Father's Day Rush

He leads me besides still waters....

I'm running a tad bit behind, not only here, but in life in general.

These are from a Father's day hike, that my bride and I took to Petit Jean State Park (AR) --all along Cedar Creek. (We try to hit Cedar Creek at least once a season.) This time we were surprised. Summer usually means low flow, but after strong rains, Cedar Falls and Creek were gushing.

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As is, I'm due to take a break in July. Expect no posts for a couple of weeks. After that, look for some desert fare.

The Coming Storm

Sunday Night Storm, 6/15/08

From the parking lot field of New Life Christian Church, Conway, AR

and yes, it was scary-fun.

Quiz (Arkansas Flora)

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Know your Arkansas Flora

The pictures above are a quiz to determine if you know your plants (and if you have followed the ID Arkansas link provided on this site.)

There are seven "Questions" each with several sub-questions.
Without going to any other source, can you provide:

Common Name
Scientific or Latin Name
Family Name (Doesn't have to be scientific)
Your own made up name


For each plant you get the common name correct, give yourself a point.

For each plant you name the Scientific Name, give yourself three points.

For each plant you identify with a family of similar plants, give yourself two points.

And for each plant you correctly give a made up name, give yourself ten points.
(I value originality.)

Then go to ID Arkansas, and check your answers.
http://idarkansas.blogspot.com/

You may want to post your original answers or score in the comments section (and get 25 points in the process.) Folks who pass this quiz on get an additional 25 points, and folks who provide a link to ID Arkansas on their blog or in an e-mail, get a whalluping (sp?) 53 additional points.
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The Mighty Works Project exists to give adults much needed points. Do whatever you want with them.

19 years, May 20

12/1988

12/2006

5/2008

For some beautiful poems to my wife, see:

http://startledbyexistence.squarespace.com/to-wife-to-wife-lchai-im/

For a song that will make you say "Keep your day job" -hear: (and press the audio file) http://startledbyexistence.squarespace.com/audio-bones/2008/2/21/kerry-kinetic-audio.html

Chariots of Water

He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind.

(Psalm 104: 2-4)


All pics, May 13, 2008 from the commute into work approaching Little Rock, Arkansas.

In a perfect world these clouds would have happened behind a beautiful Arkansas bluff. (They probably did, but I wasn't there.) So I pulled my car to the side of the Interstate and took these from a mound in an cloverleaf loop (I-430 /Maumelle) and tired to cut out the clutter.

For the purists among you, most of these are enhanced. The cloud play is very real, but I have darkened and dodged for effect.

This particular storm did not produce any tornadoes, but this season has certainly eclipsed any I remember for tornado activity.

For more on the Purple Vetch in frame 6, see:

http://idarkansas.blogspot.com/2008/05/purple-vetch.htm

Bonus Rose

Overview

Looks like Mold on gelatin, but its not.

It's a Lake, substantially above norm.






Re-Forestation








Receding flood-waters.





Oxbow marsh and woods formed by a decades (or centuries) earlier course in the river. An Oxbow is formed when the river cuts a shorter path in a looping curve, then leaves a big "C" shaped mini-lake.

Buttercups

Rice Terraces, groomed by tractor and ready for planting. (Arkansas is the number-one rice producing state in the Union)

Rice, Wheat, and water

Some kind of aquaculture. Not sure what.

Overview

All Pics, May 5, 2008 Arkansas, mostly the Delta. As part of my job for the State of Arkansas, I am sometimes taken to photograph storm damage.

These pictures are not of the damage (except perhaps, the left-over flooding.) I took these pictures while in transit to our destination sites.

For more on the landing see:

http://governor.arkansas.gov/newsroom/gallery.php?do:showPhotoList=1&gallery_id=265

The Mighty Works Project exists to affirm that God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust, even as he ordains winds of sifting, to shake both great and small.

blogger's blood

Primrose study

Now that I have blogger's blood in me, I keep thinking of new blog ideas! Looks like the Mighty Works Project has hatched a little sister -- this one given specifically to the task of seeing and calling the growing things of Arkansas by their right names.

See: http://idarkansas.blogspot.com/

ID Arkansas will probably run a little more often than the Mighty Works Project (no e-mail version), but will correspondingly, be less personal and artful. So keep checking both.

Kirk

A Greener kind of Green (Earth Day!)

Hostas




Backwards pan while driving



New Wheat



Interstate 40, 1/8 at 70mph.









Mayflower AR, bottoms- flooded

As Spring gives way to Summer, the lighter greens of Sweetgum and varied Oaks will darken to match the deeper hues of the pine.

Oak/Juniper

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For the Earth is the Lord's,

and all the fullness therein.

(Somewhere in the Psalms)


All pictures (c) by Kirk Jordan, and taken in Central Arkansas between April 16-22, 2008


The hardest task for today's Mighty Work edition was editing down to a small selection. This has to be our greenest (and wettest) Spring ever, and I've been going plum crazy with virid delight.
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There is something about light pouring through a chloroplast, that makes you feel like you are looking at life itself... or the plant equivalent of blood.
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To be honest, it may be kind of stupid to post pictures of radiant green, because the experience on your monitor will never punch the eye with same kind of force.

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This kind of verdant delight is not without cost. For some Arkansas's flooding see:
http://governor.arkansas.gov/newsroom/gallery.php?do:showPhotoList=1&gallery_id=243
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The Mighty Work Project exists to affirm, everyday is Earth-is-the-Lord's Day.

Photo Riddle: Can you guess what this is?

Drainage ditch?
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Swim Lanes?
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Skipping Rock?
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Answer: Side of a tractor trailer (turned sideways to confuse you!)