Be Thou My Vision

I used to work at a hospital in my hometown that was well know for its beautiful flowers growing all around it.  They were a bright spot for the patients and employees that came and went each day.  I was among those admirers as I arrived and departed for work.  Every morning I would look for any new blooms.  At that time the gardens were attended by a lovely, English woman who quietly attended to them each day.  As a hobby gardener, who is constantly battling the invading weeks in my garden, I was curious to know how this gardener kept these gardens so free of weeds.  There just had to be a special remedy as yet unknown to me.  I had to know! One day on my way in to work, I decided to just ask.  “How in the world do you keep the gardens so free of weeds?”, I inquired of the gardener.  Her answer totally surprised me.  In her wonderful British accent, she replied, “Oh dear, you just pluck them.”  Just pluck them!  Was she kidd...

Moving to Long Island, NY from Charlotte, TN has been a culture shock to say the least.  The landscape, culture, and customs are very different.  One of the biggest differences is the driving.  Going anywhere in your vehicle in NY requires aggressiveness, fearlessness, and finesse.  NY drivers have no patience for hesitation, or courtesy for the most part.  Don’t even think about stopping and letting someone out in front of you.   In the NY street system, a common site is the roundabout.  The only one that I know of in the Nashville area is the one on Music Square that goes around the naked statue.   Since they are prevalent where we now live, I’ve had to learn how to navigate them.  The principle of how they work sounds great.  Instead of having to stop for a light or sign, the traffic keeps moving to the right in a circular fashion until the driver gets to the street they want to exit on to.  They are designed to keep the traffic ...