Tomorrow night, at midnight, we will say goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019. For most people it probably won't make any difference. Life will continue as usual and the only real issue will be remembering to write 2019 instead of 2018 on our checks, correspondence and other places where the year is important. Because of the different time zones around the world, there will be 24 different changes from '18 to '19. For some people it might be interesting to celebrate all 24 in each one. I wonder if anyone has ever tried it.
According to the Internet the only real way to celebrate all time zones' new year celebration would be at the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole where all the lines of longitude converge. Otherwise you would need a non-military plane faster than any now in existence to get to every time zone in the required 24 hours. The record for flying around the world is just over 63 hours, so do the math. And a military plane with in-air refueling capability, imagine the red-tape required to pull that off, and the cost.
Well, I guess it's watch tv or Internet for the celebrations in the time zones to our east, celebrate where we are at midnight and then back to the tv or Internet for midnight in the zones to our west. Only one problem with this. I haven't been awake at midnight on New Year's Eve for a good many years, and I'm sure it isn't in my plans for tomorrow.
In any event..........HAPPY NEW YEAR......wherever you are.
Sent from my iPad
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Sunday, December 30, 2018
Thursday, December 27, 2018
December 27, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Passion Play Animals
I've written about our PP animals and included pictures on my postings from time to time. It is fun to have the animals in the barn area and the petting zoo during the season and they are a big hit with our visitors and Play attendees. During the winter months, many of our animals are housed indoors on a ranch in Berryville, about 12 miles from here, since we don't have heated facilities on the PP grounds.
The only Play animals still here are the four chariot horses, centurion's horse, and cross-back Christ donkeys, Michelle, Nancy, Abraham (our 8 month old Christ-donkey-in-training and Elizabeth (our full-grown miniature cross-back donkey). We have the white homing-pigeons and their little ones (squabs) on the property, as well.
The petting zoo animals all have shelters with heat lamps and seem content to be here. It's quite a menagerie: sheep, goats, miniature horses, ducks, rabbits, a lama, miniature pigmy goat, Samson the Great Pyrenees, Indy the pig, turkeys, chickens, feral cats and Clay (the potter's cat). Every so often we have someone "drop off" an animal and Joe takes it into the family.
There are quite a few deer on the property and they like to visit the Tabernacle, the vineyard and even the parking lot area where we are parked. They don't seem to mind our presence. The plan for next season appears to include a few more horses for the Roman soldiers, more sheep (the ewes are all "with child") and maybe a couple more camels. I visited Abraham and the other donkeys yesterday at the barn. Sure is fun to have animals as part of our Passion Play staff.
Sent from my iPad
The only Play animals still here are the four chariot horses, centurion's horse, and cross-back Christ donkeys, Michelle, Nancy, Abraham (our 8 month old Christ-donkey-in-training and Elizabeth (our full-grown miniature cross-back donkey). We have the white homing-pigeons and their little ones (squabs) on the property, as well.
The petting zoo animals all have shelters with heat lamps and seem content to be here. It's quite a menagerie: sheep, goats, miniature horses, ducks, rabbits, a lama, miniature pigmy goat, Samson the Great Pyrenees, Indy the pig, turkeys, chickens, feral cats and Clay (the potter's cat). Every so often we have someone "drop off" an animal and Joe takes it into the family.
There are quite a few deer on the property and they like to visit the Tabernacle, the vineyard and even the parking lot area where we are parked. They don't seem to mind our presence. The plan for next season appears to include a few more horses for the Roman soldiers, more sheep (the ewes are all "with child") and maybe a couple more camels. I visited Abraham and the other donkeys yesterday at the barn. Sure is fun to have animals as part of our Passion Play staff.
Sent from my iPad
Monday, December 24, 2018
December 24, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Christmas Eve Day
I wanted to write about the government shutdown, but changed my mind. That whole bit about "non-essential" government jobs wreaks of lunacy and trillions of dollars of debt. I had thought of writing about the stock market imploding, but heard the NYSE bell ring on Friday, saw the hoard of smiling and cheering people on the platform and wondered what I could possibly say that would be anything but cynical or sarcastic.
And then, I looked at the date, reflected on yesterday's church celebration of Jesus' birth and the joy of singing Christmas carols, and I thought it might be best to think of the peace, joy, calm and contentment I feel with our life and how we have chosen to live it. I write often about how thankful I am for the blessings we have received, the things we have chosen to be essentials for us and the reason we smile and cheer at the things we do. Our life is certainly not perfect. We have our sorrows and difficulties, but we accept life as it comes and are thankful we have a Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the bedrock of our life and a source of strength when we need to be strengthened.
