Signs and summer flowers

 The hostas are at their peak for this summer, a week ago. Now they have all faded away for another year!

 I was a bit surprised by the signs on this resident's van doors...

They are still hard to read...
"Prophecy supporting message from God - Tsunami in Pacific and Chukchi Sea, thus say the Lord of Hosts."
"Test of faith message USA-
1. Clear ?? pertaining to all ___??
2. Begin to lift up the poor and needy among us in the USA
3. Vision - Star ______?"

I was a bit surprised that the Tsunami and some Sea I'd never heard of, the Chukchi Sea, were indications of the message from God. I wonder what that message might have been. And I was only able to understand and agree with the second listed test of faith...lift up the poor and needy. That's certainly needed more than ever these days.

I'm happy to sit here each morning, watching for mama hummingbird to come snack a bit, and see the sun rise behind the lush foliage of the trees. And my living room window looks out on the sidewalks to the entrances to 8 other apartments. Several times a week I see people carrying bags of groceries or meals (probably) to a few of these apartments. I'm glad that my neighbors (all seniors with food insufficiency) haven't been forgotten and there are still services to make sure they get enough to eat.

I'm very fortunate in that I have the car to drive to a store, and wear a mask while choosing to shop at less popular hours, and can afford plenty of food myself. I have been known to purchase some groceries for a few friends at times.The only trick is cooking food and then cleaning up the mess in the kitchen.

Yesterday I made banana bread, and looked up a recipe which used molasses...why? Because I had some molasses and wanted to try it.  I like this bread...not too much molasses taste, nor too much banana taste...and I cut back the sugar so it isn't as sweet as originally.

If I had a sign on my car (I tend to do bumper stickers) to reflect my faith, it would be "To Question is the Answer." I actually did drive a van with that bumper sticker for 12 years in the 70's. It's a Unitarian Universalist message.

Many people have stopped putting bumper stickers on their cars...but I don't tend to want to trade my car in until it's served me for at least 10 years...and I think I've only had this one about 4 years so far. But bumper stickers aren't made as well, and I've already lost a couple that I put on...I know the Hillary sticker.   I've still got a yoga one from the previous owner, and I've added one for Blue Ridge Recreation and one from the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. "Earth without art is just Eh." Can't say I remember the others...probably a bear from Mt. Mitchell.

Today's quote:

The surface of the earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean.
Some part of our being knows this is where we came from.
We long to return, and we can because the cosmos is
also within us.

We are made of star stuff.

Carl Sagan, Cosmos