The Middle East crisis is sizzling. The latest rocket attacks on Israel show how well armed the terrorists actually are. Instead of being rock-throwing children, they are full-fledged armies hurling rockets onto Israel's cities. Somehow that doesn't seem to be making an impression on the liberal media. They are still showing pictures of Lebanese citizens bewailing their emotional trauma with far more sympathy than they are showing for the equally bombarded Israeli citizens, despite the fact that both the Gaza crisis and the Lebanon crisis were started when terrorists crossed the official borders to kill and kidnap Israeli soldiers.

Japan is sizzling at the North Koreans. They are considering their own sanctions since the North Koreans are ignoring the United Nations and setting up more rockets to launch. It would be interesting if the North Koreans were doing it under orders from China so that China could see the workings of the missile defense systems that would also come into play if they attacked Taiwan.

The Japanese are actually considering changing their constitution to allow a stronger military, something banned after World War II because of the ferocity of their soldiers. The Chinese have never forgotten the atrocities inflicted on them, nor are the Japanese unaware of this. This king of the East may have been awakened for his part in the Great Tribulation.

I'm listening for the call to rise up in the Rapture with even more interest with all this going on. When the politicians and commentators are increasingly in agreement that World War III may have started, it pays to get one's affairs in order both for the here and the hereafter. You should be ready for whatever is coming, and it doesn't look like the crises will cool down anytime soon.

The local weather is also sizzling with daytime highs predicted in the high 90's for the next few days. I have the hose running and am mulching like mad. We have had a little rain but not nearly enough to deal with temperatures like this.

The tomato plants are setting a few fruits despite the heat. I've put three layers of mulch on them to keep their roots cooler. The pumpkins are drooping in the afternoon, evidently fighting the oak tree for water and losing. Planting them there may not have been such a good idea after all.

I got a set of broccoli seedlings set out and have a few cabbages waiting to go out. I had one cabbage seedling from last winter that came up from a stray seed in a tray with lettuce seedlings I grew under my plant light. I left it there hidden on the far side of the tray and forgot about it until the lettuce finally bolted. When I pulled the tray out to empty it, there was the little cabbage plant starting to make a small head.

I removed the spent lettuce and moved the tray out to the terrace. It is in a spot which gets some shade from the worst of the heat, so the little cabbage is growing its head and doing better than the ones I usually put in the ground. I'm wondering if I should put those few cabbage seedlings in pots and keep them on the terrace, too. It is a small variety that is rather pretty.

I finished another child's sweater and sent a sweater box off to Guideposts Knit for Kids. I also finished the shaded cotton dish towel and a white dishtowel from the July pattern from the about.com Knit and Chat site, so I've caught up with that pattern set. The ABWA raffle gift pile is now restocked with fancy towels to add to gifts.

I've got another child's sweater started and am looking at a bolero pattern to race with it. I still haven't gotten the nightgowns sewn yet but their turn is coming soon, especially since more nightgowns have worn out and the clothing crisis is about to sizzle, too.