Secondary Roads

My Hand is Sore!

2012-01-26T03:00:00.000-05:00

Been exploring blogging alternatives that last few days. My hand is sore, and I need to do something else for a while. (My wrist is also in a splint.)

I haven't even read the [online] comics this week. I haven't visited most of you this week.

Will that change? I hope so.

Sylvia's Birthday Present

2012-01-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

I purchased this custom made box from our good friend, Doug McPherson. Check out his Website.

Eagle or Pig?

2012-01-24T10:04:00.001-05:00

It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're mired in the mud.

I'm feeling a bit "mired." I kept busy yesterday exploring blog options for church. My friend, Robert, spent the morning with me as we checked out Wordpress, and discovered it gets an 80% grade.

Robert and I had talked about some of the technical aspects of a church blog. We especially wanted to include some functional features. My face is now scarred from walking into walls. At times yesterday, it looked like we were going to do it. And then it was face first into another brick wall.

Later, I double checked for new features in my old friend, Blogger. Plenty of good news there. Bed time came--and went. I decided to call it a night. I'll continue working on the project today. I think the end is in sight, but I have one more option to explore.

I didn't get in my usual "rounds" yesterday. Maybe I will today. If not, I haven't forgotten you.

Kitty Treat Raider

2012-01-23T03:00:00.000-05:00

My day usually ends the same way. Just before retiring to the bedroom, I ask Midnight if he wants a treat. It took a while for my little buddy to learn the routine. Now he make a noise in his throat that sounds like, "Yup!" It is his acknowledgement to me that he hears what I'm saying. At times he is vocal, and he is doing well at training me to understand him. I often suspect that he thinks I'm a slow learner.

I walk to where the treats are near the basement stairs. He was frequently hesitant in the beginning, but now he races me to basement stairs. (He will spend the night in the basement as he has since his first day in the house.) I give him a few treats, say goodnight and shut the door. I'll see him again in the morning. He has all the kitty amenities in his heated basement. I don't get awakened at 5 AM by a hungry or playful cat. It works well for all of us.

Recently, we tried a different brand of treats. I noticed as I opened the jar that the plastic was lighter than our usual brand. I wasn't concerned and Midnight seemed to really enjoy his bedtime snack.

The second night, I spoke to Midnight and we headed toward the stairs. The treat jar was gone. Then I saw it on the floor.

Teeth marks in the plastic jar

On the jar, there were signs of an attempted break-in. Who could the culprit be? Yes, I know that you already know. We both do.

A fang has punctured the treat jar

Look! Toward the bottom of the jar somebody made a hole in the treat jar. Could it be a nail? Must be a fang from a ferocious feline that created that crater. I reached down and picked up the jar. The top is thinner, and so the attack centered there.

Midnight left his mark here

Unfortunately for Midnight, his attack failed to achieve access to the kitty treats. I was left with no doubt that he ~~liked~~ loved the new brand.

The original jar was not going to stand up to repeated attacks, so I put them in a more sturdy container. I'm a spoil sport and kill joy.

Elouise Irving Harris 1920 - 2001

2012-01-20T10:55:00.000-05:00

Elouise Irving Harris, Sylvia's mother, was born January 8, 1920 in Clinton County, Michigan. She was the first of three daughters. One week past her eleventh birthday, Elouise’s mother died.

George, Rachel & children, Leona and Elouise - 1921

In writing of her memories, Elouise told of hoeing weeds in her father's mint fields. Here is part of that story: "Dad bought us coveralls to wear when hoeing mint. Fine but made of jeans material and they covered everything but the face from the neck up and the hands. So when we went to town we would be brown as a berry from the wrist down and the neck and face up but white elsewhere and worse yet they were hot so we unbuttoned the neck, which made a very decorative "V" and looked very good with a rounded neckline dress."

A youthful Elouise spoofs for the family in her dad's duds.

Sixteen-year-old Elouise was Clinton County’s first Mint Queen. Until her death she supported the Mint Festival, and they honored her in return.

Elouise rides in the rumble seat - 1988

Here is another account from her memories: "Dad had two horses, Kit and Molly. He really liked those horses - they were matched. He used them for cultivating and farm work. One year he had a fellow who didn't know much about horses. It was a hot day and he didn't let them rest very often. Molly went down in the traces and they couldn't get her up. So she died there and dad buried her. That fellow got fired. Dad was really angry. Then he got another horse called Dick. Kit lived for quite a while after that and Dick after her. Soon after Molly died dad started using tractors so Kit and Dick's last years were relaxed."

Elouise with daughter Sylvia at Glen Lake - ca. 1946

She was married to Leon Nelson Harris December 9, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan. They had five children: Joyce, Karen, Sylvia, Bruce and Gaylynn.

Leon, Elouise, Joyce, Sylvia, Bruce and Karen - Christmas 2000

Elouise was a seamstress and worked many years for Sears in Lansing. She was also very active in her church — particularly the missions program.
In March 2001 she suffered a stroke while sitting at her computer one evening. Her husband, Leon, found her and rushed her to the hospital. Unfortunately, she passed away Sunday, April 1, 2001.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

2012-01-18T03:00:00.000-05:00

Why do I have to study this?

2012-01-17T03:00:00.000-05:00

If you've ever been a student you may have asked the question, "Why do I have to study this?" Our good friend Vanilla, the man with the string shortage, has retired after a career in education. He told me that this was the most frequently asked question in the math classes that he taught.

I recently helped the granddaughter of a friend with trigonometry. Her first question was, "Why do I have to study trigonometry?" I didn’t have a ready answer. Later, I searched online for an answer. That turned into an exercise in disappointment! Who would be satisfied with answers like these?

1. It's the next unit in the book.

2. The curriculum committee says you have to.

3. It's on the SAT.

4. Mathematicians find it "elegant."

5. In case you ever need to know the height of a flag pole.

The “Why” question is one that I had wrestled with as a student. It was never satisfactorily answered. Those five responses are all poor responses to the question IMHO. They are true, at least the first four are true, but they are not designed to satisfy the questioner.

In our most recent session I had a paper sack sitting on the table. A folder clip held the top closed and a post it note on the side had "Why?" written in large flowing script. Inside on separate strips of folded paper I had printed reasons 1 through 5 from the list above. From time to time the girl would glance at the sack, but she never said anything about it. I answered the questions that she had brought with her and we discussed the effects of crosswinds on an airplane's flight path and related topics.

She looked at sack again. I asked if she remembered her first question. She did with a tiny prompt and I confessed that I hadn't given her a good answer to that question. Now it is was time to talk about the question.

I shook the sack and she reached in and pulled out #1, then #3, #2 and #4. As she read the first three answers, she would say, "That's true." I would respond, "But not satisfying." Her response? "Right!" As she read #4, her dad (an accountant) said, "Hey, that what they told me."

When she pulled out #5 and read it, she reacted with scoffing laughter. (I was pleased that the ridiculous answer came out last.)

After that I explained that you can divide reasons to study a given topic or subject into at least two reasons:

1. You need to know this. Reading, writing and arithmetic are needful to function in our society, for example. An engineer will use trig and calculus on the job.

2. You will enrich your world if you know this. These are topics that are not entirely essential, but they give you deeper insight into the world around you and how it works.

There is yet another reason why we read about and study topics. That is when something is interesting or fun for us. Would you have given a different answer?

My Little Helper

2012-01-16T10:50:00.000-05:00

Midnight loves to be in the thick of the action. One only has to start a project and he is there to lend a ~~hand~~ paw. I expect that before I finish composing this post, my little buddy will be sitting in my lap wanting some loving. He will get what he wants. I'm easy that way.

Midnight likes my lap

If I don't respond to his presence, he put his front paws on my chest and nuzzles my chin. How can I ignore that? Why would I want to? When he is back on my lap, and I start to pet him he raises his rear end up as high as he can while standing on tippy paws. The front end stays hunkered down so his spine looks like an old-fashioned child's playground slide. When I lift my hand from his back, he sometimes over-balances and slides off my leg and onto the floor. Of course, he then acts like it is exactly what he meant to do. Kitty will not be denied his dignity!

I'm late posting this morning. My plan was to prepare this yesterday (Sunday evening) and set it to post at 3 AM. First step was retrieve the photo from the camera. SD card from the camera in hand, I reached for the card reader. Fumbled for the card reader. Searched for the card reader. I usually keep it in the top tray of organizer stack. (See upper right of photo.) Not there. Not anywhere. Oh well . . .

This morning, I started looking again. No luck. I gave up and started working on another idea. Just above the organizer stack is a compartment in my desk that has a frosted glass door. (Upper right of photo.) I opened it to find . . . not what I was looking for at that moment. I did find the card reader. Why did I put it there? Silly old man.

Comments

I've made a change on comments. When you post a comment it will no longer open a pop-up window. I had to do that to use a new feature on Blogger--threaded comments. I will now be able to comment on your comments. If you are using Blogger, read about it here: http://buzz.blogger.com/.

Update

I've changed the comments back to the way they were. A couple of friends reported that it was much slower, and that is not good. Thanks for the feedback folks.

Leon Harris

2012-01-13T03:00:00.000-05:00

This is the story of Leon Nelson Harris, Sylvia's father. Leon was born September 7 or 8, 1917 in the family home south of St Johns, Michigan. The date is uncertain, because the time is uncertain — was he born before or after midnight? We don’t know. In the rush and excitement, nobody thought to look at the clock.

Leon & Elouise in 1934

We love to hear how he met, and later married, the lovely and charming young lady, Elouise Irving. In his own words, “I was a small second grader when a big shiny auto pulled into the school yard and out hopped a most beautiful gal. It was Elouise Irving and we had an instant mutual attraction. During high school we dated.”

Elouise and Leon in 1935

As a youngster, he used to walk to school on his hands. It got him a lot of attention. He worked in restaurants, ran a gas station, had a mail route (Star route — independent contractors hauled the US mail in some places back then.) Later he worked in the sign business. One of his jobs was selling musical instruments. He learned how to get music out of just about any instrument you want to name. However, his favorite was, and still is, the accordion.

Leon, Elouise (1945)
Karen, Sylvia, Joyce

Here’s part of his story as he told it in 2005: “I left my parent’s home in 1935 and went to Detroit, staying at my brother Gerald's place in Melvindale, where I worked in a restaurant. Later I got work with Animated Advertising Co. We did the annual new model auto sales promotion for both Ford and General Motors. Elouise was working in a nearby beauty shop and we were married in 1939. I was paid $20 a week. Our three room apartment was $25 per month. I paid $50 for a 1937 Plymouth. New cars sold for five to seven hundred dollars (the used ones soon needed costly repairs). One Christmas fire destroyed our farm implement business building with my car inside. That night on the way to Christmas with the Irving family, I drove into a patch of smoke and fog and drove into the back of a truck. We were able to continue in my borrowed car. I was not badly upset and had a feeling that better times would soon be at hand. It turned out that this led to the purchase of a gas station and a booming after-war business.”

Elouise suffered a stroke in 2001 and passed away. At 94 years of age, Dad still lives alone in the house his father-in-law built. It is just around the corner from where he was born. We are glad that he is still with us and is active in church and family activities.

September 2011

It doesn't show in these photos, but Leon used to have bright red hair.

Just When I Needed It

2012-01-12T12:23:00.000-05:00

There's a big weather change coming this way. An unusual weather pattern has prevailed thus far this winter. This has meant above "normal" temperatures. I'm not complaining. I have enjoyed the weather--while it has lasted. Temperatures will be dropping today, and we're in for snow. My built-in weather station (aka my arthritic body) has been confirming what the weather prognosticators have been saying.

Fortunately I have a med that helps in times like these. I try to use this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug as sparingly as I can. When I need it, there is nothing to substitute. I tried acetaminophen, but it is useless for me. In fact, when I stopped using it, I felt better. Go figure.

The best med for me just now is NASCAR Daytona testing sessions. The teams, drivers and cars have gathered at Daytona for pre-season testing in anticipation of the Daytona 500 (season opener) scheduled for February 26. From 9 AM to 12 PM today there was live streaming coverage on speed.com. Friday and Saturday will have the same schedule. From 1 to 5 PM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there will be live coverage on the Speed Channel. (There is an encore broadcast of the afternoon session in the early evening.)

It is good to see the sights and hear the sounds of 800 hp engines pulling cars around the track at over 190 mph. A few minutes ago as the morning coverage ended, Sylvia asked had I learned anything. I replied, "Yes, I love this stuff!"

It's true. And I'm glad to have this flurry of on-track activity in the off season. Excuse me now, I have to take a pain med.

Briana Does Children's Ministry in Mexicali

2012-01-11T03:00:00.000-05:00

Bad News Sunday

2012-01-10T03:00:00.000-05:00


Photo from: http://www.mcphersonvisionsinwood.com/

My friend Doug McPherson is building a recipe box similar to the one in the photo for Sylvia. It will be my birthday gift to her. I know that Doug worked very hard to have it ready for Sunday, but he found a tiny flaw and he was not satisfied. He gave me the option of taking that one or waiting for him to build another. What would you do?

Doug had told me that he was not satisfied with the recipe box. I knew that people would see it in Sylvia's kitchen and would ask where it came from. Many of them know Doug. I told him that we would wait. He was relieved.

I thought that the box he showed me looked better than the one in the photo, apart from the flaw. Sylvia's recipe box will be made from maple and walnut wood.

After church, we went to a nice restaurant for an early birthday dinner. We had steak and ordered a side of shrimp. It all tasted good, but the shrimp didn't sit right on my stomach (for a lack of a better description). I suffered, let's call it intestinal distress, for more than 24 hours. Very unpleasant. Fortunately, the birthday girl didn't have any problems with her digestive tract. She is made out of good stuff--the best, if you ask me.

Sylvia thanks all of you who left birthday greetings for her yesterday. That was very nice of you to do that.

Midnight Wishes Sylvia a Happy Birthday!

2012-01-09T03:00:00.000-05:00

Midnight & Sylvia - January 2010

Sylvia's birthday is today. I normally reserve Mondays for Midnight on this blog, but Sylvia is a very import part of Midnight's life--and of mine. So we wish her Happy Brithday. This year she is 21 years old, with a few years of experience.

Compare the picture above with the next one. See how much kitty has grown.

Sylvia and Midnight watch TV in the evening.

And then Midnight spots something. He going to check it out.

Could this monster be the itty bitty kitty from that first photo?

