Heart thread - 05/22/2010

For the repose of the soul of Harry A. Doutt who passed away on May 19, 2010. His son, Brent, works where I do. May Brent and all the family find comfort.

For the Rev. Canon Scott Hayashi, elected to be the next Bishop of Utah. I knew Scott, at a distance, when he was Rector of Christ Church, Portola Valley (part of the Diocese of California). May he and the people of the Diocese of Utah enter a period of renewed ministry.

For Jonathan in transition.

For DF who just celebrated his birthday and for Doxy and DF on their first anniversary.

For all who perished in the Air India flight from Dubai to Mangalore, for their families and loved ones.

For the people of Thailand in the ongoing civil unrest.

For all creatures of the Gulf Coast, for an end to the leak and the healing of water and land.

For those killed in the derailment in China, triggered by a landslide.

For the restitution of the rule of constitutional law in my lifetime.

For our Jewish sisters and brothers celebrating Shavuot.

In thanksgiving for the witness of the Blessed Martyr Harvey B. Milk (22 May 1930-27 November 1978).

Almighty God, who created us in your own image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

For Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, found guilty on May 18 of unnatural acts and gross indecency in Malawi where they dared to celebrate their relationship.

O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.

--the BB

I have not kept up

I feel bad about not maintaining the practice of naming each fallen warrior. It is too easy for us to let their sacrifice go unnoticed.

But they are not forgotten.

--the BB

Heute

There have been some accomplishments today, though I was sluggish for most of the day.

My albs are washed. About time, too.

The garden was watered and I gave extra water to one tree and one shrub in front of the house since I suspect they don't get quite as much as they need on the drip system. (Yes, I know there are ways to adjust drip, but I have not done it.)

I tied up a number of sagging branches in the yard and did some deadheading. Lots of spent blooms still need it, but at least I chipped away at it today.

I cut, glued, and sewed the Pentecost frontal for Our Saviour and took it over to the church. I meant to take some photos when it was up but left the camera in the car and did not think of it until much later. Anyway, this now completes the seasons. Eydie made the white-and-gold frontal for All Saints last year and that served through Christmastide and Eastertide. I made a green one from African fabric, an Advent blue one, a violet Lenten one, an ecru-dark red-black one for Holy Week, and now one for Pentecost.

The one today is made with a cherry red polyester shantung, pale yellow silk, metallic gold, and an elaborate gold braid trim. I really regret not taking a photo as it seems to convey the excitement that the Spirit inspires. I had thought of making it more intricate with narrow diagonals of color (rich silks and metallics) over the central gold strip but cut myself some slack and left it less original but more traditional.

The work Father Tony has done clearing weeds and brush and generally tidying up the place really shows.

I also picked up some items for tomorrow. We are going to adorn San Gabriel, on the exterior, with most of the flags in my collection. Some seem to have gone astray but I think we can represent at least 20 nations from four continents. I just don't know where I last put the flags of Cambodia and Antigua. Ah well.

The Gospel will be read in French, German, Spanish, English, Swahili, Polish, and Latin. It just occurred to me that I miss hearing it read in Khmer by Stewart Peou. I miss the Cambodian Sanctus, the Celtic Alleluia, singing the Lord's Prayer, and Envía tu Espíritu. To all my friends at St Cuthbert's - I miss and love you! I am blessed with loving church communities here and I really like living in Albuquerque, but you are missed.

Leli vangeli bo - ayisilo lokudlala.
Leli vangeli - lihamba ngomoyo oyincgwele.
Selihamba - lihamba ngomoyo oyincgwele.
Selihamba - lihamba ngomoyo oyincgwele.

This Holy Gospel - it should not be taken lightly.
This Gospel - the Holy Spirit gives it power.
It is moving - the Holy Spirit gives it power.
It is moving - the Holy Spirit gives it power.

I always hate to see Easter come to a close.

--the BB

The Danes celebrate a bus driver's birthday

[On May 5th it's Mukhtar's, a bus-driver in Copenhagen, Birthday. In 2010 he had no idea that a large group of people had planned to celebrate him...]

He is evidently from Somalia as the Somalian flag was waved near the end along with lots of Danish ones. It is the Danish birthday song that they are all singing.

--the BB

Garden photos from this evening

I told you there was one cherry on my Black Tartarian. Here it is: photographic proof. I am assuming, of course, that the birds will get this one cherry. They do not call the cherry tree Prunus avium for nothing.


Magenta calibrachoa (million bells) with white petunias.


Look at how swiftly we have gone from two iris blooms to many! I am amazed.


Lemon Zest petunias (detail)


Blanket flower (gaillardia, detail)


John F Kennedy rose

I thought y'all might enjoy these.

