honeylocust

This morning was so incredibly nice. I hit the trail early and I took my best camera with me. I have a compact digital that I carry with me all the time and I have a digital SLR for photo shoots and more indepth photography. I hope you can tell when my pictures are taken with the compact and when they're taken with the SLR, because the SLR ones are so much better.

The tree pictured here is a Honeylocust, also known as a sweet-locust or a thorny-locust. Just look at this thorn. It's about three inches long. The entire tree was covered in clusters of thorns. The leaves of this fairly big tree are very small. Only about an inch long. These little leaves are shiny dark green on top and a dull yellow-green underneath. When they change colors in the fall, they will be a bright yellow. I'm not wild about honeylocust trees, because of these huge thorns, but they can be found all around this area, so I just have to watch out for them. A lot of times you can find honeylocusts growning in river flood plains or really moist forests. The ones I encountered today were in the later. At one time the spines from these trees were used as pins.
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Song 355: Rockin’ Down The Highway
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: Toulouse Street
Year: 1972
---------------------------------------------------

Got those highway blues, cant you hear my motor runnin
Flyin down the road with my foot on the floor
All the way in town they can hear me comin
Fords about to drop, she wont do no more
And I smell my motor burnin
Underneath the hood is smoke
Cant stop, and I cant stop
Got to keep on movin or Ill lose my mind

Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway

The highway patrol got his eyes on me
I know what hes thinkin and it aint good
Im movin so fast he can barely see me
Gonna lose that man, I know I should
I gotta kick in my pedal
Make my ford move a little bit faster
Cant stop, and I cant stop
Got to keep on movin or Ill lose my mind

Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway
Oh, rockin down the highway

scarry prices

My wife found a gas receipt dated December 2007 . . . $2.86 per gallon. I stopped today to get gas and the price was $3.88 per gallon. What is up with gas prices? I remember when the price of gas went up to $2.25 and everybody almost freaked. Heart palpitations. Angry people. But now that gas is pushing $4.00 and will probably be $4.50 by the end of summer, no one seems to care . . . at lest not enough to freak out about it. We just pull up to the pump. Fill it half full, which looks a lot better than filling it all the way. We don't care enough about the price to speak out about it. My fear is that people with very limited income will stop buying essential things like milk, fruits and vegetables in order to fill their tanks.

On our end of the spectrum, we normally have a driving vacation. We enjoy driving cross country, stopping when we want, taking it all in. Last year we drove, but we only drove to the east coast, a fraction of our usual vacation drive time. This year we are planning a camping vacation only a day's drive from our home. And it's all because of gas prices!

I'm not seeing a big difference in the number of huge gas-eating SUVs and monster trucks on the streets. There are just as many as ever. I can hardly wait for the day when we have hydrogen cars. The by-product of hydrogen fuel is water. Hydrogen fuel will be the greatest thing since cars were invented. We have the technology now, today. The problem is the container. One that doesn't allow the hydrogen to evaporate away. When zeolite tanks are perfected, then we will see hydrogen fuel take over as the dominant energy source. We'll start seeing hydrogen pumps at service stations all over the country. Let's hope that day is just around the corner.
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Song 354: Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going To Be A Long Long Time)
Artist: Elton John
Album: Honky Chateau
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine a.m.
And i'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much i miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight

And i think it's gonna be a long long time
Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think i am at home
Oh no no no i'm a rocket man
Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone


Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell
And there's no one there to raise them if you did
And all this science i don't understand
It's just my job five days a week
A rocket man, a rocket man

mill tour

I took a tour of a paper mill today. 2100 acres of paper mill. This is an incredible operation and almost totally automated. The roll above had just rolled off the paper-making machine minutes before. For me the most fascinating part of today was understanding just how clean and environmentally friendly paper mills are these days. This mill makes 100% of the water that it uses to make the paper. Water is a vital part of the paper-making process. All the water in the paper is squeezed out and flows through a series of underground troughs to a water treatment facility. By the time this water is scrubbed and filtered, it is cleaner than the river that flows nearby. This mill also produces 100% of the power needed to run the operation. And the fuel for the power plant is provided by wood bark; recycled tire chips which have been scrubbed so that they do not discharge dark, black smoke like you would expect tires burning to produce; and other recyclables. I am impressed by the environmental concern of this mill and others like it.
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Song 353: Rock and Roll Soul
Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Album: Phoenix
Year: 1972
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Were having a party, yeah, yeah, everybodys invited,
The new generation along with the old.
If you could get with it just a little more, it dont take much tryin,
Youll find out if youve got some rock & roll soul, baby.

