Ice and helping hands

The past week here in Florida has been a bit off for me. I had been unable to make a new blog posting until tonight because I was pretty much bed ridden for nearly 5 days this past week with excruciating back pain and spasms. Then, a highly unexpected and unusual winter storm hit our area Monday evening and is still with us. Florida is not known for having sleet, ice and snow but we have gotten a good dose of at least 2 of those 3 the past couple of days. Our temps today never got above freezing so all of our roadways and bridges remain iced over and very dangerous. It has been quite an experience for the locals for certain and also for those who have been removed from snow and ice for a while. Florida does not have the capacity or materials such as salt trucks and plows to keep roads clear, so the whole are has been pretty much at a stand still since Tuesday mid-day. Our roads melted briefly this afternoon but with temps down into the teens tonight they are simply freezing back over forming black ice. Tomorrow's transit should be interesting!

During any natural disaster or unusual natural occurrence, be it ice and snow in this case, a hurricane or even flooding, you always hope that you will be "okay" and won't find yourself in trouble or in a tough spot. Many drivers today had to venture out on the ice laden roadways to get to work or even to check on family elsewhere in the area. Although authorities called for a shut down of our 2 adjoining counties and their activities, people still found the need to go out and about. For us here, our roads are now pretty much cleared up. I took a short trip this morning about 7 a.m. to snap some photos of our little downtown area. I can pretty much guarantee that the events of this week will not be repeated in my lifetime, so the opportunity to document it was just too much to pass up. I made the trip to downtown, about 4 miles away, and was able to capture some of the first untouched areas of town. Our trees were all white with ice, icicles were hanging off of street signs, billboards and even our gazebos down at the Riverwalk. My outing went off without a hitch and i came home with a few good shots. Let me share a couple with you.

Our little town is nothing spectacular but on the quaint meter it would rank a solid 6-7. To most of the world, these pictures are far from impressive but to those who live here though, they are quite exceptional. This hasn't happened here to this extent in decades. Anyway, all throughout the past 2 days there have been people that the local news station highlighted as Good Samaritans. Over in Pensacola about 20 miles from us, there was one man who sat in his truck with a winch and tow strap at the top of a somewhat steep incline. Many many cars attempted to go down the slope and even come up the hill only to slide off of the roadway or just come to a halt right in the middle of it all. This great guy would hook to their vehicle and get them either off of the road out of harm's way or back on the straight and narrow and off on their way once again. He did this for several hours this morning and saved a lot of people from being in a pile up. Major thanks! Throughout the day there were other "heros" that the news team caught in action also. One man was from West Virginia. He was donned in nothing more than a tank top and shorts. When cars near him slid off of the road or became unable to gain traction, he would stop his truck, put on the flashers and go physically push people's vehicles back on steady ground or get them going again or even volunteer to drive their cars to get them going again. He saved a lot of lives today and made a whole city smile with his selfless generosity.

I was unable to get a picture of him in action myself, but again, another Good Samaritan. As all of our bridges on the interstate and those crossing the creeks and bayous remain closed tonight, maybe seeing this capture from our local news station about him will make you smile.

What a blessing!! The entire day was filled with persons just like this guy who went above and beyond making a positive difference. For us here at home the past 2 days, we have pretty much stayed close to home and enjoyed each other's company. I am a pretty creative person which means I often come up with things that the normal, everyday person won't do or even think of. My son and I were bored, he was bouncing off of the walls and my wife was just kind of shaking her head, so I thought what better way to pass some time than to do something to get his attention and burn some energy. I dug around and found my Halloween costume from last year and put it on. As soon as he saw me wearing it he had to immediately go find him. So here we are, both wearing costumes. Now what? Well, we decided to wrestle around a bit while mom took advantage of definitely unique photo opportunities. He wore his costume all yesterday afternoon and all day today! I guess this goes to show that a little creative thinking goes a long way. 

