minerals from the show

Copper splash.

Quartz crystal points.

Geodes.

There were about 30 dealers at the 29th Annual Mineral Fossil Jewelry Show this past weekend. They came from all over the country, bringing with them rocks, minerals, fossils and jewelry from all over the world. The natural beauty of these treasures was incredible. One of my favorites is the geode. The geode looks so unspectacular on the outside, but it contains crystals inside . . . quartz, amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, druzy quartz, calcite, barite, chalcedony, sphalerite, or other cyrstals . . . and you don't know what crystals are there until you crack it open. I'll be cracking geodes at the Fair on the Square this weekend.

You can view pictures from this past weekend by clicking on this picture.

2008 Mineral Fossil Jewelry Show

--------------------------------------------------
Song 335: I'm Just A Singer In A Rock And Roll Band
Artist: Moody Blues
Album: Seventh Sojourn
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

I'm just a wandering on the face of this earth
Meeting so many people
Who are trying to be free
And while I'm traveling I hear so many words

Language barriers broken
Now we've found the key
And if you want the wind of change
To blow about you
And you're the only other person to know, don't tell me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band.

A thousand pictures can be drawn from one word
Only who is the artist
We got to agree
A thousand miles can lead so many ways

Just to know who is driving
What a help it would be
So if you want this world of yours
To turn about you
And you can see exactly what to do
Please tell me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band.

How can we understand
Riots by the people for the people
Who are only destroying themselves
And when you see a frightened
Person who is frightened by the
People who are scorching this earth.

I'm just a wandering on the face of this earth
Meeting so many people
Who are trying to be free
And while I'm traveling I hear so many words

Language barriers broken
Now we've found the key
And if you want the wind of change
To blow about you
And you're the only other person to know, don't tell me
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band.

How can we understand
Riots by the people for the people
Who are only destroying themselves
And when you see a frightened
Person who is frightened by the
People who are scorching this earth.

Music is the traveller crossing our world
Meeting so many people bridging the seas
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band.
We're just the singers in a rock and roll band.
I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band...

scenes from a rock show

Fossilized sharks' teeth.

Polished petrified wood.

Petrified wood with small quartz crystals. This wood is from Brilliant, Alabama.
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Song 334: I Just Want To Make Love To You
Artist: Foghat
Album: Foghat
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

fossil cleaning and preparation

The 29th Annual Mid-America Mineral, Fossil, Jewlery Show is over. My wife and I had a booth at the show and we are both worn out from it, but it was so much fun. She demonstrated fossil cleaning and preparation and I showed a collection of fluorescent minerals and talked about the properties of fluorescence. That's my wife in the picture above, doing her fossil cleaning. Her fossils are from Coon Creek, west Tennessee, and they are still in the soft clay which has encased them for millions of years. She is using dental picks to slowly and gently clean the clay from the fossils and bring them out of the matrix. After she finishes the cleaning process she will seal the fossils and prepare them for display.

Half of our booth was set up as a portable darkroom housing a mineral collection belonging to the geology club of which we are members. The club owns a nice collection of about 1500 minerals. Out of the 1500, just under 300 of them fluoresce. Once inside the darkroom, I showed the visitors the effects of fluorescent blacklight, shortwave UV light and longwave UV light on the minerals. Some of them are spectacular. I love hearing the oohs and ahhs as the minerals (and some fossils) light up. Lots of kids came through to view the display. I am hoarse today from talking about fluorescence so much this weekend. I can hardly wait until next year.