Aint everybody in the world. so when you know what you got, let everybody know,
You got some rock & roll soul.
So when you know what you got, let everybody know,
You got some rock & roll soul.

I know it when Im feelin groovy,
Its kind of funky like an old-time movie.
I can feel it and its really something,
Its really something when my heart starts pumpin, yeah.

Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.
Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.

Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.
Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.
Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.
Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.
Tell everybody you know, you got some rock n roll soul.

courtyard after a rain

Shortcut through the courtyard after a rain at lunchtime today.
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Song 352: Reelin’ In The Years
Artist: Steely Dan
Album: Can't Buy A Thrill
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Your everlasting summer
You can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something
That you think is gonna last
You wouldnt know a diamond
If you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious
I cant understand

Chorus:
Are you reelin in the years
Stowin away the time
Are you gatherin up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

You been tellin me youre a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time Ive known you
I still dont know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didnt turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I cant understand

Chorus

I spend a lot of money
And I spent a lot of time
The trip we made in hollywood
Is etched upon my mind
After all the things weve done and seen
You find another man
The things you think are useless
I cant understand

wireless

Today was such a nice day. Veterans were recognized during the morning service. First, the relatives of those men and women currently serving in the military. Then those who had lost a loved one in service to our country. Next those who had served during World War II. Then the rest of us. I felt proud to be standing in the company of so many men who have valiantly served. You can count on the men and women who have served [or are serving] in the military. I'm proud of each one of them. And I am proud to have served.

We invited my wife's parents over this afternoon for hamburgers and all the trimmings. They arrived early. My wife and I were both quite busy getting everything ready for dinner. Hamburgers, hotdogs and veggies on the grill. Brown sugar and molasses baked beans on the stove. Crinkle-cut french fries in the oven. Sweet tea. Chocolate silk pie thawing in the refrigerator.

Our after-dinner conversation made its way around to computers. My in-laws are considering getting a computer. They're not sure whether to get a desktop model or a laptop. They are not computer savvy yet. I do all of their internet surfing, information gathering and letter writing for them. They are fascinated by the fact that I can be working on my computer and my wife can be working on hers at the same time. No cables. No wires. And we can still dial out if we need to make a call. They are intrigued that CDs are all but obsolete as a form of transporting files. Its like magic to them that all that information can be stored and transported on a little USB drive, plugged into another computer and opened up . . . just like that.

If they make the jump to computers, look out world. Too much information in the hands of my father-in-law could be a challenge.
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Song 351: Rain Keeps Falling
Artist: Grand Funk
Album: Phoenix
Year: 1972
------------------------------------------------

I remember the night so well.
The rain was fallin' but I just couldn't tell,
If it was you that was callin' to my love-sick brain.
But the rain kept fallin' on my window pane.

Out of the night the thunder rang in my ear.
I can't fight the feelin', Lord, that brings forth my fears.
I wish it was over, Lord, please stop the rain.
The rain that's fallin' on my window pane.

The rain that's fallin' on my window pane.

Every night the rain's on time, I can feel it in this heart of mine.
But I don't know what to do.
Well, I guess I could go back home, 'cause you know back home is where I belong.
But it just ain't home without you.

And I don't know what to do, baby.

Well, I guess I'm a looser but it just don't seem fair.
I lost all my life so tell me, why should I care?
The night that you left me is the night that it came.
And the rain's still fallin' on my window pane.

The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
You know the rain.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
I said the rain.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
You know the rain.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
I said the rain.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
You know the rain ...
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.
... keeps right on fallin'.
The rain keeps fallin' on my window pane.

I said, the rain keeps fallin' ...

the funeral

My father-in-law is the last survivor of his family. His sister passed away this week and the funeral was yesterday. When my wife and I heard the news at 2:50am Tuesday morning, there was no question. We had to go to the funeral. I didn't know his sister or his brother that died seven years ago but I know him, my father-in-law. He's getting old and I didn't want him and my mother-in-law attempting the 2-hour drive alone, so I took yesterday off from work. My wife was already off.

