The Man Behind the Blog

 

1460127_10151801076003041_521507021_n

If people could be as loyal as a dog.

I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.” – Henry David Thoreau

I am a simple man who doesn’t relish material things.  I have a problem with most technology because I feel it is the “Achilles Heel” of today’s society.  We have become to dependent on it and if it ever fails we will find ourselves in a world of chaos and ruin.  Maybe I am old school but I just don’t see today’s networks that make this modern technology work as it does, being infallible.  Just ask yourself, what would happen if a virus was able to penetrate our financial systems and erase all the data?  Could we survive a hit like that?  I know what you are sayin, we have safe guards for that.  Yeah right.  Tell that to the folks that had problems with their tax returns being stolen.

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don’t take friendship lightly.  I have a tough time trusting people, but then there are plenty of reasons for that.  Trust is the foundation of a true friendship.  Now I am not talking a casual friendship, I am talking a friendship where you bare your soul to that person.  A lot of things just don’t mean to people what it did 30 years ago.  Friendship is one of those things that I think has lost its true meaning.

I don’t believe in the “everyone gets a trophy” way of life.  I think we do our children an injustice by not letting them experience defeat and disappointment..  We are just delaying the inevitable.  One will never win every battle they encounter.  Such is life so let us prepare them early in life.

Right, wrong or indifferent I believe an individual is responsible for their own fate/destiny.  Yes, some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth but that person can fail himself/herself just as easy as the person who was born into poverty.  If destiny decided my life I guess I could say my life came with a guarantee.  Guaranteed to crash and burn or succeed no matter what I do because destiny has all ready decided that for me.

“Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean.” – John Muir

I am not a religious person, I am a spiritual person.  I love and respect Mother Earth.  I have always been drawn to nature and when I am in the woods or on the river I am home where I belong.  There is no better place to go to cleanse your soul and recharge your spirit.  Photography is my passion.  Horseback riding is another favorite of mine.  I dislike the way we teach young girls to judge their beauty by what is on the outside and not by what is on the inside.  I would rather be in the wilderness of Montana than on a beach in the Caribbean.  If I could have lunch with anyone I wanted, it would be my Grandma Bobbi.  Damn I miss her.  I would like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.  I would to spend a day with Thoreau and Emerson.  I want my own cabin and Walden Pond.  If I could do one thing to change the world, it would be to put love in everyone’s heart because that would resolve all the other problems.  “Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us, and the greatest was love.” – Alan Jackson (Where Were You)

304104_10150325790868041_1335623054_n

Now you know a little more about the man that writes the blogs.  Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and I hope you enjoyed it.  Don’t forget to spread the love.

 

 

 

 

 

Emerson, Politics and Myself

 

14051575_10153914141918041_5227124425302298728_n (1)

I call it “The Rock of David”.

“The teaching of politics is that the Government, which was set for protection and comfort of all good citizens, becomes the principal obstruction and nuisance with which we have to contend… The cheat and bully and malefactor we meet everywhere is the Government.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson writes in his essay on politics that an ideal government, advocated for the growth of the individual and would be able to protect one’s individual rights.  Once an individual became completely independent and self-reliant they would be ready for democracy and the government could be abolished.  The richest asset one could have is the mind and the intelligence needed from each individual would triumph over politics and business interests.  He also valued personal rights over property rights.

He tells us that “The law is only a memorandum.” and his most popular quote was “The less government we have the better.”  Emerson had complete faith in the individual but he does a turn about on his views toward nations.  He goes as far to write, “Every actual state is corrupt.”  Political parties are “made out of necessity” out of the time period and not of any underlying theory.  He was not satisfied with either party at the time and hinted to the natural inequality the system adhered to and its effects.  Even back then he didn’t trust the pulpit and the press.  This is from Essays: Second Series published in 1844.

Now fast forward to 2017 and hold on to your arse.  Less government is certainly out of the question and there is very little trust for the press and the pulpit.  Our government has become enormous.  The thing that fascinates me is that we Americans put our trust in a group of people who steal from us (i.e. Social Security) and unless you have a rather large sum of money to invest in a campaign you aren’t going to get elected.  The majority of most of these elections are won by the person who had the most money to spend.  No, I didn’t say always I said most.  The average John Q Public has no way to be successful in a bid for a US Senate seat or House of Representatives.  The qualifications are easy enough.

