Law Office of Julie D. Hensley

04/20/2025

Every year in mid to late April, the night sky puts on a dazzling show — The April Lyrids, a meteor shower that has been observed for more than 2,700 years.

Peaking around April 21st to 22nd, the Lyrids offer a beautiful celestial display, with 15 to 20 meteors per hour under dark, clear skies. What makes them special isn’t just the frequency, but the brilliant, fast-moving meteors, often leaving glowing trails that linger for seconds.

Origin and History
The Lyrids originate from Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, a long-period comet that orbits the Sun roughly every 415 years. As Earth crosses the debris trail left by the comet, those tiny fragments — some no larger than grains of sand — burn up in our atmosphere, creating flashes of light.

What’s fascinating is that this meteor shower has been documented since at least 687 BC, making it one of the oldest recorded meteor showers in human history. Ancient Chinese astronomers were among the first to take note of it.

Best Time to Watch
Peak nights: April 21–22

Best time: After midnight, especially a few hours before dawn

Where to look: The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra, near the bright star Vega, but they can streak across the entire sky.

What to Expect
While the Lyrids don’t usually match the intensity of summer's Perseids or December’s Geminids, they have a reputation for the unexpected. Every few decades, they surprise observers with an outburst, producing up to 100 meteors per hour.

So, if you're lucky enough to be under clear, dark skies in April, lie back, look up, and let the universe remind you of its quiet, ancient wonders. ✨

04/19/2025

04/17/2025

🌨️ She was left alone in the Arctic ice for 2 years—with only a cat for company.
🧊 This is how Ada Blackjack survived.

In 1921, Ada Blackjack, a young Inuit mother desperate to provide for her ailing son, joined an Arctic expedition as a seamstress. She wasn’t an explorer, nor a hunter—just a woman trying to earn money.

The mission, led by Vilhjalmur Stefansson, sought to claim Wrangel Island for Canada. Ada was the only woman, and the only Inuk among four white male explorers. When supplies ran low, the men set off for help across the ice… and never returned.

Ada was left behind with a dying teammate and a cat named Vic. Soon, it was just her and Vic—alone in subzero wilderness, 700 miles from help.

She taught herself to shoot a rifle.
She fended off polar bears with a knife.
She sewed her own mittens when her fingers froze.
She trapped foxes. Ate seal. Read the Bible aloud.
And through it all, Vic curled close to keep her warm.

Two years later, rescuers arrived. She was still alive. Thin. Worn. But unbroken.
The world nearly forgot her. The men got the headlines.
But today, we remember Ada Blackjack for what she was:
💪 A survivor. A mother. A fighter. A legend.

🐾 ❄️🔥

04/11/2025

We had a huge success last year with our Red Cross Sound the Alarm event, so we're doing it again! This year we will be in Dungannon. We would love your help with this event. There are several opportunities to help with this event. Message local coordinator Heather Vaughn [email protected] for more info on how you can help.

03/12/2025

is a day to celebrate all women, to inspire and support each other.

“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.”
– Serena Williams

Photo credit

03/11/2025

In honor of Women's History Month, this we want to recognize Dr. Mary E. Walker, who made history as the first and only woman to receive the Medal of Honor for her unwavering service as a contract surgeon during the Civil War. Despite not holding a military commission, she risked her life tending to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, in hospitals, and even as a prisoner of war for four months.
Her dedication, sacrifice, and trailblazing spirit broke barriers for women in military service, and her legacy continues to inspire generations. Today, we salute you.

03/10/2025

Have you heard of the 6888th? World War II forever altered American society, allowing women to seize new opportunities and serve their country in ways that had often been denied to them. Breaking barriers, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the only all-Black female battalion to serve overseas during the war.

The 6888th formed after calls by leaders like Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to have an African American Women’s Army Corps unit serve overseas, just as many White WAC units were already doing. Serving in England and France, the 6888th first task was vital for troop morale. A huge backlog of letters and packages meant for soldiers had piled up in warehouses. Knowing how important letters from home were for the men in the field, the women of the 6888th worked in shifts around the clock to sort and distribute the mail. Despite serving in a critical role, the women often had to endure insults and discrimination and their contributions were ignored. Led by Major Charity Adams Earley, a total of 855 women served in the 6888th. Their contributions to victory are honored at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall.

Learn more at www.nps.gov/articles/000/6888th.htm

Photo from the National Archives.

03/09/2025

Credit
"off the mark" comic by Mark Parisi