The First Passover

THE FIRST PASSOVER

Passover (pesach or חַג הַפֶּסַח) begins this Monday, April 22 and runs until Tuesday, April 30th. The word “pesach” means literrally to “skip,” “pass over” or “omit.” Passover lasts for seven days (eight in certain circumstances.) The length of Passover also has a certain significance. The children of Israel left their ghetto in Goshen the first day of the Passover, and arrived at the Red Sea on the seventh day, when the sea parted for Moses and Egypt was just...

Barn Burning

BARN BURNING

Around 1848, the Democratic Party in New York State was split into two factions over the issue of slavery. The moderate of the two factions (called the “Hunkers”) wanted to “hunker down” and hope that the issue of slavery would disappear or resolve itself somehow without leading to war. The more radical of the two factions were the Barnburners who wanted to rid the country of slavery so badly that they were willing to destroy the Democratic Party in the...

The Secret Life of Trees

THE SECRET LIFE OF TREES

This is an updated post to include additional information. I have had a few thoughts of trees lately. It’s autumn in New England, and though my wife and I live in upstate New York, the spectacular colors of fall do not stop at the Vermont border. Also, living with a forest in our backyard provides us with ample reminders that winter is fast approaching as thousands of leaves, blown by the wind, scurry across our driveway daily like shifting sand....

Dance the night away

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) once said “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” Or, perhaps, by those who would not hear the music? You may hear harmonies, particular chords and notes, even instruments in a musical composition that I am oblivious to. I might find musical patterns in the wind-blown chimes outside my home or in the water of a rushing brook–places where you might not pause to listen....

The Easter Promise

THE EASTER PROMISE

I would be remiss for not mentioning Easter on a blog dealing in part with faith.  When people today think of Easter, they might think of rabbits, baby chicks, new clothing, jelly beans, colored eggs and a family meal together.  But this is not the true meaning of Easter. The true meaning of Easter deals with a promise of hope, of life after death, and of God’s intention to keep His promise. The Easter promise. When you look at the Holy days...

Waiting

WAITING

On the eve of Ron’s fourteenth chemotherapy treatment, he asked me if I wanted to write an update on how I was dealing with his illnesses.  I asked, “On what? The Big C., Parkinson’s, your heart issues, your shoulder pain, or your other issues?”  He said, “No really, my readers might want your perspective.”  I quietly answered, “I am labeled as a strong woman and for the most part, I am and can be, but I have my days and the gloomy...

ON THE TRAIL OF CANCER ONE YEAR LATER

April 24, 2024 (Wednesday) I had a quarterly cystoscopy today, and it seems to be the most problematic of the four that I’ve had to date. I could not clearly see the monitor, but I did note half a dozen white pearl-like circles which seemed unusual. There were areas of inflammation which my urologist said were possibly from my chemo, even though it’s been six weeks since my last treatment. My doctor performed a tour de force sweep of my...

51 Pegasi b

51 PEGASI b

51 Pegasi b is a planet originally and informally named “Bellerophon” after a Greek mythological hero who captured the winged-steed Pegasus for whom the constellation where 51 Pegasi is located is named.1 However, and since then, the International Astronomical Union has renamed the planet as Dimidium, which means “half.” The reference here is that Dimidium is half the mass of our planet Jupiter (though the planet, itself, is larger than Jupiter.) This suggests that the superheated atmosphere is not nearly...

Lights

LIGHTS

Deena and I are planning a trip to Maine in May.  There are many reasons we enjoy excursions to “The Pine Tree State.”  There is the sheer charm and natural diversity of the state, the seafood cuisine, Maine’s culture and history, the rocky, rugged shores and, of course, the many lighthouses that dot the coast of the state.  The coast of Maine, itself, is barely 230 miles long as the crow flies, but if you include the many navigable channels, bays and inlets...

When God came to Ireland

WHEN GOD CAME TO IRELAND

In this post, I’d like to share when God came to Ireland. In the beginning, in Ériu, in Éire, long before the land was dubbed Ireland and before the birth of Christ, there were the Celts.  This group traces their beginnings to 1,200 B.C. and they were predominantly in four countries of Europe; France, Spain, Britain and Ireland. The influence of the Celts was pervasive, militant, and it took Julius Caesar six years to conquer then (if he ever truly did.) The Celtic...