Today as we watched the news and played outside we realized that even in the midst of all this crazy Florida weather, we could still have fun and pass the time with flair. Well, as we were sitting here this evening watching the news once again for updates on school closings, business shut downs etc. I thought I had better go outside and double check that our faucets were still flowing. Surprisingly I found one of our spigots not running. It had frozen solid already!! A little ingenuity and a little time spent and it was soon flowing again. We got little man into bed and settled in for another cold night here on the Gulf Coast and I sat down to write this post. Reflecting on the day and all that I have seen on the news channels, the things I witnessed today and on what lies ahead tomorrow, I can't help but count my blessings. This winter storm has been an inconvenience but it could have been and could still be, a lot worse. I see the northern states and those in the mid-west and wish them all the best in their, truly, disastrous winter weather. Well, my coffee cup is nearing emptiness and so am I. To wrap this post up, let me just affirm how important is to make the best of whatever life throws at you. Tomorrow is always another day and we have no real way of knowing just how different that coming day can be. As the sun rises tomorrow, look for the best in the day, and as Jerry Springer always says, "Take care of yourself, and each other."

Flight of the Birds

I have always admired the beauty of birds in flight. The grace, precision, and fluidity of their motion is breathtaking. One of the best places I enjoy going to watch birds in flight is at the beach not far from our home. On Monday the cold weather let up a little  and we were able to go to our favorite place, the beach, and spend a couple of hours. Whenever I or we get the chance to enjoy the beach, I always take chips or crackers to draw in the seagulls. I can't explain what it is about them that so fascinates me but I can express how much I love to watch them in flight. Monday morning, the temps were in the upper 50's into the low 60's. There was a pretty consistent west wind that was blowing which made the day a tad cooler than we would have liked. Looking out over the water, it was sheer majesty in motion. The waves were rolling in nicely and with a glorious sound that soothed the soul.

Although the waves were on the smaller side, there was plenty of activity to be found. Ghost crabs were scurrying in and out of the surf while others were just content peaking their heads out of their holes in the sand. Sandpipers were scouring the sand for a little bit of breakfast. There were only a few other people who had ventured to the beach on this cool morning and even fewer seagulls. There was one that was visible and he wouldn't come any where near us. Well, as I always do, I went into our snack bag and pulled out some barbecue potato chips. With one quick toss of a handful of chips into the air, the masses came flying in. I am so amazed that even when there are no gulls in sight, within 2 seconds of casting something into the air that looks or smells like food, seagulls come out of the wood work!! My son and I began to feed them handful by handful, watching as they flit about so skillfully maneuvering between one another. As my son enjoyed the frenzy I grabbed the camera in hopes of a few good shots.

 

 

 

 

I was not disappointed! Of the 30 or so seagulls, there was no lack of chatter among them. Some offered up the traditional caw while a few more aggressive ones made a clicking machine gun sound. In times before we have been able to actually get the birds to eat right out of our outstretched finger tips but not today. With larger pieces to offer I am certain we would have had some takers in that manner. We continued feeding them, admiring the skillfulness of their flight. Having lived in Pensacola, Florida for the past 20+ years I have seen my share of precision flight by way of the famous Navy Blue Angels. It is no wonder why the Wright Brothers and others engineered aircraft after watching the movement of birds. No amount of training could ever elevate man's ability to a tenth of what nature has given these creatures. My wife laughed then and again as I would let the birds settle off into another area and then walk quietly behind our son and throw chips into the air right behind him. In that instant, it was nothing but birds, birds, birds surrounding him. I was very proud that he wasn't afraid and more or less just stood there in awe.  

