Spring Sunset

 

It was kind of cold and windy earlier today, but it got nicer later, and right after work I went out for a walk. I ran into our neighbor who used to be the condo board president, walking her little dog and talking to another woman walking a little dog. This woman lives in the condo complex on the other side of the road, and my neighbor said, "Let's sit in my driveway and have drinks." We drank Prairie Fume wine and ate popcorn and Chex Mix while we chatted and petted the dogs. It was so pleasant. After the other two left, I went down to the dock and saw two other neighbors getting into their canoe. I asked if they were going toward the marsh or the lake, and they said, "The marsh." Then after dinner, Travalon and I went to the dock, and we saw those same neighbors coming back. They described some ducks they had seen in the marsh, and I said, "Sounds like scaups." Later I got an email from the wife: "You were right." She looked them up online, and they were indeed scaups.

Here are some photos from the dock at sunset this evening. First, the cranes hiding in the marsh grass, as they always do.

These are the six coots always hanging around our dock lately. I hope they have babies - baby coots have bright red feathers, and that would truly be something to see.

Right in front of us, the sky was on fire...

...while off to the left it was a pastel dream with cotton candy clouds.

This mallard drake is swimming off into the sunset. I love the pink water!

Tonight during Night Prayer, the Dairyman's Daughter said some pro-abortion people are planning to protest at Catholic Masses this weekend. I hope this isn't true, but if it is, we brought this on ourselves. So many prominent American Catholics are very opposed to abortion, but totally in favor of greedy policies that enrich the already wealthy and leave the poor to starve. Murder by omission is just as serious as murder by commission - just ask the rich guy who ignored the beggar Lazarus at his door. And so many of these so-called Catholics are opposed to Pope Francis because he reminds them of the Church's teachings that they don't like. If you are pondering who is truer to Church teachings, the Vicar of Christ chosen by the Holy Spirit, or you yourself, and the answer is not the former, then you are by definition a Protestant. The problem is, non-Catholics think EWTN and the National Catholic Register and even worse things on the internet are what actual Catholics believe, so no wonder they are confused and hate us all. I mean, I kind of hate those people too, although I am trying not to. That's the lesson I need to learn in this life: everyone is made in the image and likeness of God, even those who are perverting His teachings. If a person thought those were real Catholics, I can see why she would think the Church's teachings on abortion are just to suppress women and not to defend the weak from the strong, since those people absolutely are defending the strong from the weak in every other case. Their track record is atrocious. If any nonreligious person is reading this, I'm here to tell you that those people are no more Catholic than you are. I don't care what they call themselves, especially if it's loud and on TV. You are not a Catholic if you do not follow ALL the Church's teachings. And to think these people used to sneer about "cafeteria Catholics"! They are the worst pickers and choosers of all.

Famous Hat