Well, it's Monday, and it's the beginning of September.  This week we'll be having very nice weather here in Spokane, and soon will be having cooler weather.  Here's the weeks forecast according to Blake Jensen, our local KHQ meteorologist.  Hope it is accurate...

West to the Columbia Basin. Showers shift further east this afternoon. Threat of thunderstorms in the mountains of N. Idaho & NW Montana. High: 84°  

Tonight: Mostly Cloudy skies and mountain showers before the next round of showers and t/storms moves in on Tuesday. Low: 61 

Tuesday: Looking to be one of the more active days this week. Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mostly cloudy skies. High: 82°  

-Blake   

Pig out in the Park

Yup...that's what it's called....Pig out in the Park.  Our beautiful Riverfront Park, located in the center of our city, becomes a food laden paradise every Labor Day Weekend, and is something that should be experienced at least once.  I, myself have been a couple of times.  Though I do not like large crowds, and there ARE large crowds, I did find the food to be wonderful.  Many restaurants, and vendors offer a very large variety of food at somewhat reasonable prices.  It's something I recommend for the family, or just for people watching, or for simply enjoying stuffing yourself with lots of good food.

Places I'd like to go...
Florence, Italy

I remember these from my youth in the south...

and finally...looking forward to fall.

Just Because....
This is a cool desert house.  I was born in Fabens, Texas which is a suburb of El Paso.  It is a dusty desert city in West Texas.  My grandparents lived near Phoenix, Arizona, also in the desert.  So you can understand why I have never been a fan of the hot, dry, Southwest.  Too many other reasons encouraged my love of the Northwest....lack of scorpions, sand, cacti, 100 degree weather, sand, Poisonous water snakes, sand...etc.etc.etc.  However this little house seems like it would be something nice to live in, if I lived in the desert.....lol.

As we get older....
I'm a firm believer that music is good for the soul, and now it seems it is good for more than that.  Music has been known to soothe babies, calm animals, and can even help coma patients.  So it is not hard for me to understand how it can even stave off the effects of advancing age.

Playing for time: Can music stave off dementia?

By Elizabeth Landau, CNN

(CNN) -- At 101, Frank Iacono still plays the violin. The concertmaster for the Providence Civic Orchestra of Senior Citizens in Rhode Island, he particularly enjoys playing polkas and jigs.

"It keeps my mind active, and it gives me a lot of pleasure," Iacono said.

The orchestra's executive director and co-founder, Vito Saritelli, said Iacono is extremely sharp for his age.

"Music has played a good part of his longevity," said his wife, Mary Iacono, 94. "We're blessed that we're both in good health."

As scientists race to figure out how to promote healthy aging of the brain, and prevent dementia, their preliminary advice for senior citizens has become a chorus of voices: "Stay active! Have hobbies! Be socially engaged!"

Playing music, for some people, is a natural answer to all of those recommendations. Frank Iacono, for instance, has been playing violin since he was 13 -- just because he loves it.

But does music playing in particular stave off dementia? What about just listening to music? How many years do you need to engage in music before it benefits your brain?

Read More:  Music and Dementia

Hmmmmm......

How accurate do you believe this is?

Share your thoughts...
I'm kind of mixed with regard to this subject.  On one hand I believe a person has to have faith that God CAN cure all diseases and keep you healthy, but I also believe that God gives man the intelligence and ability to do those things that will cure diseases and keep himself healthy.  To be limited to one belief or the other is in my opinion not very smart.  What are you going to say to God, when he says to you "I  gave you the ability to heal yourself and you didn't do it, because you thought I should"?   Or...He says, "If I wanted you healed, I would heal you...If you get sick and die, it's because I wanted it that way". What to believe....it's a quandry.   What do you think?

Kenneth Copeland, Texas Televangelist, Under Scrutiny After Measles Outbreak

By JAMIE STENGLE

NEWARK, Texas -- The teachings of televangelist Kenneth Copeland and his family focusing on the virtues of trusting God to keep healthy are under scrutiny after a cluster of measles cases linked to his family's North Texas megachurch revealed many congregants hadn't been vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries has won supporters worldwide through television programs, crusades, conferences and prayer request networks. He was a pioneer of the prosperity gospel, which holds that believers are destined to flourish spiritually, physically and financially.