Our daughters don't know their relatives on that side of the family very well and we decided not to make them go to the funeral. Both stayed home. So our funeral party left our house at 10:00 yesterday morning. I knew how to get to the funeral parlor from our visit there seven years ago. I also had a google map with directions, but my father-in-law told me at the very beginning that he would navigate, so I folded the google map and slipped it under the console, just in case. Our route took us through parts of our state that I had never driven through before. Through small towns with speed limits of 31. With a posted speed limit of 31, you don't want to find out what wrath from the local law enforcement awaits if you go 32 through their town. Through these towns I drove exactly 31!

We drove through towns with no-name, no-brand service stations. With only local, family-run restaurants or no restaurant at all. No McDonalds or Starbucks. We stopped at an old home-cooking restaurant for lunch in a town just seven miles south of our final destination. My father-in-law had eaten there many times on many trips to this part of the country in days gone by. And he was right. The food was excellent.

When we arrived at the funeral home, the funeral director pointed out where our car should be in the processional. We parked and slowly made our way into the parlor. Inside there were perhaps ten people under the age of seventy. The remainder were seniors in various stages of mobility. Some were spry and moved about with great agility. Some were assisted by walkers or canes or portable oxygen tanks. They all had one thing in common. They all knew each other, or had known each other at one time and a brief conversation brought memories of younger days flooding back into their thoughts. The event took on all the persona of a reunion rather than a funeral. All these friends [current and past] talked, laughed, hugged, held one another and enjoyed the company of those around them.

The youngest son of the deceased sang a song. The eldest son spoke. The preacher encouraged and comforted the audience. Sitting with my wife, almost like outsiders looking in on a private party, I saw that this funeral was not about my aunt-in-law. It was about all of those [all of us] remaining. It was about comforting one another. Helping one another. About the human need to have fellowship. About craving contact with our friends and family. About going on and filling the void left by the passing of a loved one. We all must face death someday. None are immune. But we all must face life as well. Our lives are filled with busy days. Obligations. Work. All those things that fill our days from dawn til dark. From one year into the next. If we are not careful we will let life slip away without living it.

My wife and I talked for a long time last night about our family. Our friends. Our ability to fill our days with busy things, from dawn til dusk, day after day, year after year. We want to live more while we can. While we are young enough to live it, and young enough to enjoy it. In a strange, bizarre, odd way, we both enjoyed our funeral adventure.

blurred community

This is not a Photoshopped picture. I snapped this as I was driving through this community on the way home from work today. Those of you who have been following along for the past year and a half know that I like blurred photography. The blur gives some photos a nice painterly effect.

About the song: Three Dog Night is one of my all-time favorite bands. I especially like the Seven Separate Fools album from 1972. That was a pivotal year for me and the songs from that album evoke huge memories. Every time I hear Pieces of April I become nostalgic.
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Song 350: Pieces of April
Artist: Three Dog Night
Album: Seven Separate Fools
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

April gave us springtime and the promise of the flowers
And the feeling that we both shared and the love that we called ours
We knew no time for sadness, that's a road we each had crossed
We were living a time meant for us, and even when it would rain
we would laugh it off.

I've got pieces of April, I keep them in a memory bouquet
I've got pieces of April, it's a morning in May

We stood on the crest of summer, beneath an oak that blossomed green
Feeling as I did in April, not really knowing what it means
But it must be then that you stand beside me now to make me feel this way
Just as I did in April, but it's a morning in May.

I've got pieces of April, I keep them in a memory bouquet
I've got pieces of April, but it's a morning in May

I've got pieces of April, I keep them in a memory bouquet
I've got pieces of April, but it's a morning in May

blowin in the wind

Dandelions along the trail today. I enjoy dandelions. Most people don't like to see dandelions in their yard. Personally, I like them. I like clover and those little blue flowers and strawberries in my yard. I like the fact that they all add color to the green lawn. Of course I keep my yard trimmed short, but these durable little flowers keep coming back up. And all the wildflowers add so much to the trail experience. Spring is one of my favorite times to hike. The flowers are visually pleasing and the smells of honeysuckle and wild rose and other fragrances fill the air. Today was a very nice day to hike. 88 degrees with a slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky.
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Song 349: One Way Out
Artist: Allman Brothers Band
Album: Eat A Peach
Year: 1972
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Aint but one way out baby, lord I just cant go out the door.
Aint but one way out baby, and lord I just cant go out the door.
Cause theres a man down there, might be your man I dont know.

