tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30247506210501393522024-03-14T02:08:37.777-04:00My Secret Cabin In The Woods Of West VirginiaFrustrated by life in the "Civilized World",a former ranter moves to the woods of West Virginia to find a life of peace and simplicity with his trusty dog Dooley.Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-35700140446394964002015-03-10T23:54:00.000-04:002015-03-12T21:31:37.815-04:00Uggle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hell of a nasty
winter up here in the woods this year. Dooley the dog, who is growing older,
has gravitated from sleeping in the corner of the cabin on his Indian blanket
to sleeping with me in the bed. He has become quite the snuggler. It has not
gone unappreciated even though he has been only one small dog on many three dog
nights.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">I am getting
older, too. Aside from the creaking and grunting, I just don’t have the mental
acuity I used to have. Over breakfast this morning I said the word “snuggle” out
loud and laughed. It was the “uggle” that struck me funny. I wondered what an “uggle”
might be. Was it Latin or Greek, some middle English derivative of an act of
uggling? There was, after all, juggle, smuggle, muggle and struggle…it must
mean something, right? I am embarrassed to admit that I actually researched the
etymology of “uggle”. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> My google search returned UGG Boots and Ugglebarnby, a
Parish in North Yorkshire England. Ugglebarnby or Uglubarthr’s Bi, as it was
originally known, has a meaning that is, if anything, more enticing than the
music of the word. The ‘bi’ was simply a Viking word for a farm
and Uglubarthr was the Viking owner of this farm.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Looking deeper, Uglubarthr
means literally ‘Owl Beard’ giving us Owl Beard’s Farm. This led to the Eagle Owl, well-known in Scandinavia, which sometimes has a discoloration
of tufted feathers at the chin looking like a beard. Fascinating, I thought, but
I still had no idea how the “Sn” of snuggle was enhanced by the “uggle”. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">“Did you google that?” Dooley asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">“Yes”, I replied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">“Are you also going to look up “oogle” from google?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">After a long thoughtful pause, I answered with a simple, “Oh.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"> So, Dooley taught me a “gle” simply transformed a noun into a verb in some cases and there was no meaning to the "uggle" I had pointlessly extracted. Sigh.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;">
Not a wasted morning, though. I learned that sometimes a journey begun with a false step can still
lead to enlightenment. Long live the Eagle Owl.</span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-43115167476765612472013-11-01T22:24:00.003-04:002013-11-01T22:24:25.816-04:00Halloween in the Woods?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course we
celebrate Halloween here in the woods. For me it is a chance to rekindle those
first spooky nights I spent living alone in my humble cabin so many years ago.
Just stepping out the cabin door after dark was a challenge. I alerted to every
tree crackle, splash in the creek and nocturnal bird wail. When there is a
tingle of fear in your heart the mind will oblige by creating beasts out of
simple shadows and voices out of the combined frequencies of running water,
wind and rustling leaves. Once I even convinced myself I heard Latin music
coming from across the valley. In the light of the next morning I realized it
was a combination of the thump of a pumping oil well and a squeaky cam bearing.
(I hope I haven’t offended any Latin music lovers). As I grew more familiar
with the sounds of the night the beasts, voices and tingles went away. I miss
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear may be the oldest and strongest emotion
of mankind. I think a little scare now and again can be a wonderful tonic for
the soul, even the playful scares of Halloween. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Traditionally there
is a contest among Dooley, the chickens and the goats to create appropriate
Halloween decorations for the cabin, coop and pens. The chickens won for the third
straight year with a figure depicting West Virginia’s famous Mothman creature.
It stood five feet high, was covered in feathers and flapped its wings (there
were two chickens hidden inside that animated the wings). Second place went to Dooley.
He crafted a ghoulish “dog devil from hell” (his own words) out of the
carcasses of a number of dead animals he had collected from the woods. If he had
figured out some way to cover the stench, he may have taken first place. The
goats took third by spelling out “Happy Halloween” with leaves stuffed in the
squares of their pen fence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the goat’s
annual protest that the contest isn’t fair because the chickens have more materials
to work with, the trick or treating commenced. I wait inside the cabin until I
hear a peck, scratch or head butt at the door. I open the door and hand out
species appropriate treats. The costumes were very creative this year. Dooley
showed up at the door twice, once with a moustache and sombrero and then again
with a squirrel on his back astride a small <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cloth
saddle. I pretended not to notice it was Dooley and gave him a second treat
because…well, because it was Dooley. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-52728459057452972612013-04-04T13:48:00.001-04:002013-04-12T13:43:09.571-04:00Spamageddon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the summer of 1949 in New York City. I was standing
just off stage in the Winter Garden Theater waiting for my tap dance number
with the great Gene Kelly. I was regretting that I had missed every rehearsal. The
music started, the curtain went up and the dancing began. Clickety, Clickety,
Clack, Clack, Clack, Clickety……..Clickety, Clack, Click. Oh, Lord, I thought,
the critics were surely going to describe me as having the most arrhythmic feet
in the history of musical theater. In disgust, Gene walked off in the middle of
the number. I was doomed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a sudden jerk of my legs, I woke up. It was just a dream.
I was safe in my little cabin deep in the woods of West Virginia …but the
clickety-clacking continued. I rolled over and saw Dooley the Dog furiously
typing on my laptop. (Since my break-up with Anita the Dog Groomer last summer and
our weather induced inactivity this winter his toenails had grown to the point
he could no longer type with the pads of his feet. It was just toenails to plastic
keys, a very annoying sound.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Dooley, its 4am!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The time of day doesn’t matter, we need a plan and we need
it now,” he barked.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“A plan for what?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The invasion”, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An hour later I finally had the whole story. Dooley was
convinced we were about to be invaded by North Korea. Beside the accounts on
the news, he was basing his fear on a recent quadrupling of viewership on our
blog. For the past few days we have been getting an incredible number of hits
on the post “Dooley and I Discuss a Squirrel”. Along with the hits we have been
getting an equal number of spam comments encouraging us to visit certain Asian websites.
Dooley surmised from this surge of spam that the North Koreans were going to launch
a massive cyber-attack using viruses inserted in blogs like ours and then
launch their missiles amidst all the confusion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Frankly, I still avoid world news and don’t know exactly
what he means when he says N. Korea is capable of launching missiles towards
the United States. Seems a bit bold for such a tiny country, doesn’t it? I told
Dooley even if they have a few missiles I doubt they are much better than those
inaccurate Iraqi Scuds from Desert Storm. If they were to launch toward the
west coast of the U.S. the chances are they would land in Mexico or Canada
anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Oh, no”, Dooley said, “The threat is real!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Dooley, even if they launch missiles, I’m sure our military
could shoot them down.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“When was the last time you heard of our military successfully
shooting down a nuclear missile headed for the United States?”, he countered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“…well, never I suppose.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I humored him, “Good point, Dooley, I guess we should have a
plan. What do you suggest?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He showed his outline on the laptop:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Buy year’s supply of bacon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. Learn the following phrases in Korean.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a. We have no
bacon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b. Take the goats
and chickens, please.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>c. We are Canadian.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Pair up goats and chickens. Arm them with 8oz. marine air
horns and place them on high ground around the property to watch for missiles
or amphibious assault vehicles on the river.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. Negotiate with raccoons for night time reconnaissance and
possible guerilla style raids on enemy camps.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Since we don’t have time to build a proper bunker,
shutter windows on cabin and put sign on door that says: “No User Serviceable
Parts Inside”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. (He didn’t have a 6 yet.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know about you, but I will sleep better tonight
knowing Dooley is looking out for America. (I will also sleep better because I plan
to hide the laptop before going to bed.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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</div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-70759683889042674282013-03-26T00:03:00.001-04:002013-03-26T09:52:44.434-04:00The Big Green Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of my goals when I decided to move to the woods was to
find out as much as I could about the history of the property I live on. There
was an old mill site, many cabin sites, a small river said to be used by early
trappers, stories of a sugar cane patch, an old schoolhouse foundation and a
name I found for the community that used to be here; Owl Rock. One of my earliest
posts was about a visit to a small library in a nearby town looking for
information. During that visit I bought a large green book published in 1927 about
the history of the County for $65.00 from a delightful librarian named Irene. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SBJlWAfMUA/UVGkicGSmGI/AAAAAAAAAe8/uSZZbN2rzGs/s1600/greenbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SBJlWAfMUA/UVGkicGSmGI/AAAAAAAAAe8/uSZZbN2rzGs/s320/greenbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After my first read of the book I was very disappointed to
find nothing I could relate directly to my property. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">About a year later, I read it again. I began to recognize familiar
surnames of people I had met and so I would ask if they were related to
founding families I had read about in the book. Not surprisingly, in this
lightly populated County, I found several that were direct descendants. I even
found some of my own relatives. Still, no one seemed to know anything about Owl
Rock, the mill or the schoolhouse. Most people said if I’d come asking 10 years
earlier, some of the ole timers would surely have known something about the
place…but the ole timers were gone now: Another round of disappointment from
the big green book. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 18 months ago, while looking for something to read I
opened the big green book again. This time, instead of looking for something
that might relate to Owl Rock, I just tried to enjoy it for the history it
provided about the district I was in. Very early in the book was a story about something
called “Track Rock” that had first been reported in the late 1800’s. It was
described as “a great sandstone”, in which were a number of impressions of
cloven hoofs in a variety of sizes from seven inches down to two inches. The