This coming weekend, my family and I will be doing another show. It's an outside crafts show. During that one, my wife will be showing her fiber arts and I will be cracking geodes. It's another 2-day show and we have done this show for almost ten years now. It's in our hometown, so lots of friends and acquaintances drop by to visit. It's just one, big party for two days. That makes it even more fun to do.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 333: Honky Cat
Artist: Elton John
Album: Honky Chateau
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

When I look back boy I must have been green
Bopping in the country, fishing in a stream
Looking for an answer trying to find a sign
Until I saw your city lights honey I was blind

They said get back honky cat
Better get back to the woods
Well I quit those days and my redneck ways
And oh the change is gonna do me good

You better get back honky cat
Living in the city ain't where it's at
It's like trying to find gold in a silver mine
It's like trying to drink whisky from a bottle of wine

Well I read some books and I read some magazines
About those high class ladies down in New Orleans
And all the folks back home well, said I was a fool
They said oh, believe in the Lord is the golden rule

They said stay at home boy, you gotta tend the farm
Living in the city boy, is going to break your heart
But how can you stay, when your heart says no
How can you stop when your feet say go

donut holes

I've mentioned my favorite donut shop several times in my blog. There's a young college senior that worked at this shop for a long time. Every time I stopped he would be working the counter so over the months we have shared many conversations. He began looking for a post-college job about a year ago, and I occasionally gave him a lead or information on how he could apply for jobs as they arise at the company for which I work. He graduated in December. I have noticed his absence at the donut shop for the past month or so and I asked about him this morning when I stopped by to pick up a few donut holes to munch on the way to work. He has a new job . . . he's teaching English to second graders . . . in South Korea. I think that is so awesome. I wish him well on his new adventure.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 332: I'll Take You There
Artist: The Staple Singers
Album: Be Attitude–Respect Yourself
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Oh . . . mmm
I know a place, ah
Ain't nobody cryin'
Ain't nobody worried, no
Ain't no smilin' faces
Mm mm, no no
Lyin' to the races
Help me, come on, come on
Somebody, help me now
(I'll take you there)
Help me, ya'all
(I'll take you there)
Help me now
(I'll take you there)
Oh! em..
(I'll take you there)
Oh! Oh! Mercy!
(I'll take you there)
Ohhh, let me take you there
(I'll take you there)

Whoa-oh-oh-oh! Let me take you there!
(I'll take you there)
Play it Barry..
Play your, play your piano now
All right
Ah . . . do it . . . do it
Come on now
Play on it, play on it
Big Daddy now, daddy daddy daddy yo em..
Ooo, Lord
All right now
Baby, little baby, easy now
Help me now, come on, little lady
All right
Dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dummmmm
Sock it, sock it
Ahhhhhhh, oh, aaaahaaah!
I know a place, ya'all
(I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody cryin'
(I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody worried
(I'll take you there)
No smilin' faces
(I'll take you there)
Uh-uh
(Lyin' to the races)
(I'll take you there)
Oh, no
Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh oh!
(I'll take you there)
Mercy now!
(I'll take you there)
I'm callin' callin' callin' for mercy
(I'll take you there)
Mercy mercy!
(I'll take you there)
Let me
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh!
I'll take you there
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh oh oh ah
Wanna take you there!
(I'll take you there)
Just take me by my hand
Let me
(I'll take you there)
Let me, let me, let me let me lead, lead the way
Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Let me take you there
(I'll take you there)
Let me take you there!
(I'll take you there)
Ain't no smilin' faces
(I'll take you there)
Up in here, lyin' to the race
(I'll take you there)
You oughta, you got-ta got-ta got-ta let me, let me
(I'll take you there)
Take you, take you, take you over there
(I'll take you there)
Ooh!
Oh! Oh!
All right
(I'll take you there)
Oh-oh-oh-oh! All right!
(I'll take you there)
Oh! Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Mmmm . . . ah
Oh! Yeah!
(I'll take you there)
Whooooaaaa! yea...
(I'll take you there)
Let me lead the way
(I'll take you there)
Let me, Let me, Let me lead the way
(I'll take you there)
oooohhhh mmmm...

wildflowers

Spring Beauty: This little flower graces the sides of the trails throughout the Wolf River Trail System right now. I spent a lot of my time on the trail today looking at the wildflowers and enjoying the new green blanket of grass and new growth that inhabits the forest now.

