Country Music

I listen to all kinds of music. I'm not partial to any one genre though I tend to shy away from anything that depends on excessive decibals or high pitched voices. I've been listening to a lot of country lately and it's got me somewhat paranoid. I'm beginning to think that someone is following me around and writing songs about my life. I qoute, " I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was." "If you're goin through Hell keep on moving...You might get out before the Devil even knows you're there." There's others but that's a good representitive sample. I guess that's the attraction of Country, it speaks to the common people.

I'm going on vacation this coming week so there will be a 4 day period of no posting. My new laptop won't be here till I get back so I'll be computerless for 4 or 5 days. AAARRRGHH! thanks for reading

I think this toilet belongs to a female who has reached the breaking point about having the seat left in the UP position.

Hunting

This is a Henry 12 gauge Shotgun my dad owned. It is very old and I wouldn't feel safe shooting it now. When I was 14 or 15 years old I often came home from school and took it to the woods after squirrel. That's right, we ate those cute rodents. Taste like chicken. Mostly I would just find a tree and sit under it and think. I know it's hard to believe that anyone that age actually has the ability to think but I did. Guess I was abnormal. I really enjoyed sitting there as the day slipped away and the bluejays would scream at me something like "TEAL,TEAL." I was an intruder and they knew the power of my weapon. I never used many shells because I wasn't really there to kill anything. I was mostly there to commune with nature and enjoy a time I think my heart knew would never come again. I still cherish those days in my mind and can go back to them anytime I choose simply by closing my eyes and listening for the growl of a squirrel or the scream of a bluejay. Thanks for reading.

the Hawk

I was heading into Greenville on I385 today when out of the blue a hawk was heading toward my windshield. He/she swerved at the last second and slammed into the corner of my cab. Sounded something like a ball bat hitting my truck. I quickly checked the mirror but all I saw was lots of cars. I'm sure there are little rodents celebrating tonite, "ding dong the hawk is dead". I was sure he was caught in my ladder rack but when I got to a stopping place all I found was this tiny feather. Just in case you weren't aware of it, there is a law against posession of feathers of birds of prey. Wait, this isn't really a hawk feather, it's a pigeon feather. Yeah, that's it, it's a pigeon feather so you can tell the feather police to call off the raid. Not only is it a pigeon feather but I'm not going to keep it. I'll burn it like I burned that old US flag I had laying around for years. Just Joking.

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I was up 20 out of 24 tues and I'm just now getting over it. I'm amazed at what people believe. Some of the things I've heard from supposedly rational people. There are microphones and cameras in almost every store you go in and people are watching you every moment. No lie. My question is, WHY? What have you done to deserve to be watched? I have been in the back rooms many times and I've seen the surveillance videos, they are BORING. If someone were watching you they would probably be ready to commit suicide after about 2 weeks of it. Honestly, unless you pick your nose and eat it nothing you do will get any ones attention. Shoplifters are missed in a lot of stores just because watching for them is so tedious. Casinos are about the only place where this kind of job is really taken seriously. Here's another, the prices are adjusted for each person depending on your race or if the sales staff likes you or not. Give me a break! I have helped program the price codes, it is tedious, time consuming work. They are not going to program several price levels just to punish you for being asinine. If you believe this then you are on an ego trip deluxe. And another, the people in the fast food places spit on the food. Get real! These young folks have got bills to pay just like you and I. I'm sure stuff happens but it is rare and isolated and the victims usually deserve it. So unless you are acting the fool and harassing the staff you probably got the best they had to offer minus the spit. Come on people, get real, the world is, for the most part, exactly what it seems to be. There are very few real conspiracies and Big Brother is more interested in your money than in your life. Word for the day"Deal with it.". I know that's more than one word but deal with it. Thanks for reading, that means you.

Another Week

Some images you have to capture at just the right moment. 15 minutes later and the fog would have lifted and the sky would have turned blue. I hope you enjoy it as much I do. I really love to catch images like this. I know most people think they're boring or mundane but I think they show just how varied and mysterious nature can be. Any place you look can be transformed by rain or fog or sunlight and shadow into a beautiful scene. Only an idiot would think that there is no G-d, the universe left to random chance would not have included beauty. Man, without a divine creator, would not appreciate the beauty shown by nature. I believe that is what is wrong with this world. Many people, like terrorist and axe murderers, have lost that divine spark. They no longer appreciate the rainbow or the early morning fog. I was raised a hunter. Many mornings my dad would wake me before sunrise to go to the fields or woods. I was given a taste of what the world looked like when daylight first touched it. This made a lasting impression on me. I no longer hunt. I have nothing against hunting but it doesn't fit my lifestyle any longer. I was taught never to kill without reason, mainly food. Nowadays I get my food at the supermarket. It's a lot easier and less messy. My hunting I do with the camera. Thanks for reading.

