-------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

Some things are like that. Pretty on the outside ... but not so much on the inside; and visa versa.

Yesterday was kind of like a study in contrasts. We drove by Gertrude Zachary's home on 2nd street. It is a gothic castle-like structure... beautiful... yet seemingly very out of place in it's location. Only 2 blocks away is a meth clinic and a homeless shelter. So.. you've got this gothic beauty... and starvation across the street. But all may not be what it appears. The longer you look at the house, the more it seemed empty and cold... and 2 homeless men -- who seemingly had nothing....started talking to me; and were extremely nice and warm and friendly.. and had all the substance in the world.

Life is like that sometimes. The seemingly worst situations turn out to be a blessing in disguise.