grafted in and on the journey

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Dec. 15, Monday, 2025 in my corner of blog land. We have very, very frigid temps at present, but some let-up predicted mid-week. Tuesday of this week, I am putting on a program for a local Woman's organization who are holding their holiday luncheon at a local church. I have a couple piano puzzlers in mind, holiday songs by request of the attendees, some Holiday facts and end with the song, Here We Come A Wassailing. On research, this word goes back to Norse and Saxon roots. It meant, Wishing you good health. It also became a holiday drink later spiced with ale in a Yuletide punch. Writing and Reading Over the past weekend, I was inspired by a prompt that is issued weekly from reedsy.com. Bone Appetit was the topic, and my story is about an aged man who does all in his power to avoid taking more medications for cholesterol and elevated blood work. The story is titled, Convenient Control Comfort and will appear on https://reedsy.com › contests › 333 ...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Tuesday Dec. 9, 2025, in my corner of blog land. Up to six inches of snowfall predicted throughout this day here in my corner. Ugggg. I am 'feelin good' but took a segue from life on Monday to get some needed rest. Sometimes that cycle happens when one just wants everything to slow down to a crawl. Know what I mean? As to Reading and Writing I am about one-third through the Shirley Jackson novel, "We All Lived In A Castle". It's an entertaining story with a few twists and turns included. Most of a family are wiped out when the contents of the sugar bowl are switched to arsenic and a family dinner is the last time most will see each other. As to writing, I am working on a three-part feature called vignettes. Each is centered on a specific life stage. This is still a work in progress. My three titles: Homecoming: A Memoir Waiting for Messiah (anthology) Human Being Human Doing (short stories) are each enrolled in the ninth annual en...

Hello Readers,  Today is Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025 in my snowy corner of blog-land. The final weeks of 2025 have arrived! In less than thirty days we will be bidding goodbye to the current and hello to the forthcoming! Most of this post will be focused on writing and currently reading. I hope you will stay and enjoy our short visit! It's now official: I have a newsletter and website of sorts at Substack . It's a trimmed down version of this blog, but also has several blog posts from here at Substack. Here is the direct link: https://davidcrussell.substack.com Next week, December 8 through New Years Day, my three book titles are enrolled at the end of year smashwords.com sale, EBook only. My titles include: Waiting For Messiah: an anthology, 2017 Homecoming:  A Memoir, 2018 Human Being Human Doing, 2023, six stories of humans living out their convictions . Prices are greatly reduced for the sale! Reading:  " My Name is Lucy Barton " a novella. Lucy is depicting her hospit...

Hello Grafted in Readers, In less than forty-eight hours, the USA Holiday of Thanksgiving will be noted on calendars across North America. I believe Canadians celebrate their Thanksgiving day toward the end of October. I titled this post thanks and no thanks, because both are appropriate boundaries in my opinion. No thanks to the person who may infringe upon us by cutting in line, speaking a little too loudly, placing a little more demand on our time than we want to provide, someone endeavoring to get what we have, the list could go on for some time. What are you thankful for this year? I find somethings are that for which I am more thankful than someones. However, 'someones' are involved with the 'somethings' that make those worthwile: - Readers of this blog - Being able to participate on non-facebook groups like Reddit - A television that works and offers choice for viewing pleasure Good books and periodicals like "Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - Companionship wi...

