“I am what and who I am, venturing down the path of life, following my dreams, chasing rainbows and leaving safe harbor with sails set full, to boldly go where I have not been before”… (Larry “Dutch” Woller) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

In today’s world society with all the naysayers, deniers and closed minded individuals it is difficult for one to ignore the fears and doubts…. I, for one, have turned a deaf ear to them and instead listened to Lena Horne and Steve Jobs… ladies first.. 🙂

If you believe within your heart you’ll know
That no one can change the path that you must go
Believe what you feel and know you’re right, because
The time will come around when you say it’s yours

Believe there’s a reason to be
Believe you can make time stand still
You know from the moment you try
If you believe, I know you will

Believe in yourself, right from the start
You’ll have brains, you’ll have a heart
You’ll have courage to last your whole life through
If you believe in yourself, if you believe in yourself
If you believe in yourself as I believe in you (Lena Horne)

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary” (Steve Jobs )

Hello Diary,

Fortunately have managed to avoid any severe weather…. Life puts many types of storms in ones path, the weather being one of them… hopefully those that have to deal with the hurricane do not have to suffer and have plenty of help… the extreme weather the world has been experiencing is do to the change in the climate, change of which mankind is responsible for to some degree..

Here on the path things are being done that will hopefully help others to help the world… “The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.” (Frederick Buechner )..

One method is ordering online and having it delivered to my door…

On a personal level it reduces cost, I can eat healthy and reduces waste.. environment wise it reduces gas emissions, dependence on fossil fuels, and energy consumption (refrigeration, etc) as I can store in the cupboards, pantry, etc…

By ordering many different food types, and using the ole head for something other than a “hat rack”, I can prepare and enjoy a multitude of meals much like the chicken, vegetables and dumplings with mashed potatoes… 🙂

I also ordered two new “boogie boards”.. they remind me of the ole chalkboards…. 🙂

I use them to take down notes etc… again, on a personal level it reduces the cost of buying paper, it is delivered to the front door.. Environment wise, reduces gas emissions, dependence on fossil fuels and energy consumption and no one has to cut down a tree… 🙂

And speaking of trees, I am a avid reader..now I have a few paper books that were purchased many years ago but over time made changes also.. while there are many types of media available, I currently have two (actually three) Kindles, two a 7 inch Paperwhite and the other a 10 inch Fire…

I use the Paperwhite for reading and the Fire for backup and other uses… I have my entire library downloaded on the Paperwhite and the Fire which I can access without getting online.. Currently there are over 1200 books on both the Paperwhite and the Fire… on a personal level it reduces cost (the books are less expensive), I do not need to be concerned about storing the books and delivered to my front door…again environment wise, reduces gas emissions, dependence on fossil fuels and energy consumption and no one has to cut down a tree… 🙂

There are other small things I do around the home also… just some examples of what one can do to help deal with climate change without sacrificing ones life and dreams… that being said, I know it may not be for everyone but there may be little things one can do that may seem small at the time but loom large in the big picture… “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” (Barack Obama )

Just venturing down the path hoping to do some good so others can follow their dreams.. there will be challenges ahead but we have high hopes, right Frank?.. 🙂

I had better close for now, rambled on enough… have some more planning to do and dreams to follow…but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Yes, the ole mortal clock is slowly winding down, BUT I am being me and doing it my way on the path least traveled and if that makes me different, I’d rather be different.. 🙂

And why do I wish to be different, you may ask,
The freedom to choose, to explore, to learn a lot,
Dictated to by a prophet chained to a myth…. NOT
Maybe so everyone can shout and point at me,
And say, “Hey, he’s different”, don’t you see.

My mind is clear and open, gathering knowledge every day
My spirit is young, adventuresome and floating free,
Not confined by those social chains, no box, no mold for me
I am what I am, I am me, what I wish to be,
Perhaps that makes me different, don’t you see.

So my heart’s compass is pointed to the horizon
Sails set full, safe harbor fading in the distance, a faint glow to eye it seems
And with a pocket full of memories, on the horizon are my dreams
On down the path least traveled I will venture, with spirit free
Why the path least traveled?..well, I’m different, don’t you see.

(Penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller )

“When one suddenly finds oneself in a swamp up to one’s armpits in alligators, it is difficult to remember the objective was to drain the swamp” on the path least traveled….

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

“Neither hail, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night” shall prevent love from finding a way… 🙂

To Love you is to daydream of you often, think of you so much, to speak of you proudly, and miss you terribly when we are apart.
To Love you is to cherish the warmth of your arms, the sweetness of your kiss, the friendliness of your smile, the loving sound in your voice, and the happiness we share……
To Love you is to never forget the adversity we have overcome, the tears we have shed, the plans we have made, the problems we have solved, and the pain of separation.
To Love you is to remember joyfully the days we made memorable, the moments that will live forever in our hearts,
The dreams we hope for, the caress and touches of love, and the exhilaration of love that fills our hearts.
To Love you is to need you, want you, hold you, and know you as no one else can.
To Love you is to realize that life without you would be no life at all……..
(Author Unknown)

“The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.”. Jiddu Krishnamurti

Hello Diary,

It is a Thursday and quiet so far but storms on the horizon… have been busy the past few days preparing for the storms and the weekend.. even with a few aches and pains, taking advantage of the quiet weather to work outdoors….”I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.” (Author Unknown)..

Here on the prairies there is the possibility of storms end of the week and weekend… “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”. (Author Unknown)…

Unfortunately for those living in the southeast, especially in the land of gators and big snakes (Florida, USA) there is a big wind approaching… “There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, people we can’t live without but have to let go.” (Nancy Stephan)…

And it looks like it will be a weekend event for the most part….

D: Tropical Depression – wind speed less than 39 MPH
S: Tropical Storm – wind speed between 39 MPH and 73 MPH
H: Hurricane – wind speed between 74 MPH and 110 MPH
M: Major Hurricane – wind speed greater than 110 MPH

But weather can change in a heartbeat and hopefully it will change for the better and there will be little (if not any) suffering, especially for those who find themselves without comfort, support or a home… for those people and all creatures;
May flowers always line your path
and sunshine light your way,
May songbirds serenade your
every step along the way,
May a rainbow run beside you
in a sky that’s always blue,
And may happiness fill your heart
each day your whole life through.
(Irish Saying)

they are calling the wind Dorian but here on the prairies it is sometimes known as “Mariah”.. 🙂

And speaking of storms, had better close for now…prepare for life’s challenges and follow the dream in spite of the challenges.. but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Yes, life will put many types of storms in ones path, but here on the path “I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” (Louisa May Alcott) and for us dreamers and lovers (and hopefully everyone) after each storm there is always a rainbow… 🙂

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do…” (Pope John XXIII ) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

“I am what and who I am, venturing down the path of life, following my dreams, chasing rainbows and leaving safe harbor with sails set full, to boldly go where I have not been before”… (Larry “Dutch” Woller) looking for that moment in time…

What I am
Who I want to be
Am I just a stranger in this dinosaur world,
or my is existence limited to rest ,eat and pee.

Every day is a new day ,
I try to discover myself,
The identity crisis lulls over me,
In calm, yet monstrous glee,
Failing to find what exactly constitutes my being.

One day I want to be a doctor,
Other day an engineer,
Or even a scientist,
The society decides my ambition,
What career to pursue is guided by secure future norms,
They say I have a lunatics mind,
Persuade my mother to put some sense into me.

Enough is said,
I my setting on a journey of my own,
The mistakes I make shall be mine,
The regrets shall be my defined,
Its fall or rise,
Time will play a key role,

As Frost said,
I have an option of two paths ahead of me,
One pre decided by my ancestors,
less risky and challenging,
Other of my own,
I decide to take the less traveled one,
To mark on journey of my own.
(Illahi Bedi)

“When you are truly inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project… your mind transcends its limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world! Then those dormant forces, faculties and talents inside you become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” Patanjali “

