A Growing Violet: Best Shot Monday

A Growing Violet: Best Shot Monday

We have one who is still making daily visits, a little late for him to stay in the area but I hope he decides to stay with us.
Dad

46 Years and Counting

Sunday, June 7 will mark Dena and my forty-sixth Wedding Anniversary. What a life we have had together and the memories are to many to recall but let me share a couple that came to mind over coffee this morning.

Shortly after we had met working at the HEB Grocery in Bay City, Texas. I was the Night Manager and she was a new girl from Flour Bluff who was a part time checker. While walking into the store for work one day unknown to me she was driving away in her old Dodge. She was so wrapped up in watching the love of her life walk by she ran her car into a light pole in the parking lot. Of course I didn't learn of this until after we were married.

Now let me tell one on me. We were stationed in Hawaii and were attending the Marine Corps Ball. While eating the Prime Rib Dinner I busied myself dressing up my baked potato. I like to put everything available on my spud; salt, pepper, lots of butter, green onions, bacon bits and lots of sour cream (its a virtual spud sundae). After taking my first bite I could hardly swallow it. I leaned over a told Dena my potato was spoiled. She asked what I had put on it and I recounted the above. She informed me there was no sour cream that I had loaded my potato with horseradish.

Thanks Dena for all the years and memories I will Cherish them and you for the rest of my days.

While Freedom Sleeps

I joined the Marine Corps during the war in Vietnam, not because I was a patriot but because I received my draft notice. I chose the Marines because the Air force was full of like minded people and I figured I was going to end up in country and wanted to be as prepared as possible for what ever laid before me.

I was right about ending up in harms way and the training I would receive but learned a lot more than I expected. I did tours in Hawaii, Okinawa, Philippines, as well as stateside in California, Florida and North Carolina. I met and served beside young men and women who understood why it was important to stand up for freedom around the world, many of whom I am proud to have known and served with who made the supreme sacrifice.

What I find the most puzzling of all enigmas is that those who do not have freedom love and appreciate it more than those who do. Marines are more appreciated as is freedom by those who can remember the cost paid to get it. In the Orient we were appreciated for the cost of the freedoms obtained by our sacrifice at home in the "Land of the Free" we were called "baby killers" and worse.

Today I see government led by those who have no Idea of the cost of freedom speak of sacrifice and freedom on one hand while on the other they take away freedoms and beliefs that Americans have died to defend and advance to the good of mankind for hundreds of years.

All that has made this nation great is at risk by a generation that has decided there is a better way than the Judo Christian work ethic that has made this country the greatest nation in the history of the world.

How sad, while we let Freedom Sleep and look to Washington to provide our needs we see all that this country sacrificed for erode while we become that which we sought to free the world from, the evils of a greedy power hungry government that seeks to replace the face of free men with a populace that has been educated to believe they are entitled by the blood of their forefathers to have their future provided for them by those who seek to advance their policies over freedom.

Freedom awake before all is lost to greed and entitlement. God I pray, at whatever cost, bless again America and those who hold this truth to mean what it says, that all men are created equal with a God given right to become all they can by their blood, sweat, and tears. Free to fail but always willing to get back up and try again. America wake up and let FREEDOM RING.

Their Back

Earlier this year we were blessed with about 12 Golden Finches. They moved on about four weeks ago. Saturday two more showed up and have been with us ever since. They are brilliant in the new found sunshine.

Surprise - Surprise

Is it Nancy or the C.I.A.? Is it the Democrats or the Republicans? Is it the President or the facts? It should come as no surprise as they have been dishonest and ingenuous for as long as I can remember. A few of the lies;

global warming,

their too big to fail,

I will lower taxes for 90% if the people,

Barney Frank, and

I will have a transparent government.

If you think the majority in Washington has anything on their minds but self preservation here is another one you will believe "my real name is George C. Scott".

The Grossbeak

As promised here is the Rose Breasted Grosbeak. A large yellow beak, black head, black back, black and white striped wings, the distinctive red breast, and when he flies there is red under his wings. They are still here today but should leave for Canada soon.

Spring Visits

We finally have our sun room finished and it is set up the way Dena wants it "for now" that could change at any minute. The past two weeks were blessed with three visits.

Our daughter and grand-daughter spent a week with us. Violet is growing up so fast. She is never still and talks continuously with every other word a question. I gave her a camera when they arrived and she took some suprisingly good pictures. It is so quiet here now it is eerie.

Our second visitors were three Baltimore Orioles, see picture. They were with us for about 10 days and were brilliant in their colors. I adapted one of our Humming Bird feeders to an Oriole feeder by super glueing Dos Equis caps for preserves, and attaching oranges to the hanger all of which kept them in our sight for hours daily as they fed and drank the sugar water.

Our third visitors are still here and have been for over a week. I will publish pictures as soon as they are downloaded to the computer. What are they? We couldn't find them in any of our bird books but Dena finally found them on the internet, they are three Rose Breasted Grosbeaks. They winter in Mexico and are passing through on their way to their summer home in Canada.

They are both beautiful and unusual. They have been here over a week and I hope we are feeding them well enough they will stay a little longer.

If anyone would have told me ten years ago I would be spending every spare moment watching birds I would have told them they were crazy, but what a joy they are, just another of God's abundant goodness.