Executive Power

Something to think about. According to Cogliano, the Virginia's 1776 constitution sought to "diffuse and limit executive power." To wit:

"The governor would work with an eight-man Council of State, whose members served at the pleasure of the assembly. The Constitution vested executive power in the council rather than the governor, who could not call out the militia, make appointments, or grant pardons without consulting the council. The governor and council should exercise the military authority through a Board of War appointed by the House of Delegates." 

Movin’ On

The last of the ornaments that I photographed before packing them away for the year. And with it, I think I’m about ready to move on. Lots happening this month and next, as I’m preparing to go on tour with a choir that will be singing in various places in England. Lots of music to learn and memorize. 

Then, of course, there are all the matters that have to be attended to when traveling overseas . . . uhm, like visas. A new law came into effect January 7 this year, I understand, that now makes it mandatory for Americans traveling to England to obtain visas. So . . . I spent a good part of this past Thursday going through the application process—successfully, I might add. Tricky, though, involving downloading and working with an app. 

Heart

Pondering this morning the full implications of this simple ornament.

Odds & Ends

Decorations down and safely packed away. Just a few odds and ends left. Interesting phrase, that. According to the Free Dictionary, it refers to:

"Fragments and remnants; a miscellaneous collection. This term may have originated as odd ends, meaning short leftovers from bolts of cloth. It was transferred to miscellany of other kinds by the mid-sixteenth century, and by the mid-eighteenth century it had become the modern cliché."