some pictures and thoughts

So, I just figured out how to get pictures from my phone to my email. THey aren't great pictures but they make my blog more entertaining!

here is a picture of the garden gnome that Jamie gave me. It says "bless this garden"

Here is a picture of my back garden wall looking at the mountains. Last night the mountains turned pink just like the Sangre De Cristo ones at home in New Mexico! I don't notice the telephone pole or power wires when I'm out there but they do look pretty obvious in the picture!

When I visited Jamie's home in San Luis Obispo last Spring, I loved finding all the cool shells, rocks, and tumbled glass on the beach. I collected many samples and brought them home. They've been sitting in a brown paper lunch bag all this time, until I decided to take it to work put some there. Well, I really got into sorting and looking at them while on the phone at my desk with clients, and then when I was trying to type over them I moved them to my table. There they still are. They are so pretty and colorful! I might put more pictures of them from time to time!

If you look at my Taiwan weather you will see a large typhoone headed straight for it! Its a Category 3 hurricane (they catagorize typhoons slightly differently which is why I never knew if the ones while I was there was big or not, but I looked up the wind speed on this one and it matches a category 3) but its suppose to vear off towards Japan in the next couple of hours.

I just made some bannana bread, and now its done. YUM (and its 11:30 pm, perfect for a midnight snack!)

So today is September 11th. There were several things on the radio that reminded me of this day 7 years ago. That was a hard day.... but also a good one as I saw what I feel is the "real" America; the people of America being strong, sacrificing, standing together, being greatful and above all praying. I remember the way everyone in our town, and probably throughout the landput out their American flags, as we couldn't really do anything else for the people who were directly affected. Someone on the radio that day suggested that we should do that, and I remember feeling greatful that I could actually do something! I couldn't find one in our house, so I found a peice of white tissue paper, and created a flag to put out on our mailbox. Later that week I bought flag decals to put on our cars. I felt proud of my country and the way our people responded to that crisis. I am glad for this reminder as I am still proud of my country. No mater where I go, there are good people doing their best to make the world a better place. I hope I can do so as well.