Blinders

Do you remember in "Gone With The Wind" when Rhet Butler was getting Scarlet out of a burning Alanta during the Civil War, he put a cover over the horse's eyes so it wouldn't shy from the flames? Do you remember in the "Jack The Ripper" movies how the blinders on the side of the horses eyes limited their pe-rip-heral vision to prevent them from being distracted as the drivers negotiated the narrow, dark, shadowy streets of London? Do you remember when Benjamin Franklin invented the eye glasses? These glasses proceeded to give multitudes of people better vision. Let's say perfect vision. How shall we analyze this? How do you see life? Do you listen to others and form your opinions? Maybe you read a book or newspaper, and after all, it is in print it must be so method. Perhaps you need to see it first hand before you make a decision. Let's hope you don't form all your opinions from television. Do you think for yourself? Do you consider both sides of the story? Can you tolerate anyone who disagrees with your views? Can you work through differences with others with patience and understanding. Do you have patience and compassion for yourself and others? Are you judgemental? Are you quick to criticze others? Do you get angry when someone tries to push their opinions on you? Are you like a trickling stream that gently flows through life or like rapids the hit and bounce off of rocks damaging there surroundings with reckless abandon? How well do you see life? Do you fool yourself? Are you happy in your soul, spirit and heart? What blinders have you aquired so far. Has someone or something thrown the cover over your eyes? Do you have blinders? Yes. Love your neighbor as yourself. If you don't love yourself start there. Be content where you are, but, don't stop trying to be better. God loves you just the way you are. That doesn't mean you can't improve. Make everyday better for yourself and all those about you. Smile. Could this not be fun? Above all be patient and listen. We are all works in progress. What a challenge. How good can it get? "If thou wilt leave the past to itself, entrust the future to providence, and content thyself with conforming the present to holiness and justice," Marcus Aurelius, you will be well on your way. Not an easy task for those caught in the rapids. Gypsy and I are in the riffles somewhere. Gypsy and I watched the angel patterned lace curtains on the bathroom window sill of the cabin blow in the breeze. We heard the raindrops fall gently on the metal roof. We watched some ants skitter accross our kitchen counter last night in the dim cabin light. The wind whistled around the cabin widows, left open to allow the humid night air to visit us while we sleep. Summer is coming to the cabin Gypsy brought me her first tick of the season. The chiggers are relentless. We tell ourselves that this is ok, because they were here before we were. It,s not much help. Life holds the good, the bad, and the ugly. What are we to do with it? (Cabin Hill Country Wisdom) From the life rich cabin crew Cara, Gypsy, Rhubarb, Stella and Sam, Jane Doe and the Brassy Bunch

Cousin Bill

When I was growing up in Wauseon, Ohio, my life, and my two older sisters lives were enriched by a plethora of relatives. Wauseon is a small rural town where everyone knows everyone. As a child growing up there you were watched over by the entire town. It was safe for us to go anywhere. Our our favorite relative was our cousin Big Bill. I was probably ten or eleven when I first met Bill. He had some qualities, I now know were not admirable. I want you to know the cousin Bill I knew, so, these qualities will remain buried in the past. He came to us from our mom,s side of the family. Bill was a big man, tall and heavy set. He had a smile that would light up the night sky. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. When ever he came to visit mom, we kids knew we were in for a fun time. Bill had been in the United States Navy, but, was now a police officer in Wauseon. What passed for fun in the late forties in Wauseon, would pale in comparison to what we do today for fun.
After mom had fixed us all a lunch of hamburgers and fresh, green peas, Bill would take us for a ride in his big, black Buick. He would go North of town to the Fulton County Fair Grounds. The reason for this was because the road past the fair grounds had a steep hill, with a quick drop. We always went fast enough over the hill to take our breath away. We called it tickle belly hill. It was fun and exciting! We loved it. Being a police officer he probably shouldn,t have gone so fast. It was probably alittle dangerous for us kids. Atleast we thought it was. After a few trips over tickle belly hill we went to the local ice cream shop, Sterling Creamery for ice cream cones. Bill always got us big cones. What a treat! Life was good.
Bill was injured during the attack on Pearl harbor and died when the Edmond Fitzgerald when down off Whitefish Point on Lake Superior. When the winds of November came early. It is raining at the cabin and Gypsy is in hot pursuit if Sam and Stella squirrel. Hope to bake a chocolate cake today, for lunch and dinner. Sound good? Maybe the taste will remind me of ice cream cones from the past?

The Library of the Mind

Wow! Ask me or any other 70 year old a question. What can we remember? Alot! My mind works like a slot machine. After you pull the handle, things go by in a flash. Nothing is forgotten. You may need a reminder to remember. Sometimes that doesn't work. You just don't remember. The years go by fast and create the education you store in your brain. How fortunate we are, if most of the brains cedar chest is full of good stuff. Even though the tough times make us strong and create our charactor, we want to dwell in the good times. When you have wheels for feet, you life will cover alot of territory. It is important to see what is on the other side of the hill. It is not good enough to read what someone else writes about a place. You have to see it fist hand. We are the searchers. It is not that we cannot be content, we just know there is more. Life is an adventure and each adventure changes us and adds more books to our library. There is a gift hiding somewhere deep inside of you. It may try to surface now and then. You will be forced at some point to recognize you gift and pursue it. It will be your passion. With me and my spinning slot machine mind, many things fill my mind very fast. It was not until late in my life that my gift showed up. The visions that were given to me changed my perspectives. There is a plan for you. I did not see my plan at work in my life until I was in my 60's. Your prayers will be answered. Mind are everyday. Listen to the voice inside. Look for answers from within. Everything you want and need is there. The voice will come, sometimes like a soft breeze and sometimes like a hurricane. Take time to listen. May the Lord bless and keep you.

Chuck-Will's-Widow

The rain came again last night to our spot in the Texas Hill Country. Gypsy and I went to sleep with the gentle rain drops playing their song for us on our metal roof. We were up before sunrise. Gypsy makes a strange, squeeky, high pitched sound when she wants to go outdoors. It never fails to get me out of bed. How awful would it be when nature calls, not be able to go because you are not outside? Dogs don't like to soil their living area. So, we are outside in the dark. My second whip cream laced expresso is disappearing. The air is cool and damp on the cabin porch this morning. There is a candle burning in the small lantern on the table next to me. The flickering light from the candle dances around the porch. Gypsy comes up the two stone steps to the porch and starts to hunt for the biscuits I have hidden for her. An hour has passed. Suddenly, a bird calls. It is a Chuck-Will's-Widow. A first for the cabin. We are thankful for it's visit. What a treat! The black lace of the tree branches and leaves is just beginning to be highlighted against the pale pink and blue morning sky. Twilight has come to the cabin. The sky is clear. We will see the sunrise. Gypsy and I move inside the cabin. She takes a nap. I sit down at my old desk, next to the wood trimmed cabin window to write. As I look out the window, I see the woods sparkling from the sunlight reflecting off the moisture from the rain. It is beautiful. This moisture on the leaves shines like stars and sparkles as the breeze moves the leaves to and fro. Some leaves look like flashing, yellow, traffic lights. You can see the foggy, moisture laden rays of the sun as they find their way through the trees. The cobwebs are outlined by the silver moisture. A wet bug skitters through suns rays. The long, green grass has the look of a Winter frost. Drops of moisture drip from the trees shinning like stars. The woods is at work. Gypsy is outside again chasing squirrels. She wants one real bad. This will never happen unless the squirrel has a heart attack. Rhubarb and Al were here this morning. Jane Doe has only come to the feeding area twice. Don't use your well house for storage. (Cabin Hill Country Wisdom) Cara