Field Milkwort is one of my favorite springtime flowers. It is in the clover family. Not far from where I saw the first ones today, I saw a covering of shamrocks (common three-leaf clover). I had to stop and search for a four-leaf clover but I didn't find one. I'll look again next time I'm on the trail. Clover can have more than three leaves. As many as eighteen leaves have been found. Tradition has it that each of the three leaves on a shamrock represent something. The first leaf represents hope. The second faith. The third love. If a fourth leaf is found, it represents luck. There is only one four-leaf clover found for every 10,000 or so three-leaf ones. So you are lucky indeed if you find one.
-------------------------------------------------
Song 331: Highway Star
Artist: Deep Purple
Album: Machine Head
Year: 1972
-------------------------------------------------

Nobody gonna take my car
I'm gonna race it to the ground
Nobody gonna beat my car
It's gonna break the speed of sound
Oooh it's a killing machine
It's got everything
Like a driving power big fat tyres
and everything

I love it and I need it
I bleed it yeah it's a wild hurricane
Alright hold tight
I'm a highway star

daisy fleabane

One of the most prominent flowers along the trails these days is daisy fleabane. It seems to be everywhere. These little flowers make a walk in the forest even better.
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Song 330: Heart of Gold
Artist: Neil Young
Album: Harvest
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

I want to live,
I want to give
Ive been a miner for a heart of gold.
Its these expressions I never give
That keep me searching for a heart of gold
And Im getting old.
Keeps me searching for a heart of gold
And Im getting old.

Ive been to hollywood
Ive been to redwood
I crossed the ocean for a heart of gold
Ive been in my mind, its such a fine line
That keeps me searching for a heart of gold
And Im getting old.
Keeps me searching for a heart of gold
And Im getting old.

Keep me searching for a heart of gold
You keep me searching for a heart of gold
And Im getting old.
Ive been a miner for a heart of gold.

thomas dutton chapter 2

During my Zoar Valley hikes this past weekend, I came across the gravesite of Thomas Dutton, as you may have read in my previous post. Thanks to Howard -- a loyal Argon(One) reader -- here is some additional information about Thomas. This is from the William Adams 1893 Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus County, New York on page 969, where the following is written:

In the fall of 1826 Thomas Dutton, a resident of Lodi (now known as Gowanda), passing this way with the view of going to Ashford, was drowned. The next spring his remains were found among the floodwood at the head of a small island some 100 rods below. The coroner, Ahaz Allen, held an inquest on the body, but the remains were so badly decomposed that it was impossible to determine whether he came to his death by violence or by accidental drowning. When he left Lodi he had $400 on his person and a silver watch, and as neither money nor watch were found with him it was the prevailing opinion that he met his death by the hand of some unknown assassin. He was buried on the upper end of the flats near the south branch, where a rude stone slab marks the spot where his ashes repose, and where picnicers from the village resort every year and hold high carnival.

It is said that Mr. Dutton owned a tavern in Lodi and the people of the town asked him to leave because of the disorderly manner in which he ran his establishment. He sold his tavern for cash and headed up a path along Cattaraugus Creek into the Zoar Valley gorge. He never made it beyond what today is known as Valentine's Flats. Little more than this is known about Thomas Dutton.

I'll be back in this area again in a couple of months, and I plan to visit this place again. I want to see the gravesite again, now that I know a little bit more about it. Oh yeah, BTW Howard, I did not check out the outcropping for fossils this time, but I will when I return.
------------------------------------------------
Song 329: The Guitar Man
Artist: Bread
Album: Guitar Man
Year: 1972
------------------------------------------------

Who draws the crowd and plays so loud, baby it's the guitar man
Who's gonna steal the show, you know baby it's the guitar man
He can make you love, he can make you cry
He will bring you down then he'll get you high
Somethin' keeps him goin' miles and miles a day
To find another place to play.

Night after night who treats you right, baby it's the guitar man
Who's on the radio, you go listen to the guitar man
Then he comes to town and you see his face
And you think you might like to take his place
Somethin' keeps him driftin' miles and miles away
Searchin' for the songs to play.

Then you listen to the music and you like to stay along
You want to get the meaning out of each and every song
Then you find yourself a message and some words
To call your own and take them home.

He can make you love, he can get you high
He will bring you down then he'll make you cry
Somethin' keeps him movin' but no one seems to know
What it is that makes him go.