--the BB

Supper

This evening I tore out some plants that were not doing well and put in some new ones that I hope will thrive. I watered. And I had supper.

Thin slices of roasted pork loin with a reduction of pork juice, white wine, and butter, all garnished with parsley from the yard; a sliced avocado with lemon juice on a bed of wilted spring greens. (Chased with calories we shall not name.)

I am cooking for myself more often. For years this was a few-times-a-year phenomenon. I take it as a good sign.

Tonight my body feels the yard work more than it does when I spend hours and hours in the yard on a Saturday. Feh.

--the BB

95,000 barrels a day

Photo by Ted Jackson, The Times-Picayune

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser and La. Gov. Bobby Jindal tour through the Roseau Grasses that mark the coastline of Southeast Louisiana at Pass a Loutre at the mouth of the Mississippi River where oil has washed ashore, Wednesday, May 19, 2010.

"Everything that that blanket of oil is covering today will die," he said. "All of the bugs that the fish come in to eat, all of the critters in the marsh will die. And that marsh will die. There's no way to clean it up."

h/t to FishOutofWater at Daily Kos

WASHINGTON — The latest video footage of the leaking Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico show that oil is escaping at the rate of 95,000 barrels — 4 million gallons — a day, nearly 20 times greater than the 5,000 barrel a day estimate BP and government scientists have been citing for nearly three weeks, an engineering professor told a congressional hearing Wednesday.
--Renee Schoof at McClatchy Newspapers

h/t to Jed Lewison at Daily Kos


As we ponder the disaster in our part of the world, let us remember others.

Cyclone nears India's southeast coast
AFP - ‎10 minutes ago‎
HYDERABAD, India - A severe cyclone packing winds of 110 kilometres an hour closed in on India's southeast coast Thursday as tens of thousands of residents evacuated their homes fearing major storm damage.

Господи помилуй
Κυριε ελεησον
Seigneur, aies pitié.

-the BB

The happy gardener

Mind you, not all the flowers are doing this well, but tonight I am sharing these photos taken after I came home from shopping.


The iris. I love this shade of blue!


Some Circus roses, the second round of blooms on this bush.


Notice how many different colors we get just in this cluster on the Piñata rosebush.


The coral roses are now joining the party.


This photo is of the grapevine that ate the South Valley, taken just for a sense of scale. In five years it could fill the entire yard. The Piñata is to its right, covered in blooms. I have decided to nickname it "The Flor of Babylon." One must admire its tarty boldness.

Yes, I am doing a load of laundry tonight. Can't put it off forever.

--the BB

Pentecost approaches

This means I need to sew the Pentecost frontal for Our Saviour before the week is out. I purchased the fabric today after work. I think it will be sufficiently tarted up for the Sovereign Lifegiver who constantly seduces us into venturing toward God's future.

Time also to practice reading Sunday's Gospel aloud in Latin, one of several languages in which it will be read.

Fortunately the Zimbabwean Gospel chant I learned from Mark Malisa years ago is such a part of me I do not have to practice it.

My flag collection is already at the church so we can hang flags from around the world, reminding us of our call to proclaim Good News to every nation.





--the BB

Τι εἰναι αυτό; What is that?

I shared this on FB but it needs more viewers. You owe yourself this five and a half minutes.



"... my innocent little boy"

h/t to SYNTHEOPOIESIS † ΣΥΝΘΕΟΠΟΙΗΣΗΣ
--the BB

More flowers from Saturday

Delphinia, snapdragons, lobelia, petunias.

My real producer, the Piñata rose, with jasmine to the far right and America rose in the near left.


Santa Rosa plums.


Red Haven peaches.


The new windbreak with a Rosa Banksiae 'Purezza' and a Thompson seedless grapevine on this side. there is a honeysuckle on the other side next to the wall. We should have a solid wall of greenery soon at the rate those three grow.

--the BB

Sunday of the Holy Fathers

The First Council of Nicaea
Image from Wikimedia Commons

We praise three
divinely sovereign Hypostases,
the immutable form
of a single nature,
the good and human-befriending God,
Who now granteth
forgiveness of offences.

O Thou Who art the one
transcendent Lord
in one Godhead,
yet thrice-resplendent with respect
to Thy Persons,
grant us understanding
and deem us worthy
of Thy divine illumination.

Having filled all things with joy, O Merciful One, Thou didst come in Thy flesh unto the hosts on high.

As the hosts of Angels saw Thee being lifted up, they cried: Lift ye the gates for our King.

As the Apostles beheld the Saviour being lifted on high, they cried with trembling: Glory be to Thee, O our King.





--the BB

Some yard photos from today

Gaillardia with coreopsis and dwarf marigolds

Golden Masterpiece roses with lots of surrounding color

Iceberg and Blaze roses with attending flowers

--the BB