Whimsical Wednesday #9 - fire update & more ...

Make Time for Small Reflections
Ruby Tuesday & HoTs are in the next post
and Wordless Wednesday at Sacred Ruminations.

It's a bit challenging to feel 'whimsical' today ... but there's really not much to do about these fires other than pray for those affected, so that's what I'm doing as I offer this ...

Fire update: The winds have dropped off considerably and we actually have something other than continuous fire coverage on our local television stations ... indicating that fire-fighters have gained some control over many of the fires burning in here Southern California. I apologize for not adding an update yesterday but I was gone from early in the morning until evening ... and didn't spend more than a few minutes online yesterday. I appreciate everyone who dropped by ... especially those who left comments. I'll do what I can to catch up on blog visits this morning, but I'm getting my hair cut & permed in a little while and will be gone most of the afternoon again.

Links to Eyewitness News for Southern California contain fire updates, video clips and photos for Los Angeles , the Inland Empire (including San Bernardino, Riverside, & and San Diego), Ventura, and Orange County.

The closest fire to me was about 10 miles away (near the San Joaquin Reservoir in Newport Beach) where 50 acres burned. According to the news, no homes were damaged but there were volunary evacuations that affected some friends of mine, but they were able to return to their homes before nightfall on Tuesday. Another brush fire (caused by downed power lines) broke out in the foothills of Tustin (about 20 miles from me) but was extinguished quickly w/o spreading.

The Pendleton fire near Oceanside (about 50 miles south of me) merged with another fire yesterday, but they seem to be getting things under control this morning. The the first fire to break out over the weekend in Porter Ranch located in the San Fernando Valley (about 65 miles from me) is about 70% contained. The biggest danger currently seems to be coming from the 'Sesnon fire' (north of Porter Ranch) which doubled in size overnight. About 13,000 acres and dozens of homes have burned. Fire-fighters estimate about 20% containment at 6:30am this morning as the fire moves northward toward the community of Indian Hills. My heart goes out to everyone affected by all these fires, and I'm hopeful the winds will continue to decrease so that they can be contained and put out soon.

On a lighter note: I found this at Skittles recently ...

You Are a Beagle

You are good natured. You enjoy spending time with people and animals. You have a wild, independent streak. If you're left to your own devices, you get in trouble. You love to eat and enjoy food of all kinds. If you don't get enough physical activity, you tend to have a weight problem. You are very stubborn. You don't like authority, and you tend to do your own thing no matter what.

What Breed of Dog Are You?

Finally ... a big thank you to Mike of Rambling Thoughts for sharing this lovely award that he received from Sandee of ComedyPlus ...
It comes with these rules:

1. Those who have received this award, can add the picture.
2. Add a link to that person’s blog who awarded you.
3. Choose 7 others to receive this award and add links to their blogs.
4. Leave a message to their blogs so that they know about this.

but since I have trouble following rulez ... I'm giving it to everyone who is 'following' either of my blogs & my 'regular bloggy buddies' ... (you know who you are, but I'll try to drop by and leave you a message letting you know it's here) ... because I love YOUR blogs too!

10:30am addendum

I just learned of this at Vixen's Den and thought I'd pass it along ... just because. I plan to participate for sure.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back

Thought for Today
"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives." Abba Eban