Hello Grafted In Reader, I feel like one who is in a sprint! Today is Monday, November 10, 2025 in my corner of blog land. A few items below: 1. First, my son, a former US Marine, tells me today is the 250th birthday of the USMC, United Stastes Marine Corp. It is also a sad day for this is the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the ship, the Edmond Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. Of interest to me, one can find a memorial service honoring the families of the deceased mariners online at YouTube, Mariner's Cathedral, Detroit. The recording is recent, November 9, 2025. I want to thank seven of you who have read my last two posts, which I checked before posting our visit. My last post, Birds Of A Feather, is an imagined story with birds as the main characters, and can be read in under five minutes. For interested faith practitioners, a couple conversational facts. Did you know that in Hebrew, Adam's wife Eve, is actually named Chavah? One of the transliterations for Chavah is "Mo...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is a breezy November 4, 2025 in my corner of blog land. As you noticed from the subject, this post will feature a short story of mine titled, Birds Of A Feather. The setting is a beachfront that goes out into a strait called The St. Clair River here in lower SE Michigan. The characters are the birds who share this property with the public. One note, reference is made to the United States Government shutdown, which will hopefully be a thing of the past long before Springtime. We have self-centered public officials from both parties here in the U.S., in my opinion.  Feel free to share this story and blog with your friends and acquaintances. Comments welcome, but do enjoy this little escape from the pings and pongs of life. Birds of a Feather David C. Russell     The 50-mile bridge-to-bay trail was active Memorial Day Weekend.  Winter passed. This spring day offered mostly sunny skies, gentle breeze, a sense of refresh and hopeful...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Wednesday, October 15, 2025  in my corner of blog land.   As you may know, one of my attributes is that of being a short story writer. With that, comes the need to create a general outline, and a general idea of the characters in a given story. I found an article about this topic at Reedsy Editing , with which excerpts are presented below to more less examine oneself. We spoke of mental health in our previous post, and this is a further add-it to that topic. The title of the post is " The Proust Questionnaire ." Excerpt Below 6. What is your idea of happiness? Is happiness something that your character feels every day, or something they strive for? What in this world brings them the most joy? (If you want to go one step further, think about what your character’s perfect day would look like.) Notable answer: “Everybody around me is happy, my spirit is right, and just nothing but peace and tranquility in the building.” — Snoop Dogg , Vanity Fa...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Sept. 30, 2025 in my corner of blog land and predicted to be a mostly sunny day with temps in the high seventies or low twenties Celsius. Here in the U.S., the Federal Government faces the prospect of a temporary shutdown at midnight tonight, eastern time. Of course, officials may come up with something to keep the lights on and the money flowing. Also here, post-season major league baseball games begin today. This will lead up to two teams contending in the MLB World Series in late October. Do you have some major accomplishments to commemorate during October? I began reading a psych thriller two days ago titled, The Argument. The author is one Victoria Jenkins. It's quite captivating and will likely hold one's attention when reading this title. As to my forthcoming book, From My Red Chair, I am adding two or three more short stories to increase the page count by one-third to one-half the total. I will release it hopefully in February just bef...

Hello Grafted In Readers, To those of you observing Rosh Ha'Shanah, a sweet new year to you! Did you feel a sense of "dajavu" on Monday when the news reported Donald Trump's comments on Tylenol Administration During Pregnancy? Summary of that pasted below. Despite the conflicting research and legal disputes, the medical community's consensus remains: • Acetaminophen is considered the safest option for treating fever and pain during pregnancy. • The potential risks of leaving a high fever or serious pain untreated are generally considered to be more significant than the potential risks of short-term, medically advised acetaminophen use. • Pregnant individuals should consult with their healthcare provider to discuss any medication use, and acetaminophen should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time. View related links ACOG Affirms Safety Benefits Acetaminophen Pregnancy ACOG Affirms Safety Benefits Acetaminophen Pregnancy Sep 22, 2025 — ...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today, Sept. 11, 2025, is the 21st anniversary of the Terrorist Attack on America, and on a personal note, the date we closed on the sale of a former home. Today, on a somewhat similar note, we Americans may puzzle over the assassination of a talk journalist that occurred on Sept. 10 at a college campus outdoor event in the state of Utah. I titled this post, All By Myself, to not only honor author Lejla Kalamujic and her book, this date in history, but also to remind us several things in one's life come down to God and our choice as life happens. I will attain this mentioned book from Chirp Audio, but doesn't this sound like a good appeteaser? Description With unapologetic vividness, Lejla Kalamujic depicts pre- and post-war Sarajevo by charting a daughter coping with losing her mother, but discovering herself.  Next visit, we will focus on my forthcoming release in October of "From My Red Chair". Until next visit, may YHVH bless and keep us i...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Sept. 3, 2025 in my corner of blog land. This date has a small melange of occurrences from my past life: 1994: My guide-dog of 16 months was returned to the program where we were matched. She had a chronic issue of showing aggression at the appearanvce of other dogs. I hope her years on planet earth were rewarded with good after we parted on Saturday morning that year, that month. Sept. 3, 1995:  Involved in a motor vehicle accident that took a good three months to fully recover strength. Sept. 3, 1996:  The week of my wedding, which was Saturday, Sept. 7, 1996! Nationally, Hurricane Fran was the storm of the week and month. We are still married, and might enjoy observing the lunar eclipse said to occur this Sept. 7. At least a good dinner somewhere! Nerve pain is the subject of this post. The above wedding was pleasurable, first time for both of us to say, I do. The accident and goodbye to a service dog were undoubtedly significant, wrenchin...