All this being said........MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU, LORD.
Sent from my iPad
And then, I looked at the date, reflected on yesterday's church celebration of Jesus' birth and the joy of singing Christmas carols, and I thought it might be best to think of the peace, joy, calm and contentment I feel with our life and how we have chosen to live it. I write often about how thankful I am for the blessings we have received, the things we have chosen to be essentials for us and the reason we smile and cheer at the things we do. Our life is certainly not perfect. We have our sorrows and difficulties, but we accept life as it comes and are thankful we have a Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the bedrock of our life and a source of strength when we need to be strengthened.
All this being said........MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU, LORD.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, December 21, 2018
December 21, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Leaves
One of my winter/spring tasks in Georgia for three years, last year in Texas and each spring here in Arkansas is trying to get rid of the leaves which have been such a beautiful sight when they are attached to their respective tree, have been awash in color each fall and are now covering the ground, clogging drainage ditches, blowing all over the place and generally being a nuisance.
In Georgia I had real efficient equipment to work with: riding mowers with a mulching leaf-rake in tow or mulching zero-turn mowers. The leaves from the 25 acre property were put in a single pile and I was never there when the pile was disposed of or burned. Here at the Passion Play we have nearly 700 acres, but only a fraction of that has to be de-leafed: the amphitheater, the set, the drainage ditches, the Holy Land venues and the area around our parking lots, museums and buffet. But, there are a lot of leaves. My only weapons are a leaf rake, a utility lighter, a pick-up truck or golf cart, and large grey garbage sacks. We need to be careful when and where we burn, and in a few months there will be additional volunteers to assist with leaf duty. Since we conduct Holy Land tours in the off-season, I have been trying to keep our venues raked and leaf-free. The more I can do now, the less we will have to do later when there will be more pressing things needing to be done
It's another one of those "cow never stays milked" chores we all have in our repertoire, and one which can keep you warm on even one of our colder days. Another reason to do it now, is that the crawly-slithery creatures which like to hide under the leaves in the warmer months are holed up elsewhere now and less likely to interfere. However, it's wise to add a shovel to that list of weapons I mentioned earlier. Rake On.
Sent from my iPad
In Georgia I had real efficient equipment to work with: riding mowers with a mulching leaf-rake in tow or mulching zero-turn mowers. The leaves from the 25 acre property were put in a single pile and I was never there when the pile was disposed of or burned. Here at the Passion Play we have nearly 700 acres, but only a fraction of that has to be de-leafed: the amphitheater, the set, the drainage ditches, the Holy Land venues and the area around our parking lots, museums and buffet. But, there are a lot of leaves. My only weapons are a leaf rake, a utility lighter, a pick-up truck or golf cart, and large grey garbage sacks. We need to be careful when and where we burn, and in a few months there will be additional volunteers to assist with leaf duty. Since we conduct Holy Land tours in the off-season, I have been trying to keep our venues raked and leaf-free. The more I can do now, the less we will have to do later when there will be more pressing things needing to be done
It's another one of those "cow never stays milked" chores we all have in our repertoire, and one which can keep you warm on even one of our colder days. Another reason to do it now, is that the crawly-slithery creatures which like to hide under the leaves in the warmer months are holed up elsewhere now and less likely to interfere. However, it's wise to add a shovel to that list of weapons I mentioned earlier. Rake On.
Sent from my iPad
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
December 18, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Are We Really That Stupid?
Businesses pay tremendous amounts of money to advertise their products. There are many methods advertisers use to lure us to buy the products they are being paid to promote: billboards, radio, television, on-line ads, direct mail, posters, handouts, magazines, newspapers, celebrity endorsements, background in movies, race car decals, phone solicitors, product logos on clothing, major event sponsorship, names on arenas and stadia, etc.
