Well...It Happened

Yesterday's blog post hit single digit views. 

Funny, because the post the day before that did really well. For the past year, I've been flirting with view numbers in the teens. Would I like to have view number in the dozens like I one time did?

Sure.

Is it worth worrying about?

Not really.

I've explained several times since I started this blog back in 2011 the reasons I write and more importantly, why I continue posting a blog on a daily basis. I write this mostly to keep writing. A bad habit a writer can have is to stop writing. By making sure I write everyday, that habit can be held at bay. Plus, I consider this blog to be sort of a journal and a wise man once gave wise council that we should keep and write in a daily journal. I do that on paper, too, but the electronic one allows me a level of creativity the paper one does not.

As long as writing daily is my goal, the fact that others may like reading it is a bonus. Now, I know these posts can be a bit dry...a nice way to say boring. I came to terms with the fact that some (many...) of the posts are boring. I try to make them as interesting as possible, but, well...that's the way it goes, sometimes.

I suppose that's why only getting a few views from yesterday's post caught my attention. I liked writing yesterday's post. It was fun writing about Chums eyewear retainers because I had a history with the man who invented them and how I'm not the kind of person who uses them as they were intended.

Still, I can't let it get to me. Since I had fun writing it and it's a journal entry, my main goals for putting in the time are already completed.

Sometimes I wonder, as I write a post (like this one...), just how many people will find it interesting enough to click on the link. Who knows? It might even be less than seven. ;)

Maybe I'm Not The CHUMS Target Demographic...

 "I think I'm going to get these," I told my wife when we were in the eye doctor's office. 

"Why? What are you going to use them for?" she replied.

To be honest, I wasn't sure other than I had a pair of Chums decades ago and I liked the only remaining pair at the office...red, my favorite color.

Then, it came to me. I had an idea of why I not only wanted them, but needed them. I have such a light prescription, I don't wear my glasses when I'm at work, but once I leave my office, I do. So, I thought I could use the Chums Eyewear Retainer to hang around my neck when not in use and quickly put them on when I need them.

Not a bad idea.

And it worked well. The Chums did exactly what I wanted them to do. After a while though, I found some issues with my brilliant plan. First, when wearing the glasses, I felt like I have a ponytail. I haven't had that feeling since 1984. Then, and perhaps the biggest issue, while I'm at work and the glasses are resting on my chest, the lenses become exceptional crumb catchers. Anything falling from my face lands on the glasses. Not a big deal, but annoying.

If you understand the purpose of Chums, you know I'm probably using the product incorrectly. Years ago I met with the inventor of Chums, Mike Taggett. It wasn't quite a job interview, more like a "get to know each other" meeting. I found him interesting and kind. He explained how Chums came to be and his thoughts and views for the future. If you don't know, he invented Chums to keep expensive sunglasses on your face. As a river runner in Southern Utah, he saw many sunglasses go flying as they raced downstream, the glasses never to be retrieved. 

Brilliant idea.

I don't use Chums to keep my glasses on my face. My work does not call for such protection. No, I use them because I'm too lazy to keep picking them up, putting them on, then taking them off again when I don't need them.

I don't think I'm the target demographic. I'm not outdoorsy, and I find myself rarely running on streets or down rivers.

I'm glad I bought them. They're making me be more careful when I eat. Plus, they're red...my favorite color.

Who Knew, So Many People Know About A.B. Wright...?

 Who knew?

Certainly not me.

I'm relatively new to our local congregation. I haven't been to the meetinghouse as much as I normally would, due to covid and all, but I try and go every week. Yesterday, as I walked through the halls on my way to the chapel, I noticed a painting. Funny, how I never saw or acknowledged the painting before because it's a BIG painting. It's so big, the only way I could get most of it in one shot was to stand off to the side and hope for the best.

This particular meetinghouse is of cultural significance to the community. It's almost 100 years old so when I saw the painting it seemed normal for a significant piece of art to be found inside. I spotted the signature in the painting's lower right corner, snapped another picture, and thought it might be a good "Pic Of The Day" candidate.

So, last night I posted the picture, then did a little research on A.B. Wright.

Whoa!

Wasn't expecting what I found.