Hello Grafted In Reader, It's nearing the start of August 28, 2025 in my corner of blog land. We have some catching up to do! First, the title of this post is based on an old hymn and suggest you google the lyrics for prayerful inspiration. I think it appeals to all persons of faith. Second, I want to share the description with you of my fourth book title, "From My Red Chair: A Short Story Collection". I hope to release this in about seventy-five to ninety days. Cover Blurb Fiction/Short Stories The late author, Wallace Stegner, observed that strength is measured by the burdens one can bear. In David C. Russell’s new collection, From My Red Chair, he offers commentary on life’s difficulties through six stories. Imagined situations and their respective participants will appear as different from each other as dusk is from dawn. Serenity, complaint, familial flexibility, expert opinion, and amends between associates are viewed in the confines of created, real experience. Tho...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Wednesday August 13, 2025 in my corner of blog land. Not sure we have ever spent much time on this topic over fifteen years, but the title says it all in overview form. At the Collins dictionary site, they frequently feature a game where one can match synonyms to selected words. My wife likes to play a word game where one creates three, four, and five letter words from a set of specific letters. It helps pass time at restaurants. For word game perusal, check out Free Online Word Games | USA TODAY USA Today Free Online Word Games | USA TODAY USA Today https://games.usatoday.com › category › word About this result related to USA Today Play your favorite word games online for free, brought to you by Games USA Today. https://games.usatoday.com › category › word About this result related to USA Today Play your favorite word games online for free, brought to you by Games USA Today. Books Being Read I recently began an interesting read put together by one of...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Monday August 4, 2025 in my corner of blog-land. Mild weather is are lot these summer days. Mostly sunny, too. I heard the Phil Collins song, Sussudio, played on a station from northern Michigan earlier today, UPS 98.5. Looking up the title, it is said to mean something and nothing at the same time; It is allusion to a girl that Phil Collins liked, or fantasy of loving an older woman, according to online info. I have a couple expletivies that are self-made but can only recall them when the mood is exactly right. One is 'gosh darnit'. Another is, O) sugarfoot. How is your self-made vocabulary list? Go ahead, share one or two in the comments. Until next time, God bless and keep us. Mellow Rock David C. Russell  

Hello Grafted In Readers, Occasionally, I like to share something I have read and learned with you. This post will meet that objective. Below, I am pasting a learning quiz of sorts from the Collins Dictionary Language Learner Blog. I'll give you a spoiler: either of the word spellings for these specific words are said to be okay. However, one spelling is said to be preferred over the other. I also want to thank you for dropping by and paying this blog and me a visit! Okay, the word post coming up July 14, 2025 Which is correct: rack your brains or wrack your brains; rack and ruin or wrack and ruin; nerve-racking or nerve-wracking? This article tells you which you should use. rack your brains If you rack your brains, you try very hard to think of something. For example: She began to rack her brains to remember what had happened at the nursing home.  The correct verb to use is ‘rack’ but the phrase wrack your brains is also commonly used. rack and ruin If you say that a place is goin...

