Missing.....

Sorry for my absence, but things have not been good. I don't feel like rehashing it right here and now, but if you are at all interested, here is a post the I recently wrote about the current situation that explains it all on my other blog, "Southern Porch".

I promise, I will be back at some point this summer, but I'm probably going to be a bit more balanced, as I need the religious part of my life right now a whole lot, and I want to find a way ti incorporate my love for the outdoors with my love for Christ..... Thanks for your understanding.

"Worry is a weakness from which very few of us are entirely free. We must be on guard against this most insidious enemy of our peace of soul. Instead, let us foster confidence in God, and thank Him ahead of time for whatever He chooses to send us."

~Venerable Solanus Casey (1870-1957)~

A very good snow day.

As I walked down the snow covered street Monday morning with my faithful -albeit disobedient- Beagle Molly, the words my wife uttered the night before (in the middle of a solid 3 days downpour of rain) came back to haunt me; "It's going to snow tonight"....."Aw, baloney" I said, citing every piece of folk wisdom I could muster to prove to her why she was wrong... Are they ever really wrong? So I found myself walking the dog on a crisp march morning, with the crunch of snow under foot and the prospect of a day off of work on my horizon as we meandered down the street from our house..

I decided that since the kids were playing with friends and my wife was still sleeping peacefully, I'd take the chance to just go out and....just be...One with nature, one with the environment, I dont know, but I knew I wanted to be outside on this beaitiful morning for as long as possible. We walked a good mile or so down the middle of a usually very busy street across snow and ice as polished as a mirror. To the right of the road is a thin line of scrub pines, blocking an old cow pasture partially from view. I knew from the moment we stepped outside, this was our destination.

The snow was deeper here, probably because of the overgrown brush , but it still came well up to my shins and was a little harder to mavigate than you'd expect. Molly loved it, leaping from spot to spot, chasing birds, oblivious to me, or the limitations of her lead at times.We walked to the other side of the field, and right into the woods. It was quiet here, the scrub trees and snow had muffled the distant sounds of traffic and the train tracks at the top of our street. i felt as if I was 100 miles away from Charlotte, and out in the mountains somewhere, the only sound coming from the chirping of small birds faintly breaking the silence.We walked in silence, underneath trees blowing and whispering in the breeze. I really should have taken the time to say a prayer, or recite the rosary (it is, after all, Lent), but instead I just stood in silence, listening to the muted sounds of nature. I guess I was listening to God, though it didn't occur to me at the time, but any time spend in silence, just contemplating the very essence of our surroundings, away from all distractions is time with God.

As we walked back towards home, I felt a peace about me, a happiness that only grew more and more with the rising sun. It was a very good snow day.

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI

FOR LENT 2009

"He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry" (Mt 4,1-2)

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

At the beginning of Lent, which constitutes an itinerary of more intense spiritual training, the Liturgy sets before us again three penitential practices that are very dear to the biblical and Christian tradition – prayer, almsgiving, fasting – to prepare us to better celebrate Easter and thus experience God’s power that, as we shall hear in the Paschal Vigil, “dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace and humbles earthly pride” (Paschal Præconium ). For this year’s Lenten Message, I wish to focus my reflections especially on the value and meaning of fasting. Indeed, Lent recalls the forty days of our Lord’s fasting in the desert, which He undertook before entering into His public
ministry. We read in the Gospel: “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry” (Mt 4,1-2). Like Moses, who fasted before receiving the tablets of the Law (cf. Ex 34,28) and Elijah’s fast before meeting the Lord on Mount Horeb (cf. 1 Kings 19,8), Jesus, too, through prayer and fasting, prepared Himself for the mission that lay before Him, marked at the start by a serious battle with the tempter.(click on above link for entire story)

"The law of fasting requires a Catholic from the 18th Birthday [Canon 97] to the 59th Birthday [i.e. the beginning of the 60th year, a year which will be completed on the 60th birthday] to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. Such fasting is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The fast is broken by eating between meals and by drinks which could be considered food (milk shakes, but not milk). Alcoholic beverages do not break the fast; however, they seem contrary to the spirit of doing penance." (EWTN, The Holy Season of Lent)

