At a Waterfall, well actually...

Here we are at a waterfall, well actually... it is at Bear Canyon Lake's spillway. The lake is on the other side of that hill. So even though the water is in fact "falling" it is not so much a water fall as it is a water spill. Well anyway, here we are, well actually... "we" are not there. Patti is there, and I am there, but "we" are not. I took part of the picture and Patti took the other part. I photoshopped the pictures together into one. Well actually... it was iPhoto4 Plus, I'm familiar with iPhoto and never really used "photoshop". It was a very scenic ride, and since we were on our way to be with friends and free food, it was worth the 111 mile drive. For your viewing enjoyment, here is a short video of Patti and Red barking out "Happy Birthday".

Congratulations Lori!

Lori Coryell got married Saturday to a guy named John Bynum. Patti and I were privileged to go to the wedding and reception in Mimbres. The reception was at Camp Thunderbird between Mimbres and Lake Roberts. I haven't been out there since we had a family reunion with the Ridling Clan. The main hall seemed larger then. Camp Thunderbird was built over the period of 8 years by 1400 boyscouts from 1947-1955. It's a cool rustic looking place, and makes a great location for weddings and reunioins. We all had a good time.

Good luck "Jinx"!

Visiting Departed Loved Ones

Recently I was in Silver City to go to a wedding and I decided to go by and visit my grandparents. I know it sounds weird since my grandparents passed away in the 90's. I have on occasion spent some time with cleanup and maintenance of their graves. Visiting their graves, I was trying to remember their voices and their laughter. I can still hear them. I hope that never goes away.



















About 40 years ago today I went to the Frisco River (San Fransisco River). I cannot remember a better time in my life. It has been almost 40 years ago and I still remember the things we did as if it happened recently. I miss them greatly, the things they used to say, and the things we used to do together. I was thinking about them today as I was mowing the grass, I used to mow their grass for $5.00 a week. I remembered the times camping with them and the good times we had together. I used to spend the night at their house regularly, almost every weekend, almost. When I became a teen I made friends my age and the time I spent with them became limited. That's okay though, It gave my other cousins a chance to have the good memories too.

We lost grandma to cancer in 1993. The hole that she left behind could not be filled for any of us, and most of all for grandad. He died from pneumonia as a complication to his emphysema three lost years later. I think about them often. I remember my grandma Woodard too. She was as close to angelic as any a mortal can get. Her homespun wisdom and love cannot be matched and the hole she left behind was immense. I can hear her in my head at times when I wonder, "what would grandma do"? I never knew my dad's father, he passed the year before I was born. However, I did have the benefit of step-grandparents for several years, who I also miss greatly. I remember talking to Patti about Don, and how he was a dyed in wool democrat and we talked about what he might say about the current political situation we are in. And I loved Helen's wit!

Patti's grandparents passed away in the 90's as well, and she often tells me about them and how she regrets that I never got the chance to meet them. Well... someday.

Uh Oh... On My Back Steps!!!

The election has made it to my back steps. Literally! I was between stops going from place to place today and noticed a motorhome parked behind my house. I doubt seriously that Senator McCain is in there, but hey... When is it going to happen again? I snapped a picture to preserve the moment. Too bad Senator Obama wasn't there, we could host a mudslingin' contest! That would be cool but I think I would have to call the cops. I don't mind it being in the neighborhood just as long as they don't throw any loud republican parties.

Where's the Rhyme, Where's the Reason

So you speak to me of sadness and the coming of the winter.

The fear that is within you now that seems to never end!
And the dreams that have escaped you,
and the hopes that you've forgotten.
You tell me that you need me now,
you want to be my friend.

And you wonder where we're going,
where's the rhyme and where's the reason.
And it's you cannot accept it is here we must begin,
to seek the wisdom of the children,
and the graceful way of flowers in the wind.


For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers,
their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day.
Like the music of the mountains and the colors of the rainbow,
they're a promise of the future and a blessing for today.


Tho' the cities start to crumble and the towers fall around us,
the sun is slowly fading and it's colder than the sea.
It is written from the desert to the mountains they shall lead us,
by the hand and by the heart they will comfort you and me.
In their innocence and trusting they will teach us to be free!


For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers,
their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day!
And the song that I am singing is a prayer to non-believers,
Come and stand beside us, we can find a better way.


John Denver

Google Image Tag

The object is to find all answers to the following questions with Google images.

1. Name - Robert.

2. Favorite Food – Bar-B-cued crab legs from Joe’s Crab Shack (no, I’m not copying you Danneel).

3. First Job - McDonald’s… You deserve a break today! Me too.

4. Nickname –Treb, Actually this is called a TREBuchet, an ancient war machine the French designed to throw large boulders at the English.

5. Where Were You Born? – Ft. Riley Kansas, Home of the 7th Cavalry and the Big Red 1.

6. Bad Habit – I may drive a little too fast at times.

7. College Degree - BS… of course Special Education WNMU.

8. Where I Want To Go - Washington DC

9. Favorite Place – Disney’s California Adventure

10. Favorite Color – Navy Blue like the Caribbean Sea.

11. Favorite Animal – The Dog. The most faithful, unconditional love incarnate.

12. Past Love – Valerie Bertinelli

13. What I am doing right now – Watching Mythbusters and bloggin’.

14. Where I Live - Lordsburg, NM, USA

15. My Favorite Object – CONTROL!!!

16. Grandmother(s) Name – Bonnell and Elsie Dot.

17. What is My Age - 44 Like Dirty Harry's Gun

Voodoo....

Last night on my way back from my college class in Silver City, I was passing the Tyrone townsite and didn't see a black dog in the middle of the highway. I hit him dead center at about 65 mph, and killed him instantly. That was a little bit after 9pm, and I didn't get home till after midnight. I don't know why, but I have a soft spot in my heart for dogs so it affected me greatly. I hate, hate, HATE to do what I did accidentally.

I also had a soft spot in my heart for my moms car. I have had BAD luck with cars this summer. From the blown head gasket on our Acclaim, to believing I blew a head gasket on the Concorde then finding out it was only a $600 fan fix. To this, where I find out after going back to help the dog that there is a great amount of steam rising from under my hood. Or rather my mom's hood, dang that reality makes it sting even worse. It stings even more than it did when I had to tell them that I had an accident with their car when I was a teenager. We had the car towed to my uncle's station in Silver City. That was a lot cheaper than I thought it would be... only $86. Anyway, if I ask to borrow your car... RUN! Don't walk... RUN AWAY FROM ME!!! Someone has put a curse on me.

Does anyone know a good voodoo priestess???