So Happy Birthday Sylvia. Many happy returns. Midnight says, "Hey lady, would you scratch me behind the ears? Please?"

Mary Wyman Hutchinson 1920 - 1996

2012-01-06T03:00:00.000-05:00

Mary Annette Wyman, my mother, was born August 24, 1920 in Michigan. She was the third child in her parents' family, but the first for them together. Her parents had been married before and each had a son.

Mary, Alfred, Edward, Gerry & Emma

In 1921, the family left Michigan and moved to western Washington. Mary's paternal grandmother had moved to Washington some time earlier and other aunts and uncles lived there too. A brother, Al, was born in Belfast, Washington in 1923. In 1925, Mary started school. In 1927, the family returned to Michigan. They lived in Eden, which is just south of Mason, the seat of Ingham County. (Later Sylvia and I would live in that same small community.)

Mary, Alfred, Al, Gerry, Emma
John, Beatrice

Beatrice was born in 1928 and John a year later. Mary attended school in Eden. Later the family moved a few miles east and south to the community of Housel. Mary continued her education in the Housel school. For high school, she had to go to Leslie.

There were new faces in high school. One of those was a sophomore, LeRoy (my dad), whose family had just moved to Leslie that year. In the way of boys and girls, they became friends and the friends became sweethearts. He graduated in 1938. She wanted to quit school and get married, but he didn't agree and insisted that she finish high school. She did graduate in June of 1939. September 1, 1939 Nazi Germany attacked Poland and WWII had begun.

They were married September 30, 1939 at her folks' home. It was on that same day the German pocket-battleship Admiral Graf Spee sank its first merchant ship, the British freighter, Clement, off the coast of Brazil. The war had come to the Americas, but it would be a while before it would intrude on their lives.

On August 25, 1940, a day after Mary's 20th birthday, she gave birth to a son and named him Charles. In 1943, Mary and LeRoy moved to Leslie where their families lived in anticipation of him entering the US Army Air Corp. Earlier that year, Mary had given birth to a daughter, Barbara. Mary would need the support of family while her husband was away.

The two years that followed were very difficult for Mary. She did not handle the stress well, but she did make it through. Eventually the war ended and her husband returned home. The next summer, Mary and LeRoy bought and moved into a house a couple of blocks away. LeRoy would live there for the rest of his life.


The family in 1946

In 1951, Mary had a second daughter, Clara. Margaret came along in 1954. Once these younger daughters had grown enough to take care of themselves without supervision, Mary began to work outside the home. This was good for her.

Mom was a great cook. Dad loved pie, and we had pie almost everyday. What I remember most was BLT sandwiches when tomatoes were in season. What a treat they were! I believe her specialty was split-pea soup. She would cook up a ham, and remove most of the meat from the bone. That bone with some meat still on it would go into the soup pot along with the peas and a few spices. I always remember my mother when I eat spit-pea soup, and love it.

Mary & LeRoy

When Dad died in 1990, Mom was acting a bit strange. I thought it was the stress of his losing battle with cancer. She would later be diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. It was difficult to see this wonderful woman and mother in her final years. At that time, I was living 800 miles away in Connecticut. I would visit her when I could and usually my sisters would be there too. One time, she asked my three sisters if they knew each other. They answered that they did and that she was their mother. She just said, "Oh." She didn't know who we were, but we knew who she was.

She passed on September 20, 1996. She is buried next to her husband, LeRoy. Yet she lives on not only in the memory, but also in the lives of her children. We all follow in the way that she taught us.

Midnight on Christmas Morning

2012-01-04T03:00:00.000-05:00

Three-Year Blogaversary

2012-01-02T03:00:00.000-05:00

Today marks three years since I started this blog, and this is my 944th post. The motivation that launched these efforts was to provide a means of connecting to family. In that, it has done better than I had imagined.

What I hadn't expected was the community of friends that would develop and the diversity of those friends and their blogs. Some of you have been visiting me here on Secondary Roads since those early days when I was stumbling and trying to find my way. Others are new friends. I treasure each of you.

I considered giving up this blog at previous blogaversaries, but the encouragement of family and friends kept me going. I probably spend more time here at the computer than I should, but I enjoy it. It's nice to have this creative outlet that lets me cover topics in greater depth than Facebook, which I use a bit. I've considered Twitter and may sign up for that one of these days.

Life is good. God has blessed me with the perfect woman for my wife. We have two wise and loving sons, a great daughter-in-love and a granddaughter who makes my heart beat with pride and joy. Other family and friends, including many of you, form a network of sharing and caring that cannot be beat. Yes, life is very good.

Sylvia and I love our life here in rural west Michigan. We like the light traffic that passes by on the dirt road on which we live--most of it is farm equipment. We adore the bucolic scene that surrounds us. Cattle outnumber people in our neighborhood, and wildlife outnumbers cattle. Peace and tranquility reign supreme.

Despite arthritis pain and trembling hands, this is the best season of my life thus far. I'm looking forward to this year. It promises to be a very good year for all of us.

-- Chuck

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T03:00:00.000-05:00

From your friends @ Secondary Roads: Chuck, Sylvia & Midnight

LeRoy Elmer Hutchinson 1919-1990

2011-12-30T03:00:00.000-05:00

LeRoy Elmer Hutchinson, my father, was born April 7, 1919 in McBain, Michigan. He was the fourth of eleven children born to Frank and Margie Hutchinson.

LeRoy in 1920

Dad's parents lived in the country and did a bit of farming. Sometimes his father would find work in a large city like Grand Rapids or Detroit and he would live apart from the family for a while. But he would always return home to his family.


Robert, Chum, Doris, Mary, LeRoy (in back) Mamie, Frank (their father) and dog	- 1926

In 1935, the family moved to Leslie, Michigan. That September, LeRoy entered Leslie High School as a sophomore. It wasn't long and a certain freshman, Mary Wyman caught his eye. Romanced bloomed.

LeRoy graduated in June of 1938 and he became an apprentice painter and interior decorator. He worked out of Lansing, Michigan. Mary graduated from Leslie High School in June of 1939. On September 30, 1939 LeRoy and Mary were married in her parents back yard in the rural community of Housel. You won't find it on any map as it is only a crossroads with a now deserted church and several houses clustered nearby.

LeRoy and Mary on their wedding day

I joined the family in August of 1940. Europe was at war, and the US was supplying materiel to the British. We lived just a few blocks north of the state capital. Then in December 1941, the US entered WWII. As 1942 began many young men were volunteering for the war effort. LeRoy continued to work as a painter. LeRoy moved his family to Lansing in the spring of 1942 to cut down on commuting costs. By the end of 1942, LeRoy discovered he was going to be a father again.

War drums beat louder as the US troops were fighting in Europe and the Pacific. The draft began inducting married men and later fathers into the armed services. LeRoy joined the Civil Air Patrol. In June of 1943 he became the father of a daughter, Barbara. Sometime after that, he moved his wife and two children back to Leslie, Michigan, where his parents and in-laws lived. They would be there to help Mary when the inevitable happened and he entered military service.

October 1943, LeRoy enlisted in the US Army Air Corp at Mason, Michigan (the county seat). As November ended, he received orders to report in early December to Fort Shridan, Illinois. He was accepted into the flight cadet program, but did not finish his training before the war ended. He was released from service at the end of October 1945. He returned home to his wife and two children.

Two more daughters joined the family. Clara in 1951 and Margaret in 1954.

LeRoy enrolled at Michigan State University and studied there part-time until he found employment at the Post Office in Leslie. (Dad had one favorite professor that taught one of the required courses. I made sure that I was in his class too and introduced myself to the prof who still remembered Dad. Sylvia also took his class during her third trimester of her pregnancy with our first son. When she introduced herself to the prof, he observed that he could say he had had three generations of our family in his classes.)

LeRoy sorts mail for his rural route on his last day before retirement April 1984

LeRoy would paint houses for widows around the town or do home repairs for them. It was his way of helping those in need. After retirement, he volunteered to deliver for Meals On Wheels. He was well known and well liked around our small town.

In September of 1989, LeRoy and Mary celebrated 50 years of marriage. I was living in Connecticut at the time and had come back to participate in the celebration. Dad had been bothered with chronic back trouble during his later years and had a back surgery scheduled for later that year. The day before the celebration, Dad had a chest X-ray as a routine pre-surgery check. The X-ray showed a tumor in a lung. It was cancer, and it spread quickly through his body.

Cancer claimed LeRoy's life December 11,1990. I had driven from Connecticut to be with him those final days. I had left his side to sit in an easy chair and listen to the news on the radio in the next room. After several minutes, I realized that I could no longer hear his labored breathing. When I checked, he had gone. I still miss him.

Crescent Moon

2011-12-28T03:00:00.000-05:00

Not Here Today

2011-12-26T03:00:00.000-05:00

See ya later . . .

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

A Secondary Roads Christmas Eve Extra

2011-12-24T03:00:00.000-05:00

I was going through images on my computer when I came across these to pix of furry feline friends. They seem appropriate to the season.

Is that Midnight's buddy Hobbes?

All of you kitty keepers know that they sometimes get in trouble. However, you can always expect them to be right there trying to help you in what ever task it may be. Midnight loves to help sweep the floor. And when it comes to gift wrapping and packing . . . Well this guy demonstrates how helpful your kitty can be.

Our four-footed helper

Do you have helpers as handy as these? I do.

A Christmas Tradition

2011-12-23T03:00:00.000-05:00

This is about Christmas with Sylvia's family. They have always made it an important part of the year. Sylvia's mom would save all year long to buy presents for everyone. Starting around June she would buy an extra bag of sugar with the groceries, when she could afford to do that. She also bought Karo syrup, brown sugar and chocolate chips until she had about 100 pounds of ingredients stashed away. After Thanksgiving she would start making candy. And she made lots and lots of it. Everyone got a big box of it for Christmas. When we sat down to eat, it always had to be at one table, which usually comprised an assortment of tables end-to-end and stretching through two long rooms. After the meal was finished and the tables cleared the rest of the afternoon was taken up with a gift exchange. It took quite a while to open the presents in turn and for all to ooh and aah over each one.

Mom & Dad -- Christmas 1992

This will be the eleventh year without Mom, and we miss her greatly. We tried to carry forward the old traditions, but it just wasn't the same without her.

The Christmas gathering is still one of the highlights of the year. Sylvia and her sisters still make Christmas candy, but in much smaller quantities. We no longer do the gift exchange. Some bring Dad bird seed for his bird feeders and others do a little something, but he doesn't want things for himself. So someone will make a donation in his name to provide a critter to a needy family in a third-world country. Or perhaps the donation will provide clean water or sanitary facilities for someone else.

In his sweet gentle spirit, Dad has reshaped the focus more into a celebration of togetherness and sharing. We separate the tables to make it easier to move around. When Mom and Dad were the only senior citizens present, it was easier to navigate the crowded passageways. Nowadays, we find it easier to use several tables spaced so that folks can make their way around with less effort.

The last few years, the highlight is going around the group sharing something new from the year that is ending. In recent years, I've shared snippets of family history. (One of my favorites, and I've shared it here before, is of Dad's great granddad taking his pregnant wife and two daughters to visit her parents. He returned home, packed a few things and left a note in Norfolk, England while he boarded a ship for America.)

We'll be getting together with Bryant, Barbara and Briana on Sunday afternoon. That's our family tradition. Briana will be flying out to Mexico on Monday, and that's why they will not be with us at Sylvia's dad's place on Monday.

What Christmas family traditions do you have?

Leave a link to your blog below.

Words for Yesterday's Christmas Carol

2011-12-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

Did you know the words to yesterday's post?

Yesterday for Wordless Wednesday, I posted a series of pictures that were in fact the words to a Christmas carol. It is one that Sylvia, Midnight and I would sing for you, if we could. From the pictures.

Wee fish
Ewe
A mare
Egrets
Moose
Panda
Hippo
Gnu
Deer

Did you figure it out yesterday?

A Christmas Carol for You w/Linky

2011-12-21T03:00:00.000-05:00

The Explorer

2011-12-19T03:00:00.000-05:00

Sylvia had reported a problem with a dresser drawer. It wouldn't close all the way. She called me to come and then demonstrated the problem. As the resident handyman, I got right to work. I removed the drawer and immediately saw the problem. The repair would require a screw and a screwdriver. I sat the drawer on the bed and went to the basement workshop to retrieve the parts.

I returned just in time to see Midnight poised on the floor and studying the opening left by the missing drawer. As I watched, He lower his tail and rose tall on his front paws. This posture means he's lining up for a leap. And leap he did--right into the opening. Amazing!

"Hey, I want to get to the other side."

Once he had leaped into the dresser, he decided he wanted to be on the other side. Isn't that just like a cat? The center support track was to high for him to step over. No problem.

"Too high? I'll go under."

Too high to step over, but not too low to go under. Midnight easily slid under the support track and reached the other side.

"Purrfect!"

Soon he was enjoying the view from high in the dresser. Explorers like to do things like that. And with an intrepid explorer like Midnight, there is never a shortage of drama around the house.

Seen at Tiger's

Sylvia saw this cartoon in the latest Reader's Digest. I thought you might enjoy it too. Especially, if you have a feline or felines in your house.

Thanks Readers Digest Dec 2011/Jan 2012

Kitty does make a good point. Why do we put temptation in kitty's path? Or do you do that?

Sylvia's Sisters

2011-12-16T11:08:00.000-05:00

First on a personal note, Wednesday I felt terrible and thought it might be a case of the flu. Thursday, I felt a bit better and spent most of the day snuggled up with the heating pad in the recliner. In the evening, I was feeling better, so Sylvia and I spent some time at the church's food pantry helping to organize shelves and prepare some Christmas packages for needy families. Today, I'm doing better, but woke up to realize that I hadn't prepared this blog post.

Last week, I told you about my sisters. This week, is about Sylvia's sisters. (Please excuse me if it is short. More later, and that's a promise.)

Sylvia, Karen, Joyce

Sylvia has two older sisters, Karen and Joyce. Sylvia is not sure where this picture was taken, although it seems like it was only a few weeks ago. (Okay, it was probably around 1946 in St Johns, Michigan she says.) Notice the homemade teeter totter.

Later, a brother and then another sister came to join the happy family. Here's a more recent shot of the sisters with their father.