Senate: 1) at least 30 years old  2) a U.S. citizen for at least 9 years at the time of election to the Senate  3) a resident of the state one is elected to represent in the Senate.

House of Representatives: 1) be at least 25 years old  2) have been a resident of the United States for the last 7 years  3) be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent.

Wow!  We trust these people to do what  is best for us?  Not even a high school diploma or GED required.  The real kicker, why would someone spend a million dollars to procure a job that pays one hundred seventy four thousand to two hundred thousand dollars a year?

 

13

I see the bad moon arising, I see trouble on the way………

 

“Every actual State is corrupt.  Good men must not obey the laws too well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I don’t know what the future holds but I personally think trouble is on its way.  We are a country that instead of taking a problem head on we just pass another useless law.  Representatives that make promises and never follow through.  Both parties promise the moon and deliver nothing.   Both sides still refuse to acknowledge why the election of 2016 went the way it did.  Fact is that Americans are fed up with the whole mess and demonstrated that in the voting booth and democrats and republicans still refuse to acknowledge it.

In my heart I truly believe the framers of the constitution tried their best to protect us from the greed of politicians.  Greed however is hard for humans to overcome and very hard to defeat.  The corruption within our government and political system iseventually going to be the death of a once great nation.  It is been there a long time but it seems the new politicians are bolder than those before them or maybe they aren’t as smart as their predecessors, because they aren’t doing a very good job of hiding it.

I hope Americans remain awake and keep sending a message to politicians that we have had enough.  They work for and represent us and it is time we quit keeping them in office when they don’t have our best interests in mind.  Ok I will shut up now.  I know I am beating a dead horse.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.  I really don’t like to write about this particular subject however I just needed to get it off my chest.  I am tired of seeing my friends and family arguing over a bunch of thugs, yeah I called them thugs, that don’t give a rat’s patootie about them.  Be sure to spread the love.

My Take on Self-reliance

 

 

1460127_10151801076003041_521507021_n

Just me and my dog Kate

 

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Merriam-Webster defines self-reliance as reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities.

When I hear “self-reliance I think of the early pioneers and the hardships they had to endure.  They were pretty much able to take care of themselves.  They raised and hunted their own food, played doctor, teacher and were carpenters.  They had to be that way in order to survive.

In today’s world self- reliance seems to have left the building.    Sad part is that children of today aren’t being given a chance to be self-reliant.  The parents  just don’t want to take the time out of their busy schedule to teach them.   Grandparents have it in their minds that they  have to do everything for them, be their best friend and by all means don’t hurt their feelings.  Both sides argue that the child isn’t responsible enough but at the same time they aren’t teaching the child responsibility.  All of this is done with good intentions however, the child is the one who is losing and will have no ideal how to do things for themselves.  They grow up expecting people to do everything for them and .  When I look into my crystal ball I don’t see a very good future for them.

Then we have the government using public assistance to enslave John Q Public.  Why?  They don’t want us to even entertain the idea of self-reliance.  Keep us from attaining it and we hand them the control that gives them the upper hand if they need it.  Ok, settle down.  Quit laughing so hard.  Maybe I am getting senile but it is happening more and more as folks lose their jobs.  Public Assistance, the New Form of Self-Reliance! by your Congressional Representatives.

 

img_0799

We interrupt this program for a message from the turkey above, Please eat more possum.  My friends and family will appreciate it.

“Over the years, Americans in particular have been all too willing to squander their hard-earned independence and freedom for the illusion of feeling safe under someone else’s authority.  The concept of self-sufficiency has been undermined in value over a scant few generations.  The vast majority of the population seems to look down their noses upon self-reliance as some quaint dusty relic, entertained only by the hyperparanoid or those hopelessly incapable of fitting into mainstream society.” – Cody Lundin

I don’t think folks put enough emphasis on self-reliance.  Anyone who lived during the “Great Depression” can tell you how important it is.  Nobody seems to understand it can happen again and seem to be  complacent with the government taking care of them.  My way of thinking is I would rather be in control of my outcome in that situation and trust no one else with my surviving.  Just look how they take care of our veterans.  Still feel warm and fuzzy inside thinking of them taking care of you when the SHTF?

