How did this happen?

 

Yes, it is a fish on my sidewalk!!!! When most of the snow and ice on the house's Southside had melted, this rather large chunk, dirty and dark, persisted for a few days. I don't know why I didn't bother to kick it out in the straight, but I didn't. A couple of days ago, I was walking back from the mailbox and saw a shape on the sidewalk where the chunk of ice had been. 

From a distance, it looked like a curled-up leaf frozen somehow in the snow and water! As I approached the object, I saw what appeared to be a fish! Indeed it was a fish, a tiny carp? I am still trying to figure out how that fish got there, dehydrated, and caught in ice? I've heard of fish falling from the sky, but usually, after some freakish weather that somehow scooped them up off a lake, then dropped to the earth! I don't see how that could have happened. The lakes are all frozen over! Here it is, about a week later. And what looks like a water spot from melted ice is still there!

Yet another mystery.

I Owe You an Apology

 Yes you - or me, you owe me an apology - Yes, YOU! Got it? I discovered this morning, after many years of blogging, I can acknowledge and reply to comments! Go figure! So, dear friends and commenters, I scrolled through what is called "Stats" concerning this blog, and there were hundreds of comments that I have not acknowledged! Yours may have been one of those, hence the apology. I promise I will do better! If I owe you a response, let me know by commenting below!

Wishing you all the best! Remember, live your moments to the fullest. Acknowledge your self-worth, love yourself, forgive yourself, be kind to yourself, and of course, to others!

Oh, by the way, we had a family night last night - those are always special! This week we also had a brief visit form grandaughter Kairi. She just moved from Helena, Montana, to Laramie, Wyoming! Much closer! It was a gift to see her and how happy she is!

Just one of those days!

 This is one of those Fridays when I'm thankful the week is over. We've had snow, mice, traffic, lack of responses, and we wonder if anyone cares! On the other hand, we had Valentine's day, which we don't celebrate anymore. I looked it up. Here is the definition given by Wikipedia: "It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine. Through later folk traditions, it has become a significant cultural and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world." I've never heard of him. I remember celebrating this day before kindergarten! We made valentines for our classmates, friends, teachers, and parents. I love my wife! I don't need Valentine's day to celebrate our love for each other.

We go to the grocery store and find aisles of candy, cards, and gifts for every holiday! It is as if we are "guilty" of something if we don't buy and give. Now birthdays and anniversaries are something very special that should be celebrated! Why? Because those are celebrations of love and celebrations of the heart!

Talents of the Young and Young at Heart

 So, I last shared something of Chad and his family. Now, it is Heather's turn. Once again, I don't know when this was written, but probably Junior High or High School.  Her handwriting has always been very distinctive, an upright block style, almost printing! Heather has accomplished much. One of her first adventures was being selected as a Cheerleader for the University of Hawaii. That's when Carolyn and the older kids went to Hawaii to visit her.  She was a Cheering Team Leader in High School. ( I wrote an earlier blog about Heather being honored for her Volunteerism.) Heather and her husband, Eric, have raised five children. She and her mother, Carolyn, are addicted to babies!

Heather has what I call an effervescent personality. She is a joyful person and fills a room with her personality. She gives and lives from the heart! I needn't say more. Her words above say it all, really. But you know I love to do collages, so I've done one for this blog as well!

Heather and her husband Eric have always provided their children every opportunity to show and grow their many talents. Whatever the kids wanted to do, they could give it a try and their Mom and Dad support them! I could go on, but you get the drift!

We are so proud of all of them!

What to "ramble" about?!

Carolyn and I are blessed to have wonderful, talented, honest, creative, compassionate, and empathetic children. Their creativity started when they were very young and continues even today. Carolyn and I were going through old journals, college assignments, and notes written to ourselves. Last evening, we were reading some of those thoughts and stories. The experience was emotional, to say the least! We've also been reading "gifts" our children have created over the years; stories, poems, letters, plays, and much more. With their permission, I will be sharing some of them here. Someone may find them helpful, if not entertaining, or just plain boring. 