larger looked to have been made by a giant ox or buffalo. There were also three
impressions that appeared to have been made by the moccasined foot of a human
giant. The human prints were five inches across and fourteen inches long. Beside
the human prints were what appeared to be dog tracks. The theory was, all of
the impressions had been made when the material on the surface of the rock had
been in a plastic state and somehow preserved for, perhaps, centuries. The
location of this “great sandstone” was described in great detail and it was not
too far from the little town nearby. Dooley and
I decided that this might make for a good adventure so one Sunday morning we
set out to find it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t long before we found ourselves deep on private
property, and after a brief discussion decided it might be best if we did a
little more research and tried to locate the property owners. While walking
back down along a creek next to a dirt road, the property owners found us. They
were returning from church and slowed their car when they saw us down by the
creek. I learned a long time ago the quickest way to defuse a potentially embarrassing
trespass situation was to put a smile on your face and walk towards the
trespassee. Dooley took my lead and smiled as best he could. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I explained our quest and, thankfully, they turned out to be
really nice and very understanding folks. They also knew all about “Track Rock”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They said it used to be on their property but in the early
1980’s the State decided to dam up one of their creeks and create a reservoir to
help control flooding. They were force to sell the property by the imminent
domain law. Sadly, during the construction of the reservoir, “Track Rock” had
been destroyed. Oh shucks, I thought, another big green book let down. Then a
wonderful thing happened. The nice folks said if we would hop in the back of
their truck they had something we might be interested in. So, we did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a short drive we came to a delightful little farm
house and were invited in. In a little room just off the back porch was a museum-like display
of information about “Track Rock". Since it had been on their family property
for about 150 years they had lots of pictures, reports written by anthropologists
and naturalists who had visited over the years, newspaper articles and even
plaster casts of many of the tracks. They told us, since erosion had erased many
of the impressions over the years, people quit coming to look at the rock in
the early 1960’s. They were curious how we came to hear about it. I laughed as
I explained we had read about it in a history book that was originally
published in 1927.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since that wonderful little adventure 18 months ago I have a
new-found appreciation for the big green book. Whenever Dooley and I feel
adventurous we just look in the index for something intriguing, read about it
and go looking. We explored an old grist mill site, a field where county fairs
used to be held, and a hillside where a town once stood during the booming
wildcat oils days. Sometimes we have pictures from the book to help us
visualize and sometimes we just use our imaginations as we explore. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly love to imagine the people who might
have walked, worked and played in these long gone places just as I often do for
my own long gone Owl Rock.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…And what if I had not wandered into that little library in
search of a history book. I might never have met Irene who helped me publish
this blog, and I most certainly never would have met Dooley the dog who I bought from
Irene a few days later. I owe a lot to my big green book. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-62016720410816827462013-03-22T03:50:00.002-04:002013-03-24T19:12:03.678-04:00Point of View<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The winter has been long, cold and wet. My garden planning
is done, Dooley the dog is tired of beating me at checkers and I can’t go for a
walk because my boots are wet and drying by the fire. To add to my cabin fever
misery my dad just sent me an email telling me he saw a TV show about a virus
that is killing a lot of bats, specifically the Small Brown Bat. On summer
nights Dooley and I ritualistically celebrate dusk and the nightly appearance
of our very own Small Brown Bats that feed above the river. I cannot imagine an
evening without the bats. Anyway…<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was going to write a very dry post about why I am using
glass blocks to divide the different pH zones in my garden. But, because I am
feeling blue today and I don't really want to write, I thought I would just post something I wrote last week in
response to a letter from my Nephew Ira. It’s a little off track from what a
blog about living alone in a cabin with a clever dog, cantankerous goats and
excitable chickens should be. It’s mostly about science. Not the
science that tells me a single stalk of corn is going to use 50 gallons of
water in its life cycle or why the smoke goes so conveniently up my chimney,
but the largely theoretical science of cosmology; the study of the origins of
the universe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (If you thought to yourself, “uh oh” or the words “science” and “origins”
makes you queasy, you may want to skip this one)</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Uncle Roger,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello Roger and Dooley….…..I have been watching two shows on
the Science Channel. One is a series called Stephen Hawking’s Universe and the
other is Through the Wormhole. Both are about how theoretical physicists think
our universe works. Both shows present a picture of the origin of the universe
in which a God would not be necessary for creation. I also read your post
"Looking Up on a Clear Night" where you hint at many of the things the shows have
been talking about but at the end you "Thank God" for the stars. How have <u>you </u>reconciled
the conflict between a belief in modern cosmology and a belief in God, or have you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Curiously, Ira</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear Ira,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow. I am honored that you felt me worthy of such a weighty
question. I want you to understand that any conclusions I may draw in this letter are not absolutes, they are simply choices. I encourage you to continue asking questions and seek other points of view throughout your lifetime so the choices you make for what you believe will become a source of comfort rather than conflict. Now, let me give this a try.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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Although I don’t have the math skills to understand all the
implications of Einstein’s general or special theories of relativity I can
appreciate the beauty and the elegance of the ideas they describe, just as I
can for Newton’s laws before Einstein and the marvels of quantum theory being
worked out by today’s theoretical physicists. At the same time I consider
myself a modestly spiritual person and I suppose a purely scientific approach to
understanding the origins of, well, of everything could be construed as a conflict with the idea of a Divine Creator. I don't see it that way. I cannot answer your question, Ira, by pitting Science and Religion against one another in terms of a "conflict" because they are so fundamentally different. I hope that does not dissappoint. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><strong>Definitions</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The argument for a Divine Creator is well known. In essence,
it relies on faith, the remarkable and seemingly perfect order and complexity
of life and nature, and the authority of divinely revealed religious texts like
the Bible, Torah and Koran. As such, it provides no empirical foundation to
argue for or against its validity. It stands on its own and is not subject to
testing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For believers, that is its
strength, and for non-believers, its weakness. For some, believing in a Divine Creator is a choice, for others it is the only choice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Science, on the other hand, is not a dogma or ideology like
religion. It is a process of observing and describing how things appear to work
using the time tested tools of hypothesis, theory, experimentation, observation
and, especially with the cosmos, mathematical “proof”. The scientific method is
not just a single recipe. It requires intelligence, imagination, and
creativity. In this sense, it is not a mindless set of standards and procedures
to follow, but is rather an ongoing cycle, constantly developing more useful,
accurate and comprehensive models and methods. Ultimately science is the
interpretation what we observe. Even today our quest for understanding our
origins through science must be taken as a work in progress. Although the goal
of science might be truth, its history tells us that we are far from completing
the journey. So let me address your question, not as an argument for or against God, but as a
cautionary lesson in science.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Point of View<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As late as 1915, science believed the universe to be a
static and eternal thing. It was an idea consistent with what we knew and
embraced as immutable laws of nature. With the advent of new technologies like
orbiting telescopes and highly sensitive instrumentation that reach far beyond
the limitations of our human senses, and with mathematical models created by
the likes of Einstein, cosmologists now believe that the cosmos is wildly
dynamic and quite possibly finite. These new ideas are also consistent with
what we know and embrace as immutable laws of nature. We didn’t change what we
believed; technology allowed us to change our point of view and thus created a
new understanding of how these natural laws formed the universe. Our ability to
see deeper into space and farther back into time gave us a startlingly
different perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the sake of brevity, I will assume you easily accept
that the earth revolves on its axis and orbits the sun because we see it and
feel it with the rising sun and changing seasons. We accept the idea of gravity
and its relationship to the proximity of large bodies of mass because, again,
we can feel it and observe it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
physics of how suns ignite, consume their hydrogen fuel and die or the forces
that allow new suns and planets to form from the elements created in the death
of a star are also reasonably easy to accept because in appearance they are
similar to processes we might see in a foundry or behavior of a liquid floating
in the absence of gravity in a space shuttle video. It becomes more difficult,
however, when we cannot rely on simple observation and science tells us
that time moves slower for a person standing next to a boulder than for a
person standing in a field or that the color of car coming towards us at a
high rate of speed is slightly bluer and then becomes redder when it going away
from us. This relativity of energy, time, space and mass and the effect it has
on light, subatomic particles and gravity is usually the jumping off point for
simply accepting the theoretical physicist’s description of the universe and
yet these ideas are fundamental in fully understanding a scientific
description of the birth of our universe. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even if most of us accept most of what science believes and
we try to imagine a universe formed from a “big bang”, in most vigorous
discussions of Divine Creation vs. a purely scientific model of our
beginnings,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the conversation usually
comes down to the one question we can all put our arms around: If science is
correct and our universe was formed from a “big bang” and all matter came from
a sudden and explosive single point, how did
that single point come into being? It must have been created.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Something can not come from nothing, right? </span>“Not necessarily”, says science.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nothing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently, as I’m sure they must have discussed in the shows
you have been watching, science has demonstrated that on a subatomic level,
particles do not always conform to the same laws as their larger and more
stable atomic cousins that we all learned about in high school chemistry class.
