I couldn’t resist sharing this photo I just took. Today we hit record temps of 95 degrees (and no one has air conditioning in the Northwest because normal summer temps are 75)! So despite my sweltering, when I took my pooch out I had to revel for a few moments in the beauty of this sunset. Truly an icon for me. If you are in Seattle or another heat-wave stricken place, what do you do to stay cool? I find my creative energy positively wilts in this weather (except, I guess, for photography!).  -Christine Valters Paintner

      One of my favorite things to do is to watch clouds.  Unlike the sense of groundedness and solidness I receive from ancient things, clouds are in a constant process of slowly shifting into different patterns, always revealing something new.  I love to imagine God as the Great Artist, playing with the clouds, shifting their forms from moment to moment, seeing if we will notice.  These images are from our trip to Kauai.

Yesterday we flew from Seattle to Kauai for a few days of relaxation.  I will continue to write, as well as swim with turtles, eat pineapple, and bask in the beauty!