Then the lights begin to flicker and the sound is getting dim
The voice begins to falter and the crowds are getting thin
But he never seems to notice he's just got to find
Another place to play, Anyway Got to play, anyway Got to play.

thomas dutton 1826

I am back from a brief journey to the north. I traveled to the northeast to watch my bi-monthly newsletter run on press. My choices for flights to my destination were very limited. I could either take the 6:30am Sunday morning flight or the 4:30pm Sunday afternoon flight. I figured if anything went wrong with the last flight of the day, I would be stuck in the airport all night and miss my press check so I chose the 6:30 flight. (I've had to spend the night in an airport several times over the years.) Fortunately my flight went well and I arrived in Buffalo around noon. I had done a bit of homework before the flight and was ready for an adventure. I googled hiking near Buffalo and came up with Zoar Valley.

As soon as I checked into my hotel on Sunday I dropped my bag and set out for the valley. It's only about 35 miles south of Buffalo so I was there in no time. The temperature was around 44, a little bit overcast but very pleasant . . . a nice day for a hike. I spent the next five hours or so hiking the trails of Zoar Valley. One of my adventures took me to the banks of the Cattaraugus Creek. Just before I reached the creek I spotted the grave marker pictured above. Thomas Dutton Died 1826. I wondered what happened to Thomas. I followed the path the rest of the way to the creek and as I approached the creek bank I could see the waters of the Cattaraugus churning and bubbling as it made it's way swiftly through the valley. On the other side of the creek I saw a trail marker. Someone, somewhere expected me to cross this creek at this point and continue along the trail on the other side . . . NOT A CHANCE! Not today anyway. Perhaps on a hot summer day, after a long, dry time, when the creek was not raging. But, not today. So maybe Thomas tried to cross the creek on a day like today. Or perhaps Thomas fell from one of the many cliffs that look out over the creek. Or perhaps Thomas lost his life during a skirmish. The simple marker gave no indication of his age. Maybe he was a boy, or a young man going carelessly about his business, and slammed into a slick boulder. Maybe Thomas was an old man and died of natural causes. The possibilities are almost endless.
------------------------------------------------------------
Song 328: Goodnight and Goodmorning
Artist: Hall and Oates
Album: Whole Oats
Year: 1972
------------------------------------------------------------

Funny how the times can change as fast as we can run
Sad to say we had to part when the fun had just begun
Now he night is over
And I'm waiting for the day we can be together
And we can say Goodnight and Goodmorning
From the Dark to the Dawning

I can't believe that I'm in love and you're the one
I can hear a song of love and our song has just begun
When the music's over and we finally walk away
We can walk together
And we can say Goodnight and Goodmorning
From the Dark to the Dawning

juniors rock

A mother helps her son during the youth meeting last night.

Several months ago, when the youth director for our geology club accepted a job out of the country and the board asked me if I would take the director's job for the remainder of her term, I accepted nervously. It is quiet a challenge to keep the attention of 6-year-olds, 14-year-olds and all ages in between for 45 minutes, talking about geology. I finally decided the best strategy for me was to get guest speakers for every meeting. That way the kids would have someone different to listen to each time, and not have to listen to me all the time. Man is it working. Last month, the kids were treated to a tour of the geology and archaeology of Israel from a family that recently visited Israel. After the tour, the did a hands-on sand art project. They loved it.

Last night one of my good friends talked to the kids about Native American culture. She invited several other adults to present parts of the program. Ms(N) brought lots of Native American artifacts and art to share with the kids. Mr(D) shared several of his unique Native American points and artifacts. Mr(G) shared his incredible knowledge of flintknapping and showed the kids the process of making arrowheads and other points. Ms(G) took several artifacts around the room to show the kids. Mr(R) shared his vast knowledge of Native American art and lead the kids in a hands-on art project. I showed the kids several of my Native American drums, taught them a dance step and we ended the meeting by performing a snake dance. I lead them from the kids program room to the meeting room where the adults were meeting. The kids were each given a piece of turquoise and a potchard to keep as they left.

This is the first kids program on record with our club that actually lasted longer than the adult program. We normally let out early enough for the kids to join their parents for the last 15 minutes or so of their program. Not last night. We were way too busy.