Self-reliance also involves one thinking for themselves and not letting anyone else or the government tell you how to think.  It also necessitates for one to be prepared for whatever comes at them.

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.  Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln (Parents and grandparents should have this one taped to their mirror so they read it every morning before they start their day.  Just saying, if the child is capable of doing it then why are you?)

“If you truly want to be respected by people you love, you must prove to them that you can survive without them.” – Michael Bassey Johnson

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  It means a lot to me and you and your time are deeply appreciated.  I take this time to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving and good times with family.  As you go through the holidays don’t forget to spread the love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being Responsible

1513714_10151973965553041_1508984441_n

“You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals.  To that end, each of us must work for his own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think  we  can be the most useful.”  –  Marie Curie

I can’t speak for folks outside the US, but inside our borders shirking responsibility seems to be quite fashionable.  It is always the fault of someone else.

One of my favorites.  Six o’clock news.  Interviewing the mother of a fourteen year old boy who stole a car and got injured when he lost control of the car while being chased by the police.  Mother: “The police is picking on my son.  They didn’t need to chase him.  He is only 14 years old and that’s the first car he ever stole.”  Oh no, not the boys fault.  No siree.  If the cops would have waited he would have probably just parked it back where he found it.  After all it wasn’t like he was a career criminal.  Mom said it was his first!

I hope you realize I am being sarcastic.  Mother puts blame on the police not the son.  I would say the parenting he is receiving could be some of the problem.  What do you think?

“You must take personal responsibility.  You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself.  That is something you have charge of.”  –  Jim Rohn

Personal responsibility!  Oh yeah baby!  What, you want me to be responsible for my actions?  Absolutely!  If you are personally responsible for something then admit it and work it out.

I am a farrier and there was the case of a horseshoer who quicked a horse when he was nailing the shoe on.  He pulled the nail finished shoeing the horse and left but didn’t tell the owner what he had done.  To make a long story short, the hoof got infected, the owner had a large vet bill and it took the guy quite awhile to admit that he had quicked the horse.  If he had took responsibility and told the owner they could have doctored it and that would have been the end of it.  If the horse had kicked him, I bet he would have let the owners know.

“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.”  – George Bernard Shaw

We need to become more responsible, our future depends on it.  Our actions, environment, children’s education, pets; all our responsibility and we need to be doing a better job.  Schools send report cards home to show us how our child is doing.  If the grades are bad, be a responsible parent and contact the school and teacher and see what needs to be done to improve his grades.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Remember to spread the love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life Is What You Make It! Be Happy

DSC_0293

Equine Activities

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life.  Be happy now.  Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.  Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it is at your work or with your family.  Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” – Earl Nightingale

Henry David Thoreau told us in Walden, “Our life is frittered away by detail.  Simplify, simplify, simplify!  I say let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail.”

Now what an idea.  It seems we want our children to participate in every sport there is.  I think it is kind of sad that these young people do not really get a chance to really enjoy life going on around them.  They don’t have the time to watch a simple sunset or sunrise. Do they ever get the chance to participate in a family meal?

Then there are those who become workaholics and get so wrapped up in their work that they really never learn how fun life can be.  They miss out on so much in their family life and all because “they want their children to have it better than they did.”  Really?  Then start eating together and discussing each other’s day, start taking vacations in the great outdoors.  Hug your children and tell them you love them.  Most importantly teach them to love themselves and have confidence in themselves.

DSC_0300 (2)

Photography

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn

So many people look at happiness is a thing of the future, after Johnny graduates, when I get the time, when I get some bills paid off, etc..  Ok, when you get up in the morning, if happiness doesn’t exist in your life then I want you to look in the mirror and say, ” Today is going to be filled with happiness and the only way that can change is I HAVE to let someone change it.”  There are so many things you can fill your life with to nurture the happiness in your life.  I have posted some of those things under my pics.

528173_10151703870623041_1191926841_n (2)

Kayaking


DSC_0378

Fishing


img_0799-1

Cooking

These are a few examples of what I do.  Believe in yourself and assign yourself a dream. A dream that will fill your heart, soul and spirit with pure joy.  Live for that happiness now and not for 20 years in the future.  You are your own boss and you are in charge of your happiness.  Surround yourself with people who are genuinely happy and will lift you up and not pull you down.  For those of you that suffer from no happiness in your life don’t give up. Find it. Nurture it. Discover the healing power of happiness. 

