THU Edition of Whimsical WED

Welcome to Summer + Smelly Nebraska + Virtue

Today is the first day of summer. It was 58 degrees outside when I got up this morning. There is no place like Nebraska. Which brings me to . . . 

There Is No Place Like . . . Nebraska

Omaha World Herald (6/16):  "The scent of our state? For $30, you can find out. Pricey Nebraska-branded candle claims to smell like 'football leather' & 'hay.' Does Nebraska have an overall smell? And if so, what does that smell smell like? Corn? Football? Hard-won pragmatism? Hog farms? Soybeans? . . . Perhaps a $30 candle can shed some light on the matter. Homesick, a company that sells candles that purport to smell like states, has made a Nebraska candle. Which I bought. For $30 . . . It is 13.75 ounces of soy wax poured into a glass roughly the size & shape of a beer can (Go Big Red). It has between 60-80 hours of burn time. Its ingredients are scents of lemon & bergamot (a fragrant citrus fruit), subtle undertones of cedarwood, patchouli, & rose, & with a spicy tonka bean finish. A tonka bean . . . is a seed native to Central America . . . 
        "This, then, is what the Nebraska candle claims to smell like:  'notes of rich football leather, fresh cut hay & rolling thunderstorms . . . " COMMENT:  What about the scent from the cattle feedlots of Cuming County, which borders Madison County on the east--location of Norfolk?

Norfolk Daily News (6/19):  "Attend Carp-O-Rama @ Branched Oak SRA. Anglers of all ages interested in learning al aspects of carp fishing are invited to attend Carp-O-Rama on June 23 at branched Oak State Recreation Area (SRA) . . . Carp caught by anglers will be used in demonstrations on cleaning, preparing & cooking the fish. The cooked fish then will be served as a free lunch. Other activities include fish printing & Dutch oven cooking demonstrations . . . Carp is an excellent fish for beginning anglers to pursue because they are plentiful statewide, & the required equipment is relatively simple. The strong-fighting fish also is not restricted by bag, possession limits or size limits." COMMENT:  This recipe for carp was passed along to me many years ago by a fisherman from Lincoln, NE. Take a piece of balsa wood & slather it in butter. Place a medium size carp on it. Bake for 30 minutes. Throw away the carp. Eat the balsa wood.

. . . California

OWH (6/14):  "Initiative to split California projected to make ballot. An initiative that seeks to split CA into three states is projected to qualify for the state's NOV ballot . . . It would create the states of Northern CA & Southern CA & a narrow central coast strip retaining the name California. Even if voters back the initiative, an actual split would require several more steps including approval from Congress. COMMENT:  Another reason why it's important for Republicans to retain control of the House & Senate. We don't need 4 more Democratic senators + a plethora of more Democratic representatives.

Wisdom & Wit of Cal Thomas *

* One of my 2 favorite partisan pundits

"Who decided traditional virtues were no longer viable & should not be taught to schoolchildren? Was a study conducted that found young people were being damaged from learning how to live & respect one another? Were they expected to catch these virtues on their own without guidance from elders? If so, why do we teach table manners, not interrupting when someone else is talking, sharing & many other things to counter what our lower nature doesn't teach us . . . 
        "In the train wreck of our present culture, we are witnessing the failure over the last 50 years to instruct & disciple our children in ways that as adults they are more likely to embrace the values that can lead to a virtuous life. Why did we expect any other outcome after mostly abandoning these virtues? If you penalize & discourage virtuous things you will get less virtue; conversely, if you subsidize & encourage virtue, you will get more of it.
        "The scandals playing out in newspapers & on TV speak to this. The question now is will we 'repent,' as the Scriptures advise, & seek a new path which, in fact, is a very old path that leads to a more virtuous life, or continue down the current path which leads to destruction?"

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:  A SHADOW OF PROTECTION

“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 17:8

“ . . . the shadow of the wings is the learning of Scriptures, in which there is rest for those who devote themselves to this learning.” Martin Luther Psalm by Psalm, Concordia Publishing House, 2017.