Good News: EARLY SPRING from Weather Expert Phil!

Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Early Spring at Groundhog Day Festivities

What’s with the Weather?

 Is it just a coincidence that one of the worst winter storms in U.S. history is taking taking place within days of what looks to be the worst administration ever occupying the White House?  75% of the country is covered in snow and ice. Oregon’s ice storm left about 330,000 people without electricity, the worst blackout in the state’s history.

Chicken Little, "You're Fired!" Climate Change is a Myth.

Climate change PROVED to be 'nothing but a lie', claims top meteorologist

All the predictions of the climate gloom and doomers have failed. They said the ice cap was melting; it's increasing. They said the oceans would rise and coasts would be under water -- WRONG! They said we'd have more and worse storms -- not true.

So exactly why do so many people believe this nonsense? Could it be our education system is working as John Dewey desired -- to make little mindless robots who are easily manipulated by government? 

Teach your children to be critical thinkers!

UK's Daily Mail Posts Pictures and Video of Joplin

Go here....

The devastating destructive powr of the tornado that hit Joplin is appalling. This is what 198 mile an hour winds in a vortex can do. Pray for the poor people there especially that the missing will be found alive and unhurt.

Pray for the People of Chile

More on the earthquake in Chile. The devastation is much less than Haiti because modern buildings are designed to sustain the shaking in the earthquake prone area. The death toll at present is fewer than 200. But several hospitals have been evacuated. Pray for all those impacted.

Earthquake in Chile Generates Tsunami Warnings

A number of places including the west coast of the United States are under tsunami warnings after an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale.

Here we go again - More products of global warming!

It's snowing again and, although I still find it beautiful, it makes me tired to watch it. My friend Janet at Restore D.C. Catholicism calls snow the "products of global warming." Well, whatever you call it, and I expect there are many in our area using other four-letter words as synonyms, we're getting more than enough. The forecast calls for 10-14 more inches on top of the two feet we had three days ago. We're warming up the tractor but have a slight problem: there's no place left to push it. Makes me wish we had a snowblower. Our driveway is already so narrow the car scrapes the snowbanks on either side in some places. Nevertheless, we'll plow on. I'm going to hate to see the aftermath when all the snow melts. Looking out the side of our house where we have a row of lovely pine trees I can see broken branches galore. But I can also see scores of birds at our feeders thankful for a regular meal. Larry bought two 50 pound bags of birdseed so our little friends won't go hungry as long as we have the stamina to slog out and refill. I may have to resort to tying some tennis rackets to my boots to make the treck though. After this snowfall it will be up to my waist!

I wasn't nervous about the roof until two hangars at Dulles caved in from the weight of the snow. Fortunately all of our rooves (tractor barn, shed, house) are gabled, but I wonder how much weight it would take to do some serious damage. And then there's the potential for ice dams Well, we have no control over the problem since I have no intention of climbing up on the roof, so we'll trust in the Lord's providence and do what we can while not worrying about what we can't.

Pray for all the people around the country who are impacted by weather-related challenges: mudslides in California, snow in the east, heavy rains here and there, frost in Florida on the fruit crop. If you get in a real bind just call the White House. Our daddy-in-chief has promised to take care of you from cradle to grave, so he no doubt will send Rahm over to plow your driveway. Now that I think of it, with over 100,000 federal workers on paid holiday because of the snow, why not issue them all shovels and send them out to do something useful. For many being useful may be a new experience! (As a former useless federal employee I speak from experience.)

A snowy meditation

God has a sense of humor. You have a to-do list a mile long? Two feet of snow can change your priorities real quick. The top item on our agenda over the past 24 hours has been plowing and shoveling. Last major snowfall (17 inches) we were trapped because our looong driveway was totally impassable. (A kind neighbor came to our aid fortunately.) This time we decided to be pro-active.

So when the snow began, we went out to plow/shovel every few hours to keep ahead of it. And we have: Friday: 5:00 pm,. 7:30 pm,. 10:00 p.m., 11:45 p.m. (phew!) Saturday: 2:45 a.m., (yawn!) 5:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m. (sheesh!)

I've gone through two jackets, three pairs of pants, and three sets of gloves. I found out my rainhat is 100/% waterproof and it kept my head dry. And for the last few trecks out I figured if I draped a poncho (the one in the closet that serves as a chasuble when "Paka" plays Mass with the grandkids) over the back of the tractor and my legs, it would act like a blanket and keep me dry. It worked! No more wet seat and legs. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

At 3:30 we headed out again for what we hoped would be the last time. The driveway is getting narrower and narrower, but so far is still passable. I have never seen so much snow in my entire life. We've had a fir tree uproot and another tree fell on the trampoline which will disappoint the grandchildren, but we are praising God that the electricity is still on because if it goes we have no water. (On the other hand, two feet of snow is a lot of water. We certainly won't go thirsty! And we have plenty of wood for a fire.)

Dealing with all this snow got me thinking about the virtue of fortitude. Nature gives one lots of opportunities to practice virtue (kneeling in the garden is great prayer time!) and the one uppermost for us at present is fortitude. We prayed a lot while we worked that the electricty would stay on, the homeless would find shelter, that folks who had to travel would be safe, and that caregivers would get to the hospitals and nursing homes to tend to those in need. Now that the snow has stopped, we've checked with our loved ones and everyone is safe and warm. So this evening will be a time of thanksgiving in front of a fire roasting hot dogs and praising God for His goodness. There's nothing like praying the rosary by firelight. And thank you, Lord, that every abortion mill in the area is closed. May the moms who couldn't keep their appointments today, rethink their decisions and let their little ones live.