I also wasn't expecting the response I received on social media. Turns out, many know much more about the artist than I did. I found an article written years ago from the Salt Lake Tribune about Alma B. Wright You can access the story by clicking: HERE. Since much of his famous (or, infamous...) exploits are in the story, I won't go into detail here. Needless to say, he led a colorful life.

I have many social media friends, several of whom are artists. They knew who he was. I even had a friend who is a descendant of the artist and own original art from the man. That is very cool.

When I started posting a picture a day on social media back in 2011, I just thought it would be a fun thing to do. Actually, I wanted to make sure I didn't lose my love of photography by forcing me to take at least one picture every day. I didn't know I'd find out about some important Utah history and how the art--and artist--are viewed today.

Give Thanks...To Know Them Is A Gift

 A social media friend posted recently that his daughter passed away. I can think of nothing more cruel than to outlive your children. It's something I would not wish on my worst enemies and it's something that haunts me when I consider the future.

His daughter had severe medical conditions which led to her passing. 

My work involves working with a sector of the population that many don't see...not because they're not there, but because people choose not to see them. They're the handicapped, the disabled, those who are not like us. Of course, that final phrase, "not like us," is as offensive as anything that can be said. I've not had someone with these conditions close to me in my life so I can't say I understand what life for the families and friends is like. I do speak with the parents and friends of those who do.

Humanity often looks at itself in terms of eliminating imperfections, as if we can remove the unpleasantness of life simply by wishing it gone. Does that include those who have physical and mental issues? Some would think so. But, speaking to those parents, they know things, have lived through things those of us without their knowledge and experience will never know. The people they care for are not just special, but exceptionally so.

I'm thankful for their example. When I get off the phone after a short conversation with a parent or sibling or friend, I have an admiration for them I can hardly understand. I'm thankful for their strength, their patience, the love they show for others. I can imagine no greater love.

I don't know if I'll get a chance to speak to my friend about his daughter. I know that many can't imagine living the life he and his family have gone through. I'll bet, if I asked him, he would say it was worth it, because he knew her and loved her.

National Dog Day...2022

 I'm one day late. If you spent any time on social media yesterday, you may have seen posts with the #NationalDogDay tag. I usually don't pay attention to National Days because there's so many of them. Pick something and there's a national day for it.

But, I decided to add my post to the others.

Dogs are just that important.

We've got a good one. I'm sure millions of others can say the same thing. Our dog is a standard poodle and a rescue. We got him four years ago and our family's not been the same since...in a good way. He's actually my son's dog, a companion animal for him, and for us, I suppose. Our first family dog was a shih tzu, much different than a poodle. Each have their strengths and weaknesses.

After having a small dog, we couldn't imagine having a large dog. A poodle is by no means the largest of dogs, but it's big for us. He's big enough to steal food from the counter and socks from our closet. He loves our yard now that we've installed a fence and he's loyal beyond my understanding.

Just as I cant't imagine our family without our dog, I can't imagine this world without dogs. They are our protectors, our companions, our confidants, our therapists, and our friends. They will seek the approval and love of people who abuse them. They seem to live only to serve. I'm speaking in generalities, of course, but it feels that way.

Humans have, at least in our society, set aside one day to honor dogs. I believe they deserve much more than a day.

Best Story From The Box Elder County Fair Parade...Part 2

 

Day 2 of what I considered the best thing we saw at this year's Box Elder County Fair Parade. 

I call it, "The Face Fish Fake-Out."

The float was from Miller Gas Company. Apparently, they've been hooking people up since 1928...quite a legacy. I wasn't sure what their "hook" was until after the float passed. It was then I spotted a little girl throwing a fish to the crowd. Then, the fisherman would quickly reel it in so no one could take it.

It was literally, the fish that got away from everyone.

I don't know if I've ever seen a parade where more candy was thrown. There was so much candy, even though kids lined the street, there was still candy on the road as float after float passed adding even more candy with each vehicle. We also saw each kid with shopping bags full of the colored sugar treats. Their haul rivaled a Halloween cache.

We sat near the front of the parade route. I didn't see anyone "catch" the fish. I'd imagine that in the mile or so they had to travel, it's likely someone got a hold of that fake fish. 

If they did, they'd surely have a tale to tell.

Best Story From The Box Elder County Fair Parade...Part 1

 Yesterday, my family went to a parade. I'm not the biggest fan of parades. Usually parades are held during the hottest part of the year. I prefer not to be in hot weather. Parades are usually too long and, well...in a word, boring. 

