Everyday Miracles

Sometimes, when I read your best stuff, V, I think you must prefer to be in the desert.

Posted by Jewel at January 29, 2012 12:43 PM

I love deserts. They are as simple as simple can ever be, which means that they aren't simple at all.

Watching what we are doing to our society, our economy, our very way of life I am reminded of another snapshot out of time when Really Smart People pulled a bunch of levers and pushed a bunch of buttons because they were sure they knew exactly what they were about...

oops.

The analogy is inaccurate and oversimple, yes. There are certainly full measures of good intentions, criminal greed, mere laziness, and a big fat dash of overt, conscious, malignant evil (that's for you, Mr. President, and your bosses) all contributing to the reckoning we face.

But we are pulling into a station on purpose, not because of some accidental random event.

Good rewards and evil penalizes. There is no road left on which to kick any can.

Posted by TmjUtah at January 29, 2012 1:20 PM

The Spanish word for the color 'red' is 'colorado'.
So it's the red desert. Check the photo, it is.

Posted by Freddy at January 29, 2012 1:59 PM

Gerard---when I was a little child, it always amazed me to find bananas in our local grocery store. I understood that bananas came from the far-away continent of South America, and I was terribly impressed and gratified that someone in South America cared enough about Hamlin, Texas (which wasn't very big, or important) to send us bananas :) I understand commerce better now, but I'm still impressed that bananas show up in my grocery store.

Posted by Deborah at January 29, 2012 2:02 PM

Thank you, kind sir - you are very generous to link. To say I admire your writing would be a gross understatement.

Posted by goldenwest at January 29, 2012 4:16 PM

Ruby Reds, SIX for a buck, sent up from the Rio Grande Valley to us unwashed cowboys in San Antonio! The Lord certainly loves Him some grapefruit, and I ain't arguin'.

Posted by Mike Anderson at January 29, 2012 5:07 PM

Here in Texas, all things grow in abundance year-round, because our state spans every climate zone. The only thing that won't grow here in coffee, doggone it.

Only those who have been poor appreciate the vast wealth that lies all around us: electricity, drinkable water, modern sanitation. I grew up dirt poor. I am now (relatively speaking) rich. Although I am perhaps the word's worst Christian, I can't help but whisper a prayer of thanks when I flip a switch or twist a faucet handle. "Thank You, God, for lights that come on. Thank You for clean water that flows. Than You for warm air, cool air, toilets that flush. We are so blessed. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You."

Posted by B Lewis at January 29, 2012 6:28 PM

Well, to answer the last question in the OP, it will last as long as does the fossil water it partly depends on. Which is being depleted much faster than it's being replaced. At least, that's according to the USGS:

http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1766/

Posted by Fletcher Christian at January 30, 2012 12:43 AM

Just be sure you don't eat any grapefruit if you're on statin drugs (and some others too) your head might explode.

Posted by Chris G at January 30, 2012 9:41 AM

In the high Sonoran desert starting in the city of Sahuarita Arizona stretching south along Old Nogales Highway is the Green Valley Pecan company. They cultivate about 100,000 pecan trees on 5,000 acres. It is the largest irrigated pecan orchard in the world.

I'm unable to find good Google or Bing pictures that do it justice but if you want to get a good idea of how big and beautiful the orchard is go to Bing maps (Google maps doesn't do it justice either). Search for Sahuarita Arizona, switch to "bird's eye" view and enjoy. The orchard really stands out in the surrounding brown desert and it's truly amazing what God has brought forth from the desert.

Posted by Brian at February 2, 2012 10:26 AM

We live in a world of everyday, common, miracles. So few people truly appreciate just how precious and fragile they really are.

Posted by pdwalker at February 4, 2012 6:00 AM

My feelings are unchanged.

Posted by pdwalker at October 31, 2013 4:20 AM

"How long will such luck and grace; how long will these days of miracles and wonders last? Well, that depends on the grace of God, doesn't it?"

Well... we may be further down that well paved road than we think, Gerard:

Drink it while you can, as study points to looming wine shortage
news(DOT)yahoo(DOT)com/drink-while-study-points-looming-wine-shortage-111011615.html

Posted by Cond0011 at October 31, 2013 11:50 AM