Friday, November 10, 2006

Thanks to Papa -- Part of the Thanks Giving Series



My grandfather "Papa" with his first turkey.

I'm thankful for the lessons my grandfather taught me, some traditional, some not. Here are just a few:

1) Don't hunt for fun. Hunt for food. (We actually ate the turkey seen here, and it was the freshest, best turkey I've ever had.)

2) How to find water with a small branch from a peach tree. (How many girls do you know who can do that?)

3) How to drive a tractor with a plow. (Well, that one didn't go so well.)

4) How to drive a motorcycle.

5) How to shoot a revolver.

6) Tell the truth. Lies are too hard to remember and only snowball.

7) How to tell when it's going to hail.

8) How to know when a tornado is coming.

9) How to see the rain in the distance.

10) How to work hard even when no one is pushing you.

11) How to listen for rattlesnakes.

12) How to make doughnuts. (I don't think he knew I was watching.)

13) Don't chase boys. Let them chase you.

14) Let men open the door for you.

15) You come from a good family.

16) Treasure the past and look to the future.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

November Sky

When I came to California from Oklahoma one of the things I missed most was the dramatic sunsets of the spring storm season. I did live in Tornado Alley after all and the sometimes-threating clouds can really make beautiful sunsets.

More recently though I've been blessed with a vista of beautiful sunsets seemingly day after day.