Saturday Bike Ride

Beautiful sunny Saturday. So got on the old mountain bike (the only one left) and went for a 10 mile spin. Compared to days of old, this was a short ride. But it's just like starting over.

This is the end of the Fastrak trail but was not the end of the ride for me.
I had to keep riding in order to return home.

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Written Monday 25 May 2020.

Blue Skies

The above is what the sky looked like when I bopped out this afternoon for a quick walk: Blue skies smiling at me. And that marshmallow cloud!

Wow!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UDbOzfKDm4&list=RD1UDbOzfKDm4&start_radio=1&t=1
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Written Monday 25 May 2020.

Purple Blossoms

The weather today was significantly different (i.e., worse) that yesterday. It was gray, drizzly, and cool. Still, at the end of the day, I went for a walk along the Fastrak in order to get some air and say the rosary.

 

One outstanding feature of this evening's stroll was the vibrancy of these small trees with purple blossoms. These pictures don't do justice to what they really looked like. These kind of trees are spaced on regular intervals along the length of the Fastrack.

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Written Monday 25 May 2020.

Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima

Last evening, Wednesday May 13th, the weather was very pleasant during my quick walk to say the rosary. During the Covid-19 Corona Virus, I thought it might be worthwhile to say the rosary. I like to say it out loud as I walk. Although I no longer consider myself a Roman Catholic, I find the rosary to be calming. Some might call it a centering prayer. And I don't just mouth the words mindlessly; I meditate on the mysteries (but not about the life of Jesus), on what the general mystery means.

I liked how the sun was so bright on the trees this evening.

As I was finishing up, I detected a sweet aroma of fresh blossoms. The smell instantly took me back years ago to my boyhood (Warren Rd) when we would have have May crowning ceremonies at home (Friday evenings?). We'd say (part of?) the rosary before a statue of the Blessed Mother alongside a vase of fresh cut flowers. At the end, we'd sing "Oh Mary We Crown Thee with Blossoms Today" and (of course) "Immaculate Mary." Then one of us (usually one of the girls) would place a tiny ring of flowers (the crown) on top of the head of the Mary statue.

This morning, while I was reading the news, I remembered that yesterday May 13th was the 103rd anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. And how sad that the church blocked pilgrims from coming to pray. And how sad that most of the churches, Catholic and Protestant, have bowed to the secular government and closed "out of an abundance of caution" due to corona virus.  This was the first time in over 100 years that Fatima was closed...and it was done on the express wishes of the Catholic Church hierarchy itself. Sick! Sad! Corrupt! Evil!.

I felt that I was being called to take some action, that the aroma of sweet blossoms last night to remind me of the May crownings of old was not mere nostalgia but a sign.

So I used the mass text list that my siblings use and sent my witness to Fatima, the corrupt church, and the need to pray-especially the rosary.

Of course, I received flack from several siblings.

Of course, none of my siblings stood up for me or the rosary or prayers.

Disappointed? Of course. Surprised? No.

The lack of response is an indication of where we are at today and why this quarantine has been so successful at imprisoning us.
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Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_devotions_to_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/fatima-shrine-scrubbed-of-pilgrims-on-bishops-covid-orders
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Written Monday 25 May 2020.

Over the Rainbow

Rainbow.

During this evening's walk, I spotted a rainbow (and it wasn't even raining where I was walking). It lasted for quite a while. Alas, no sign of the pot-o-gold.

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Written Monday 25 May 2020.