Although church officials were quick to act after the outbreak – including hosting clinics in August where 220 people received immunization shots – and have denied they are against medical care or vaccinations, people familiar with the ministry say there is a pervasive culture that believers should rely on God, not modern medicine, to keep them well.

Read More:  Vaccinations

Interesting
I was fortunate to have a safari experience in the '80's when I was in the military.  I went to Kenya and took part in a 2 day safari to Tsavo East National Park.  On that occasion we saw elephants from a distance, but the lions we saw within 25 feet of our vehicle.  If you ever get the opportunity to go to Africa, this is one adventure I highly recommend.  One word of advice though, and learned from experience.....DON'T DRINK THE WATER.

Elephant Attacks Car During A Safari 

This ... is a nightmare.

Imagine filming a pack of elephants from afar, then suddenly seeing one charge toward your vehicle. That is what happened in this video uploaded to YouTube by JukinVideoDotCom.

Unfortunately, this is by no means the first time an elephant has attacked a nearby car.

Even if elephants are frightening when they make a beeline straight for you, poaching has made humans pretty dangerous to the animals as well. To find out more, check out the IUCN Red List or the World Wildlife Fund website.

Wow...
I think this is a wonderful use of labradors...If we're smart enough, we can use their talents to help us...in many many ways.

Florida to call on Labrador retrievers to stem Giant Snail invasion

By Kevin Gray/Miami

(Reuters) - Florida officials trying to eradicate the Giant African Land Snail, one of the world's most destructive invasive species, plan to deploy a new weapon in the battle - Labrador retrievers.

On Wednesday, officials said that since the start of an aggressive extermination campaign they have collected 128,000 of the snails, which can grow as big as rats and devour plants as well as stucco and plaster in a hunt for calcium they need to grow their big shells. In large numbers, the snails can cause extensive structural damage to buildings.

"We see a lot of strange things in Florida and this one makes the top of the list," said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. "It is a very serious pest."

Putnam said $6 million has been spent so far to eradicate the munching mollusks, which may have been introduced to Florida by a Miami Santeria group, a religion with West African and Caribbean roots that was found in 2012 to be using the snails in its rituals

The snails can carry a parasitic rat lungworm that can cause illness in humans, including a form of meningitis, although no such cases have been identified in the United States.

Read More:   Snails and Labradors

This was kind of cute...
I often find these little animal videos and will share from time to time...they always seem to bring a smile to my face, and a little joy to my heart.  I hope you enjoy them as I do.

French Bulldog Puppy Is Determined To Take Great Dane On A Walk 

We're going for a walk... RIGHT NOW!

This mini bulldog desperately wants a stubborn Great Dane to go for a stroll -- but the Great Dane seems to have other plans.

Hey, no harm in trying, right?

Something to think about...

I've not ever 'fostered' an animal, though a few of the cats I've shared my life with came to me as a result of either abandonment, or that they needed a forever home.  Most though, I actually looked for.  All of them however, each in their own way brought joy, comfort and companionship to what might have been a lonelier life.  I thank God every day for sharing these creatures who have blessed my life.  I encourage everyone to either foster, or rescue a pet, and not to encourage breeding by focusing a purchase from pet stores, or breeding mills.

Foster a dog

By Carol Bryant

From The Dog Daily

"A walk through the kennels, and one realizes these dogs are barking for their lives," says Terry Humerickhouse of Gulf Coast Cocker Spaniel Rescue, summarizing why he has fostered over 150 dogs in his lifetime.

Fostering a dog for a temporary period of time will increase the likelihood that the dog will find a forever home. While in the care of a foster home, abused or abandoned dogs can receive training, be resocialized and gain a sense of how to better adapt to a host of situations.

While a permanent owner is sought, a foster parent enables dogs to find solace until a forever home is found. Fran Muzio of West Hills, Calif., realizes she is saving lives by fostering with Camp Cocker Rescue. "The fosters seem to understand what you are doing for them; it's a wonderful thing. It is also good for my own dogs, as they have learned to accept other dogs coming and going from the home," she says.

Making the lifelong commitment to dog ownership might not be a viable option for everyone, so fostering fills a gap for many. Rescue groups subsist on donations, so much of the care and maintenance of a foster dog comes from this funding. From a nonmonetary standpoint, foster parents will be involved in daily needs, may assist with behavior modifications, and work with a trainer to make the dog more adoptable. They may even get involved in medical care, such as taking the dog to vet visits.

Read More:   Foster a Dog

And finally....some humor