Musing: Rainbows

It was another gloomy day in central Iowa.
Dense fog warnings for commuters.
Thick clouds hiding any hint of sunshine.

It was the perfect day to go back to bed.
But I had to take the original copy of my best beloved’s will to the attorney.

On the way home, I detoured by the Greater Des Moines Botanical Gardens.
I had no intention of going in.
Just wanted to walk along the Des Moines River (the paved path had been cleared).

This rainbow colored sculpture caught my attention.
In a landscape of white and shades of dreary, I couldn’t help but smile.
The bright colors lifted my spirits.
And left me thinking about rainbows.

A sign of hope.
After the storm – between storms – the sun peeks through.
There is a moment of calm.
An opportunity to pause, to take a deep breath.

Time to remember.
The story of the Great Flood and the bow God set in the clouds. (Genesis 9:12-16)
A sign from God. A sign for God.
That God will see and remember the promise not to destroy all flesh with a flood.

But there are still floods. There are times of destruction.
Periods of being overwhelmed.
Some as a consequence of life, of living, of being part of creation.
Many a matter of our own making. (sigh)

Yet there are rainbows.
Reminders to pause, to take a deep breath.
Opportunities to be still, to remember, to give thanks.

God remembers.
Has been been with us through the storm.
Will be with us when clouds gather and floods come.
Is here now.

For today, that is enough.

Photo Challenge: Puzzle

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I’m so excited that Frank of Dutch Goes the Photo! is back with his Tuesday Photo Challenge. This week’s theme is “puzzle.” He used the word “puzzlement” in his blog post, making me think of the statue in this first picture.

“Thinker on a Rock” by Barry Flannagan, Pappajohn Sculpture Park, Des Moines. Photo by TLClark, 1/8/2021.

There’s nearly always a jigsaw puzzle in progress on the card table at my house. If you only look at the front of the pieces, this one is a challenge. But if you notice the back, putting it together is somewhat easier.

My father emails me most Sundays with a copy of “the fiver” – five intertwined Sudoku puzzles. He usually adds advice like “turn off the TV, get something to drink, and do the fiver.”

If a jigsaw puzzle or a Sudoku aren’t your thing, maybe you would enjoy a puzzle for your brain found in one of these books. (I’m a bit puzzled about the atlas being on this shelf!)

May you solve – or least come to terms with – every puzzle that comes your way this week.

CMMC: January Color – Pink

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Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge color for January is pink. I’ve tried to come up with photos of a variety of objects. The hardest part was choosing just one pink flower!

Pink Office and Art Supplies. 1/14/2021.

Pink Shoelace and Shoe Tongue. 1/14/2021.

Pink Glass. Pappajohn Sculpture Park, 1/8/21.

Hibiscus (I think!). Reiman Gardens, Ames, Iowa.

Photo a Week Challenge: Abandoned

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Smith Mine Abandoned Buildings. Photo: TLCLark, 11/17/2020.

I’m a week late to the challenge, but have thought about this picture since Nancy Merrill issued her photo a week challenge: Abandoned. These buildings mark the Smith Coal Mine, “the site of the worst underground coal mine disaster in Montana history.”

My parents and I had taken a drive, in part, to check out this site near Bearcreek, Montana. As much as we would have liked to get closer to look around and take pictures, we heeded the “no trespassing” signs. Besides that, the wind was cold and it was a steep walk down to the fence.

CMMC – Word that Contains the Letter U

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Mallard Ducks, Riverfront Park, Billings, Montana. Photo: TLClark, 12/31/2020.

Ducks. For Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – “Word that Contains the Letter U.”

Ducks in Flight, *Riverfront Park, Billings, Montana. Photo: TLClark, 12/31/2020.*

Rusty Nail. On a some old, falling apart piece of farm equipment.

Shuffle. The picture was taken in response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt last Monday but I didn’t get around to writing a post. Playing pinochle with my parents was more fun than blogging.

Shuffling Cards. Photo: TLClark, 12/28/2020.

Upside Down Umbrella. It’s a picture from a few years ago that I didn’t use for one of Dutch Goes the Photo! Tuesday Photo Challenges. (Frank, if you see this, know that you are missed.)

Upside Down Umbrella. Photo: TLCLark, 8/7/2019.

Tulips. All kinds of colors – a departure from my usual “one flower” approach.

Tulips, Reiman Gardens, Ames, Iowa. Photo: TLClark, 5/4/2018.

CMMC – December Close Up or Macro

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Leaves in Cup with Pinecone. Photo: TLClark, 12/6/2020.

