My Father's World

A few days ago we woke up to this at 5:45a in the morning. Looking out the back of the house and seeing such a site reminds me of the eternal. Every natural phenomenon calms me, and the more so the longer I look at it or listen to it. The murmuring of the wind, the alternating song of the waves on the sea, the sighing of the grass, the wind in the pines, the brilliance of the sky, etc., improve with every five minutes... and when I lay under the stars of heaven in my sleeping bag, I see the stars, I don't feel at all alien in this world. It truly is my Father's world. And I am always under my Father's eye.

Big Horn rams

Yesterday, Nancy and I walked up Waterton Canyon for some exercise and witnessed some major headbutting/fighting between these two big horn rams. We were only about 75 feet away at the time. I tried to get a video but every time I turned it on, they waited 5 or 10 minutes before they rammed each other. As soon as I put my camera down, POW! Maybe they had a headache? We stood and watched them for almost 30 minutes. So much for exercise.

And it was all for this. I counted about 6 wives and a bunch of children. Women try their luck. Men risk theirs! You know King Solomon had a thousand wives. That way, the odds were pretty good that one of them wouldn't have a headache.

Ban Ki-moon

Here is Nancy meeting Ban Ki-moon in Alexandria. He considered Nancy's great aunt as a mentor, and never forgot the role she played in his life. He also seemed interested that we have a son who works in Korea.

Media bias

There is a lot of talk about the media bias these days. Carter told reporters on a press bus in Ohio, "You've treated me very well so far." Compared to what? they asked. "To the way you treated Nixon." he replied. How long will Obama get a pass? At least a few cartoonists are stepping up.

Old movies

I just couldn't resist. I like old movies so much, and this was an especially good one.

Grand Canyon

It was about a year ago today I came out of Grand Canyon and back to civilization after a great raft trip with my friends. So I went through my files and found this great photo that Valerie took. I thought you might enjoy it.

Snowstorm

The morning after a snowstorm is always the best. I don't mind freezing sleet and snow, but I wish they'd come in the summer, when the weather is nice! And to top it all off, the prediction for tomorrow is 60 degrees!

Health care

I find it interesting that the President is still campaigning. At least it appears that way. It's like he's constantly selling something. Years ago, Tip O'Neill offered a poignant observation about campaigning, "As we all know, the truth is a frequent casualty in the heat of an election campaign."

The White House

Truman once advised, "If you can't convince them. confuse them." Okay, I'm confused.

A national personality

I think no one suspected that modern man, at least in the 21st century, would be found to have unprecedentedly extreme nationalism. 110 years ago historians were saying that the national problem was withering away, and that smaller nations would slowly merger into the larger and that the differences would gradually diminish. World War I and II crushed these theories. Many believed that in the not too distant future mankind would fuse into some worldwide unity. The European Union still naively believes this. Now we're witnessing nations which pursue the maximum suppression of the individual. Religious fanatics for generations, in the middle east, find their identity in controlling others. Perhaps a controlling nature is the malicious personality of socialism too.

Dostoyevsky's notebook contains the following words: "The nation is nothing more than the national personality." He also said, "A nation is not a collection of different beings, it is an organized being and moreover a moral personality." How would you describe their national personality?

Snow again!

Some of you emailed and asked about our latest snowstorm. This one is a little bigger than the one last Sunday. I put on my coat to take out the garbage, and it didn't want to go. The photo below is from Tyler's bedroom window upstairs. It's expected to snow into tomorrow.

This photo was taken from the back porch. I enjoy this very cold weather we've been having. So does my wife Nanook! I mean Nancy! I don't think the sun is coming out today. Would you come out on a day like this?

After the snow

We had a nice little snowfall on Sunday here in Denver. Monday morning, I got up and took this photo of the Dakota Ridge (the hogback) behind our house. I thought you might enjoy it.

A family celebration

Nancy is not pictured in this photo (hopefully I will get one with her in it later), but I thought you might like to see this. The caption reads; "U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gives Florence Tupper a silver platter as she marks her 100th birthday in Northern Virgina. In 1962, she was Ban's host mother on his first U.S. trip. Also shown are Ban's wife and Tupper's niece."

Nancy meets U.N. Secretary General

Nancy is in Alexandria with her Great Aunt this weekend celebrating her 100th birthday. One of the guests for the evening at her party was none other than the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon. Read this article in the Washington Post. I should have photos tomorrow or Monday of Nancy with him.

Nancy called me tonight and said that it was a very nice event, crowded with reporters and photographers, and lots of excitement. The Post article explains the reason for his visit.