Lord you got me trapped woman, up on the second floor;
If I get by this time I wont be trapped no more.
So raise our window baby, I can ease out soft and slow.
And lord, your neighbors, no they wont be
Talking that stuff that they dont know.

Lord, Im foolish to be here in the first place,
I know some man gonna walk in and take my place.
Aint no way in the world, Im going out that front door
Cause theres a man down there, might be your man I dont know.
Cause theres a man down there, might be your man I dont know.
Cause theres a man down there,

Freely
Lord, it just might happen to be your man...
Lord, it just a might be your man,
Oh baby, I just dont know...

the graduate

Yes, we have a graduate. [Girl with many dresses] walked across the stage tonight with honors. High school is history. She is college bound. Look out art school! The world will never be the same.
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Song 348: Old Man
Artist: Neil Young
Album: Harvest
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.

Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.

Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.

Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn't mean that much to me
To mean that much to you.

I've been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I'm all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true.

Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I'm a lot like you were.

little white bags

Just one of the fun things about my job . . . photo shoots. I tried shooting these little white bags with studio lights and was just not getting the effect we were looking for so I turned off the studio lights, turned on the overhead lights and kept shooting. This is one of my favorites from the shoot.
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Song 347: Needle And The Damage Done
Artist: Neil Young
Album: Harvest
Year: 1972
----------------------------------------------------

I caught you knockin'
at my cellar door
I love you, baby,
can I have some more
Ooh, ooh, the damage done.

I hit the city and
I lost my band
I watched the needle
take another man
Gone, gone, the damage done.

I sing the song
because I love the man
I know that some
of you don't understand
Milk-blood
to keep from running out.

I've seen the needle
and the damage done
A little part of it in everyone
But every junkie's
like a settin' sun.

live life backwards

2 Chronicles 12:14
But he [Rehoboam] was an evil king, for he did not seek the Lord with all his heart.

Not only was this a problem in Old Testament times, it is a problem today. We do not live our lives with the goal in mind. If we did, we would seek to glorify God in everything we do. If I lived my life backwards, thinking about eternity, I would not look upon God as a last recourse, I would look upon Him as my first resource.

There are three profound steps in making the decision to live your life backwards.

A. Be guided by a strong purpose.

Deuteronomy 6:5
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

B. Be consumed with passion.

Hebrews 12: 1-2
1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.
2. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven.

C. Be sustained by persistence.

2 Timothy 4: 1-5
1. And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus-who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom:
2. Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear.
4. They will reject the truth and follow strange myths.
5. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you.

food for the needy

Last September a group of us from work went down to one of the local food banks and helped sort and box food and necessities for the needy. We did it again yesterday. What a fulfilling experience. I don't know why I enjoy doing this so much. I suppose it gives me a sense of accomplishment, of helping in some small way. There were ten of us from work on yesterday's trek. Our task was to pack boxes with canned goods, seal the boxes and prepare them for transport to different agencies around town, who will them distribute them to needy families or prepare meals at homeless shelters and soup kitchens.

Our group of ten was divided into three teams. One person unfolded boxes and taped the bottom together so the rest of us could pack them. Each team was assigned a bin of canned goods like the one pictures above . . . canned beans, corn, mixed vegetables, soup, or meat. On my team, two of us packed the boxes. My job was to lift the boxes to a waiting pallet, seal the boxes with packing tape, label them with the appropriate contents, and stack them securely on the pallet. My team and I filled 2 pallets with boxes. Each box averages 41 pounds. There were 48 boxes of food on each pallet. So, during the course of the afternoon, I lifted, sealed and stacked 96 boxes of canned goods. That's 3,936 pounds . . . 2 TONS OF FOOD. And that's just my team. If the other 2 teams accomplished at least that much, we prepared about 6 tons of food for distribution to needy people around our city.

