The Life of Mrs. Miles

right click the download link and open in a new webpage, then you won't be taken away from today's blog entry!

Download barbderksen_summertapes.zip

Well, I'm messed up right now... something that happened called a floating accident. No, I didn't say a boating accident, a floating accident. Miles challenged me to a flying leap onto one of our silver floaties, but my body chickened out in midair, above the thing, and I wound up hitting it on an angle, knee extended... I heard/felt something 'go' and now I've pulled something. Ugh. I pray it heals quickly!

Miles was speaking my love language this weekend - can you say "yard sales"?

I don't think he necessarily enjoys ferrying me around the back streets of our tourist saturated community in the sticky hot heat. I think he could find a thousand other things he would like to get into - especially now that he's got his plate almost completely uncluttered. But he knows that there's nothing I like more than finding 'the deal' The deal can morph from a piece of furniture, to jewellery, to a unique vase, clothing or - well, let your imagination run wild.

Its not essentially the item bought and paid for... its the hunt. I really don' t have a need for anything - particularly in the clothing department. I could easily eliminate one half of my clothing and not miss a thing. I need the folks from What Not to Wear to come and do a tune-up on my wardrobe. In the meantime, I will just have to go through it all in the fall, when the weather gets cooler and bless the local thrift store back with the many items I bought there in the first place. Its recycling, a good thing, right?

And anything vintage would be a 'must buy' for me. I am a sucker for the old and unusual.

click picture to see larger

Like, I'm always on the lookout for something like these... platinum and golden beaded eyelashes - a girl's got to have 'em!

So, what did I find today (that I don't need) It was a sparse day for me. I found a lovely pair of black stretch jeans, a clock/radio and a pottery vase that looks exactly like a crumpled paper bag. Way cool. So cool that it caused an longing, envious remark from another saler who just missed it. I can post a photo if you would like - a comment might motivate me friends.

So, I've been learning Adobe Illustrator, under the watchful and helpful eye of my brainy husband. Thank goodness for him, as I flounder at some stages and need him to push my mental wheel out of the rut every now and again. I'm somewhat familiar with the commands as I've used Microsoft Expressions for a while now, but Illustrator is much more evolved and complicated. In case you are not familiar with the program, you might want to visit the following website of Yukio Miyamoto - the Master of Illustrator, to see the potential! Just click on the following link! (if you right click and open his site in a new window then you won't be taken away from this blog entry)

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~yukio-m/intro/index.html

Today's pics are of some lenticular clouds we saw in the evening sky a few days ago. I've always been fascinated by them and so after processing these photos I just had to go and look them up. This is what I've learned:

Lenticular clouds are formally known as altocumulus standing lenticularis. They are stationary and they are normally lined up at right angles to the wind direction. When stable damp air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a bunch of prominent standing waves may form on the downwind side. Lenticular clouds sometimes build at the crests of these waves. Under some conditions, long strings of lenticular clouds can be created, forming a formation known as a wave cloud.

Some plane pilots avoid flying near lenticular clouds because of the turbulence of the rotor systems that come with them, but sailplane pilots actually seek them out, because though the clouds can produce heavy turbulence they also show a sign of precipitation. These systems of atmospheric standing waves that cause "lennies" (as they are sometimes familiarly called) also involve great vertical air movements, and the very location of the rising air mass is fairly easy to predict from the position of the clouds. "Wave lift" of this sort is often so smooth and strong, and allows gliders to soar to singular altitudes and great distances. The current gliding world records for both distance (over 3,000km) and altitude (14,938m) were set using such lift!

And of course, to find out the real scoop on clouds, I referred to 'the book'... my bible, to see what I could glean there... and it was an eye and ear opener! For starters, God's clouds can be a reminder to us anytime we see them, of His covenant with us.

Genesis 9:16
Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

God himself, hid himself in the form of a cloud (and fire at night) to guide His people to safety.

Exodus 13:21
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

He stayed and protected His people in the form of cloud and fire - surrounding them with His safety always.

Exodus 14:19
Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,

His cloud provided the light to His people, while creating darkness for the enemy.

Exodus 14:20
Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

And our Lord God may watch us from a cloud.

Exodus 14:24
During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.

In fact the Lord himself tells Moses He will appear in a cloud so the people will believe in what Moses says:

Exodus 19:9
The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you."

He hides in clouds, He dwells in clouds, He creates the clouds, He loads them with moisture and lightening, He uses them to punish us - or to water the earth to show His love.

1 Kings 8:12
2 Chronicles 6:1
Job 37:11

Job 37:13

He brings the clouds to punish men,

or to water his earth and show his love.

At any rate, there's nothing subtle about God and clouds. He created them and uses them in so many ways. Can you not look at a cloud and marvel and wonder? I can imagine Him hiding in the little wispy, whimsical clouds - to me they're like a playful reminder of Him, did he create these sort to whisper "hello, My Child?" The clouds I imagine Him riding on and hiding in are the big fat fluffy clouds - Cumulus clouds - the sort that look like heaps of soft, white mashed potatoes. I can also easily see God in the powerful Thunderclouds - His voice the booming sound, his presence in the brilliant flash of lightening produced. The sky His canvas, His artwork the cloudscapes He creates - no one exactly the same, ever changing with the atmospheric conditions. He's ever present, everlasting. His creation changes, but God does not.

And this brings to my mind and lips, a powerful worship song you may have heard:

DAYS OF ELIJAH

by Robin Mark

These are the days of Elijah Declaring the Word of the Lord
And these are the days of your servant Moses Righteousness being restored
And though these are days of great trials Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

Behold He comes!

Riding on the clouds!

Shining like the sun!

At the trumpet call Lift your voice!

It's the year of Jubilee!

And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!

And these are the days of Ezekiel The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of your servant David Rebuilding a temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest The fields are as white in the world
And we are the labourers in your vineyard Declaring the word of the Lord!

Behold He comes!

Riding on the clouds!

Shining like the sun!

At the trumpet call Lift your voice!

It's the year of Jubilee!

And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!

There's no God like Jehovah!
There's no God like Jehovah!
There's no God like Jehovah!
There's no God like Jehovah! (Repeat 3 times)

Behold He comes!

Riding on the clouds!

Shining like the sun!

At the trumpet call Lift your voice!

It's the year of Jubilee!

And out of Zion's hill salvation comes!

Have a Blessed Day, my friends! I will be popping in and out during the next few weeks, to bring you small goodies and I have some mucho interesting articles and sites to share. Thanks for visiting me today.