No, I’m not off the grid, just sidetracked from blogging this month – not for lack of ideas, I have plenty of those, some written down and some in my head. This post will look more like a Facebook (or is it FaceBook?) post, kind of chatty and non-substantive, but hopefully fun.
I went shopping for a Valentine’s Day present for my wife the other day. I had decided that the ticket was something practical rather than flowers that wither and droop in a few days. So I went to Kitchen Kaboodle in Hillsboro to get gadgets. Well, actually, I ended up next door at New Seasons first, because I had just come from the gym where I worked out and did a half-mile swim, and I needed a mid-afternoon snack. I found something and asked a person in the deli if they would warm it up for me. While I waited I went over to the beer aisle – New Seasons always has unusual beers, and I like to try new beers. I found a nice one, brewed by the Great Divide Brewing Company in Denver, a Belgian pale ale called Orabelle, not too hoppy with a nice kick to it (8.3%), grabbed a six-pack and got my warmed up food and headed for their little cafe to eat. On their menu, I saw a couple of quotes that I thought I’d share before I end this modest post.
Vietnamese Proverb: “When you’re eating fruit, remember who planted the tree; when you’re drinking water, remember who dug the well.”
One more quote for good measure in honor of Valentine’s Day, this one a bit of an oddity by Jonathan Swift:
We Oregonians brag about our wonderful state, its beauty and all the things there are to do there, and it’s all true – come up and see us and we’ll give you the grand tour. My dad (God bless him) used to call it “God’s country”. Perhaps God lingered a bit when he created Oregon. Speaking of lingering . . .
Mamas and the Papas: California Dreaming
Has Anyone Seen my Sunscreen?
Sunshine is probably overrated, but I have to admit I do like it. Sitting in the courtyard by the pool, with a cup of coffee, writing in my journal, it felt great! I actually had to go to Walmart and buy sunscreen yesterday – hey, it’s February, and I live in Oregon, what can I say, I wasn’t prepared for the sun.
What about People?
I wrote a blog post last year about people – you can go take a look.
I’ve always considered myself a “people” person, perhaps growing up in Texas gave me that personality trait, that willingness to talk to a total stranger. Everyone you meet can be your friend, just say hello. Anyway, we were in SoCal last year, same place, same hotel. We came down for my brother-in-law’s celebration of life. I’m glad we did, it was a well-said goodbye to Chris, who was a good man. One of my favorite quotes says it better than I can. Here’s a piece of it – “the people we meet along the way will be the traveling companions of our lives forever.” Use the link to see the whole quote and some other quotes that talk about life and people.
Case in Point, about People.
As I was saying, I like meeting people. On that trip about a year ago, I was sitting out in the courtyard enjoying that wonderful morning sunshine and drinking coffee. I got into a conversation with Jack. He was a Spurs fan, but he wasn’t from Texas, said he had driven down from Seattle the night before. Anyway, he told me about himself, ex-Navy, an Aviation Mechanic who served at Oak Harbor and El Salvador but no carrier duty. We talked about how boring that long drive on I-5 was, which is why we decided to fly on this trip. Maybe our paths will cross again in the future.
I met Theresa on the way out on the plane, she was in the seat next to mine. She was on her way down to California to see two of her eight grandchildren. The people you meet . . .
On this 2016 trip I’ve met a bunch of people, some who are friends of relatives, spending time at our favorite pub in Santa Clarita, enjoying the dart tournament (Bob throws underhanded), music and food and drinks (I got to try three new craft beers!). I met Terry, an ex-Alabaman, who is thinking about moving to L.A. and came out to look for a house. In the hotel fitness center, I met Mo from Simi Valley. He asked me about the thing going on Burns, if it was affecting me where I lived. We got into a brief political discussion about the federal government and the “compulsory” laws that we were supposed to obey. I decided not to argue the point since he was lifting a lot more weight than I was. :}
What’s Next
Not sure what my next blog will be – content now to enjoy one more full day of sunshine before we leave to return to the rain.
That small bird was really proud of himself – I drank the whole thing!
Blogger’s postscript: Just wanted to add some important details that I left out yesterday.
Boomer started out as a southern California dog, roaming the streets of Sun City and eventually becoming the property of my mother-in-law, Eileen. She brought him along when she moved up to live with us in Oregon. Boomer was her pal and companion for years until she died. Then he lived with us after her passing, and he became our pal and companion.
Boomer wearing his snow jacket.
Circle of Life (from the Lion King soundtrack)
Seeing that big, open-mouthed grin with that wonderful tongue with black spots (were you part chow?) was always a joy.
