Small Reflections: Monday Morning Musings

Make Time for Small Reflections
I'm counting down to my
1st Blogoversary on October 22nd
in just 9 days ...

After publishing my Monday Motivator at Sacred Ruminations earlier this morning, I realized that I had no clue who was hosting Fun Monday or what today's topic might be. Life was just too busy for me to plan ahead, but when I first started participating I managed to pull things together at the last minute ... so I was hopeful I might be able to do that today.

Unfortunately, upon doing some checking, I discovered {i}Post has proposed a 'doodling' challenge. Clicking on the links here will take you there in case you'd like to participate ... but once again I'm going to need to 'pass' because today is Retired Gal's Lunch and I won't have time to 'doodle' ... pull something together to share ... and visit other participants in the limited time I have available to me this morning. Apparently Sarah will be the host for Fun Monday next week, 10/20! Hopefully I'll be able to participate then.

Sadly we've got Santa Ana winds blowing in Southern California and an 'explosive fire' burning out of control in Little Tujunga Canyon located in the San Fernando Valley. When I went to sleep last night, fire-fighters had made significant progress were optimistic about 'containing' the blaze that broke out early yesterday, but this morning (when the unpredictable winds kicked up around 5am) the situation took a rapid turn for the worse.

Before sunrise, the fire consumed mobile homes, houses, big rig vehicles in a storage yard, and other structures in its path ... and even (surprisingly) jumped over all 8 lanes of the Foothill Freeway (which should have been a natural firebreak) ... causing closure between the 405 and Interstate 5! The good news is that many people had been evacuated last night ... and that many more evacuations (for people and horses) are currently taking place, so that loss of life can be avoided.

This is 'fire season' in So Cal ... and I'm reminded that when I started blogging last October, we had more than a dozen blazes burning all over the Southland. I pray that won't ever happen again and that this fire can be 'contained' over the next 48 hours (while the winds blow) and eventually stamped out once the winds die down! Now that the sun's up fire-fighters are finally getting some much needed 'air support' ... with water drops and Foscheck (a red fire retardant powder).

I just learned that there's a 2nd fire in Ventura near a San Paulo Oil Facility ... so I guess they won't be sending any help to the Valley. I pray they have the resources to contain and/or knock that fire down quickly and that there will be no new fires any time soon.

In case you missed these (and have a bit of time today) ...
1. On Sunday I offered the 'incentive' below to all those who choose to participate in 'The Diva Quiz' and/or Unconscious Mutterings ... just because. It's certainly not too late to join the fun ;--)

2. In LAST Monday's Morning Musings, I shared a list of Natural Highs & special award incentive to participants ... and a Halloween Personality Quiz (found at Work of the Poet) with a second 'special award incentive' to encourage participation.

Remember ... you're invited to add one (or more) and pass along these Natural Highs on your own blog (or not) as you wish! Let's see if we can get this thing going again ... just because. Please leave me a link in comments if you decide to participate ;--)

I offered the following 'Halloween Quiz Award' to all those who decide to play along and share results in comments and/or leave a link to where you share on your own blog so I can find them easily.

Methinks sharing such things in these 'troubled economic' times may help us all stay calm & centered by giving us a 'break' from our daily stressors.

3. Check this out! Vixen (of Vixen's Den) makes LOVELY aprons and is having a Fall Apron Frenzy. Just click on the link for contest details.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work." Edward F. Croker

8 comments:

Martha said...: I sure hope they will be able to get those fires contained!; October 13, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Unknown said...: Hope the fires stay far away and are able to be contained and put out before they do even more damage, always a scary time of year when the wildfires start. be safe my friend.; October 13, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Akelamalu said...: It must be very scary to have fires raging so close. I hope they manage to contain them. :(; October 13, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Joyce said...: I do hope the fires will be contained soon, and that the winds die down.

Hope you had a great time at that luncheon. :); October 13, 2008 at 2:54 PM
Mom Knows Everything said...: Be safe!!!; October 13, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Jo, a retired teacher said...: I truly don't know how you keep track of two full blogs and so many topics and memes in each. I am in awe because I barely manage to handle one every few days.

I have a son's family in southern California too, so I am also hoping the fires will be contained and the fire season quite short and boring.; October 13, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Momisodes said...: I heard about the fires yesterday, and immediately thought of you. I hope they're able to gain control of these fires soon.

I remember how awful those so cal fires can be. Crossing my fingers for everyone's safety and minimal damage.; October 13, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Mother of Invention said...: I hope they get the fires under control. How scary!; October 14, 2008 at 3:34 PM