Hello Diary,

It is a quiet, peaceful, pleasant Saturday morning…

A lovely morning, with a touch of fall in the air… a morning to “stop the world and get off” (after a busy week of making changes) to contemplate the tomorrows with a spot of tea… “I used to have all these plans and think ‘Ah, I have my whole life figured out’, but then I realized no matter how much I plan: life happens! So I find myself living day to day trying to do my best, embracing every moment as a learning opportunity and chance to get to know myself a little more.” Q’orianka Kilcher

Earlier in the darkness I ventured out to gather data from my weather instruments, as I do every morning, and this morning when I turned the corner “VOILA” there were Spidey, in it’s den, waiting for some unsuspecting creature to enter…. 🙂

Fortunately I were watching for the webs and had my flashlight on or I would have walked into the web… the web was approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters) in width… as it were, I said good morning and took another path and Spidey and I passed each other like two ships in the night… 🙂 I ventured out after sunrise and the web were gone, but Spidey will be baaaaaaaaaack… 🙂

Yes, there are changes being made here on the path and in some manner will help the environment and in turn help my friends and others and hopefully will help make the world a better place… “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Stephen Grellet

Why would I do that one would ask?.. Because that’s what friends do… “When a friend is in trouble, don’t annoy the friend by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.” (Author Uhnknown)…

Soooooooooo, I shall continue on down the path being who, and what, I am and doing it my way, looking for the moment in time… 🙂

It is down the path least traveled I shall go
To a rainbow filled horizon I venture,
To seek, to learn, know peace, to enjoy life
A path filled with wonderful adventure.

A place where one is accepted as who they are
A spirit kindred to life, when mortal born,
A being coming from the depths within
And not subject to ridicule and scorn.

A place where I know freedom of thought and being
I am what I am, don’t you see,
Neither this one, neither that one, but all the above
In a mortal world, a free spirit, that’s me.

I do not travel the path alone, you see
There are memories and spirits to behold,
Those that share… the joy and sadness
As I gather more memories, down that least traveled road.

So how long will my journey be, one would ask
Will I see the end of the path…ever?
The answer, I believe, lies on the horizon
Somewhere past… the 12th of Never….

So I shall bring my ramblings to an end
For there is one fact that I do know,
To reach the horizon, the 12th of Never
It’s down the path least traveled I must go!
(penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller )

And that being said, will close for now as there are more changes in the winds, more adventures to live as I venture down the path… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Yes, venturing down the path is like drifting down a river… 🙂

“You don’t love the one you can live with, you love the one you cannot live without” (Author Unknown) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

Sooooooooo much hate, anger, negative thoughts in the world, so today here on the path it’s all about love!.. “What the world needs now is love, sweet love ..No, not just for some, but for everyone”…(Brett James, Mary Holladay Lamar)

Hello Diary,

Hot, humid, stormy weather on the horizon, thought I would share my thoughts this Saturday…no hate, no anger, no weather, Today, it is all about love on the path!!… “The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.”. Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Love is the expansion of two natures in such fashion that each include the other, each is enriched by the other.” Felix Adler

“Love knows no bounds or time, love is the spirit of the heart, love is the life support of hope, love is the force behind compassion, love is the foundation for true friendships, relationships….without love, life is barren and cold and has no meaning”…. (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

“ Love is a beautiful journey, where every step is a destination and every moment an eternity” (Apoorve Duby)

“True love doesn’t happen right away; it’s an ever-growing process. It develops after you’ve gone through many ups and downs, when you’ve suffered together, cried together, laughed together, loved together.” Ricardo Montalban

“You can talk with someone for years, everyday, and still, it won’t mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever “ C. JoyBell C.

A Kipling I know I’m not
I know that from the start,
No eloquent words here
Just words of love, from the heart.

Nothing cute or fancy…
No false charmers words here,
But words of undying love for you
From my heart, my very spirit…. my dear.

Couldn’t find the words for some time
Searched every book and song,
Until that wonderful precious day
That you… came along.

Now that I have the words
What’s this ole country boy to do,
How will these arthritic hands
Say those precious words to you.

It will have to be done right, you know
And I know I will find a way,
To say how much I Love You more
With every heartbeat, each and every day.