Hello Grafted In And On The Journey Reader, Today is Thursday, July 17, 2025 in my corner of blog land. I am reflecting this week on my faith journey of the past 55 years. This reflection was brought on by news of the passing of Bible Expositor and teacher, Dr. John Macarthur. He had a radio program called,  Grace to You. Many of his teachings are on YouTube or at the Grace To You Website. I became aware of him when eighteen years-old and a freshman at the then Detroit Bible College. I wasn't a regular listener to him but did listen when doing so. I am somewhat like him in personality and in my fiction writing. We both tend to say what we think! I leave you with two examples below out of respect for Dr. Macarthur's legacy, and as a reminder to ourselves that people will recall us from their journey and have an opinion of what we leave behind. To many, Dr. Macarthur was uncompromising. You will sense this if choosing to check out what is posted below. John MacArthur Q&A: Why...

No Longer Slaves | University Singers at Freedom's Hill Chapel YouTube · Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Wednesday, July ninth in my corner of blog land. How goes it today, this season? Writing and planning writing have been at the forefront of my life activity recently. I figure it will take up to three months to birth my forthcoming title, "From The Red Chair", a short story collection of about 11,000 words total. The theme, finding mental health. Steps to birth include: paying the editor; blogging and promoting on GoodReads and elsewhere; re-reading manuscript after edit to approve or make corrections; formatting and a cover design; publishing to Draft2Digital and some other popular platforms; publish on Google Play as an auto-narrated book; promote, relax, celebrate. My father used to often claim that anything worthwhile takes time and effort. I agree with dad. The title of my post is also a song found on YouTube. The performers are a small ensemble from Southern W...

Hello Grafted In Readers, This post is somewhat celebrative in nature! Welcome to my corner of blog land as we enjoy July 1, 2025. Also, sentiments to our Canadian readers, and Happy Canada Day to you! The following is a story I wrote for a contest by Reedsy Editing online. Out of over 300 stories, it was approved and is posted at the contest URL below. A young adult recalls a summer nearly ten years prior when he was a pre-teenager. For me, that was years ago but in retrospect, fun to recall what is remembered. Here is the URL, which I cannot turn into a link.   https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/3bflb3/ I know the story will be available to read, like, and comment on through the third of July. https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/3bflb3/ Until next post, God bless and keep us. Enjoy this season and value the lessons we learn. Mellow Rock, David C. Russell, Author  

Hello and Sabbath Greetings Grafted In Readers, This post we are going to look at some advisements on how to tame our speech, our tongue. There is a Jewish website devoted to improving one's speech named after a nineteenth century Jewish Author from Poland whose name is Chofetz Chaim. Below are a few advisements taken from the website, Chofetz Chaim Daily. These are short and concise advisements. I hope you derive benefit from these nuggets of wisdom. Let me know! Note: LH means Lashon Hara, evil speech. Chofetz Chaim Daily 1 Taamuz 2:3 If one was in group of 3 that heard LH, SOME say that he may repeat the story, because we assume it is now public knowledge. However, even this view only allows random repeating, not with intention to spread story. 2:4 Applies only to those who heard in group of 3 Chofetz Chaim Daily 25 Jun CHOFETZ CHAIM  Chofetz Chaim Daily 30 Sivan 2:1 The sin of LH increases with amount of people listening to you speak. 2:2 Something that can be understood as neu...

Hello Grafted in Readers, Today is Wednesday June 25, 2025 in my corner of blog land. We have had a multi-day heatwave here with temps in the mid nineties most afternoons and low seventies overnight. Cooler today as I send this blog post into the blogosphere. Thanks Thanks Thanks According to statistics viewed this morning, sixty-one persons have viewed my story, The Chronic Complainer, posted at: https://spillwords.com/the-chronic-complainer and if you are or were among those readingh, my sincerest thanks to you! It is still there for those choosing to read! Making Memories I woke to a radio station playing traditional jazz and song standards this morning, WBGO in Newar, NJ. The host played a song by Stevie Wonder from 1972, and mentioned that same year he and the Rolling Stones toured together in the U.S.A. I found this little snippet describing their concert from RollingStone.cxom rolling-stones-stevie-wonder-u…    In the spring of 1972, Stevie Wonder released Music of My M...

