February is skidding out in a multiplicity of frenzies. The abortion debate has heated up with a focused attack on partial birth abortion, which should be more correctly known as the infanticide of viable babies still partially trapped within their mothers. This disgusting medical murder and legal trick is now being graphically explained to the general public along with the new laws designed to send the matter once more to the Supreme Court.

In the meantime, the United Nations reported that making abortion illegal does not increase maternal deaths. In fact, just the reverse occurs. The countries with the most permissive abortion laws, Russia and the United States, have higher maternal death rates than other countries which have stricter laws despite the pro-abortion advocates' best efforts to bring their bloody services to the women of those countries. The babies seem to be doing better where abortion is more strictly prohibited as well. One wonders if more compassion for human life is accompanied by better prenatal care for both mother and child.

This hasn't dampened Planned Parenthood's enthusiasm that the abortion clinics affected by Hurricane Katrina are reopening. They're even planning more in communities not previously "served" by Planned Parenthood. One would think that the depopulation of so many of these areas wouldn't call for such a heroic effort to depopulate them further. They're even doing it for free in some locations. Such generosity in the middle of the ongoing struggles to rebuild shattered communities boggles the mind.

New Orleans is holding Mardi Gras this year despite the ongoing lack of facilities to take care of all the local residents well, much less an influx of visitors. They're even sacrificing plastic tarps to make costumes to poke fun at their ready availability as emergency shelter material. Maybe they can toss a few beads at Planned Parenthood in gratitude for their public spiritedness.

Elsewhere, the courts are still fussing over Christmas trimmings as the appeals continue on. One court has said that it is permissible to have Islamic and Judaic symbols displayed because they are secular, but not permissible to have Christian symbols displayed because they are religious. This no doubt came as a considerable surprise to the Muslims and Jews. Could the difference be that Christian symbols point to Jesus as Savior and Lord, whereas the other symbols point away from Him instead?

One political cartoonist in our local paper seems to be especially confused on the point. He drew a cartoon comparing a number of Christian politicians to Osama bin Laden, both sides cheering for the "same" thing, the victory of their own fundamentalist religion. He completely missed the point that it isn't the fervor of the faithful that makes their religion good or bad, it is the god and his or her principles underlying the religion that must be considered. His cartoon made as much sense as saying that Nazi Germany and the Allies were equally bad for both sides wanting to win World War II.

Another blast of freezing weather came through and partly froze the daffodils. A few hardy golden trumpets are nodding in the garden, too close to blooming to wait for more hospitable weather. They'll get it over the next few days as we return to spring-like highs again.

The roses are none too happy, though, and the snow peas are languishing on their cages. Time will tell if the fruit trees got their blooms frozen as well. It looks like March will come in like a lion with lots of rain, so we can hope for milder weather later in the month in keeping with the dire predictions of an early and severe hurricane season this year.

I finished two more children's sweaters and have another one nearly done. It is about enough to fill another sweater box. I got more done on the cotton lace towels and am nearly done with the set. I got more nice yarn on sale at Big Lots, and I'm going to start on some spring projects for me when the towels are done.

The last bit of news was quite amazing. I got voted my ABWA chapter's Woman of the Year for 2006. They said it was in appreciation for my work on the ABWA Cotton Belles chapter website. I have a lot to live up to when the national membership drive starts on March 1.