I saw this sign at the hospital today. There were people smoking nearby. I guess this means that it's OK to smoke there but they aren giving it their blessing. I mean if they didn't want you to smoke there they would have said No Smoking, right? Someone I know has a favorite saying, "You can't fix stupid." You also can't fix beurocratic, politically correct ineptitude like that shown by the perpetrators of this sign.

I also thought you might like to see the latest addition to our family. This is my first grand-daughter, Chloe. As you might guess, I'm a pretty proud Gramps. Gotta go, thanks for reading.

Things

Things are different here in the South than in other parts of the country. We tend to have a more laid back attitude toward life. I guess you might call it a "deal with it " culture. If something is bothering you or you find something really frustrating you simply deal with it. You accept it and move on. I guess that's why we don't get too excited about politics. We got all hot and bothered about politics 146 years ago and we're just now getting over it. Prozac helps. I saw a Tshirt one time that really said it all. On the front it said "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't." On the back it said "Prozac."

Our laid back attitude has helped and hindered us. We tend to live longer and maybe enjoy life a little more. On the other hand many industries are shy of us because they may feel like we're not productive. Nothing could be further from the truth. When we are paid well and treated right we will work our hearts out. If not, we'll find a place to sit down and smoke a cigarette. Actually, I don't smoke but I think the rest of the world does.

You know, it's funny what you remember. I was thinking the other day about a snow we had in december, 1963. It was especially heavy for this area, about 12". That translates to 4 feet in upstate New York. What really struck me and stuck in my memory was that the government warned us not to eat the snow. It was laced with Cesium 190. The atmospheric H-bomb test had contaminated the snow. Everyone took it calmly, today the government would be replaced if something like that happened. Back then it was considered a natural by product of the effort to control the Evil Soviet Empire. Maybe they were right, maybe the Soviets would have taken over the world if we hadn't stood firm. Then again, maybe they woud have collapsed under their own beurocratic weight. Maybe that's what will be the downfall of the US. The government will simply eat up so much of the resources of our great country that we will simply collapse. I guess we'll have to deal with it.

Tattoos

My oldest son is a tattoo artist. The Eagle one is a work in progress. It's mine and he wants it just right when he does it. I've been waiting for it for a couple of years now and I think it may happen soon. The squid is waiting for the right customer. I've never had a tattoo and I'm kinda nervous about it but committed. This will really mean something to me since I'm very proud of the fact that both my sons made Eagle in the Scouts. We had a good weekend. The grandson was with us and he kept us running. I had forgotten just how opinionated 5 year olds can be. There are no greys, just black and white. Got to go. thanks for reading.

I was thinking about something that I haven't thought about in a long, long, time. When I was in school in Atlanta in 1972-3 there was a pedestrian tunnel under I-85. The walls of this tunnel were painted white and local artist used this as a medium for their art. I remember seeing entire pages of Lord of the Rings written there. I wonder if it's still there.
Also when I was there I volunteered to assist in the visit of Richard Nixon to Atlanta during the campaign. I was standing on a street corner by myself when his limo slowed and made the turn. I recall distinctly seeing Pat Nixon, less than 6 feet from me punch Tricky Dick and make him wave at me. If I had known what was to come I probably would have spit on the car. Oh well, you live and learn. The picture is another view from Hwy 11 in upstate SC. Thanks for reading.

New Kitchen

Well, it's the weekend. I worked thru last wknd so it's nice to be able to relax this one. My Grandson is coming to stay with us till tomorrow so we'll be pretty busy. Never a dull moment when he's around. My dad would say " Yeah, he's a go getter." I saw a freind yesterday who really is dissatisfied with his job. Made me really appreciate mine. I have it made, travelling a lot and fixing things. Making people happy. There are bad days like Thursday when I had to spend a couple of hours down in a manhole with gas vapors but we use safety measures. we get really filthy and stink like gas when we get home but I tell my wife, " that's the smell of money." These are some images of my new cabinets. I built them out of Birch cut and milled locally. The Grape leaf design I cut in with dremel and then painted with acrylics before applying the finish coats of clear Lacquer. I made the countertops with the same ceramic tile I used on my floors. Please ignore the mess, sometimes it's worse. I've since added a range hood. I wanted black but I wouldn't pay the premium for it. I bought a white one, gutted it, sanded it, and painted it black. Looks great.
Locally in the news, A county deputy was hit head on by a guy passing illegally. Two young guys who saw the wreck pried his door open and dragged him out of the car just before it burst into flame. The cop would have died if these two guys had not acted. Proves there are still good people out there. When I see people in our stores being rude and hateful to our employees I have to remember things like this so I don't give up hope on the whole human race. Please, If you're reading this, be nice. It don't cost you a thing. Just remind yourself that you are sharing the space with a lot of other people who have the same dreams and hurts as you do. Be nice. Red Green says "Remember, I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together."