Hello Grafted In Reader, As a part of our series, From My Red Chair, we have been focusing on mental health themes the last few posts. In this post, you are invited to read my story, The Chronic Complainer. The Main Character, Haley, is in therapy to treat her chronic complaining, loneliness, and cynicism. This story is at: https://spillwords.com/the-chronic-complainer and I am its author. If you like the story please indicate on the tab to vote yes once read. Thank you! May the Lord continue to bless and keep us. Mellow Rock David C. Russell, Author       

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Friday June 13, 2025 in my corner of blog land. No, I'm not given to many of the Friday The Thirteenth advisements that are popular in Western culture. I do like a good mystery read, classic Edgar Alan Poe or Alfred Hitchcock cinema suits me fine. This post is part three in our series focused on mental health and well-being. I am currently revising a small collection of six short stories with mental health as the overall theme. I will say more of this topic in future posts. Here is our tip for this post from National Health Service based in the UK: There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships: Do if possible, take time each day to be with your family, for example, try arranging a fixed time to eat dinner together arrange a day out with friends you have not seen for a while try switching off the TV to talk or play a game with your children, friends or family have lunch with a colleague visit a friend or fam...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Monday, June 9, 2025 in my corner of blog land. The school year ends later this week for students K/12 in my corner of blog land.. We are spending a few posts focused on mental health observations, and also sharing progress and snippets from my forthcoming title, From My Red Chair. This is a self-anthology of five short stories with the indirect theme of mental health issues facing story characters. Today, we are going to scratch the surface on the following: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests several tips for improving mental health, including prioritizing sleep, engaging in physical activity, and maintaining a healthy diet.  Note: According to the Governmental Agency, Center for Disease Control, 43% of us are overweight in North America, and 67% (two-thirds) of us in North America are on the obesity continuum. We eat a lot and often. As to sleep, the NIMH cites favorable stats. we're doing pretty good overall! North American...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is June 5, 2025 in my corner of blog land. For a few posts, we are going to touch on mental health. Basically, find wisdom from reputable places to help our own understanding of God-given mental health. I have a book that will be released in a few months of five short stories. Each has a situation related to mental health of the character or characters. Its title, From My Red Chair" the same as this 'mini-series.' Our first observation, today, is pasted from the National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH. Thankfully, this agency still exists! OBSERVATION Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Note: Hmm, mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. That's my takeaway from this snippet. If you'd like to share your takeaway from this, please comment. I will be back to share another obser...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Monday June 2, 2025 in my corner of blog land. First, to those who have a Judeo-Christian faith practice, may you have a refreshing celebration of Pentecost (Shavuot) in Hebrew. In some circles Shavuot began June 1 and runs until sunset June 3. In other circles, this holiday commemorating God giving his Word to the Children of Israel as they traveled to new land from Egypt, is celebrated June 8-9 this year.    Pentecost or Shavuot had been observed for centuries prior to the CE (common era) fifty days after Passover and a Springtime festival in the Holy Land. The Christian world considers this holiday to be the beginnings of the church.  Words I found this online concerning the most popular word in song lyrics: here's the answer. Love, love, love I got love You got love We got love Everybody’s got looooooove! I offer you a few words that we can all use on occasion in conversation - panegoric:  A eulogistic oration or writing: - pund...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is May 29, 2025 in my corner of blog land. I wanted to share a fun possibility with you. This was discovered in a recent Collins Online Blog post credited to one Rachel Quin. It may remind some of you of the game show, Lingo, that aired in the United States during the early 2000s. Feel free to comment or just say hello! Note: Over Summer it is my hope to move to SubStack and hope you may come along with me. After all we are on the journey! 11 unusual 5-letter words to kick off your next Wordle game 1st Feb 2022 If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last few weeks, you’ve probably noticed your feeds being slowly taken over by black, yellow and green squares. Wordle is the name of the game, and this simple daily word game has got everybody playing with language. Given words are our forte, we’ve compiled a list of unusual five-letter words to fuel your next Wordle sprint. With the perfect blend of vowels and consonants you’d never expect, you mi...

