Sometimes, some people (OK, this is mostly about me), overlook somethings we’ve done that qualify as small mistakes. OK, I knew these were mistakes when I made them, and thought they were minor. They were, and they weren’t. If you don’t see yourself there, then you might want to move on. But most who follow “Unconventional” or me on Facebook know…
Read MoreWounded in Tombstone: Got Some Tweezers?
Almost 140 years after the infamous shoot out at the OK Corral, Tombstone AZ continues to cause damage. Yep, I got wounded in Tombstone just this fall. Sheila and I spent a week at a Tempe timeshare, and I’d recently discovered Luke Short, a part owner of the Oriental Saloon there and fellow gambler with Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, was my great uncle. So I headed southeast for some family research, leaving Sheila to relax at the pool and…
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Our Vast and Varied World
Pulling out of Temecula onto I-15 at 4 AM 2 years ago, I had one primary goal. To test myself, to push my limits, to see if at 70 I could repeat the feat done at 28: riding over 1,000 miles on 2 wheels in under 24 hours. Oh yeah, I had other goals, to meet Jerry in Butte as we hit 3 of the states I had not ridden in, and then to meet Mick and Brad and head to Banff. Dawn had not yet…Then serendipity struck…
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The debris and tools from removing pathetic plants
Cut Our Losses
When we moved to Newbury Park back in 2009, we bought a fixer upper. Maybe the last two words should be in bold and all caps. After a year remodeling the interior, we then crafted a backyard sanctuary. A water feature became the focal point in a corner, with a stream and waterfall and small pond. Some greenery flanked it to soften the look: a purple lilac vine on the left and a jasmine on the right grew abundantly. So when we returned to Temecula in 2015, we wanted to duplicate our Shangri La. A slightly different water feature, and the same plants. But…
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Of Mountains and Miniatures
Two years back, our Gray Hogs group crossed the Canadian border to snag Mick’s goal of seeing why Banff is such a big deal. We took a circuitous route to Radium Hot Springs just because a biker at a MT hotel told us off a rustic but inexpensive motel there,.The next morning’s ride to Banff thrilled us despite the cold, and the city was nice. A bit overdeveloped, and we struggled to find a breakfast place, but with marvelous views in all directions. That satisfied Mick, and we headed north to Lake Louise. Quite pretty but overcrowded, so…
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Today's Great Heresy
Facebook teaches theology, something I never expected. I’ve discovered it delves deep into what it means to follow Jesus. Lest you misinterpret this, please read it as sarcasm. Here’s one theology post, “You can not be a Christian and support Biden because he...” About the time I began to incorporate this into my theology, I came across another, “A Christian can not support Trump because he...” My mind began to…
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image by depositphotos.com
Keep Them as You Win Them
Take a look at the cross above, and which first comes to mind? The truth that Jesus’ death on the cross paid the debt for our sin and we can know him? The truth that we each must take up OUR cross daily, even at the risk of our life? Let me suggest that as we tell people about Jesus, we need to cover both. I learned that the hard way.
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image from wildlife.ca.gov
A Tale of Two Trout
Rock Creek, a bit above Bishop CA, has built a fine reputation for fall fishing, with an appreciated bonus of the aspen turning their holy gold. But every rule has an exception, and September 2018 served that role. In a good 1/2 mile of fishing, quite a bit when going into and out of all the holes, not a single trout had any interest in anything I presented. Then came the first, the gentle nibble of a trout trying to discover if this was a meal, but not ready to commit himself. Just a taste. But I felt the tug and set the hook by raising the rod tip, and pulled out…
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