Poppy's Velo Ventures.: Merry Christmas, Santa Cactus.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Merry Christmas, Santa Cactus.

If you don't have pine trees in your yard, then you Christmas-decorate what you do have. In this case it's a cholla cactus, and the creative homeowner has dressed his yard up just so. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

No comments:

My new friend Joe: good man.

So I was downtown this afternoon. I’d taken my foldy with me, thinking I might ride around Lake Calhoun, maybe get back to the Midtown Greenway (hadn’t been on either loop since last year). I parked my car on Bryant Ave., right off Lake Street, was unloading the bike from my car, and a voice said/asked: “You goin’ out for a ride?” Well yes, I replied, and leaned the gent on the stoop was 81, no longer drives, and though he once rode a bike, he was a bit wobbly for that now. 45 minutes later I’m putting my bike away, having hit the Greenway, enjoying some adventures there. Joe (by now I know his name, and he, mine) tells me he was born in a little town south of San Antonio. He’s American Indian, though there could be latino blood in old Joe. Always meant to go to California to live but met a girl here, got a job, had some kids — you know how that story goes.

Teddy Roosevelt caution of 1918 more urgent than ever, a full century later.

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." "Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star", 149 May 7, 1918

Beez Kneez chief honeyspinner shows her stuff at American Craft Show in St. Paul.

I was stopped in my tracks .......

Tadpole Box Bike Made in Canada, lightweight, aerodynamic $2,600.00

“Wike Tadpole”. Sleek aerodynamic form and European styled body give the Tadpole a distinctive look that sets it apart from the square 70’s look of other bakfeits. The lightweight fibreglass box that wraps around the front wheel increases the cargo space without stretching the frame unduly, the shorter wheelbase is maintained with all the handling attributes of a normal bicycle. High end solution dyed fabrics from North American suppliers insure long life of the sewn componets. The front window rolls up to expose a bug screen that allows flow through ventilation from front to back. The entire canopy retracts with a single movement for ease of access. Padded seats, backs and sides are included as well as an intergal Ipad holder. The powder-coated steel frame with ample seat adjustment to accomodate riders from 5’3” to 6’3” and a Shimano Nexus 7 speed transmission with coaster brake complete the package of outstanding value.

Irish Blessing from friend Jim Butler.

Happy Is The Bride That Rain Falls On

(A traditional Irish Blessing)

Happy is the bride that rain falls on
May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring peace.
May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase.
May the saddest day of your future
Be no worse than the happiest day of your past.
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
And your hearts joined forever in love.
Your lives are very special,
God has touched you in many ways.
May his blessings rest upon you
And fill all your coming days.
We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart and hand to hand.
Hark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our Sacred Vow.

Santa-Gaggia Claus.

Santa has been visiting Bayview Farm & Garden for so many years that some of the children who have had their photos taken are grown now and bringing their own children! He is so kind and generous to sit with the families and canine friends for photos. Our greenhouse will be magically transformed into Santa's own home in the North Pole. Mrs. Claus will be baking cookies to share, and they're so yummy! PS: Note the mouth is normally off to one side, making it look like I am talking out of the side of my mouth…..

Indian Pawn Jewelry.

Bahamas Street Legal.

Little Harbor Island in the Bahamas, an hour by ferry from Nassau, and five minutes to the windward of Eleuthera, measures 3 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide. This pink sand Paradise is way too tiny for a fleet of Hertz rental cars, so the visitor makes do with with a Club Car or Yamaha golf cart. All are licensed, like # 1496 here. All show their age and condition. None drives too fast. All stay on the left side of the road (this was once the Empire don't forget) and driving these babies in the Bahamas is a ton more fun than running around a municipal golf course someplace in the States!

U Must read This!

Robert Reich writes: I’m not a conspiracy theorist (you can’t have served in Washington and seriously believe more than two people can hold on to a big story without it leaking), but I fear that at least since 2010 we’ve been witnessing a quiet, slow-motion coup d’etat whose purpose is to repeal every bit of progressive legislation since the New Deal and entrench the privileged positions of the wealthy and powerful — who haven’t been as wealthy or as powerful since the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

Its techique is to inundate America with a few big lies, told over and over (the debt is Obama’s fault and it’s out of control; corporations and the very rich are the “job creators” that need tax cuts; government is the enemy, and its regulations are strangling the private sector; unions are bad; and so on), and tell them so often they’re taken as fact.