The study of these quirky particles is called quantum physics. In quantum
physics the notion of “nothing” has changed. In fact, the evidence suggests
that “nothing” (the absence of everything) is impossible. The math supports
this claim and the study of particles in supercolliders provides empirical and
observational proof for people like me who can’t do the math. A Nobel Prize was
even awarded for this mathematically complex idea. The theory roughly states
that virtual mass (mass, of course, is a quantity of matter) pops in and out of
existence in what we once believed was empty space. In other words, according
to particle physics, a true state of nothing does not and cannot and never will
exist. This, of course, could explain “something out of nothing” and allow for a
model of a purposeless universe born from a Big Bang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could also suggest that life itself may
ultimately be a consequence of circumstance, nothing more, and nothing less. A
very humbling thought. Just as it is difficult to disprove a God, it is equally
difficult to disprove this current notion of “nothing”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wild stuff. Some theologists have
claimed that since science could not explain the “something out of nothing”
problem, they just changed the definition of nothing. I love a good conspiracy
theory.</span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(It just occurred to me that this “matter popping in and out
of existence” theory could also explain why we have never been able to capture
Big Foot..hmmm?)</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another Point of View<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, now, let’s use all of this complex science and instead
of looking back to our beginnings, let’s look far into the future. Cosmologists
describe our universe as expanding as a direct result of the force of the big
bang and base it on a red shift in the frequency of light in observable
heavenly bodies (remember the speeding car?). This means that galaxies, like
our own Milky Way, are moving farther and farther away from each other with
increasing speed. (I always imagine it as firing a shotgun and sending out an
expanding spray of buckshot). It is believed that in a hundred billion years or
so, barring some unexpected cataclysmic event, the speed of the expansion will
exceed the speed of light (which is allowed for in Einstein’s General Relativity
theory) and from the point of view from any individual galaxy the rest of what
we now call the observable universe will “wink out”. From an observational
stand point, it will no longer exist. There will be no remaining evidence of a
“big bang”,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an expanding universe, or
dark matter which are all essential to much of what science believes it
understands about the mechanics of the origins of the cosmos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadly, in one hundred billion years, our solar system will
be long gone (enjoy the sunshine while you can), lost in the violent death of
our sun, but since the universe obviously allows for life, let’s suppose
another newer planet in one of those lonely galaxies develops a civilization
that is able to contemplate their origins. Even if they develop the best
telescopes they can, and evolve their own theories of relativity, gravity and
quantum physics, their conclusions, based on what they have left to observe,
will be that that their universe is static and eternal. Despite their best
intentions and technology their science will ultimately conflict with ours.
Ironic, huh? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>What I Believe<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Therefore, understanding our universe seems to depend
heavily on point of view and “truth” in cosmology becomes conditional at
best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The very same science that thinks it can suggest a Godless universe also suggests a universe that may defy complete understanding. </span>So, how utterly silly is it (in my opinion) to
presume that the tiny window of time and space scientists have been or will
ever be able to observe, can ever present irrefutable evidence or describe an
argument that can totally exclude, in any form, a Divine Creator. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1985 Pope John Paul II gave an address to participants of
a Vatican Conference on Cosmology (of which your Stephan Hawking was a
participant) and said: </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Our view of ourselves, of God and of the universe is radically
different from that of people in the Middle Ages. We see ourselves situated in
a much larger context - in a much vaster and much more intricately, even
delicately, complex world and universe.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We can reach out and
grasp its inner workings and designs, plumbing its depths with questioning
reverence and with awestruck imagination. Of course, that picture must always
remain tantalizingly incomplete.” </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love that last line. It says it all. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><strong>Caution</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Science can be a wonderful thing, Ira, but remember, it has it's limitations. In 1539 Martin Luther is said to have remarked about new ideas in science, "<em>So it goes now. Whoever wants to be clever must agree with nothing others esteem. He must do something of his own"</em>. I fear this may be the for be the case for a number of the theoretical physicists today who are competing for grants and peer recognition and for that reason I do not currently include many of the new theorys you may have seen discussed on your TV shows in my view of cosmology. My experieince is; a new idea is not necessarily a better idea. Still, I am open to possibilities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">In choosing what to believe in science I suggest you begin with what you understand, then learn all you can about what you don't from as many sources as you can. As your knowledge grows your beliefs will evolve and offer you new choices. Belief without understanding is pointless.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On our recent drive back from Florida, Dooley confided that
he had spoken recently to God (“Dooley the Dog Talks to God”). He cryptically
told me that things might be changing soon and I should keep a clean pair of
underwear handy. At the time I attributed his confession to a possible overdose
of Dramamine, however,……. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">……as I sit in my little cabin on this cold, wet, winter
afternoon, smoking a Swisher Sweet Outlaw Double Barrel Rum Cigar, I confess
that I choose to believe in the science of a 13.7 billion year old expanding
universe born from a big bang, and a planet full of life created from the
elements wrought from furnaces of exploding stars because the science that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>support these ideas all conform with the
simple principles of physics, chemistry, biology, and geology that I can and
have observed in my short time on this Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cheerfully accept the profound cosmic humility that this
suggests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…I also confidently choose to believe in the possibility
that Dooley may have spoken to a God capable of creating such a beautiful,
complex and tantalizingly<em> </em>mysterious universe and I am very comfortable with that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Uncle Roger<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(Dooley says "Hi")</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-42774762823170829152013-03-12T21:58:00.000-04:002013-03-12T21:58:13.959-04:00Thanks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Let us be
grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make
our souls blossom."<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Marcel Proust<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I never learned to thank people properly. I don’t know why.
It’s a form of social awkwardness, I think, left over from my youth. I have
never written a simple thank you note, ever. I don’t go out of my way to visit people I
need to thank, or share how thankful I am to others. I often say the words but,
for me, I think they often come out more as conversational convention than
sincere gratitude. Along with this ineptitude comes a lot of regret. There are
so many people, now gone, I wish I could have taken a little more time to
express how deeply appreciative I was for their contributions, both large and
small, to my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only hope that perhaps
along the way they could see a twinkle of gratitude in my squinting eyes or one
of my unconscious smiles. Profound gratitude dwells inside me on a daily basis;
it just doesn’t come out easily. Forgive me this flaw.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In an effort to be better:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you to everyone
who has taken the time to read my scattered thoughts on this blog. I want to
especially thank Langela, Angela, Samantha and Granny Sue who take the extra
time to leave cheerful and insightful comments. Without them this blog would
have no value at all. The all have brilliant blogs of their own that everyone
should check out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://westvirginiatreasures.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://westvirginiatreasures.blogspot.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://iowafarmerzwife.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://iowafarmerzwife.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://chaos-dogs.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://chaos-dogs.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="http://grannysu.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://grannysu.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tomorrow I am going to put on my boots and personally thank
everyone who helped tend my flock and my cabin while I was off playing tourist
in Florida. This includes Firewood Kenny for checking on the cabin, Edgar’s son for
helping me move the animals, Harry for having fresh Slim Jims and Honey Buns in
stock and especially the Cattle Baron’s flannel shirt wearing daughter for
suggesting the FFA to board my beasts and fowl. I may even write thank you
notes, my first, to the Future Farmers of America for the work they do and to
Richard and Sue who did so much for Dooley and me in Orlando. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, of course, there’s Irene for helping me start and
maintain the blog, and Fiddlin’ Clyde Harper for all the history and backwoods
wisdom he taught me and Mrs. Skeen for the potato soup last year, the women who
can my vegetables for me each fall and Bette the mail carrier and….oh, lord… I
have quite the backlog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks everyone! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-62745966406616051732013-03-11T22:45:00.001-04:002013-03-11T22:45:59.206-04:00Looking Up on a Clear Night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"></span></o:p> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is nothing like the clear, dry air of a moonless
winter night for viewing the stars. Here in the woods we are blessed with a
darkness not found near cities, towns or neighborhoods that allows the sky to
fill with thousands of points of light. It never ceases to amaze. It is even
more amazing that the light I see began it journey millions and sometime
billions of years ago. It is a snapshot of a far distant past. Many of the
stars I see tonight no longer exist and many new ones which I will never see have
been created. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is this dynamic of
the birth and death of stars that permits me to contemplate the death and birth
of stars and to marvel at the beauty of their canopy, for every atom in
everything I know, including the hand I use to write these words, came from the
violent death of a star. The sun that will greet me in the morning formed from
the gases of a dying star. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
remarkable planet we ride through space was born from the elements created in
the furnace of a collapsing star and spun into a planet by the unseen forces of
gravity. The components of life, itself, may have been hurled here on pieces of
planets from long dead civilizations lost in the violent death of the star that
once provided a nurturing heat, light and energy to spark their creation. I owe
much, as do we all, to the little points of light shining down on this clear
and moonless winter night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank God for stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-77707225652575960242013-03-11T00:26:00.001-04:002013-03-11T00:26:24.458-04:00Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is Sunday, 8pm. The chickens are back in their coop, the
goats back in their pen and Dooley and I are back in the woods of West
Virginia. I am sitting in my favorite chair smoking a Swisher Sweet Outlaw
Double Barrel Rum cigar by a beautiful fire. What a wonderful feeling it is,
like slipping on an old pair of comfortable shoes. I asked Dooley if after seeing so many new things he would
rather live in the “other world” we had just returned from. His answer was a
quote from Henry David Thoreau:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be
crowded on a velvet cushion.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s my dog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-58457626198083144292013-03-05T21:42:00.000-05:002015-03-11T14:23:00.880-04:00Dooley the Tourist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Early Saturday morning, Dooley and I went to Disney and
signed into Fort Wilderness campground. We scored a camping cabin which is
really just a trailer made to look like a cabin. The main thing is; it was “dog
friendly”. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0xCoMGJVV8/UTanl5eD8qI/AAAAAAAAAdk/eYUiiE43-Jk/s1600/cabin+fort+wilderness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0xCoMGJVV8/UTanl5eD8qI/AAAAAAAAAdk/eYUiiE43-Jk/s320/cabin+fort+wilderness.jpg" height="144" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christine (not her real name), my friend from Tampa, came over and
joined us about 10 am. It was pretty cold, but the sun was out so we made some
sandwiches, rented a float boat and cruised Bay Lake and the Seven Seas lagoon.
