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.

Response to Recent Beanie Babies Inquiries

In response to the recent comment on the "Beanie Babies Septette" entry, I would like to advise all that all participants in the program were male. Also, the score on the piano was open to "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear". Obviously, lacking in certain jurisdictional or jurisprudential appreciation, the decision to open with "Down By The Old Mill Stream" prevailed, with hardly a whimper. The folly of this had become obvious when we found that the culprit leading the program was none other than the anonymous fiction author of the infamous slanderous creation of June, 2013, which was reproduced in this Blog.

It would appear that the entire group had imbibed in the same poisonous potion as had impregnated the sensibility powers of the author, purportedly recanting the marvelous historical archived essay of the November, 1963 Deer Hunt Weekend.

Efforts of members of our traditionally austere family failed, in allowing a certain portion of extremely fine 15 year old Irish Whiskey to fall into hands of one who was unable to handle the reins of a team so voluble; thus resulting in an impressive issue of fiction, rather than fact, as is to be expected when in the hands of an inexperience teamster. You see, genetic traits do not necessarily track, do they?

 Septette

For Beanie Babies

First three are published

 Excerpt from page 21, Gee! A Story From A Forest Continues:  "I think something is tickling my toes at night and I don't know what it could be."  "Well, I am surprised you hadn't asked me that question before Mari.  There are many things going on above and below our forest floor, and I think my next story will give you your answer," said the Big Black Oak Tree in the Forest!!!

I Promised To Keep You Informed

I PROMISED TO KEEP YOU INFORMED

Some time ago I mentioned that I was going to try to “evolve” some of my BLOG into a series of children's books. At the time, I had no idea what a time consuming project it would be. It was not the conceptual or narrative part that was a problem, but the processes of so called “publication” that proved difficult. Converting a concept and a story into an effective child's learning tool requires a bit of manipulation and a great deal of frustration. Having managed through both so far, we have succeeded in completing the process for release of the first two stories.

They are entitled: Gee!! A Story From A Forest and Gee! Another Story From A Forest. They are directed toward children in the 6 to 9 year old age group, and I promise that the stories exhibit far more imagination than do the titles. The stories run sequentially and there are three more now in process of completion.

Always having appreciated constructive criticism, (do you see the lump in my cheek?) I look forward to your critique and hope that the stories fulfill a need for our kids. The first two books are available at Xlibris.com. The first is available at other outlets, including Amazon, Alibris Books and Barnes and Noble.