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“Good friends are like quilts-they age with you, yet never lose their warmth.”

January 25, 2017 3:38 pm / 3 Comments on “Good friends are like quilts-they age with you, yet never lose their warmth.”

Some of this was forwarded to me in an email and for those of you who fit the bill, so to speak, I’m sure you can relate. I love to share.

One of many made by Herself.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world, too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

old-friends-on-bench

Whose business is it, if I choose to read, or play on the computer, until 4 AM, or sleep until noon? That actually never happens in my case. I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 50s, 60s & 70s, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.

old-folks-dancing

I will walk the beach, in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves, with abandon, if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set. They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And, eventually, I remember the important things.

forgetfulness

Sure, over the years, my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break, when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody’s beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion. A heart never broken, is pristine, and sterile, and will never know the joy of being imperfect. You, mend a broken heart?

Miss you Maggie.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turn gray, actually bald and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

sma_dunway_burial_at_arlington_national_cemetery_2008

a Wiki image

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don’t question myself anymore. I’ve even earned the right to be wrong.

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day (if I feel like it).

eating-sweets

My only regret, is living in the Boon Docks and having to go searching for the high speed internet needed to get a Blog out!

18487107-high-speed-internet-speedometer-scoring-high-speed-illustration-design-over-white-stock-vector

Thanks Pinterest

The End is Near

December 31, 2016 9:15 am / 8 Comments on The End is Near

My wife has a cousin out in Louisville, KY (land of great Bourbon) who is always sending thought provoking material. Back in February of this year one such piece of Email held the below Old Man, Boy and Donkey story.

What a great time thought I, to share this on the eve of the new year. Who will we listen to, follow or be guided by in 2017? Or, as Polonius said in Hamlet, ” be true to thy own self.”

Will we be true to our own self as we cross our bridges throughout the year?

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids

AN OLD MAN, A BOY AND A DONKEY WERE GOING TO TOWN. THE BOY RODE ON THE DONKEY, AND THE OLD MAN WALKED. AS THEY WENT ALONG THEY PASSED SOME PEOPLE WHO REMARKED “WHAT A SHAME, THE OLD MAN IS WALKING, THE BOY IS RIDING.”

THE MAN AND BOY THOUGHT MAYBE THE CRITICS WERE RIGHT, SO THEY CHANGED POSITIONS.
LATER THEY PASSED SOME PEOPLE WHO REMARKED “WHAT A SHAME, HE MAKES THAT LITTLE BOY WALK”. SO THEY DECIDED THEY’D BOTH WALK.

SOON THEY PASSED SOME MORE PEOPLE WHO REMARKED “THEY’RE REALLY STUPID TO WALK WHEN THEY HAVE A DECENT DONKEY TO RIDE.” SO THEY BOTH DECIDED TO RIDE THE DONKEY.

THEY PASSED SOME PEOPLE WHO SHAMED THEM BY SAYING “HOW AWFUL TO PUT SUCH A LOAD ON A POOR DONKEY.” THE BOY AND THE MAN FIGURED THEY WERE PROBABLY RIGHT, SO THEY DECIDE TO CARRY THE DONKEY.

AS THEY CROSSED THE BRIDGE, THEY LOST THEIR GRIP ON THE DONKEY, THE DONKEY FELL INTO THE RIVER AND DROWNED.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY: IF YOU TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL KISS YOUR ASS GOODBYE.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Sent by a friend.

Isaiah 40:30-31

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

As you pour that first cup of Coffee on New Years day, know “The Rooster” is wishing all of you the very best in 2017.

———————————————————————-

(It is with special note that on this day my beloved signal carrier, Verizon, is sending a signal strong enough to post this dispatch from home. I am truly Blessed on this final day of 2016.) Ah- the joy of country living!

Let There Be Peace

December 26, 2016 7:55 pm / 3 Comments on Let There Be Peace

mil-airfields.de

My eldest child, a daughter, a former Air Force enlisted airmen, a retired Air Force Major, mother of two, a Doctor of Nursing Practice and presently a hospital administrator sent the following message to her team at work prior to the Christmas Holiday. I have her permission to share.

