Fishing with a Friend
Jim surprised me today with some excellent fishing gear. In honor of that and his massive experience with flying, I’m hoping he will enjoy this clip. Keep your line tight!
What’s in a Seed ?
It’s been a busy day. My Everyday in May promise looked bleak.
Now with hours to go and guilt building fast I looked through my computer and found this article. It’s somewhat dated as to my current lifestyle…lets just say, I wrote this in 1991. Now its 2007 and the “rat race” is once again a part of my life and that “taste of retirement” sixteen years ago is as close as I’ve been.
Now, I don’t want to retire and I’m in much more control then back in the eighties. My burnout in 1990 is another story completely.
This year, our garden’s cover-crop of fava beans and winter rye grass has been tilled in and potatoes and onions are planted. Should be a great year!
What’s in a Seed? was never published, but I’m happy with it. It was and still is what I consider to be, “excellent content.”
What’s in a Seed?
I used to look forward to a day when I had the time to do what I wanted. The kind of time that the “rat race” has precious little of – leisure time. Not too long ago, that day dream became a reality for me. A speedy course of events sent me selling one successful business only to devote my time and energy into another venture which suddenly went belly up. I was thrown into a status as close to retirement as could be — shy of a gold watch.
There was time to do what I wanted, even if it was only temporary. The time to explore new interests. The opportunity to enjoy my family more and even time to read for the fun of it. I travelled, gave talks, worked in my children’s school, and stayed active in my church.
Being fortunate enough to garner this “taste of retirement” I felt a unique opportunity to explore activities that could always be part of my life. I was searching for something that would be more than a hobby. What I was looking for was a pursuit that would satisfy my needs as a Christian. An activity which would fit my lifestyle, it must: glorify God; be of service to others; be family oriented; reduce stress; and bring enjoyment in my golden years.
Walking, painting, music, storytelling… the list went on and on and nothing seemed to fit! Oh, and the practical side of me added one other criteria: It must be something that would not consume all my time learning how to do it. Then it happened. One day while reading the Bible I realized what my ultimate activity was. To my delight, it was something I had been involved with ever since I can remember — GARDENING!
I read: “In a word, there are three things that last for ever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of them all is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13; New English) To most people, the reading of this passage will impart a sense of security and confidence in an uncertain future. However, my mind raced back to the past and the people who showed me the meaning of these essential Christian values.
It is easy to recall the fresh breath of Spring in my Upstate New York neighborhood. Our eagerness to play in the sunshine was only offset by the dread we felt when a baseball chanced into the neighbors recently planted garden. Clumsy feet racing to retrieve the ball before anyone could see, revealed the entire event in the soft dark soil. The next day at weeding time we cringed at being discovered, however, nothing was said — not even a dirty look. Had we been able to look the elderly gentleman in the face, we may have even detected a knowing sparkle in his eye.
I remember picking corn and running into the kitchen with freshly husked ears. The challenge of the race from the stalk to boiling pot in under five minutes created an atmosphere of delight mixed with hysteria. If we dropped an ear on the way, tradition dictated that it must be left. After all, taking the time to pick it up would surely sacrifice the freshness of all the rest. The result was nothing less than delicious.
Gardens were special places. God worked his wonders year after year. He was not subtle — even from a child’s perspective. Gardens, were the proving ground of Gods handiwork. Not only did they provide fresh food but they appeared to illuminate the people who were there keepers as well. They were the glorious gardens of my youth, although not unusually large or fancy. It was their stewards that made them glorious. Faith, Hope and Love these were the qualities taught to me by a man and two women who realized the blessings that tending even a small part of God’s creation could yield.
Virtually everybody I have ever talked with has agreed on one thing. Their mother had an incredible influence on their life. My experience is no exception. My mother has incredible faith. Each year she would lead her brood into a clearing in the flower patch and produce the tiniest black specks – she called them lettuce seeds. She expected us to believe that they would grow into delicious salads. Needless to say, we had our doubts. Faith aside, it took only one week to witness first hand one of Gods miracles; however, it did take a number of seasons before recognizing that salads were indeed delicious. That culinary revelation may have been another miracle or simply a testimony of my mother’s faith. She continues to exude a faith and love that win her the admiration of all who are fortunate enough to be graced by her presence. During the summer, she is seldom seen leaving the house without gifts of fresh picked flowers.
My garden adventures would not be complete without my aunt who was raised on a chicken farm during the Depression. Each year her crippling arthritis became more severe, and yet her garden plot grew larger each time I made my annual visit. She had the kind of hope that went far beyond physical limitations; nothing seemed to discourage her, and never was she disappointed as there was always bumper crops reaped by friends and family who seldom were able to leave without a basket full of vine ripe tomatoes or juicy Jersey corn. My aunt’s confidence and trust touched hundreds, if not thousands of lives reminding us that hope is forever. Her garden plot has not grown since she mercifully passed on to be with her heavenly Father – the only place limitless enough for a spirit like hers.