Everyone advertises and we are constantly bombarded by it. Do these methods really work? Are we checked for colon cancer because a talking cardboard box sitting on a toilet tells us to do so? Do we buy insurance because a seedy looking person named "mayhem" tells us to protect ourselves from him and people like him? Do we buy cars because an animated character with a human voice tells us to do so? Do we contribute to charities which tug at our heartstrings by showing neglected or abused animals, children with terrible illnesses or deformities? Do we use lawyers who promise to deliver substantial damage awards from alleged negligent drivers, alleged negligent doctors or hospitals, alleged unscrupulous drug companies or alleged negligent other lawyers, police, or our government itself
With so much negativism in so many areas of our life, it's sad that we have to realize that there are a lot of people trying to lure us into places and products which are trying to take from us quickly what we have worked so hard and long to amass. Hackers, identity thieves, muggers, crank callers, dishonest claims, cheaters and outright liars. An endless list of people trying to see how stupid they can make us act. Sad.......sad.......sad.
About a week ago, I received a call from a New Mexico area code, telling me they were the IRS, I had four outstanding warrants for my arrest, and I better call them immediately or I would be rounded up and subject to "who knows what". I may not be the brightest person, but do "they" really take me to be that stupid...........?
Sent from my iPad
Everyone advertises and we are constantly bombarded by it. Do these methods really work? Are we checked for colon cancer because a talking cardboard box sitting on a toilet tells us to do so? Do we buy insurance because a seedy looking person named "mayhem" tells us to protect ourselves from him and people like him? Do we buy cars because an animated character with a human voice tells us to do so? Do we contribute to charities which tug at our heartstrings by showing neglected or abused animals, children with terrible illnesses or deformities? Do we use lawyers who promise to deliver substantial damage awards from alleged negligent drivers, alleged negligent doctors or hospitals, alleged unscrupulous drug companies or alleged negligent other lawyers, police, or our government itself
With so much negativism in so many areas of our life, it's sad that we have to realize that there are a lot of people trying to lure us into places and products which are trying to take from us quickly what we have worked so hard and long to amass. Hackers, identity thieves, muggers, crank callers, dishonest claims, cheaters and outright liars. An endless list of people trying to see how stupid they can make us act. Sad.......sad.......sad.
About a week ago, I received a call from a New Mexico area code, telling me they were the IRS, I had four outstanding warrants for my arrest, and I better call them immediately or I would be rounded up and subject to "who knows what". I may not be the brightest person, but do "they" really take me to be that stupid...........?
Sent from my iPad
Saturday, December 15, 2018
December 15, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Five Years Ago
It was December 15, 2013. The weather in Fort Collins, Colorado had climbed above freezing for the first time in quite a while. We were able to get our motorhome started after dewinterizing it, installing new batteries and enduring weather as cold as 17 below zero. We were eager to get to warmer weather and start our "on the road" ministry, but would have to endure substantial cold, ice, running through a full tank of propane in 8 days, and a host of other rookie motorhome experiences before we would get to Homosassa, Florida and some warmer weather, for a while.
We had no idea what to expect on that December day, but we knew we were in for something new and challenging. We had never owned a motorhome or travel trailer of any kind. We did rent a motorhome in 1983 when we competed in the Race across America, and again in 1984 when we crewed for another RAAM competitor. But that has been a lot of years ago, and not for a very long period of time. So our 2013 adventure was an Adventure.
The past five years have flown by. We have logged about 18,000 motorhome miles and about 32,000 car miles in that time. We have definitely been on a great adventure, with no real idea where and when it will all end up. We haven't really done too much touristy stuff, haven't thought of this as retirement, and have probably "worked" harder than we ever did when we worked for a living. We wouldn't trade our past five years for anything, yet still face each day, knowing that we will "follow the cloud", serve God as He directs us and continue to trust the plan God has for us and the road He wants us to travel. And always..........always........we sincerely and truly..........Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
We had no idea what to expect on that December day, but we knew we were in for something new and challenging. We had never owned a motorhome or travel trailer of any kind. We did rent a motorhome in 1983 when we competed in the Race across America, and again in 1984 when we crewed for another RAAM competitor. But that has been a lot of years ago, and not for a very long period of time. So our 2013 adventure was an Adventure.
The past five years have flown by. We have logged about 18,000 motorhome miles and about 32,000 car miles in that time. We have definitely been on a great adventure, with no real idea where and when it will all end up. We haven't really done too much touristy stuff, haven't thought of this as retirement, and have probably "worked" harder than we ever did when we worked for a living. We wouldn't trade our past five years for anything, yet still face each day, knowing that we will "follow the cloud", serve God as He directs us and continue to trust the plan God has for us and the road He wants us to travel. And always..........always........we sincerely and truly..........Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
December 12, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. I Can't Say It Any Better
> One of my favorite daily devotionals is Streams in the Desert, and one of my favorite daily devotionals in Streams in the Desert is the one for today, December 12. Karen and I have always worked hard in our paid jobs and as volunteers we have tried to give our best effort to every task we have been called to. I want to quote part of the 12/12 SITD devotional, since I really don't think I can express any better the reason we serve as we do:
"May we also go forth to higher endeavors for Christ, never resting until we can shout from the mountaintop 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith'
Finish your work, then rest,
'Till then rest never;
Since rest for you with God
Is rest forever.