Your response to my touch when I scratched your back side, moving that leg back and forth. It made me feel good too.
Scientists say that dogs (not sure about cats) are beneficial to humans because there is a chemical response that actually lowers the blood pressure and relaxes both the animal and the human when they interact. Pretty cool, eh!
Boomer, I hope you reconnect with your old friend Eileen, and I hope you and Morty (our other dog that died in 2013) meet up and have a great time running around together.
A couple more pictures – the tongue with the spots and his “summer” buzz cut.
Quote: I learned the roots of any relationship (from working with dogs) – honesty, integrity, loyalty. It’s hard to find a human to give you all three. But every dog, that’s all they know. Humans are the only species that follows unstable pack leaders. Animals don’t . . . why would they? (Cesar Millan, dog whisperer, in Men’s Journal)
We made it through another one, eh! Just some thoughts to make you think about the year ahead.
Quote: Be kind to even unkind people; they need it the most. (Quoted from a friend I see at the gym)
Steely Dan – Do It Again (live version)
Picture: it’s just for shock value, yes, it is someone’s hand. (unknown source)
One of my daily rituals is reading Daily Word (a Unity publication). The reading for January 1 in the January/February 2016 booklet is titled: “Fresh Start: I behold and delight in a fresh start.” The daily readings always have a Bible verse at the bottom of the page. For January 1, the verse was from Exodus 12:2, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.” In this passage, the Lord is addressing Moses and Aaron in Egypt.
Quoting from the same January 1 reading, “The new year stretches before me like a blank canvas. What kind of life shall I paint this year?”
Anyway, here’s the link if you want to subscribe to the magazine. It’s a good way to start your day.
In parting, a few word pictures to describe a calendar, one of the many that nonprofits send to me because I’ve donated money to them, or they want me to donate money to them. The calendar I’m looking at is from the Nature Conservancy. The photos and layout are impressive.
Picture a zebra with those wonderful black and white stripes – is it a white animal with black stripes or a black animal with white stripes? The zebra is standing in a field surrounded by pink flowers that are in soft focus. There is a white bird perched on the animal’s back, a cattle egret. This is the photo for April. It was taken in South Africa.
March and September are photos taken in Oregon, my favorite state. Colors in the March photo are predominantly green with the tree foliage and the moss growing on the rocks in and around the waterfall which is bright white. It’s a very peaceful picture. The picture was taken in Silver Falls State Park not far from Portland. September’s photo was taken in central Oregon and shows a cliff mesa in the background with yellow wildflowers in the foreground. The pictures and descriptions in the calendar serve to remind us of how wonderful nature is and that we are a part of nature.
I’ll finish with a few Rufous pictures, not taken by me, but they’re good ones.
Rufous-sided towhee
Next: Not sure yet, but I’m working on some things.
I’m usually at home when I do my blog, but just for fun . . .
Willie Nelson: On the Road Again
I love red cars!
I’ll explain the pictures as I go. Interesting that we’re in Houston, had to go somewhere besides Oregon to find some sunshine. We inadvertently picked the weekend that they were having the state high school football playoffs in Houston, and it seemed like most of the players were staying in our hotel. Ohmygosh, high school football is king in this state! Talking to people reminded me of going to my high school reunion 2 years ago in Liberty, Texas, all the hoopla, the pep rally, going to the game and all the excitement! It was kind of amazing that nothing had changed since my high school days (actually they did build a new high school in Liberty).
Time for us to go out and enjoy the sun now. Ya’ll take care now – practicing my “Texas talk”. A few more pictures to conclude with, the first 4 on a really nice trail in downtown Houston, one taken in central California, and the last 2 were taken in Oregon. The 2 murals are in Estacada, Oregon.
This next group is from Paparruchos in Houston near the Galleria. Great spot for Mexican food in Houston. Bernardo gave me the grand tour of this very interesting eating establishment!
What kind of year has 2015 been for you? Taking a minute to reflect, has it been fun, challenging, stressful, chaotic, rewarding, joyful, sad, or maybe all of the above. Did you accomplish your goals or score any personal victories? Are you thinking about 2016 yet, perhaps setting new goals or redoing some of the goals from 2015 that were important but that you didn’t accomplish?
As I thought about 2016, I was looking at my list of possible topics for 2015 that I did not finish. I decided I would allow myself some “do-over’s” or continuations of blog topics from my 2015 list and add some new topics. Look for my 2016 Preview soon.