My aunt’s ever expanding garden was directed by her hope, but the initial effort was supplied by a tall, gentle man with a large rototiller, whom we respectfully called Farmer Bill. Bill was not what most people would call a farmer, but to his friends, the title always seemed to fit. Farmer Bill was enthralled by gardening. He could spot soil problems and knew what to look for in seed. He also new about charity. Bill had an old sky blue pickup truck he used to deliver his produce. He was not your typical huckster either; he gave away much more than he ever sold and even that which he did sell, the price was usually a nickel shy of the market and never did you buy a dozen ears of corn that wouldn’t fill thirteen plates. The members of his church and the people at the Home don’t see Farmer Bill’s pickup rattling up the drive anymore, but the years of his love still live in the hearts of many.
It was from these individuals that I learned that during the tightly rationed era of World War II, Americans were encouraged to plant gardens to off-set the strain on our country that food transportation, storage, and distribution created. The Victory Garden became a practical symbol of patriotism. At some point after the War, I suspect thousands of Victory Gardens were transformed into Glory Gardens like those of my childhood memories. A garden whose keepers sow not only vegetables, but the seeds of Jesus’s love.
This year I will begin a tradition by planting a “Glory Garden”. I will usher my children into the garden to show them the miracle of tiny seeds, and teach them about faith. My garden will be a little bigger this year to remember the hope which God has promised us and I will generously share with others, for that is the essence of love. I am confident that when the day for my actual retirement comes, I will be busy in my garden glorifying God.
“It’s All Good!” Not Really, but crashes are opportunities to get a, “Reality Check”
Whether it was a low cloud or high fog, I’m not really sure. But it definitely was the contributing factor which lead to a dramatic spill on the ski slope. Up to that point, the day had been very successful. In fact, after carving down a couple of runs on my snowboard, my oldest son made it a point to send an approving nod my way. Don’t envision a “tight dude stickin’ turns, huckin’ jumps and stylin’ huge air,” because that wouldn’t be me, but I don’t biff (crash) too often, either. So what went wrong?
Since taking up snowboarding, I’ve been forced to take a fresh look at a few of life’s little lessons. Life Lesson #1: Just because it feels right, does not mean it is. Early on, I was taught that even though your mind compels you to lean away from the rocks and steep edges, if you go with that instinct, it is a sure way to lose steering and control. Life Lesson #2: It takes faith to change direction. Another little gem . . . in order to change direction, you must give up the security of the direction in which you are going. Once I watched a woman ignore her instructor. He yelled, “Turn . . . Turn . . . TURN!” By the time he yelled, “SIT DOWN!” everybody was watching as she went right off the run and into the base of a slender hemlock. Fortunately, she was not hurt and we all had to laugh as the accumulated snow resting on the branches dumped on her for nearly a minute.
Neither bad instincts nor lack of faith were responsible for my crash. It was simply lack of perspective. Fresh snow is always welcome, but as we dropped deeper into the cloud, the combination of swirling snow and pea-soup fog created a severe whiteout condition and I lost perspective of the terrain. Where is uphill? where is down? are there bumps I should be ready for? am I on the trail? Suddenly all my questions were answered in a confusing way, as I caught an edge, tumbled sideways, then backwards, and finally face first down the hill. Life Lesson #3: Make sure your perspective is grounded on reality.
In the seventies, if you had a friend that really screwed up, you might help out by saying, “Man – you need a reality check.” Now that we are in the zeros, we never hear such talk. Quite the opposite. Today when a friend really screws up, he is more likely to be told, “It’s all good.” Redefining reality may be the newest American past-time, but just like becoming disoriented on the ski slope, losing an accurate perspective in life can be devastating.
When on the slopes, it’s important to have good visibility, otherwise, you can lose your baring and get hurt. Similarly, when living life, it’s best to keep a keen check on reality. There are obvious things each of us can do to maintain perspective in our life. Limiting TV, shunning drugs and saying “No!” to people who hurt you, are good for starters. Here are some more of mine:
- Go for a long walk. A hike through a forest, or a stroll by the water. Refresh your soul.
- Hold a baby. The younger the better. Soak up the innocence.
- Attend church. Get challenged to learn more about God. Be embraced by His unchanging love.
- Seek out someone who is deeply hurting. Understand their pain. It will lighten their burden.
- Share in other’s joy. Weddings, graduations, births . . . never miss the opportunity to revel in moments of happiness. Smiles are contagious.