Joyce, Gay, Dad, Sylvia, Karen

This picture was taken at Joyce's country home. Joyce lives a few minutes from her father--mother passed in 2001. Gay calls Florida home. Dad lives on the farm where mom grew up. Sylvia and I are just under an hour's drive from Dad. Karen is a couple of hours away.

I like Sylvia's family a lot. They enjoy being with one another and they do that fairly often. Joyce has three daughters, and Gay has two. Karen, Sylvia and their brother Bruce have two sons. It has been crowded in the old farm house for some of our Christmas celebrations, but no complains. We have a lot of fun.

Here's another photo taken at a recent family reunion:

Gay, Bruce, Dad, Al, Karen, Chuck, Sylvia, Paul, Joyce

Gay's husband, Dale, was not able to attend. Bruce is a widower and lives a few miles from Karen. We had a good time with other members of Dad's family. We looked at photo albums and shared notes on genealogy and family history.

There is so much more that could be said about Sylvia's family and the good times that we have had with them. I'm sure to tell you more about them another day.

Moon at Midnight

2011-12-14T12:42:00.000-05:00

Cat's Eye

2011-12-12T03:00:00.000-05:00

I am fascinated by my cat's eyes. It is so different than mine. It's not just that the pupil is shaped like a football. The whole front of the eye is clear--unlike mine.

I've tried to capture a picture of Midnight's eye, but it usually doesn't work. When I take the camera in hand, curious kitty has to see what I'm up to. My many attempts have all ended in failure. That is they did until just the other day.

Midnight's right eye

Sylvia was doing something on the other side of the room, which diverted his attention, and I got the shot I had been trying to capture for months. I was delighted. Midnight was not.

This face and the twitching tail says, "Kitty Not Happy."

Midnight gave me "the look." If you have a cat, you may know what I mean. It's a kitty scowl, and the twitchy tail amplifies and clarifies the feline displeasure. It's as if he is saying, "We are not amused."

I struggled to keep a straight face, but I was happy on the inside. Sometimes life gives you only small victories. I try to recognize and celebrate those--no matter now small.

The tiny bit of pussy cat pique was history a few minutes later. Kitty knows who gives him scritches behind his ears and dishes out that yummy, stinky cat food that he loves so much.

My Three Sisters & Me

2011-12-09T03:00:00.000-05:00

I invite you to join me in this meme. Share stories of your family and sign up with the Linky at the bottom of this post. Code for the badge is in the box at the bottom of this page. Read about the banner and the meme (short version) here.

This week I want to tell you about my three sisters. Here's what we used to look like:

Clara, Chuck, Barb and Maggy

We had a good life in a small town. We all attended the local public school and were active in a local church. Our mom stayed home until the younger ones were grown. Dad worked in the local Post Office. We lived next door to our maternal grandparents. I tell you more about that another time.

We four kids with Mom and Dad

We've grown a lot since then. And the world is not the simple and seemingly benign place it was for us in those days. Still we are all healthy and happy.

During warm weather, we are all within an hour's drive from the two younger sisters, who live only a few minutes apart. During the winter, Barb and her husband, Gary, go to Florida where they have a lot of friends.

Here are some more recent photos of us at a get together here on this Secondary Road:

Maggy

Maggy is the youngest and does some awesome photography. She loves cats, but allergies don't allow her to have them in her house. So she dotes on Midnight when she comes to visit.

Clara & Rick

Clara retired from a career as a computer programmer and systems analyst. She is also an [inactive at the moment] blogger. She has a daughter (also a blogger) who lives in Virginia with her husband and two children. Rick is a computer genius who work for EDS and spends a fair amount of time on the road.

Barb & Gary

Barb and Gary have 8 children. I lost count of grandchildren and great grandchildren a while back. They have faced some tough times together and have come through on top of the heap. Winners in my book. I think of them suffering in Florida this time of year, and even more so when I'm out on the tractor clearing 9 inches of partly cloudy off the driveway.

Sylvia and me on the left

It was hot that day, but what a good time we had. We try to get together often. That's a bit easier now that everyone but Rick is retired. Nobody complains though. Someone must pay FICA so we can draw our Social Security. (Is that cold?) Sorry about that Rick.

I'll tell you more on subsequent Fridays. Please consider participating in Family Friday and be sure to leave a link and a comment.

Decorating for Christmas

2011-12-07T03:00:00.000-05:00

Miscelanea

2011-12-06T09:32:00.001-05:00

First, from the e-mail inbox.

My lovely bride sent the following to me recently:

Why Grandmas Are Smart

I was out walking with my grandson. He picked up something off of the ground and started to put it in his mouth. I took the item away from him and I asked him not to do that.

"Why" my grandson asked.

"Because it's been on the ground; you don't know where it's been; it's dirty, and probably has germs," I replied.

At this point, my grandson looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Grandma, how do you know all this stuff?? You are so smart."

I was thinking quickly and said to him. "All grandmas know stuff. It's on the Grandma Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a grandma."

We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but he was evidently pondering this new information.

"Oh, I get it! He beamed, So if you don't pass the test you have to be the grandpa."

"Exactly," I replied with a big smile on my face.

Do you think she was sending me a message? Before you answer, and in my own defense, let me quickly add that we do not have a grandson.

It is a funny a story and Sylvia has a wonderful sense of humor. We both got a bit laugh out of this silly tale. We do that a lot.

Happenings

We had a visitor on Sunday and he'll be with me again today while Sylvia is visiting her Dad. I've known Jon since he was a pre-teen and we always have a good time together. Today looks like a good day to spend in front of the TV watching Sci Fi flicks.

Tomorrow a High-School student and granddaughter of my good friend, Roy is coming to work on pre-calculus math. I'm looking forward to that--a lot. It has been a while since I've cracked the trigonometry book, but use it from time to time. I'm actually quite excited about the opportunity.

In recent days, the skies have been leaden gray. A sure sign of winter here in west Michigan. At least the grass is [mostly] green. That may change by week's end.

Yesterday I spent a few hours fixing the color printer. The problem? The printer cable was loose on the back of the computer. Why hadn't I secured the screws that hold it in place? Aarrrgh. Sometimes it drives me whacky!

Company has arrived.

Family Friday ~ Join the fun w/Linky

2011-12-02T03:00:00.000-05:00

The core of our family is Sylvia, our two sons, a daughter-in-law, a granddaughter and me. We got together in August to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary, which didn't take place until September. Briana (granddaughter) had just returned from an internship in Mexico and the next week would be returning to the university and her nursing studies. A photographer friend shot photos of the six of us.

Click image for a larger view

I'll be devoting Fridays to family stories, anecdotes, photos and most anything that has to do with family. That includes history and genealogy. Come join me in this Family Friday meme. The code for the banner is at the bottom of the blog. Leave a link to your family themed blog post here:

Come back soon and join your friends on Family Friday.

Sky's on Fire

2011-11-30T08:16:00.001-05:00

Play Ball!

2011-11-28T03:00:00.000-05:00

My little buddy loves to play. In the morning his favorite after breakfast game is peek and chase. When he goes galloping through the house, it sounds like someone has let a horse loose.

Midnight usually starts by running into the guest room and hiding under the bed. That is he tries to hide under the bed. It doesn't work. That's because he usually leaves his back end sticking out with his bent and busted (in four places) tail waving like the flag in fresh breeze. It usually leaves me laughing.

Later in the day, he's ready to play another game. This usually means anything involving a ping pong ball.

Ping Pong balls are fun to chase and swat

Sometimes I'll roll the ball to him, and he swats it back. We'll do that three or four times, and then he gives an energetic whack and takes off chasing the ball only to swat it again and again.

As you can see, trying to capture an image of this action is doomed to failure. At least it is when I hold the camera. Lot of energy is expended and much laughter ensues. This is so much fun!

Then later, we need some rest. I'll get a glass of water and settle into the recliner. My little buddy loves to hop in there with me where we both have a time of rest and recovery. I like this part of the day too.

The boys rest after the ball game

We usually have the TV on while we rest in the recliner. Don't ask what's playing. We probably can't tell you.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-24T08:33:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving Day 2011

The folks that live beside Secondary Roads wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving Day. We have so much to be thankful for. The first thing that comes to mind is family: my wonderful bride, our two sons, a super daughter-in-law and a fabulous granddaughter. We also enjoy good health and have enough to care for our needs. Beyond that we are surrounded by the beauty of nature and by a community of good people that share similar values.

Today, we'll have company: two sisters, a brother-in-law and his brother are coming to share some food and fellowship. It's gonna be a great day. And to top it off, our son and his wife and daughter are planning to stop by later in the day. Perfect!

What are you thankful for?

One smart bird

And a word from my friend, the one we call Hoosier Daddy:

From the ~~horse's~~ turkey's mouth

Hey Vanilla, do you really eat that stuff? Or were you just playing games with your faithful followers? Just asking . . .

Take time my friends to be thankful and to show that to those around you.

Bright November Morning

2011-11-22T03:00:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday morning, I fed Midnight (our cat) and started the coffee maker. From the dining room, Sylvia asked, "Have you seen the sky this morning." A few steps and I was looking out the window at an amazingly striking view. I immediately headed for the office to retrieve the camera. Next stop was the front deck with the camera in my hand.

Looking north from the front deck

This is what I saw from the front deck. In the foreground is the new garden area that I had tilled on Friday. That is Meghan's barn (center right). The early morning sun illuminated the scene before me, which seemed to glow and provided a stark contrast with the dark clouds overhead, which threatened rain.

I turned slightly to the left and zoomed in

What a change from last Wednesday. No fog. Brighter sun. Darker sky. The camera doesn't really do justice to this breath-taking scene.

Another slight turn to the left

I spent a few more minutes just admiring the beauty of a quiet Sunday morning. Then it was time to think about breakfast. With bread in the toaster, I poured coffee and took a sip. By that time, the sun had disappeared behind the cloud cover. The magic was over and the rest of the day was dominated by those rain clouds.

The photos have only been re-sized for faster upload.

That's the way the day began last Sunday. It was a good day. Sylvia and I agree that it is wonderful to live here in this rural setting. Little wonder that we feel so content.

Happenings.

2011-11-18T09:51:00.001-05:00

Monday, I called the Service Department to see how they were progressing on my tractor repairs. The manager said, "Oh, didn't you see it in the barn? We returned it Friday. I guess I should have called you?" Yes, that would have been a good idea.

In this shot, the tractor is dirty from work.

I have yet to see the invoice. I did suggest that they learned so much in the five weeks they were fixing the problem that I should charge tuition. I further added that if they tacked on a charge for "Storage," I would not be pleased.

Our new garden space has been tilled. It looks nice. I also completed several clean-up jobs around the place.

Road Kill Insignia

Lin at the Ducken Wheel did a post the other day that got me to thinking. In the post, she wrote that the lady in front of her in traffic had four cat stickers posted in a row on her rear window. Lin mused that it might an indication that she is a "crazy cat lady." Or perhaps she is a "krazy kat killer" lady and those were trophies.

That quickly leads to an entrepreneurial idea. Make and sell stickers to place on drivers' vehicles to indicate road kills. A wide variety of species would be available. My neighbor could use about 20 of them on his truck. I might even buy one of a deer for Sylvia's ride. Seems like the least I can do, and I'm always willing to do the least I can do. Oh, and I was driving when we bagged that one. Grilled venison. Pardon my lack of enthusiasm.

Ideas Wanted

I'm open to ideas to improve this blog. So please let me know your thoughts on:
How can I improve content?
How can I better interact with readers.
How can I increase traffic?
How can I better encourage comments?
Do you have other helpful hints for me?

Thanks.

Tuesday Morning

2011-11-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

Faucet Drinker

2011-11-14T03:00:00.000-05:00

Do you like the new logo for Midnight Monday? My little buddy, keeps life interesting around this country home. Lately, around mid-morning while I'm surfing the blogosphere, Midnight starts calling me. He is very persistent, and so I get out my office chair and walk into the bathroom, which is located adjacent to the office. Midnight greets from where he stands atop the counter beside the sink. I know what he wants.

Kitty slows the water escaping the tap on a front leg

He is thirsty and he wants a drink from the faucet. I turn on the faucet just enough for a thin stream of water to flow. I don't want my little buddy to go thirsty.

He doesn't always use his leg to slow the flow

When I have the stream of water adjusted properly, he will drink directly from the faucet. But I must have a slow flow.

He really enjoys the fresh water

I enjoy watching him "attack" the water with such vigor. The water flies and some of it, believe it or not, actually makes into his mouth and down his thirsty throat.

Doesn't this look like fun?

After a while, he has had enough water. That's when Midnight stand up, steps out of the sink and back to the counter where he rubs against me. His way of saying, "Thank you very much."

It must be that flowing water is better tasting than the still water from the water bowl. I can believe that. I can also believe that it's a lot more fun.

Remembering Uncle Bob

2011-11-10T09:41:00.001-05:00

In anticipation of Veterans' Day (tomorrow), let me share a little about a WWII veteran that I knew and loved. He was Robert Hutchinson, but I call him Uncle Bob.

WWII Recruiting Poster

Uncle Bob was my father's next younger brother. The two of them ended up in the US Army Air Corps during WWII. Dad pursued his dream to be a pilot. Hostilities ended as he was about to enter the final phase of training. Dream over.

Uncle Bob, trained as an aviation mechanic. He became the crew chief on a P-47 called Pete the Pup, which was flown by the colonel who was the unit commander.

P-47

I remember the end of 1945. Dad returned in time for Thanksgiving. Uncle Bob was in Europe and came back home a bit later. For a short while, Bob lived with us. He found work as the town constable. As the village (population about 2000) law-enforcement officer, he carried a shiny badge and a big revolver. Five-year-old me was greatly impressed! He stood tall and straight. He was handsome with thick wavy hair. He was soon married to Aunt Irene--a farmer's daughter.

Here are some pictures of Uncle Bob from the '40s:

Bob and Irene

Bob's story is typical of many men from that era. They volunteered or were drafted. they trained and did their duty for the duration, or for as long as they were able, and then returned to home and family. For dad, the return was to mother, sister Barbara and me. For Uncle Bob, it was a return to his sweetheart Irene. Marriage and children followed.

Uncle Bob's 4th great grandfather, John Hutchinson from Vermont fought in the Revolutionary War and died at Valley Forge. John's grandson, Bob's 2nd great grandfather, fought in the War of 1812 before settling in west New York near Batavia.

There have been others. Today, I fondly remember my father's brother.