Hello Grafted in Reader, Today Is Tuesday May 27, 2025 in my corner of blog land. We just celebrated Memorial Day here in the U.S. This is a day to remember those who gave themselves in service to our country. This includes military personnel but in the recent past has been extended to include a wider array of servant types. I recently had the pleasure to post opn a Reddit Subgroup and was surprised by the comments my post generated, humbled too, and notice by statistics it attracted hundreds of views. The group to which I posted is a faith matters group, and most there did not support my faith perspective, or those holding a similar persuasion. Few were kind, most were out to correct my errant ways. When you and I encounter situations like this, it may be the Creator's way of letting us see our true colors, who we are. I am glad to have had three days of dialogue into this aspect of my being. Now, I am off to have a fresh coffee and move on to being the author, David C. Russell. I...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Thursday, May 8, 2025 in my corner of blog land. The title for this post reminds me of the voiced saying, "If people would only ..." You fill in the only do or say what. This is usually said out of exasperation and frustration. What experience suggests to me is that we may be better to conclude, "If I could change myself." I have been following the authorship of a gentleman who is now retired, about my age, formerly an Anglican Priest, Lutheran pastor, Professor of theology, etc. His uniqueness is an ongoing struggle with stuttering. It's a trait readily observed but in the light of his total being, acceptable - at least for me. All these above identifiers have come about over his lifetime. The same can be said of each of us. I recently finished a story titled, Making A Facade. The protagonist is a thirty-something who found the course of life difficult in his late teens and twenties. He experiences struggle because of his perce...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Monday, March 3, 2025 in my corner of blog land. Much change affot for many folks here in the good old U.S.A. Hence the choice of title for this post, a song titled, Come What May. The annual observance of the Catholic tradition of Lent begins this coming Wednesday. It is a period of introspection, self-exam, prayer, fasting, and doing good to others. For those who relish this tradition, I would commend to your reading or listening a book titled, The School Of Jesus Crucified, by the late Father Ignatius. It is a book centered on the passion of Christ and written as if it were Christ giving the discourse. In Judaism, the Festival of Purim recently occurred. This commemorates the Biblical story of Esther being used by HaShem (God) to put down the efforts of the evil man Haman to have the Jews wiped out. In both cases, God is the centre of the observation. On a third note, "Biblical Archaeology Review" celebrates its 50th anniversary this Sprin...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is February 26, Wednesday, in my corner of blog land. The frigid, frosty weather has broken and in my corner of blog land we are enjoying above-freezing temperatures though under ten degrees Celsius during the day. It instills hope for the emergence of Spring. I turned another year older, and still get a tad anxious when change is in progress! This post, I think about the business landscape in my corner of blog land and North America. I want to pay tribute to some murchandisers that are now becoming has-beens. I was in my twenties when department stores Robert Hall and MontGomery Ward closed shop. Sears, happened a few years later as did K-Mart. Now the flourish of closures seems to be a fad of sorts: BowFlex, Big Lots, JoAnn Fabrics, several Rite Aid stores, Big Lots, Red Lobster, Spirit Airlines, and perhaps more to come including the cut-back on Fed Government employees. I loved the prices of products at Big Lots, the biscuits served with meals at Red ...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Thursday February 20, 2025 in my corner of blog land. Frigid temps and recent snowfall have about convinced me that 'climate change' occurs as intended every year, when scheduled by the King Of The Universe! End of topic. Moving on, I want to share a recently written poem with you. It's based on a writing exercise titled, The World Is A Poem. I reference recent news items and try to do so poetically. Tell me what you think in a comment, OK? Rock Hall Of Fame David Russell April is filled with ups and downs New MLB season, NCAA crowns Its men’s winning basketball team After taxes filed and people scream. April showers with burst of Spring Add to the luster April brings. Game on, too for the rock hall of fame, 1200 decide inductees named. Billy, Joe, Cyndi, Mariah Are but four names out to try-ya, Time after time one may muse, Catch me when I fall if you choose Dream lover take me away says a third, You’re so bea...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is February 12, 2025 in my corner of blog land. We are getting snowfall here, and four to six inches are predicted. Here is in lower Michigan, so nothing extraordinary being Winter. A few weeks ago, My wife and granddaughter gave me a house-plant, a philodendron. I had a plant like this during my college years, so have two companions during the day when all are gone from home. My plant and our King Charles Spaniel.  I did a little Google session to learn some care tips: - Soil?  That's up to the plant owner. Water:  Once a week generally. Coffeegrounds and egg shells?  Use sparingly. If you wish to add any tips, do comment. I found a song titled, If I Were A House Plant, (post title). You can hear this ditty on YouTube. It's genre is mellow rock for sure. Until next visit, take care, Happy season of life, and we'll talk reading and writing before March, which is National Reading Month. I have four books to read during March. That's nex...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Monday February 3, 2025, in my corner of blog land. Winter has been here with its most recent gift, four inches of snow. Meltdown occurring today as temperatures will be slightly above freezing and sunny, yay! I guess we are to have six more weeks of winter as the legendary groundhog (woodchuck) reportedly did not see his shadow on Feb. 2nd. Hmmm. For reading, are you thinking about indulging in Reading Month, which is annually held in March? Currently, I am reading a historical fiction novel by one Susan Barker. It's title, The Incarnations, is set in China, Beijing to be precise. It can be rather gruesome on occasion, but skip those parts if so inclined. The main characters are a married couple and their eight-year-old daughter named, Echo. Next, I will be dalving into a couple titles by Lisa Genova, medical fiction titles around neruologic issues. Health Note We used to have a family friend, Joe R, who would refer to myself and my brother as ...

