A puzzle, a bald headed pigeon and born free on the path least traveled….

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

(No nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 ).

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched– they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

“Loving someone is giving them the power to break your heart, but trusting them not to.” Julianne Moore

“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere”.

“Holding on to bitterness is like taken poison and expecting the other person to die”…

Hello Diary,

It is almost the middle of the week, laundry is done and thought I would pop in and share a few thoughts… just a couple more thoughts concerning taking a few moments of history, relaxing and leaving the other world to its own devices… giving the mind some time out to rest and regroup.. 🙂

Another method I have is, with the relaxing music, painting (in this case paint by numbers)…

Again, I don’t apply pressure to myself and stay with it until it is done, just for a bit of time, however long… another is a rather difficult puzzle…

There are no border, the outline of the large dog is the edge and there are no method to the pieces.. each piece is like the world, different and unique but fits… 🙂 but, it is something one can relax with, momentarily putting the world and all its issues on the back burner..

I guess I got my attitude from being a country boy… I grew up on a small farm in the 1940’s, ‘50’s and early ‘60’s… in many ways we did not have a great deal in the way of wealth, but in other ways we had happiness… the following is a picture taken about a rogue cornstalk that Dad found in the field (I am standing with Mom, Dad and my sister and my brother is by the ladder)…for a brief moment in history, Dad grew a cornstalk that was one of the tallest in the world… Dad farmed and were also a blacksmith..

The following IS a TRUE story… 🙂 of course, out in the country us kids were left to our own devices to entertain ourselves and sometimes that got us into a little trouble… 🙂 I always had a urge to have pets (other than normal pets) and one day I found an abandoned young pigeon, didn’t even have its feathers yet… well, I kept it in the house, keeping it warm and feeding it white bread soaked in warm milk.. It did survive and developed s taste for white bread and when I ventured out, I would feed it some bread… I called the pigeon Commander and it would live in the cupola of the corncrib, take one look at me with the bread and come to me… it would also mingle with the chickens and would have fights with roosters and in time, Commander didn’t have a feather on his head…

One day, Dad walked out of the house with a sandwich, Commander seen the white bread and came at Dad like a fighter jet, knocked the sandwich out of Dad’s hand, grabbed a slice and took off.. I was in trouble… 🙂 anyway, it were a short time after that and I no longer saw Commander… I did look for him but could not find him, so thought perhaps he had met his fate… about two weeks later, a farm neighbor brought his shears for his cultivator to Dad to work on and get ready for cultivating… the neighbor said “the strangest thing happened this morning, I were sitting under the shade tree eating a sandwich when this pigeon attacked me and stole my sandwich”… Dad starting laughing and he asked if the pigeon had a bald head and Mr. Uden said yes, and we knew where Commander went, apparently he thought he wore out his welcome and it was off to greener pastures… 🙂

Yes, I’m still a country boy… 🙂

I’m Just A Country Boy..

I’m just a country boy
That’s all I’ll ever be,
Don’t need much money
Being rich is not for me.

I have gold in the sun
And silver in every star,
Clear starry nights, clear blue sky mornings
Richer than the wealthy by far.

So, just color me country
No big city crowds for me,
They probably wouldn’t approve
Of this ole country boy, you see.

The morning air smells clean and fresh
It always brings a smile,
Can hear the sound of a distant train
That will travel many a mile.

Can hear and see the backyard creatures
In their excitement, begin to start their day,
Even though they search for their destiny
The young ones still have time to play.

Yes, I’m me, I am what I am..
A country boy at heart I’ll stay,
As I look for adventure and follow my dreams
On the path least traveled…each and every day.

(penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller 4-20-2008)

Well, I had better close as it is off to new adventures, chasing dreams while leaving safe harbor… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

Here on the path one is not shackled by closed minded ideology… like Commander, here on the path one follows ones heart and is born free…Life is an adventure or it is nothing… 🙂

A spot of tea on a Sunday morning on the path least traveled

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

(No nominations please, just sharing thoughts while exploring life 🙂 ).

