Raise your hand(s) if the pies are done! Yeah, they’re not done yet at my house either. But they will be. After all, Friday is pie breakfast day.

Let’s see, Thanksgiving tunes…without getting to religious about it…. How about this??? It’s suitable for background noise for cooking, cleaning, setting the table, drowning out relatives who talk too much….

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Everyone here has closely held convictions and values. Insulting others and their way of life…well, just imagine of YOU were the turkey.

Still funny after all these years.

There is absolutely no reason for infighting to result in burning down the tree, house up in the branches and all. Just imagine you are at the the table and have to remind yourself that your siblings push your buttons. It’s rough to temper speech, I know. However, those who would like to slog it out from the comfort of the seat behind your keyboard, Wolf has provided a venue known as the UTree. Please, take it there.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike. FG&C asks that you wash your hands and take some vitamin C.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

And now a quick story on who wins in the end in this war for the freedom of mankind.

DN 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,
with whom he drank.
Under the influence of the wine,
he ordered the gold and silver vessels
which Nebuchadnezzar, his father,
had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,
to be brought in so that the king, his lords,
his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.
When the gold and silver vessels
taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,
and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers
were drinking wine from them,
they praised their gods of gold and silver,
bronze and iron, wood and stone.

Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,
the fingers of a human hand appeared,
writing on the plaster of the wall in the king’s palace.
When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;
his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,
and his knees knocked.

Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.
The king asked him, “Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,
whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?
I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,
that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.
I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;
if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,
you shall be clothed in purple,
wear a gold collar about your neck,
and be third in the government of the kingdom.”

Daniel answered the king:
“You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.
You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,
so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,
might drink wine from them;
and you praised the gods of silver and gold,
bronze and iron, wood and stone,
that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.
But the God in whose hand is your life breath
and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.
By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

“This is the writing that was inscribed:
MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
These words mean:
MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;
TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;
PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

In honor of the Adam Schiff Show and all foreign service witnesses thus far in the Intelligence Committee Bore Fest.

As for mood music, since Les Mis premiered on stage on this date in 1988, a familiar anthem is in order.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Everyone here has closely held convictions and values. Insulting others and their way of life could turn a simple lunch into something like this:

There is absolutely no reason for infighting to result in burning down the tree, house up in the branches and all. Please, keep the tail feathers tucked and avoid lifting legs on the fire hydrants.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike. Wolf, our most gracious site owner, asks that personal assaults and threats not be posted here.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

And from the readings tomorrow, a reminder to be on the lookout for the enemy before it is too late.

LK 19:41-44

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you
when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;
they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

Morning all. Hopefully, your pre-holidays weeks are going well. It’s that time of year when roaring fires become cozy beacons…oh, let’s face it. A solar minimum has us using the Crock Pots way more than normal. Please, stay warm.

And now, how about something from the American Revolution.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Everyone here has closely held convictions and values. Stepping on them might result in something like this:

https://youtu.be/QUkTiLA1d5g

There is absolutely no reason for infighting to result in burning down the tree, house up in the branches and all. Please, keep the tail feathers tucked and avoid lifting legs on the fire hydrants.

AND before hitting the “post” button, ask yourself if the words you use are reminiscent of the Alinsky method of isolating a target rather than actually fostering dialogue and discussion. Getting the MAGA movement to engage in infighting is one of the other side’s goals. Falling into that trap no matter the topic being discussed feeds the divisions, and the impression the other side wants to impose on us as being violent and all that goes with that characature.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative. Found this on FB.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Gospel is St. Luke’s version of the ten lepers asking Jesus for pity before he cured them, but the reading that speaks to our times comes from the book of Wisdom of the Helenistic Canon:

WIS 6:1-11
Hear, O kings, and understand;
learn, you magistrates of the earth’s expanse!
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude
and lord it over throngs of peoples!
Because authority was given you by the Lord
and sovereignty by the Most High,
who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels.
Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly,
and did not keep the law,
nor walk according to the will of God,
Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you,
because judgment is stern for the exalted–
For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy
but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test.
For the Lord of all shows no partiality,
nor does he fear greatness,
Because he himself made the great as well as the small,
and he provides for all alike;
but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends.
To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed
that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin.
For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy,
and those learned in them will have ready a response.
Desire therefore my words;
long for them and you shall be instructed.

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time to get out the leaf blowers and REALLY annoy the neighbors. Some people still rake, but there are many who prefer the efficiency of a motor…or they just like talking frogs.

Let’s see…mood music…what to play, what to play….

Admit it, you clapped along.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Everyone here has closely held convictions and values. Stepping on them might result in something like this:

There is absolutely no reason for infighting to result in burning down the tree, house up in the branches and all. Please, keep the tail feathers tucked and avoid lifting legs on the fire hydrants.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time, like when waiting for the hot water to hit the shower two floors away.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Gospel reading tells us what Our Lord and Savior asks from us in preparation for the fight. From the Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 14:25-33.

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.

Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?

Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

We are here. The day before All Hallows Eve when parents everywhere are scrambling to get costumes finished and be sure that there is two hours worth of fun sized candy to hand out….

Oh, wait. That tradition has been wrecked, hasn’t it. Oh, well. We can enjoy some creepy music in the meantime. Here is one tune that we don’t hear all that often, but could well be one of the more haunting melodies of the American film score anthology played for once on a 1699 Stradivarius.