Well, I took a day off today. My friend has a cabin on Lake Keeowee and I went up there last night and loafed. It was good to get away from it all for a change. I took these pictures this morning. I really needed a day off and the scenery and peaceful surroundings hit the spot. This is a vacation spot and everybody has returned to work or school. These cabins are about 10 miles from the nearest small town and are hemmed in on both sides by multi-million dollar retirement homes.

The only sound I heard all day was construction work on a distant house. The geese made a little noise and occasionally a boat would pass by. It was a rude shock to have to come back to reality. The new granddaughter is due any day now and I thought maybe she would show up while I was away. The spouse said she would give me a call if the event started so I could hit the road home. Fortunately she tarried.

Day Off

I worked over the holiday (Memorial Day) weekend. I'm taking a day off tomorrow and hope to get some interesting photos to show you. Stay tuned.

In one of my blogs I might have given the wong impression about life in the mills. It was not always an improvement over farm life as this site http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/
will show. Some of the pictures were taken close to here. That is the good thing about studying history, it helps us remember out past mistakes and perhaps avoid future ones.

Fall is almost here

I realized today that Fall is almost here. The eye opener was finding acorns covering the bed of my truck. The tiny Pin Oak or Water Oak acorns are insidious. When they begin to fall in earnest they will cover the ground and anything else in the way seemingly in moments from the time you blow them away. They are like tiny ball bearings and will really hurt if they hit you on the head, especially if you have no hair, like yours truly. My dermatologist cautions me about being out without a hat, these things give me another reason to keep my pate covered. I'm a firm believer that when I began to grow a beard G-d got upset with me for covering up such a pretty creation and He began to uncover the top of it. Thus the bearded, hairless, head.
I was thinking more about the cars, one of my few passions, and reflected on one of the ironies of the movies. Many movies and TV shows over the years were sponsored by Auto companies. A result of this sponsorship is that the world of many old grade B movies had only one brand of auto or another. Plymouth was prolific in its' sponsorship in the 50s'. There are many romantic comedies(no, I don't watch them, SHE does) in which the streets of New York are populated entirely by Plymouths with huge fins. Old Sci-Fi fliks seem to be ruled by Fords. Taxis were almost always Dodges or DeSotos. Cars were driven recklessly, almost insanely, and people seldom got more than a scratch when they wrecked. If someone did get killed and the body was shown it had hardly a mark on it. I guess people were tougher back then. When men were shown driving drunk their wives or girlfriends (invariably sober) would only show mild alarm or just seem perturbed and would finally say" Here, move over, let me drive."only after a close call.
I wonder, percentage wise, if as many people were getting killed back then on the highways? Probably, but we didn't have instantaneous news to get the word out.
thanks for reading.

Mayberry Police Car

I saw this police car in Simpsonville today. Andy and Barney would feel right at home cruising in this Galaxy 500. Made me think about all the cars I've owned, this is a partial list:1950 Ford Pickup, 1959 Dodge Pickup, 1969 Dodge Pickup, 1972 Chevy Pickup, 1973 Chevy Pickup, 1979 Chevy Pickup, 1993 Chevy Pickup(current), 1960 Chevy 2door hardtop, 1965 Mustang notch, 1969 Mercury Montego, 1970 Olds Delta 88 2door hardtop(454,4bbl, would fly), 1972 Pinto, 1970 Fiesta(sounded like an oil can when you closed the doors), 1987 VW Cabriolet(current), 1967 Buick LeSabre(built like a tank), 1967 Triumph Spitfire(wish I had that one back), 1966 Fairlane XL. I'm sure I probably missed one or two. Each one is a story all its' own. The '66 Fairlane was my Senior High car and witnessed all the passions of my youth. The Delta 88 saw me out on my own and helped me woo and win my wife. My good friend, Cleech, bought it from me and blew the motor, bad luck hounded him all his life. I drove the Triumph to Nashville to visit a friend at Vandy and by the time I got back to Greenville 4th and reverse were the only remaining gears. We took our small chidren to Hilton Head in the Fiesta. They had to put their feet up on the luggage all the way there and back. The '69 Dodge Pickup was advertised one saturday in the paper in 1971 for $750, I ran to the door when I got there and beat two other people to it. I told the man, "If it runs and don't smoke I've got the cash." It was a non smoker. The '60 Chevy I bought with a locked up engine. When I towed it in the driveway a man followed me and offered me $100 profit, I took it and threw in the tow rope free of charge. I drive a Company vehicle now and the Cabby and Pickup mostly just sit. A reader commented recently that his dad knew Elvis in the Army in Germany. You never know what's gonna touch somebody, anyway thanks for reading.