Next month . . . Mr(R) will present a program on fossil collection and cleaning for the kids.
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Song 327: Freedom For The Stallion
Artist: Three Dog Night
Album: Seven Separate Fools
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Freedom for the stallion, freedom for the mare and her colt,
Freedom for the baby child who has not grown old enough to vote.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
They got men makin' laws that destroy other men, made money, God, it's a doggone
sin,
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Big ship's a-sailin', slaves all chained and bound,
Headin' for a brand new land that someone said he up and found.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
They got men makin' laws that destroy other men, they made money, God, it's a
doggone sin.
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Freedom for the stallion, freedom for the mare and her colt,
Freedom for the baby child who has not grown old enough to vote.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
You know when I look inside my mind searchin' for the truth I find,
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Hey, Lord!

power outage

I went in to the office early this morning in order to get a jumpstart on the day. I had 32 posters and 9 banners to print. By 9:00 six of the banners were printed. The seventh was being printed when the power went out. Bad weather was predicted for our area, but there was no evidence of severe weather. We just assumed someone had hit a pole somewhere close by and perhaps blown a transformer. At about 9:10 one of my fellow co-workers, (S), came huffing and puffing into the hallway where several of us were congregated, talking and enjoying this unusual downtime in the middle of the morning. She had walked up ten flights of stairs to be here. She had passed another of our co-workers in the lobby. (A) saw that the power was out so she just turned herself around and drive back home. Now (H) came around the corner and (S)s reaction was . . . "now wait a minute. I just saw you in the lobby. You aren't even breathing hard." "Nope," said (H), "the freight elevator is still working. It's on emergency power." How funny!

Around 10:30 the power came back on. A main breaker at one of switching stations had tripped. How annoying. So, I went about my business of printing banners and posters. By 3:30 or so this afternoon, they were all done. Then I checked my email. "Oh, by the way, we need to change the spelling on one of the names on the posters and banners," the email read. Good grief. You've got to be kidding me. Oh well, no problem. By 7:30 this evening 9 banners had been changed and reprinted. I'll do the 32 posters in the morning . . . and afternoon! What a fun day.
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Song 326: Frankenstein
Artist: Edgar Winter Group
Album: They Only Come Out At Night
Year: 1972
------------------------------------------------

instrumental

sisters in the park

(t)onks, (r)ojo and one of their friends recently explored one of our local parks on rollerblades. At some point during their adventure, they stopped for a picnic lunch by the lake . . . at which point their friend snapped this picture. I converted the digital image to a colored pencil rendering in PhotoShop. I really like the end result.
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Song 325: Freedom Is For Children
Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Album: Phoenix
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

wrote the words of freedom,
Ive even sung the song.
But freedom is for children,
cause they dont understand whats wrong.

The children are so very lucky,
cause theyre not old enough to know.
Not old enough to realize,
But theyll find out as they grow.

The children are so very lucky,
But, on the other hand, who's gonna save the land?
The children are so very lucky,
But man's invention is gonna be the prevention of their life.

This song is nearly over,
And so's the world and the day.
Theres something missin',
But who will listen enough to do what it will take?

Freedom is for children. why can't it be for me?
Freedom is for children. why can't it be for me?

Freedom is for children. why can't it be for me?
Freedom is for children. why can't it be for me?
Freedom is for children. why can't it be for me?

buzz

As I make my way home from work, I have three or four routes from which to chose. I can choose the direct route. Traffic. Red lights. Millions of cars [ok . . . thousands]. I can choose the interstate. A little bit longer on mileage, but about the same travel time. I can choose the neighborhood route. Less congested streets. Slower traffic. Less stressful. Or I can choose the parkway. This route parallels the river. Passes by several parks along the way. I chose the parkway today.