From the lakes Dooley could see Space Mountain, the steam train, the big ferry
boats, the monorails, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Cinderella Castle. It
was his first boat ride and once he got his “sea legs” he was thrilled with the
lake adventure. Later that afternoon Christine and I took off on our own to the
Magic Kingdom. I especially wanted to see the “new” Fantasyland since that is
where my Disney career began in 1975 at Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the Animal Kingdom opened I remember
being very critical about the overall design, guest flow issues and using ride
systems purchased from outside companies. Unlike the early days under Walt, the
company had gotten into the habit of hiring engineers and designers for a
project and then letting them go when the project was completed. Consequently, the
lessons learned from the old parks weren’t passed on from project to project. I
must say, however, the new Fantasyland is impressive. There is one element of
my old sub ride (waterfall) that they were able to incorporate into the
landscape and that made me very happy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We rode a few rides and headed back to Fort Wilderness for
dinner on the grill. Dooley and Christine shared a Delmonico steak and I had
two of my favorite seafood treats…..salmon and sea scallops. I really miss
eating fresh seafood. I grilled the salmon but sautéed the scallops on the
stove in the cabin. Years ago I had a Disney chef tell me the secret to perfect
scallops. First, they must be fresh and have never been frozen. When they are
frozen, the cells of the scallops expand and break the cell walls releasing
moisture into the scallop. When cooked, the inside of the scallop actually
steams and that reduces the flavor. The second trick is to cook no more than
two at a time in the same pan to insure even cooking. I can make tartar sauce
from scratch but I didn’t have the ingredients handy so, when I bought the fish,
I picked up some “Naturally Fresh” sauce from the store. That is my favorite
store bought brand. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Uxhrni0DaY/UTaoWrbrwqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/lOvFJhVExe4/s1600/tartar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Uxhrni0DaY/UTaoWrbrwqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/lOvFJhVExe4/s1600/tartar.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After dinner we all sat outside beside a fire and Christine
and I caught up on the last ten years. Christine is now teaching in the public
school system on the east coast of Florida. She still sings from time to time
in small venues. Her cousin was a famous female country singing star and she
does a tribute show. (It is my policy not to reveal too much personal info
about people I write about, but her cousin’s initials are P.C.). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also sings with a local big band. Her most
recent gig was at the annual Kumquat Festival in Dade City Fl. in January. Her
mother, who is 83, still lives in Tampa and Christine would love to find work
closer to her mom’s home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After dinner we all drove over to the Contemporary Hotel and
we smuggled Dooley up a back staircase to the roof to watch the fireworks at
the Magic Kingdom. Then we went to the other side of the roof and watched the
fireworks at Epcot and the Disney Studios. I stayed with Dooley and Christine
went inside to look at what used to be The Top of the World Restaurant and is
now the California Grill. This, of course, is where she performed years ago and
where we re-united. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZbR_IpuPvUM/UTapWFrkS-I/AAAAAAAAAd4/Td5sKzV-J7s/s1600/hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZbR_IpuPvUM/UTapWFrkS-I/AAAAAAAAAd4/Td5sKzV-J7s/s1600/hotel.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Sunday the highlight was going to the world famous
Gatorland.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LzvCoS5jALY/UTapfi6u9MI/AAAAAAAAAeA/eYmfvJonjbE/s1600/gatorland+entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LzvCoS5jALY/UTapfi6u9MI/AAAAAAAAAeA/eYmfvJonjbE/s1600/gatorland+entrance.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Dooley had heard me talk about alligators but, naturally, had never
seen one. I had done film shoots there before and I called one of my contacts.
He was able to take us around behind the park and give Dooley a private showing
of Brutus, a twelve foot monster of a gator.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v7O7uB1xP8I/UTapu4aPpKI/AAAAAAAAAeI/YrJ9PYk2aKw/s1600/large+gator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v7O7uB1xP8I/UTapu4aPpKI/AAAAAAAAAeI/YrJ9PYk2aKw/s320/large+gator.jpg" height="152" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Dooley reverted to his dog roots
and barked his head off at the beast. After watching Brutus eat two whole
chickens Dooley went “speechless”. They also brought out a large yellow boa
constrictor that Christine got to “wear”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christine had a two hour drive back home so she left around
3pm with a promise she will visit us this summer in West Virginia.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weather finally warmed up and the sky is clear today so
we went to the beach. My favorite beach is down by Ponce Inlet, just south of
Daytona. We ate breakfast very early at the Sun Glow Fishing Pier. They have a fish and
eggs breakfast that I love. Dooley was allowed on the pier but we had to eat
outside of the restaurant. After breakfast Dooley hid in the back of the truck
and we drove down to the beach. I had intended to drive all the way to Ponce
Inlet on the beach but they had blocked off cars from driving that far. There was a sign
that said the rest of the beach was a turtle hatching preserve. So we drove
back and took the “hard road” to the Inlet. I was shocked to see how much
development there had been in my old stomping grounds. The beach patrols don’t come down this far and there are no life
guards so I let Dooley illegally run free. I told him if he got caught I would
disavow any knowledge of our partnership. He played like a child on the edge of
the surf. I waded along close behind. The water was super cold. After Dooley
had run, splashed and sniffed his way to near exhaustion, we drove over to the
old Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and watched the half day fishing charters come in. In the old days
you could hang out there and fill a cooler with surplus fish. Now, anything the
charters have left over is sold directly to fish markets. Darn commercialism. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are spending one more night with Richard and Sue
and will probably head back to West Virginia tomorrow. I plan to make a stop in Charleston South
Carolina on the way back to look at the civil war submarine “Hunley”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t know about the Hunley it is a
great story to google.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If anything interesting happens, we’ll let you know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, if you wonder if Dooley made it into the Magic Kingdom…..officially,
no. I can report, however, between the hours of 12:30am and 2am on Monday
morning we were not in our cabin and coincidentally there were reports from Disney
3</span><sup><span style="font-size: medium;">rd</span></sup><span style="font-size: large;"> shift employees of what appeared to be a man in jeans and a black
sweat shirt chasing a small dog or short legged coyote around Tom Sawyer’s
Island. Imagine that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-69966999285873477022013-03-01T21:43:00.001-05:002013-03-01T21:43:20.783-05:00Too Cold<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was cold and windy today so we put off going to the beach.
The word got out that Dooley was in town so we drove around Orlando visiting those
who requested an audience of his Majesty. They could care less about me. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here
is Saboo the cat attempting to hypnotize Dooley.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ZWHHUumh4/UTFm3oHPPmI/AAAAAAAAAdU/hN7K3b9Pmh8/s1600/dooley+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ZWHHUumh4/UTFm3oHPPmI/AAAAAAAAAdU/hN7K3b9Pmh8/s320/dooley+cat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-10276709535025948162013-02-28T15:07:00.002-05:002013-02-28T15:08:13.420-05:00Mission Accomplished<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday and part to of today was spent moving my things
out of the old storage unit (the purpose of this trip). I owe a lot of thanks
to my friends Richard, Sue and their two grown sons Allen and Richard Jr. for
their time, muscle and help with the move. We moved some of it to a new storage
unit, some I am donating to Goodwill and a few of my favorite pieces are going
to live with Richard and Sue. I put Richard and Sue’s name on my new storage
unit contract so they can manage my stuff and move it if it becomes necessary
again. If Dooley pushes me off a cliff, it all goes to my sister. Here are a
couple of things now living with my friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This medical cabinet belonged originally to a doctor who
lived in Charleston W.Va. During the early part of WWI German spies broke into
the building where he had his office and set fire to the place. If you look you
can see scorch marks on the cabinet. On the back side of the cabinet is a
mirror that is cracked from the fire. The doctor lived to be one hundred. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Below that is a picture of his office taken
around 1909 that shows the cabinet (far left) in his office. It is filled with
old medical and chemistry items I collected over the years. I’m happy to see
them out of the boxes and bubble wrap and on display again. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zluyA0AlqOo/US-3t-0w3VI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Nl6PITKnVGk/s1600/medical+cabinet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zluyA0AlqOo/US-3t-0w3VI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Nl6PITKnVGk/s320/medical+cabinet.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6C7Pj__PC6U/US-4mFH3PfI/AAAAAAAAAc4/SnNa3KFEEYA/s1600/shawkey+office+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6C7Pj__PC6U/US-4mFH3PfI/AAAAAAAAAc4/SnNa3KFEEYA/s320/shawkey+office+photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a wicker rocking chair that belonged to my
grandmother. There is a picture somewhere (I think my sister has it) that shows
her in the chair holding a six-month old me. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uas0zX5GgiE/US-36PF6VpI/AAAAAAAAAco/pmpEb3YwVQY/s1600/rocking+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uas0zX5GgiE/US-36PF6VpI/AAAAAAAAAco/pmpEb3YwVQY/s320/rocking+chair.jpg" width="283" /></a><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am also taking some of my books back to W.Va., including all
of my Carl Sagan books, few history books I think Firewood Kenny will like and this
old 1930’s Pharmaceutical Recipe book that belonged to my dad. I am particularly
anxious to try the sulfur and tar ointment for dogs (just kidding Dooley).</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaR-E7U-3ds/US-4GNNPUZI/AAAAAAAAAcw/nR4IRcXOXUg/s1600/pharmacy+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QaR-E7U-3ds/US-4GNNPUZI/AAAAAAAAAcw/nR4IRcXOXUg/s320/pharmacy+cover.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-85cyTWhr2G4/US-41nce3CI/AAAAAAAAAdA/cROulM7rXTY/s1600/pharmacy+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-85cyTWhr2G4/US-41nce3CI/AAAAAAAAAdA/cROulM7rXTY/s320/pharmacy+book.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley is overwhelmed with so many things. For one, he is
living in the same house with a large black male cat named Saboo. I have tried
to get a picture of them together but have not been successful yet. He is
fascinated by the electric gate at the front of the neighborhood, stop lights,
sirens, the number of cars on the road, the course saint augustine grass, air
conditioning, palm trees and Richard’s 50 inch TV. I can’t wait to see his face
at the beach tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My friend from Tampa is working as a music teacher in the
public school system and she can’t join us at Disney World until Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-88963582405220455722013-02-26T18:16:00.001-05:002013-02-26T18:32:43.289-05:00Safe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We made it to Florida! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along the way I discovered:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. McDonald’s doesn’t taste as good as I remembered.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My windshield
wipers need replacing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. All BMW owners exceed the speed limit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. Dooley has a bladder the size of a walnut.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Never camp in a state park on a weeknight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since we were only going as far as Charlotte the first day
we left the woods about 10am. When we got to Charleston I drove Dooley up into
South Hills to show him where I grew up. I showed him the old home place, where
my dad’s drug store was, the high school where I played football, the little
league baseball field. I also showed him my elementary school where I met the
friend we are going to visit. Of all the things I showed him, I think he was
most impressed by the size of the Kanawha River. I forgot he had never seen a real
river before. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3daaxzqM-a0/US1E0xuICpI/AAAAAAAAAcA/wR5yqNlrW5w/s1600/boyhood+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3daaxzqM-a0/US1E0xuICpI/AAAAAAAAAcA/wR5yqNlrW5w/s320/boyhood+home.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next stop was in Wytheville Virginia to say a quick
hello to friends of mine who owned the local KOA campground. After twenty years
of camping there on my trips from Florida to West Virginia I got to know them
pretty well. Unfortunately, they had sold the business and were long gone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was still early when we got to Charlotte. I drove to the
little campground and we set up for the night. I had my beloved Clark Jungle
Hammock and Dooley had his own little tent. Dooley was exhausted and turned in
early. I stayed up and kept the fire going. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A little after 8pm a guy came down from a site above ours
and asked if I had anything he could use to start a fire. It wasn’t hard to
tell he was drunk. He said they were having a party and wanted to start a fire
in a 55 gallon drum they had. I reached in the back of my truck and gave him a
quarter filled can of Coleman fuel I had for my lantern. A little while later
he brought the can back, thanked me, and said his brother was coming out later
and he was going to bring me a new can of fuel. I wasn’t hopeful. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 10:30pm I saw the same guy coming back down the hill.