Then having convinced enough Americans that these lies are true, take over the White House, Congress, and remaining states that haven’t yet succumbed to the regressive right (witness Tuesday’s recall election in Wisconsin).

I desperately hope I’m wrong, but all there’s growing evidence I may be right.

Thoughts Make You Wealthy.

..we often overlook the simplest, yet one of the easiest methods to prosper and lead a life full of love and satisfaction.

Today, remember to appreciate everyone and everything. Your food. Your mate. Your family. Your colleagues. Money in your wallet and bank accounts. Also appreciate the challenging people in your life or people in the press who are really not your favorites.

Become rich with intense feelings of appreciation.

Thoughts Make You Wealthy. Wealth and success start with what you choose to think and talk about most of the day.

Prosperous thoughts,

Richard Levy

www.thoughtsmakeyouwealthy.com

Rob't. Reich Knows Economic Score.

Yet American consumers don’t have the cash or the willingness to spend more. Not only are they worried about keeping their jobs, but their wages keep dropping. The median wage continues to slide, adjusted for inflation. Average hourly earnings in May were up 2 cents – an increase of 1.7 percent from this time last year – but that’s less than the rate of inflation. And the value of their home – their biggest asset by far – is still declining. The average workweek slipped to 34.4 hours in May.

Corporate profits are healthy largely because companies have found ways to keep payrolls down – substituting lower-paid contract workers, outsourcing abroad, using computers and new software applications. But that’s exactly the problem. In paring their payrolls, they’re paring their customers.

Random Act of Velo Kindness.

The service road at the western end of Long Lake was seriously flooded this afternoon: result of 2+ inches of rain we got last night. An already swolen lake was ready to overflow its banks.

As I approached the puddle-issimo in the KIA a fellow velo-er was stopped inches from the water: bemused, befuddled, not quite sure how he'd get himself and his Trek Madone across to the other side.

"Hop in," I called out, "and put your bike in the back. Happy to help you ford the stream."

"Think I will," my fellow cyclist replied, "I really appreciate this random act of Velo Kindness."

And so a good ride today became a great ride -- for the Trek guy as well as Old Poppy.

Manual Typewriter Maven

Vale Typewriters on Penn Ave. in Richfield specializes in old, lovingly-restored manual machines. And business is good, according to owner Mark S. "I've sold more than 100 portables since December," he reports. Demand is strong from writers, students, collectors, and artists alike. Mark let me try out a 50-year-old Smith-Corona that he'd refurbished with a chemical bath, key and spring adjustment, new ribbon, and TLC. Prices are a bargain -- $125 and up for a portable. Get 'em while they last, doncha think?

Upbeat Buddies of Mine.

My dear pal Craig Cox and I had lunch earlier this week at Chatterbox on Cleveland Ave. in St. Paul. After hugs and high fives, and a few benign truth-stretchers, we got down to the business of living life well. And "Coxie," ever the optimist and pragmatist, reminded me "it's all about attitude and gratitude."

You are what you think about, or some-such words. We have so much to be thankful for, he says. So why waste precious time whining, kvetching, taking someone else's inventory when we can be generating positive energy, smiling, laughing, making life a little better for someone else -- and ourselves along the way.

And speaking of sunshine, Jim Jowett another dear old-pal from our days working together in the magazine business,

and I were talking over coffee this week at Dunn Bros. in Hopkins. We agreed that somewhere in the soul of each of us our respective families had planted the notion that part of our job in life was to be interested in others, be caring, empathetic and supportive ... to spread some sunshine to folks we meet each day along the way.

My life is richer for friends like Jim and Craig. Thank you both.

Hillegass + His New Benz.

After coffee this morning and lots of chatter, my friend Jim H. suggested we hop in the new Mercedes (me in the driver's seat!), buckle up, and put this gorgeous new Benz wagon through it paces. Off we rocketed, in the most remarkable comfort and safety, while Hillegass kept urging me to floor it. The driver's seat gave me a back rub enroute, the built-in radar kept me a sfae distance behind he pokey Buick in front of us, and when I swayed I to the right and crossed the white lane divider, some Teutonic technology gently slowed the behemoth down, and brought us flawlessly back into our own lawn. Awesome. Amazing. Wowzer. Want one now! PS - Got back to the lot with nary a scratch on the 9 coats of onyx black lacquer, and didn't even get the chance to lay on the horn :)

With Thanks to Richard Levy.

Where are the junky, worn-out things, old memories, and clutter in your home? In the basement, garage, kitchen, closet, or attic? On your desk?