 



 

 

 

As he and I enjoyed the morning, mom was wrapped up like an Eskimo chilled by the wind. You know, I kind of expected she would possibly be a bit chilly but what I didn't expect what was showed up amongst the birds. Out of nowhere, a pigeon, yes, a pigeon landed right in the middle of all of the feeding gulls and sandpipers. I have been in this area and coming to the local beaches since the late 80's and I have never seen a pigeon on the beach! Granted the mainland isn't but a couple of miles across the intercoastal waterway but this blew me away. Seeing this pigeon seemingly right at home among his beach living counterparts led me to thinking. Why is it that we tend to pigeon hole people in the same way sometimes? You know what I mean. We see someone of a different race or from a different area and we condemningly think that they are "out of pocket." Nature has proven once again, that even we can be a bit narrow minded and jaded in our perceptions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, we made mom endure the coldness of the wind long enough and it was time to pack up our gear and head back home. Again, the beach, our beach, gave us a restful, restorative experience and for that we are grateful. The sun shone brightly, the sand was clean and squeaky under our feet and the whole of nature sang us their song. From the lapping of the waves at the shore with their roar of entrance to the caw of the birds, this day had been another to add to our string of memories. Whether we lay in the sun and soak up our vitamin D, feed the birds or I cast a line into the Gulf of Mexico, we can always count on the beach to be our pristine vacation, if only for a little while.

 

 

From our family to yours, I hope that the warmth of Spring finds you soon and that the grip of cold and winter fades as quickly as it came.

 





A Product of......

Before blogging, social media sites, or even mainstream internet and mass corruption in Hollywood, there was the 1980's. Everyone has that era that they grew up in that they swear was the best ever. For many it is the 60's or 70's and for even some younger folks it was the 90's. I spent my best years attending middle and high school during the 1980's. Were they perfect years with perfect memories and perfect everything else? nah, but they were pretty darn cool! For me, looking back, I really cannot see myself spending my teenage years in any other era of history. As an adult though, I would gladly go back to the 1800's where you traveled by horse back and you used oil lamps and outhouses. Where men could defend their honor and their families right then and there with the aid of a Smith & Wesson and do so without any direct legal red tape processes. But, I've gotta say, the 80's were very good to me. 

Every decade has its distinct music, movies, political figures, world events that shapes it and the decades to follow. No one can deny that fact. I admittedly am a bit biased as far as the 80's go. I think the best movies, like Top Gun, The Breakfast Club, Back to the Future and others, the best musical talent, like Guns and Roses, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Heart, and the best days all came from this decade. I know, not everyone will agree with me and I welcome that difference of opinion. There seemed to be such a pride in our nation, a joy in the heart of the common man and a hunger to excel that has not since been duplicated. Oh, the stories I could tell! Beyond the "things" that the 80's brought about, I still hold dear to a couple of things that are totally unique and priceless. While attending middle school I met a guy named Fred. To this very day we are still best friends. We have been through SO much together. My freshman year of high school, I met another guy named Michael. and like Fred, to this very day WE are still the best of friends. These "things" are honest to God, long lasting, life time friendships. 

The three of us, grew up living life to its very fullest with no regrets, no fear and believing that nothing could stand in our way. In most cases, we were right. We dated the same girls, drove our cars too fast, took risks, made some poor choices, but back then that was okay. I'm not condoning breaking the law by any means, but it was a time that was safer, more stable and you could actually trust your neighbor. I miss those days from time to time. I see television shows and movies today that more and more show perversion, vampires, death and violence and it is all made to seem normal and acceptable. Alf, Growing Pains, even MTV taught lessons that made us think and made us aware of the dangers of poor choices and also the benefit of wise ones. The music wasn't all consumed with having sex and being high and drunk. You didn't see Twerking and the Dougie back then! I admit, today's stuff isn't all bad. There are some really great programs, media, literature and ideas that have great merit and value. Yet, I am old school. I believe in family values and in the ability of the person to have some moral fiber about them, to stop and help the person with car trouble or to spend a few bucks and take groceries to that single mom who lost her job. There are a lot of people out there just like me. For that I am glad. 

Technology of today affords us so many more avenues to do good, connect with people and make a difference. Without Facebook, for example, I would not be able to stay in touch with my northern cousins and their families that I didn't see or talk to for 20 years. Without the convenience of email, I wouldn't be able to send a note of encouragement to a friend in an instant. Without Skype, I would be unable to see the faces of people I love, watch them smile and share their tears. Today is not that bad. Yea, we have challenges with the economy, government, each other, yet we as a people, human beings, continue to seek out the best in one another. So, although you will often find me tuned in to Pandora listening to 80's music or watching re-runs of Magnum P.I., I am happy to be where I am, in this era, this decade and thankful. Whatever YOUR favorite time has been, don't let that go. Hold on to it and treasure it. By doing so, that further makes you the person you are today. And I like that person you are!! 