There will be no falsehoods or lies for you, dear one
No meaningless empty words, cute or clever,
For I would rather you love me for just one day
Than to hate this ole country boy forever.
( Larry “Dutch” Woller, )

“Life gives us moments with another, but sometimes in those moments we get memories that last a lifetime, So live that your memories will be part of your happiness.” (Author Unknown)..

And speaking of love, better close for now… there are a couple of houseplants that need some TLC (tender “loving” care)… but, I shall return again one day, Fate (and love) be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise… 🙂

Remember, no matter the relationship..

“Never say I love you
If you really don’t care,
Never talk about feelings
If they really aren’t there.

Never hold my hand
If your going to break my heart
Never say your going to
If you don’t plan to start.

Never look into my eyes
If all you do is lie
Never say hello
If you really mean goodbye.

If you really mean forever
Then say you will try,
If not, then never say forever
Cause forever makes me cry
(Author Unknown)

Because…

“Just because you feel someone does not love you as much as they should, does not mean they don’t give you all the love they have” (Author Unknown) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

Yes, there is change taking place with nature (and as we are part of nature, change with us also) and at some point in time all must go…like the last rose of summer.. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” (Dr. Seuss).. 🙂

But like love it does not die…

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamonds glints in the snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaking in the morning hush
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft star that shines at night
Do not stand by my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die
(Mary Elizabeth Frye)

Hello Diary,

It is a Thursday, have been busy preparing for the winter doldrums, daily activities and enjoying life for a time… all is quiet outdoors, the ground feeder, once a busy community now lies still as most of my backyard friends have left to find the destiny that Fate has waiting for them, to follow their dreams.. “All one can do is know happiness by following ones dreams, being led by one’s heart, and it is up to the rest of the world to accept or not” (Author Unknown)..

The House Wrens nest now lies empty of life but filled with memories.. perhaps one day the
Wren family will return…“A home that is built with patience, understanding and love will withstand the strongest winds of difficulties and conflict , a home built with a closed mind, insincerity and haste will collapse in a mere breeze of discontent.” (Larry “Dutch” Woller )

The backyard gardens that furnished a home for a multitude of backyard friends, now quietly preparing for the winter doldrums… “There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stopped the story.” ― Frank Herbert

And finally, there were a Ash tree on this place in the backyard but it developed a disease and had to be removed… however, like the free dandelion seed, a adventuresome maple seed, with the will to live life, decided to call the place home… “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” ( Maria Robinson )… 🙂

Will to Live
I think of all things that show a zest
For life, the dandelion beats the rest.
The little winged seeds from its white fluff ball
Settle and grow with no urging at all.
Settle in most unlikely places
And soon there’s a crop of dandelion faces.

They are man’s worst pest, but a child’s playthings.
Sometimes I wish I had light down wings
Like a dandelion seed, and could settle at will
On a velvety lawn or a sun-spread hill,
And live with the eagerness and zest
Of the wanton little dandelion pest.
-MARY TRIPLETT

May not be quite as free as the little dandelion seed or little maple seed, but definitely living life and doing it our way… “Confidence is knowing who you are and not changing it a bit because of someone’s version of reality is not your reality.” Shannon L. Alder

And with that I had better close for now… prepare for tomorrow’s adventures, check out some rainbows…but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Yes, my backyard friends, it is that time of the season for departures, but “we’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when” (Vera Lynn)… until then, it is time to say goodbye…

“I can’t tell you who you are or who you will be, I can only love you and be your friend”… (Adam Clarke) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

Nature’s change is starting here on the path, some leaves on the ground.. Like us mortal’s lives, change is the law.. “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy

Golden, crisp leaves falling softly from almost bare trees,
Lifting and falling in a hushed gentle breeze.
Slowly dropping to the soft cushioned ground,
Whispering and rustling a soothing sound.

Coppers, golds, and rusted tones,
Mother Nature’s way of letting go.
They fall and gather one by one,
Autumn is here, summer has gone.

Crunching as I walk through their warm, fiery glow,
Nature’s carpet rich and pure that again shall grow.
To protect and shield its majestic tree,
Standing tall and strong for the world to see.