Team,

I have always enjoyed Christmas. For me it is a holiday filled with food, family and often many beautiful miracles. One of the best parts of Christmas, and this entire holiday season, regardless of religion is the sense of camaraderie and peace I often feel, something our busy lives don’t often have. One of my greatest memories of the power of peace came over 20 years ago and I was scheduled to work the week of Christmas. I was a young Airman, living in Berlin, West Germany behind the Berlin wall. My day to day job was to identify Russian or other communist aircraft and provide early warning to the field Generals so that we could deploy resources to prevent the Russians from entering Europe and invading. It was often a tense job. There were many times when we scrambled aircraft in light of a threat and worried that we may be entering into WWIII. One year, I learned that even for our enemies, there was the hope of something different. My first year in Berlin, Christmas Eve, I came into work for the 5PM – 5AM shift. As was typically the case, the other shift briefed me on the current state of operations, which areas I should be focused on and the current state of threat. It was not a Russian holiday, so there was no need to think the night would be quiet. I sat back, with my sergeant beside me watching and prepared for a night of work. As I sat there I noticed all the aircraft slowly returning to base. By 10PM, Christmas Eve there were no aircraft in the skies, the area was quiet. Out team sat there all night and watched a beautiful sight, an empty radar screen – for me – evidence of true peace, perhaps, world peace, as the two largest superpowers backed down and rested. For me, a young 19 year old away from home, this evidence, that at our core the world is good and peace is possible, if only for a short time, gave me hope…. which is what Christmas and this holiday season is all about.

Our world is crazy – we have struggled through an election that has divided us in many ways. Terrorists continue to try to impact our ability to feel safe. Our own lives and families struggle each and every day with many challenges, but this should not be what guides our day or our purpose. I encourage you to use this season, with your families and friends to share time, fellowship, and good food with each other, and reflect on what is truly important to you. Each of you are changing lives every day, providing our community with the gift of peace of mind, peace in knowing they are getting better support and healthcare, peace in knowing that they are not alone in their life’s journey. Thank you for all you do for each other, for our team, for our organization and our community.

May you each have a moment of peace in the coming days.

Kathryn

When does winter come?

November 22, 2016 3:04 pm / 3 Comments on When does winter come?

I’m walking about one day and a stranger approaches and asks, “How do you know when winter is coming?” Short of looking at the calendar, in 2016, winter begins on December 21, 5:44 A.M. EST. Learn more about the winter solstice, facts, and folklore! Check out The Old Farmers Almanac. http://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-winter-winter-solstice

However, around our house the way we tell when winter is getting close is by the Paulonia, or more commonly known name, The Princess Tree. When the first frost approaches the tree loses most of it’s leaves.

Yep you guessed it, I’m saying winter began on November 20th this year.

An old friend who is a lover of trees gave me a Princess Tree some years back. In year one it grew six or eight inches, during one of my late grass mowings I thought it had died. Yep, you guessed it, mowed that sucker down I did. The next year it came back with a growth spurt that was amazing. We got an early frost and I remember all the leaves just fell off. Every year since, first frost, down come the leaves.

So if you were to ask me when winter begins I’d say, when the leaves fall from the Princess Tree.

I just had to share our giant Maple Tree in all it’s golden glory.

The following on the tree is from Wiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulownia_tomentosa

Paulownia tomentosa is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.[7]

The characteristic large size of the young growth is exploited by gardeners: by pollarding the tree and ensuring there is vigorous new growth every year, massive leaves are produced (up to 23in/60 cm across). These are popular in the modern style of gardening which uses large-foliaged and “architectural” plants.

In China, the tree is planted at the birth of a girl[citation needed]. The fast-growing tree matures when she does. When she is eligible for marriage the tree is cut down and carved into wooden articles for her dowry. Carving the wood of Paulownia is an art form in Japan and China. In legend, it is said that the phoenix will only land on the Empress Tree and only when a good ruler is in power. Several Asian string instruments are made from P. tomentosa, including the Japanese koto and Korean gayageum zithers.