I was sitting behind the fire and apparently he didn’t see me. He reached in my
truck, took the can and left. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want a
confrontation with a group of drunks. I forgot to mention that this was a state
park. Because state parks are cheap places to camp, it has been my experience
that they sometimes attract loud, rowdy and potentially dangerous groups, especially
on weeknights. Shortly thereafter, I put out the fire, locked my truck and crawled
in my hammock. Around midnight I woke up to headlights glaring in my hammock.
It was the police. After some shouting and scuffling, they arrested two of the
people at that site and made the others leave. As they walked down past my site
I was sure they were thinking I must have been the one who had called the
police and they would soon return to chop me up, throw me in the 55 gallon drum
and burn my remains with my own Coleman fuel. I woke Dooley up, threw our gear
in the back of the truck and drove to a KOA we had passed on the way in. Fortunately,
the owner of the KOA was still up and we got a nice warm, safe KOA “Cozy Cabin”
for the rest of the night. Gee, my first night back in the “other world” and I am
already paranoid and in fear of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today, the rest of the trip was uneventful except for some
rain along the way. We are staying tonight with an old cameraman friend of mine
and his lovely wife. They are big fans of the blog and asked me to mention
them. So, thank you Richard and Sue.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-67813217651035096822013-02-25T02:43:00.001-05:002013-02-25T02:53:34.274-05:00Road Trip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley and I are leaving for Florida tomorrow morning. The
animals were picked up Saturday afternoon by FFA. The truck driver was afraid
to cross the river so we herded the goats down to the river road. I put the
chickens in an improvised coop and drove them down in my truck. Dooley
supervised the whole operation. After dropping off the chickens we drove to
town to Harry’s grocery/ hardware/ feed and seed and stocked up on Slim Jims
, Honey Buns and Swisher Sweet Outlaw Double Barrel Rum Cigars for the road. The cabin is shuttered and secure. Tonight is uncomfortably
quiet. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are only driving to Charlotte N.C. the first day. There
is a neat little park by a lake there where we can camp. Should be in Orlando
by 3pm Tuesday. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m taking the laptop so
we update how the trip is going. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I told Dooley it almost feels like we are two Amish kids
heading out on Rumspringa. Hope we don’t get too crazy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-40642997447471608312013-02-23T01:42:00.000-05:002013-03-10T12:50:59.864-04:00A Story For Dooley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley couldn’t understand why I was spending so much time
planning next year’s garden. It was true that I had spent most of the morning
at the kitchen table drawing plots and listing possible vegetable variety
combinations for not only my main gardens but also for the decoy gardens. Planning
in great detail has always been fun for me in everything I do. The execution of
my plans, secondary. (They say Alfred Hitchcock visualized his films so
thoroughly before shooting that he considered the actual making of the movie
tedious.) Dooley is more of a “seat of the pants”, trial and error kind of guy.
Both approaches are valid. We make a good team.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Maybe it would help you understand if I told you about the
fungus that saved America”, I said, hoping that telling him a story would give
him the attention he was obviously wanting. Dooley doesn’t know much about
human history or geography so I tell him stories every chance I get in hopes of
making him a well-rounded dog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Far away, across the great ocean……” I started.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The same ocean we are going to see?” Dooley asked. He’s
very excited about seeing the ocean next week when we go to Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yes, Dooley.....”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Far away, across the
great ocean is a beautiful Emerald Island. The people who lived on this island
170 years ago loved potatoes. They loved them so much that they filled their
gardens with potatoes. They ate them boiled, mashed, roasted, pan fried, deep
fried, colcannon style, and au gratin.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“French fried, too?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No doubt they did, Dooley. The odd thing was everyone grew
the same kind of potato. They were strange looking potatoes with lumps so they
called them Lumpers. The potatoes grew so well on the Emerald Isle that the well
fed population of people grew in leaps and bounds. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One summer day, a great sea bird fished some food cast off
by a pirate’s ship out of the ocean and carried it to the Emerald Island. A
piece of the food dropped from the great bird’s grasp and fell into a potato
garden. Riding on that small piece of food was a fungus called an Oomycete. Looking
for a place to live, the Oomycete found its way into a nearby potato. It turns
out that, just like the people on the island, the Oomycete loved Lumper
potatoes, too. Soon, there were so many Oomycetes living in that potato that
some of them moved to another potato. Again, just like the people on the
island, the population of the Oomycetes grew and grew until they were living in
almost all of the potatoes on the Emerald Isle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When the people dug up their potatoes that year, they found them black,
rotting an inedible. Since potatoes were the main food of the people, they soon
began to starve.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Didn’t they have fungicides?” asked Dooley.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Since the fungus had never been a problem before, the
island scientists had not invented fungicides yet”, I explained. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“So many people starved, that a lot of them decided it was
time to move someplace else. They got into boats and sailed to America. Back
then America was a much smaller place and at first there weren’t jobs for all
the people from coming from the Emerald Isle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>American business men, however, said to themselves “We have all these
extra people who want to work, so let’s build something”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the new immigrants were put to work
on the railroads that were being built, and some worked in factories and foundries.
As a result, American industry began to grow and expand out to the west. There
were so many jobs now that the immigrants wrote to their families back on the
Emerald Isle to join them in America for a better life. Eventually, over two
million came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before this time, some Americans
had gotten extra help by kidnapping Africans and bringing them over to work for
free. This went on mostly in the southern states. The Americans in the north,
who now had plenty of English speaking workers, began to denounce the people in
the south for the immoral practice of enslavement. As a result, the southern
states decided they would make their own country. The north said,” No you
won’t, we are the United States of America and will remain that way. A fight
broke out. At first, the south was winning the fight. Then the north realized
they had all these immigrants coming into the northern ports, so as soon as
ships from the Emerald Isle landed they would give the new young men from the
Emerald Isle a uniform and a gun and put them into the fight. Because they were
such good fighters the north eventually won the war. Slavery was abolished and
we remained the United States of America. If it hadn’t been for that fungus……..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“What has this got to do with you spending hours planning
your garden?” Dooley interrupted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Well, we farmers learned a lesson from the people of the
Emerald Isle. It is important of have a wide variety of crops, and if you like
potatoes, you should plant different varieties of potatoes so if some fungus, insect
or disease attacks your garden, you won’t lose your all of your potatoes. Every
year I mix things up to confuse cooties that find my garden.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I don’t know about the cooties, but I am very confused”,
Dooley said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“On one hand, you tell me a terrible story of starvation
because of a fungus. Then you tell me another story about how, because of the
fungus, the United States of America was saved. Was the fungus good or bad?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Oh, Dooley, a fungus isn’t good or bad like people can be
good or bad. It’s just a simple living thing doing what it has to for survival.