They rise and fall in the cool, crisp air.
It’s a time of change in this world we share,
Nature’s importance reflecting our own lives,
Letting go of our fears and again, too, we shall thrive.
(Edel T. Copeland )
A good time perhaps to contemplate the future and what tomorrow may bring..alas, only time has the answer… 🙂

Hello Diary,

It’s a Friday… have been off the radar for a few days, internet provider had a major melt down…but I am baaaaaack!!.. (is that groaning I hear??… )… yes, there are changes taking place in nature’s world here on the path… for one, the birds have started their journey south so all is quiet here save for those that have decided to stay… home is where the heart is they say… 🙂 the flowers have finished their blooms and preparing for winter… the last blooms of the rose.. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss

There is also a change in the weather pattern and now warm and dry, cracks starting to appear..

And to aid in trying to predict climate and dealing with change, I have been transcribing old weather documents… “Any piece of knowledge I acquire today has a value at this moment exactly proportioned to my skill to deal with it. Tomorrow, when I know more, I will recall that piece of knowledge and use it better. “ Mark van Doren

And the squirrels have been busy preparing for change and the future also (with a little help from me… 🙂 ) …

Some thoughts about the activities….. 🙂

I set here with my coffee
And watch the leaves a fallin’
It’s becoming clear that one day soon
Jack Frost will come a callin’

Most of my bird friends have went south
In the southern warmth they’ll stay
But I’ll not shed a tear in sorrow
For they’ll be back again some day

All us creatures that are staying behind
To deal with the cold and snow
Are getting our house in order
And waiting for winter’s blow

The squirrels are gathering leaves and such
To insulate their winters nest
The possum is checking every nook and cranny
To find a place for his winters rest

The bee’s are picking up the pace
Gathering nectar with the morning sun
Storing winter food for the hive
Before their work on earth is done

A spider spinning it’s web of silk
I watched as it grew and grew
Soon to become natures work of art
With tomorrow’s early morning dew

This poem could go on and on and on
But alas, I have things to do
For, like it or not, don’t you see
I need to get ready for winter too.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller )

And with that being said, it is time for me to close and venture on down the path, but I shall return one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

You know “When a friend is in trouble, don’t annoy the friend by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.” (Author Unknown) and here on the path we don’t build walls, we build bridges… 🙂

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.” (Douglas H. Everett) on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

I did not plan on sharing some thoughts today, this Sunday, but world events have cast a brief dark shadow over the path…man’s in-humanity against mankind..

Maybe No More Children Will Die

I set here looking at the news
The powers wanted peace they say,
And while they spoke, bombs were dropped
20 children died that day!

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give PEACE a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die

Smiles on their faces, while shaking hands
Arms deals for defense would come into play,
A bomb went off in a crowded market
10 children died that day.

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give a world with LOVE a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die

A war to end all wars, they said
Yet to war they always return,
Death, destruction, suffering and pain
Won’t they every learn?

What’s wrong with this idea?
Let’s give LEARNING a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die.

Anger versus anger, hate versus hate
Seeds sown by war at home and away,
Starvation , sickness, a mother in tears
More and more children die every day.

What’s wrong with this idea?
Why not give PEACE, LOVE and LEARNING a try,
Let’s give it a go, everyone
Maybe no more children will die.
( Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Will they ever learn, one wonders?…“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark, the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” (Plato)

Hello Diary,

Yes, this weekend there were more mass shootings here in the USA… “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom” ( Isaac Asimov)…

The sad part is the leadership, and others, are failing to help deal with the issues, mainly because of element of world society’s closed minded ideologies and self-gratification.. here on the path (and elsewhere no doubt) there are changes being made while chasing one’s dream ( and hopefully it will allow others to know their dreams)…. I were born and raised on a farm in the 1940’s, 1950’s and early 1960’s… I am standing next to my father and sister..

Being a typical country boy of that period of time, did do some hunting, not the sport type hunting but just what was needed for eating… the last time I used a weapon as a civilian were in 1962, before I enlisted in the service…. a photo of me, South Vietnam 1966…

Now, I did have a couple of shotguns, a little .22 rifle and a antique muzzle loader but they mainly gathered dust hanging on a wall…. well, in 2015 I made the decision to get rid of the weapons so they would no longer be a threat to another creature… I contacted the local sheriff’s department to come get them…

“Mr. Woller
 
We will do that for you. Please send us an address and phone number to contact you and set up the pickup.
 