The soft, lightweight seeds were commonly used as a packing material by Chinese porcelain exporters in the 19th century, before the development of polystyrene packaging. Packing cases would often leak or burst open in transit and scatter the seeds along rail tracks. The magnitude of the numbers of seeds used for packaging, together with seeds deliberately planted for ornament, has allowed the species to be viewed as an invasive species in areas where the climate is suitable for its growth, notably Japan and the eastern United States.[8]

The Paulownia tree

Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual

Common Name: Princess Tree

Scientific Name: Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Sieb. & Zucc. ex Steud.

http://www.se-eppc.org/manual/princess.html

Only 48 hours until Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Proclamation

Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go. Washington

Where are your priorities?

November 19, 2016 9:08 am / 6 Comments on Where are your priorities?

Last Sunday’s sermon at church addressed our priorities in life, specifically Christ and family. If we put Christ first and follow with family, everything else should fall into place. I just absolutely loved my granddaughter’s blog which I shared in my last posting. God and family are right there at the top of her priorities, and yes she is the “storm.” If you haven’t taken a look at her blog or my share, take a minute and do so. So young, so busy, so focused on priorities.

Back to the Sunday sermon. What is important in your life? I can’t do that right now, I have to mow the lawn. I’m sorry, maybe later, the ball game is coming on. Let’s do that some other time. And then of course there’s the computer, and all of it’s distractions.

None of us is perfect, but we can always check in with ourselves to ask: Is my relationship with my God as good as it can be? Do we communicate? Is my relationship with my child as good as it can be given any major differences we may have, and if not, what can I do to make it better?

Well, the deliverer of that sermon used Harry Chapen’s “Cats in the Cradle” lyrics to highlight what too busy is. I want to share it. I want to make time.

Time passes quickly, don’t let it slip by you. Encourage the young, check on the elderly.

Cats in the Cradle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etundhQa724

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say, “I’m gonna be like you, dad
You know I’m gonna be like you.”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when
But we’ll get together then
You know we’ll have a good time then.”

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, “Thanks for the ball, dad; come on, let’s play
Can you teach me to throw?”

I said, “Not today, I got a lot to do.”
He said, “That’s okay.”
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed
And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him.”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, dad?” “I don’t know when
But we’ll get together then
You know we’ll have a good time then.”

Well, he came from college just the other day
So much like a man, I just had to say
“Son, I’m proud of you. Can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
“What I’d really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later; can I have them please?”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when
But we’ll get together then, dad
You know we’ll have a good time then.”

I’ve long since retired, and my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind.”
He said, “I’d love to, dad, if I could find the time
You see, my new job’s a hassle, and the kid’s got the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you.”

And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
“When you coming home, son?” “I don’t know when
But we’ll get together then, dad
We’re gonna have a good time then.”

Songwriters
CHAPIN, HARRY F./CHAPIN, SANDY
Published by
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Growing up and attending Sunday School I will always remember the following song which I’d like to share.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CBtA1A-cR8

Jesus loves the little children

All the children of the world

Red, brown, yellow

Black and white

They are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children

Of the world.

Jesus died for all the children

All the children of the world

Red, brown, yellow

Black and white

They are precious in His sight.

Jesus died for all the children

Of the world.

Jesus rose for all the children

All the children of the world

Red, brown, yellow

Black and white

They are precious in His sight.

Jesus rose for all the children

Of the world.

My thought on this, if Jesus can do it, can’t we all do it?

From the Rooster’s Hutch to your house, Happy Thanksgiving to all.

http://www.ckhcpa.com

Finally a Post

November 17, 2016 12:37 pm / 2 Comments on Finally a Post

I look at the calendar and see November 17, 2016. I check back to my WordPress account and see my last post was written on October 14. So much has happened in the short expanse of time and nothing has gone to print.

ebwhitewritingquote

I reside in the middle of nowhere. Like, nowhere is there high speed internet. The best I can do is a Verizon Mi-Fi with the closest tower five miles away as the crow flies. I’ve mentioned this frustration numerous times in the past. Thank the good Lord my daughters are within 3.5 and 11 miles and afford me the opportunity to use their internet to download mail and to post blogs. Still, I hate having to leave my home writing venue to do this.

11/11/2016

Earlier today while my wife was at the Lions Hall making the cream for the Mac & Cheese to be a part of the Lions Beef dinner this weekend I started to do some online things. Just checking my email was a lost cause. It was Soooo slow that I packed up everything and headed to the 3.5 mile internet connection. Thank you Kathryn, Jeff and Abby. Libby (100 lbs. of Yellow Lab) has been well taken care of this afternoon.

