Snickelfritz

Jordan only needs a slice of Provalone to entertain herself!

The Champion

The Elkins Library sponsored a fishing derby for kids yesterday. Local sponsors stocked the pond with 250 catfish and provided generous prizes for drawings. Fifty kids fished while an equal number of parents baited hooks and untangled lines. Braden caught the biggest fish and won the grand prize!

Bye-Bye

End of an era. When Mother and Dad bought a new(er) RV, they gave us kids the old one, a 1976 Coachmen Leprechaun. Maureen and I took it to both coasts and had a great time in it, but it was so old the systems started failing one by one. Finally the engine gave out. We parked it under the trees and it really started falling apart. We gave it to the scrap dealer, who hauled it off with his powerful old pickup. Now we have room for a new one!

Bees

It's so hot today the bees are hanging out on their front porch.

Pond

pond in summertime

under a soft green bedspread

frogs and turtles nap

Heron

I was able to get this picture of a heron flying under the War Eagle Bridge.

Outing

Maureen's co-worker, Sonia, and her husband, Wade, invited us to their 106 Ozark acres for fishing and hiking. It must be nice to have your own waterfall!

Fisherman

Small fish, medium fish, large fish, Braden kept getting better with practice.

Starry Night

I awoke in the middle of the night wondering what the weather would be like today. I looked out the bedroom window for stars to see whether the sky was clear. I could not tell if it was overcast or not because of the lightning bugs.

cloudy summer night

fireflies disguised as stars

twinkling confusion

Equality

Smoke deflects the traffic.

You only drink what you carry.

Keep the beer dry.

Smoke break.

Containment or protection?

Can't get that bike wet!

Lunch

Softshell crab dinner in Annapolis.

Tree Hugger

Our own environmental activist.

Ice Storm

This time of year it's hard to remember how cold it was in February. We lost about 25 trees, including 4 apple trees, and had this damage to the trees around the house.

Diagnosis

Even worse than a pilot being told he has diabetes.

Pirate

The US Navy today announced that it has released a Somali pirate after questioning him intensively for 27 days while being held prisoner aboard a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. In a humanitarian gesture, the pirate was given $50 and a white 1962 Ford Fairlane automobile. The photo shows the pirate on his way home after release.

Jordan and Natasha

My Hero 3

Denzel Washington and his family visited the troops at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio recently. This is where soldiers who have been evacuated from Germany come to be hospitalized in the United States, especially burn victims. There are some buildings there called Fisher Houses.

The Fisher House is a hotel where soldiers' families can stay for little or no charge while visiting the hospital. BAMC has quite a few of these houses on base, but, as you can imagine, they are almost filled most of the time.

While Denzel Washington was visiting BAMC they gave him a tour of one of the Fisher Houses. He asked how much one of them would cost to build. He then took his checkbook out and wrote a check for the full amount right there on the spot.

Iris

A passionate interest in what you do is the secret of enjoying life, perhaps the secret of a long life, whether it is helping old people or children or making cheese or growing earthworms. -- Julia Child

Painting Crew

The painting crew working on the Maguire House sign.

War Eagle

On the way to check out the new Hobbs State Park Visitor Center yesterday I crossed the War Eagle bridge.

Play

Jordan was a Chinese washerwoman in her second grade's play.

Wreath

Maureen celebrated summer by making us a new wreath for the front door.

My Hero 2

Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III, USAFA '73

The Airbus 320 had just taken off from New York's La Guardia Airport bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, when it lost power in both engines after striking a flock of birds. Captain Sullenberger took control of US Airways Flight 1549 while his co-pilot attempted to restart the engines. After considering options of returning to LaGuardia or continuing on to an alternate landing site such as nearby Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Captain Sullenberger quickly determined that the aircraft lacked the altitude to land safely in a heavily populated area. Instead, he decided to ditch in the icy Hudson River. Clearing the George Washington Bridge by less than 900 feet, Captain Sullenberger instructed the passengers to "Brace for impact," and expertly guided the damaged aircraft to a smooth landing on the river. The flight lasted approximately six minutes, but the danger was by no means over, as the aircraft began to take on water. Captain Sullenberger, aided by his co-pilot and three experienced flight attendants, oversaw the orderly departure of the 150 passengers through the four emergency over-wing exits and the two passenger doors at the front of the aircraft. He then walked the length of the aircraft twice to ensure everyone had escaped before becoming the last person to leave the plane.

"Confidence has to be realistic, based on your education, training and experience. It can't be wishful thinking. You have to know what's a reasonable risk and what's not."

"You have to have the confidence to do the job but have a realistic appreciation of the risks. It was a realistic confidence based on my experience."

"People wanted to be reassured that even in these difficult times all the things we value are still there, that if you work hard and take your profession seriously then you can make your part of the world a little better."

P-51

This is a good little story about a vivid memory of a P-51 and its pilot by a fellow who was 12 years old in Canada in 1967:

It was noon on a Sunday as I recall, the day a P-51 Mustang was to take to the air. They said it had flown in during the night from some US airport; the pilot had been tired. I marveled at the size of the plane dwarfing the Pipers and Canucks tied down by her. It was a bulwark of security from days gone by.