As a literal segue into 2016, given that the end of the year is near, take a look at this quote below. This is from the October 2015 Reader’s Digest in the “Points to Ponder” section. I love this quote, give it some thought!
By the way, Reader’s Digest is another very good source of quotes.
On Morals and Values
“People say that these are different times requiring new rules, but I wonder if that’s true. There are new challenges, to be sure, but I view values as a stable force, not something to be swayed by politics, technology, or any modern contrivance. Rather than bend our values to fit the times, we need to fit the times to our values.”
Gretchen Carlson, journalist, in her memoir, Getting Real.
Is it an important holiday and how should we celebrate it?
I think most, if not all of us, would answer “yes” to the first part of the question. It’s the second part that I want to focus on. I’ll explain what prompted me to do this blog today. Don’t miss the important web link at the bottom.
Supertramp – Take the Long Road Home
United States of America
I was not shuffling around my house (doctor’s post-surgical instructions) but sitting in my lounger with my legs elevated and my cryo cuff with ice cold water firmly attached to my right knee joint, and I looked at my crutches that were propped up on the couch. Obviously, this being November 11, Veterans Day, I had been thinking about stuff – for example, my crutches are temporary (hopefully), but how about the vets who are permanently disabled.
Let me briefly interject a thought here. I’m hoping that my readers will be open-minded about war. Whether you are pro-war or anti-war is none of my business. All I’m asking of you in this modest, non-political piece is to respect and honor what others have done on our behalf.
How about some word pictures? A double amputee in a wheel chair rolls up the ramp and into the airport waiting area. He has a family there to greet him, which is a good thing. His young daughter bends down to give him a big hug. They both have tears in their eyes. On the same flight a young woman walks off the plane. One side of her face is disfigured. No one is there to greet her, and she is disappointed, but she manages a smile. She’s back in America and so glad to be here.
I’m a vet and proud of it. Ironically, I wasn’t always patriotic. However, I received my draft notice from the “BBQ King” (that’s what we called LBJ in those days). I’ll skip the details about how I failed my induction physical and ended up in the Navy Reserves. Those details are in another section of this blog.
It’s time to get to the point. Here’s what I would like to suggest. Make it your mission to honor a vet, any vet, not just today but often. It could be something as simple as saying hello, shaking their hand, or patting them on the back to acknowledge what they did. If you have time, buy them a cup of coffee or just spend a few minutes talking to them. Ask them about their service. If they don’t want to talk about, don’t push it. For some the memories are too painful. Remember, you’re recognizing the fact that they gave of themselves in serving this great country.
Ending Notes
I would like to end with music and a web link. The music is an old piece that brings back memories from my shipboard life in Vietnam. One of the pasttimes of the sailors on my ship was to record music (reel-to-reel tape in those days) to send back home. It was a nice diversion.
Blind Faith – Can’t Find My Way Home
Here is a link to a local charity that works with vets. I’ve done volunteer work for them and can vouch for their mission, which is to help our vets to survive (literally) and to be able to reassimilate into society after their service. Consider donating in whatever way you can to their very worthy cause.
What is serendipity? According to Merriam-Webster, it is “Luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for.”
Travel obviously is one opportunity for serendipity – discovering a new place to dive on the island of Kauai or seeing a double rainbow over the Columbia Gorge, things like that. Things that are not looked for . . . it could be financial, such as an unexpected inheritance or one of your children just announced they are going to have a baby. For me, a rufous-towhee (obviously) is always serendipity and a very good sign that things are looking up and the start of a great day.
How about this story, to be very specific about a “serendipitous event” (say that fast 10 times in a row). Over the weekend I was out doing a walk. The weather was decent (not raining), not too cold or too hot, and I was walking not too far from my home on a familiar route. Ahead I could see the big hill I was going to climb and thinking about the reward of the great view of my city at the top. But along the side of the street was “free stuff”, you know how people will put stuff out with a sign. As I passed the collection of mostly uninteresting stuff, I spied a coffee cup that caught my attention.
Heron Cup (front view)
As I’m sure you know if you read my blog, I’m a bird fancier, especially raptors, herons, and other species. Seeing a heron in real life of course is always a treat. Anyway, I grabbed the cup out of the stuff and strapped it to my fanny pack so I could continue my walk. Oh, almost forgot, here’s the back of the cup. Note what it says.
Heron Cup (back view)
You can enlarge the image if you want, but here is what’s on the back of the cup. I’ll leave the interpretation up to you. One brief comment about the fifth bullet, that one clinched it for me – I always enjoy a good pun.
