My Slow Takes (Vol. 104)

1. “One if by land ...” Virginia is being invaded by feral hogs. They are also know as wild boar and cause damage to farm lands and water.  Feral hogs are “known to carry or transmit over 30 diseases and 37 parasites that can be transmitted to livestock, people, pets, and wildlife.” They are spreading throughout the United States and are difficult to control.

2. “Two if by sea ...”  Another pest that is invading the United States is the lion fish. They cause damage and destroy small reef fish. There are no natural predators, so fishing them out may be an option. If they taste good, you may see them on a restaurant menu sometime in the future. 

3. Last week I wrote about being stung by a bumble bee while mowing the lawn. I had an allergic reaction and my left leg swelled a little bit. I’ve been icing and using baking soda mix to get the swelling down. Not serious, just bothersome.

4. Dee and I finished the first season of “Downton Abbey.” We enjoyed it and have started season two. My favorite character is Violet Crawley. Maggie Smith does an excellent portrayal as the Dowager Countess of Grantham. I love her wit and English humor.

5. On July 11, 1804 Vice President Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton during a duel. Mr. Hamilton died the next day. Both men were political rivals and their animosity towards each other led to the dual. It was Aaron Burr who made the challenge.

6. Today’s Gospel, MT 10:16-23, Jesus makes a simple but powerful statement; “be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” We are not to close our eyes to what is going on. We must be vigilant, but not violent. Life is not an easy journey but our faith will get us through.

7. We’ve had more rain in July than is normal for Richmond, Virginia. How much rain are we having? So much that the local news station found a man building a large boat in his yard. His name is not Noah and he’s not collecting two of everything.

Read other "Takes" at Conversion Diary.