Full disclosure--we went to the parade yesterday because my daughter was in the parade. The gym where she works had a float and we wanted to support her. We're glad we went. I took several photos of the parade, of the horses, the tractors, the high school floats, the grand marshals and basically all of it.

There were, however, two floats that my family and I felt were the best. This is about the first one.

We hired Mike Norr Plumbing to put in our water softener. They were great, professional, timely, and their work came at a fair price. We noticed a classic van headed down the parade route and I spotted the company logo right away. But, it was what the employees of Mike Norr Plumbing were doing that really sealed the deal. Instead of candy, the employees were throwing out...

Toilet paper.

Classic!

In fact, we loved it. 

I didn't get a chance to make eye contact with one of the throwers (as everyone parade goer knows, that's how you get stuff thrown to you...) so we missed out on taking home a much more practical and useful treasure from the parade. Sure, there were tons of candy thrown along with frisbees, beer can coolers, t-shirts, even fly swatters, but the TP was the best.

Tomorrow, I'll include our second choice for best story from the parade. The first one was pretty darn good.

Time To Bring Out The Big Gun...

 Funny how I don't remember things that happened just last summer. Take, for example, bugs in our backyard. It couldn't be as bad as things are this year. Then I remembered trying to manually turn off our irrigation water after a storm...

The mosquitos...

They attacked, just like they're doing this year.

Yes, because of the wet summer we've had (and I'm SO grateful for the rain...), the mosquitos have been terrible. Things have changed in our backyard this year. Because of the fence, we're able to have the dog outside with us. Because our dog is very intelligent, he guilts us into going outside to play fetch every night and since we enjoy playing fetch as well, we go outside each night.

That hasn't been the case this past week. We step onto the lawn and they swarm, biting pesky mosquitoes attack which sends us and the dogs running.

We bought a product that says it works for twelve weeks. We sprayed and saw an immediate reduction in bugs. That lasted about a week. We got a few storms and, bam--back came the bugs. I spotted a bug zapper at Costco and we decided it was worth the price to try it, to try anything.

The jury's out on the zapper's effectiveness. We know it's working because it traps the bug corpses beneath. But, will it do the trick? We hope so.

Because we didn't get to the garden in several days, our cucumbers exploded. They're supposed to be picked when they're three to four inches long...not three to four inches thick. Of course, in time, the bugs will no longer be a problem. By then, it might be too cold to play outside...

Except the dog. He'll always want to play.

Sorry County Fair...I Needed More Time

 It's all my fault...I should have known better. I should have known it would take more than a weekend to have someone take the digital photos I wanted to enter into this year's Box Elder County Fair and create submittable entries for the event.

I take total responsibility.

I blew it.

We go to fairs. We're a fair-going family. We tried to go to every Davis County Fair when we lived in that particular county. It was free, after all (you just had to pay for parking...). 

Funny how things are looked at differently depending where you live. Now, there is no Davis County Fair. It has ceased to exist. It's now called the Davis Heritage Festival, but it's no fair, not the way I remember the fair as it was once held at Lagoon, and then at the fairgrounds a few miles away. 

Where we now live the fair is so important, they do not start public school until after the fair is over. When ANYTHING trumps public school, it's a big deal.

When we went to the fair last year, we admired the photo exhibits, among other things. There were many excellent photographs and this year, I wanted to join their ranks. I picked out a couple of photos from the previous year, then I went to see if I get the photographs printed and mounted before the deadline. The only problem is, I waited too long. It would take a week for them to print and prepare the photos. I only had days. In fact, the deadline for submission has just passed...it's officially too late.

I decided to learn from this experience, learn to do more research, to be more prepared. I don't know if I can use the same photos I planned on submitting this year. If so, I'm good. And who knows? Maybe I'll take better photos in the eleven or so months until the fair flags fly again.

Looking For Beta Readers...Anyone Wanting To Have Some Fun

I'm looking for people who might be interested in reading an as of yet unpublished original work. I started it probably a decade ago and finished it last year. Since then, it's been doing nothing but sit in my computer, and I'm sick of having projects just sit when they should be worked on and released to the public.

A little about the story--it's about a newly-called Relief Society President, a mother of small children, a Canadian now living in the United States. The title of the story is, The Ward Witch. If you're familiar with my religion, the calling and the title of the book mean something to you.