Uncle Bob passed away in March of 1990. Sylvia and I were living on the east coast, and I was not able to get back to Michigan for his funeral. I do miss this great guy.

Roses in November

2011-11-08T03:00:00.000-05:00

Who have thought it? Yesterday Sylvia picked a double handful of raspberries. (Yes, they were very tasty.) That is probably even more surprising than roses in November.

Roses still bloom as November is here

Yesterday, we spent some time draining garden hoses and preparing garden spaces for winter. Despite all that, some us don't want summer to end. That includes this beauty:

And it still looks so fresh

And out in the yard there are other blossoms. Like this one:

A touch of color in the grass

The tractor is still in the shop. The corn harvest is going full tilt around here and equipment will break. The agricultural equipment has a higher priority. That's okay with me. It's a family's income and it's our food that should be more important than me being able to finally till my garden space for next year. Nevertheless, it is frustrating that it has been over a month since I've had the use of my tractor for more than a couple of hours.

Rain is forecast for the next couple of days. Hopefully, that will allow the mechanics to finish work on my tractor. We'll see . . .

Comments

Several of you answer the comments on your blogs with your own comments. I have not been doing that. I'm going to try to follow the example of my good friends that do.

Verification Word Game

2011-11-04T03:00:00.000-04:00

It has been quite a while since we've played the Verification Word Game here on Secondary Roads. You've probably noticed some of those [supposedly] random letter strings we enter to post comments on each others blogs are actually obscure words. Here are just a few of those that I've spotted in the last three months. (Please note that I've taken the liberty to add the occasional apostrophe or space to help our understanding. . .)

I'm smact - Another way of saying I have been hit -- very hard.

Nurion - Nutrition without the tea.

Sable or- when the wife wants a fur coat it is this or mink.

Witchen - What trick or treaters did at the end of last month.

Also:

Saw cult - Sharp-eyed Sharky spotted this last month. She said the meaning should be obvious. Okay . . . Back to Halloween.

Deo gimme - Vanilla spotted this one recently. Deo is Latin for God and, well you know the rest. Sounds like some prayers I've heard. Haven't you heard them too?

Brat hell - Our friend Pricilla said this is "A place full of Abby goats."

Spoing - Lin says this is "The sound Midnight makes bumping into the wall."

Thanks to these very special friends who sent along these nifty words they spotted online. I appreciate their reports. I'd also be glad to hear from you. If you spot one of those verification words, you know the kind I mean, please let me know. I'll report it in the round of the game and link back to your blog.

Now it's your turn to play the game. These words showed up on some of your blogs. What do you think they mean?

Notomis
Pillorn
Splamon

Feel free to add punctuation or spaces to the letter strings. Turn your creativity loose. I'm looking forward to reading your responses.

Evening Skies

2011-11-02T10:19:00.000-04:00

Waxing crescent moon over neighbor's barn

Last Saturday evening I looked out my office window and saw the crescent moon in the southwestern sky. I gathered the camera and tripod, slipped into a light jacket, donned a cap and slipped out the back door. As I searched for the best angle to capture an image of the scene. I heard a loud noise coming from the southeast. The familiar noise was growing louder. It was a flock of geese, but it had to be a large flock. Indeed it was. Despite the darkness, I tried to shoot a photo of them. Trees and buildings would add to the level of difficulty. However, like the old saw says, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Geese flying by

Later, when I found the results less than thrilling. I brought the black level up with my graphic program. You can see how that worked above. The geese had been barely visible with the eye. After processing, I could see that there was something going by.

That blue was not enhanced. All I did was to lighten the dark areas.

Looking over my house at west-bound geese

I turned and captured another image of the geese. This time I had to shoot over the roof of the house. I could only fit a very small portion of the flock in the viewfinder.

As the huge flock was leaving I could hear another flock headed my way from the south. This time, instead of flying east and north of me across the darkest skies, the second group flew south and west of me. Much easier to photograph!

The second flock flies through brighter skies

Soon, the geese were gone and stillness returned. My mind eventually remembered my original purpose.

The crescent moon chases the sunset over a silent landscape

I took my final shot and then watched and listened for a while before returning to the house to see what the camera held for me. I entered the house feeling very good. Satisfied with what I had experienced.

Dressed For the Occasion

2011-10-31T03:00:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year when kids and their folks like to dress up and have fun. What about their pets? I don't subject my fur-face, four-pawed, fastidious feline friend to such indignity. Okay, I'm not above having some fun with photos. Imagine answering the summons to your door this evening and finding this.

Trick or treat

Midnight with the eye patch was done with my graphics program. Putting that image in the eye of the beholder was done at PhotoFunia.

I saw a couple of images at icanhascheezburger that reminded me of Midnight. In the spirit of this day I present:

Grumpy Kitty

Does this poor fellow appreciate his staff? Perhaps at another time? How about this one?

~~Scaredy~~ Scary Cat

I don't think I want to go anywhere near that place after dark. How about you?

Midnight joins me in wishing you a great day and a fun filled evening. Don't let the goblins get you.

Boy Or Man?

2011-10-29T03:00:00.000-04:00

Headline News

2011-10-27T09:43:00.000-04:00

Received here via e-mail

I remember my first editing assignment. It was for a magazine that is read by more than 600,000 readers. My supervisor and coworkers warned me that I would make a blunder--perhaps more than one. Determination and strong will took over. This would not happen to me. But it did. The text was flawless. The footnotes were without blemish. Nothing was wrong with the title. Below the title, in the deck (that's that large type section that amplifies the title and lets the reader know what the article is all about), was an error. Fortunately, the proofreader caught the error before it went to the printer.

My friends had a laugh on me. They explained that it is easy to miss the problems in the large type when you are tightly focused on the small print. Isn't that the truth? It is all too easy to get so wrapped up in the details of life that we miss problems in the big things.

Writing headlines is an art. The writer's job is to tell and tease. Tell the reader what the story is about and yet tease, so the reader wants to know more. When well done, the result is a beautiful creation. When poorly done . . . well, just read the following list of headlines from an e-mail sent by my friend, Roy.

----------------------------------------------------------
Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter
----------------------------------------------------------
Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
----------------------------------------------------------
Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
----------------------------------------------------------
Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
----------------------------------------------------------
Miners Refuse to Work after Death
----------------------------------------------------------
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
----------------------------------------------------------
War Dims Hope for Peace
----------------------------------------------------------
If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
----------------------------------------------------------
Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
----------------------------------------------------------
Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
----------------------------------------------------------
Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
----------------------------------------------------------
Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
----------------------------------------------------------
Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
----------------------------------------------------------
Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
----------------------------------------------------------
Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
----------------------------------------------------------
Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
----------------------------------------------------------
Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
----------------------------------------------------------

Can you find a favorite here? And will the lightning-struck man get his battery charged?

Around Here

2011-10-25T11:01:00.000-04:00

I awoke yesterday, as is my custom, and saw the waning crescent moon sailing high over the barn. The sun was about to rise. First, I enjoyed the view out the window for a while. Next, I got the camera and took a couple of shots.

With the images captured, I took time to enjoy the view some more and to consider all the good things in my life. Family is at the top of that list. All too soon, it was time to start my day.

After personal needs are taken care of, the next order of business is to feed Midnight. Next, I brew coffee, pour a bit of orange juice and add carbonated water. Then it's off to the office (20 steps) to begin my morning rounds through the e-mail inbox and the blogosphere. Breakfast happens after the coffee is ready.

Yesterday, our plumber made a house call. There is was no shutoff on the water lines to our shower. Eric took care of that. He did not replace the cartridge in the shower control. Instead, we talked, he left and Sylvia and I went out and bought a new control from the Big Box Home Improvement Emporium. Eric is scheduled to return tomorrow to finish the job.

Later, I called the Jolly Green Tractor Sales & Service Store. They first hauled my tractor away three weeks ago. A week later, it was returned after they replaced a ruptured hydraulic line. The same day the tractor came back, it broke again. This time no power to the tiller. The service manager told me that they have not been able to locate the problem. We are now waiting for help from a factory expert. I can hardly wait to see the bill on this one.

Last week it was car repairs. Fortunately, both items came in under estimate. That helped ease the pain a bit.

Looks like there will be too much month at the end of the money. Has this every happened to you?

I awoke this morning, as is my custom, and saw a cloud-filled sky. No moon. No sun. It will be a wonderful day. Rain is refreshing the earth. In the words of Tony the Tiger, "It's going to be a great day!"

Mature Woman Driver

2011-10-21T03:00:00.000-04:00

From my e-mail diary

This one came from my friend, Clarence. We were high school classmates. He has a great sense of humor and loves to send me gems such as this story about a police officer who got on the wrong side of a wily motorist.

A mature (over 70) lady gets pulled over for speeding...

Older Woman: Is there a problem, Officer?

Officer: Ma'am, you were speeding.

Older Woman: Oh, I see.

Officer: Can I see your license please?

Older Woman: I'd give it to you but I don't have one.

Officer: Don't have one?

Older Woman: Lost it, 4 years ago for drunk driving.

Officer: I see... Can I see your vehicle registration papers please.

Older Woman: I can't do that.

Officer: Why not?

Older Woman: I stole this car.

Officer: Stole it?

Older Woman: Yes, and I killed and hacked up the owner.

Officer: You what?

Older Woman: His body parts are in plastic bags in the trunk if you want to see

The Officer looks at the woman and slowly backs away to his car and calls for back up. Within minutes 5 police cars circle the woman's car. A senior officer slowly approaches the car, clasping his drawn pistol.

Officer 2: Ma'am, could you step out of your vehicle please! The woman steps out of her vehicle.

Older woman: Is there a problem sir?

Officer 2: One of my officers told me that you have stolen this car and murdered the owner.

Older Woman: Murdered the owner?

Officer 2: Yes, could you please open the trunk of your car, please.

The woman opens the trunk, revealing nothing but an empty trunk.

Officer 2: Is this your car, ma'am?

Older Woman: Yes, here are the registration papers.
The officer is quite stunned.

Officer 2: One of my officers claims that you do not have a driving license.

The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out her license and hands it to the officer.

The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.

Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.

Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too.

How can you top that one?

Mama Said There Would Be Days . . .

2011-10-19T03:00:00.000-04:00

Poor Lyle, I can relate to this sad guy

I woke yesterday morning to the fact that my tractor has spent most of the last two weeks at the dealership's service department. After being gone for eight days to repair a broken hydraulic line, it came back home. Within an hour, I had the mower deck off and the tiller and front-end loader mounted on it. I drove the mile to church, and after moving some top soil to where it was needed, I began tilling. After an hour and a half something in the tractor stopped working. So it's back at the dealership, and I've not got my fall tilling done yet.

I got out of bed yesterday, got dressed and fed Midnight. Then I went to the office to read the online edition of the local paper. My favorite Lowe's store is closing. I was not happy. After checking e-mail, I went to the kitchen to make a couple of slices of toast to go with my coffee for breakfast. The clock mechanism in the toaster oven ran for two minutes and quit.

I had a late morning appointment to have repairs done to my car. They replaced the front-end sway bar links and a sensor in the exhaust system. The final price was less than the estimate, but still more than $350. Ouch!

Lowe's was crowded. Must have been the sale they were holding. I found a replacement (an upgrade) for the toaster oven. Yes, it was on sale. The young lady at the check out counter reported that she is losing her job next Tuesday. She has a family that needs her income. I hope she finds something soon.

I think I'm retaining water. Why else would my weight be going up? Are my scales broken?

Self portrait

What's a guy to do?

What He Said . . .

2011-10-18T09:56:00.000-04:00

No post scheduled for today. For an interesting story with a twist, be sure to visit my friend, Vanilla--especially if you need a laugh.

Motivation

2011-10-17T10:11:00.001-04:00

Last week I was looking through some photos of my four-legged friend, Midnight. As I considered his expressions, it began to dawn on me that there might be an important message from kitty for us. Here is what came out of that:

Curious kitty never misses a thing that happens. How can he be so alert and constantly aware of his surroundings? I can't do that. Can you?

Yes, Midnight will bite. He has learned not to bite too hard on people. At least for the most part he doesn't. Take no chances.

Midnight was on the back of a chair and I was laying on the floor looking up at him when I capture the image above. It is one of my favorite shots of my little buddy.

What could be more feline than that expression--especially from that angle?

On Indian Summer

2011-10-17T09:47:00.002-04:00

In addition to comments left on my previous post, I received e-mail comments and questions about Indian summer. The exact meaning varies depending on the region and perhaps even the individual involved. For me it is a period of above average temperatures with dry conditions that follows the first heavy frost (below freezing temperatures).

Indian summer brings thoughts of apples, apple cider, the bright fall colors wrapping deciduous trees (especially maples), pumpkins and marching bands.

I particularly like Indian summer.

Indian Summer

2011-10-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

We are still enjoying a beautiful Indian summer here in west Michigan. We've had a killing frost so that the last zucchini standing has finally fallen. We're enjoying above normal temperatures and dry conditions. It's a great time for the farmers to harvest their crops.

Neighbor chops corn for cattle feed

The corn field behind our barn has been harvested. It doesn't take long for these folks to bring in the crop. That's Meghan's house in the background. Have you visited her blog?

A quarter-mile north of here, another friend and neighbor was harvesting soy beans yesterday. I saw him in the morning and again in the evening shortly after the sun had gone down. He wants to get the job done before the rain comes later today.

Yesterday, I got my tractor back from the shop. A bad hydraulic line had put me out of business. It took eight days to get it back, and I was unhappy that all that beautiful weather was going to waste when I had tilling to do at church and here at home.

As soon as the tractor was unloaded, I took it to the barn and removed the mower deck. Next, I mounted the front-end loader and the tiller. Then I drove the mile and a quarter to church. After a bit of planning, I moved some top soil to where it was needed and then began to till the newly formed bank at the edge of the rear parking lot. Sylvia and Pastor Mark used their rakes to prepare the ground for grass seed. Nearly half-way through the job, the tiller quit operating. The problem is in the tractor.

So it will be another wait for the service department to fix my John Deere. I'll keep busy doing other outdoor tasks. I have plenty to do.

Last night, as the moon rose it was very cloudy. The sky looked like this:

One day past the full moon

I wanted to see if I could capture the "feel" of last night's moon. I used the "night sky" setting on the camera and then used Photoshop Elements to lighten the image a bit. The result is fairly close to what my eye saw.

Later, the skies cleared. It was probably a good night for my friend to harvest those soy beans.

