Fourth Sunday of Easter. Yesterday the wind did not let up a bit all day long, close to hurricane force, despite the sunshine and warm temps. A light brown hue pervaded the atmosphere, apparently sand kicked upfrom the interior. Most of what comprises the stuff of Iceland is black, yet there is an abundance of lighter soil more brown in color. Chances are that the bright sun made it lighter than usual whileswirling in the air. As for the sun itself, starting about now you haveto be careful to cover your head as protection against sun stroke, and this has nothing to do with warm or cool temps. Don´t forget...no trees for shade.

In the afternoon I decided to get out, despite high winds. Towards the east is a large, table-top mountain some 15 kilometers distant upon which I´ve seen cars. That is, on occasion Id see headlights up thereand wondered about an access road. So I drove towards Mosfellsbáe hung east and followed a good dirt road for some 20k. Normally such roadsare fine, but yesterday I kicked up a huge swirl of dust. Even worse, when a car approached, I had to roll up my windows to prevent his dust from filling my car. Welcome to the desert, not an uncommon experience in Iceland. Yes, the landscape is desert-like, reminiscent of Southern California only little or no shrubs. I found that access road which wasvery rough, not suited for an ordinary vehicle. Despite open planes, walking is difficult due to clumps of moss. It consists of one foot up and the other down, constantly on guard, which makes for very difficult maneuvering. Today is just as bright but certainly not as windy.

Yesterday I noted that I started reading sections in Exodus pertinent to the Red Sea incident and finished off this morning, always a thrill to read. Some years ago on my Lectio Page I did a study of Hebrew words, so refer anyone interested to it. "In the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians and discomforted the Egyptians" (14.24). Note the distinction between the two divine looks, from the pillar of fire and the cloud, both being effected simultaneously, which resulted in a discomforting of the Egyptians. Hamah is the verb, fundamentally as to hum, coo, mourn, or sigh. From it derives a common noun, multitude. And so this mourning/sighing stems from the double looking-down by the Lord from brightness and darkness.