Keep a keen lookout.
Don’t be afraid to get your feet wet.
Be patient.
Look below the surface.
Enjoy a good reed.
Go fish.
Links:
Great blue heron (Thanks to arkive.org and the photographers who took the great photos.)
I have a sidebar called Favorite Quotes, but I wanted to post these in the main blog stream to draw attention to them. I had seen the James Joyce quote somewhere, and I got off on a rabbit trail looking for it in Bartleby.com, which has a bit of everything, but I couldn’t locate the Joyce quote. Then I remembered the Brainy Quote site, much easier to navigate in my opinion, and quickly found the Joyce quote:
Illustration/quote from brainyquote.com
Here are a bunch more quotes. Read and enjoy. I included the specific link to the site for each quote if you are interested in learning more about the author. The quotes aren’t organized in any specific way.
“Do right. Do your best. Treat others as you want to be treated.”
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”
“Don’t lose sight of feeling good about yourself and you will never hunger for true friends and a rich life.”
“Believe in yourself. Think and say: ‘I am. Therefore, I am! Friends accept me for what I am, not for any materialism on or about me, whether ragged or luxurious.'”
Richard Rex (friend, writer)
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
“Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it’s business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don’t love what you’re doing and you can’t give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You’ll be an old man before you know it.”
To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
What in the world is the Hood to Coast (HTC) Relay? If one of my runner friends or myself is asked that question, or someone gives us a blank look when we say that we’re running the relay, that person may receive a blank look in return. Kind of a “how come you never heard of it look”. It is after all the world’s biggest running relay and billed as “the mother of all relays”. I should also tell you that there is a walker’s relay from Portland to the Coast.
For the uninitiated, the HTC Relay has over 1000 running teams. Each team has 12 runners that run 3 legs each for a total of 36 legs over a distance of 198 miles. The team uses 2 vans with 6 runners in each van. The start is at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood and the finish is at Seaside on the Oregon Coast. We tend to think of it as one big party that lasts 2 days.
Imagine if you will, thousands of people, runners and walkers in all shapes and sizes, some very fit, some fast, and some not as fit and not as fast. That really doesn’t matter. HTC is actually unique, kind of crazy, and fun, although requiring some physical effort, but the HTC addicts keep coming back every year.
The Team: Experience & Guile
Here is a recap of my team’s experience in the 2015 HTC relay. Experience & Guile (E&G) has been together as a team for several years, and we look forward to doing the relay every year. It’s kind of like a family reunion where people we haven’t seen since the last year get together. Sometimes because of injuries or scheduling conflicts, E&G has different people on the team from the previous year. Our “home base” at the beach is provided by one of the runners, Randy. He didn’t run this year due to an injury. His house is unique in one respect; it has a John Malkovich bathroom. I won’t explain, you’ll have to ask someone on the team.
E&G at Pig n Pancake
Day 1: On the Mountaintop
Typical scenario for my team – Van 1 meets at someone’s house, loads up the gear for the first rotation, and heads up to Mt. Hood. On the way now, we can see the mountain in the distance, always inspiring. Soon we’re on the road leading up to Timberline Lodge where the relay starts. We have to check in with our required gear, vests, and lights for running at night. With a little time to kill before our team starts, we take Arlane over to the lodge to give her the nickel tour of the great building built in the 30’s. We take a few pictures of the group and Arlane gets ready to do the first leg, the infamous HTC leg 1 with a nearly 2000-foot change in elevation over 5.4 miles. The trick is to take it easy and not push the pace; just let gravity do its work. The next 5 legs went fine. It was sunny and warm. We handed off to Van 2 in Sandy. They were raring to go. We headed over to Loraine’s house to get cleaned up, eat, and grab some sleep before it was our turn to run again.
Scott at the helm in Van 1
At the Beach
So you get the idea of how it all works – after two more rotations and 35 legs, on the 36th leg the entire team joins up with the last runner to run across the finish line. This year because of a big storm, we weren’t able to finish on the beach. No matter, now it was time to party with the whole team together at the beach house with some pizza, beer, and wine.
Wow!
A Few Take-aways
For the uninitiated, running or walking the HTC Relay might cause you to wonder about the whole thing. Even if you are a runner or walker in your everyday life, why would you want to stay up for 30 hours or more with very little sleep, eat minimal or crappy food, be all sweaty and jammed together in one vehicle (actually I like that part), and you have no chance to really stretch after each leg. Hard to explain, but maybe you should get on a team and check it out next year.
blazinbernie
Looking for a Rufous 