Just For Laughs

2011-10-11T03:00:00.000-04:00

A post last week from my good friend, Vanilla, got me thinking about humor. What do you find funny? Is it some of the juvenile stuff that you see on TV these days? Who writes that stuff? Adolescent males?

Try some of the so-called comedy shows. Who comes up with those ideas? Stand-up comedians? Why is profane language and bathroom humor funny to mature adults? I don't get it. Okay, I thought those things were funny when I was in junior high school.

Fortunately, if you get RFD TV, there is still good clean humor available. Check your program listings.

Hee Haw is alive and well!

Do you remember when this series was on TV? During part of its run, we were living in South America. The only American TV available was Kung Fu, starring David Carradine. The sound track was in Spanish, but we enjoyed watching this with our sons each Sunday evening, but that's not humor.

It's good to be able to catch up on the Hee Haw fun that I missed. Here's an excerpt from one of the weekly segments:

What do you watch just for laughs?

Last Zucchini Standing

2011-10-07T10:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Sylvia and I had lunch with our son, Bryant. We do that most weeks, and it is one of the highlights of my week when we do. When I shared what I intended to post today he suggested the title. I liked it and have chosen to use it today.

A recent heavy frost left most of the garden dead and dying. Only one zucchini plant escaped. It alone remains in this year's garden space. Everything else has been harvested and removed.

Last zucchini standing

There are three babies on this plant, and so it will remain for a while longer. Then the tractor and tiller will move through this area and churn it up. It will be the end of this garden area.

Next year this will be lawn

Pines on the east and a box elder tree on the south keep this area in shade most of the day. Also, it is in a low place where water run off crosses in heavy rain.

Those whitish looking spots are the remains of newspapers that were used as mulch. Nobody here likes to pull weeds, so we use the papers. As you can see it works very well. The only place that weeds and grass grow is under the fence, which has been removed.

Another reason we are moving the garden is to get it close to the house and the water supply. We have to drag hose a long way to water the garden. That's not fun.

It's a long way to the house

The new location is just out of the frame to the right of the above picture. It is much closer.

Much closer to the house and higher

This years garden is 520 square feet in size--about half again larger than it was the year before. Next year, we'll have 680 square feet for vegetables plus 204 square feet reserved for perennials.

Another view of the new garden area

I marked out the new location and treated the grass with an herbicide. The wind was blowing so it carried a bit beyond the intended margins. We'll leave a three-foot-wide swath down either side of the length of the garden for perennials. For us that means asparagus, rhubarb (my favorite) and, of course, some flowers.

This would be tilled now, but the tractor is in the repair shop. It developed a hydraulic fluid leak. When that is fixed, I'll be able to get on with the next phase of tilling and adding some extra top soil and nutrients. (Plenty of that available here in the country.)

While I wait for the return of the tractor, three zucchinis are growing. That's okay with me.

The Screened Porch

2011-10-05T02:00:00.000-04:00

Our house has a large deck in front

The house we live in today has a large deck on the front. Some have said how nice it is, which only illustrates their lack of understanding. The mosquito air force renders areas such as this mostly unusable during most of the warm-weather months. There is no shade to protect from a hot sun. Those are just two reasons why our deck is not used very often.

In 1947, my parents moved into a house with a screened porch. I remember sitting on that porch in the 50s. Once in a while someone would walk by our house at the edge of town. We'd always speak a greeting and almost always got one in return. Sometimes, the passerby would engage us in conversation for a while. It was great to sit there on the porch swing and enjoy watching the activities outside while listening to Mom hard at work inside the open door to the main house.

In the summer, we'd carry the large console radio out to the porch and listen to radio dramas in the evening to an accompaniment of crickets and katydids. We'd play outside during the day, but in the evening after supper, or on a rainy day, we sought the shelter of the screened porch.

Screened porches and porch swings were common back then. I don't see them very often these days. TV has drawn people inside where they hunker in the bunker. Then there are those of us who are online. I could take my lap-top computer to the deck and surf from there, but why?

No, I don't want to go back. That doesn't work. Yet sometimes, I think of those days and remember how nice they were. Life was simpler, but it was also harder. Maybe I'll go sit on the deck in the late afternoon. It should be warm enough for that if the forecaster is correct.

Whose Cat?

2011-10-03T02:00:00.000-04:00

If you come around here during the day, you'll see that Midnight is my kitty. When he wants something he comes and talks to me. If he's not getting enough attention. He walks across my desk in front of the monitor. If that fails, he tries to walk on my keyboard or whack the track ball with a paw. Sometimes he just settles down on my lap. He's not that easy to work around. I usually take a break to talk with my little buddy and to give him some attention. When he thinks my attention is lacking, he sits with his rear on my lap and front end on my tummy. They he looks me in the eye or nuzzles my chin. I can't ignore that. And he knows it. He just did that as I was writing this.

Sylvia greets him early in the morning. (She usually starts her day about an hour before I can drag myself out of bed.) She gives him a bit of dry cat food and fills his water bowl before doing her morning exercise routine on the treadmill or the weight machine.

When I shuffle out, I'll give him some canned cat food, before starting the coffee and going into the office. Around 2:30 or so in the afternoon, I'll give him some more canned cat food.

Later in the evening, when Sylvia finally takes some time to rest in front of the TV, he is all hers.

Evening in front of the TV

He usually sprawls beside her on the recliner foot rest. At other times, he likes to rise above the fray where he can keep a better eye on things. It is now that time of year when we see an occasional fly in the house. Midnight never misses them, and will always try to catch them.

Recently he was keeping company with Sylvia when he spotted a fly. He had to check it out. He wanted to catch that bad boy.

Midnight, the fly stalker

When a bug flies near or lands on the lamp, Midnight is going to strike. That's why you see Sylvia with a hand on the lamp. Our adventurous guy had almost knocked it over just moments before.

He does keep our life interesting.

For You Square Dancers . . .

2011-10-01T09:40:00.001-04:00

Our blogger bud, Lin, posted a video the other day. She was square dancing with her daughter. Some folks had to ask why her hubby, Joe, wasn't dancing with her. She explained that Joe was shooting the video. Also he doesn't particularly enjoy square dancing. Well I have the answer for Joe. And for all of us guys who would prefer a more manly alternative to dancing. Here it is:

Be sure to tell Joe about this--he'll want to try it for sure. Afterward, we can all go and watch the demolition derby. A perfect day. Aaahhh . . .

Our Getaway ~ Pt 7

2011-09-30T02:00:00.000-04:00

With Tahquamenon Falls and Paradise behind us, we headed south for the bridge back to the lower peninsula. It was late afternoon when we crossed over the Straights of Mackinac.

And many miles to go before I sleep

We made a right turn and took US-31 down the west side of the state. After we stopped for gas, I slipped behind the wheel. Some time later, it was dark and we were hungry. We had had a late lunch, so we hadn't stopped earlier. We pulled into the town of Elk Rapids. Eagle-eyed Sylvia saw the pizza place, and I stopped in front of it. Their pizza was good!

After we had eaten, Sylvia took the wheel for the final leg of our drive to Glen Lake. It was about 10 PM when we arrived. While I unloaded the car, Sylvia built a fire in the fireplace. We had some popcorn and hot tea before calling it a day.

It was chilly when I awoke on Friday morning. Sylvia had been up for some time. She was in the kitchen reading and enjoying some hot tea in front of the stove. Once again, she had started a fire in the fireplace. We sat in front of that fire for a while reading. She drank tea. I enjoyed a cup of coffee. As we sat there, she suddenly popped up and said, "I've got to get a picture of this."

Arthritic old man reads in front of fire

Fifty years earlier, Sylvia and I had spent our two-day honeymoon here at Crosby Cottage. The weather was very warm in 1961. This time it would be an overnight stay. It was very chilly and we decided not to make it a long visit.

That morning, we drove to Glen Arbor with three destinations in mind. The first was Cherry Republic, a store that sells food stuff with cherries. They specializes in mixes with cherries, nuts, dried fruits and chocolate. Plenty of free samples. And it is all so good! We made some purchases, which we are still enjoying.

Next stop, the Synchronicity Art Gallery. Michael Crosby, a relative, has some of his sculptures on display (and for sale) at the gallery. We spent over an hour there enjoying the many works of art.

Our final stop was at the Crystal River. This time of year, the coho salmon have come into the river.

Coho salmon swimming in the Crystal River

This school seemed content just to circle around in endless circles playing a game of follow-the-leader. It was relaxing and fun to watch the fish. We also checked at the dam a way upstream from this scene. The salmon had not progressed that far upstream. They should be there in another week or two.

We returned to the cottage, where we enjoyed a modest lunch while sitting under the trees. We enjoyed the view of beautiful Glen Lake as we remembered the many times we had been there before.

Crosby Cottage has a great view of Glen Lake

We watched a pair of swans gliding across the lake. A pair of sailboats added more interest to the scene. One of the sailors was adept the other was an obvious novice. Eventually it was time to load the car, close up the cottage and head for home.

We made a couple of stops to stretch and change drivers. About four miles from home we would drive pass our nearest pizza and sandwich shop. We stopped there for a sandwich before continuing home where a warm house, cat and bed all waited for our return. We were tired, but felt very good. It had been a lot of fun. The trip meter indicated 902 miles driven in three days. It sure was good to be home.

Our Getaway ~ Pt 6

2011-09-29T02:00:00.000-04:00

Our drive to Paradise had recharged the car battery. Sylvia and I each had a bowl of delicious chili at the restaurant. The friendly waitress had let us use a wall outlet to recharge the camera battery. We took our time, sitting, talking and eating our chili.

After lunch, we made the short drive to the lower Tahquamenon (rhymes with phenomenon) Falls. As you enter the state park, you are greeted by a sign that says, "Take nothing but photographs. Leave nothing but foot prints." That should be our attitude. Not only when we visit places of great natural beauty, but always.

Silly tourists

As we examined the map of the lower falls area, Sylvia noticed the reflection of a couple wearing John Deere caps in the glass. I like the effect that she captured there in front of the sign.

The reason we look so happy is that we are well fed, and our batteries are charged. Oh yes, and it's the two of us together and enjoying every minute of it.

Enjoying the view

A friendly fellow tourist offered to take a picture of both of us. I asked that she put us on the right side of the frame. Wouldn't you know, she centered us. You can barely see the interesting part of the river on the left side. I hope she likes the shot that I took better. I was a step to the right and framed her on the right. I held the camera above my head so that the falls are near and slightly above her right shoulder.

The camera battery was not completely charged so we enjoyed our visit and took few pictures. We knew the best would be the upper falls. We headed there next.

Caught at the map yet again

A bit longer walk this time, but not bad at all. The rain had stopped and the skies were clearing a bit. While the air was cool, it was a great day for getting out and hiking (a little bit).

Upper Tahquamenon Falls

The water has a brownish tint. This is caused by drainage from surrounding cedar and tamarack swamps. We had seen pictures, but photos don't compare with being there. This is what we had driven so far to see.

Sylvia at the upper falls

We could have walked down 98 steps to the river level, but elected not to do that. We had an excellent view from where we were and we were both a bit tired.

As I was taking the above shot of Sylvia, a tourist couple from down our way came into the observation area. The man offered to take a shot of both of us. He very carefully framed the shot, shifted and reset. Finally he captured this:

What a beautiful day

Didn't he do a great job? I cropped the image a bit. He had asked me if I could do that before he took the shot. He had to hold the camera as high as he could above his head to get all of the falls in the frame. He could have moved closer, but that would have made us appear larger and the falls smaller by comparison. Good guy!

We took our time and enjoyed the sights and sounds. Then we left. Sylvia was behind the wheel as we made our way back to Paradise and turned south. It would take about four hours driving time to reach the family cottage at Glen Lake. She wanted to sleep there that night. I'll tell you more about that tomorrow in the final part of this account.

Our Getaway ~ Pt 5

2011-09-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

Last week, I left the story with us aboard the Nokomis ready to begin our tour of the Soo Locks at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. There had been ice on the car that morning, it had been raining and gusty winds were the order of the day. The good news was forecasters were calling for clearing skies.

A hopeful sign appeared in the sky

Shortly after 10 AM our journey started. A voice on the speaker system told us about the various facilities located along the water front as we went by. An hour later we were approaching the Canadian side. Freighter traffic going through the [larger] American side meant we'd go up on the other side.

A light signals ships regarding lock status.

We only had to wait a short while before the lower gates began to open. The red signal light meant we could not yet enter. Soon, it turned to green and our vessel entered the lock.

Hiawatha goes through the lock with Nokomis

Our captain pulled the ship to the upper end of the lock. Another ship from the same company pulled in behind us and the lower gates began to close. After some time we could tell that our ship was rising. At first rather slowly and eventually a bit faster.

Water filing the lock would lift the two ships about 21 feet. No pumps are used. Valves are opened to let water from the upper side fill the lock. In the reverse process, other valves are used to release water to the lower side as ships are lowered.

It's a very interesting process. A diagram of how this worked was posted on an interior bulkhead of our ship.

View from topside as we prepare to leave the Canadian lock

It takes several minutes to move over a million gallons of water. Nevertheless, the process moves along quite efficiently. The tour was informative and fun. Soon we would sail out on the upper side of the lock to see what was up there.

Some steel-making ingredients

We went around a Canadian steel plant. It is immediately obvious that this is a large-scale operation. At least it seems that way to me. Our tour guide told of the materials and their handling as we made our way around the company harbor.

As I took the photo above, I realized the camera battery was nearly flat. A couple of useless thoughts were going through my mind. "Why didn't I recharge the battery last night at Aunt Ceal's?" And, "Why didn't I buy a spare battery, like my son and daughter-in-law suggested?" As I said, useless thoughts.

A half hour later, our tour ended back at the dock where it had begun. From the steel plant, Nokomis crossed back over to the American side where we went through the McArthur Lock on our way to the dock.

In the parking lot, I discovered that the car battery was dead. I had left the headlights on when I parked the car. Several tour company employees came to my rescue and with borrowed jumper cables, one of them gave me the jump to get the car started. An hour and a quarter later, we entered a restaurant in Paradise, Michigan. (Yes, we can now say we've been to paradise together. We've also been to Hell, Michigan, but that's another story.) We were able to recharge the camera battery--at least enough to last the rest of that day.