God will examine your life not for medals, diplomas, or degrees but for battle scars.
A medieval singer once sang of his hero:
With his trusty sword for aid;
Ornament it carried none,
But the notches on the blade.
What nobler medal of honor could any godly person seek than the scars of service, personal loss for the crown of reward, disgrace for the sake of Christ, and being worn out in the Master's service!"
I can't say it any better.
> Sent from my iPad
"May we also go forth to higher endeavors for Christ, never resting until we can shout from the mountaintop 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith'
Finish your work, then rest,
'Till then rest never;
Since rest for you with God
Is rest forever.
God will examine your life not for medals, diplomas, or degrees but for battle scars.
A medieval singer once sang of his hero:
With his trusty sword for aid;
Ornament it carried none,
But the notches on the blade.
What nobler medal of honor could any godly person seek than the scars of service, personal loss for the crown of reward, disgrace for the sake of Christ, and being worn out in the Master's service!"
I can't say it any better.
> Sent from my iPad
Sunday, December 9, 2018
December 9, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. No Snow
We waited, we watched......and we had NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH. The snow storm which had been predicted to drop anywhere from one inch to eight inches in the Eureka Springs area, depending on which station you watched and which forecast model they put their faith in, resulted in ZERO precipitation of any kind for our area. The radar maps showed the storm to our south and east with only the slightest chance of anything hitting us. And, nothing hit us at all.
One of the best meteorologists in our area, Dan Skoff of KNWA in Fayetteville, 35 miles west of us, was one who showed all the models and determined that they were probably all wrong and we could expect little to no precipitation in our area. Dan coined a phrase back in September, 2016 when a major storm was predicted for Northwest Arkansas and it failed to materialize. He called it the Fayetteville Fizzle, and even inspired and performed a country western song with that title. It's a cute song. You can Google it and listen to his September 19,2016 rendition. He often refers to the FF when predicted storms fail to materialize, and this weekend's "blizzard" is one more which can be added to the growing list.
But on a serious note, in our five years in Arkansas we have experienced some very severe weather situations, especially on top of Magnetic Mountain. It is always wise to listen and watch, check the radar on a regular basis and be prepared for weather which can come at us from any direction, and very quickly. Thanks Dan, and all you other weather guys for warning us of what's on the way. Best to be forewarned and prepared. And never knock it when we get a fizzle instead of something which could have been far worse.
Sent from my iPad
One of the best meteorologists in our area, Dan Skoff of KNWA in Fayetteville, 35 miles west of us, was one who showed all the models and determined that they were probably all wrong and we could expect little to no precipitation in our area. Dan coined a phrase back in September, 2016 when a major storm was predicted for Northwest Arkansas and it failed to materialize. He called it the Fayetteville Fizzle, and even inspired and performed a country western song with that title. It's a cute song. You can Google it and listen to his September 19,2016 rendition. He often refers to the FF when predicted storms fail to materialize, and this weekend's "blizzard" is one more which can be added to the growing list.
But on a serious note, in our five years in Arkansas we have experienced some very severe weather situations, especially on top of Magnetic Mountain. It is always wise to listen and watch, check the radar on a regular basis and be prepared for weather which can come at us from any direction, and very quickly. Thanks Dan, and all you other weather guys for warning us of what's on the way. Best to be forewarned and prepared. And never knock it when we get a fizzle instead of something which could have been far worse.
Sent from my iPad
Thursday, December 6, 2018
December 6, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Snow
Karen grew up on the western slope of Colorado and is very familiar with long winters and plenty of snow. I grew up in the Hudson Valley and Mohawk Valley of upstate New York and was also quite used to cold snowy winters. We met in Lakewood, CO in 1972 and at the time there was one of many blizzards occurring which made my Triumph Spitfire hard to locate in the accumulation of falling and plowed snow on Capitol Hill in Denver. When we moved to Tulsa in 1974 we experienced a number of ice storms and then from 1977 to 2013 back in Colorado we endured a lot of blizzards, drifts, heavy accumulation and severe winter weather conditions.