The sad part is . . . there are that many people in our surrounding area that need help surviving. This should never happen in a country as prosperous as ours!
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Song 346: Mother and Child Reunion
Artist: Paul Simon
Album: Paul Simon
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reu-nion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine.
I cant for the life of me
Remember a sadder day
I know they say let it be
But it just dont work out that way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again

No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away, oh, little darling of mine.

I just cant believe its so,
And though it seems strange to say
I never been laid so low
In such a mysterious way
And the course of a lifetime runs
Over and over again

But I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
When the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away,
Oh, oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a motion away
Oh the mother and child reunion
Is only a moment away

in the copyroom

Every few days this flower appears in our copyroom. Not only does the copyroom have copy machines, it also has a sink, refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker. This flower drops by for a refreshing drink of water. I have never met its owner, or perhaps it doesn't have an owner. Perhaps it wanders in all by itself. It hangs around all morning on the days it visits, sitting in a nice vase, perched on a folded paper towel, on the counter near the sink. It's always gone by noon. One of these mornings I'm going to hang around and wait to see how it gets there . . . maybe.
--------------------------------------------------
Song 345: Melissa
Artist: Allman Brothers Band
Album: Eat A Peach
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Crossroads, seem to come and go, yeah.
The gypsy flies from coast to coast

Knowing many, loving none,
Bearing sorrow havin fun,
But back home he'll always run
To sweet Melissa... mmm...

Freight train, each car looks the same, all the same.
And no one knows the gypsy's name

No one hears his lonely sigh,
There are no blankets where he lies.
In all his deepest dreams the gypsy flies
With sweet Melissa... mmm...

Again the morning's come,
Again he's on the run,
Sunbeams shining through his hair,
Appearing not to have a care.
Well, pick up your gear and gypsy roll on, roll on.

Crossroads, will you ever let him go? (lord, lord)
Will you hide the dead man's ghost,
Or will he lie, beneath the clay,
Or will his spirit roll away?

But I know that he won't stay without Melissa.

Yes I know that he won't stay without Melissa.

a moment of silence

Please take a moment as you read this to offer a moment of silence in memory of those lives lost as a result of the earthquake in southwestern China and the devastating cyclone in Myanmar.

At the time of this writing the official death toll in southwestern China is at 19,500, but could reach 50,000. The death toll from the cyclone in Myanmar could surpass 100,000.

Remember those left behind. Loved ones. Friends. Family. Coworkers. Neighbors. Those of us around the world who mourn the loss of innocent men, women and children. Especially the children!

18 bikers

For three weeks now I have been working on a jersey design for a bicycle racing team. I can't go anywhere without noticing bike jerseys. The first weekend after a got the design assignment, I drove around looking for bike teams. The jerseys are incredible. There are so many designs. So many works of art. And then there are some that are just way too busy. I have submitted several designs for consideration and am currently waiting on a response. Today on the way home from work I passed this group of cyclists. It wasn't a team because the jerseys were all different, so this must have been a riding club. 18 bicycles all in a row.
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Song 344: Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard
Artist: Paul Simon
Album: Paul Simon
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

The mama pajama rolled out a bed
And she ran to the police station
When the papa found out he began to shout

And he started the investigation
It's against the law
It was against the law
What the mama saw
It was against the law.

The mama look down and spit on the ground
Every time my name gets mentioned
The papa said, "Oy, if I get that boy,
I'm gonna stick him the house of detention."
Well I'm on my way.
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie the queen of Corona
See you, me and Julio
Down by the school yard
See you, me and Julio down by the school yard

In a couple of days they come and
Take me away
But the press let the story leak
And when the radical priest
Come to get me released
We was all on the cover of Newsweek

And I'm on my way
I don't know where I'm going
I'm on my way, I'm taking my time
But I don't know where
Goodbye to Rosie the queen of Corona
See you, me and Julio
Down by the school yard
See you me and Julio
Down by the school yard
See you me and Julio
Down by the school yard

the smell of honeysuckle

The forest smelled like honeysuckle and wild roses today. A very pleasant day for a hike in the woods.
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Song 343: Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress
Artist: The Hollies
Album: Distant Light
Year: 1972
--------------------------------------------------

Saturday night I was downtown
Working for the FBI
Sitting in a nest of bad men
Whiskey bottles piling high

