It's nearly December.

It's Texas, and Nature is confused.

On Thanks...

Green salad, double-smoked ham, and Abuela Foster's mac 'n cheese.  A half-finger of Knob Creek Rye, to remember all those who have served, are serving, or never made it home.  For their sacrifices, I am thankful.

For family, those at home, and those living far away...

 Los Tres Amigos!  

For friends...you know who you are, and you are like unto family to me.

The tree, the symbol of a promise of long ago, and the promise yet to come.

Beauty in the midst of fall

If my slow internet connection would ever get around to sending the individual pics to my laptop email, I could load the pictures here... aargh!

This is a Beautyberry bush.  Apparently you can make a drink akin to lemonade from the berries.  They are rather astringent if you just chew one up.

The best laid plans...

The plan had been to have some fun with our bonfire yesterday.  However, evil reared its ugly head yesterday, in Sutherland Springs TX, and put a damper on everyone's mood.  Oh, we still lit the fire, we needed to burn the scrap wood off, but we cooked no potatoes, the kids went in early, DH didn't stay long either, so I ended up sitting in a camp chair, watching it burn down low.  Just to be safe...

It became a thoughtful time, out there in the dark, with only the fire and my thoughts--thoughts on those poor souls murdered during worship, thoughts on how similar both churches in my life are, to that little Baptist rural church, thoughts on the historical significance of Guy Fawkes day, and other such musings.

I have been feeling nudges to do certain things to preserve life, recently.  Things I felt before the awful events of yesterday.  It makes me wonder if God is trying to tell me something...I do try to pay attention to these nudges.  They tend to be important.

I want to be prepared to respond to crises in my life.  Which brings us to the Threat Matrix.  Everyone has one, and everyone's is different, but most folks don't think much about it.   A Threat Matrix is simply you considering the bad stuff that can happen to you in life, and then logically considering its effects on you, and the likelyhood that such a thing will happen.  Then once you have ranked such events, you list out what actions you can take to ameliorate the perceived danger.

For example:  I live in Tornado Alley.  Several significant tornadoes have struck in my area.  I have family I wish to protect. 
What is the threat?  Severe weather (large hail, high winds, tornadoes). 
Is it likely?  I would rate it moderate to highly likely to occur. 
What are the effects of such a storm?  Property loss, injury, loss of life.
What can I do about it?  Maintain home insurance.  Have a first aid kit and communications.  Have a storm shelter.

This is my storm shelter.   There are many like it, but this one is mine...

That is how a threat matrix works.  You can consider any threat, from terror attack, to home invasion, to a slip on the ice.  It allows you to rate and rank threats in a more logical, less emotional way, which will hopefully lead you to more reasoned responses.  The more likely you think an event will occur, or if the effects are too damaging to your life, then you are more apt to allocate funds to prevent the incident from occuring.

First aid is a prime example of a perceived need in my mind.  Yes, we have "some" first aid supplies at home.  No, I am not obsessive about it, merely 'well prepared'.  But I would like to enhance my portable supplies.  I want to order one of these kits:  TACMED DOK  It would live in my shoulder bag where I keep spare cell phone  batteries and cables, pens, etc.  That bag tends to go with me to Co-op, and on road trips.  Just in case...I'd rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

Stay frosty, my friends.  Stay safe.

Art in Nature

 The discoloration is called Spalting.  The wood is pecan.