Whether or not you are experiencing financial or relationship challenges, cleaning out and disposing of clutter attracts good, more good, and even much more good into your life.

Clutter in the home means, on some level, there is clutter in the mind. Any disharmony in your thoughts-whether on a conscious or subconscious level-tells the Almighty Universe to bring disharmony into your personal relationships or financial affairs.

Cleaning out the clutter from your home requires a conscious decision and action-today, not tomorrow. Tomorrow is for dreamers, today is for winners.

WE ALL NEED A LITTLE MOTHER TERESA.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway." - Mother Teresa"

Amazed at Use of "Amazing."

amazing [əˈmeɪzɪŋ]

adj

causing wonder or astonishment amazing feats

Writers overuse the word "amazing." This adjective is everywhere these days.

How can everything -- events, places, people, products, business start-ups, ski vacations, etc. -- "... cause wonder or astonishment..?"

They can't, of course. We've gotten lazy.

"Amazing" is an un-amazing, and ineffective, modifer. It's lost its ability to clarify and enhance. The word shows up in front of nouns when writers can't think of another word to use.

Reminds me of "awesome" not too long ago. Everything was awesome. Ugh.

Or, "far out." I'm dating myself here.

My mother would admonish: if you can't find something good to say about someone, then don't say anything. By extension, if you can't find a more descriptive and enriching adjective than amazing, then don't use anything.

Planet Bike Mission Statement.

Tonka Cycle + Ski in Hopkins is celebrating its "20% off all bike gear" event -- I loaded up yesterday on lights, gloves, cold-weather hats, and rearview mirrors.

While unpacking the "Superflash Blaze Light Set" by Planet Bike, I was reading the back of the box and PB's Mission Statement. Very cool. I share it with you, dear reader, avid biker or not:

"Planet Bike strives to bring you the best bicycle products in the world today. We truly believe in the potential of the bicycle to help improve the world and the lives of the people in it. Therefore, we donate 25% of our company profits to causes that promote and facilitate bicycle usage."

www.planetbike.com

St. Kate's Univ. Still Life

Gettin' all artsy-fartsy with the Collegiate Coffee Mug that Prof. Mary Henderson gave me the other night. St. Catherine tent-card holds notes from students at Center for Sales Innovation. Note to Prof. Lynn Schleeter was just ready to go into the mail as I took this shot. Let me tell you what a solid, sensational place St. Kate's continues to be. I have the high honor of being an occassional speaker + presenter in Mary Henderson's sales class. The students this year were the most engaging, interesting and enthusiastic I've ever met. These gals will NOT have toruble finding a job when the graduate in June 2012.

Caring for others in the world.

Without even trying, I had a spiritual experience just now. It happened leaving the offices of Metro Dermo in Wayzata. An older gent using a walker was making his way to the front door. He waved me through -- "we're pretty slow," he said -- but I replied that I was in no hurry, take your time, and then held the door for him instead.

"Thank you," replied the octogenarian. "It's nice to see somene who cares about other people in this world."

And care I do.

Moral here? Slow down, pay attention, let older people go first. Then hold the door while reassuring them you're in no hurry.

Add no stress to their lives. Smile, be polite -- and mean it when you act kindly.

All by ourselves we can make this world today (and every day) just a little better off than we found it.

Messiah -- Word of the Day.

GOP presidential contender news today -- is Chris Christie of New Jersey the messiah the party awaits? Just what is a messiah, anyway?

Mes·si·ah

-s

)

1. also Mes·si·as (m

-s

s) The anticipated savior of the Jews.

2. also Messias Christianity Jesus.

3. messiah One who is anticipated as, regarded as, or professes to be a savior or liberator.

[Middle English Messias, Messie, from Old French Messie, from Late Latin Messs, from Greek, from Aramaic mi, the anointed one (from ma, to anoint) or Hebrew mîa, anointed (from ma, to anoint); see m in Semitic roots.]

Labor Secretary Robert Reich Nails it.

Unemployment in America remains sky-high. 14 million Americans are out of work and 25 million are looking for full-time jobs.

The nation’s infrastructure is crumbling. Our roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, subways, gas pipelines, ports, airports, and school buildings are desperately in need of repair. Deferred maintenance is taking a huge toll.

Now connect the dots. Anyone with half a brain will see this is the ideal time to borrow money from the rest of the world to put Americans to work rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure.