By the same token, I do what I can to protect our food for our survival and
sometimes that means not giving a particular fungus a comfortable place to live
for very long. I suppose I told you the story of the United States and slavery
to show you that a terrible thing can sometimes lead to a wonderful thing.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“So, basically, you could have just said, don’t put all your
eggs in one basket and every cloud has a silver………”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dooley</b>!"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-37438812529729784432013-02-14T15:41:00.000-05:002013-02-14T15:43:42.664-05:00The Flannel Solution<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joe, one of the oil guys that works my property on the other
side of the valley, came puttering up to the cabin on his ATV yesterday. Since
I was the property owner he asked if I could join in on a meeting about the
truck accident last week. All I knew up to that point was an oil truck had slid
off the road and rolled over a hillside. Turns out the truck had cut a cut a
pretty serious swath through the woods and had spilled a mixture of salt water
and oil over a pretty wide area. The driver and passenger had time to get out
and were not hurt (thank goodness). Since a hazardous spill was involved they
wanted to assure me that an all-out clean-up was underway. I’m sure there must
have been legal reasons for having me survey the site so I rode along and
expressed appropriate amounts of concern to the officials at the meeting. I knew
they were officials because they were wearing clean hardhats. By its nature,
the clean-up will involve the removal and replacement of lots of dirt and will
leave a scar on the mountainside. I told them I was fine with that as long as
they replanted to prevent future erosion. I hate erosion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since I was already over on this side of the property (a
rare thing), after the meeting I told Joe I would walk back so I could look
things over.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The accident happened
very close to the NE border of my property so first I followed the frosty dirt
road up the mountain to a gate that separates my farm from my neighbor, the
“Cattle Baron”. I call him that because he lives in a big beautiful home down
along the river road and because, obviously, he raises Holsteins. If I knew him
better, I probably wouldn’t call him that. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Standing at the gate beside an old
red pick-up truck with “farm use only” painted on the tailgate, smoking a Swisher Sweet Outlaw Double Barrel Rum cigar,( ok, that last part isn't true but I had to work the cigars in someplace) was slim young
lady with truck matching red hair, jeans, flannel shirt and a waist length leather
jacket (not that I was taking any particular notice, mind you). She was the
cattle baron’s daughter. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She had been sent up to unlock the gate for the oils guys
and to lock up when they left. Naturally I immediately introduced myself as her
neighbor. I told her briefly about the truck accident and why I was wandering
up this way on foot. For some reason (I think it had something to do with that
flannel shirt) I prolonged the conversation as long as I could. Eventually I
blurted out something about going to Disney World and the issues I was having
getting care for my animals. She made a very interesting suggestion; Future
Farmers of America. She had been a member growing up and was now an advisor for
a nearby chapter. My first thought was I wouldn’t want a bunch of kids hanging
out at my cabin but then she went on to tell me they would bring a truck to my
cabin, load up the beasts and the fowl along with any feed or supplements I had
and transport them to a secure place for care. She thought it would be a great
project for the members. I would, of course have to pay for the animal’s room
and board, but after discussing the details it seemed like an amazing
deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her on the surface it
sounded like a great idea, but I would have to go and look at where they would
be kept, meet the kids and discuss it with my animals. I’m not sure why, but
she laughed when I said “discuss it with my animals”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We exchanged email addresses and she is going to send me a
copy of the liability papers I would have to sign that would protect the club
should something, heaven forbid, befall one of the animal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not sure if goats and chickens like vacations, but I
hope they do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-16513358391798359372013-02-11T20:22:00.000-05:002013-02-11T20:22:14.831-05:00Dooley's One Way Time Machine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley came down off the mountain the other day with a very
smug look on his face. He has one of those faces that doesn’t hide “smug” very well.
From the look of it you’d think he had just saved the earth from imminent
destruction. Since he was coming from the direction of “Area 51” (just over the
east mountain is an area I have nicknamed Area 51 because on more than one
occasion Dooley has asked me not to go up there) I assumed he had been working
on his time machine project. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, yes, although I
have never seen it, Dooley claims to have built a time machine from parts he
has “borrowed” from the oil guys across the valley. His big break-thru,
according to my sources, came early this spring when an electrical transformer
blew out nearby and he was able to salvage the copper windings inside. About
the same time, he used my laptop to enroll in an online quantum physics class
from some diploma factory in Arizona. I suspect the money to pay for the class
came from my Sealy Posturepedic. I don’t mind. It’s good he wants to improve
himself and every dog should have a hobby.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He hasn’t told me much at all about the project. He probably
thinks I would tease him about it. (I was pretty hard on him a couple of years
ago when he was convinced that, with enough rubber bands, he could launch a
foil wrapped rabbit into low earth orbit.) He has, however, left his time
travel project notes conspicuously lying around the cabin. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As silly as the notion of time travel seems to me, a glance
at Dooley’s notes indicates he has already performed a successful time travel
experiment using the youngest of the McCroskey dogs as a subject. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to the notes, the dog was sent back
two minutes in time. Because the time machine takes two minutes to warm up and
because the dog was told to stay perfectly still while inside, there was no
visual indication of success. Dooley’s “proof” of actual time travel was
predicated on his subject’s subsequent report of a nagging feeling of always
being “late”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would love to know
more about his thoughts of the paradigms and paradoxes of time travel. There
has been so much written by science fiction folk about the dangers of traveling
back in time and changing things. I can only hope he is taking a responsible
approach to his research. Not so much because I believe time travel is possible
but a sense of responsibility is important in all things we do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My sources also tell me that his current version of the
machine only works one way. If you use it to go back in time, you are stuck
wherever you land. Being something of a history buff the thought of witnessing
pivotal historical events is intriguing but the idea of living in 1860’s
America after experiencing the battle of Gettysburg does not have much appeal. Off-
hand I can’t really think of a practical application for a one way time
machine. Assuming I would remain the same age as I traveled back there wouldn’t
be much time left to enjoy my wealth if I were, for example, to buy Microsoft,
Google, or other high yield tech stocks when first offered. Even in my remaining
years would wealth improve or diminish my quality of life? How can one predict
such things? Perhaps, on my death bed I could travel back to leave notes for my
younger self but who’s to say I could steer a young Roger down a better or more
fulfilling path than the one I’ve already traveled. I think the fun in life is
in the mystery of what tomorrow might bring. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as you have the where-with-all to make
choices, no matter what path one takes, there is always the chance that
something especially wonderful is just around the next bend. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, if Dooley could perfect a two-way time machine, I can
think of all kinds of fun to have with that!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way, the chimney is fixed and billowing as I write.
The new smoke detector, however, is still having trouble coming to terms with
my Swisher Sweet Outlaw Double Barrel Rum Cigars. Also, I am sorry I have no pictures to post but Area 51 is a no photo zone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-65463602408856283812013-02-10T00:22:00.001-05:002013-02-14T15:49:53.927-05:00Dooley The Dog Talks To God<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I appreciate you coming up here Dooley.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No problem. I come to this mountain top two or three times a
week just to sit and think. When I am down at the cabin it’s like being in a
bowl with the hills all around me. Up here, looking down, things seem clearer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve found a high perspective helpful for thinking as well,
Dooley. For me, however, the clarity of the view sometimes creates more
questions than answers. You can come up here, think, and then go back down and
apply the things you have thought about. It is a very practical method for
understanding. I don’t always have that luxury.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, I have always considered myself a practical dog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You are indeed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, you have questions, God?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do. I am consulting with some of my favorite creatures on Earth
about a very important question. You spend life, as you say “down in the bowl”
and that is a perspective I don’t have. I need your insight.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am honored, but at the same time a little surprised. I
thought you were in everything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a sense I am. Cosmologically, however, that is an impossibility
for reasons that are unexplainable at this time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I see.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is the issue. When I put the Heavens into motion I
intended a purpose and a path for everything. I expect things to evolve and
become increasingly complex. Eventually, that evolution reaches purity, perfection
and balance. When that is achieved all things in that system become an indestructible,
beautiful and eternal energy encompassing all that was or ever had been within
that system. Trust me Dooley; it is a…well,... a grand reward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like heaven?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heaven is a reward for the spirits of individual creatures in
any given system. It is great place…but it doesn’t compare to the final reward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is more after heaven? Cool. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, here is my problem. The plan is not working on the Earth
system. The intended evolution has stalled. It is the first time that has
happened…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ah,ha,...so there is life in other parts of the universe. I
knew it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh, yes Dooley, the Earth system is just one seed in the garden.