HA! Bet y’all thought I was going to post this:

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Everyone here has closely held convictions and values. Stepping on them might result in something like this (start at about 1:30 in):

https://youtu.be/enrstfN8ado

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time. Tomorrow night while waiting for the doorbell to ring would be a good time.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

And…please, please, use the best critical thinking skills in making comments as tail feathers tend to raise while fire hydrants are being watered, even among friends.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Lectionary tells us what is our responsibility in the bargain of salvation:

LK 13:22-30
Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
“Lord, will only a few people be saved?”
He answered them,
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
‘Lord, open the door for us.’
He will say to you in reply,
‘I do not know where you are from.’
And you will say,
‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’
Then he will say to you,
‘I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!’
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last.”

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

October 23 over the centuries has brought a number of highlights. One of them is actually Phyllis Schlafy’s daughter’s in-laws winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1947. American immigrants from what was then Czechloslovakia, Carl & Gerty Cori won a legitimate prize for their work in the discovery of glycogen metabolism.

In keeping with the spirit of the Czechs other than Father Gregor Mendel the grandfather of genetics, here is what some Germans did with a famous Czech composer’s best known work with socialist overtones.

Creepy.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Seriously, when watching the action, none of this now.

Julie Newmar is right. Those boys are juicy.

And a quick photo I took at Scott Air Force Base at a federal employee fundraising event. The eagle’s name was Liberty, and he was recovering from having been hit by a car. The sanctuary where he was recovering was one of the non-profits featured that day.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time. In that amazingly long line at the grocery store is a good spot.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Lectionary tells us what is our responsibility in the bargain of salvation:

ROM 6:12-18
Brothers and sisters:
Sin must not reign over your mortal bodies
so that you obey their desires.
And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin
as weapons for wickedness,
but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life
and the parts of your bodies to God
as weapons for righteousness.
For sin is not to have any power over you,
since you are not under the law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law
but under grace?  
Of course not!
Do you not know that if you present yourselves
to someone as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one you obey,
either of sin, which leads to death,
or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin,
you have become obedient from the heart
to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted.
Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

In honor of the 103rd anniversary of eugenicist Margaret Sanger opening a “family planning” clinic, sold to the world as a supposed kind act to ease women’s burdens, today’s open thread is dedicated to men.

Time for the morning routine.

HGTV has nothing on Home Improvement.

And…of course, who can forget the most classic of the classic radio ads ever put together. (Please, listen as time allows.)

Time for some theme music. Today’s feature is the reluctant hero.

Ah, that gets the blood going.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though.

Don’t make Wolf resort to this.

Enough fawning over the guys. Too much more and it’s going to go to their heads. Time to get the day started.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time. You know, like when cooling down after a beer is thrown on you.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Lectionary reminds us that we on Earth don’t necessarily have the last word:

ROM 2:1-11
You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God.

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..

Mornin’ y’all.

Good question. Who is eating pumpkin spice…well, just about anything? Not me, that’s for sure.

According to the “On This Day” website, quite a number of royal happenings occurred on October 9 in the last 1500 years. That being the case, I was going to visit everyone’s favorite background music for TRUMP WINS compilations, but a fellow tree mate beat me to it😉 . So, in preparation for the October 10-20 window that several conspiracy prognosticators seem to thing will yield results, here is the overture to a film that defines SUSPENSE! (Think there are crop dusters in Ukraine?) In honor of the Democrats’ nameless, faceless, and changing gender “whistleblower(s)”:

Awake yet? Good.

Okay, so here’s the deal. This is the open thread. This is where we all come to get the news that other Q tree inhabitants think is worth knowing and sharing. Please, post links to any “news” stories quoted, and ask for help if you are stumped as to how to do that. We’re a friendly lot. Someone will be with you shortly, and there is no reason to have to press one for English.

Free speech, and the open exchange and hashing out of ideas is not only allowed, but encouraged. If we all don’t use it, we’re going to lose it. A little incivility goes a long way, though. Seriously, they want us divided, and fighting amongst ourselves is helpful to that cause.

None of this now.

And now for some house keeping:

There are a few rules here in the branches of the Q Tree. Our host, Wolfm00n, outlined them in a post on New Years Day. Please, review these rules from time to time. You know, like when cooling down after a beer is thrown on you.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

Steve suggests – to be accurate – no shooting at the nuclear weapons, but to be safe about it, don’t event point firearms toward them. I, Deplorable Patriot, bossy chick that I am, request no teasing the animals, pets and wildlife alike.

Teasing and trolling the lefties and their bastions, on the other hand is a moral imperative.

__________________________________________________

In the eternal fight against the forces of evil and darkness, unceasing prayer is always needed.

Today’s Lectionary brings us the OTHER story of Jonah, Chapter 4:

Jonah was greatly displeased
and became angry that God did not carry out the evil
he threatened against Nineveh.
He prayed, “I beseech you, LORD,
is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?
This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.
I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loath to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”

Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it,
where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade,
to see what would happen to the city.
And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant
that grew up over Jonah’s head,
giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort,
Jonah was very happy over the plant.
But the next morning at dawn
God sent a worm that attacked the plant,
so that it withered.
And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind;
and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head till he became faint.
Then Jonah asked for death, saying,
“I would be better off dead than alive.”

But God said to Jonah,
“Have you reason to be angry over the plant?”
“I have reason to be angry,” Jonah answered, “angry enough to die.”
Then the LORD said,
“You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor
and which you did not raise;
it came up in one night and in one night it perished.
And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city,
in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons
who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left,
not to mention the many cattle?”

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

And now, on to the day’s news…..