The first one I want to share was written by my son Chad. He is a man that I am very proud of, as I am of all of our children. Chad is a real estate agent. He is recognized by his clients as responsive and trustworthy. 

He pretty much learned the ropes and got licensed on his own. He started this as his second career.

His first career was with AMR where he started as an Ambulance restocker and made his way up the ladder to managing an AMR branch in Blue Springs, Mo. Chad was the first of our children to leave for a job in another state. He and his family eventually moved back to Colorado. They live not far from has.

They have loved and still love the mountains of Colorado, a family of hikers. He, and his wife are Subaru Fanatics. They have one of those hot-looking Subarus. They do almost all of their own maintenance on their vehicles. I think his wife, Wendfal, is the head mechanic. Wendfal is a certified personal trainer. Some of chads photos and videos are absolutely awesome. You can look him up on Instagram and YouTube. Clicking the Colorado link will take you to his YouTube channel. Some of my favorite trips to Canada included their son Wolfgang (quite the fisherman)! Their daughter Autumn is a graduate of a Culinary school and is an awesome pastry Chef! 

We are so very proud of all of you! Live and love your moments, your pool playing, your hiking, your baking, your Subaru Club, your wonderful Drone Camera pictures of hikes, keeping my wife physically fit, and so much more. Thank you all, hugs and kisses. And Chad, thanks for the writing you did so many years ago! It brings up so wonderful memories and looking forward to making new ones with the whole Chad and Wendfal Fahlenkamp family!

One of my favorite trees! On second thought, a few of my favorite trees!

 

I took the picture at Table Rock Lake in Missouri. Table Rock Lake is one of my favorite fishing destinations (well, after Press Lake kn Canada)! I've only fished it a few times. My sister Lana and I have fished it a couple of times together with a local guide. I can only remember one day that we got skunked. 

What I like about this picture is the emotions and feelings that it brings up in me. Life finds a way! this may look like nothing but a rock ledge, yet this tree's roots find the way to enough moisture that it can not only thrive but every time I see it, looks even healthier. I've tried to "watercolor" the scene several times, but never quite capture it. It is like the tree is alone, but not alone! 

It is early in the morning on February 1st, 2023. I thought a lot about trees last night. One of my favorite stories is "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. Trees really do give, give, and then give some more. I think of the beautiful trees we had in our yard on Tucson St. The great Austrian Pine in the front yard and the Green Ash in the back yard. We lived in that house for over 30 years. The kids all played in that tree.We had a rope and tire swing! Hundreds, my son's dog, would actually climb the tree and stand on one of the huge lower branches. The tree provided shade and joy!

One of the reasons we fell in love with our new home was the trees. We have Emerald Ash, Green Ash, Ponderosa Pine, Birch, Aspen, Blue Spruce, Hawthorn, Viburnum, Northern White Cedar, Douglas Fir, an Indian Plum, and even an Eastern Redbud! All these, and we have such a very small yard. Trees provide a playground for people and for animals. You can see Hundreds in this photo. 

They are a playground for squirrels (another one of my favorite things in nature)! The tree in the picture below was at our home on Tucson St. It lived in our front yard. We took a lot of family pictures under this tree. We made sure when we put the driveway in, that the tree's roots would not be injured. We hugged the tree when we said goodbye to that home. We even drive by and visit the tree once in awhile. I could probably put a few hundred pictures, but maybe only one more picture that kinda says it all.

The last tree in the picture is a family quilt. The quilt was made by my sister-in-law, Quilt fan Jan! This tree represents the descendants of Carolyn's parents. Each leaf is a family member. We've added butterflies to the quilt for newborns over the past years. The tree keeps growing, as do all trees. Trees literally give us life!

So, enjoy them, plant them when you can, give thanks, hug one once in awhile. You will be glad that you did! May all the very best and all good things come to you and yours! Celebrate trees, and celebrate life!