Yes, it's about a witch.

Yes, she's in a ward.

Hopefully, I have piqued your interest. If so, and you'd like to read it and give constructive feedback, please let me know, either as a comment, or as a direct message from the various social media sites where I link my blog posts. As far as timelines, I'd love to get your feedback as soon as possible, but I understand we all have lives and responsibilities that take priority.

Be ye warned--the story has not been professionally edited, plus, I have grammar and spelling issues (this may not be new information if you've read my posts on this blog...). Add to the fact that the subject matter may be a tad, shall we say...controversial--this may not be something you'd like so I can understanding on passing.

But, if all those things sound fun and you enjoy a challenge, please let me know. I hope to get you the story out in a few weeks for your reading--and critiquing--enjoyment.

The Ward Witch...a grand adventure.

 

Give Thanks...For Wild Turkeys

Yesterday morning my wife and son were driving across the county when we came across a flock of wild turkeys crossing the road. Yes, it was turkeys crossing the road, not chickens. I'm still confused as to why. As we approached, they returned to the tall grasses.

I don't believe I've ever seen even one wild turkey, let alone a flock of turkeys in the wild. I said this to those in the van, to which my son said, "Why do people live in the city when it's so great here?"

Of course, it's one perspective.

And I can think of millions, if not billions of people who could see the very same thing we saw and think to themselves, "Why do people live in the country when it's so great in the city?"

Of course, it's another perspective.

It got me thinking. It's actually not about where you live, but how you accept where you live and accept the life you have. 

I'm glad to hear my son likes where we live. We made the decision to move a couple of years ago and without other options, they sort of had to come with us. Luckily for us, they looked forward to the move and have enjoyed living at the top of Utah (latitudely speaking...) ever since. We can ask them if they like living here and they've said they do, but they could just be answering the way we want them to answer.

I'm grateful for the wild turkeys (not the liquor...). It was fun seeing them and finding out what seeing them means.

Missing My Sister...On Her Birthday

 It's strange how you cannot know the future, no matter what some may say or think. In May of last year, we gathered as a family at the cemetery, a tradition we've done every year for decades. We didn't know a year later, instead of visiting just my parent's graves, we'd be visiting my sister's grave, too.

Today's her birthday, the first those of us left behind will experience without her. 

In the little more than a half century I've been on this planet, I've lost parents, cousins, uncles, aunts, close friends, and now a sibling. I know dying as as much a part of life as being born, but it's strange still on this side while others are on the other.

It's a new reality for our family, spouse missing a spouse, children missing a mother, grandkids missing a grandma, friends missing a friend, brothers missing a sister. 

We began with five of us, dad, mom, and three little kids. We lost our patriarch shortly after we three kids joined the group. We then went more than thirty years before we had to plan a funeral. In those thirty-plus years, we never knew when our visit to the cemetery would be the same or different from year to year.

It's my sister's birthday today. We are missing her today, as we have since she passed. And we'll continue missing her every single day.

Rooting For The Home Team...Even Though It's Not MY Home

When news broke that my hometown was getting a high school, I thought I might become a supporter of the future school.

Turns out, I really didn't.

Oh, I like the idea of supporting the school, and especially, the school's sports programs. Back in the previous century, I attended many games and even ran track as a student at Dear Ol' Davis High School. And, over the years, I covered high school sports as a reporter for the now defunct Davis County Clipper. Unfortunately, the paper no longer sails.

The school was built and students arrived. They joined clubs and choirs and bands and teams. Tonight, KSL broadcast the Bountiful (formally, the Braves...) Redhawks as they took on the Farmington Phoenix (which is also plural...). I watched the game. Farmington dominated. I have no alliance to the school other than it's my hometown, but it was still nice to see them win.

The biggest reason I never attended a game or became a supporter is because my children--who would have attended the school---were homeschooled. They were never Phoenix, so in a way, Farmington High is the same as Bountiful High or Woods Cross or Viewmont, or Layton, Clearfield, Northridge, Syracuse, and the rest.

I think I'll always root for Davis. Turns out, I like watching Farmington win, too.

 

Clean Shaven...With An Added Touch

 It was time. It needed doing, so last week we got the dog groomed. The first dog we had was a Shih Tzu and due to her having hair and not fur, she needed to be groomed. The second dog also needs grooming, only he's quite a lot bigger.