Sometimes I pick up “treasures” when walking through a park. Usually I just take a closer look then leave them where found. Occasionally I carry them home for Another LQQK.

These two leaves and pinecone were collected while walking at Pioneer Park in Billings, Montana.

*Pinecone in Cup with Leaves. Photo: TLClark, 12/6/2020.*

The cup and saucer are souvenirs from my visit to the Huntley Project Museum. Both were made by Katie Redfield of Open Sky Arts in Butte, Montana. Visit openskyartsmontana.com to see more of her work.

*Cup & Saucer with Pinecone and Leaves. Photo: TLClark, 12/6/2020.*

Posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – Close Up or Macro.

CMMC – November Alphabet – Word that Contains R and S

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R & S: Items from the Shop 1. Photo: TLClark, 11/26/2020.

Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge this week is Word that Contains “R” and “S”.

Yesterday, after supper, we started a list of words. Turns out Dad’s shop is a super place to take pictures in response to Cee’s challenge. Looking at the two pictures of his workbench (similar but not exactly alike), how many words with both an “r” and an “s” can you name? Note that we decided plurals don’t count unless the singular form has both an “r” and an “s.”

R & S: Items from the Shop 2. Photo: TLClark, 11/26/2020.

For a closer look, scroll through the following photos.

Here’s our list:

Chalk String
Crescent Wrench
Crosscut saw
Pencil Sharpener
Rasp
Sander
Sandpaper
Scissors
Scrap Lumber
Screen
Screw
Screwdriver
Scroll Saw
Spray Bottle
Spray Paint
Square
Stairs
Steel Bristle Brush
Surge Protector
Tape Measure
Washers
Yardstick

Thanks, Cee, for another fun challenge!

CMMC: November Pick a Topic

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Judy, Julie and Snickerdoodle. Photo: TLClark, 11/10/2020.

It’s another photo challenge and I get to pick the topic based on a picture! Click on this link to see the picture and the guidelines of Cee’s challenge.

Walk. I’m visiting my parents and we walk with dear friends every day. The picture above is definitely a candid shot, another possibility for the topic of the day.

Fence. More than one fence keeps folk on the foot bridge and out of the water. I’m intrigued by stripes and the grid in the shadow.

.Foot Bridge, Shiloh Conservation Area, Billings, MT. Photo: TLClark, 11/19/2020.

Orange. The only orange I could find outdoors in central Montana in mid-November is on Snickerdoodle’s scarf. After I looked a the challenge photo again, the topic for this picture could also be fuzzy.

Snickerdoodle. Photo: TLClark, 11/21/2020.

Posted in response to Cee’s Midweek Madness Challenge – November Pick a Topic from [her] Photo. Such fun!

RDP Saturday: STEPS

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Steps – Not Quite Done. Photo: TLClark, 11/21/2020.I

Though I read the Ragtag Daily Prompt for bloggers daily and sometimes even think about what I could write, the day usually ends before I do anything about it.

Not today.

I’m at my parents’ home. Dad is building new steps to go out the back door. And the prompt is steps.

Dad posing with his new steps. Photo: TLClark, 11/212020.

When I asked if I could take his picture with the steps, Dad straightened right up and said, “cheese.” (Not exactly. But it looks like he said, “cheese.”)

Working on the Steps. Photo: TLClark, 11/212020.

Sometimes a project goes together as planned.

Other times, it takes making just the right face.

Dad Working on Steps. Photo: TLClark, 11/21/2020.

Whether it’s new steps or something else, may you make just the right face to have it go together perfectly.

+ + +

Posted in response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt (RDP) SATURDAY: STEPS. Click here to see the challenge; then scroll down in that post to find links to other responses.

A Photo a Week Challenge: JOY

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Longtime Friends. Shiloh Conservation Area, Billings, Montana. Photo: TLClark, 11/6/2020.

In this strange time of pandemic, what brings you joy?

Julie and Judy. *Shiloh Conservation Area, Billings, Montana.* Photo: TLClark, 11/6/2020.

For my parents, it’s a walk and a visit with longtime friends. The walking started as rehab for Mom. In this time of social distancing, it’s grown into a (nearly) daily habit – good for body, mind, and spirit.

Tom and Don. *Shiloh Conservation Area, Billings, Montana.* Photo: TLClark, 11/6/2020.

The gals stay on level ground. The guys take a longer loop. The dog would like to go with both but is forced to choose.

Snickerdoodle. Photo: TLClark, 11/12/2020.

Posted in response to Nancy Merrill’s challenge “A Photo a Week Challenge: Joy.”