The stack of pavers, the kneeling pad, the hammer and brick set chisel, the wheelbarrow with a shovel, and the saw, all suggest a work scene. And it even has a worker, with torn jeans and a sore on the knee…and the sweat stains on his chest indicate some work might have been done. But no one’s working. He’s sitting back with a cold drink. Why? He’s trying to copy Jesus. Really?
Read MoreAppearances Deceive
Looking down from 50 feet away, the above hole at McGee Creek looked promising. Deep enough for a nice sized trout, with enough movement of water to bring plenty of food to hungry fish. I carefully worked my way down through the scrub brush and rocks and loose dirt, but at 10 feet away, the hole lost its great appearance. Up close, the shallow water moved too fast and held little promise. Appearances deceive. But ...
Read MoreRock Stack by Juan Cisneros
When Rocks Talk
Signs of Christmas abound. “Silent Night” to “Jingle Bell Rock.” Manger scenes to those of Santa at the North Pole with his elves. But the pic above, which I put up earlier last week on its own, takes me to a deeper level on getting into the “Christmas spirit,” a level beyond our typical cultural Christmas. And may I suggest that the spiritual signs dominate the cultural ones. The pic of stacked rocks prompted ...
Read Moreimage from dailymail.co.uk
Puke and Rally
The Air Force Thunderbirds often take media people or celebs on PR flights in their jets. You likely won’t recognize Gerard Butler in the pic above, taking an in flight selfie. A family friend who has worked with them says it’s 50-50 if the media flyer will puke, so they prep them on how to avoid it, and then share their slogan: Puke and Rally. Or, if you feel like it’s gonna happen, grab the bag and...
Read MoreLove is a Feeling. Really?
“Love is a feeling you feel when you feel you’ve never felt that feeling before.” I first heard that from marriage counselor and author, Norm Wright. And while slightly over the top, it does reflect our society, doesn’t it? We go by feelings, by our gut. That’s why the pic above means so much. The morning in Idaho started off pretty chilly, and we geared up for cold weather, including insulated pants. Insulated pants that you can only remove with great difficulty and flexibility, particularly if you keep your boots on. But taking your boots off on a dirt side of the road merely brings more difficulty. And dirt on your sox. So, as the day warmed...
Read MoreJust Don't Say No...To Temptation
May I assume the headline got your attention? Here’s the back story. On a recent fishing trip I had a conversation with a fellow fisherman who turned out to be a fellow follower of a guy who knew a lot of fishermen. He acknowledged a struggle with alcohol overconsumption, “It’s so hard to say no. The angel on one shoulder says ‘Just say no,’ and the demon perched on the others says ‘Just say yes.’” So, in a flash of either idiocy or brilliance, I responded, “Just don’t say no…to temptation.” His look likely appeared like yours at reading the headline. But...
Read MoreEast of Temecula from Temecula Valley Hospital
Random Musings about Mortality
The pic above, looking toward the mountains east of Temecula, was the best part of my hospital stay. The day before began with checking out emails on my laptop, when some lightheadedness began. No necessary link here, folks! Then I headed to the kitchen for a restorative cup of coffee, and my body veered to the left when I wanted to go right. A bit suspicious, I tried to walk the straight grout line on the tile—same result. So I did a quick mirror test for stroke signs, good. Next I stood on one leg and balanced, or tried to. Not good. As much as I resisted my own idea, I asked Sheila...
Read MoreFish by Faith, not Sight
Take a look at the pic above. A close one, and focus at the middle of the pool just below the horizontal line of white water, just below the good sized rock. See any trout? Peer more closely, but you won’t see any. But trout are swimming in that water. I know, because I pulled one out of there a few weeks ago.At least 90% of the trout I catch I never see, until ...
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