A Belated Happy Birthday

2011-09-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Sylvia and I made the 50-minute drive to her dad's house near St Johns, Michigan. Her father and brother were waiting for us when we arrived. A few minutes later, a sister and her husband drove in too. A few minutes later, the six of us were loaded into two vehicles and we were headed north to Mt Pleasant. There we met another sister and her husband. (The only ones missing were the sister that lives in Florida and her husband.)

We had a nice supper at Ruby Tuesday's. Then we headed to the park for cake and ice cream. Fortunately, the rain had ended and the sun was shining--be it ever so weakly.

German chocolate cake is Dad's favorite

We were nearly three weeks late, and we found the air a bit cooler here toward the end of September. Dad assured everyone that it was never too late for the family to get together as we were doing at that time.

Butter pecan ice cream was served with the cake. Sylvia had brought hot tea, lemonade and water. (I got a cup of coffee to go from Ruby Tuesday.)

We talked at length about late summer's travel. One sister told us about her tour of Europe. The other about their trip to Colorado to visit a son and pregnant (with twins) daughter-in-law. Sylvia talked a bit about our trip (I'll tell you more later this week). Of course, there were pictures to share.

Looking at vacation pictures

We had eaten our cake and ice cream and [mostly] cleared the table. Sylvia's sisters, their husbands and father looked at our pictures. Sylvia, her brother and I were looking at their pictures. The sun was dropping lower as we looked at pictures and continued to talk. The park is located on low ground beside a river. Thanks to the earlier rain and cool temperatures a fog began to form over the park. You can see a bit of it on the left side of the picture above. The sun was starting to set, and so we reluctantly parted ways to return home. It had been a good day.

When we got to Dad's house, Sylvia and I went in so that I could check some things on his computer. It took a while, but we got the problems solved. Then I scanned a photo for him. After that, I cropped, re-sized and processed it. The lighting made his face look harsh, which it is not. So I softened that and increased the color saturation a bit to make him look a bit better. Then we uploaded the photo to his Facebook profile. No, really we did.

It was after midnight by the time I got to bed last night. That's why I'm a bit late getting this post up today.

Midnight Reacts to Our Absence

2011-09-26T02:00:00.000-04:00

For the first time since we brought him into the house 21 months ago, we left Midnight home alone for more than a few hours. Sylvia and I were gone for three days on our trip to Michigan's upper peninsula and to the family cottage where we spent our honeymoon 50 years earlier. Cousin Sandee loaned us the water station and feeder to take care of kitty's needs. We were not sure how he would react to us after being gone that long. Being a cat, we didn't expect a huge welcome. In that, we weren't disappointed.

Nevertheless, he seemed okay when we came in. That continued while we unloaded our bags from the car. Later he jumped up onto my lap for a heart-to-heart.

Midnight gives me "the talk"

Midnight was so upset he couldn't look me in the eye. (Actually, he seldom does that unless we are playing a game, and he wasn't playing. Not then, he wasn't.) He just told me he was not happy about being left home alone, and that it was not fun having no one to play peek and chase games with. Then he left me and lay down beside Sylvia on her recliner chair.

I knew he was serious. I felt sorry. He obviously sensed that. As I walked by to get a cool glass of water, he called me over. And told me he knew I was sorry. And then he blessed me. Isn't that a nice kitty?

Midnight gives me his blessing

It is nice to know that my little buddy is okay again. Now I face the problem, "Do I dare to do that again?"

Don't Try This At Home!

2011-09-24T04:00:00.000-04:00

Our Getaway ~ Pt 4

2011-09-23T04:00:00.000-04:00

We awoke on Day 2 to a chilly day. It had rained overnight and the temperature had dropped. It went below freezing. No problem. We were prepared.

That's ice on my car

We had breakfast and said goodbye to Aunt Ceal and Cousin Nancy. We headed east on M-28 for Sault Ste Marie and the famous Soo Locks. It takes a little over an hour to make the detour and see the locks. It would be a first for both of us, so we were ready to go.

Rain and sun made the drive interesting

Once again we had dramatic skies to view as we headed east toward the Soo. Actually it wasn't much fun driving into the sun on roads wet with falling rain.

Much of the way, we felt like we had the road to ourselves. It took about an hour and a half to arrive at Sault Ste Marie. In town, there are a lot of detours to route traffic around road construction and maintenance projects. Nevertheless, we had no trouble finding our destination.

Soo Locks Boat Tours

A few minutes later, I had purchased tickets for the two-hour tour aboard the Nokomis. We arrived in good time and soon joined the crowd waiting to board.

About twenty minutes later, they did call boarding, and we walked out to the Nokomis.

The Nokomis tour boat

It was still raining lightly, so we found seats on the lower level. That way we could see, but be protected from the rain and the stiff breeze.

It didn't take long to load our vessel. The mooring lines were secured and we were ready to depart.

This woman runs the company docks

This was going to be fun. Even if it did rain, we were going to enjoy it. And we did. I'll tell you more next week.

Our Getaway ~ Pt 3

2011-09-22T04:00:00.000-04:00

After the stop for photos, we resumed our drive along the Lake Michigan shore on US-2. It looked like it might rain at anytime, and later it did. The views are stunning along this stretch of highway.

Spectacular scenery lies along US-2

We stopped to eat supper in Brevort. When I was in grade school my family camped in the area a couple of times. Next to the restaurant sits an ice cream store.

Bareman's HQ is in Holland, Michigan

This ice cream store catches one eye. I had to take a picture of this for a couple of friends. They work for Bareman's, which has a distribution point about 5 miles from our house. I'd like to have some of that right now, wouldn't you?

Sylvia was driving as we passed Little Hog Island

We would later hear the story of how hogs were taken across the ice in spring and left on Hog Island for the summer. When the lake had frozen again, they were brought back to the barn for protection from the winter weather. At least that's what we were told.

The weather began to look more like rain. Soon we began to see rain falling over Lake Michigan.

We could see rain over Lake Michigan

Skies were very interesting as bright sunshine and rain clouds fought for domination. We began to experience rainfall, but could always see more sunlight.

Another view of sun and rain in competition

Soon, we would turn inland and head for the home of Sylvia's Aunt Ceal. About half an hour after taking the picture above, we arrived at our destination.

Aunt Ceal and Sylvia

We had a very nice visit and spent the night with Sylvia's aunt and cousin Nancy. We had driven 344 miles in about seven and a half hours. We didn't rush and many stops to stretch our legs.

Thus ended day one. We were tired and very happy. Day two would be the big day.

Our Getaway ~ Pt 2

2011-09-21T04:00:00.000-04:00

When we left the rest area, we got back on the expressway and headed for the bridge. If you are from Michigan you know what that means. For the rest of you, "the bridge" means the Mackinac (pronounced MACK-in-awe) Bridge. The bridge is five miles long and opened in 1957--about eight weeks after I met Sylvia at a friend's birthday party. You can learn more about the bridge here. This is an image from the official Website:

Aerial view of Mackinac Bridge -- Lake Michigan on the left & Lake Huron on the right

Soon, we could see the tops of the support towers above the trees. A slight turn, and we were on the south approach. Shortly after, we were on the center span.

Northward bound

We still find this sight impressive. That green part of the roadway is a metal deck. It makes an interesting sound as you drive across.

Labor-Day weekend the bridge is open for walkers to cross the bridge

All too soon we were across the span, had paid our toll and had turned onto Rt 2 west. This would take us along the edge of Lake Michigan. We spotted a scenic view and pulled in for a look and more photos.

Sylvia enjoys the brisk breeze with the bridge in the background

I had just finished taking a photo of Sylvia, when a couple of women pulled in. They agreed to do a photo of us, if we'd do the same for them. Okay!

What a beautiful day--the rain came later

Shortly after returning home, I discovered that our blogger friend, Sharky, had stopped at this same spot and taken a photo only a few hours earlier. Sorry we missed you.

We had been on the road for five and a half hours and driven 272 miles. We had another 70 miles to drive and would stop for supper before reaching our Day 1 destination.

Our Getaway ~ Pt 1

2011-09-20T11:22:00.000-04:00

Last month when our son, Scott, was here, Sylvia said to him that she had never seen the Tahquamenon Falls. She went on to add that she had never been to Michigan's upper peninsula. I asked if she'd like to go. Her response? "Do you really mean it?"

The question is understandable. My perfect day is one where I get no farther from the house than our mail box. (Yes, I have a lot of imperfect days. Don't you?)

I assured her that I was serious. Then we began to plan our excursion. There were several major activities that required our presence in the neighborhood, but we found four days that fit into the schedule. Sylvia's cousin lent us the hardware to feed and water Midnight in our absence.

We packed our bags. Fortunately, Sylvia is well organized. It was mid morning when we left the house. A couple of quick errands in the neighborhood and ten minutes later we were on the expressway.

A rest stop to stretch our muscles preceded a stop for lunch. Then we were back on the road headed north.

North-bound on US-127

The weather was very cool and cloudy for most of our trip. At 2:30 PM, we pulled into a rest stop for another stretch. We had traveled 241 miles by this time. After a pit stop, we came out and spotted a sign that pointed to "Hiking trail to scenic overlook." It didn't take a second thought for us to aim our feet in that direction. It was lung-taxing uphill walk, but we enjoyed every step of it. (Didn't we?)

Sylvia at the first stop

We found a nice view and decided it was worth the effort.

Chuck at the second lookout position

As you can see we were early for a color tour and, I assure you, we were late for the pleasant summer weather. Neither Sylvia nor I cared about that.

On the safety railing next to where I was standing we saw this:

Isn't that sweet

Woe be to Alan if he ever forgets that anniversary date. Good for Julie, she may have used an indelible marker, but it will soon fade--or be painted over. (I hope their marriage outlasts the marker.) The first thing we noticed was that it was 50 years and one day after our wedding.

Sylvia had moved on when I turned away from that railing. I saw her on the other side of the roadway (we could have driven up the hill, but were glad we hadn't) where she was examining a rock.

Sylvia also wears a John Deere cap, but her's is pink

I can see why that rock caught her eye. I don't think I ever saw anything like that before. After walking around for a while, we started back down the hill toward our parked car.

An early bit of color lay beneath the maple tree

On the way down, Sylvia spotted a maple leaf beside the trail. We both liked the color pattern in that leaf. However, by now we were ready to get back on the road. After taking the picture, we returned the leaf to where it had been and went directly to the car. Ten minutes later we were crossing the bridge to the upper peninsula. More about that next time.

My Little Helper

2011-09-19T04:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, I installed some new energy-saving bulbs. I bought a few a couple of years ago, and I've been happy with them. A few of them I've had for over 10 years. They still work fine.

There is one exception. There always has to be and exception, right? We were having trouble with the remote control for the satellite receiver/DVR. This would only happen about twilight time and would last for a few minutes and then things would work fine again. That is until the next evening. After months of frustration, I finally figured out that it was one of those older compact fluorescent bulbs that emitted just the right wave length to interfere with the infra-red remote control. I swapped in a newer model, and the problem was solved.

With energy costs rising and my income remaining flat, replacing light bulbs is one step I can take to control the cash outflow. I suppose I could also stop eating, but doubt I'd want to stick with that plan past the first day. If I lasted that long.

My little helper, aka Midnight, found the ladder sitting under the combination fan and lamp in the family room. While my attention was on something else, up he went. Cats will do that, won't they? I think we've been together long enough that I can tell the thoughts that are racing through that feline mind.

Can I reach those dangling chains and not break my foolish feline neck?

I've been here 20 minutes. There has got to be a way.

I wrapped up that and started work on another fixture. This one is higher, so I had to get the six-foot ladder. While I was away, my helper took over.

Oops! Busted! I didn't even get to the top. Drat!

I'm out of here! Easy. This sure is high.

So goes another day around here. Sure is nice to have such a handy helper as Midnight. I'll have to go out and bring some catnip in for him. He's such a good kitty.

Feeling Patriotic? Check This!

2011-09-17T04:00:00.000-04:00

First Grade Wisdom

2011-09-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

From the E-mail Diary . . .

This one is another from my good friend, Roy. Here is what he sent me regarding First-grader wisdom. I hope you like it too.

A first-grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. Read their answers [in italics] below.

Don't change horses until - they stop running.
Strike while the - bug is close.
It's always darkest before - Daylight Saving Time.
Never underestimate the power of - termites.
You can lead a horse to water but - How?
Don't bite the hand that - looks dirty.
No news is - impossible.
A miss is as good as a - Mr.
You can't teach an old dog new - math.
If you lie down with dogs, you'll - stink in the morning.
Love all, trust - me.
The pen is mightier than the - pigs.
An idle mind is the - best way to relax.
Where there's smoke there's - pollution.
Happy the bride who gets - all the presents.
A penny saved is - not much.
Two's company, three's - the Musketeers.
Don't put off till tomorrow what you - put on to go to bed.
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you - have to blow your nose.
There are none so blind as - Stevie Wonder.
Children should be seen and not - spanked or grounded.
If at first you don't succeed - get new batteries.
You get out of something only what you - see in the picture on the box.
When the blind lead the blind - get out of the way.
A bird in the hand is - going to poop on you.
Better late than - pregnant.

Did you find one that you particularly like? I'm sure I went to school with some of their great grandparents. Scary isn't it? Have a wonderful weekend.

How Quickly Fades the Rose

2011-09-15T04:00:00.000-04:00

This lovely rose started to bloom in June.

The rose was a gift to Sylvia from a friend. Last week, the current crop of blossoms were beautiful. This week I discovered that they had passed their prime.

A week ago this looked like the perfect rose.

I think it still looks pretty and it still looks like a rose. It's not one I'd present to my wife as a token of my affection. Am I right? And yet there is beauty in that rose.

It may be past its prime, but it is still pretty and it is still a rose.

This one too was there on the bush. Perhaps this is a metaphor for our lives. What do you think about that? The rose still retains the beauty of a rose.

The blossoms on this red rose seem to fare better with time.

The mature blossom on the red rose.

You've probably noticed that there are folks who are like the rose. I hope you are one of those.

Sunset ~ Raw & Overdone

2011-09-14T04:00:00.000-04:00

More on Duct Tape

2011-09-13T04:00:00.000-04:00

The responses to yesterday's post were both interesting and enlightening. Turns out that duct tape comes not only in the traditional silver (looks gray to me), but it is also available in pink. That's gotta be for the gals who want to spiff up their wardrobe or keep things in place. Turns out there is also a camouflage version for us guys.

One astute student of the human condition has said, and I paraphrase, "If it doesn't move and should, use WD-40. If it does move and shouldn't, use duct tape." Hard to argue with that, wouldn't you say?