Falling off the horse

After 2 weeks of unusually frigid temps here on the Florida Gulf Coast, there was a slight return to normal weather this past weekend. Temps today were close to 60 degrees with partly cloudy skies. I had really been hit with cabin fever with the weather of late so today I decided to go out and do something that I enjoyed. We attended a birthday party for one of my son's friends Saturday and while we were there I ran into a friend who used to let me come down to his place and ride/work with his horses. I hadn't been down there since moving back from Tennessee but once and, even then, I felt a bit out of sorts. Bill told me the horses missed me and to please come on down. So, today I made the decision to venture into the outdoors, enjoy the much improved weather and go visit the horses. 

When I used to go a few years ago, Bill had this one horse that I loved to death! His spunk and stubbornness reminded me of a horse I owned over 10 years ago. From day one, Sport won me over with his arrogant nature, his speed and his curiosity. Showing up to see him today after several years being remiss, I wondered how well he would remember me. Horses are pretty darn good at remembering all sorts of things, good and bad, so I was pretty optimistic.  My friend had said that Sport had been kind of sick and in his stall a lot lately and that keeping his weight up had been a challenge. When I pulled into the barn area today I spotted 2 horses by the fence and 2 beside the barn. I got out with my bag of goodies and a couple grooming brushes and set out to find my buddy. The first place I went was to the nearby fence to greet the 2 horses there whose eyes were locked right on me. They were hesitant of course but let me rub their ears and love on them a bit. I went on into the  barn looking in the stalls for Sport. He was nowhere to be found. My heart sunk. I rounded the corner, went through the gate and found 2 horses I had never seen before. One, a paint filly and another a mare. Sweet as they could be. I took a minute to feed them a couple of baby carrots and was then off into the fields. Way out in the distance I saw this horse lying down. It had to be Sport, I thought. As I got closer, I realized I was right.

When you walk up onto any horse, especially one that is lying down, you need to have good awareness about you. Although, I have been around horses and owned them throughout my adult life, my skill at identifying their body language proved a bit rusty. This became apparent quickly when Sport decided to get up rather quickly and retreat a bit. I pulled out my baby carrots and began talking to him like I used to, calling his name and whispering reassurances. My heart was pounding with excitement! I took my time approaching him. Within just a minute or so he was eating out of the palm of my hand like a day had never passed. What a sweet reunion. I spent the next hour and 1/2 with him and the other horses this morning, pacifying them with snacks and goodies as I tried to brush out their manes. It was a glorious time of therapy for me. I think it was for them as well. 

As the rain clouds grew closer, I knew my time there was wrapping up for the day. I said my goodbyes, gave each horse one last carrot, a rub on the ears and a kiss on the nose. When I got back in my truck to leave I knew, I knew that I had let myself fall off of the horse, not literally, this time anyway, but figuratively. Yes, I had to stop coming to see Sport a few years ago because I didn't have a vehicle to traverse the road down to the pasture. And yes, I moved away for 2 years. But yes, I had not made a solid effort to "reconnect" in the past year since I moved back. This is the horse I had fallen off of. It had been a choice. Looking back over the past year, I would say a bad choice. Granted, Sport and the other horses don't need me to sustain their daily lives, but at the same time, what a better year might I have had, and them, if I had come back to the pasture sooner. I wonder. There is no time to cry over spilled milk the saying goes. This is true. The joy I felt today is something that I am determined to repeat and often. I messaged Bill thanking him for the opportunity and trust in me once I got back home. I also told him I would be back soon. This time I meant it. 