Word of the Day -- Serendipity

Don't you just love this word? There was an icecream parlor by the same name on E. 53rd St. in Manhattan years ago. Maybe still there?

ser·en·dip·i·ty

n-d

-t

)

n. pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.

2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.

3. An instance of making such a discovery.

[From the characters in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who made such discoveries, from Persian Sarandp,Sri Lanka, from Arabic sarandb.]

seren·dipi·tous adj.

seren·dipi·tous·ly adv.

Word History: We are indebted to the English author Horace Walpole for the word serendipity, which he coined in one of the 3,000 or more letters on which his literary reputation primarily rests. In a letter of January 28, 1754, Walpole says that "this discovery, indeed, is almost of that kind which I call Serendipity, a very expressive word." Walpole formed the word on an old name for Sri Lanka, Serendip. He explained that this name was part of the title of "a silly fairy tale, called The Three Princes of Serendip: as their highnesses traveled, they were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of...."

Word of the DAY: EXTIRPATE

Someone told me that Katie Couric (?) added a word-of-the day on her blog, or maybe twitter. Poppy's Velo Ventures is doing likewise. Like you I come across all sorts of interesting words I may once have known, but can't pretend to defiine now.

So, as my Dad used to say, "Seth, look it up........"

Verb	1.	extirpate - destroy completely, as if down to the roots; "the vestiges of political democracy were soon uprooted" "root out corruption" eradicate, exterminate, root out, uproot destroy, destruct - do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of; "The fire destroyed the house"
	2.	extirpate - pull up by or as if by the roots; "uproot the vine that has spread all over the garden" root out, deracinate, uproot stub - pull up (weeds) by their roots move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant"
	3.	extirpate - surgically remove (an organ) surgery - the branch of medical science that treats disease or injury by operative procedures; "he is professor of surgery at the Harvard Medical School" remove, take away, withdraw, take - remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract; "remove a threat"; "remove a wrapper"; "Remove the dirty dishes from the table"; "take the gun from your pocket"; "This machine withdraws heat from the environment"

Socialism Saves Auto Indutry?

"But, yes, this was socialism — or, perhaps, “state capitalism” — because the government temporarily took substantial ownership in the companies when no one in the private sector was willing to put up enough capital to prevent them from going under. Today, the companies are thriving.

"More than that: The auto industry exemplifies how unions can do their best to protect the interests of their members while also ensuring the prosperity of the companies that employ them."

- E. J. Dione in WaPo

Word of the Day: Hegemony.

Someone told me that Katie Couric (?) added a word-for-the day on her blog, or maybe twitter. Poppy's Velo Ventures is doing likewise. I read all sorts of interesting words I may once have known, but can't prented to defiine now. So, as my Dad used to say, "Seth, look it up."

I did with "hegemony" -- learned that emphasis could be on the first or second syllable, w/second syllable winning out -- and here's what it means:

he·gem·o·ny

-j

-n

, h

-m

)

n. pl. he·gem·o·nies

The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.

Wayne Gardiner, Paperback Writer!!

My writer friend Wayne Gardiner posted today on FB:

"I had a nice surprise last week when I received a certificate from The Storyteller magazine.

"My short story "Cliched," which ran in the April/May/June 2011 issue won 2nd place in their People's Choice Award (readers of the magazine vote on their favorite pieces) in the Fiction category.

"The next thing I have coming out is a short story, "Last Call," which will appear in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Onsale date for that issue is November 8."

Having read Wayne's fiction I can guarantee you he's one helluva fine storyteller. Go get his work: that's an order! You will not be disappointed.

Killing Me.

For the past year I've worked as an independent ad sales rep for Leesburg, VA-based Weider History Group. "My" titles of focus have been American History and Wild West, with some sales to show for my efforts in Aviation History and Vietnam magazine as well.

It's been a tough, tough marketlace, but the WHG folks (and most definitely my clients and prospects) have been marvelous to work with -- so supportive, smart, decent and fair.

I decided to resign -- retire for the second time, really! -- and have begun to write my letters of thanks and farewell. I am overwhelmed by emotion -- can't believe I'll miss these folks as much my heart tells me already I will. Yipes!

Part of the reason? I've not adapted well to the "virtual" nature of today's business model. I'm an old fart. I like it mano a mano .. meet your clients face to face .. come to know them over lunch ... build relationships beyond the keyboard and website.

And yet I very much HAVE built good business friendships and relationships in virtual time and space. I sell myself short I think. And I know that because as I say "adios," I feel the loss of new friendships acutely.

