graffiti on a cyber wall

01 25 10

Homemade black beans and rice

The sun was shinning brightly all day today. :-)
That crazy parrot over there banging his toys about

A friend emailed this to me.

Once upon a time in a far away place I lived in this song.



Good times, filled with love and rock and roll. Maybe I will again some day.
If not me, maybe you can make it happen.
Peace, love, happiness...they are easy if we all just believe.

What I am thankful for the week ending February 12, 2010

It didn't snow last night like the weather man predicted.
Friends who love me even when I'm not my best self.
A wonderful godson who brings joy and love into my life.
A new charger for my cell phone.
Music

Back in December, I posted a blog about trees.  Trees have been on my mind off and on ever since that post.
There have been many trees in my life, forests and individual trees.    They have provided shelter, fun, friendship, wisdom, counsel, and solace over the years. 

This is mostly about individual trees I’ve known over the years.

The first tree I remember was a giant fig tree in my grandfather’s back yard.   I’m sure it wasn’t as big as my memory of it is.  I was very small when I played in that tree and it taught me to love figs.

About the same time in my life I came to love the black walnut grove at my other grandfather’s home.  His trees were full of friendly squirrels he had rescued as babies from logging operations, hand raised, and released into the safety of his property.  They would eat out of your hand.   I played and worked around those trees and squirrels until my grandfather died.  He kept saving and releasing squirrels until the end of his life.  I learned so much about being in tune with nature there. 

I played in many forests as a child.  My parents moved often and every few years there were new discoveries to be made, new trees to befriend.   There was this mimosa tree with the lovely pink flowers and the grove of young pine trees where I used to lay and look at the clouds floating by, painting their stories on my imagination. 

The next single tree I remember was a giant oak in Smith’s Station, Alabama.   High up in its strong sheltering limbs we built a tree house.  Most of the tree house was a wooden boat we kids rescued from the local dump.   I spent several years playing in and communing with that mighty oak.   My secret sitting place was there with my friend the tree.

The next tree I loved was another fig tree.   Outside the second story window of my first apartment this wonderful tree provided its delicious fruit.   I would crank open the window, reach out, and find my breakfast.
There have been so many trees in my life: the bay tree where Bay, the horse, knocked me off her back.  She stood there under the tree limbs laughing, waiting for me to remount; the giant fir almost on the top of the ridge overlooking the valley that provided a nesting site for the Golden Eagles each year.  Then there was the Redwood grove where I felt I was in a holy place.   I camped there many times always reverently amazed in their awesome presence.

At my last home there were many old, magnificent, and powerful trees, trees that had seen so much more life than I had.  There was one I hugged all the time.  I would sit on the edge of the porch and talk with it.  If you can conceive of a tree being your friend then you know my relationship with that tree.   I remember its face so well. 

For the last 6 or 7 years there has been a shortage of trees in my life.  I think that says more about my state of mind than it does about trees.  They are still around, living, loving, and learning, while I am lost in my own thoughts.  It is time to go play with the trees again.

My Life, December 2009 from jr cline on Vimeo.

“The dao that can be spoken about is not the Absolute Dao.” ~ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/582901/dao

Today the heating repair person is ‘supposed’ to show up.   Never know about service people.   The auxiliary heating unit on the heat pump is no longer working as it should.  That isn’t a huge problem, but runs up the power bill.  I wonder if the repair person will try to sell me a new heat pump and/or try to charge for work I didn’t ask for.  Service people are always an intriguing adventure. 
He/she should make an interesting subject for photography at least.   I might even get a photo blog out of it.
 
Other things possibly on the agenda for today: 

Write and mail my parent’s bills.  It is odd people who are dead still have bills to pay.  
Write and mail my bills. 
Getting some groceries would be nice.
Put the battery back in my dad’s old truck and see if I can get it started.
Take a roll of plastic sheeting over to Christy and Jeremy’s.
I'll probably toss in a few loads of laundry throughout the day.
Call my brother.
Meet my ex and give her some things to take to our son.

On my not to do list for today:  (I’m sure I will accomplish both of these)

Cut the grass
Trim the shrubbery. 

1/04/10

What I am grateful for today

I had a very productive day at work today
My godson and his family
My children
Feeling needed
A new attitude about cold weather

1/05/10

What I am grateful for today

Red and black beans and rice with spicy sausage
The sun was shining today
The heat pump doesn't seem to be broken
Friends who invited me over....I should have gone :-(
Gas fireplace logs

1/06/10

What I am grateful for today:

Help moving furniture out of my parent's former home
The furniture went to someone who will love it
Good friends
My own washer and dryer
Being able to have this online journal

1/07/10

What I am grateful for today:

Seems the 'snow storm' predicted by the local weather service turned out to be a dude...AGAIN
Rain instead of snow
Happily adjusted to living and being alone most the time
I've almost got the November installment of The Days of My Life Video project completed
Red beans and rice in a peta

1/08/10

What I am grateful for today:

The ice has melted off the roads!
A wonderful afternoon and evening playing at my friend's home.
The sun was out shining beautifully all day.
A lovely sunset
Several opportunities to practice baby photography with my godson.   :-) 

1/09/10

What I am grateful for today:

It was a bit warmer today and the sun was out.
The ability to stay reasonably warm during this cold weather.
Friends who stopped by for a minute to pick up a photo cd.
A garden angel
Seasoned saltines

1/10/10

What I am grateful for today:

Related to the recent burial of my parents, I recently received a funeral home satisfaction survey from JD Power.  I find it in poor tastes myself.  However, there is some humor to be found in it as there is with so many things in life.

Examples of things I was asked to rate:

Compassion of the staff (hmmmm?  Is it real or is it...?)
Presentation of products offered ie caskets, urns, thank you cards, guest books (How good can a casket display really look?)
Clarity of information regarding pricing (Clear to a grieving relative?  I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense.)
Appearance of the deceased (Well, they looked dead)
The overall funeral home experience (Very sad)
Would you use this funeral home again (I certainly hope I don't have to use it or any funeral home again)
Would you recommend this funeral home (no, I recommend avoiding using a funeral home.  It isn't fun when someone dies.  Try to stay alive and away from them)
Did the funeral home call after the service to see if I was satisfied with their service (Like I would want to talk to them and be reminded of the experience yet again)

They also asked my age, race, and if I had purchased any prepaid funeral plans for myself. (Are they looking for potential customers?)

Life is strange and people are crazy.

Days of My Life November 2009 from jr cline on Vimeo.

October 2009 The Days of My Life from jr cline on Vimeo.