Eighty seven emails were taken care, Blog follows were read and comments made where
pertinent. Now it’s time to review my journal and bring family and friends up to date on what’s been happening in the world of the Rooster.

Working backward today is Veterans Day. Congratulations to all who serve and did serve.

What Americans Don’t Understand About Their Own Military

http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2015/05/what-americans-dont-understand-about-their-own-military/112042/

11/10/2016

Yesterday was the 141st Birthday of the Marine Corps

http://www.military.com/marine-corps-birthday

A Family is separated

Last week my granddaughters husband was deployed to the sand. He and she are both Air Force Captains and graduates of the USAFA.

I’m including a couple of blogs my granddaughter posted, should give you some insight into their lives. Thanks for your service kids.

I Am the Storm

NOVEMBER 16, 2016 / C12SAMB

wp-1479248060939

Today, for about the 100th time, I was asked by a senior leader “How do you do it all ?” What he was referencing was me being active duty, Z being active duty and currently deployed, having 3 young kids, and being pregnant with our 4th. I laughed it off and he pushed, he wanted an answer, as did the 3 other senior leaders I was standing with. I told them we just do it (thank you Nike). It’s what we’ve always known and we don’t have a choice. We have to be great at our jobs both as parents, a couple, and officers in the military. That didn’t seem to pacify them. Here were three men, each having a minimum of 15 years in the military, wanting to know the secret recipe to having a successful family and career.

So here’s the secret recipe that I gave and it can be applied to everything in life.

1. We know that God has a plan and as long as we do our best it will come to pass. He also doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle.

2. We love deeply. We love ourselves, each other, our kids, our lives. Important note: Love and like are not the same thing

3. We accept everything we are given graciously even if it’s not what we had in mind. This is not always easy and at times, well most times, it takes a while to get the graciously part.

4. We will never sacrifice our family. “BUT Z is missing the birth of your child” they said. True, but Z has to deploy at sometime, he’s going to miss stuff. He also has to deploy to upgrade and to move bases. If he turned down this deployment that timeline would have been delayed and there is a high chance we would be stationed apart in the future because he couldn’t move with us. A small sacrifice to avoid a larger one. We also have done a lot to still incorporate Z intot he family even though he’s not physically with us.

5. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy and we don’t dwell on the hard. Are we in a constant state of survival mode? Some days yes. But what you see as survival mode is our normal.

So when I saw this quote I thought, I am the storm. I dictate how my family will live. I can control what I can and everything else doesn’t matter. So be a storm in life. That doesn’t mean be destructive without regard for others. Take control of your life and live.

-S

Veteran’s Day

NOVEMBER 12, 2016 / C12SAMB

This is the first Veteran’s Day that isn’t about getting as many free deals as possible. This one is about being thankful for the sacrifice of my husband and those like my husband. They give up precious family time to defend our country and all those who reside within its boundaries.

So…how’s it been as a 31wk pregnant mom of 3 kids 3 and under and a husband who is going for some months?

It’s been ok. Z’s mom was awesome and flew out to help with the kids so we could have some last minute couple time. It also allowed me to drive Z to the airport and not take church friends away from their families. M was adorable, she’s super smart (not just saying that because I’m her mom). She knew Z was leaving and gave him a huge hug and kiss. She is a great oldest child and big sis.

A and D have no idea what’s going on. A will notice in about a week that Daddy is gone (pray for me once that happens).

So what’s changed? I now keep my phone volume turned up at night or really any time I’m not at work. My home is also not as picked up as usual.

Here’s to a successful week 2.

-S

So now I feel better having gotten something on paper, so to speak. I close this post out and hopefully will get to something else I wish to share in the next 24 hours. As for right now, I’m off to Jersey Mikes for subs and then Walmart for batteries to light the Christmas candles herself is going to be putting in the window. And yes, I said Christmas Candles. We happen to put Christ in Christmas and if it offends you go read someone else’s blog.