)@+#*&% Parking Meters!

No more quarter meters remain at Loring Park, it seems. Went to shop at LunaLux on Harmon Place yesterday, and was disappointed to find the 25-cent meters gone. I was a little daunted by the new (for me, at least) techy machines that have taken their place. These new babies require you to remember a 5-digit number as you walk to a payment kiosk and fumble to insert a credit card, and figure out how long you want to stay, and then remember to take your receipt. I did accomplish my mission, not too bad. But the lady in the slot next to me, tentative about exiting her Escalade to repeat the dance she'd seen me do, decided to forego the experience and head to the aattended parking garage. "I am against this new-fangled meter," she protested. "Out of principle I am NOT going to park here today. And so she didn't. The beat goes on.

One of the few boys named 'Seth.'

My name has always been Seth. As a boy growing up in Ohio in the '50s I often wished it were Joe, Pete or Mike; anything but Seth. Tom, Bob, John, Ed, Bill would have been fine. But Seth . Seth was special, unusual and distinctive. I had a special name at a time when I wanted to feel anything but special.

I was reminded of that old memory today. The receptionist at the bank suggested: "I'll bet you were one of the only boys named Seth when you were growing up?"

How did she know? Where did that come from?

"What's your name," I aked? I could have checked the name plate on her desk.

"Leah," she replied. "It's like your name, in a way. No one was named 'Leah' when I was a girl. Now, everyone is."

Leah and I seem to have done OK for ourselves, despite the handicap of "name." Maybe our parents knew, at some unspoken level, that we'd rise above the awkwardness of "special," and go on to be (speaking for myself) reasonably happy, satisfied, grounded, spiritual and productive citizens.

If I'd had a son of my own, might I have named him Seth? As it is, each of my three daughters has a special name, and they all seem to be doing fine, thank you very much.

New "Foldy" - Giant "Expressway"

Sold my Surly LHT back to my bike shop yesterday. As part of the transaction I became the proud owner of this "foldy" Giant Expressway. Couldn't wait to put her through her paces this afternoon over at Baker Park. I have big plans for this little velo: fold 'er up and take the bike with us when Pina and I hit the road in the KIA. We can stop at rural trails as well as urban bike paths. No racks on the back of the car. Room to spare inside the Sportage. Plus, this bike performs: nimble, fast, comfortable (especially when I swapped out the standard padded seat that came with the bike for the Selle Anatomico you see here in this foto). I'll keep you posted on my 20" wheel wanderings.

Viva La Whizzer Cubana!

Joe sent this pic yesterday, courtesy of his pal Bob Goggin, who took the foto in Cuba. This purple beauty is a classic Whizzer motorbike, of indeterminate age and lineage, but it runs fast and looks great. Check out the ape hanger bars! If you Google Whizzers in Cuba you'll learn that this American icon from the 40's, 50's, and 60s is still a mainstream mode of transport in Cuba. An entire, adoring culture has grown up around the Whizzer. And, did you know ..... no, I'll leave the rest of the news to your curious fingers as you surf the net looking for more info.

How Gov't. Can Help. Now.

From Washington Post online today:

Over the next decade, the federal government is slated to spend hundreds of billions of dollars building roads, schools, airports, trolley lines and airport terminals, modernizing the air traffic control system, replacing computer systems and buying planes, ships, tanks, trucks and cars. Moving up some of that spending from years 8, 9 and 10 to years 1,2 and 3 won’t cost any more in the long run, or increase the long-term deficit any more, but could sure help put a floor under the economy in the short run. For those worried about pork, the actual spending decisions could be left to an independent Infrastructure Bank.

We All Need a Little Mother Teresa.

Long Lake Roadside Memorial.

Out west they call them "descansos." They're home-made tributes to fallen friends and family members, victims of fatal automobile accidents too painful to forget. The honored victim here -- corner of Old Long Lake Road and Old Hwy. 12 in Long Lake -- remains anonymous. Nor is there an explanation on the wooden cross of the details of the accident. Condolenes to the family that suffered this loss. And in this tragedy let us remember to drive carefully, wear seat belts, walk with care, don't text, lose the cell, and no drinking and driving.

Skateboarding Prohibited in Wayzata.