I myself am a supporter of the fast, and on fast days I even try to avoid the collations ( I did pretty good Friday). I am really trying to make this Lenten season better than the past few years. I have in the past given up lame-o things, things my Doctor would have me give up anyway, and it never seems to come out to anything more than a lack-luster effort at best. This year though, I'm going in the opposite direction. Once a week I plan on either throwing out a bag of stuff I don't need cluttering up my life, or I'll give away a bag of stuff to charity. One a week, I think that's a good start, don't you? I'm also going to volunteer to help the Knights of Columbus out with the Lenten meal preparations again. I haven't done that in quite a few years, and I feel as if the time might have come to start volunteering with them again. I don't want a position in the council or anything, but I need to help out around the Parish more. My problem is, every year I make these plans, and I never carry them out, so I have to change my tactics, approach it all from a different angle. Does anyone else have any suggestions for me?

Vatican: Bishop's apology on Holocaust not enough

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Writer Fri Feb 27, 6:02 pm ET

VATICAN CITY – An apology from a bishop who denied the Holocaust wasn't good enough, the Vatican said Friday, adding that he must repudiate his views if he wants to be a Roman Catholic clergyman.

The statement by Bishop Richard Williamson "doesn't appear to respect the conditions" the Vatican set out for him, said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, a spokesman for the pope.

In an interview broadcast last month on Swedish state TV and in previous letters and speeches, Williamson denied 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, saying about 200,000 or 300,000 were murdered. He said none was gassed.

Williamson apologized for his remarks on Thursday upon his arrival in his native Britain after being ordered to leave Argentina. He said he would never have made them if he had known "the full harm and hurt to which they would give rise."

But he didn't say he had been wrong or that he no longer believed what he had said.(The rest of the story can be found here)

How many of us had to explain all of this to friends or coworkers in the past week? Isn't it interesting how the press left out the fact that what the Pope did was simply lift the excommunication so they can attend mass and nothing-NOTHING- more? It was a gesture of forgiveness that was supposed to be reciprocated by these four bishops, not an absolution of their sins, nor an act of alliance with Williamsons twisted views.

As far as I'm concerned, they did more damage to the church than Williamson's delusional and ignorant beliefs did. Shame on him for being being the braying jack-ass he is, and shame on the media for feeding him.

So were going to start working on "Leave No Trace" this week in our Tiger Cub den, and I thought maybe I'd post about LNT here, in case noone has heard of it.

As more people use parks and recreation facilities, LEAVE NO TRACE® guidelines become even more important for outdoor visitors.

Leave No Trace is a plan that helps people to be more concerned about their environment and to help them protect it for future generations. Leave No Trace applies in a backyard or local park (frontcountry) as much as it does in the wilderness (backcountry).

We should practice Leave No Trace in our attitude and actions--wherever we go. Understanding nature strengthens our respect toward the environment. One person with thoughtless behavior or one shortcut on a trail can spoil the outdoor experience for others.

Help protect the environment by remembering that while you are there, you are a visitor. When you visit the outdoors, take special care of the area. Leave everything just as you find it.

Hiking and camping without a trace are signs of a considerate outdoorsman who cares for the environment. Travel lightly on the land.

Watch for hazards and follow all the rules of the park or outdoor facility. Remember proper clothing, sunscreen, hats, first aid kits, and plenty of drinking water. Use the buddy system. Make sure you carry your family's name, phone number, and address.

Stay on marked trails whenever possible. Short-cutting trails causes the soil to wear away or to be packed, which eventually kills trees and other vegetation. Trampled wildflowers and vegetation take years to recover. Stick to trails!

Managing your pet will keep people, dogs, livestock, and wildlife from feeling threatened. Make sure your pet is on a leash or controlled at all times. Do not let your pet approach or chase wildlife. When animals are chased or disturbed, they change eating patterns and use more energy that may result in poor health or death.

Take care of your pet's waste. Take a small shovel or scoop and a pick-up bag to pick up your pet's waste— wherever it's left. Place the waste bags in a trash can for disposal.

When visiting any outdoor area, try to leave it the same as you find it. The less impact we each make, the longer we will enjoy what we have. Even picking flowers denies others the opportunity to see them and reduces seeds, which means fewer plants next year.

Use established restrooms. Graffiti and vandalism have no place anywhere, and they spoil the experience for others. Leave your mark by doing an approved conservation project.

