This is a 'before' picture of the HYEX, before we got our claws on it.
 

This is it, just about done.
 

This is the HYEX about to get blast tested. I don't have any 'after' pictures on my memory stick, but I will say this. The blast did nothing more than throw a bunch of dirt all over the machine.

 

Haikus inspired by Allen's Pictures

I love that Allen and they others are seeing beauty all around them. Two of the photos below went out with and helped inspire Michael Boje-Estes, a coworker, to write these haikus.

Bright spring wild flowers
Only in Afghanistan
Grown in a minefield

Though you're far from home
You're never truly alone
God's gaze burns through all

The first was with the purple flowers in the minefield and the second with the sun streaming thru the hole in the clouds. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Ann

I had to take this shot! I think you can understand why. God's beauty shines wherever He wants it to!
 

This is the gap in the wall along the same path as the flowers. You can see the kids on the other side. They weren't asking for water or candy or anything, they were just waving as we walked by.
 

I had seen these flowers inside the minefield before, I just hadn't thought to take a picture until this point. I'd passed them a lot between the compound and the DS maintenance shop where we built the HYEX.