We dropped him off, then came back a few hours later to pick him up. We did not expect that added touch from the groomer. I guess life is like that, sometimes.

I've often wondered what would happen to fur-less dogs if humans weren't around. All the other dogs would be okay, I suppose. But, Shih Tzus and Poodles, and the others, they'd be in trouble. We have bred dogs that are completely reliant on humans for their survival. It's sort of a strange thought.

The groomer said she picked up the ties as a fun thing to do for her clientele (and their dogs...). It was a nice surprise.

I guess life is like that, sometimes.

Ever Wish You Were Taller...?

 I was cleaning out my office the other day (okay--looking for something in my office...) and I found an old selfie stick. I wondered what the view would look like if I were nine-feet tall. Of course, I had to find an attachment because this particular selfie stick was built assuming my phone had a headphone jack.

After more looking, I configured my camera, raised the phone, and snapped the picture. I found it interesting. If I were as tall as Goliath, this would be my view in our hallway.

It got me wondering...

Ever wish you were taller?

We live in a strange world. With the click of a button, we can see people from all over the world. We can see their homes, their jobs, their families, their hobbies, basically how others live. If you're not careful, a person can get pretty depressed wishing we lived other people's lives. Not only do we wish we were taller, but richer, better looking, have better hair (ouch...), or any other traits others have that we don't.

One thing I seem to always forget is we only see what others want us to see. If I went around all day and posted pictures if I were nine-feet tall, people may or may not think I was actually that tall. I wonder if one day when we're able to know all things, will we find out half the stuff we believed was never actually true?

Possibly. 

I guess the trick is to keep things in perspective and enjoy the blessing you have. I mean, being nine-feet tall must be a pain in so many ways. ;)

Had No Idea What To Expect...Ended Up Having A Great Time

 Something on the Box Elder County Instagram post earlier in the day caught my attention. 

Saturday, August 13, 2022, 9AM 4H Dog Show in Small Indoor Area

We thought we'd give it a shot.

We're glad we did.

I thought the 4H Dog Show in Small Indoor Area was exactly what it turned out to be...kids showing off their dogs and their dog-controlling skills. But, it could have been anything, As soon as we stepped in the fairgrounds building, we knew what it was...all the apparatuses gave it away.

We arrived a little late so we didn't see all the competitors. We did see some short dogs, and some taller dogs. After each group, they announced to the helpers to raise the jumps higher and higher. The next group of dogs set about to run the course in as short as time as possible, all the while obeying their trainers.

I've only seen this type of competition on television. Must have been the big leagues because the dogs on the TV really flew. Of course, these were highly trained animals no doubt competing for cold card cash and prestige. We saw kids and dogs competing for ribbons and pride.

I think I liked the version we saw better.

Glad I found the info...glad we decided to check it out.

What Is It About Rainbows That We Just HAVE To Photograph Them...?

 We drove home last night from an event. A storm had just passed through the valley dropping much needed rain on homes, crops, hospitals, even roads. As the storm moved east, the sun set in the west. When you come between light and moisture in the air, that's when you get rainbows.

My wife spotted an incredible double rainbow first. I was driving so I couldn't get any pictures of the event. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't capture the moment on my phone, but I was happy to see the beautiful rainbow shining brightly over Cache Valley.

Fast forward about fifteen minutes and fifteen miles. We crossed over into Box Elder County, crossed both the Bear and Malad rivers, passed through Riverside and drove up the hill to I-15. We turned south and that's when we saw it--stopped traffic and emergency vehicles. 

Looks like the rain caused more than light manipulated through prisms.

The little orange cones were placed there by emergency workers who attended the injured. Right before we reached the wreck, one of two ambulances took off for the hospital only a few miles down the road. Because we were stopped, I was able to snap a picture.

It's not the best photo of a rainbow. Thousands (maybe, millions...) are posted every day that equal or better my own. I wonder if those in the crash saw it. If so, I hope it made their terrible situation just a little bit better.

Since we could not assist the workers or the victims, I could take a simple picture. There's something about rainbows...it seems we must take their picture. We have no choice.