My whole point of today's post is kind of a wake up call. When there is something that you enjoy, something that makes you feel complete and happy, something that may make someone or some thing feel the same way, don't make excuses! Get off your back side and just make it happen! Sure, in today's world finances are tight for everyone. Time is tight for many as well. You cannot put a price on sanity and therapy is expensive! I spent just over a dollar on carrots today. Everyone can spend that or a little more and use that in your escape. You may be saying that, you don't like horses or don't like to fish, or camp or go to movies or whatever. That is okay. My whole thing is, find something that calms you down, inspires you and brings you joy. Maybe it's reading my blog! lol. I leave you this evening with the unparalleled truth that if you take care of your body and mind, 99% of the time you will be a much better person for it day in and day out. I close with the old adage, "Take time to smell the roses."

Abondoned

When I mention the word abandoned, what do you think of?  What comes to mind, first?  Let's look at the definition of "abandoned" and ponder this together.

a·ban·doned

  [uh-ban-duhnd]  

adjective

1.

forsaken or deserted: an abandoned building; an abandoned kitten.

2.

unrestrained or uncontrolled; uninhibited: She danced with abandoned enthusiasm.

3.

utterly lacking in moral restraints; shameless; wicked: an abandoned and dissolute ruler.

Alright, so abandoned has its initial meaning that resonates with most of us at first thought: forsaken, deserted. Hmm, we can work with that!  

In our lives we come across many many things that are abandoned in our world. Abandoned buildings, vehicles, towns, people, job positions and so on, are everywhere we look. In our own homes we might have abandoned things like CD's, movies, items of clothing, shoes, small appliances and even things much larger like our dreams and each other.  These can either come as an oversight, a misplacement or even an intentional denial. A discussion of these items is definitely something that should probably be done,  but let's save that for another day. What I want to hit on today can be found in the picture clue below. Yep, you guessed it, books!!  To say the least, books are amazing. Within them we can find so many things such as new knowledge, adventure to far off places and times, disturbing realities and even things we already knew. 

I don't know about you, but I was never a big reader growing up. I wrote a lot of stories, drew a lot of pictures and dreamed a lot with a ton of imagination in tow. Yet even in college I wasn't and avid book reader outside of the plethora of text books I HAD to read. Since reaching the age of being responsible, I still don't read like I know I should. However, there are a great number of books that I have purchased with the intention of reading them to digest their information and knowledge but have yet to do so. Seeing them on the shelf or in one of my cubbies now makes me think of what exactly I have abandoned within those unread pages.  Am I missing out on concepts, ideas, thought processes or other things that could benefit me? Am I slapping these authors in the face by buying their books and then never reading them?  It makes me wonder and makes me curious all at the same time. So, as someone who thoroughly enjoys writing, it would only make sense that I should commit to reading more. More information to share, more experiences, feelings, emotions, can only be beneficial to a so-called, wanna be writer, don't ya think?? 

As I took time to browse through some of these misfit books on my shelves today, I opened a few of them and began to read. Maybe only a page or two in this one and maybe a chapter or more in that one, but it made a difference. My definition of abandoned began to change. If you scroll back up and look at that definition again in its entirety, you may notice definition number two. This approach to abandoned is totally different than that first. Like dancing, or singing or frolicking through a field on a warm day, having that type of abandoned is a good thing! It is not a neglect or a shunning spirit but more a hunger, and appetite that is unbridled. THIS is the way I now want to approach reading. The books on my shelves, even though not all, now have begun to look like a buffet of awe. I am thrilled! For someone who has been well intentioned for years now but has rarely acted upon that as far as books go, I now am being converted one word and one page at a time. I remember the last book I read in its entirety. I was entitled Walk Across America. In a nut shell, it is the story of a man who spent years walking across all the different parts of America. He documented those whom he met, things he experienced and even wrote of the things that scared him to death. This was a great book!  After reading it, I thought, no book could ever be this interesting or engaging to me. Sitting here right now as I write this post, I am anxious to seek out yet another book that draws me in like that one did.  

