the candles out.........11 year old style!








May we have the joy of a kid.........at all ages!

Happy Birthday to you, whoever you are, and whenever it is!

England Excursion, Part Two: Tower of London

Here is the Tower of London Edition of Joe’s England Excursion!

First, a little history.

Following the Battle of Hastings, in which William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King Harold of England, William had himself crowned King of England on Christmas Day, in London, in 1066. Ever since then he has been known as William the Conqueror, and the event is called the Norman Conquest. William was descended from Rollo the pirate.
William built a castle in London by the Thames River. On the same spot Julius Caesar had built a fort, but it had disappeared; and Alfred the Great had built a castle there, but it, too, had disappeared. But the castle William built is still standing today. It is known as the Tower of London.


This is the moat around the entire Tower of London, outside the walls. Inside the walls are many separate castle-like buildings which comprise the entire Tower of London. The various portions were added on throughout the ages and the moat encircles all of it.





This is White Tower, the original Tower of London, the first part built by Willliam the Conqueror. The entire armory displays are housed in this part of the fortress.

Joe found out after he'd taken all the photos that he took inside the buildings, that indoor photography is strictly prohibited (due to copyright)! But he got away with it because of his Lucky Quarter, worn on a chain around his neck while in England, long story! So, relish these pictures, they were taken unlawfully, though innocently.















In the Royals' Apartments, right above Traitors Gate, are these steps which Joe went up and as he recalls, led to one of many chapels. They were steep! Most of the steps in the Tower of London, as in all castles, ascend clockwise. (These in the picture, are the exception.) The reason for the clockwise orientation of most staircases is so that if the castle were stormed, the defenders of the castle who would be higher on the stairs, could properly swing their swords in the air against the intruders, whose sword arms would bang into the wall.















This is one of many firearms displays which are in the lower levels of the White Tower. In case you didn't know, these are muzzle loading flintlock pistols.























More arms! Left to right: cutlasses and daggers, spears, muskets, more spears, and swords behind the circle of pistols which are like the ones in the above photo.

















The higher in the tower you go, the older the stuff! This is a full suit of Gothic Plate Armor. Gothic Armor differs from older forms of armor because of its wrinkled look on the skirt, added for stiffness during the Gothic period. "Stiffness is goodness when it comes to getting hit by swords!" Joe tells me.










And that, my family and friends, is my Part Two! I hope you enjoyed it. I had fun getting this information from Joe. I have one more Edition for you, the York Edition. Then, I'm done. Summer is about here already, and things are beginnng to hop! We are already having to water our yard! It's only mid-May. Wowie!

Thanks for being so patient! Enjoy the changing seasons!

"The secret of overcoming mental dullness is to train yourself to say, "YES!!" instantly, whenever your impulse is to grumble, or to cry, "NO!" Welcome life in all its variety and challenges. Like the petals of a daisy, keep your heart open to life's experiences. Overcome within you the tendency to rejection and withdrawal." ~~~~~~ J. Donald Walters