Give Thanks...Honoring Family

 My wife and I stopped by the cemetery last week--we had some errands to run in our old home town. While I was at the cemetery, I picked up a couple of pieces broken off from my parents's headstone and took them home. My mom hated that headstone. She told us many times. When my father passed away in 1974, the city cemetery changed their rules...no raised headstones. There were hundreds of raised headstones in the cemetery going back to the mid-nineteenth century. Begrudgingly, my mom ordered the headstone and abided by the rules.

Then, the city changed the rules.

I don't know when, but at some point, the city changed its mind--raised headstones were now permitted in the cemetery. I believe my mom considered getting a new headstone and having it placed on their plots. 

Cancer claimed my father and a different cancer took my mother thirty-three years later. As she got sicker, and it became evident she would soon follow her late husband, we discussed getting a new headstone. With the sale of her home, we'd certainly have the means to do it. She considered it, but asked that we leave the original one. She thought it would be a waste of money. "Just leave the one we got," she said. 

So, we did. We left the one she picked out for our dad and they carved her name and date of passing next to his. It's been fifteen years the two have had their names together on a rock.

Turns out, my mom's getting a new headstone anyway.

We gathered as a family a few months ago on Memorial Day. A few weeks later my niece sent the family a picture of my parents's headstone. Something crushed it, splitting it down the middle...basically, destroying it. My brother called the city. They apologized and said they would take care of its restoration. My brother contacted the company that we used almost fifty years ago and they are making a new headstone using the original as the pattern.

I've always loved that cemetery. Even though we no longer live five minutes away, it's still hallowed ground. I'm grateful there's a place we can go to remember them, to honor them. I'm also grateful to the city for stepping up and fixing the issue. Sorry, mom...it's not what you wanted.

Then again, it sort of is.

So...You've Got Yourself An Orb Weaver

 It must have been there a long time. By the time I saw it, the web was huge. Not just the web...

The orb weaver was, too.

Full disclosure...I am not a fan of the eight-legged living organisms that are out there. However, I do understand how important spiders are to all life on this planet. Without spiders, humans would have a much harder time surviving. I am very please this thing is living outside and not under the same roof as me and my family.

I did not know the type of spider this was so I posted a picture on social media with a simple question: Does anyone know what kind of spider this is?

I received the obligatory funny responses, which I do appreciate. My social media friends did come through for me. They identified the spider as an Orb Weaver. With a little more research I discovered these things make amazing webs. When the light allowed, I could see the web and it was incredible. I also discovered non-aggressive and not dangerous to humans. These are two traits I like in a spider.

The spider is not in our house but is currently living in the window well outside my son's room. My son seems okay with having this creature only a few feet from him when he sleeps. That might make me a tad leery. 

I should say, even though spiders are not my favorite, this thing is stunning. It's beautiful. And, I know how important it is not only in the ecosystem, but it's eating a ton of bugs, bugs that try and bug us. Thanks everyone for helping me get to know this little critter better.

A Tale Of Two Washing Machines...

 Years ago, my wife said to me after I returned from thrift-store shopping with the very item I told her we needed, that when things like that happened, it was fate. It could be a crock pot, or an arc welder, a line trimmer, or a tuxedo...it almost doesn't matter what it was, when I came home with the very thing I told her I wanted to find, she knew. She knew there was some unknown power making possible me to find what I wanted. As if, we put it out into the universe and the universe responded.

We sort of made it a family joke...if I needed something, we'd announce it to the cosmos and just wait.

Funny thing...when you use a home appliance for almost two decades, it's bound to fail, and sometimes those failures are spectacular. Case in point, our washing machine. It's been a workhorse since we bought it eighteen years ago. Almost every week we did laundry, at least three loads. And it worked great. 

But when you hear those gears grinding and it no longer works, it's time. 

A week ago today, my wife and son and I loaded up the van (complete with our dog...) and searched the valley for yard sales. It had rained the night before and storm clouds were still in the sky overhead. We drove to the usual Yard Sale Sign locations and could only find one. We decided to give it a shot since we'd struck out everywhere else.

The yard sale wasn't much. In fact, the woman said she was only putting out a few things to sell because her daughter was having a bigger sale the next day and she didn't want to haul all the stuff over to her daughter's house. She actually apologized for the lack of things to look at.

"Oh," she said. "My neighbor is selling a few things next door. There's a wardrobe, a wood chest, and a washing machine."

My wife, son (not the dog who was in the van...), and I all looked at each other, shocked at what the lady just said. We walked over, checked out the machine, and asked what she wanted for it.