A Friend Has a Reunion

October 14, 2016 11:09 am / 5 Comments on A Friend Has a Reunion

While herself and I were up in Canada, a good friend was traveling in Italy with a group of old friends from Kansas. Yes Dorothy, that Kansas. While I was busy posting our Canadian adventure she was posting her Italian adventure. I asked if it was OK to share her postings and she said yes. Thank you Nancy.

On 4 September, 2016 she posted:

Good morning.

Our flight over went well, although no sleep for the gals. We arrived in Rome, took a cab to our hotel, dropped off bags and hit the streets running.
Our hotel is very nice, rooms big, we took over one section of the building. Changed our clothes and headed to the open market. What fun. Found a curb side restaurant-free percheco while awaiting our table. Delicious pizza. And sat next to couple where hubby works for state department. Got lots of inside scoop re mother Teresa canonization. Then walked to Vatican to meet our guide Valerie. What an experienced docent. Got us by the long lines and our education began. What a wealth of info and art work.

Came back to the hotel and 4 went out to dinner. Some of us stayed in the hotel for dinner of choc chip cookies.

Had a good nights sleep and will meet Valerie again. Hitting the coliseum, forum, Trevi fountain, Bernini fountain of the 4 rivers.

We have filled our days full and will be ready to rest when we take our train tomorrow to Florence.

Cia

View from hotel, St. Peter’s, A special group coming into service. I vote nurse nuns

Hi, another great day in this beautiful city. A 7 hour walking tour including the forum, the coliseum, the Spanish steps, trevi fountain, the Jewish city and may other locations.
Gilato for an afternoon snack. Happy hour in our room. Then out for a fabulous pasta dinner. Our carafes of house wine were delicious.
We train to Florence tomorrow where we meet up with Ann, the 7th of our group.

We left from Monterosso and walked to Vernazza. My 60 year old friends and I are in good shape and it was a bear for sure.
We are at cinque terra on the Mediterranean. Quite the entrepreneur we encountered on the trail, gloves and all.

We took an in villa cooking class that resulted in 3 course meal-delicious. We are all going to take naps now

Needless to say, Nance and the girls had a great trip and reunion. Once again thank you for sharing. Your’s is my 101st post on Word Presss Nancy.

Only Ten Percent Of People Can Pronounce All The Words In This Poem

October 8, 2016 5:37 pm / 2 Comments on Only Ten Percent Of People Can Pronounce All The Words In This Poem

I love to write, have written much and shall pull some stuff with dust and cobwebs at some point and share. Herself will tell you I love to talk, she is write, oops, right. I am an engaging person who loves words, I want to learn everyone’s story and will also share my story when given the opening. When I read the following earlier today I just had to share.

How will you fare?

1473451042-lady54

Dearest creature in creation,

Studying English pronunciation,

I will teach you in my verse

Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.

I will keep you, Suzy, busy.

Make your head with heat grow dizzy.

Tear in eye your dress you’ll tear,

So shall I! Oh, hear my prayer.

Pray, console your loving poet,

Make my coat look new, dear, sew it!

Just compare heart, beard and heard,

Dies and diet, lord and word.

Sword and sward, retain and Britain.

(Mind the latter, how it’s written).

Made has not the sound of bade,

Say said, pay-paid, laid, but plaid.

Now I surely will not plague you

With such words as vague and ague.

But be careful how you speak,

Say break, steak, but bleak and streak.

Previous, precious, fuchsia, via,

Pipe, snipe, recipe and choir,

Cloven, oven, how and low,

Script, receipt, shoe, poem, toe.

Hear me say, devoid of trickery:Daughter, laughter and Terpsichore,

Typhoid, measles, topsails, aisles.

Exiles, similes, reviles.

Wholly, holly, signal, signing.

Thames, examining, combining,

Scholar, vicar, and cigar,

Solar, mica, war, and far.

From “desire”: desirable–

admirable from “admire.”

Lumber, plumber, bier, but brier.

Chatham, brougham, renown, but known.

Knowledge, done, but gone and tone,

One, anemone. Balmoral.

Kitchen, lichen, laundry, laurel,

Gertrude, German, wind, and mind.

Scene, Melpomene, mankind,

Tortoise, turquoise, chamois-leather,

Reading, reading, heathen, heather.

This phonetic labyrinth

Gives moss, gross, brook, brooch, ninth, plinth.

