Almost heaven

 

It is still springtime now in the fall here in rural West Virginia, as our spring has just continued all through the summer.

 West Virginia's many wild flowers are still blooming because winter is not yet near.  In fact, while tree leaves are turning color, it is still shirt-sleeves' weather here right now.

The Potomac River flows on, gathering strength along the way, right from Berkeley Springs into Washington, DC.  

The natural thermal baths in Berkeley Springs still attract many visitors.  George Washington often rode into town in his horse-drawn carriage to soak in the soothing warm waters. 

                            West Virginia is home to other natural wonders. 

Here is the entrance to Lost World Caverns.  

West Virginia has many underground grottoes and caverns open for visitors to explore.  

                                Summersville Lake is the largest lake in the state. 

Here is Hawk's Nest State Park above the                                         New River Gorge, one of many state and national parks.

West Virginia is known as "Almost Heaven" thanks to John Denver's song: "Almost heaven, West Virginia. "

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Yahoo News: In a rare Sunday hearing, a federal appeals court judge appointed by President Trump questioned how the Trump administration's request to intervene in California's ongoing midterm election in order to force state officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from voters whose citizenship it questions squares with the U.S. Constitution.

As said before on this platform, Donald Trump doesn't want to just be a US president, he seeks dictatorial powers to make his word law. 

Trump sometimes asks for prayers. He needs them.

Wash. Post, Trump’s DOJ told a judge how to rule. Then it pulled her from court. Karen Donoso Stevens offers a rare firsthand look at the administration’s campaign to rewrite the rules of the immigration court system.

Donald Trump has often fired judges whose rulings or family connections he dislikes, including Maureen Comey, James Comey's daughter.  She was reinstated after Trump's action was overruled.

    Barack Obama has been busy out on the campaign trail, rallying for Democrats.

                      Obama is still twice as popular with voters than Donald Trump will ever be. 

                                    

A number of Trump voters have now changed their minds. I've spoken to a few.

Election 2026

Wash. Post, The Trump voters who changed their minds are key to the midterms

About a fifth of those who voted for Donald Trump in 2024 now disapprove of his performance. How they vote — or whether they stay home — will strongly shape the scale of Republican losses this year. 

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Yahoo, Trump critic Lula wins reelection in Brazil, securing fourth presidential term

Not celebrating this victory is Donald Trump, who had backed the loser. 

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Detailed analysis of the terra cotta warriors has revealed that not only were men involved in crafting them, but women and children as well.  Their fingerprints are still visible after millennia. 

Here below

 is an archer ready to pull back his bow and arrow to defend the emperor for all eternity.

The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BCE in his mausoleum with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife. (Wikipedia)

Some burial figures have gone on tour in the US. 

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Here now is one of many Andrews appearing in my large extended family throughout its history.  This Andrew is my son Jonathan's older son, now a medical student in Texas.  I don't know who the lady is, apparently a very good friend. 

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Now for my recent message to a longtime associate who views the future of our nation and the world with considerable foreboding:

Bob, glad your family is still carrying on into the future. But I think you may be right about a continuous decline, not only here in the US, but perhaps worldwide. I hope that's not a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Anyway, get started now on your world travels before it actually happens.