Hello Grafted In Readers, Today is Friday, January 24, 2025 in my corner of blog-land. For America, it has been a pretty full month of events. We have a former U.S. President back in the role and whitehouse as of this past Monday at noontime. Fires continue to roar and upend the lives of people in Southern California. They probably wish it would rain, pour, do something to quench the blazes. I saw this caption in an online version of the "Christian Science Monitor" email news highlight: Monitor Highlights LA fires claimed places of worship, but congregations still are helping others This story is about COMMUNITY Organized religion provides space for worship and spiritual study. Amid disaster, it can also provide a built-in system of caring and an active faith. Kudos to those in Spiritual communities who are loving their neighbor and themselves simultaneously! SideNote:  If you have access to a mobile device or desktop computer, are a lover of modern western music, check out t...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is Friday, January 17 in my corner of blog land. Most of this post will concern a request of me to you. Simply stated, If you are reading this blog for the first time, or the 100th time, would you please say Yes, or leave a sentence in the Post Comment? I recently learned that there are statistics and there are statistics. What that means is there are Google Analytics one can view for a more treu statistical report of blog readership. The statistics easily accessed include readers maybe, and bots that crawl the web and notice a given blog. So, one can have for example, eight readers and two bots for a total of ten. Only the analytics, as I understand all this, represent a more valid picture of the readership. Hmmmm. If you can do this at any time, or before February 15, 2025, fantastic, and a big thanks from me! On the lighter side, Just finished a rather dramatic title, "Ends With Us", author is Colleen Hoover. It's a story about spousal ab...

Hello Grafted In Reader, Today is January 7, 2025 in my corner of blog land. Winter is here. Some snow on walks, temps in the mid twenties and low teens, Fahrenheit, daytime, nighttime, respectively. Burr. For reading pleasure, I am embarking on a 1935 novel by Sinclair Lewis, "It Cannot Happen Here". It's 'political science' imagining democracy succumbing to a totalitarian regime. This happens over time in developed subtle ways via the author's construction. Well worth reading! This post,(The Israelites, its title) like earlier ones from some time ago, takes a brief look at the heritage Christians are indebted to Judaism for passing on to us. I am posting an online overview concerning the First Century existence of a movement known as the Pharisees. The "church" castigates them wholly, and pictures them by behavior and expression as ignorant, uninformed, self-absorbed, self-righteous unloving claiming to serve HaShem (God). Again, this is an overvie...