Giving the U.S. Gas

I know this post may set off some of you who live in other parts of the world, but I cannot help but post this today.

Last weekend, we were driving to meet friends and needed to stop for fuel.  We passed dozens of gas stations during our drive, and prices ranged from $3.61/gallon to $3.38/gallon.  I realize that in Europe and elsewhere you are all paying a lot more than we are . . . In some European and Asian countries, the cost of gas is over $7/gallon.  (By the way, in Venezuela, the cost is 12 CENTS/gallon.)

This leads me to wonder a few things:

First, why are we (all over the world) so dependent on oil?  Why must automakers put us at the mercy of oil?

How can a station charge $3.38/gallon in one location and $3.59/gallon in a different location a mile away?

How can a station change the price of a gallon of gas THREE TIMES in one day?

Why is it that when the price of a barrel of oil goes up, the price of a gallon of gas goes up; but when the price of a barrel of oil goes down, the price of a gallon of gas goes up? 

Did you know that a barrel of oil in the early 70s cost $3?  In the mid-90s, the cost of oil fluctuated between $10 and 20+/barrel.  Today, the cost of oil is $126/barrel.  (Add 20% or so to the first numbers to account for inflation.)

Did you know that in 1978, Americans were paying an average of 65 CENTS for a gallon of gas?  Today the nationwide average is $3.67.  (Again, adjust for inflation by adding about 20%.)

Did you know that some airlines are now flying their planes at lower speeds to save gas?  Southwest estimates it saves millions of dollars by doing this.

What can we do about this???

I need a horse.

SkyWatch Friday: Spring View

In February, I posted a photo of a snow storm assaulting the cow pasture behind our house.  (Click here to see the snow.)  Here's how the pasture looked last Saturday afternoon.  Instead of snowflakes, buttercups adorn the field.  (Note:  I cropped the snow photo a bit, but have left this one mostly intact so the buttercups show up.)

There are always more than 75 bloggers posting SkyWatch photos.  To see others, click here.

THANKS & UPDATE!  Thanks to everyone who has emailed me or left comments about my shoulder and my dog, Kasey.  I'm writing an update on the comment section of my blog today.

Victims of Violence-Children's Memorial Garden

On the westside of Centennial Park in Nashville is the Victims of Violence Children's Memorial 

Garden.    Filled with beautiful flowers and plants, the garden is a perpetual memorial to area children who have lost their lives violently. Blocks on the walkway are paved with the names of the children (left).  Unfortunately, there are too many names engraved on the pavers in the garden.

Tomorrow:  SkyWatch Friday and an update (of sorts).

A Walk in the Park

Last fall, I posted a photo of Nashville's Parthenon (Click here to see the original post.).  Loated in Centennial Park, the Parthenon is a great backdrop for all of the park's activities.  On Sunday, people enjoying the TACA Arts Fair also had the opportunity to enjoy the sun by walking around the fair and the park's extensive lawns.

Just for orientation, I took the original photo of the Parthenon from the east side of the building looking west.  I took this photo from the southwest side of the building looking north,

These beautiful rockers are the designs of Alan Daigre.  Made complete of hardwoods, the conform to the body's shape because of how he puts them together.  He hand-carves each of the pegs, joining them with one rope that runs the entire length of the rocker.  When you sit on the rocker, the pieces conform to your body, making the chair extremely comfortable.  Alan started out making Shaker-style rockers, but finding them uncomfortable for most body styles, he worked on this process.  

Most of the wood he uses in his rockers comes from indigenous Tennessee hardwoods, usually found on his 70-acre property SE of Nashville.  The rocker above is a mix of different woods including maple and black walnut.  The rocker below is black walnut.  My photos don't do justice to the grain of the woods Alan uses.  

I like the black walnut chair.  My husband likes the other.  How about you?

TACA Spring

This weekend was the spring edition of TACA (Tennessee Association of Craft Artists) at Centennial Park.  Exhibitors from all over the country participate in this juried show, and the variety of artists and mediums is great.  In the past few years, we've noticed a lot of metal artists, and this year there were woodworkers of all kinds (one of which I'll show you tomorrow).  There's something for everyone, from folk ar (above)t to fine art.

The metal yard art shown in today's photos are the work of Major Hall of Bethpage, Tennessee.  I do love the moose (above), but I think my dogs might prefer the giraffe.  What do you think?

Tomorrow:  If you think you know rockers, you haven't seen the kind we saw at TACA.

Wall Part II

This is the second part of the Habitat for Humanity HomeStore wall that I showed you yesterday.  I love the colors and the energy emitted through the painting.

Wall Art

This is part of a mural painted on the Habitat Homestore in the downtown Nashville area. Operated by the Nashville-area Habitat for Humanity, the store (which is one of two in the area, by the way) sells new and used building supplies and home-related items to the general public at a discount. The Habitat Homestore that is home to the wall above sells building materials, while the other store sells home furnishings.

All proceeds from sales at the store go directly to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes for people who cannot afford a conventional mortgage. In the first five years of their existence, the Habitat Homestores have provided enough capital to build five homes in Nashville.

The wall art shown above is just a portion of the piece. It actually extends the entire length of the building. Tomorrow, I'll show you another part of it.

SkyWatch Friday: Dominican Convent

The Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Cecilia came to Nashville in 1860. Their convent (above) is in the same location, and parts of the convent are original to 1862 when the first buildings were complete. The convent's location is just north of downtown Nashville in an area now called "Metro Center," and it is so close to downtown that, during the Civil War, the sisters and their students could actually see the fighting near the state capitol.

A couple of interesting facts:

* The congregation is named for St. Cecilia, the patroness of music. St. Dominic founded the original Dominicans on the feast of St. Cecilia.

* The congregation of St. Cecilia is a teaching order. In addition to teaching at schools in Nashville, they staff a number of schools in 15 other states and in Rome.

* The sisters of the order still wear a traditional outfit: long, white dress and black veil.

* At a time when most religious orders are losing members, this congregation is growing. There are currently over 225 sisters in the order, and they get 10-15 new vocations annually.

* The average age of nuns in the US is 70 years of age. The median age of the nuns in the congregation of St. Cecilia is 35.

To read more about the Dominican Sisters or to take a "tour" of their motherhouse, click here.

SkyWatch Note: I took the photo I posted yesterday a few minutes after I took today's photo. I was standing in almost the same spot. However, I was facing west when I took yesterday's photo, and north when I took today's photo. Note the difference in the sky in both photos.

There are over 70 other photo bloggers participating in SkyWatch this week. To see other SkyWatch photos, click here.

Theme Day: ONE Sister and the Irises

UPDATE & APOLOGY:  My arm is obviously not the only part of my body suffering these days as I completely forgot that this was the first of the month and theme day.  Since I really have not been able to shoot very much, it just slipped my mind, and I profusely apologize.

However, since this month's theme is NUMBERS, perhaps ONE sister amongst thousands of irises can count?

*******

Last week, I drove by the Dominican Convent and happened to see one of the sisters enjoying the spring afternoon sunshine.  I was quite a distance from her, but I did want to share the shot of her walking to the iris garden.

Tomorrow, for SkyWatch, I'll show you the convent and give you some interesting information about the Dominicans.

If you would like to check out the blogs participating in Theme Day, click on the appropriate link:  

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Arradon, France by Alice, Aspen (CO), USA by IamMBB, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Bucharest, Romania by Malpraxis, Budapest, Hungary by agrajag, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Busan, Korea South by iamnbinb, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chesapeake Daily Photo (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Chicago (IL), USA by Focused Light, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by 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