this old house

Old Houses

Year after year after year

I have come to love slowly

how old houses hold themselves - 

before November's drizzled rain

or refreshing light of June - 

as if they have all come to agree 

that, in time, the days are no longer 

a matter of suffering or rejoicing.

I have come to love

how they take on the color of rain or sun

as they go on keeping their vigil without need of sign,

awaiting nothing more 

than the birds that sing from the eaves, 

the seizing cold that sounds from the rafters.

Robert Cording

Speechless . . .

I don't really even know how to respond to this ad for MSNBC without my head exploding, so I'll just throw it up there for your perusal.




“I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” 
― Thomas Jefferson

Raccoon Mountain, TN Spring Break 2013

Special K, Spelunker

Last view of the Walking Tour before plunging into the Wild Cave Adventure Tour with a guide, Peyton, headlamps, kneepads, helmets, bats, salamanders, and spiders.

Special K scaling the cave wall like a pro.

A glimpse at God's handiwork underground.

Big Al, the game trouper!

Special K in a Waterfall Room

A view of the Chandelier Room from afar.

Special K and Peyton in the "Music Room."

A sigh of relief after 49 Cent Squeeze

Near the end of 4.5 hours under the Mountain

Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power, who can understand?  Job 26:14

It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens.  Jeremiah 10:12

Special thanks to the Bookout Bed and Breakfast in B'ham.  Always a joy to visit.

Tornado coming down Hardy Street on Sunday, Feb 10, 2013

 

Most of the old oak trees in front of USM are gone. In parts of the city, the view of the landscape has been drastically altered.


 
This is a picture of the USM alumni house that sits/sat at the corner of Hardy and 49.

This is how lots of houses we are working on look.

What is left of Westminster Church, one of my favorite buildings in town.

Another shot of housing damage.

Special K with a wheelbarrow full of debris.





In areas of town from Oak Grove through Hattiesburg and into Petal the damage is as bad as you could imagine.  If you are reticent to believe in miracles, you should stand in some of these spots and wonder how not one single person was killed.

A special thanks to CBA, CBF, and other volunteers we have worked with over the last week.  I met and worked with folks from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Alabama, and Arkansas.  There are countless others here in H'burg helping from all over the country.  Thank you for your support and your help.

Special K's 1st Deer; 7 point

Spartan Sprint Perkinstonm MS 2012

Bluebirds 2012

All things bright and beautiful . . .

. . . the Lord God made them all.