Today was such a nice day, I thought it might be nice to have the windows down. Not ten seconds after I opened the windows, a big yellow bee came screaming in and flew right down my shirt. I saw it coming, like a little missile with my name on it. Straight in. I felt it buzzing around, trying to find an exit. It felt like the bee was stinging me, but I later found out it was just clawing around with its little sawtooth legs. Within thirty seconds of the bee's encroachment on my space, my little truck came sceeching to a stop along the curb. My door flew open. I flew out and my shirt came off. And there he was, still scrambling to get out. I shook him out of my shirt.

As I buttoned my shirt up before getting back in my truck, I wandered what a good little show that must have been for the few people who came driving by while all this was going on. I know I would have had a good laugh, had I been the observer, and not the observed. I'm just glad the bee stayed in my shirt!
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Song 324: Francine
Artist: ZZ Top
Album: Rio Grande Mud
Year: 1972
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cypress trees and springtime

Just a couple more images from my Saturday hike along the boardwalk. This almost-mile-long boardwalk meanders through the wetlands until it emerges along the banks of the river. Saturday's hike took me two hours, not because the hike was difficult [because it wasn't] but because of the people I meet along the way. The boardwalk was busy with families out for an early morning walk, joggers running the boards, photographers nested in little enclaves along the way [waiting for birds to light on the branches of nearby trees] and bird watchers equipped with binoculars, cameras and bird identification books.

I love the bright green color of new spring growth, and there was plenty of new growth along the trail on Saturday. The cypress trees depicted in the bottom photo has always fascinated me . . . the way they grow along and in the water and how the cypress knees develop. This park is tucked away in the northern corner of my home town and I don't think about it nearly enough. I tend to hike the trails close to my workplace, but I am going to make an effort to spend more time at the parks near my home. We have some nice ones. The trails just aren't as long as I would like. There are plans for this trail to link to the trail system in the town to the west, making it possible to hike about fifteen miles [one way] along the river. I can hardly wait.
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Song 323: Flight of the Phoenix
Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Album: Phoenix
Year: 1972
------------------------------------------------

images from the wetlands

Two more images from yesterday's hike through the wetlands park near my home. The top image is a reflection of the trees in the water. I have a large collection of water reflection images. I took this shot and then rotated it 180 degrees before posting it.

The bottom picture is one of the boardwalk just a couple hundred yards from the river. I found it interesting that the ground around the boardwalk at this point is almost dry. The land closer to the park is under water right now.
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Song 322: The First Ever I Saw Your Face
Artist: Roberta Flack
Album: Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gift you gave
To the dark and empty skies, my love,
To the dark and empty skies.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth,
I felt the earth move in my hand,
Like a trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love,
That was there at my command.

The first time ever I lay with you
And felt your heart beat close to mine
I thought our joy would fill the earth
And last til the end of time, my love,
And last till the end of time.

on the boardwalk

As I drove home yesterday, I passed the trailhead for the Riverwoods Trail and there was a yellow caution tape stretched across the entrance. It has been raining a lot around here but I did'nt realize just how much. I discovered when I got home that the little river that passes through my hometown was 14 feet above normal, so most of the trails along its banks were closed.

Of course this made me curious so this morning I dropped by another park, closer to my house. It was open so I grabbed my camera and took off. I spent a couple of hours on the trail. The entire trail is elevated. It goes through wetlands, so it might be completely underwater during rainy times and completely dry during the middle of the summer or during the winter. Today, the water came right up to the boards of the walkway. The trail is an out and back. About a mile to the river and a mile back [that's a lot of boardwalk]. The pictures above show two sections of the trail. The top picture is closer to the parking area, so there are sides and handrails along the boardwalk. More families and seniors walk this section. The bottom picture is past the quarter-mile mark, so there are few sides and rails . . . just boards through the wetlands.
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Song 321: Everything I Own
Artist: Bread
Album: Baby I'm A Want You
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Were all the years I had with you, and

{Refrain}
I would give anything I own
Give up me life, my heart, my home
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again

You taught me how to love
What its of, what its of
You never said too much but still you showed the way
And I knew from watching you
Nobody else could ever know
The part of me that can't let go

{Refrain}

Is there someone you know, you're loving them so
But taking them all for granted
You may lose them one day, someone takes them away
And they don't hear the words you long to say

{Refrain}

Just to touch you once again

coming soon to an airport near you

(r)ojo wins again! This has been a really good spring for her artistic ventures. We got word this week that the local airport authority has chosen her entry as one of the ones to be displayed for a year in the concourse of the main terminal at the international airport. Hundreds of thousands of people will see her art in the coming year.

