MARI CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

MARI, LARI, CARI, THE BIG BLACK OAK TREE, GRANDPA AND THE REST OF THE GANG
ALL WISH YOU A VERY MARI CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR FROM THE FOREST

ONE CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY TOOLS

Any thoughts or suggestions to the contrary should be totally discarded. Two recent episodes, neither of which bore any similarity to the other, created stalwart support for the premise.

In one scenario, it was suggested that I replace some thirty year old fittings on a trash pump with more efficient quick disconnect fittings. The challenge of determining proper sizes of necessary fittings, while being confronted with the cast iron, galvanized and PVC plastic materials involved, was eventually overcome, after much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

After a rather long excursion to acquire necessary fittings (did you know they come in male and female), I returned to the scene of the crime to establish my battle plan. I soon realized that, although the older designers may not have yet envisioned the more convenient “quick release” type fittings, they certainly had perfected “permanence” in their design.

The eventual installation of the marvelous quick release fittings was accomplished in good time, but the removal of the old fittings from the reinforced lines and cast iron pump required frequent trips to the old workshop and the application of tools I had forgotten existed. The removal of those old connections required all of my meager ingenuity, short of dynamite, and I was contemplating mixing a batch, when an old drill and a hacksaw blade did the trick.

Those “old” fittings may not have been the most convenient, but they sure did an effective job. And it took several trips back to the old workshop to return the tools.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

Friday, September 19, 2014 6:05 AM

Mari, Lari and Cari were barely stirring, and who could blame them. A dismal haze hung over the woods, supported by a damp miserable 47 degree fog over the area. A light Northeasterly breeze wafted the forest, causing Mari, Lari and Cari, and, incidentally all of their brothers and sisters to allow their outermost branches to emit a feeble attempt at awakening. All were awaiting a promised Mr. Sun to make its entry, burn away the haze, and awaken the world. At least this little world. Lo and behold, all promises were kept, and the little world came to life.

Fast forward: 6:05 PM

We have all heard the phrase “what a difference a day makes”, or even 12 hours....Mari, Lari and Cari are now receiving the answer to their question “WHY CAN'T WE DANCE TOO?" They are dancing, along with their brothers and sisters, the wildest POLKA I have seen recently, accompanied by a brisk 30 mile an hour Southwest wind. At least they have received the answer to their question as posed to the Big Black Oak Tree In A Forest....WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES.

JUST BECAUSE IT'S OLD AND FALLEN DOWN DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T BE USEFUL

No ma'am, I am not referring to your husband. I am referring to the blown down Birch and Pine trees I spotted lying in the woods some twenty years ago. I salvage a few pieces and hauled them to the shed.

After contemplating various uses over the years, I, one day, envisioned a replacement for the somewhat inadequate bookshelf in the corner of the cabin.

A few days of solitude and various stages of frustration in the workshop resulted in our very own nature's bookshelf. Fits right in with the log walls too. Unfortunately, as “stuff” accumulates, we could well have used a larger wall. And,come to think of it, I still have some wood left over.

A June, 2013 Blog post pictures the Bookshelf. I will try to publish a post of the project in progress.

MORE PASSWORD NIGHTMARES

I recently attempted to log in to an oft used website and was told to change my password. The password must contain no fewer than 8 characters, nor more than 14. At least one upper case, one lower case, one numeral, and no successive characters allowed. Before I could print or copy the directions my web time expired and I lost the site. Please, Michael Hill, hurry and do something to make this PASSWORD thing more sensible before we all go nuts and the CLOUD is filled with password files.

DEFINITION OF LABOR DAY (OR LABOUR DAY)

Definition of LABOR DAY (OR LABOUR DAY)

The first Monday in September of each year signifying the end of summer and the commencement of clean up, which includes dismantling and deactivating all of the toys which were seldom put to use during the Summer season.

This exercise is virtually impossible in the time frame allowed, but somehow, the cramming of toys and other necessary equipment peculiar to Summer recreation into spaces unimagined will be achieved sometime prior to total ice-in.

As our Summer season fades from memory-assuming you can remember it at all-a fresh new Fall dictates the importance of its existence-the hunting season. The season of the “provider”, a period set aside to fill the larder, the freezer, the pantry with provisions to satisfy the family necessities for the coming Winter. For where would the family be were it not for the “provider”. Did I hear somebody say Pick and Save? Stifle that.

But, let us not become disheartened. For along with our traditional “Provider” season, our ancestors provided us with a “wild card”. We call it INDIAN SUMMER. It shows its smiling face on occasion, and we can only hope and pray that it pops up at such times as will be convenient. (Note: Especially appreciated on weekends)

I LOST A GOOD FRIEND THIS WEEK

I lost a good friend this week. He was not on my best
buddy list, because he was always too busy to do the
things that many of our other guys could do. We would take off
and go fishing or hunting, but he had to FLY.
He would fly for Gran-Aire, or he would fly for Blommer, but he would fly.

I have my original log book. We bought it at the Gran-Aire counter for one dollar. The first entries were Gene taking me on my first flights in a single engine plane. The first spins, the first stalls, and the first time I had control at takeoff. The log is dated 1960.

It was the thrill of my life and, reflecting back, the shove that allowed me to earn my pilot’s license and give the exact same thrill to others. Let’s not be confused. I have a license, but……Gene is a pilot. He will carry that rating no matter where he goes.

Gene Walenton is the guy I will always want in the LEFT SEAT…..and he rates a high spot on both lists.