Now…it’s your turn. You probably have your own techniques to help ground you to reality and I’d love to find out what they are. So while you’re reflecting on my list, think of a Reality Check you’d like to share with other readers of this blog. Please, comment (or email me ray@earthsuit101.com) your favorite Reality Check.
This Doctor’s Choice of Water Quality Products: SpaMagic, Spa Cleaser and SeaKlear Chlorine-Free Shock
Let’s talk water quality where it really counts. Sure a clean glass of water is great, but a clean hot tub / spa is a worthy and satisfying accomplishment. Not to brag, but I’ve found the secret to clear water, without dangerous chemicals and constant maintenance.
I know this sounds like an ad for an TV, infomercial special. But I can promise you I am making absolutely nothing out of this “endorsement”. However, I am going to link to the website I usually buy from so you can enjoy the same water quality I do. Who knows maybe The Cre8ive Group will want to sponsor my blog, or send me free products or give me free shipping…oh yeah, they already do that… gee wiz I’d be delighted with a T-shirt, but alas I am not expecting anything. (Did I really say “gee wiz?”)
First of all I’ll share a bit of history. I grew up with a pool. I’ve been a lifeguard, swim instructor and coach in public pools. Again, not to brag, but my experience allows me to maintain pH, chlorine levels and clarity with my eyes closed.
When we finally got a hot tub from Beachcomber Hot Tub and Spa I listened carefully to the instructions on utilizing their safe and environmentally friendly chemical protocols. It sounded good, with free testing and analysis and such. I walked out of the store with my “Starter Kit” and then some of the special chemicals they recommended for our unique well-water situation. Since they offer a full line of water treatment products, the excitement of my childhood chemistry set returned and I looked forward to maintaining optimal water quality in my new back yard laboratory.
We carefully researched our tub purchase. Beachcomber Hot Tubs were not the cheapest, but they were the best quality and value. Companies might like to hear that their products are excellent from happy customers and I believe theirs is tops, but they will not even send me a T-shirt after they hear what I have to say next.
Beachcomber’s whole chemical process sucks. It’s complicated, expensive and labor intensive. While it does work, a Herculean effort is required of the spa owner to deliver modest results.
For three months I was shackled to their protocol. Often, I went out of my way with sample in hand for testing. At times I felt like a bus driver suspected of drug abuse, diligently providing court ordered urine samples for others approval. By the time I could take no more, I had been sold a quiver of additional chemicals and told to change the water and start over three times.
The inevitable, “Enough!” finally arrived and I walked out of the store without any new products and left my free analysis on the desk. Knowing that in a worse case scenario I could go back to my pool-boy skills, I was happy to move on. A friend had suggested SpaMagic. He had raved about it even before we purchased our spa. I thought he was crazy. He told me, “You just throw a jar of this seaweed stuff in and it’s good for six months.” I’ve spent an inordinate amount of my time explaining to my kids, “If something seems too good to be true, it is probably not true.”
With nothing to loose and with the hope that it might be better than what I had been using I Googled the product and read everything I could on it. As a science major, I know the power of enzymes and so decided to give SpaMagic a try. Now, I’ll cut to the chase because everything has a learning curve and I won’t bore you with mine. After some careful and considerate evaluation I’ve come up with the recipe that works for me. I’ve broken it up into three groupings: First Time; Weekly Maintenance and Every Three Months.
First Time
· Drain the chemical soup out of your spa (avoid plants).
· Clean the spa with a little soap and rinse thoroughly.
· Fill and heat spa.
· Add Spa Cleanser. It is the first time use stuff and is needed and the directions should be followed carefully.
· Drain and rinse and fill again and heat
· Then add SpaMagic.Weekly Maintenance
· Pull the cover and rinse it off.
· Remove filter and flush it out.
· Add any needed water.
· Turn on pump with bubbles and add SeaKlear Chlorine-Free Shock and follow directions.
· Depending on use flush out filter at least one more time mid week. (Note: Water must circulate for the filter to work. I hear some hot tubs are not as good about circulating water automatically as mine is.)Every Three Months
· Drain water.
· Fill and heat spa.
· Add SpaMagic.
· Enjoy!
I’ve never had such an easy time maintaining any body of water. The biologically harmful chemicals used in the chlorine-free shock are gone before anyone has time to get back into the tub and the SpaMagic formula is as benign as one could hope for. The lanolin in the product keeps our skin soft and unlike most hot tub experiences, we usually feel that a shower after is optional. It takes no more than ten minutes a week to complete my duties and the results are stunning. For a while I tested, but the consistency of results has caused me to toss the test kit. Bottom line analysis is equally impressive. Our current product cost averages to less than $16 per month and when you factor in the time savings its, like… FREE!