Billet does not end like ballet;

Bouquet, wallet, mallet, chalet;

Blood and flood are not like food,

Nor is mould like should and would.

Banquet is not nearly parquet,

Which is said to rime with “darky.”

Viscous, Viscount, load, and broad.

Toward, to forward, to reward.

And your pronunciation’s O.K.,

When you say correctly: croquet.

Rounded, wounded, grieve, and sieve,

Friend and fiend, alive, and live,

Liberty, library, heave, and heaven,

Rachel, ache, moustache, eleven,

We say hallowed, but allowed,

People, leopard, towed, but vowed.

Mark the difference, moreover,

Between mover, plover, Dover,

Leeches, breeches, wise, precise,

Chalice, but police, and lice.

Camel, constable, unstable,

Principle, disciple, label,

Petal, penal, and canal,

Wait, surmise, plait, promise, pal.

Suit, suite, ruin, circuit, conduit,

Rime with “shirk it” and “beyond it.”

But it is not hard to tell,

Why it’s pall, mall, but Pall Mall.

Muscle, muscular, gaol, iron,

Timber, climber, bullion, lion,

Worm and storm, chaise, chaos, and chair,

Senator, spectator, mayor,

Ivy, privy, famous, clamour,

And enamour rime with hammer.

Pussy, hussy, and possess,

Desert, but dessert, address.

Golf, wolf, countenance, lieutenants.

Hoist, in lieu of flags, left pennants.

River, rival, tomb, bomb, comb,

Doll and roll and some and home.

Stranger does not rime with anger.

Neither does devour with clangour.

Soul, but foul and gaunt but aunt.

Font, front, won’t, want, grand, and grant.

Shoes, goes, does. Now first say: finger.

And then: singer, ginger, linger,

Real, zeal, mauve, gauze, and gauge,

Marriage, foliage, mirage, age.

Query does not rhyme with very,

Nor does fury sound like bury.

Dost, lost, post; and doth, cloth, loth;

Job, Job; blossom, bosom, oath.

Though the difference seems little,

We say actual, but victual.

Seat, sweat; chaste, caste.;

Leigh, eight, height;

Put, nut; granite, and unite.

Reefer does not rhyme with deafer,

Feoffer does, and zephyr, heifer.

Dull, bull, Geoffrey, George,

ate, late, Hint, pint,

Senate, but sedate.

Scenic, Arabic, Pacific, Science, conscience, scientific,

Tour, but our and succour, four, Gas, alas, and Arkansas.

Sea, idea, guinea, area, Psalm, Maria, but malaria,

Youth, south, southern, cleanse and clean,

Doctrine, turpentine, marine.

Compare alien with Italian,

Dandelion with battalion.

Sally with ally, yea, ye,

Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, key, quay.

Say aver, but ever, fever.

Neither, leisure, skein, receiver.

Never guess–it is not safe:

We say calves, valves, half, but Ralph.

Heron, granary, canary,

Crevice and device, and eyrie,

Face but preface, but efface,

Phlegm, phlegmatic, ass, glass, bass.

Large, but target, gin, give, verging,

Ought, out, joust, and scour, but scourging,

Ear but earn, and wear and bear

Do not rhyme with here, but ere.

Seven is right, but so is even,

Hyphen, roughen, nephew, Stephen,

Monkey, donkey, clerk, and jerk,

Asp, grasp, wasp, and cork and work.

Pronunciation–think of psyche–!Is a paling, stout and spikey,

Won’t it make you lose your wits,

Writing “groats” and saying “grits”?

It’s a dark abyss or tunnel,

Strewn with stones, like rowlock, gunwale,

Islington and Isle of Wight,

Housewife, verdict, and indict!

Don’t you think so, reader, rather,

Saying lather, bather, father?

Finally: which rhymes with “enough”

Though, through, plough, cough, hough, or tough?

Hiccough has the sound of “cup.”

My advice is—give it up!

The above is from Country Living, you can view the entire article by way of the below web site.

http://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/news/a39790/only-ten-percent-of-people-can-pronounce-every-word-of-this-poem/

Semper-fidelis

T Shirt Contest

September 17, 2016 2:35 pm / 2 Comments on T Shirt Contest

Our trip north has ended and we are back home after XXXX number of miles. How many miles did you put on that Subaru of yours you might ask. Well, thats why we’re having a contest and the winner will receive a Maryland Flag “T” Shirt.

