Christmas Spirit?

Lord, have mercy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081128/ap_on_re_us/wal_mart_death

Sky Watch - Thanksgiving Day

From the words of W.E.B. Du Bois:

"Give us thankful hearts...

in this the season of Thy Thanksgiving.

May we be thankful for health and strength,

for sun and rain and peace.

Let us seize the day and the opportunity

and strive for that greatness of spirit

that measures life not by its disappointments

but by its possibilities,

and let us ever remember that true gratitude

and appreciation shows itself neither

in independence nor satisfaction

but passes the gift joyfully on

in larger and better form."

Sky Watch was created by Dot, and expanded upon by Tom, who is retired. This weekly theme post is brought to you by our friends Klaus, Sandy, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Wren, and Louise. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursdays to see sky photos from around the world. You'll be glad you did.

Today's Flowers - Holiday Cactus

Holiday Cactus

(click on photo to enlarge)

One of my friends called me last week to tell me that her "Thanksgiving Cactus" was in bloom, and asked if I would photograph it. I really like the pink flowers on this one.

The common holiday cacti (Thanksgiving Cactus, Christmas Cactus, Easter Cactus) are composed of several closely related species in the genus Schlumbergera and the species Hatiora gaertneri, (often called "Zygocactus" in older works). They are originally forest cacti, growing as epiphytes at elevations between 1000 and 1700 meters above sea level (3280 to 5575 feet above sea level) in the Organ Mountains north of Rio de Janeiro in southeast Brazil, South America. They are called "Flor de maio" (May Flower) in Brazil. Many modern holiday cactus cultivars are hybrids between Schlumbergera truncata and Schlumbergera russelliana, first bred about 150 years ago in England. (Source: Wikipedia)



Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Sky Watch - Wild Goose, Brother Goose

Our area has quite a few resident geese, but the numbers increase exponentially during migration in spring and fall. These geese flew over at dusk a couple of weeks ago, on their way to a small lake just north of town. I never tire of the beauty of these birds in flight, or of hearing their honking as they traverse the skies.

Sky Watch was created by Dot, and expanded upon by Tom, who is retired. This weekly theme post is brought to you by our friends Klaus, Sandy, Fishing Guy, Ivar, Wren, and Louise. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursdays to see sky photos from around the world. You'll be glad you did.

Today's Flowers - Post 108

Sedum

We had a hard freeze last night, and there's not a flower to be seen anywhere in my yard. So, I searched my photo archives for a suitable offering for today. This was taken in September, in my daughter's garden. I can't discern any appreciable fragrance in these flowers, but the bees seem to love them.

Today's Flowers is a weekly Meme created by Luiz Santilli, Jr. and may be found here. Please visit to see others' lovely flower photos. If you have a flower photo of your own to share, please join us.

Sky Watch - Post 107

Arkansas, Mid-November Sky

Sky Watch was created by Dot and is brought to you by our friends Klaus, Sandy, Fishing Guy, Ivar, and Wren, and Louise. Visit the Sky Watch Friday home page anytime after 7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Thursdays to see sky photos from around the world. You'll be glad you did.

The "Eyes" Have It - Post 106

I'm babysitting my 4 year old granddaughter for the next few days, while her Mom and Dad take a short vacation. She and I have a wonderful time together but, as I am 70 years older than she, most of my energy reserves are taken up just being around her. I'd like to say "she keeps me young," but I fear that she just makes me feel every day of my age, at least physically.

I know I have a challenge ahead of me just trying to keep up with her ever-growing number of imaginary friends. Heaven forbid that I should happen to sit down on one of them!

It should be an interesting week!

More, later.