Expect to meet other visitors. Be courteous and make room for others. Control your speed when biking or running. Pass with care and let others know before you pass. Avoid disturbing others by making noise or playing loud music.

Respect "No Trespassing" signs. If property boundaries are unclear, do not enter the area.

Make sure all trash is put in a bag or trash receptacle. Trash is unsightly and ruins everyone's outdoor experience. Your trash can kill wildlife. Even materials, such as orange peels, apple cores and food scraps, take years to break down and may attract unwanted pests that could become a problem.

Memories......

I was looking through old photographs yesterday, and I found this photo. It kind of struck me, because I think this is who I got my sense of adventure in the outdoors from. This is a picture of me, my sister and our Grandfather on a hike in the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey. He and my Grandmother moved there after he retired from ARCO in Philadelphia. He loved the ocean; had a sailboat, and a big Chris craft with a flying deck.

He used to take us out almost daily on the big boat; We'd go out and explore all the little hidden coves in Barnegat Bay, sliding effortlessly past hunting cabins and duck blinds closed for the season, past sand bars and jetties. We'd spend the best part of our summers fishing ,clamming, and finding seahorses and horshoe crabs in the shallows arounf Barnegat Lighthouse.

My Grandfather loved the outdoors, and I think that part of the reason I love it so. Moreover, i think the joy he had in showing me and my sister new and wonderous things in his backyard is why I want my boys to know it as well. He died 12 years ago, and he left a really big hole in my heart when he went, but I think seeing the wonder of new discoveries in my sons eyes is shoring up that hole, filling it in, making the pain and sorrow fade away like the sun going down on Barnegat Light and the beautiful New Jersey Pine Barrens.

I have a winner!!!

Remember these pictures from a few months ago? Well I finally found out what the little flower in the pictures was! It's not actually a flower at all, it's a Partridge Berry!

"In the wild, partridgeberry is a common component of the forest understory throughout eastern North America. It ranges from Newfoundland south to central Florida and from southern Ontario and Minnesota south to eastern Texas. The diminutive shrub inhabits the shady nooks of rich mixed-deciduous woods, preferring acidic soils. As an evergreen, it compensates for its low-light environment through its ability to photosynthesize during the entire winter season. From late spring to fall, the forest floor is cloaked in semidarkness, and mats of Mitchella repens lie prostrate, soaking up whatever sunlight penetrates the canopy above.

The creeping shrub hugs the ground, growing to only two inches in height. As the stems spread out, the branch and leaf nodes develop roots and anchor themselves into the soil. Eventually the slow-growing plant forms a dense carpet that may be several meters across. This scrambling cover spills down slopes and skirts the base of trees. By favoring such inclines, partridgeberry shrugs off fallen leaves that could otherwise smother it."

So there we have it! Mystery solved.

Sorry for the absence, but I've been under the weather pretty harshly since around this time last month. I found myself over new years day with a sharp pain in my right calf that soon intensified . Long story short, I had streptococcal cellulitis in my leg that required IV's and a boat load of anti-biotics to get rid of. I have a really nasty scar on my leg now, but aside from that I'm doing pretty good.

Suffice it to say, I have not had much time for the outdoors in the past 31 days, but I'm hoping to remedy that really soon. In the interim I have found something really cool via the CU Underground!

Apparently the Holy Father has his own You Tube page! that was cool enough, but then i found this ad that NBC apparently refused to run during the Superbowl....

Birding.....

I wish I had taken this photo, but I didn't. But I did see a Cardinal that was this vivid on Saturday with the boys, as we went on our weekend hike. I'm really pleased that they've kind of gotten into the idea of these hikes. This past weekend, we went out with the intent of birdwatching. Well, we did see a few cardinals, and we heard some titmice, but it wasn't a very fruitful adventure in as far as birding went. But the boys had fun, we got some exercise, and I actually felt pretty good. In retrospect, I probably should have brought the dog with us, but theres always next time.

Here are my ever watchful assistants, looking for the titmouse and the bluejay that were carrying on somewhere in the trees.

A tree had been cut down recently, and here my assistants are dilligently counting the rings in said tree to see how old it was. I think they gave up after 35 rings.

Lastly, I took this picture with the macro enabled on my little Sony Cybershot in an attempt to get a decent enough picture to enter an amateur photo contest our local parks dept is putting on. whatya think? I've got more, perhaps some that are even better (hopefully).