"My ex-husband stored it here and it's been sitting in the garage for a year. He said it worked when he brought it over." The neighbor thought for a moment. "I really don't feel like I can charge you for it since I don't know if it actually works, so if you want it, you can have it."

We were blown away.

We loaded it up, brought it home, cleaned it up, hooked it up, and tried it out. It was a little squeaky, a little buggy (with actual bugs...), but it worked like a charm.

I know putting things out into the universe doesn't happen every time, but last week, it certainly worked.

Man...I've Missed These Sunrises

 We're still getting monsoon moisture in our area which means, in addition to the much-needed rain, we have clouds in the sky...clouds at night, in the morning, and during much of the day. I worked with a guy years ago who was a photographer. He said something to me once while showing me some of his work, something I've never forgotten.

"I take pictures of clouds. Clouds make a sky interesting."

It's true. I love a clear blue sky, don't get me wrong. Yet, clouds really give personality and life to a sky. Because of the recent weather patterns, we've had morning clouds. Morning clouds usually result in exceptional sunrises. This morning another of those incredible sunrises, views from my office window that my phone camera cannot adequately capture. 

Since this is the second summer where I've worked from home at this new location, I'm getting used to the seasons and when the sun rises now as opposed to the fall, winter, and spring. Right now, the sun hits my eyes around 6:45am. On the longest days of the year, the sun can rise before I get to my computer.

Last summer, I experienced the sunrises for the first time. Each morning was something new. Several times, I actually left my chair and opened the front door to try and get a picture worthy of what my eyes saw. The sunrises were so amazing. I'm looking forward to more of this as the days get shorter and the sunrises come later in the morning. It makes getting up for work a little better.

I've missed these sunrises...I'm glad they're coming back.

The Eternal Question...Who's Weeds Are They?

 Oh, I suppose it's not the eternal question, but an eternal question. I took a philosophy class at the University of Utah (and passed with my faith intact, if not strengthened...). There are several eternal questions discussed in that class, but tonight as I straddled the property line separating our lot and my neighbors and pulled weeds, I wondered...

Who's weeds are they?

The assumed answer is ours, of course. Instead of grass or some other ground cover, we decided to place rocks in the few feet separating our driveway and our neighbor's lawn. It's too steep on our side to grow grass and I didn't want to run sprinklers on that side of the house so rocks it was. I thought--problem solved! Of course an occasional weed will pop up from time to time. I can handle a few weeds.

Turns out, it's more than a few. I remember talking to my neighbor and letting him know of our intensions to spread rocks between our properties. He said it was okay--if he had an issue with it, he didn't tell us. Tonight as I plucked pesky weed after pesky weed, I wondered...are these our weeds or his? I mean, they're right on the line.

The back half of our lots are fenced. He installed his last year. We followed suit this spring. There's a distinct line separating things. If a weed grows on our side, it's ours. But, where there is no fence, it's up for discussion.

I guess, at the end of the day (and the property line...), they're our weeds. The reason is he planted grass. His grass stops weeks from exploding--sort of like a natural fence.

I could be a jerk about things. I choose not to. I'll pull them. I guess the question isn't as eternal as I thought.

The Homemade Pickle Makes The Meal...

 Summer...we eat differently in the summer. We make fewer hot meals in the evening because of the heat, which leads to fewer leftover meals for lunch. I find myself making more sandwiches at lunch time than at other times in the year.

But, this year, there's something new...

Homemade pickles.

You probably didn't know this, but my wife is an award-winning pickler. It's true. She earned that distinction decades ago when our church congregation had a cooking contest. She walked away with the best pickles. Though the ones she made recently are not the ones for which she won the award, they're darn good.

And, yes...they made the meal.

Last year we had a home garden, but we didn't take full advantage of the space and did not get a jump on things early enough in the year. This year, we've tried to be more proactive. We planted a lot of cucumber plants and they are producing a lot of vegetables--got to use them whenever possible.

I am a pickle fan so I'm happy about the development. We're hoping to harvest other crops from the garden, especially tomatoes, which, by the way, are excellent on sandwiches.

I wonder if they make the meal, too.

Participated In A Book Giveaway...Thanks Dave

 Saturday morning, before the community farmer's market (that was canceled this month, by the way due to the rain...), my wife and I visited our little post office. We had to go in the morning on Saturday because it closes at noon. It's a small but effective concern located in the heart of the town.

