Goodbye to 2017

In less than 90 minutes, those of us in the far northwest corner of the United States will be bidding farewell to 2017, a year none of us will ever forget.

Our country is still functioning, but the fractures are more evident, and this former Presbyterian misses the concept of "Let all things be  done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). Constant chaos, exemplified by the man in the White House and his minions, makes me anxious.

I'm heartened, however, by the increased citizen involvement in local, state, and national politics, and the willingness of many Americans to band together to make a difference in their communities and to elect officials who better reflect the constituents of those communities.

I greet January 1, 2018, with cautious optimism, a commitment to be more involved in activities that support positive change -- and a fervent hope that the Democrats will sweep the 2018 mid-term elections.

May it be so!

And may all my friends in this wonderful international community have the best new year ever, rich in photo opportunities, pleasant times with family and friends, and good health!

(Extra photo: The little mannequins in the Dakota Art store downtown enchanted me today, and I hope they do the same for you.)

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