Wayzata, MN built this attractive planter in front of a business on Lake Street. Curious about the "hooks" that curve over the cement curb -- in an orderly but unorthodox way -- I stopped inside the office to ask the receptionist what was up? She replied: curved hooks are bronze, screwed into the cement curb, and discourage skateboarding -- did she mean shredding? -- along the planter wall. In this very contentious tax environment, skating does not seem to be a problem in Wayzata. So why the extra expense and effort to stop a handful of kids from being ... well, kids?

Vietnamese Sea Bass.

The butcher at Safeway called it "Suwai" -- Vietnamese sea bass. Price was right, the promise of a new food item discovery was strong, so I took home a lb. of filets, sauteed the fish in olive oil, lemon juice, and a little ground pepper. Onto a piece of foil went the Suwai, cooking for 3-4 mins. per side, and out came ....... well, a so-so fish eating experience. I'm not much of a chef, I confess, but this fish was not as flaky, succulent, tasty and light as I'd been led to believe. As I said, however, price was right, however ...

Boat and Trailer Rig deLuxe

Old salt J. Ingham trailered this behemoth outboard last month from Watch Hill, RI to Key West, FL. To make the point that the rig -- Volvo wagon, boat, and custom trailer -- was ginormous, JI snapped an iPhone foto in a strip mall in Virginia with a cross country bus in the background as point of reference. Happy to report that driver, car, trailer, boat and motor arrived safe and sound at Land's End Marina, not far from where Ernest Hemingway set out in a skiff to write "The Old Man and the Sea."

Steamboat Dining at Haymaker.

We hadn't been back in Steamboat more than 48 hours! And here we are together again for the annual dinner with a bunch of old pals. The venue? Outdoor dining at Staxx at the Haymaker Golf Course. The menu? Table piled high with scrumptious fries, onion rings, burgers, salads, grilled chicken, and, at insistence of John Sant'Ambrogio, double-orders of brownies and vanilla ice creamed, drizzled with plenty of chocolate syrup. Guests? From l-r: Sammy, Betsy, John, Pat, Cynthia, your truly, Smokey. Great times were had by all.

Humongo Storms Skip Medina.

Banding Osprey in Medina.

Our friend Liz is the Three Rivers Park observer of an osprey nest on an area farm. There's a nest with a pair of ospreys, a leg-banded male and an un-banded female, who nested in the same spot last year. "My job," explains Liz, "is to record the date that the pair lays their eggs. Of course we get really excited when the eggs hatch! " When the hen osprey starts brooding her eggs, the male bird brings fish to his mate, often one from Lake Woslfeld that he has half eaten. "When the young hatch, " remembers Liz, "the hen sits notably higher in the nest. Last year the hen laid three eggs, but only one hatched -- the osprey that Liz holds here for leg banding. "The other two eggs, we speculate, became too cold when the adult birds left the nest to harass horse back riders along lake trails during the cold weeks of May." Judy Voight Eglund of Three Rivers publishes research on ospreys that she derives from monitoring some 53 nests in the metro area. When the osprey reintroduction project started not long ago, there were no ospreys left in the midwestern flyway. They had long been shot out.

Old Pal David Carey Gets Big Job!

Why Road Trips Are Special.

What makes a solo road trip, like the one I took from Minnie back East to see family and friends, so special? Had some thoughts this morning, and just wrote them in my journal.

First, it's an adventure. I am responsibility- and duty-free. Just me, the road, my KIA, the elements. This sounds so trite and corny, but it's true. My job is to check the oil and have a balance in my check book. I'm solo, in my car-world, self-contained, everything in its place.

There are plenty of Starbucks along the I-80 route. Never without iced lattes and Outrageous Oatmeal Raisin cookies. Cruise control? Set it on 75, look straight ahead, focus on the road, day dream a little bit, maybe shove in a book on tape, let my mind wander when and where it wants to.

And awaiting me? Ali, Sky, Jessie and their wonderful families whom I never seem to see enough of. And old college pals Jim, JI, J. Schenck, and their wives.

Then when it's time to leave them all and make the return trip, there's Poppina in the doorway in Long Lake, happy to have me back home.

Go See "The Last Station."

Russian author Leo Tolstoy: I wish I'd paid more attention to him. What an influential humanist, writer, social observer, prodigious lover. Here's a foto of the genius when he was about 80, long after "War + Peace" had become a worldwide phenomenon, and two years before Tolstoy's death in 1910. The Bolshevik Revolution followed scarcely 7 years later. Go see "The Last Station" with Christopher Plummer and Helen Miren for an exquisite portrait of the man, the times, the conflict. It's a great love story.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Merry Christmas, Santa Cactus.

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