Usually, when we go inside the post office, there's a line of people waiting to be helped. I suppose the heavy rain kept everyone inside their homes. Worked for us, because I had to mail out three copies of my novel, Chaser to three lucky giveaway winners. Unfortunately, the two winners from Canada had to settle for e-books. It's almost a crime how much they charge to ship a book north of the border. 

The reason I participated in this book giveaway is due to a friend, Dave. Almost all local speculative authors where we live know Dave. He's one of those writers/mentors who gives up his time to help other authors in their quest to create. He's a rare breed, a selfless person who is not only one of the smartest people I know, but an incredible writer.

For the past couple of years, I've hovered within two worlds, creatively speaking. Sometimes I'm a writer, and other times, not so much. Since moving I haven't dedicated as much time to writing as I once did. I realized years ago that the chance of me becoming such a popular author that I could "quit my day job" and write full-time more than likely wasn't going to happen. It's one of the harsh realities every new writer experiences. They enter the world of writing and find it's different than what you see from the outside. For many, it's enough to cause them to stop writing all together.

Still, others solider on. They must write, must create and nothing--not lack of income or success--will stop them from writing. 

This past weekend I did writer things. I caught a glimpse of that life and if felt good. Thanks Dave for pushing me and for including me in the adventure.

Give Thanks...When The Last Turns Eighteen - Children No More

Thanks to modern technology, I was reminded that five years ago on 8/7/17 my family went bowling. Not so unusual for a family to get out of the house and heat and chill trying to knock over ten pins at the end of a long wooden lane. 

We didn't go just because...we were celebrating my youngest's 13th birthday.

Today, we did not go bowling (not a big fan of doing things on Sunday...), so we went yesterday. The family got together and went bowling to celebrate our youngest's 18th birthday.

We are officially no longer parents of "children." Of course, they'll aways be our children, but in the eyes of the law, they're adults. Such a strange feeling. It's been just over twenty-seven years since we were not parents to an under-eighteen-year old child.

Five years ago the bowling alley where we bowled was new, flashy. In the adjoining rooms you could play laser tag, video games. Outside there were go-carts and miniature golf. Fast forward five years, where we celebrated had a bowling alley and a jute box. That was it. We've changed locations, changed environments. So much has changed for us. We've added a daughter-in-law to the family and everyone is older...hopefully wiser. One thing's for certain--our bowling skills have not improved. If anything, they've gotten worse.

I thought five years ago, I couldn't have loved my family more. Five years have shown me I was wrong. I have no idea what the next five years will bring. I'm sure it will be filled with the highest highs and the lowest lows...such is life. I'm grateful for these people, the ones who have filled my existence with joy and pain, strengths and weaknesses. Happy birthday to the youngest, young no longer, a child no more.

Real Life...Bonafide...Newspaper Comics

 Yes...it's true.

The Harold Journal newspaper from Cache Valley includes comics in their editions. And not just one page of comics, no sir-ee. They've got two pages of comics.

The way things used to be.

We stopped subscribing to a newspaper years ago. We got the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News for decades. Then...nothing. I don't know what caused us to cancel. There was probably a rate increase and we felt it wasn't worth it. Plus, we had towers of papers stacked up in various places around the house until finally we dumped them all in the recycle bin.

It's just the way it was.

When we moved north, we thought a good way to get to know the community was to subscribe to the town's newspaper. The be honest, it's not much of a newspaper in the technical sense. It's printed once a week and sometimes it's only eight pages long. A couple of pages for the main stories, two pages dedicated to sports, a commentary page, an obituary page, a page for ads, and a TV schedule page. I'm not knocking the paper--I think it's a minor miracle it's even published at all. I applaud those behind it. There's just not much there.

Last month we were stopped by a man signing up people for either the Ogden Standard Examiner (we used to subscribe to it, too...), and the Logan Harold Journal. We thought we'd give the journal a try. We got the first editions this week. They have comics.

I used to read the comics religiously. Sometimes it was the only part of the paper I would read. It's been so long since we've subscribed to a paper with comics, I wasn't sure it was still a ting. The Harold Journal has them. There are comics I know and remember and some I've never heard of. I think it'll be fun getting to know those characters all over again.