Fingers of sunrise pried between a gap in the trees and poked through the window above the door to paint shadows on the adjacent wall. This happens only when the Sun is at its northernmost part of its travels through the seasons. Already it has begun its southerly retreat towards its winter residence, and inContinue reading “Summer Sunrise Surprise”
Author Archives: eskildoodle1
Small Shoes, Big Hearts
It’s not the size of the shoes, it is the size of the hearts of the ones that wear them. Grandkids are here filling our days with youth, vigor, and purpose. It is really nice to be so old, and yet feel so young because of their very presence.
Pleased to Meet You, Guess My Name
In the autumn of 1970, a young lady and her friends were bantering about good-naturedly in this building. They were part of a college weekend retreat, and I happened to be in the area visiting my parents who lived near there. I had seen her around school, but did not know her name. When theContinue reading “Pleased to Meet You, Guess My Name”
Itty Bitty Butt Biters
They were very cute, very small, and tolerated attention, especially if you offered them a treat. Be careful, however, when you walk away because they love to pony up behind you and bite your behind. When we heard someone yelp while ambling about the grounds, we knew they had experienced another adventure with equine backbiting.
Milling About
As a child I recall the sound of the whirling windmill on our farm, driving the pump shaft up and down to draw water from the ground into a large round metal tank for the dairy cattle. But it was more than just an essential farm fixture, it was a place of imagination and adventure.Continue reading “Milling About”
He’s On the Wall!
He was my namesake, Uncle Howard, botany professor, who had served in WW II in the Pacific, and four times stormed island beaches under fire and survived to tell the tale. He returned to “Hays, America,” as a professor at Fort Hayes State College at Hayes, Kansas, and became curator of the Sternberg Museum ofContinue reading “He’s On the Wall!”
Ukulele Sunset
The setting sun gently caressed two of my ukuleles hanging on the wall in the music room. The brown ukulele came from Moorea, near the island of Tahiti, and was made by a local using wood from a family-owned island nearby. It sounds as lovely as it looks, and brought pleasure to many locals withContinue reading “Ukulele Sunset”
Three Little Birds (and blooms)
Three metal bird sculptures balance on a pole extending from a flower pot, which has three blossoms. In the background, a frog watches from the hole in a birdhouse, perhaps hoping to hear a melody so “pure and true.” On the other hand the three little birds are giving him their backside, so maybe hisContinue reading “Three Little Birds (and blooms)”
Platte River Venture
Dad had always loved to fish, especially for rainbow trout. We would drive to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado for camping trips to follow this passion, and for hiking and camping. It was a long drive back then, and he came up with his own fishing, camping, and golf resort along the Platte River nearContinue reading “Platte River Venture”
Pull Up To Go Down
It is often said on TV programs that to make an airplane go up, pull back on the control stick and to go down, push forward. That only works in a very narrow range of flight attitudes. Keep pulling back and the airplane slows to a point that the wings suddenly quit producing lift andContinue reading “Pull Up To Go Down”