IMAGINATION IS A WONDERFUL THING

“IMAGINATION IS A WONDERFUL THING. IT WILL ENABLE A CHILD TO TURN A GROUND BALL INTO A HOME RUN OR DREAMS INTO REALITY.”

The progression from PICTURE book to CHAPTER book is normal and effective in enhancing the use of IMAGINATION. Imagination eliminates the initial necessary crutch that pictures provided. Once the picture is planted in the mind, our children will be able to devote their concentration to the written word without the distraction of the picture. Illustrations, of course, are very effective in initially approaching a new subject, but the reading skills will hopefully develop more rapidly while concentrating on the written word.

In developing the new readers’ vocabulary, we should remember that a DICTIONARY or THESAURUS provides definitions and synonyms of WORDS not PICTURES, and will be often used tools in the future of our kids.

Therein lies the primary goal in the evolution from picture book into chapter book format, while embracing the necessity of introducing the love of nature and science into our “GEE! A STORY FROM A FOREST” series of books.

My kids taught me that.

Grandpa Hill

When Is A Blessing, A Blessing, A Blessing...........

June 2, 2014

When Is A Blessing, A Blessing, A Blessing……..

The answer is when it involves a gathering of the Family.  Now, I mean the WHOLE family.  This past week, we celebrated our Granddaughter, Alyssa’s graduation from Medical school.  That, of course, is a terrific reason for a celebration, and she retains her position on the pedestal upon which all of our children, grandchildren, and  great-grandchildren have been duly placed, by us, of course. 

But what constitutes a “multiple BLESSING”?  It is absolutely overwhelming, when  such a gathering includes “all” of our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren at one gathering and simultaneously.  Enhanced by the presence of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends, seldom seen but always missed, it was a communion of the scattered, all of whom made extraordinary effort to attend and share. 

For those of you who found it impossible to attend, you were all there in our hearts and

thoughts. 

Thank you all for helping us celebrate, and ……

                        May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be always at

                        your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains

                        fall soft upon your fields and, until we meet again, may God

                        hold you in the palm of his hand.

Earl and Dolores

a cabin-muse post

Spring Has Sprung I Think

I, for the first time this year, managed to defeat the barriers of nature and permeate through to the epicenter of the “Woods”.  Could you believe it?  The snow is gone.  The Forest is ready.  But wait!!   A  sparse two inches of snow and freezing driz has caused the thousands of trees,  call them what you would like,  be they millenniums, or whatever, to bow over ever so slightly and whisper “ could we wait until tomorrow?”

No, I responded, I have places to be tomorrow.  Let’s get it over with now.  We should set up our activities calendar, so that there are no conflicts.

Determining the itinerary is our primary goal.  However, we are confronted by David, with his sling and a pocket full of rocks.  It’s like the rays of the sun encroaching on the epicenter, or like the well organized epicenter trying to target the rays of the sun.

In the oft documented story, David struck Goliath a lethal blow, but David did not confront Wisconsin winters and “buckthorn”.  Be that as it was and is, Wisconsin winters can and will slow us down a bit, but when the time is right, we can always use the sling.

A well thought out plan will enable us to accomplish our primary goal, a safe, healthy, productive Forest.  A plan which allows us to clean up the remnants of a less than hospitable winter,  including blow downs, which, incidentally, will help replenish the depleted rows of much needed firewood, ravished by the polar vortex.

But then, yes, what then?  The rays start to target David.  So many adversaries, so few rocks.  The aforementioned blow downs need to be removed.  The villainous buckthorn is wielding it’s thorny shield, and above all, A Story From A Forest is beckoning.

Mari, Lari and Cari are screaming for attention.  The Big Black Oak Tree in the Forest is asking for his next lines.  The kids are wondering who will answer their questions, if and when the Big Black Oak Tree converts to a condominium.

All this, and yes, we have Black Locust erupting throughout the wild flower garden.  Believe it or not, as I was clipping off the black locust upstarts today, I think I heard that big Black Locust in the neighbor’s yard say “ Did They Just Send One Of You?”  

Now It's Time To Start Wishing

In August of last year, I penned a short Blog entitled "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR". It was inspired by the myriad of complaints I was hearing related to the ninety degree temperatures and skyrocketing humidity. I was only reminding everyone that HE was hearing the groans and could very well answer the multitude's prayers with "abundance".

Just as I suspected, our prayers were answered. They refer to it as "POLAR VORTEX". Need I say more? The snow depth in the woods at the tree farm still stands at about two feet, but temps are rising and, hopefully, some much needed rain will arrive and knock down that Spring deterrent. Then, we finally will be able to venture into the Forest and say good morning to Mari, Lari and Cari and The Big Black Oak Tree awaiting us.

Mari Christmas and Happy New Year

You may have noticed that I took the liberty of slightly altering the spelling of “Merry”.

Of course, I adopted the change in honor of one of the co-stars in our new series of children's books entitled “Gee! A Story From A Forest”.  

Her name is Mari Pine Tree.   If you haven't already checked into the adventures of Mari and her two friends, Lari and Cari, as they are ushered through the secrets and mysteries of our forests and woodlands by the Big Black Oak Tree in the Forest, I suggest you visit our new website and introduce yourself. You may access our website on    

www.geeastory.com or www.grandpahill.com

I also must take full responsibility for the gross tardiness of this notice. I plead total and complete ineptness in the IT field (that spells computers and/or websites), so therein lies the rub.

Hopefully, you will also understand why we felt it necessary to try to convey many of these wonders of nature to our youngsters, before other instruments of evil consume their time and interest. Please don't read anything into this, but you are probably right.