The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into the flight lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was gray and tossed. Looked like it might have been combed, say, around the turn of the century. His flight jacket was checked, creased and worn -- it smelled old and genuine. Old Glory was prominenty sewn to its shoulders. He projected a quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He filed a quick flight plan to Montreal (Expo 67 Air Show) then walked across the tarmac.

After taking several minutes to perform his walkaround check the pilot returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while he "flashed the old bird up, just to be safe."

Though only 12 at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher after brief instruction on its use: "If you see a fire, point, then pull this lever!" I later became a firefighter, but that's another story.

The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold, then another, and yet another barked. I stepped back from the others. In moments the Packard-built Merlin engine came to life with a thunderous roar; blue flames knifed from her manifolds. I looked at the others' faces; there was no concern. I lowered the bell of my extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the lounge. We did.

Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his preflight run-up. He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All went quiet for several seconds; we raced from the lounge to the second story deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she started down the runway. We could not.

There we stood, eyes fixed to a spot halfway down 19. Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before, like a furious hell spawn set loose -- something mighty this way was coming. "Listen to that thing!" said the controller. In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight. Its tail was already off and it was moving faster than anything I'd ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The prop tips were supersonic; we clasped our ears as the Mustang climbed hellish fast into the circuit to be eated up by the dog-day haze.

We stood for a few moments in stunned silence trying to digest what we'd just seen. The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. "Kingstontower calling Mustang?" He looked back to us as he waited for an acknowledgement.

The radio crackled, "Go ahead Kingston." "Roger Mustang. Kingstontower would like to advise the circuit is clear for a low level pass." I stood in shock because the controller had, more or less, just asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air show!

The controller looked at us. "What?" he asked. "I can't let that guy go without asking. I couldn't forgive myself!"

The radio crackled once again. "Kingston, do I have permission for a low level pass, east to west, across the field?" "Roger Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west pass." "Roger, Kingston, I'm coming out of 3000 feet, stand by."

We rushed back onto the second story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51 burst through the haze, her airframe straining against positive G's and gravity, wing tips spilling contrails of condensed air, prop tips again supersonic as the burnished bird blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and tearing the air.

At about 400 mph and 150 yards from where we stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting. Imagine! A salute! I felt like laughing, I felt like crying. She glistened, she screamed, the building shook, my heart pounded.

Then the old pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of sight into the broken clouds and indelibly into my memory.

I've never wanted to be an American more than on that day. It was a time when many nations in the world looked to America as their big brother, a steady and even-handed beacon of security who navigated difficult political water with grace and style, not unlike the pilot who'd just flown into my memory.

He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That America will return one day, I know it will.

Bad Day

It's all relative. Have a good day!

Mustang Ranch

In 1990 the U.S. government seized the Mustang Ranch and Brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it.

They failed and it closed.

Now you are trusting the economy of our country and 787 billion dollars to people who couldn't make money running a whorehouse and selling booze with no competition.

This is the same government that runs the IRS, is taking over the automotive industry, and wants to manage health care.

God help us all!

Dishwasher

Who needs a dishwasher when our new kitty, Natasha, can lick the platter clean?

Boozman

Representative John Boozman personally escorted us to tours of the Capitol and White House. Nick was very impressed by how personal and friendly Big Government can be.

Freedom

Treasure your mobility.

Chef's Assistant

Jordan teaching the chef how to ice muffins.

Illegal Immigration

Anthony B. Taylor, bishop of Little Rock, wrote (in Spanish) that "people have a God-given right to immigrate when circumstances so require. The right to immigrate derives from our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Since they come from God, no government has the authority to deny us these rights or apply them in a selective or discriminatory manner."

Thank God for separation of Church and State!!

Encounter at a Gas Pump

The little man in tattered clothing was shuffling from one gas pump to another with his right palm extended. It was obvious he was begging from the stream of customers as they watched their dollars click away.

He approached one well-dressed man who waved him off. "No, I have no change, no money for you, sorry," he said abruptly.

"No change? I just want a hamburger," the panhandler persisted. "No food in a day."

The driver hung up the gas nozzle, piled into his car and sped away. The thin, slump-shouldered, persistent beggar -- who looked to be in his late 60's -- made his way over to another motorist.

Soon a car eased up alongside him. Behind the wheel sat the same man who had waved him off just minutes before. The power window on the 2009-model car whirred down and the driver slowly handed the little man a sack with SONIC printed on its side. "A hamburger? For me?" was all the little man said.

The driver waved as his car eased slowly away. The panhandler moved over to a bench beside the store, closed his eyes and slowly savored every bite. What's that they say about never judging others? Whether they've giving or receiving. We all know which is more blessed.

Escort

The Princess and her escort heading to the big dance.

Great Balls Afire

Rajini Narayan, 44, has been charged in Adelaide, Australia, with murder and other charges after she confessed to neighbors that she set her husband's genitals on fire because she thought he was having an affair.

He died from his injuries.

Change

"My friends, we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. I hope you'll join with me as we try to change it."

Why?