Kathleen's Korner at TheStidhams.com

Wind, rain, cold. We have it all, here in beautiful rural western washington…

We experienced a power surge this morning when a transformer down the road blew. The major items were spared, but the router for our LAN was toasted. One child chose to go play at a friend’s house and spend the night, though they were totally without power. The other is home, and was content to read and talk with us.

Good thing, too. We worked through some difficulties from earlier in the week. And had a good time.

And it is wet. It is dark. It is cold.  I must admit, it is worth it.  The clouds parted briefly tonight, and the stars that we could see were brilliant. Clear, fresh, untouched — unsullied — by man’s needs and hopes and fears and works. A reminder of how small is the world we inhabit.

And we are, obviously, back online.

The leaves littered, and no one cared, not even the street sweepers who leaned on their brooms with vacant expressions.

The rope hung limply, draped over the rung of a ladder, relieved of its years holding flag to pole, awaiting its final fate.

The flag, hoisted aloft once again, sagged against the pole and the stiff, new rope and refused to move through the treacly wet air.

A small nematode chewed thoughtfully on a length of fiber, considering its options. It could continue eating the fiber, it could stop eating the fiber.

It kept eating the fiber. As did its sisters and brothers. The rope, severed, fell…

Just of the “Stid” part of the family — my parents-in-law, my spouse, our children. I was taking the picture, so I am there “in spirit.” It was taken as we were leaving the first SOGO concert (see “Student Orchestras” link in the sidebar) of the year.