Lights and mirrors

I heard on the news today that Washington now leads the nation in high property crime rates, a depressing ranking that no state wants.  Property crime in in other parts of the country has dropped, but Washington jumped to first in 2013, thanks to a 6 percent increase in car prowls and thefts.

The Honda Accord and the Subaru Legacy are the most frequently stolen cars in Seattle.  Thankfully, the Toyota Avalon seems to be under the radar, which just goes to show that thieves have no class.

What can a person do, besides paying for insurance and a home alarm system?  Well, I have little decorative mirrors strategically placed on the porch and deck for "protection."  The idea being that evil things approaching will see their own reflection and get scared off.  At the very least, they'll have to take a look at themselves caught in the act.


More than anything, lights cheer up our dark neighborhoods this time of year. Even though I'm getting a little old for climbing on high ladders,  I put the lights up on the back arbor as usual.  They look pretty from the sidewalk, and we can see them from the kitchen table while we're eating our early supper. I usually leave them up until around Ground Hog Day, when the early evening light finally returns.