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Six years ago my brother in-law Bobby and I made a cross country trip together to Colorado, we were delivering a car to my granddaughter at the Air Force Academy. I blogged our trip through the Ohio River Valley, the bread belt of Illinois and Kansas and up to the Rockies of Colorado. We had a T Shirt contest for that adventure as well. Our winner was Della Baird of Wilmington, NC and her photo in her winning T Shirt was posted on a later blog. Uncle Bobby is no longer with us, but whenever we go on a trip his spirit for adventure lives.

So, here we go.

You must email the Rooster @ elfidd@gmail.com no later than midnight on September 30, 2016 with your guess on the # of miles driven on our trip through, CT, RI, MA, NH, ME, NB, PEI, NS and back. The person who comes the closest without going over the actual total mileage is the winner.

The Itinerary

Departed Eden/Allen, MD, 21822 on 21 August and drove to Vernon then Tolland, CT. We hung out in CT for six days taking a few side trips to Mystic, CT, Westerly, RI for one and to our daily walking path in Vernon and breakfast there a few times also. We went to Stafford Springs, CT for my State Police Troop “C” reunion also.

Back on the road 28 August we would leave Tolland and head to Bangor, ME. We pretty much drove a direct route to Portland, ME and then the all back roads to Bangor began. We tried to stay parallel to I-95 but we got off the beaten path more than once.

After a nice evening in Bangor, ME we headed out to cross the Canadian border on 29 August at the Calais/St. Stephen crossing and drive to Moncton, NB for the evening. Rt 1 was our road for that trip. We drove around some to see the tide change and have dinner while in Moncton.

On August 30th we arose well rested and after a great breakfast we were off to the home of Lucy Maude Montgomery, the Author of “Anne of Green Gables.” Garmin got us there directly. Now you must do a bit of detective work and locate the site. After some time at Lucy’s homestead we headed to Charlottetown and our hotel. Oops, the rooms not ready. To kill some time we would drive to Brackley Beach and have some great fish and chips. After much it was back to Charlottetown and the hotel right down town.

We arose on the 31st and after some walking about town we drove semi directly to the ferry located at Wood Islands where we would cross to Nova Scotia and the city of Halifax. We would drive directly to Halifax via Garmin and park our car for two days in the garage of the Residence Inn. Our feet would be our transportation for this stop.

We would hop back into the car once again on 2 September and drive via Garmin to Saint John, NB. We did take a side trip to Fundy National Park along the way. More figuring for you readers out there. Once again our feet and a Trolly tour were our transportation while in Saint John for two days.

On Sunday 4 September we departed Saint John, made the border crossing at ST Stephen/Calais once again and followed Garmin’s direction to Bucksport, Me. Once checked into the Bucksport Motor Inn, highly recommend it by the way, we were off on a drive along Route 1 south to Bayside, Belfast and the Young’s Lobster Pound. If ever in Belfast try it out, you will not be sorry, provided you like Lobster that is.

Labor day, September 5 we headed south to Portland, Maine, we ignored Garmin once again and motored along Route 1 south. We saw old haunts along the way, Lincolnville and it’s ferry to Islesboro where we ventured with family for a beachside picnic many years ago. Going through the town of Bath you pass the Bath Iron Works, a neat view as you cross the Kennebec river.

We made a stop in Camden, a must if you ever travel Route 1. Slow down people, get off the Interstate. Entering Camden I had an “Epiphany.” “Wallack” I shouted out as my wife glared at me like I was some crazy man. Ever since heading south from the border I had been trying to remember someone’s name. I’d gone through the alphabet over and over. Have you ever done that? I knew his first name was Mark and when he retired from the CT State Police he had moved to Maine. I had known this man dating back to 1981 when he first applied to the department for a Troopers position. I was working in the Selection Unit back then.

So I remember a name, the man possibly living in Camden from a contact I had back some ten years ago about him retiring to Camden, ME. No address, no phone number and no internet to go searching. “Dang” says I to myself as I ease into a parking spot right in downtown Camden. The little lady want’s to walk the shops, “$$$,” visit the waterfront and just take a nostalgic stroll, we’ve been here numerous times over the past 51 years.

