SMOKEY DRY SUNDAY

Well as I lay still and quiet and listened  this morning for the promised rain sound on my metal roof my heart sank as I looked out the bedroom window and I saw another smoke filled day with blue sky above. It was cold this morning , about 30 degrees but there wasn't much frost around maybe because of the smoke hanging low to the ground.
Church was good today from Mathew and the title of the sermon was "to judge or not to judge" which was a very interesting topic.
The church was packed today ,maybe with some evacuees from the fires or maybe just from folks who knew today was a much needed prayer day.
After church we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs . We had planned to eat outside in the nice weather but with all the smoke we ate inside.

#1 son's family plus Nicholas one of g-son's friends, daughter and Josh and Aa and the kids made it today.
It was a very lively place for awhile with 5 kids playing around the house.

They all had a great time and both the littles where definitely ready for naps by the time they went home.
After everyone left hubbie and I relaxed for the afternoon.
The smoke wasn't as bad later today as yesterday thankfully with a slight wind shift.

The news isn't good from the fire front as it keeps growing and now encompasses almost 3500 acres.This is a picture from about midnight last night of the house d-in-love's parents had when they lived in Chimney Rock.

It didn't burn and as of tonight they are saying no structures have been burned in this fire which is amazing work by the dedicated fire fighters who are working 12 hour shifts on and off.
We complain up here about breathing the smoke but closer to the fire the smoke could be deadly without proper protection.

This is a map of the fire as of today showing the evacuated areas and size .

Tonight it is spreading more into Buncombe county.

This fire is only one of many now burning our beautiful Western North Carolina Mountains. A total of  34,000 acres now burn with no end in sight as no rainfall is predicted for this week and that is the only way these fires are going to get contained.

There is strange weather all over the country as this map shows the snow cover for today and there is very little even in the high western mountains. The forecasters are saying the first winter storm might be shaping up for not this week but next so a lot could change before it gets here.

I feel like I am beginning to sound like a broken record on here but my plea to anyone out there who could spare a moment of prayer , please remember us.

It is more difficult some days than others to have a thankful heart but as I sat today and watched all these kids play together and listened to their carefree laughter and watched their smiling faces my heart was full. There is always, always , always something to be thankful for !!!!!! (a big smiley face goes here)
God Bless and Good Night.