Fragmenting the week...

It's Friday once again. And that means Fragmenting my week. Okay, here goes:

1] Okay, I'm gonna begin my post with a rant... This morning I just read that our Governor...Rick Perry...signed a bill to give the state residents/and school children the 'right to say' "Merry Christmas" in schools and/or allowing the staff/children/parents/students to display anything pertaining to religious freedoms, without the fear of repercussions from anyone else. Read the article here... Now, I'm not one to condone OR condemn this necessary action. My point for sharing this story is for the fact that I feel SAD to know where this country is going on certain subjects and the politically correct stance we have been nearly 'forced' to take. To me, religious freedoms, such as this bill represents, shows me that the government has to waste their taxpayer's money and spend way too much time for a freedom that already exists!! What is wrong with this picture? Isn't America about just this? Religious Freedom; among other freedoms of course?!!! I see nothing wrong with saying Merry Christmas, but on the other hand...I also see nothing wrong with saying "Happy Holidays" either. And decorating the grounds of school with a Christmas Tree or perhaps have an egg hunt in Spring...heck, my generation survived and we learned to enjoy and participate in certain activities during certain religious holidays. AND let me also add that some students couldn't participate...that was their prerogative! Teachers, staff, and other students respected their freedoms back in my youth. 'Nough said. It just 'bloggled' my mind on this whole scenario.

1B] This doesn't have anything to do with the "Merry Christmas Bill" just recently signed, but it has to do with religious freedoms. I remember in high school, we had a student from Pakistan. Her father was a professor at Denver University, in Denver of course. And before y'all go off on a tangent, the family WAS American Citizens!! I distinctly recall that she wasn't allowed to shower in Gym class because of her religious beliefs, and she wore the traditional clothing of her country --NO ONE gave her any gruff about it back then, there was respect for her...yes, yes...I know, 911...it's in our memory, but really, in our country's history there was also the attack on Pearl Harbor in the 1940s and other bombings in the recent past, and today's schools aren't safe [I could go on and on]. I ask, what happened to the people of our world? There is so much hate these days.

2] I was busy this past Wednesday cleaning out clothes closets. I do this twice a year for sure, but sometimes more often. What I don't wear for one season, it is taken off the hangers, and packed in bags and I tote them off to the charity drop off boxes. Once there, I often walk through the thrift store near the box. This time I did, just to get out of the heat for a while. And I found a beautiful Ruby Glass Vase. Bud started me on this. While on our honeymoon, he purchased a beautiful hand blown ruby glass candy dish. That was nearly 45 years ago, and I still have it. Over the years, Ruby Glass, became a passion, and collection. [I also have some pieces of cobalt glass]. Anyway while walking through the store, perusing the shelves of trinkets and household gadgets, I spied this vase; in shock for the price they were asking. I grabbed it quick and took off to the cashier...

...yes, it WAS marked 99 cents. Unbelievable. Not a chip, not any marred areas, etched, handblown, REAL red glass. Not that often seen faux-color where it would rub off in water. I call it my yummy find.

3] Bud and I have been doing some birding. It's muggy, hot, uncomfortable to be out all that long in the day so our trips are short. We did drive to Mustang Island and Port Aransas in hopes of spotting some baby American Coots. But the area we stopped at was nearly barren of birds. A few cormorants and a couple of ruddy ducks - that's about all that was seen on the lake. Except!!!--------the alligators were out and well seen on this particular day. Right out in the open was one. And the poses I got were exceptional if I do say so myself. Once I photographed the 'monstrous beauty' she slowly meandered around the lake and started heading toward the tall reed far, far, far away. But when she go so far, she decided to turn around and head back toward us. As we watched her, she came closer and closer. The cormorants on their perch, flew off in a hurry when she neared them. But, she really showed no interest. The closer she came to us, her massive size astounded me. At one point, she was just a foot away from my feet. Of course I was up on the elevated boardwalk, and she crawled under the boardwalk where Bud and I were standing...we followed. She eventually made her way into the tall reed just inches away from the boardwalk and disappeared. But, I got some photos whilst she made her way to her daytime shaded area [and note the one image...the close up- it's her EYEBALL just above my copyright watermark]...

This one is a 'baby'!!

4] I finished reading Dante's Inferno. I enjoyed it. Surprisingly it was easy to decipher and it was smooth flowing throughout. It ended happily...but the drudgery that he went through throughout the poem, with his guide, was treachery and sadness along with some highly gross descriptive stanzas. I can now know just why it is considered a literary classic.

5] I now picked up a book to read entitled Haunt Me Still, authored by Jennifer Lee Carrell...a Shakespearean Thriller. This book has Lady Macbeth as the 'main interest'. At least so far.

6]...and to share a view of the massive thunderhead clouds looking Southwest toward the city of Corpus Christi, from Port A [Aransas], I show you the sky's beautiful drama...