Beauty at the Beach

Wordless Wednesday 

Quote of the Week

Men fight for freedom, then they begin to accumulate laws to take it away from themselves.  - Author Unknown

There is a troubling issue facing us today.  We look around and ask, "what is the world coming to?"  What really happened?  History keeps repeating itself because we never face the real problem.  Violence, by all methods, has been around as long as humans have inhabited this planet.  

Against whom is this violence most often perpetrated?  The answer is simple - the defenseless.  They are the easiest targets, providing the would-be killers with multitudes of innocents upon which to unleash their rage.  Where is their protection?  At best, long minutes away.  For the more isolated, much longer.

For weeks, I have read the railings of those opposed to guns, ranging from the mildly uncomfortable to those who would strip away our 2nd amendment rights.  They cry for gun control and to ban certain types of weapons and accessories.  They beg for signatures on their petitions to further their agenda with our elected officials.   This is not the solution.  Taking away gun rights just means more innocent people will die needlessly.

It is time to address the real issue.  It is not the number of guns or the size of the magazine, but the people behind the guns that are the problem.   Not all people, but people who have a history of crime, drugs, psychological or mental issues, or are just plain violent people.  Only when we look at the real problem, will we begin to make a real difference. 

Remember, the bad guys will always have the guns.  I just prefer to stay on equal footing.

I know based on what I've been reading through social media that this is not a popular position with some of you.  I understand and respect that we all have different ways of looking at things, whether we agree with each other or not.  In the end, we do the research and the soul searching and hopefully come to our own conclusions. 

Ringing in 2013

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Twas The Nght Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas is a story familiar to youngsters everywhere.  I remember my Mom reading it to me when I was knee-high to a grasshopper.  You know, memories are funny things, and sometimes they fade or become intertwined with others, creating new memories until you're not sure what you really remember.  This is one of those times for me.

I think I remember making a book, probably out of construction paper, with the words and pictures from my copy of Twas The Night Before Christmas.  I suspect Mom helped me put it together, hole-punched it and bound it with yarn.  I believe this was a Christmas present for Daddy.  So far, I have not found this book as I continue to look through things in the attic, though I hope to come across it one day.

Since I cannot share with you my childhood artwork, I give you this video, which tells the story with the illustrations I think I remember from my book all those years ago.

Merry Christmas from our house to yours.  May you find peace and love in your homes and hearts.

Nursery Rhyme Redo: This Little Piggy

Image Source: captivatedbymandie.com

One little piggy went to market
Two little piggies went to Rome
Three little piggies had a good time
All the little piggies got stoned
But not one little piggy  
followed Mary home
Oh wait...that's another story.