She sees an eclectic souvenir shop and enters. I stroll ahead totally oblivious to her disappearing act which is commonplace. Many times I’m thankful she has her phone with her, “where are you I ask?” On this occasion I recover from the alone feeling quickly and trace her back to the said store. I mean I was a Detective, right?

The Mrs. searches the shelves for something to take to Oklahoma to the great grandkids in October and I think, this place must have a phone book. I borrow the book, peruse the “W’s” list of names and no Mark Wallack, “damn” I mutter to myself. No luck I say to the store owner. “Who are you looking for,” he asks. I explain who, and the connection going back thirty-five years ago. “Mach” he exclaims, “I know Mach.” You see, there are no “R’s” in the Maine vocabulary. The man goes into a lengthy explanation of how he knows him and how much a part of the community he is. I get a phone number and address from him, he lives just one mile out of town. We’re out of the store, $58.95 later, and we head up the street to see an old friend.

We find the house, an adorable Cape on a lake, kayak with fishing rod rigged to the side, (every man’s retirement dream) just waiting at the dock. A feisty Aussie Mini Collie, (could be something else, but that’s close enough) is greeting us on the porch. I find out later the dog’s name is Frisbee. I knock, Mach answers, we recognize each other after all these years and it’s Man Hug Time.

We pass an hour’s plus of time, take a few remembrance photos and say good-by. I shall MACH this epiphany in my journal. It was great seeing you old friend.

We continue south, stop and get a Subway, grinder in hand, New England for Hero, Sub, Italian Sandwich, or what ever. We have ourselves a roadside lunch stop in Rockport and continue south to Freeport, home of L. L. Bean. You can not go through Freeport without stopping at the store, I think it’s a law or something. I have my picture taken in front of the customary boot, spend a few dollars and we’re off again.

We will spend the night in Portland, take a side trip to Windham to have dinner with old friends, Gilbert’s Chowder House was the venue for this last taste test. This time a Bread Bowl of Fish Chowder. Great to see you Shirley and Ray. Shirley and my sister Donna were best of friends, having first met as student nurses back in 1963. Shirley was part of the family at my sisters bedside when she died on July 1st. Thank you Shirley for all you have meant for so many years. The few, the proud, the Pie Maker. Too short a visit, we will make it longer next time. Back to the hotel on Mall Road in Portland for a good nights sleep prior to leaving for Tolland, CT the next AM.

Herself on the left with good friends Shirley and Ray

Garmin would be happy with us on Tuesday, September 6. No U-turns were suggested as we cruised the speedy interstates the entire way. We did continue past Tolland to Vernon Pizza for a great Grinder, Capiccola for me, Pastrami for herself.

We lay over one night with the son and family, say good-night and are out the door by 0500 the next morning. Our last day on the road was an easy one, Garmin is not needed at all, I drove this route for the first time 57 years ago. I’ve varied the route countless times, often going far out of the way just to do something different. I’ll keep Garmin on in case a detour is needed at some point but not for directions.

Here you go, last bit of mileage to calculate, Tolland, CT via I-84 to I-684 Brewster, NY to I-287, to Garden State Parkway in NJ. NJ Turnpike, cross into Delaware ( She wore a Yellow Ribbon by the way) Rt. 1 south to Dover, DE to Rt.13 to 21810.

OK you readers out there, get calculating, googling or what ever. Make your best guess and submit it by September 30, 2016 by 2400 hours to elfidd@gmail.com

If you win and want the shirt, please state size and your mailing address. I shall not flood you with junk mail, only a “T” shirt.

Just a little FYI, we got four new hens last night, 15 weeks old and our first egg this afternoon. Six hens now and one very happy Rooster named Casper. The girls are Mary, Hillary, Donna, Linda, Bobbie and Marie. Hillary by the way is a liar. Always spending time in the layer box, squawking like she just laid an egg and no egg to be found. Liar, Liar, pants on fire.

Thanks for stopping by. Plenty of links for you this time, enjoy. We have now traveled every mile of and touched touched both ends of U.S. Route 1. Can you say Xylophone?