Thanks for reading my blog.  It means a lot.  To those of you who take the time to make comments, thank you so much for taking the time to do so.  Spread the love!

 

Mother Nature

 

DSC_0021

“Nature will bear the closest inspection.  She invites us to lay our eye level +with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.”  Henry David Thoreau

naturea creative and controlling force in the universe (Merriam-Webster)

Nature can be beautiful and peaceful, then without warning she can create a mile wide path of destruction in a few minutes and take lives along with it.  After the storm clears Mother Nature can leave one speechless with her painting skills by painting a beautiful rainbow in the sky.

She gave the spider the ability to build a web of precision and beauty, then it is used to trap an unsuspecting victim, at which time the spider scampers from its hiding place to kill its prey.  She painted insects colors that would blend in with its surroundings and male birds bright colors while she painted the females colors that would make it hard for enemies to see them.

Mother Nature use to keep things balanced in her world then along came man who thinks he is smarter than her.  He creates pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified seeds and levees along the rivers.  Then there is pollution and littering created by man. Roadsides are rife with litter and I don’t know how many sandbars i clean up along the river.  Man is one of Mother Nature’s biggest enemies.

DSC_0022

“Nature is full of genius, full of the divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand.”  Henry David Thoreau

Every time my eyes feast upon the sight of fall foliage I think how lucky I am to be able to enjoy the works of rt created by Mother Nature.  I often wonder how long before litter dots the area that I am standing in.   We have all ready made a large area of the Gulf of Mexico uninhabitable for sea life.  When will the folks responsible for the litter and pollution start appreciating Mother Nature?  Are we going to ever learn how important she is to our own existence?

img_0809

I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blog.  I ask all of you to slow down and really observe what Mother Nature has given us.   Think before you throw that litter out of the window.  Learn to respect her and appreciate her and help her keep nature balanced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do You Know Your Neighbor?

“I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor.  Do you know your next door neighbor?” – Mother Teresa

I grew up in the 1960s during the  Vietnam War, the British invasion of the Beatles, the assassination of John F Kennedy and when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr made his “I Have A Dream” speech, as well as his assassination.  I also saw man walk on the moon.

It was also the time when young people began to revolt against conservative norms of the time and removed themselves from mainstream liberalism.  A new “counterculture” was born.  The participants in this new movement were known as “hippies”.

“To love our neighbor as ourselves is such a truth for regulating human society, that by that alone one might determine all the cases in social morality.” – John Locke

How many of you remember the “Hippie”?  Rejected established institutions, criticized the values of the middle class,  the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons were a huge “no no”, championed sexual liberation, were often vegetarians, and promoted the use of psychedelic drugs.  Peace, love and drugs.

There was a lot of love to go around in this group.  Often times living in  communes.  ridiculed and despised by most of America.  Peace!  Love!  I think for the most part people were afraid of them because they didn’t understand them.  This is purely my opinion and I have no facts to back it up.  One thing for sure is that today’s society could use some of the love they were trying to spread around.

Love thy neighbor!  How can you love your neighbor if you don’t know them?  Why don’t we know our neighbors?   Are we too busy?  We don’t care?  Trust issues?  I remember when everyone in the neighborhood knew each other and when someone was in need the others were there.  Neighbors cared about each other and were like one big family.  I can’t remember where it all changed.  Maybe it changed so slowly I just missed it but how I wish those days would return.   Neighbors looked out for each other and their property.

I hope one day America can return to those days.  It is still alive and enjoyed by much of rural America.  Hopefully some day it will catch on in urban America and take root in the cities.  Personally I think society could benefit from everyone loving their neighbor like they love themselves.

Thanks for reading.  I hope you enjoyed it and if you did then please hit the like button.  Love thy neighbor, be kind to one another and spread the love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is it that we are afraid of them because we don’t understand them

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, The Memories

DSC_0232

My grandparents home in Lafe, Arkansas

“Take care of all your memories.  For you cannot relive them.” – Bob Dylan

During Memorial Day weekend I headed to Lafe, Arkansas for the yearly family reunion. Driving south on  67 was a real treat.  It has been quite a while since I had made that trip. As I traveled down the highway my memory drifted back to when I was a child and we use to make that trip as a family.  I could hear my sister saying, “mom Wayne touched me” or “mom Wayne is sitting too close to me”.

