A Prayer For Los Angeles

      Here in Columbus, Ohio it's a calm, chilly snow-covered day.

      But as I look at the lovely winter scene outside my window all I can think about are the images from two thousand miles away of vast, sweeping monster fires propelled on the strong, fast-moving Santa Ana winds blowing through the mountain passes of Southern California and bringing down burning destruction on Los Angeles.

      The fires  have so far burned down the homes of tens of thousands of people and destroyed acres and acres of beautiful, iconic areas of Los Angeles county,

...and more people and places are in danger still.    

       For the past two days the Southern California fires have been on my mind all day long. This is a place where I spend weeks several times a year. I have friends and loved ones there.
​      My niece and her husband and children live in Studio City a few miles from the Sunset Fire.

      Fortunately they're safe so far.
      I have other dear ones living in the South Bay area about twenty miles south of the raging Palisades Fire.

         They're safe as well from the flames, but are suffering from the massive smoke and  stench and need to stay indoors or wear face masks when they go outside. They sent me this picture  of the volleyball beach two miles from their house:

      I have a close friend in my neighborhood who has a niece living between the     and the Palisades Fire and area of the Sunset Fire, but she is also safe so far.

       My sister and her husband live 75 miles to the south of Los Angeles in Fallbrook.

    They're safe so far as well but have been notified to be ready to evacuate should the winds change direction and carry fire their way.
        My loved ones in Southern California have been in ongoing communication with each other, those in less danger offering shelter to those in more.
        And all I'm able to do for them is to tell them that here, two thousand miles east in the snow and 14 degree weather, my home is always open to them all. That and pray.