Jack Frost

Meet Jack Frost.....we call him Jack. He's also become know as Jackie Chan or "The Jackster". We estimate he's around 5 - 6 months, probably about the same as Gracie Mae; they're the same size. Jack came to us.....well, you know we're suckers......from a friend of ours. Her father-in-law found him at his car wash. He was entirely taped shut in a box that was thrown out in one of the bays and all wet from many car washings that had gone on while he was there. He thought he should look in the box before he threw it out since it was taped shut.....a little suspicious. And here was a little white kitten, exhausted, hungry, dehydrated and full of fleas. How could someone do that? There are very mean people out there and some seem to take it out on animals. But Jack's home now....and him a Gracie are the best of friends! That brings us back to lucky #7 on our count of kitties. We stop here........! LOL

Election Time

Is everyone tired of hearing about the election yet? All the mud-slinging, promises, back-stabbing, etc. I'll be glad went it's over....but don't forget to vote....a right given to us all! I just want to add something I came across today and thought it was great to share.

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election
1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

.......and God approves this message!

It's nice to know that whoever wins the election, that God is still in control!

"Jesus paid a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay."

Today, Ken and I celebrate 13 years of marriage. Where did the time go? Seems like just yesterday we started our life together.....and I can't think of anyone that I'd rather spend the rest of my life with, than him! Congratulations to us!

BROWN COUNTY STATE PARK
We spent several hours driving through Brown Co. State Park, enjoying lakes, the scenery throughout the "Little Smokies", going through the Nature Center and just enjoying the wonderful drives down the little winding roads through the park. If you have a chance, take a few days and visit Brown County....you will not regret a minute of it!! Hope you enjoyed your visual tour I've given.

A wild turkey we saw on the winding roads through the state park.

Fun facts about Brown County....

Established in 1836

Population: Nashville 873; Brown County 15,071

Size of County: 320 square miles

Brown County State Park: Largest State Park in Indiana

Two covered bridges: Bean Blossom and Ramp Creek

Horseman Camp inside the State Park & Yellowwood State Forest

Home to The Little Nashville Opry

Nickname the "Little Smokies"

There are only 4 elevators in Brown County

There is one movie theater in Brown County that seats 35

Still pan for gold

No taxis or dry cleaners

No pizza delivery in the county

Lodging: 256 Tourist Cabins/Homes; 16 Hotels, Motels and Inns: 13 B & B's; 6 Guest Quarters; 5 Campgrounds: 1500 campsites: 655 rooms

Youth camps: 12

Dining: 23 restaurants; 10 candy, ice cream and nut shops and only one fast food chain - McDonalds

Cemeteries: 75

Churches: 30+

Unfortunetly we had to take our trip earlier than expected, so we didn't get to see all the beautiful scenery of the leaves changing. Can you just imagine this view filled with beautiful fall oranges, reds and yellows?

3,s

Nashville has only: 3 traffic lights, 3 story building/tallest building, 3 coffee shops with WiFi access and one of only three sock factories in the United States - "For Bare Feet".

This was one of the family-friendly trails in the park, which we took! We tried a 2 mile hike, but got about 15 feet with my knee! So this was a great alternative...at least in my book!!

Brown County Legends: C. Carey Cloud, created children's puzzle and pop-up books, designed radio giveaway toys for such programs as Little Orphan Annie and Superman and is best known as the Cracker jack artist who devised 289 different toys found in the containers of the caramel popcorn. Charlie Alber, the inventor of the credit card magnetic strip. Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground - "Home to the oldest, continuous running bluegrass festival in the world!"

Artists located in Brown County.....81 painters, 4 drawings, 17 glass, 7 textile/fiber/mixed media, 11 weavers, 21 potters and ceramics, 2 knitters, 19 wood, 14 photography, 1 holographics, 3 leather/metal work and 25 pioneer craftsman: jewelry, basketry, dolls and gourds artists.

On the way through Bloomington to Nashville on our first day, we stopped for a bite to eat and visited the Wandering Turtle art gallery. I have this thing about turtles, so it was not to be missed! What an ecclectic and fun art gallery! I did make a couple small purchases...!

Bloomington, Indiana is a surprisingly diverse community, due in part to the presence of Indiana University, which has attracted faculty, students and visitors from around the world. Specifically, Bloomington enjoys a Tibetan connection that many are surprised in find in Indiana. The Tibetan Cultural Center was founded by Indiana University professor Emeritus Thubten J. Norbu (brother of the 14th Dalai Lama) in 1979. It strives to preserve Tibetan and Mongolian cultures and Buddhist philosophy through education and philanthropic endeavors, and to support Tibetans and Mongolians both in their homelands and in exile.

The following is a prayer of a bodhisattva (a person who has compassion for others). It is a favorite prayer of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

As long as space endures

As long as sentient beings remain

May, I too, prevail

To dispel the misery of the world

This is called a ger. The nomadic mongols lived in these and they could be completed taken down and moved to a new area very easily.

These are the two chortens(or stupas)--traditional Buddhist monument reliquaries--on the grounds. This one can be entered on all four sides and contains a sand mandala. This chorten commemorates the Kalachakra Ceremonies for World Peace which took place at the Tibetan Cultural Center in 1999. The Kalachakra, or "Turning of the Wheel of Time", is the most revered of all Buddhist rituals because it is dedicated to creating world peace and harmony.

This chorten is the Jangchub Chorten, which was dedicated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1987, and stands as a monument to world peace and a memorial to the estimated 1.2 million Tibetans who have perished in the struggle to maintain independence.

This sand mandala is inside the chorten, encased in plastic. Yes, it is all sand and created by monks.

This is the Chamtse Ling Temple, consecrated in 2003 in a ceremony hosted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Muhammad Ali, and is dedicated t interfaith understanding and world peace. The Center offers classes in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, as well as a variety of other special topics.

Our 2nd stop of the day was at the Dagom Gaden Tensung Ling Monastery. It was founded in 1996 and is nestled at the edge of Lower Cascades Park in a beautiful natural setting. It is a traditional monastery for monks of the Gelugpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and also serves as a community resource offering a wide array of religious, cultural and educational programs to the public, including the bi-annual Taste of Tibet. Here is a new friend, a very informative Monk we happened to come a cross during our visit.

The outside of the monastery building is hand-decorated with traditional Tibetan colors and designs and is open to anyone who wishes to visit.