After some time I came upon a place in the road that really stirred memories inside of me.  My grandpa had got me a pup and helped me get it in the car.  I named the pup Penny. We made it about an hour up the road before Penny began to whine.  It didn’t sit well with my dad, no siree.

My grandparents lived in this house for as long as I can remember.  When I was a yung -un I thought that house was so big.  After I became an adult I realized it wasn’t as big as I thought it was.  One of the things I remember is that when we had family get togethers my grandma would put the desserts on her bed just outside the kitchen door.  We called it the “dessert bed”.  We had a well on the porch that we pulled water up in a well bucket. All the kids got together and drilled them a well in 1970.  They now had running water.  Then in 1973 my uncle and I put an inside bathroom in for them,  That summer my grandma refused to use it because in her words it was too pretty to mess up.  That winter when the temps dropped and the snow flew grandma decided it wasn’t as pretty as she thought because she began using it.

DSC_0226

Grandparents house in Lafe, Arkansas

My grandpa had 3 ponds on the place.  I remember one day while fishing with two of my cousins and my cousin Billy Jean hooked my cousin Clois’s eye lid.  Man my cousin could scream.  My grandma had an old root cellar off the back porch where she kept the food she canned.

DSC_0237

Front door to grandparent’s house

As I stood there looking at the front door my mind was drawn back into time remembering all the warm times we enjoyed in their home.  The front porch used to be screened in and there was a porch swing on each end.  They had a wood stove for heat so we slept in feather beds with so many covers on you, it was almost impossible to turn over.  As I stood there I could smell the coffee and bacon like it was real.  When I was young these smells woke me up and I would run to the wood stove to try and get warm.  Oh the memories.  I could go on for ever.

DSC_0259

Headstone of Great Grandparents

In closing I would like to mention that my ancestors fought on the side of the South.  My great grandfather’s name was Robert E Lee White.  That should suffice as to which side my family supported.  Since the new mayor of St. Louis is removing a confederate statue I will never spend any money in the city.  The mayor can believe that the Civil War was about slavery.  I remind her that over 200,000 African Americans fought on the side of the Confederates.  I would also like to remind her how racist the American flag is to the Native Americans.  It is a symbol of lies, murder and of the people who took their land away from them.

Thanks for reading my blog.  I hope you enjoyed reading it.  Be kind to one another, share the love and don’t squat with your spurs on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 

Safety First

10982847_10153075662823041_1785458203772086872_n

Bourbeuse River near Union, MO

My story starts on Friday, June 2, 2017.  David Tripp, Mark Nelson and myself are planning a week long float on the Big River the last week in June.  This float was a preview of our planned float.

 

528173_10151703870623041_1191926841_n (2)

My Kayak on the Bourbeuse River

I put in on the Bourbeuse around 5 pm on June 2,  planning to have a great weekend. Friday night went pretty well.  I set out 10 limb lines and baited them for catfish.  I set up camp on a gravel bar and then went on up river and tight line fished.  I caught some nice cat and drum that night.   The river was falling and very muddy so I was a little surprised that I caught anything at all.  I did catch 2 channel cat on the limb lines.  I ran the limb lines at 11 pm and 3 am then daybreak.  I heated up some beans and weenies for breakfast  about 4 am Saturday morning.

18922059_10154739306693041_3407218458139954534_n

Heating up beans and weenies on the river bank.

19059277_10154739306638041_7910685003917841538_n

Fish I caught early Saturday morning,

Saturday was like any other day on the river.  I spent it bass fishing and fishing for pan fish.  About dark I began baiting the limb lines that I had out,   When all the lines were baited I headed to my spot that I tight line fished at night.

Dawn came and my fish basket had 6 nice channels in it that I  had caught.  I started working my way back down river, bass fishing as I went.  I managed to get hung up and losing my hook so I tied a new one on.  I had been pulled into the shallow water and instead of paddling back up and securing everything before I started through the swift water i made a bad decision to just go ahead and shoot the shallow fast water.