Rebecca noted in a comment, "They make pink duct tape, nowadays. And pink electrical tape." That's true. Electrical tape comes in a variety of colors, I have electrical tape in each of the colors that comprise the resistor color code. Makes it easy for me to mark and code various wires & such.

What special uses have you found for duct tape? Or are you more like this?

She doesn't look familiar, but I think her mother was one of my teachers in school.

School Time . . .

2011-09-12T04:00:00.000-04:00

School has started by now in most places. My friend Roy sent me an e-mail last Friday with the subject line, "Are you getting the maximum usage out of your vehicle:" The body of the message was a collection of images featuring overloaded vehicles. I saw this one and thought of all the college students that recently moved onto campus. (Roy's granddaughter is one of them.)

Can't you just hear the harried mom asking the way to the state university and where is her son's dorm room? (You know it is not a daughter. A daughter would never pack her stuff using gray duct tape. Or, if she did, it would be decorated with hand-drawn hearts, flowers or perhaps unicorns.)

What story does the photo bring to your mind? I'll recognize the writer of the best story--right here next week.

50 Years Ago Today

2011-09-09T11:18:00.000-04:00

September 9, 1961

We had time for a two-day honeymoon at the family cottage before returning in time for fall classes to begin at Michigan State University.

2011

We've changed a bit over the last 50 years. Well, I've changed a lot, but Sylvia looks more beautiful to me each day.

A couple of days ago, I was in a local business and I was sorting through my coin purse for the correct change. The clerk reached in an took the right amount. Then she was embarrassed. "Oops! I shouldn't have done that," she said. I told her it was okay, I was married for [nearly] 50 years and understood. She has been married for 37 years. She went on to say how impossible it would be to replace a mate after that many years together and the history that you've amassed together. She was right on target with that comment.

Our life has been two hearts. Two sons. Two states. Two foreign countries. Two careers. All joined into one love. One faith. One life. One hope. One destiny.

So pardon me if I'm brief today. I have other things on my mind.

Close of Day

2011-09-08T10:43:00.001-04:00

Last evening, Sylvia and I were returning home from a church meeting. As we drove down our secondary road, our house came into view on the east side. To the west, the sun was preparing to set. The light of that sun created a dramatic effect on our house. I said to Sylvia, "It's a pity that I can't capture that image, but it will be gone by the time I can retrieve the camera and get in place."

I knew this was true. I had tried a couple of times before and always met with failure. Last evening was different. We entered the house, and the light still seemed to be good. I took camera in hand and went out on the front (upper) lawn. This is what the camera saw:

This image is not processed, except for being re-sized--as are all of today's images.

I made sure that I was standing in the shade so my shadow wouldn't be in the shot. The scene was more vivid to the eye, but I chose not to manipulate the image.

A short while later, I looked out to see what the sky looked like. It was going to be interesting, and this is what I saw:

How about those clouds that are lit from below?

Anticipation is building within me as the moments roll along. The sun if fast disappearing below the horizon. And then . . . It makes a last and dramatic appearance.

Increasing color is building drama into the scene.

Can you see the silo just to the left of the sun? That sun will set behind the silo at the equinox. As you can see here (as well as on the calendar) that equinox is approaching.

A little more patience and perhaps my reward will come . . . And it did.

Finally bright fire filled the sky and made the wait worthwhile.

I was so tempted to work on this with Photoshop Elements. Isn't it better to see the raw images? I hope you like them.

The pictures taken, I went in and ate a late supper, which Sylvia had prepared. We had sweet corn, baked potatoes, pickled beets, fresh green beans from the garden and lots of other veggies. Yum yum.

The Last Mulberry of Summer

2011-09-07T10:29:00.000-04:00

I saw an object the other day that left me in a pensive mood. The sight struck home the truth of summer fleeing and autumn on its heels. Can winter be that far away! Why does my mind have to stray into thoughts like these? This really is my favorite time of year. A couple of weeks ago, a birthday marked another completed lap around our nearest star. Just a few days until a wedding anniversary. And yet my mind is captured by the vision of that thing hanging high in the mulberry tree.

Can you see it?

There it is in the upper left of the frame. It's the last mulberry of summer. Way beyond my reach. Over 15 feet above my head, I cannot reach it. I will not savor it succulent and tart flavor and feel its juice in my mouth as my teeth crush its flesh. Even the birds have stopped visiting the tree. So there it hangs . . . while below I am hoping that it hangs in and hangs on.

Perhaps I should learn a lesson from this tenacious fellow.

In case you had trouble spotting our hero, here he is in closeup:

Please forgive the fuzziness if you would. A little breeze and a whole lot of shaking going on. The latter being the hands of the [so-called] photographer.

Cool Air

2011-09-06T08:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was very cool. I had to wear a winter jacket on the tractor when I went out to mow the lower lawn. We are heading for a high today of 65 F--it is 46 F outside and 65 in the house this morning. It feels good to hold my coffee mug in both hands, and it helps restore some sense of feel in my icy fingers.

This morning, I was moving some photos from the camera memory card onto the computer hard drive, when I saw the following picture. Can it be that far away?

I certainly hope it takes a while. Early next year, we'll be glad to have the weather we are "enjoying" just now.

The precipitation that constitute the remnants of tropical storm Irene are 100 miles east of us. Yesterday, after lunch I went out to work under a mostly cloudy sky. The clouds were like thin layers of marshmallows with charcoal centers. I looked up from mowing and saw a familiar figure against one of those clouds. It was a turkey buzzard gliding very high on the stiff breeze. She was nearly a mile away and probably a half mile high. (Yes, I do have good eyesight.) About 20 minutes later she had returned (or perhaps it was another of the species) and she was only a half-mile away. As I paused to watch the graceful flight, a shadow passed over me. After a brief pause, I looked up near the sun and saw her mate glide silently past me.

As I continued watching, the mowing forgotten for a moment, the two glided effortlessly along as if in formation a half-mile apart. They continued northward, eventually turning westward and out of my sight. I returned my attention to the job at hand.

About 10 minutes later I saw a red tailed hawk rise from behind my neighbor's house. Quickly she rose on her powerful wings and, gaining altitude, crossed over the road and a large tree on the other side. A cloud of small birds whirled and scattered as the swift predator flew their way. She did not appear to be interested in them and flew on her way. The show over, it was time to go back to work.

Friendly Visitors ~ A Lesson in Shooting

2011-09-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Sylvia and I were enjoying a meal a few weeks ago when we noticed that Midnight was acting very fidgety and was making funny noises while looking out a window. We looked up and saw large twin fawns on the edge of the lawn. I think Midnight was trying to get them to come closer and to play with him. They were more interested in chewing on the grass at the edge of the lawn.

Some days later, the two returned. This time they were much closer to the house. Midnight was mesmerized by the pair. Sylvia went for the camera and returned to capture this image:

Although the twins are getting to be rather large, they still have white spots on their sides. Midnight really wanted to go out and play, but he sat completely still as he watched their every move.

The window screen does not show in this image. The auto-focus did not zero in on it and I resized the image.

Take a look at an attempt to zero in on the visitors.

Oops! The auto-focus did see the screen. Pity. Yes, they were that close while the three of us watched to see what they would do next.

A noise from the neighbors (a couple of hundred yards away and across the road) startled the twins. They ran into the protection of the pine trees.

Midnight soon got over his disappointment and life returned to normal here on our secondary road.

Labor Day

Hope you are enjoying the long holiday weekend. Traditionally, Labor Day weekend marks the end of the summer season here in Michigan. Children will soon be returning to school and the warmth of summer gives way to cooler air. This year remains true to tradition.

Last week we had a few very hot days. This morning, I'm writing this line at 9:48 AM and the temperature is 53 deg. F. ~~Big~~ Huge change! It may reach 62 degrees this afternoon. I'm not complaining . . . come February, I'll have a different opinion of weather like this.

What a Day!

2011-09-02T11:59:00.001-04:00

Hot and Humid

Yes, it's that kind of day here in west Michigan. The outlook is for this to continue through the weekend. Perhaps the expected rain will help?

What a perfect time for the air conditioning to fail. The repair guy should be here soon. I'm planning to spend most of my day in the cool of the basement. Oops gotta go . . . he's here.

The HVAC man has just left. He did some checks, and made some changes in the cold air return and registers. The refrigerant was a little bit low, so he recharged that. It took about an hour and a half. The system seems to be working as it should now.

The weather radar shows rain headed this way, and the sky looks like it. Still going to be hot according to the forecasters.

I have a friend's computer to work on today. So that will occupy most of my time once I get this written.

Puns for Intelligent People

At least that was the subject line on an e-mail from a friend and former pastor. He has a great sense of humor. I offer these as we prepare for the Labor Day weekend. Enjoy.

I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.
No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery.
Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.
A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.
Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'
A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'
A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

Sylvia and Midnight join me in wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and safe Labor Day weekend.

Recomposing

2011-09-01T10:42:00.000-04:00

I recently shared a couple of shots from our recent session with Kelly Lynne Burke of Kelly Lynne Photography. Here is one of my favorite shots from that day:

Sylvia and Chuck at home

I really like this shot because it captures Sylvia and me in the context of our lower lawn. You can see the cattails and the trees. The composition is expertly done.

I wanted to use just our images for a new profile picture for Facebook. I cropped the photo, and got this:

As we appeared in a cropped image from the larger photo above

I don't like the the composition in this version. There is too much separation between the two of us--not what you want after [nearly] 50 years of marriage.

Enter Photoshop Elements 8. Using the recompose tool, I was able, with a few clicks, to produce this:

The recomposed image

I won't go into the details. If you use Photoshop Elements, you can find out how in the help menu. Look for the recompose tool.

For the power and features, this program is worth the price for those who want to get the most out of their images. Be prepared to spend some time learning to use what you have. Adobe has online help complete with tutorial videos to help you master the controls. Have fun.

Hello There ~ Kiss a What?

2011-08-31T01:00:00.000-04:00

Early This Morning

2011-08-30T09:18:00.001-04:00

The Hunter rules the night skies of winter

I awoke at 4:45 AM this morning. My old friend had come calling once again. With him calling to me, it would be very difficult to stay in bed in sleep. For that reason, I got out of bed and walked to the family room where my good friend, my recliner chair, sat waiting patiently for my return. Before I settled in with a heating pad for my aching lower back, I looked out the window.

The sky was clear. Even at that early hour, the back drop was gray--not black. And there, right over the barn, was Orion, the hunter rising into the sky. Fortunately, it will be a while yet before we see him marching across the night sky. Yet, the cool air coming through the slightly open windows speaks to summer quickly ending.

The angle of the sun as it comes creeping into my office in the morning indicates the approach of fall. I see it also in the position of the setting sun on the western horizon.

I left the window and settled into my recliner. The heating pad brought relief to my lower back. A small quilt across my lap provided comfort for the rest of my body. As I relaxed, I thought of all the good things and good people in my life. A car drove by on the dirt road. I smiled, sighed and then awoke with the sun shining brightly through the window behind me.

Another Good One From Sylvia's Cousin

In case you are wondering, yes, Sylvia sings in the choir. No, I do not have to go sit on the porch when she sings.

What's this?

2011-08-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

Sylvia participates in the Secret Pal program with the other ladies at church. They seem to have fun giving their secret pals greeting cards and small gifts. Each year, they try to guess who is their secret pal. They are always looking for clues. In February they all get together and for a "Revealing Party," where they find out who their pal was for the past year.

Sylvia has been doing a painting for her pals. She tries to find out what they would like, so that she has it ready for the big party in February. That didn't work for her this year. Annette had to wait until last week. In February, she gave a small photo album featuring her cats to Sylvia to use to paint a picture of her two favorites. Sylvia put the finished product on the couch to take a picture. Midnight saw the painting and, of course, had to check it out.

Hey! What's this doing in my house? On my couch? Do you really have other feline friends? Well, I never . . .

If our four-footed ninja had his nose out of joint, he soon got over it. The painting went to Annette and her cat, and life is back to normal at Midnight's house. (Whatever that really means.)

Ramblings

2011-08-26T10:37:00.002-04:00

Isn't Sylvia beautiful? Am I not the lucky one?

Last week on Friday, we had Kelly Lynne Burke who is a friend and professional photographer come and do a family photo shoot. The above shot is one of my favorites from that session. This was in anticipation of our upcoming wedding anniversary, which is now two weeks away. We had to do the shoot a bit early so that granddaughter Briana could be with us. (She has since returned to campus and is ready to begin fall classes.)

Scott, Sylvia, Chuck, Briana, Barbara and Bryant

Do you like the setting for this one? It was taken on our lawn. Yes, I mow more than half of our 11 acres. There are a couple more shots on my Facebook page. We are waiting the rest of the images from the shoot, but that will take some time. Kelly is a busy gal these days, and her work is well worth waiting for.

Sylvia and I spent most of yesterday morning and early afternoon in Grand Rapids. We ran some errands, did some shopping, had lunch with Ruby Tuesday (their petite plates are a nice size for lunch) and bought some art supplies for Sylvia. As we parked in front of the art supply store, we met the brother and sister of Sylvia's brother-in-law as they were coming out. They live at Tustin, Michigan, which is near Cadillac. They had just brought another brother to the Grand Rapids airport for a return flight to Florida.

I never did get back here as there were several items awaiting attention once we returned home. It was a great day.

This afternoon, I plan to donate blood and attend the ice cream social at church this evening. It should be another good day. I hope you are enjoying this day too.

Another Busy Day (Pt 1)

2011-08-25T09:15:00.001-04:00

This will be short. I've been busy most of the morning reading both of the birthday greetings that came flooding into my e-mail inbox.

Sylvia is talking with some of her girl friends on the Amateur Radio, but in a few minutes we'll be leaving to run some errands in Grand Rapids.

Looks like it is going to be another beautiful day here in the land of bliss. Hope your day is super good.

More coming soon.

Update: Looks like it will be tomorrow.

Fresh From the Garden

2011-08-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

E-Mail Diary ~ Grins and Snickers

2011-08-23T01:00:00.000-04:00

These came into my inbox last evening. They are from my good friend Roy. He has quite the sense of humor.

I was in the six item express lane at the store quietly fuming. Completely ignoring the sign, the woman ahead of me had slipped into the check-out line pushing a cart piled high with groceries. Imagine my delight when the cashier beckoned the woman to come forward looked into the cart and asked sweetly, 'So which six items would you like to buy?'