There are nearly infinite systems of life; some you would recognize and many
you wouldn’t. Many have already achieved their “grand reward”. You have heard
of what they call on Earth a super nova…?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of, course…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…that flash of light seen on Earth is really a system
achieving the end of evolution, the “grand reward”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">( Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So what scientists here describe as an ending, is really a beginning….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Correct. But let’s stay on point here. I’ll answer any
questions you have later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sorry, but this is just so, so….well, cool.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, things were going fine on Earth until the human
animal achieved introspection way ahead of schedule. Complex plans sometimes
have unexpected results. This was a dandy. The ability to know one’s self and to
question their purpose on Earth wasn’t expected for another billion years or
so. I uncharacteristically tried to intervene on a large scale, as is somewhat documented
in Earth’s various theologies….but things didn’t end as I had hoped. I happily adjust
things on a smaller, individual level every day with great results, but the big
campaign just muddied the pond. Now, with the human species able to realize
they have an advantage over other of Earth’s creatures without the maturity to
understand what that really means, Earth’s ability to reach a “grand reward” is
in serious jeopardy. For the first time in the history of the heavens I’m seriously
thinking of ending a system early.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh,…. that doesn’t sound good…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">….not good at all. Any ideas?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, the first thing that comes to mind is to eliminate the
humans…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A rat suggested the same solution in the Earth’s so called “middle
ages” and we toyed around with it...unfortunately, the human animal has a
purpose, just like the dinosaur had a purpose once, and to eliminate the
species would cause the whole plan to unravel. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">( Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So then, it sounds like we need to de-evolve the humans.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Interesting….but you know, I can’t just do that…..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…..another unexplainable cosmological impossibility?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something like that. Funny thing, there seems to be some small
scale de-evolving in your country…have you seen that TV show “Honey Boo- Boo”? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No, Roger and I don’t watch TV…. but I’ll take your word for
it. De-evolving America is one thing, but the rest of the world is a tough nut.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(thoughtful pause)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wait a minute, maybe we are looking at this backwards. What
if, instead of taking something away, you give them something.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hmmm. I like where you are going with this….sort of a second
bite on fruit from the tree of knowledge….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">…..exactly. An “accidental” and humbling discovery that demonstrates
their collective knowledge to this point is flawed. Their vanity would be
shattered and change would be inevitable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vanity is one of the seven deadly sins, so it would fit from
a theological standpoint….and, the fact is, their collective knowledge is
laughingly flawed, so I wouldn’t really have to change anything….just shed a
little light, one of my specialties. I think I know just what to “give them”. Dooley,
you may have saved the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(thinking to himself pridefully, “All in a day’s work, God,
all in a day’s work”).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I heard that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sorry. Could you do one thing for me, God?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course, Dooley.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Dooley)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Could you hold off changing things here on Earth until after my trip to Disney World.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(God)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No problem.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-87646970115543124072013-02-08T11:27:00.002-05:002013-02-08T11:29:59.320-05:00"I'm Going To Walt Disney World" PT. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What a weird week it has been. First, the near conflagration
at the cabin, then there was an accident over on the oil producing side of my
land involving a truck sliding over a hillside and, now, I find out I have to
go to Orlando to relocate some things I have in a storage facility to another
storage facility (or possibly move the stuff up to Charleston). I have mixed
feelings about even going to get the stuff, but there are some family heirlooms
I just can let go….yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that,
I live alone and am solely responsible for the care of my livestock. Leaving my
cabin for a week is a difficult thing to do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hate to impose on people especially since the weather has
been so bad and just getting to the cabin is difficult, but I don’t really have
a choice. I have emailed Edgar about the possibility of his son looking in on
things a couple of days. Firewood Kenny has already offered to help but he
can’t stay at the cabin for a full week. My other poker buddies don’t know
anything about chickens or goats. Why can’t Dooley the dog run the place for a
week? Because he is going with me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although flying would
be quicker and make more sense if I decide to move my stuff up to West
Virginia, I have decided to drive so Dooley can come along without having to
ride in a baggage compartment. He has never been outside of the county and it’s
time he sees a little more of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I’m there I will be visiting the Disney Parks with an
old friend who lives in Tampa. Since I am a former Disney employee I still get
a Silver Pass every year in the mail. A Silver Pass allows me to get into the
parks and bring three guests with me every day (except for really busy
holidays). I also get 4 free tickets every year that I can give away friends
and family. They typically don’t allow dogs in the parks, but I know a few
people who might be able to allow me to give Dooley at least a glimpse inside
the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, Dooley doesn’t meet the height requirements
for any of the really cool rides. In fact, he doesn’t meet the height
requirement for any of the rides. That’s too bad, because I think he would
really enjoy the Big Thunder Mountain Railway runaway train. He loves trains.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My friend from Tampa is an interesting person. She was my
“girlfriend” while we were in elementary school. She and her mother moved away
right after grade school and I didn’t hear from her until I saw in the
newspaper she had become Miss Florida. Later that year I watched her in the
Miss America competition and she got second runner-up. I still didn’t make any
effort to contact her (not sure why). Three years later she came to Disney
World as the opening act for Kreskin the mentalist at the Top of the World
Restaurant at the Contemporary Hotel. I left several messages for her at the
hotel but never heard back. The night of her last performance I went to a play
in Orlando. When I got home there was a message on my answering machine from
her inviting me to the show. I was already dressed appropriately so I rushed to
Disney. She had a table reserved for me. I felt very important. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After she performed (she was a singer/ pianist) she came
right over and sat with me. Now I really felt important. After a few minutes of
“hellos” she suggested I watch Kreskin while she got out of her show clothes.
We met later the lobby of the hotel and spent hours reminiscing. I found out
she had also been Miss New Mexico, had been married and divorced from a crazy
rich guy, and wrote songs for Lee Greenwood. A very talented young lady. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At first I didn’t see much of her after that night until she
called and said she was moving from Palm Springs to Tampa. Turns out a drunk
singer she was playing piano for in Tahiti (you would recognize the singer, but
I can’t reveal the name) stumbled and fell onto the piano keyboard injuring her
hand. There was a long, nasty lawsuit after that and her performing career
eventually dwindled away. Once in Tampa, we became good and frequent friends.
She loved coming over to Disney and playing in the parks. I look forward to
seeing her again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I wonder if she
would be interested in living in a small cabin in the woods with a clever dog,
goats and chickens…..?)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">More about our trip to Orlando later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-55992245254730498632013-02-07T14:54:00.001-05:002013-02-07T16:13:30.401-05:00"I'm Going to Walt Disney World"....Pt.1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the chimney expert came on Monday and was looking
things over, to make conversation he asked if I had seen the Super Bowl. I hadn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love football and
I’ve said before that giving up watching football and NASCAR was one of the
hardest things about moving to the woods. Now that I have a laptop and
satellite internet, I do check in on scores from time to time. (Just so you
don’t think I’m wimping out on leaving the “other world” behind, I still avoid
reading the news). In this case, however I did not know the outcome of the
game. I am one of the old school guys who care little about NFL expansion teams
or teams that have moved to a new city or changed their name. The only teams I
care about are the old ones like the Browns, Steelers, Packers, and so
on. The Baltimore Ravens? Who cares what they do. The 49ers are an older team
but from the west coast, who cares about a west coast team?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, somehow the
conversation came around to the promotion Disney does with the game’s most
valuable player saying “I’m going to Walt Disney World” while still on the
field immediately after the game. If Dooley had been there he would have rolled
his eyes at that point and walked off as he always does when he thinks I am
about to rant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why would this spark a rant? I was in the Walt Disney
marketing department working as a cameraman when this campaign started. By all
rights my department should have been the ones who produced this commercial. I
should have gone to the Super Bowl that year. Instead, the marketing execs
decided to give the work to an outside production company. We had always kept
the production work in-house up to that point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After that, more and more of our work was given to New York based
production crews. It has always been my contention that moving the work up
there gave the execs an excuse for spending time and living it up in the Big
Apple while “supervising” the shooting and editing. Sour grapes? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, the
Disney MGM Studios opened up a couple of years later and my department
re-formed outside of the Marketing Division. We found ourselves working on
non-Disney commercials, feature films and network TV shows. It was wonderful. I
finally did get to go to 3 Super Bowls after that, shooting footage for Disney
Entertainment when they produced the half time shows. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I didn’t rant to
the chimney man, but that ‘I’m going to Disney World” campaign will always be a
sore spot for me. It’s something I need to let go.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Funny thing is; I am going to Walt Disney World in two
weeks. Tell you more about that tomorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-82082857321119255812013-02-05T13:03:00.001-05:002013-02-05T13:03:35.966-05:00Holey Smoke!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had a close call on
Saturday night. Woke up to the smell of smoldering wood. Turns out my old stone
chimney had lost some mortar up inside and left a hole exposing the roof joists
to flying embers from the fire the night before. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As dry as the wood is up there, I’m not sure
why it didn’t just burst into flames. It may have if I hadn’t gotten up to “dispose”
of the large amounts of tea I had consumed earlier in the evening and smelled
the smoke. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Harry at the grocery/hardware/feed and seed store suggested
I call in an expert to look at the old chimney. The expert came out Monday and
suggested (among other things) we install a stainless steel chimney liner and a
new firebox. Naturally, Dooley and I were happy to comply. Unfortunately, he
had to order the supplies and the install won’t happen until Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fireplace has been my principle source of heat this winter.
We fire it up in the afternoon and let it burn till bedtime. The cabin is well
insulated and holds the heat nicely. Mornings are chilly but the stove heats
things up quickly as we make breakfast. Harry loaned us a catalytic heater to
fill in till Friday. We have also purchased a smoke detector and co2/oxygen
sensor alarm for the cabin. These high tech items are not exactly in keeping
with my simple living theme but a little scare can go a long way towards changing
attitudes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This would have been a much better story if Dooley had
smelled the smoke, dragged me out the cabin to safety and single handedly doused
the embers with the h2o from his water bowl……if he was a hero that night, it
was only in his dreams. He slept through the excitement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-68138715888879963162013-01-31T10:04:00.001-05:002013-01-31T10:04:19.678-05:00Picture Show<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thought I would try something different and post a video. It
is really just a slide show with pictures of my land. I made this before deciding
to move up here from Florida. The title is Pharm because that is what my family
has always called this place (my father was a pharmacist and so is my sister…it
seemed appropriate). Some of the pictures will look familiar to regular readers
because I’ve used them before in posts. The first few slides show scenes on the
way to the Pharm. The music is from one of my favorite CDs called Appalachian
Journey. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QDDqDoHno-E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-71169158462026294992013-01-27T20:19:00.000-05:002013-01-27T23:12:37.757-05:00Magic Moon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adOcY6Zdx2k/UQX6nYVIg0I/AAAAAAAAAbs/XkjeZvWBEGU/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adOcY6Zdx2k/UQX6nYVIg0I/AAAAAAAAAbs/XkjeZvWBEGU/s1600/moon.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Admiring a
waxing moon tonight reminded me of a story. This is a true story and it has
never been, or probably never will be explained.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My mother
was a very sensible woman but also a woman with a great sense of humor. She
could tell a joke or weave a yarn with the best of them but at the end of the
story you knew it was a joke or a tall tale. Once, while I was visiting on
break from college, she told me this story.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She said
that her mother had always believed an old wives tale that suggested if
one would shake an empty purse or wallet in the light of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>waxing full moon, money would soon come your
way. She said that was something of a tradition in her family for everyone to
go out on full moons and do this. When some unexpected cash showed up for whatever reason it
was fun to attribute it to the ritual. She told me that just for some nostalgic
fun she had done the moon ritual the week prior to me arriving home for the
visit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next
night when she went out to feed the dogs, on her way back she found almost two
hundred dollars on the back porch in scattered bills of various denominations.