Bootlegging boozer on the west side
Full of people who are doing wrong
Just about to call up the DA man
When I heard this woman singing a song

A pair of 45's made me open my eyes
My temperature started to rise
She was a long cool woman in a black dress
Just a 5-9 beautiful tall
With just one look I was a bad mess
'Cause that long cool woman had it all

I saw her heading to the table
Well a tall walking big black cat
When Charlie said I hope that you're able, boy
Well I'm telling you she knows where it's at
Well then suddenly we heard the sirens
And everybody started to run
Jumping under doors and tables
Well I heard somebody shooting a gun

Well the DA was pumping my left hand
And she was holding my right
Well I told her, "Don't get scared
'Cause you're gonna be spared"
Well I'm gonna be forgiven
If I wanna spend my living
With a long cool woman in a black dress
Just a 5-9 beautiful tall
With just one look I was a bad mess
'Cause that long cool woman had it all
Had it all, had it all, had it all...

prom night

What a night. [Girl with many dresses] started getting ready for the prom at noon. The hair. The make-up. The dress and all the accessories. She looked gorgeous in her dark blue dress. Seven couples gathered at the home of one of the girls. Corsages and boutonnieres were pinned, pictures taken and the kids departed in their limo . . . dinner and a few arcade games before the prom and then off to the Zoo for the main event. Little did they know what turns the evening would take. Severe weather moved quickly into our area, bringing tornadoes, high winds, hail and rain with it. The weather reports showed that the most intense storm was headed directly for the Zoo. Although the Prom Committee had taken every precaution by setting up huge tents in case of rain, they didn't plan on tornadoes. Our local zoo is a great place for this type of event, but not on stormy nights. The prom was cancelled. The disappointed kids immediately began calling their parents for suggestions for alternate plans. One mom volunteered her home immediately and the seven couples in our daughters group gathered there for a movie and party snacks. Then it was off to another home for late night music and snacks. Then the girls went to one home and the guys to another for the remainder of the night, meeting in the middle of the night for breakfast at Perkins. I actually think our daughter had as much fun with the alternate plans as she would have had at the prom. The kids in her group really enjoy being together and having fun.
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Song 342: Listen To The Music
Artist: Doobie Brothers
Album: Toulouse Street
Year: 1972
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Dont you feel it growin, day by day
People gettin ready for the news
Some are happy, some are sad
Oh, we got to let the music play
What the people need
Is a way to make em smile
It aint so hard to do if you know how
Gotta get a message
Get it on through
Oh now mama, dont you ask me why

Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time

Well I know, you know better
Everything I say
Meet me in the country for a day
Well be happy
And well dance
Oh, were gonna dance our blues away
And if Im feelin good to you
And youre feelin good to me
There aint nothin we cant do or say
Feelin good, feeling fine
Oh, baby, let the music play

Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time

Like a lazy flowing river
Surrounding castles in the sky
And the crowd is growing bigger
Listnin for the happy sounds
And I got to let them fly

Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
Oh, oh, listen to the music
All the time

friday night art awards

We arrived at the banquet last night, mingling with the other guests, making small talk, sampling caramelized figs while we waited for the festivities to begin. As we filed into the banquet hall, I noticed that there were only two young people in the entire crowd. Our youngest daughter was one of them. We took our seats at our assigned table and the other young person and his parents joined us at our table, along with his art teacher and our daughter's art teacher. The event was all about these two young people. Our daughter represented all high school students in our county and the young man represented all the middle schoolers in the county. At the end of each school year, one piece of art by a high school student and one by a middle school student is chosen to be purchased and permanently displayed in the halls of the County Board of Education. It was such an honor for our daughter's art to be chosen as the one high school piece this year.

