Maggie's Farm

I posted one of my pics of the picturesque Douro Valley yesterday. Except for the steepest parts, it's all vineyards.

The Douro Valley has produced plenty of table wines since Roman times, but is most famous for its Port Wines.

The table wine vines are irrigated, but the vines destined for Port are not.

Port Wines are a 17th Century invention, traditionally transported (mostly by Brits) from the town of Porto at the mouth of the Douro - hence Port.

I've never been much of a Port drinker, but I had a bit in Portugal. Whites and Tawnies. Nice. Unlike table wines, I can't tell much difference between expensive and cheaper Ports but connoisseurs can.

Here's a Brief History of Port Wine

Here's one of my pics of the valley, with the Douro, from the Ventozelo Hotel and Quinta.

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Really?

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Arrived home today.

This is from our vineyard stay in the Douro Valley, but we drove and stayed in cool places all around central and northern Portugal. Posadas mostly, including a night in one of the towers in the Posada of Obidos.

Acts 9:36-43

9:36 Now in
Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is
Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.

9:37At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs.

9:38 Since
Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there,
sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay."

9:39 So
Peter got up and went with them, and when he arrived, they took him to
the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing
tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.

9:40 Peter
put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned
to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and
seeing Peter, she sat up.

9:41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive.

9:42 This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

9:43 Meanwhile, he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.

Statistically, anyway. There are quite a few cities up there.

Gale force winds are 39-54 mph winds. Windy.

I occasionally post the guys not so much because of their good seamanship but because of their mechanical knowledge. They can fix it, mostly. 

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)

9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

9:2 and
asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he
found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem.

9:3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

9:4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

9:5 He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

9:6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

9:7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one.

9:8 Saul
got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see
nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

9:9 For three days he was without sight and neither ate nor drank.

9:10 Now
there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in
a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord."

9:11 The
Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at
the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment
he is praying,

9:12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."

9:13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem,

9:14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name."

9:15 But
the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen
to bring my name before gentiles and kings and before the people of
Israel;

9:16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

9:17 So
Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said,
"Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here,
has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the
Holy Spirit."

9:18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,

9:19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus,

9:20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God."

I don't think it's something to survive, but more of an adventure. On the psychological part, it gives young people a (partial) identity. Brick in the wall? Only kinda.

I know and have known quite a few Marines and a couple of ex-SEALs too. Army and regular Navy too, of course. A good thing for a young person, and good for the country.

Mrs. BD wants another adventure far from the internet world.

Will try to pre-post some fun items.

There's no real news anyway...

Our site is slow-loading again. Annoying. Will try to fix again.

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He was a red diaper baby

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Visiting tombs in the Valley of the Kings in January got me thinking about flashlights. Those carvers and painters could have used our sorts of big workmens' lighting, or at least standing floodlights. Candles and torches I guess.

It's sort of strange to me that those tomb carvings and paintings were done by lights of some sort.

I have a few random Home Depot flashlight, but also a cool Surefire but with the old bulb (which I cannot figure out how to replace).

Well, I got it fixed up despite being an ancient Surefire. Their customer service people went beyond.

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Maine Coon

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Finally, Chubby Checker

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The tailor gets to work, the road workers get to work, Cardinals get pudgy. And betting on the new Pope. That's Italia.

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Psalm 118:14-29

118:14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.

118:15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;

118:16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly."

118:17 I shall not die, but I shall live and recount the deeds of the LORD.

118:18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.

118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

118:20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

118:21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

118:22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

118:23This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

118:24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

118:25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!

118:26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.

118:27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.

118:28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.

118:29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.