I had been through this spot 4 times since Friday.  Water was really swift so away I went. Then all of a sudden the yak hits something, comes to a stop then the rushing water hit it in the rear,  forced it side ways and over I went.  I was flung head first into the water then the swift water carried me to the end of the shallow into a deep hole.  The current surrounding the hole began to push me to the bottom.  The water was so muddy I couldn’t see anything.  I don’t know how long I had been in the river but my lungs began to hurt so i knew I had to make a decision so I relaxed and let my life jacket do its job and sure enough it started pulling me to the top so I immediately began helping it.  When I broke the top I was gasping for breath,

I looked around and I saw the yak and it was heading down river pretty fast so I headed for it.  Once I snagged it I had to swim it about 40 yards to the bank.  Now if you have ever lifted a ten foot kayak full of water you realize at this point that Preparation H is really man’s best friend.  I finally got everything rounded up and I just crashed on a gravel bar as what just happened started sinking into my mind.

I want to thank you for reading my blog.  Just a reminder about safety and how important it is.  Please wear your life jacket when you are on the river.  Be kind to one another,   Share the love and don’t squat with your spurs on.  God Bless you one and all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where Are We Headed?

a7 (1)

Balloon Glow at Engler Park in Farmington, MO

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer

The other night while I was responding to a post on the attack in the UK, I used the word “they” and I had some fanatic climb all over me and accuse me of being a bigot.  I asked for an explanation and his response was come on, you were referring to Muslims.  I told him I was referring to ISIS but didn’t name them because no one had taken credit  yet.  He says yeah right, cut the BS and just admit that you were referring to Muslims.  This man did not even know me and was putting words in my mouth.  He had to have issues to be that adamant that I meant Muslims when I told him I didn’t.  It shall remain a mystery to me.

A friend and I had been talking about the shortage of compassion in our world today.   We had a discussion about how did we get here and where are we headed.  After the conversation with the rude gentleman, I got to thinking about the conversation between my friend and I and it occurred to me that people like this are helping make compassion a thing of the past.  This man was so rude, a person would find it very hard to show him any compassion.

In 2013 there were 664,435 legal induced abortions in the US.  We are talking human lives.  That is over 1800 fetuses ripped daily from the wombs of their mothers.  I am in no way judging the people having the abortion because I feel it is their right, however 1800 a day?  Where is the compassion?  People in this country get more fired up over horse slaughter than they do abortions.  Our society has more compassion for animal lives than human.  How has this happened?

Compassion – sympathetic consciousness  of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. –  Merriam Webster

Our own congress has no compassion for our war veterans.  They gut their benefits then give money to refugees entering this country who have it better than our own veterans. That is just wrong on so many levels.  Even John McCain, former POW, doesn’t seem to have any compassion for our veterans.  Ten years ago Americans were very compassionate about our flag and our National Anthem.  I went to a rodeo tonight and I was saddened by the number of people who didn’t remove their hats and those that didn’t stand when a rider brought “Old Glory” into the arena.  I know they have that right but ten years ago it would have been 100% participation.  Why so much change all of a sudden?  Where are we headed?

a5 (1)

Balloon glow at Engler Park in Farmington, MO

Is the US destined to become a passionless country?  Our government wants to bring refugees into the country as our homeless veterans live in the streets along with other homeless people.  We have citizens at this moment that are so passionate about who they thought should be president that it is coming between friends and family.  Sad thing is that neither side has enough compassion to initiate a bill forcing them to put money back in social security that they stole and keep the government from using it for anything else. Murder statistics show us that every year our citizenry loses a little more compassion for human life every year.  When it comes to our elderly it seems compassion has left the building.  Financial crimes against the elderly seems to escalate every year.

I could go on but I think you know what I am saying.  Every year compassion becomes more and more an emotion of the past.  A relic.  Lost and forgotten.  I don’t know what your thoughts are I am afraid of what lies ahead for this great nation.  It seems that we have all kinds of compassion for the people of other countries but none for the people of the United States like the veterans and elderly.  Things have to change in this country and soon but it is going to take ‘us the people” to do it.

Thank you for reading.  Remember, don’t squat with your spurs on, share the love and be kind to one another,  God Bless you one and all.