Thank goodness the banquet was an early one, because we had to make a mad dash from the banquet to another event last night . . . a reception at the International Airport. 50 paintings from 50 high school art students from the county and the city schools were on display at the airport and will remain there for a full year, at which time they will be auctioned off to the highest bidders. One of our youngest daughter's paintings is part of this display. And to be perfectly honest and totally unbiased . . . hers is by far the best one there!
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Song 341: The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Artist: Robert John
Album: released as a single
Year: 1972
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We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way

A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh

In the jungle
The mighty jungle
The lion sleeps tonight
In the jungle
The quiet jungle
The lion sleeps tonight

A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh

Near the village
The peaceful village
The lion sleeps tonight
Near the village
The quiet village
The lion sleeps tonight

A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh

Hush, my darling
Don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
Hush, my darling
Don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight

A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh

We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
De-we-um-um-a-way
We-de-de-de
De-de-de-de-de
We-um-um-a-way

the girl with many dresses

This is prom weekend. My youngest has been looking forward to this weekend since school began in the fall. She has been looking at dresses. Trying on dresses. Buying dresses and returning dresses. When March came and she didn't have "the" dress, she panicked. How could she choose the right shoes and decide on the right hair style if she didn't have "the" dress? A road trip ensued as she and her friends drove to a neighboring town an hour and a half away to check out the dresses. She called her mother and me from the dress shop and told us she had found the dress. We scheduled a return trip to see the dress and perhaps to buy it. In the meantime we searched in every dress shop, bridal shop, consignment shop and retro store in our area. She found a great dress at one of the consignment shops. The colors were right. The size was right. The price was most definitely right. But the quest continued. My wife returned to the consignment shop and bought the dress just in case we didn't find the ultimate one. At the end of March we made a family pilgrimage back to the dress shop an hour and a half away. The dress was just what she wanted. She was measured for alterations and the dress was paid for. The very next morning she decided that was a great dress, but she felt very guilty for talking us into spending so much money for a dress she would only wear once. She insisted that we cancel the order and get our money back. Graciously the dress shop did cancel the order and return the money. The quest continued. She found an online store that had just the dress she was looking for. She filled out the form with measurements and colors and material and we paid for the dress. After three weeks, it arrived this past Wednesday. She was so excited until she tried it on. The waist and the length were just not what she had envisioned. I thought there would be crying and gnashing of teeth, but she brought out the blue dress from the consignment shop, put it on and the room light up from her presence. This was the dress she had been wanting all along. Praise to her mother for insisting that we buy the dress all those weeks ago. (r)ojo's closet and the back of her bedroom door are filled with dresses of occasions past. Dances. Banquets. Ceremonies. Formal gatherings. She has so many dresses we don't know what to do with them all. I feel a huge dress sale coming on.

And now the hair. She changes her hair style and part of it's color about every six months. Last time it was a red streak. Hence, the blog name (r)ojo. Spanish for red. So now what do I do? I can't change her blog name every six months. Her streak is blue this time. But alas I have the solution. Something that will most likely always be part of her personality. She will now be known as Girl With Many Dresses and Only One Closet. Living with three women (my wife and two grown daughters) is a challenge and a pleasure. I love it!

i draw pictures all day

A good part of my work day is taken up with meetings. One meeting yesterday was two hours long. Fortunately it was an interesting one with lots of visuals and a great presenter. Everyone in the meeting was taking notes. All but one of the note takers was using traditional means . . . spiral notebooks with ruled pages and black ink pens. The one exception was me. I take doodle notes. I draw little illustrations instead of conventional notes. I use a soft lead pencil instead of an ink pen. If there are slides with images or important information, I pull out my compact digital camera and take pictures of the screen. I never use flash so I don't disrupt the meeting. I never go anywhere without my camera. While everyone else is reading through their notes, trying to remember the context in which the notes were taken, I flip through my illustrations or scroll through my slides. It works for me.
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Song 340: Let's Stay Together
Artist: Al Green
Album: Let's Stay Together
Year: 1972
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I, I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is all right with me
'Cause you make me feel so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you

Since, since we've been together
Loving you forever
Is what I need
Let me be the one you come running to
I'll never be untrue

Let's, let's stay together
Lovin' you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad

Why, why some people break up
Then turn around and make up
I just can't see
You'd never do that to me (would you, baby)
Staying around you is all I see
(Here's what I want us to do)

[Repeat to fade:]
Let's, we oughta stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

climbing wall

One climb five dollars. One bull ride five dollars. One hotdog combo five dollars. Making it to the top of the wall priceless. This picture pretty much sums up the Fair on the Square. F-U-N with capital letters. I'm sad that it's over until next year, but I am glad that I can now lay down without aching. My wife and I were so tired yesterday. That's the price one must pay for having fun.
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Song 339: Lean On Me
Artist: Bill Withers
Album: Still Bill
Year: 1972
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Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me