Am I correct in assuming that you are the sole legal owner of the items and that you are donating these to CCSO (no one individual), we can simply destroy them if we deem appropriate (we often take them to a Peoria plant where they are melted down.)  Please advise by email.
 
Thank you and thanks for your service in Vietnam.
 
Dan Walsh
Sheriff ~ Champaign County”

I put the weapons on the table..

And a young deputy came on a sunny October morning and left with the weapons, helping me do my part to help others… “I gave all those (all races, gender, beliefs, religion) from all countries that perished in the Towers a time of thought and remembrance… but now it is time to move on, not live in the shadows of 9/11….. I cannot change the past, but I can help determine the future… I cannot help the dead but I can help the living.. (Larry “Dutch” Woller)

For here on the path there is a dream and the times they are a-changin’…

But we have a dream
Martin Luther King and I,
That one day there will be peace
No more mortals will die.

And there will be hope
Of a world filled with love one day,
A wish that could come true
For hope is the last to die…they say.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)

Well, I had better close for now… working on more changes as they are all part of the dream and perhaps “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” (Maya Angelou), but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise….

Yes, with patience, love and understanding “A house that is built with patience, understanding and love will withstand the strongest winds of difficulties and conflict , a house built with a closed mind, insincerity and haste will collapse in a mere breeze of discontent.” (Larry “Dutch” Woller ) the world will be a better place..

I am one of many and “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” (Barack Obama ) and WE will make the world better for WE are the world….

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow them. “ ( Louisa May Alcott) on the path least traveled..

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..just letting the heart do the talking while the fingers do the walking while being different, being me… 🙂

( “I do not do, say or write something to been seen or heard… I do, say or write something because it needed to be done, said or written…” , no nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road your trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and its turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When they might have won, had they stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victors cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when your hardest hit,
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit!
(Wade Watts)

Hello Diary,

It is a Thursday and nearing the end of a pleasant week… took advantage of the weather to venture out into the gardens and backyard for a time.. the future promises to be hot and dry weather, the other side of the coin as to the weather of the past… but woke up to a pleasant day today… 🙂
Oh, what a beautiful mornin’
Oh, what a beautiful day
I’ve got a wonderful feelin’
Everything’s goin’ my way (James Taylor)

The tree line on the horizon is 6 miles ( 9.5 KM ) away… I were not the only creature on the path enjoying the day… observed Mother cardinal protecting her babies in the nest the cardinal family put in the hanging pot… “ The love a mother has for her children is legendary, it is said a child is the mother’s heart outside her body.” (Author Unknown)

Also managed to get a photo of the Father cardinal keeping a close eye on his family from a nearby bush…. “You don’t love the person you can live with, you love the person you cannot live without”… (Author Unknow)..

I also noticed the little house sparrows were taking advantage of the weather and decided to have a “pool party”.. 🙂 “Life gives us brief moments with another, but sometimes in those brief moments we get memories that last a lifetime, So live that your memories will be part of your happiness.” (Author Unknown)…

Ventured out to check my weather instruments this morning a spied a Monarch butterfly waiting for the sun to warm its wings so it can continue to follow its dreams… “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly.” Langston Hughes

Later in the day I saw a little House Wren setting on a line… no doubt preparing to take its family south for the winter and new adventures… “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover, acquire new friends and gain knowledge of yourself and the world.” Samual Clemens aka Mark Twain

Yes, everyday is a new adventure for everyone here on the path, including me… “Everyday on the path least traveled brings change, that change presents a new challenge, mentally and physically… as to how to accept it and deal with it, determines what I am to become, generates an excitement about living a second of time and looking forward to what the next second of time brings, a day filled with adventure and mystery.” (Larry “Dutch” Woller )

And speaking of adventure, I had better close for now..new adventures on the horizon calling…but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Yes, here on the path, following ones dreams with a open mind being led by the heart.. “I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief” (Gerry Spence).. It is a wonderful life indeed… 🙂