--------------------------------------------------------------

Because they had no reservations at a busy restaurant, my elderly neighbor and his wife were told there would be a 45-minute wait for a table. 'Young man, we're both 90 years old, ' the husband said. 'We may not have 45 minutes.' They were seated immediately.

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The reason Politicians try so hard to get re-elected is that they would 'hate' to have to make a living under the laws they've passed.

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All eyes were on the radiant bride as her father escorted her down the aisle. They reached the altar and the waiting groom; the bride kissed her father and placed something in his hand. The guests in the front pews responded with ripples of laughter. Even the priest smiled broadly. As her father gave her away in marriage, the bride gave him back his credit card.

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Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

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Smith climbs to the top of Mt. Sinai to get close enough to talk to God. Looking up, he asks the Lord. 'God, what does a million years mean to you?' The Lord replies, 'A minute.' Smith asks, 'And what does a million dollars mean to you?'
The Lord replies, 'A penny.'
'Smith asks, 'Can I have a penny?'
'The Lord replies, 'In a minute.'

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A man goes to a shrink and says, 'Doctor, my wife is unfaithful to me. Every evening, she goes to Larry's bar and picks up men. In fact, she sleeps with anybody who asks her! I'm going crazy. What do you think I should do?
'Relax,' says the Doctor, 'take a deep breath and calm down. Now, tell me, exactly where is Larry's bar?'

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John was on his deathbed and gasped pitifully. 'Give me one last request, dear,' he said.
'Of course, John,' his wife said softly.
'Six months after I die,' he said, 'I want you to marry Bob.'
'But I thought you hated Bob,' she said.
With his last breath John said, 'I do!'

--------------------------------------

A man goes to see the Rabbi. 'Rabbi, something terrible is happening and I have to talk to you about it.'
The Rabbi asked, 'What's wrong?'
The man replied, 'My wife is poisoning me.'
The Rabbi, very surprised by this, asks, 'How can that be?'
The man then pleads, 'I'm telling you, I'm certain she's poisoning me, what should I do?'
The Rabbi then offers, 'Tell you what. Let me talk to her, I'll see what I can find out and I'll let you know.'
A week later the Rabbi calls the man and says, "I spoke to her on the phone for three hours. You want my advice?'
The man said yes and the Rabbi replied, 'Take the poison'

Personal Update

We are off this morning [very early] on a day trip to an Amish farm. We're going with a group from our church, and the day-long trip should be a lot of fun for us. Our son Scott has returned home and granddaughter Briana is back on campus ready for the fall semester to begin.

I've posted four photos on my FaceBook page from our photo shoot of this last week. We had a friend and professional come to do the shoot with us. We are very pleased with what we have seen thus far.

Tomorrow, we'll leave right after breakfast to visit Sylvia's father. I'm hoping to help him with an electrical problem he has.

I hope your life isn't as crazy as ours has been for us lately. I also hope that you are enjoying a healthy level of insanity. It is needed.

2011-08-22T10:19:00.000-04:00

What a crazy time we've been enjoying. In the midst of everything else, Sylvia decided to clean the windows. That in turn led to son Scott and I, with Sylvia's assistance doing some serious window maintenance. But this is the day of the kitty, and he wants to be involved in everything--as an inspector of course!

At the sound of a window being raised, the inspector came running to supervise whatever activity might be taking place in his house.

Hey lady, whatcha doin'? Don't miss that spot to your left. Rub a little harder. There. That's better. [Mr Funky Tail may be planning to make a break for it . . .]

Eventually, he decided it was too far to leap to the ladder. And eventually Sylvia finished washing the windows. Scott and I did our maintenance chores and life is back to "normal." Whatever that really means.

Still kind of crazy around here. I'll try to post again on Wednesday. I haven't forgotten you. No, really. I haven't.

On Break

2011-08-16T09:43:00.003-04:00

Sylvia and I are enjoying the presence of our son, Scott. He is with us for this week. That's great!

We'll be seeing Briana tomorrow and look forward to hearing about her time in Mexico. That's also great!

This week is going to be busy with family time and I need to preach twice this Sunday. Pastor Mark is on vacation.

That's why I'm taking a break from this blog. I'll be back next week.

Look forward to seeing you then.

He Hasn't Changed Much

2011-08-15T04:00:00.001-04:00

Midnight is no longer a kitten as he is in the picture. He still loves to hop up on my tummy when I'm relaxing in the recliner. It used to be funny. Now he can me go, "Ooofff!" In other words, my little buddy is a getting to be a big guy.

He's still as curious as ever. He has to sniff, lick or bite anything new. Fortunately, a camera lens only rates a sniff. Nothing good to eat there. Not even worth playing with. So he says, "Forget you." And he goes over and settles in beside Sylvia. He likes it on her chair.

Oopsy! Somebody had a wet nose. Don't you think so?

Anything new or different that comes into this house must receive a visit from the inspector. He must know about everything. I think he must have a tiny clipboard between his kitty ears where he keeps track of all that stuff.

Just try to sit in the recliner to watch TV with some food . . . You will certainly find the supervisor coming in to inspect your fare. Most likely he'll want some of your popcorn. He'll only eat a few kernels, so you will share them with him just to keep him off your lap. It's a small price to pay for not getting trampled and harassed.

This Week

I'm writing this on Friday evening (8/12) as I anticipate the arrival of our son, Scott. He is coming from out-of-state for a 10-day visit. We talk on the phone every Sunday evening, and sometimes during the week as well, but it has been a couple of years since we've been together. That will be great!

Briana is scheduled to arrive home Sunday night (8/14). We are planning to get together on Wednesday for a special day. I tell you more about that later. I'm looking forward to hearing her stories from Mexico and to speaking with her in Spanish. I've got lots of questions for her.

So there is a lot going on here just now. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to get to the computer, but I'll do what I can. See you soon.

Seeing Sylvia's Cousins

2011-08-12T09:45:00.000-04:00

Chuck talks with cousin Bob Crosby

It seems almost like a family reunion, but it's really the Mint Grower's Picnic sponsored by the local bank in St. Johns, Michigan. The picnic marks the beginning of the annual Mint Festival, which is held at the fairgrounds and the adjacent city park. It's a lot of fun for everybody and has been a family tradition since the festival's inception.

Sylvia's great grandfather Crosby introduced mint to the area many years ago. It is now a major farm crop in that area. The Crosby family still raises mint and runs a still to extract the mint oil.

Sylvia's mother was the first mint queen. (How many of you have had a former beauty queen for a mother in law?) Sad to say, Mom passed away 10 years ago.

I always look forward to talking to the Crosby cousins. Bob's wife, Ginger, is into genealogy and family history and we like to compare notes. Ginger was unable to attend the picnic this year, so I gave Bob a summary of Sylvia's family line and history. (In the photo, you can see it in his hand.) Linette is a blogger (The Mint Farmer's Daughter) so we have no problems finding lots to talk about. The story of how she and her brother were able to save the family farm is nothing short of inspiring and uplifting. Many other stories flow out of the Crosby family farm. Like the trip through the drive through that ended up in connecting with a woman whose best memories in life are tied to that farm. A short conversation ended up in bringing a family back together. But that is a story for Linette to tell. I hope she will do that for us soon.

I'm sure you can see why we look forward to the Mint Festival and especially to the picnic. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Burglary Gone Bad

2011-08-11T09:10:00.001-04:00

Here's an interesting tidbit from Sylvia's cousin, the retired cop. I cannot confirm the veracity of this story, but I think you'll find it interesting.

This is the reason there is no entrance exam to get into a State prison.

BURGLARY IN FLORIDA

When southern Florida resident Nathan Radlich's house was burglarized recently thieves ignored his wide screen plasma TV, his VCR, and even left his Rolex watch. What they did find however, was a generic white cardboard box filled with a grayish-white powder. (That's at least the way the police report described it.) A spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale police said, 'that it looked similar to high grade cocaine and they'd probably thought they'd hit the big time.'

Later, Nathan stood in front of the numerous TV cameras and pleaded with the burglars: 'Please return the cremated remains of my sister, Gertrude. She died three years ago.'

The next morning, the bullet-riddled corpse of a local drug dealer known as Hoochie Pevens was found on Nathan's doorstep. The cardboard box was there too; about half of Gertrude's ashes remained. Scotch taped to the box was this note which said:

'Hoochie sold us the bogus blow, so we wasted Hoochie. Sorry we snorted your sister. No hard feelings. Have a nice day.

Busy Day

I'm off to renew my auto registration and driver's license. I could have done it all by mail, but instead of that I buried the notice in a pile of papers on my desk. I hate when that happens. Fortunately, I have a few days before they expire, but I'll be busy most of that time. Gotta go . . . Have a great day.

Postscript

I was less than 20 minutes at the Secretary of State's office this morning. That sure was easy! I arrived about an hour after office opening time. The first wave was just clearing out. As I left, another fellow was walking in. He wouldn't have to wait. There were two clerks, and only one of them was busy.

That Time of Year Again

2011-08-10T08:46:00.001-04:00

Updates

2011-08-09T10:01:00.000-04:00

Claudia and Briana

Briana

Briana had met Claudia on an earlier mission trip to Mexico. They quickly became friends and have remained in contact. Claudia would write in Spanish, and Briana in English.

They were both excited to learn that they would be in the same intern program this summer. At Briana's request, they ended up in the same dorm room with Rossi (for English speakers it's pronounced like "Rosey"). Living with two Mexican gals has helped Briana hone and polish her Spanish abilities. It has been a couple of weeks since we've had an update, but she talks to her folks and so we know she is doing well and keeping very busy.

Briana says she doesn't want to come back home. Nevertheless, the internship is quickly coming to an end. And I for one am looking forward eagerly to seeing her next week. She'll have only a few days at home with family before returning to campus. Sylvia and I are very glad that one of those days she plans to spend some time with us. (I'll probably tell you more about that later.)

Brad

Last week I posted a picture of the #2 Dodge that NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski was driving when he hit a concrete wall at 100 mph. Brad was cleared to race on Sunday in a 500-mi race at Pocono, PA. This despite a fractured ankle and a lot of pain. It was amazing enough that after the horrendous accident he was able to start the race. And he finished it too -- in first place!

An interviewer said something about his performance being heroic. Brad said that was not so. The troops that lost their lives last week and the ones that serve to protect us are the heroes. He added, "I just drive a race car for a living." How's that for a class act? One tough, but humble hombre. Go Brad!

That win puts Keselowski in position to compete for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. We'll have to see how that all plays out.

He Who Lurks Last . . .

2011-08-08T09:48:00.000-04:00

lurk vi 1. a: to lie in wait in a place of concealment . . . 2. a: to be concealed but capable of being discovered . . .

Midnight loves to lurk atop the kitchen cabinets. It takes a long leap to reach the counter top. From there another long leap to the top of the refrigerator. A short hop puts him atop the cabinet. And that is a great place to rest and watch the world go by.

I saw him there the other day. I was a bit surprised to see him there in the summer. It is one of his favorite winter-time places. The warmth the of the kitchen rises toward the ceiling, and what a comfy place that is for kitty to rest.

The figures on the refrigerator door are bread dough dolls from Ecuador. (They have magnets on the back.) The making of these is a typical Ecuadorian folk art. We have some that we bought about 35 years ago, and which we use as Christmas tree ornaments. The older ones are more stylized than these modern versions, which were a gift to us from friends.

The magnetic yellow note says, "Smile God loves you!" in Spanish.

Midnight just came into the office and started pawing the back of my chair and talking to me. He just wanted some loving and attention, which he received. He seems to be quite a bit more vocal lately. After his short visit with me, he carefully scanned the outdoor world through both windows and then left. I'm hearing a strange sound from the other room. I'd better go see what is happening. I'll see you again tomorrow.

Ramblings

2011-08-05T09:46:00.001-04:00

It's a beautiful morning here in the country. The sun is shining brightly, but the air is still cool. As sit here in the office with the windows open to the breeze I can hear a dove cooing and at least three different species of insects. Even the van that is leaving the neighbor's house is quiet--at least I can't hear it from here. And a blue bird just flew by my window. It sure feels good to be alive and to have a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee next to my hand!

The lawn looks great. I finally mowed it yesterday. Some areas were getting long. Other areas were wet, and the tractor tires sent water flying as I went through those parts. I need to prune some shrubs and trim some trees. In less than two weeks we're planning to do a photo shoot here with our family. I'll tell you more about that later.

Midnight, my cat, is sitting on the corner of the desk looking out the window. He wants to know everything that is happening near his home. He appears to be on high alert, but it's probably not serious. I can tell that because his tail is not twitching.

Yesterday, as I was working here at the computer, Midnight strolled across my desk. Nothing unusual about that. He stepped down onto the window sill at the open window. My attention was on the screen and on what I was writing. Then I heard a scrabbling sound. Nothing unusual about that either. I looked to see what kitty was doing. I couldn't tell. He was nowhere in sight. What? When I examined the window area I saw the corner of the screen was open. Evidently the latch was not secure and my little buddy went on an excursion through the window. No harm, and he enjoyed his outing.

No report this week from our intern (granddaughter) in Mexico. She had said that she had a couple of very busy weeks coming up. I believe that. Not only is there no report, there is no Facebook update. She must be tired. In less that two weeks we should see her face-to-face again. I'm looking forward to that.

Work calls and I will answer. CU next week--God willing.

Bad Brad Boots Barrier

2011-08-04T10:10:00.001-04:00

Jimmie Johnson posted this photo on Twitter after the crash

Michigan native and NASCAR driver, Brad Keselowski was in a test run at Road Atlanta. He approached a corner at 155 mph when the brakes failed. Yikes!

In-car data indicates he had slowed to about 100 mph when he hit the concrete wall. Keselowski exited the car on his own. As a precautionary measure, he was air lifted to the hospital where he received medical attention. One of his ankles was swollen to about softball size. He has since been released and is expected to drive in this weekend's race at Pocono.

What if this happened to one of us in one of our cars? The outcome would have been different. Very much different!

I was in High School when a couple of fellows I knew decided they could take the 45 degree, banked corner north of town at 100 mph. Their car didn't turn, but went airborne and drove straight into a tree. The tree survived, but was seriously scarred.

I saw that car afterward. The front ended up behind the rear tires. It was only good for scrap metal. Nothing was left for salvage.

The young men did not live to see another day. Please, drive with care.