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
― Dr. Seuss

“If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they’re yours; if they don’t, they never were.” Richard Bach

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you may miss it when you get there”
― Kathleen Long, Chasing Rainbows

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions…. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.” Henri Nouwen

Hello Diary,

A Sunday morning starting out quiet, may see some storms later…. sitting here with a spot of tea, thought I would share some thoughts….woke up to some not so busy skies this morning, but “red “ skies… 🙂

Also a quiet view of the not so secret garden as the sun was rising.. (Unfortunately a bit of drizzle at the moment..) 🙂

A new ground feeder a work in progress, hence the bricks lying on the ground.. and today, like everyday, I take some time to stop the world and get off, to relax for a brief period in history, let the mind reboot, to meditate…. and one way I do that is color ( I know I have mentioned it before)… and here is my latest masterpiece… 🙂

This is not color-by-number, one has to use ones imagination, as can be seen by my next challenge… 🙂

I use colored pencils, not crayons.. so, I pick a time (no routine,, usually afternoon or evening) grab the pencils and with a spot of tea (or wine), turn on some soft, relaxing music, and meditate while shutting out the rest of the world for a time, a moment in history…at peace with myself and the universe…

On Sunday mornings, while all is quiet I set, while gazing at my not-so-secret-garden (all the while listening to quiet, relaxing music) and contemplate my dreams, my wants and wishes, leaving the other world behind for a short time in history…I penned some thoughts that I will share…

A Quiet Sunday Morning…

A quiet Sunday morning to wake up to
Sitting, gazing out, with a spot of tea,
Contemplating my tomorrows
Wondering, what will the future be.

A quiet Sunday morning, sun shining
Thinking about the path, its mysteries many fold,
Each to explore and treasure
Soon a treasured memory to behold.

A quiet Sunday morning, birds chirping
Another day to learn and explore about me.
It is my life.. only get one chance
Will have to do it my way.. don’t you see.

A quiet Sunday morning, being different
Reminding me of words from a song,
Where do I fit in, one asks
One wonders, where do I belong.

A quiet Sunday morning, on the path
At the end of it, on the horizon, a lovely rainbow,
It is there my answers lie… the truth is known
Until then, only Fate will know.

A quiet Sunday morning, spirit and mind at the ready
To seek the rainbow… perhaps around the next bend,
Once found, I’ll have my answers, you see
And that will be the beginning, not the end.
 
                           (Penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller 7/9/2012)

Speaking of the rainbow, I had better close and venture down the path least traveled and see if I can find my rainbow, not interested in gold as dreams are more valuable than gold… 🙂 but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

And on a Sunday with one eyes on the horizon and dreams in ones heart, one does not walk through the not-so-secret-garden, one waltzes and there are only one waltz that qualifies, right Andre Rieu…. 🙂

Man And His Flying Machine, Deer And High Hopes On The Path Least Traveled….

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

(No nominations please, just haring a few thoughts while exploring life 🙂 )

“Walk on a rainbow trail; walk on a trail of song, and all about you will be beauty. There is a way out of every dark mist, over a rainbow trail. “ Robert Motherwell

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.” T.S. Eliot

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama

Hello Diary,

It has been a busy last few days, have had a break in the jungle type weather, and been out and about doing errands, chores and tasks, taking advantage of the pleasant weather (more rain and storms to come next few days)… were a quiet, pleasant Wednesday morning as all creatures awaits the sun to rise…

Not so much last Sunday morning…. were surprised to look out the window and see two young deer checking out the garden… apologize for the quality of the photo but had to be quick and use stealth.. 🙂

They sniffed around a bit, got a brief drink from the ponds and then moved on in search of their destiny…

The skies were also busy… in the photo you will see what is known as Contrails (the atmospheric conditions are right to allow the vapor from jet engines to condense and form clouds)…

Each one of those “cloud” streaks are mortal man and his flying machine in search of his destiny also, the skies were busy Sunday, I wonder if people waved at each other.. 🙂 … hopefully both deer and man will arrive at their destiny safely….

As you know, Diary, being different is an enjoyable adventure on the path least traveled, thought I would share a few words I penned in histories past… 🙂

I Believe I’d Like To Be Different Instead…

And why do I wish to be different, you may ask,
The freedom to choose, to explore, to learn a lot,
To be dictated to by an ideology…. NOT
Maybe so everyone can shout and point at me,
And say, “Hey, you’re 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,
So that makes me different, don’t you see.

The air filled with adventure, from safe harbor I shall part
Sails set full, safe harbor fading in the distance, an exciting glow to eye and heart,
So with a pocket full of memories, on the horizon are my dreams
On down the path least traveled I will venture, mind and spirit being free,
Why the path least traveled, you ask?..Well, I am different, don’t you see.
(Penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller 6-22-2010)

Well, better close for now… thought I would share some thoughts and adventures before bringing the day to a close… relax with a spot of tea and contemplate the tomorrows… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

As I have been venturing down the path I have noticed there are those who are facing many challenges and perhaps some dark days… perhaps Frank Sinatra may have some encouraging words for them with High Hopes….