The theme for her art was local attractions. She chose acrylics as her medium. The painting pictured here is about 8 x 12 inches. The final version of it will be 36 x 48 inches on stretched canvas. Our house is a combination art gallery and working studio as she performs her magic.

As an added bonus this week, she got word yesterday that another one of her paintings has been purchased by the school board to be permanently displayed in the halls of the board of education. From all of the high schools across the county they choose one painting from one graduating art student, and (r)ojo was the lucky winner. She will be presenting her "lanterns" painting to them at a special banquet early in May.
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Song 320: Don't Let me Be Lonely Tonight
Artist: James Taylor
Album: One Man Dog
Year: 1972
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Do me wrong, do me right
Tell me lies, but hold me tight
Save your goodbyes for the mornin' light
But don't let me be lonely tonight

Say goodbye and say hello
Sure 'nuf good to see you, but it's time to go
Don't say yes, but please don't say no
I don't want to be lonely tonight

Go away, then, damn ya
Go on and do as you please, yeah
You ain't gonna see me
Gettin' down on my knees
I'm undecided
And your heart's been divided
You've been turnin' my world upside-down

Do me wrong, do me right, right now, baby
Go on and tell me lies, but hold me tight
Save your goodbyes for the mornin' light
But don't let me be lonely tonight
I don't want to be lonely tonight, no, no
I don't want to be lonely tonight

I don't want to be lonely tonight, no, no
I don't want to be lonely tonight

txtng while walkn

I can c a ban on txtng while drivn . . . but Im not so sur I agree w a ban on txtng while walkn. Herd on tv this am as I wuz getn redy 4 wrk that sum states r considrng a law which wud ban txting while walkn. Iz it jus me or iz this takn it a litle bit 2 far!

(t)onks' college friends think it's funny that I text her instead of calling her most of the time. I never know when she has class, or when she's working, or just hanging with friends, so I don't want to disturb her. A text lets her know that I've got something to say, but it can wait until she has a chance to text me back. I'm rather enjoying texting my daughters. OK, I don't know the official text language. I make it up as I go. I don't know Spanish or French or Italian either but I'm doing alright. I know Latin. What good is that. Anyway, I digress. A ban on texting while walking seems a little bizarre to me. Unless the phone is in the hands of a complete idiot who wanders out into the street while texting or walks off a ledge. I have a feeling those folks should also be banned from walking. So the next time you have to swerve to miss a walking texter, or the door smacks you in nose as you text while walking into the library, think about it. I would love to know your thoughts on this very controversial subject.

All you old folks out there . . . remember this song?
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Song 319: Hold Your Head Up
Artist: Argent
Album: All Together Now
Year: 1972
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And if it's bad
Don't let it get you down, you can take it
And if it hurts
Don't let them see you cry, you can take it

Hold your head up, hold your head up
Hold your head up, hold your head high

And if they stare
Just let them burn their eyes on you moving
And if they shout
Don't let them change a thing what you're doing

Hold your head up, hold your head up
Hold your head up, hold your head high

courtyard

Scenes from the courtyard at work today.
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Song 318: Don’t Cross The River
Artist: America
Album: Homecoming
Year: 1972
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Theres a little girl out lyin on her own
Shes got a broken heart
Shes not the kind to take you down for long
She knows and plays it smart

(ah--) and if shes comin shes showed no mark
Shes heard no whistle blowin from the dark
She feels like leavin and she dont know why
Without no bridges shes trapped, so I sigh

Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide
Dont try denyin livin on the other side
All your life
You were on your own

If you want you can ride my train
And soon forget the reason that youre leaving
Youll lose yourself and then sometime
Maybe even save yourself some grievin

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide
Dont try denyin livin on the other side
Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide
Dont try denyin livin on the other side
Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide
Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide
Dont cross the river if you cant swim the tide ...