She didn’t immediately connect it to the moon ritual and thought; perhaps, she
had somehow dropped it out there herself. Although she was sure she had gotten
it all, she went back out just to check, this time turning on the back porch
light. There, in almost the same spot, was another one hundred and seventy five
dollars. I have to explain that this back porch was a small raised concrete
platform that stood above the surrounding patio a good foot and a half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So any thought of someone else losing it and
having it blow up there repeatedly was a near impossibility. Twice more that
night she went out and found money on the porch. In the end it totaled almost
eight hundred dollars. Immediately my first thought was that my dad was playing
a joke on her, but dad had been at a Shriner’s convention in New Orleans that
week giving him a perfect alibi. If my dad had put someone else up to it the
dogs would certainly have barked and my mom swears she didn’t hear a thing. She
also told me that since it was a cold snowy night she had even walked around
the outside of the house with a flashlight looking for someone hiding around
the corner or for footprints in the snow. There was nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although I
was expecting one, there was no punch line to her story. To make it even more
believable to me, she never spent the money. She kept it in a box in her closet
like she expected someone, someday, to show up and claim it. My dad, to this
day has never claimed any responsibility for the event. If it had been my dad
I’m sure he would have claimed the glory of pulling the perfect prank by now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was it a
magic moon or just some strange set of circumstances that left the money on the
porch? In the words of Sherlock Holmes, “Once you eliminate the impossible,
whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Please
excuse me while I empty out my wallet and spend a few moments in the light of
this beautiful moon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-11859183906869745402013-01-26T20:51:00.000-05:002013-01-26T20:51:06.415-05:00Visiting Irene<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley and I
went to visit Irene and Dooley’s best friend Lightning (Irene’s dog) today. For
those of you who don’t know, Irene was the local librarian who typed my
handwritten blog posts and actually posted them back when I didn’t have a
computer of my own. She also sold me Dooley shortly after I moved up to the
cabin. When the County reduced her hours at the library in town (down to two
days a week) she decided to move up to the County Seat, live with her sister
and return to library work at the County’s main branch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dooley and
Lightning stayed at the house and I took the sisters out for lunch. We ate at a
place called The Grandview. I never did locate the “grand view”, but they had
some grand Delmonico steaks. Irene and I exchange emails once in a while but it
was so nice to sit down and talk in person. It was also the first time I had
met her sister. They were definitely two peas from a pod. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I asked
Irene if she still reads the blog. She said yes, but some of this season’s
posts (I usually only write in the winter months) were a bit odd she thought. She
did like “Dooley’s Christmas Carol”. She suggested I keep my posts shorter and
use more pictures. So, I will quickly end this post with a picture Irene gave
me. It is a Currier and Ive’s print called “A Home in the Wilderness” that she
found in a thrift shop and thought I might like. I love it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZIDiZUnvb0/UQSH7jIJo6I/AAAAAAAAAbY/kDF1NU2gKgw/s1600/jome+in+wilderness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZIDiZUnvb0/UQSH7jIJo6I/AAAAAAAAAbY/kDF1NU2gKgw/s320/jome+in+wilderness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-84255027375347263742013-01-25T23:15:00.000-05:002015-03-11T14:29:25.283-04:00Edgar Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Continued
from yesterday)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most of the
evening with Edgar was spent talking about goats, chickens, hogs, fences and
gardens. I casually mentioned that I planned to decimate my garden next year
because of a surplus of vegetables. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">With a
concerned look on his face he said, “That seems a little drastic, don’t you
think?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No, seems
about right to me,” I answered with a straight face. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We sat
silent for a good thirty seconds while he tried to understand the proposed
decimation of my garden.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“…by
decimate, I mean of course, to reduce it by one tenth.” I said, breaking the
silence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Why didn’t
you just say you were going to reduce it by one tenth? I thought you were going
to plow the whole thing under. By the way, mind if I have another cigar?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rest of
the evening was spent playing checkers and telling stories. Edgar had lots of
great stories about his grandfather and farming in the old days. Not once did
he even hint at conspiracy talk. Around ten he got up to leave. He looked over
at my laptop and asked if I had an email address. I said, “Sure” and wrote it
down for him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next day
I got this email from him:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Roger, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks for
the hospitality last night. Where do you get those wonderful little
cigars? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way,
I thought it would be rude at the time to bring it up, but I consider your
confusing use of the word “decimate” a great example of etymological fallacy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks again, Edgar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“An example
of what?” I said out loud. Then I looked it up.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The internet
says; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An etymological fallacy becomes
possible when a word has changed its meaning over time. Such changes can
include a shift in scope (narrowing or widening of meanings) or of connotation
(amelioration or pejoration). In some cases, meanings can also shift
completely, so that the etymological meaning has no evident connection to the
current meaning.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wrote
back:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Edgar, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks for
your note. I also enjoyed our conversation the other night. I will certainly
try out that homemade salve you suggested for Dooley’s problem. By the
way, I was happy at the thought you may have invested some time to research
the word “decimate” to question my contention of the word’s original meaning
versus its current use. Challenging a concept is the engine of understanding. Not
meaning to be blunt, for me “etymological fallacy” is a fancy excuse for lazy
word usage and a justification for ignorance. To suggest it is ok to change the
root meaning of a word endangers everyone’s ability to communicate and to
understand. For example, labeling this argument as a “fallacy” implies that my
adherence to the root meaning of words has an intention to deceive. Fallacy
does not mean only to state falsely, but to do so with intent to deceive. Is
that what the person who coined this phrase meant when they assigned this label?
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Would it be
ok if the word “two” eventually came to mean any fractional number between one
and three just because enough mathematically challenged people found it too
hard to think in terms of fractions?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking
succinctly and concretely is something we should all aspire to. A direct and
precise language makes conversations more interesting, substitutes facts for
bluster and promotes the practice of organized thought. How many times did we hear
in last year’s election a politician who said, “even though I said it, I did
not mean it the way it was taken.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nothing is
more important to a society than the language it uses. There would be no
society without it. We would all be better off if we spoke with exactness and
grace, and if we preserved rather than destroyed the value of our language. (Note
the use of the word “destroyed” rather than “decimated”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roger<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To which he
replied:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roger, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I assume you
looked up and found “etymological fallacy” on your computer just like I did. The
internet is just full of crap like this, isn’t it? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 278.4pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Edgar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 278.4pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 278.4pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 278.4pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 278.4pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024750621050139352.post-20738902182870864872013-01-25T00:42:00.001-05:002013-01-25T00:43:47.333-05:00Edgar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was too cold for our monthly poker game.
Ramon officially called it off last week and passed the word around. I was
sort of glad because it was my month to hold the game here at the cabin and I
didn’t feel much like cleaning up and pulling the homemade poker table out of
my shed and setting it up. Dooley the dog was a bit disappointed because ever
since I showed him famous “Dogs Playing Poker” picture he has been fascinated
by the game. He doesn’t play yet, but he likes to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I guess
Ramon forgot to tell Edgar the game was cancelled because he showed up on my
porch about 7pm. I’m not surprised he wasn’t called because Edgar only shows up
a few times a year. Naturally, I invited him in and explained the poker game
had been cancelled. He took it in stride and seemed a bit relieved (he was not
a great poker player….in fact, I don’t recall Edgar ever winning a hand in our
monthly games). I offered him a Swisher Sweet Outlaw Double Barrel Rum cigar
and thought this might be a chance to get to know him better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Edgar is a true red faced, rough handed,
opinionated West Virginia farmer. On the subject of farming I would believe
anything he told me. He is a master. A couple of years ago, however, after his
son introduced him to the internet, he seems to have fashioned himself an
“expert” on non-farm related subjects he really knows very little about. At the poker games he has
become something of an overall wearing “Cliff Clavin” (lovable know-it-all
character from the Cheers TV show) and frequently steers conversations toward
the most beloved of all internet topics, the conspiracy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am one of
those guys that, if I feel the need to believe one way or another on a subject,
then I will put in the time to investigate both sides thoroughly and draw my
conclusions from the likeliest scenario. An example for me was the Kennedy
assassination. I set out, initially, to try and decide what conspiracy theory
seemed the likeliest. After fifteen years, over fifty books (including the
entire twenty seven volumes of evidence presented at the Warren Commission
investigation), hours of watching old interviews on tape, visiting the school
book depository in Dallas and walking Oswald’s escape route I came to the same
conclusion the Warren Commission did. Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. After
putting in the time and effort to study the event, I felt silly to have ever
considered a single one of the conspiracy theories as valid. Edgar, on the
other hand, seems easily convinced by the muddy waters stirred up by internet
conspiracy “authorities”. I don’t blame Edgar, his time and thinking is spent
on farming. Growing up in the county instills a sense that people are basically
good and honest. He has no reason to disbelieve what he reads on the internet. I
think he, and many Americans also find it fun, in a way, to take an opposing
view on historical events. He certainly got a great deal of attention during
poker games when he maneuvered the conversation to his belief in several well-
known conspiracies. Or, maybe he was just “funning” us. Straight faced teasing
isn’t unknown to country folk. My mother was brilliant at it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So this
unexpected opportunity was, I thought, a great chance to get to know the real
Edgar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(To be continued tomorrow)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 26pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rogerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01100972749664338027noreply@blogger.com0