I want to issue a challenge to each of you reading this post. Go look on your own shelves, in your own night stand drawers or even on the shelves of your local book seller and FIND something to sink your teeth into.  Be abandoned in this pursuit. Throw caution and doubt to the wind and delve into pages that have been crafted with care and deep thought. Enjoy the fruits of their labors. I am. Even at this moment a book came to mind that I purchased probably 7 years ago that I now have no clue where it is. I must find it. I must search until its hard firm binding is resting in my hand. What book is it? It is called The Reign of Iron. It is a historical account of the first iron clad ships in American warfare, the Monitor and the Merrimack. It is an amazing glimpse into life aboard told by members of the crew. Yes, I must find this book and again commence on the journey found within the lines of its chapters. So, it is getting late in the evening and bed time for some is not far off. What better time to settle in with perhaps a cup of hot tea or a cup of coffee and just................read.  You and I both may be pleasantly surprised what we discover!

Nuts and Bolts

So, you might be wondering what exactly does the title of this post actually refer to........I'm glad you asked!

After having been in this great, crazy old world for almost 45 years now, I 've discovered quite a few things. The one major theme that surround everything and includes US are the nuts and bolts. All around us are items, buildings, vehicles, structures etc. that are constructed with some type of nuts and bolts. These fixtures hold things together, help them function and ensure that they are usable. When you think about it, people are no different. No matter our ethnicity, our physical make up, our emotional state of mind, our education or our geographic location, we are all uniquely crafted. We are made up of so many different factors yet we are designed to function. Like cars, old bicycles, and machines, there will always be nuts and bolts that need replacing or tightening. How this ongoing "maintenance" happens is varied. We are human being are just the same. Throughout our lifetime, no matter how long or short, there are many variables that keep us fluid, functioning and even rehab us when necessary. I know in your mind right now you are probably thinking of a hundred different things that do this for us as people. 

These are just a few that

• Friends
• Family
• Jobs
• Beliefs
• Morals
• Ethics
• Hobbies

 popped in my my head as I am writing this. When you REALLY think about it, no 2 items are ever exactly alike. On an assembly line, even though the same materials are used over and over and the same machines do the same task over and over, there will always be slight differences in each individual item. Again, people like you and me, average everyday people, have those differences too. I grew up in a household with parents who were musically talented. My Mom played piano and sang and my Dad sang, directed music and played the trumpet. From the age of 3 on, I was encouraged to find my musical side, and I did! I have always been so thankful for that gift and for parents that fostered that within me. I digress. The point I want us all to remember from this post is, no matter if we are musical, artsy fartsy, a brainiac, or simply eclectic, we are different. Having iterated that once more, let me follow that with this thought. Back to maintenance. People need maintenance. Maintenance of our emotions, our physical bodies, our minds, and perhaps even our surroundings. We never know how long we will be on the Earth and never know what or whom will cross our path. That is a good thing!! Not only should that fact keep us on our toes, it should encourage us. As I am starting to wrap this up in my mind, I cannot help but think of people, places and things that have helped to "maintain" me. As we all know, there are good forms of maintenance that has a great result and then that which is less than perfect and that can also leave us worse off than before. That is okay. Our bolts that have been broken off due to neglect or mishandling, our nuts that have gone missing and our over all functionality will change day in and day out. Keep smiling in spite of it. To coin the expression, Tomorrow is another day, boasts true. 

We know what is best for our person. We know what people, surrounding and input best suits us. Now, in closing.........We also know, if we dig down deep within ourselves, what maintenance we can provide to others. Yes, others need maintenance too! See, there is our family that we hopefully have a close enough relationship with that we will bend over backwards to help them. Then there are close friends to whom we give a listening ear or advice and encourage. There are acquaintances to whom we offer a smile or a thumbs up or a like through social media. Then there are also strangers, people we have not even met as of yet. What can we do for them? How can we be a help and not a hindrance? THESE are the things I want to leave with you. Those 2 questions. Times of introspection are often some of the best times we can choose to have. Within these times, if we embrace them, we can find new hope, new ideas and even ways to refresh ourselves and rehab from within so that we are certain to help others and not be an object of stumbling. 

NOW,

Go, seize your day, enjoy the choices you make, and choose wisely the paths you take, step by step.