When we left Fort Collins in our motor home on December 15, 2013 it was after a period of sub-zero temperatures, and promptly found ourselves hunkered down for five days in a north Texas ice storm. Since then, we have seen measurable snow only a few times, in Lufkin, TX, Charlotte, NC, north of Atlanta, GA and last year in Loveland, CO. But in the next few days there is the chance we will be on the southern edge of a storm which is forecast to be a "big one".
With recent advances in weather forecasting, computer analysis, radar technology and satellite photography and the "stardom" given to meteorologists, storm chasers and weather personalities, it seems that our storms get bigger, more dangerous and put more of us "at risk" and dominate not only the local news but the network news on a daily basis. So, here we sit with the option to get our weather from the Oklahoma, Missouri or Arkansas stations as well as the National Network News' Weather experts. My next blog will tell you what happened here on Magnetic Mountain, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, elevation 1250 feet; how much snow we received and how we fared in our home on wheels. Pictures will be worth a thousand words.
Sent from my iPad
When we left Fort Collins in our motor home on December 15, 2013 it was after a period of sub-zero temperatures, and promptly found ourselves hunkered down for five days in a north Texas ice storm. Since then, we have seen measurable snow only a few times, in Lufkin, TX, Charlotte, NC, north of Atlanta, GA and last year in Loveland, CO. But in the next few days there is the chance we will be on the southern edge of a storm which is forecast to be a "big one".
With recent advances in weather forecasting, computer analysis, radar technology and satellite photography and the "stardom" given to meteorologists, storm chasers and weather personalities, it seems that our storms get bigger, more dangerous and put more of us "at risk" and dominate not only the local news but the network news on a daily basis. So, here we sit with the option to get our weather from the Oklahoma, Missouri or Arkansas stations as well as the National Network News' Weather experts. My next blog will tell you what happened here on Magnetic Mountain, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, elevation 1250 feet; how much snow we received and how we fared in our home on wheels. Pictures will be worth a thousand words.
Sent from my iPad
Monday, December 3, 2018
December 3, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. A Matter of Degree
Last week our water system was shut down for maintenance reasons; cleaning the two 10,000 gallon water tanks, shocking the system with a high dose of chlorine, draining the tanks, refilling them, checking the chlorine level and waiting for the official water quality test to be performed and then waiting for two weeks for the results, and being under a boil order until the results come back.
Sounds ominous, but in relation to so many others who have bad water quality all the time, or no water at all, our situation is pretty mild. All the bathrooms on the property were shut down, a couple of port-a-potties were brought in and there was no tap water for drinking or washing use. In the motor home we just used our fresh water tank, the water pump and were not inconvenienced at all. I disconnected our hoses from the spigot and with temperatures below freezing for part of last week and anticipated for this week, our on board water is more than adequate. One of the port-a-potties blew over in the strong winds Friday night, so those in the admin building had to use the inside bathrooms on Saturday, but flushed with high concentrations of chlorine and had to use hand sanitizer in place of washing. Today the chlorine level was within "legal" limits and the horizontal port-a-pottie was taken away by the septic swat team.
All in all, not too much of an inconvenience and much better than much of the world and even our own country has to endure. Another reason for us to be grateful; thankful for God's provision and His care and concern for us. Thank you maintenance, Steve's Septic, but most of all.........Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
Sounds ominous, but in relation to so many others who have bad water quality all the time, or no water at all, our situation is pretty mild. All the bathrooms on the property were shut down, a couple of port-a-potties were brought in and there was no tap water for drinking or washing use. In the motor home we just used our fresh water tank, the water pump and were not inconvenienced at all. I disconnected our hoses from the spigot and with temperatures below freezing for part of last week and anticipated for this week, our on board water is more than adequate. One of the port-a-potties blew over in the strong winds Friday night, so those in the admin building had to use the inside bathrooms on Saturday, but flushed with high concentrations of chlorine and had to use hand sanitizer in place of washing. Today the chlorine level was within "legal" limits and the horizontal port-a-pottie was taken away by the septic swat team.
All in all, not too much of an inconvenience and much better than much of the world and even our own country has to endure. Another reason for us to be grateful; thankful for God's provision and His care and concern for us. Thank you maintenance, Steve's Septic, but most of all.........Thank You, Lord.
Sent from my iPad
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