So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Lean on me...

geode boy

I crack geodes at the Fair on the Square. All day long I crack geodes. Or I should say I help people crack their geodes. We have geodes from different locations. Some from Mexico. Some from Iowa. Some from Tennessee. The Mexican ones are always beautiful. People that come to our booth can choose the geode they want, I lock it into the geode cracker, and they apply pressure to the handle to break the geode open. You never know what is going to be inside the geode until it is broken. This boy cracked one of the prettiest geodes of the day. It is amethyst. We cracked four amethyst geodes today. Others contained quartz, smoky quartz, barite, chalcedony, milky quartz and sphalerite.
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Song 338: Kickback Man
Artist: James Gang
Album: Straight Shooter
Year: 1972
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the man with the chalk pastels

I wasn't sure if the weather was going to cooperate for this weekend's Fair on the Square or not. Friday night was awful. Tornadoes. High winds. Rain. But Saturday morning dawned with blue skies and sunshine, although it was a little bit cool all day. Rather than set up Friday night, my wife and I waited until Saturday morning, bright and early. We love doing this show. It's an outdoor fair with maybe 150 vendors. Each one unique. Our friends from Mid-town always have the booth next to ours so we have a great time talking and visiting during the slow times. There weren't that many slow times though.

Several of the food vendors are right behind us, with all the smells of charbroiled burgers and barbeque and polish sausages wafting our way. I was hungry all day long. It's almost unbearable. But sooooo nice. The mechanical bull is right behind us too. The man operating the bull cranks it up when the older boys ride. They get on with this "oh yeah, I can ride this thing" attitude and pretty soon they're laying on the inflated mat. Thrown right over the bull's head or sent flying over the side. I think the bull operator really enjoys his job. Of course he always lets the little kids ride nice and slow.

The man with the chalk pastels set his easel up on the lawn near the center of the park. He's incredible. I enjoy watching him create his art. His images are always bigger than life and full of color. He also does the fall show that we do. At that show we can watch him work his pastel magic up close. His regular spot is only a few feet from our booth.
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Song 337: Just Got Paid Today
Artist: ZZ Top
Album: Rio Grande Mud
Year: 1972
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I just got paid today,
got me a pocket full of change.
Said, I just got paid today,
got me a pocket full of change.
If you believe like workin' hard all day,
just step in my shoes and take my pay.

I was born my papa's son,
when I hit the ground I was on the run.
I had one glad hand and the other behind.
You can have yours, just give me mine.
When the hound dog barkin' in the black of the night,
stick my hand in my pocket, everything's all right.

I just got paid today,
got me a pocket full of change.
Said, black sheep, black, do you got some wool?
Yes, I do, man, my bag is full.
It's the root of evil and you know the rest
but it's way ahead of what's second best.

bison at shelby farms

American Bison at Shelby Farms.

One of the great things about visiting Shelby Farms is the American Bison that graze in the fields and hillsides of the park. There are probably a couple dozen of these guys roaming around, just hanging out, taking it easy, laying in the sunshine or meandering along, not a care in the world. I could watch them all day.

Shelby Farms is like one of the biggest urban parks in the country. It has hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, kite flying fields, a frisbee golf course, stables, lakes for fishing, lakes for canoeing and windsurfing, pavilions, playgrounds, something for just about anybody. My favorite trail in the park is the Tour de Wolf Trail. It's actually a 4.1 mile cross-country racing bike trail, but there's plenty of room for hikers too (no horses allowed).
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Song 336: Jesus Is Just Alright
Artist: The Doobie Brothers
Album: Toulouse Street
Year: 1972
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Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright, oh yeah
Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright

I dont care what they may say
I dont care what they may do
I dont care what they may say
Jesus is just alright, oh yeah
Jesus is just alright

Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright, oh yeah
Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright

I dont care what they may know
I dont care where they may go
I dont care what they may know
Jesus is just alright, oh yeah

Jesus, hes my friend; jesus, hes my friend
He took me by the hand; led me far from this land
Jesus, hes my friend

Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright, oh yeah
Jesus is just alright with me, jesus is just alright

I dont care what they may say, I dont care what they may do
I dont care what they may say, jesus is just alright, oh yeah