Not So Secret Garden, Choices and the Sound Of Music on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

“He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery”. -Harold Wilson

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” -C.S. Lewis

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” Jim Rohn

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you may miss it when you get there”
― Kathleen Long, Chasing Rainbows

Hello Diary,

Another Amazon type day, hot and humid, with the possibility of more rain later… summer on the prairies… 🙂 prepared for it today, doing indoor tasks whiles staying cool… thought I would take a break from those tasks and leave a few thoughts.. one of the tasks I finished today were backing up the PC… saved the system to a 32GB Kingston drive…

I do this every 1-2 years (only takes a few minutes using Windows Transfer) and then should something go awry, I have all my data saved for future use… clever, eh?… 🙂
Having a somewhat summer doldrums here, outdoor activities have slowed down a bit… most of the larger birds have gone north, some have ended their journey and have stared back south…. which leaves more freedom at the feeders and birdbaths for the little sparrow… and with the heat and humidity and no big birds around, they decided to have a pool party… 🙂

Of course, the plants like the warm and the humidity and the hibiscus started their display in earnest, here are some of the white hibiscus….

Have some red also but they have just started to bloom… the water lilies have started to bloom also… here is a white lily…

Here is one that is a off red…..

Like the rest of my “not so secret” garden, each is special, different and a part of the whole…. I penned a few thoughts about my “not so secret” garden… 🙂

A Not So Secret Garden

I live in a not so secret garden
Along the path least traveled,
Quite unlike the other world
A world that has become unraveled.

A garden of peace and harmony
Being different does not matter here,
All creatures, big and small, living together
Unlike the other world, they do not live in fear.

Together we live the hand that Fate has dealt us
Not sure, or dwell, on our final destiny,
But live to enjoy the moment, the hour, the day
That is what life is about, don’t you see.

So into the not so secret garden I will venture
Along the path least traveled,
To find peace, love, understanding, to follow one’s dreams
Unlike the other world unraveled.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller 6-23-2016)

Of course, being independent, not shackled by any ideology, we make our own choices here on the path, I believe Vee Bdosa says it well…

CHOICE
I’ll be what I must be, in spite of me
as life won’t always give the things I choose
and so I have to make what has to be
into the things my life and I can use.

All roads don’t lead to Rome, as it’s been said,
but some to Paris, and a little fun,
so I will change the path where I would dread
to go to where I choose, when I am done.

I’ll not be forced into a better scheme
if I can’t see the end result my way
if it’s not part of what my heart can dream
it never will come to the light of day.

All things can change, if I have any voice
in what they are, and I will make the choice.
(Vee Bdosa 2014)

Well I had better close for now for the path is calling… there are choices to be made, dreams to contemplate and a adventure under every stone unturned… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise….. 🙂

As with the hills, here on the path there is the sound of music…. 🙂

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Plato

At the helm of the good ship “Different” on the path least traveled…. :)

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
― Dr. Seuss

“The great beauty of life is its mystery, the inability to know what course our life will take, and diligently work to transmute into our final form based upon a lifetime of constant discovery and enterprising effort. Accepting the unknown and unknowable eliminates regret.” Kilroy J. Oldster

“Happiness is not determined by what’s happening around you, but rather what’s happening inside you. Most people depend on others to gain happiness, but the truth is, it always comes from within”

Hello Diary,

Another warm humid week here on the path least traveled… thought I would pop in and share a few thoughts before continuing on with the next adventure… it were somewhat pleasant last Sunday and with the knowledge that it would be warm and humid the week, decided to fix the daily meals while it were cool…

I have this weeks meals prepared and safely stored, now all I need to do is briefly use the microwave and reduce the heat in the house… clever eh?.. 🙂 while in the process of doing the cooking, I briefly ventured into the “office” and saw a squirrel resting on the fence to cool off a bit…

Being a rebellious knucklehead can be a demanding, tiring and thankless job… 🙂 but in spite of how the world may judge him, he is a free spirit, doing his thing and no doubt happy.. how about you, Diary ?.. 🙂

And while on the subject of heat and protection briefly, in history’s past I had mentioned my fingernails, which are brittle, not the best and have had issues with them in the past.… well, as I said, after experimenting over the years, at the advice of the ladies at the cancer center, opted for acrylics to protect the nails… so that is what I do to protect the nails and the fingers..

and due to the expense and availability, I make my own… 🙂 and I probably should mention my earrings…

Now, what does wearing earrings have to do with heat and protection, one would ask?.. the answer; Nothing.. 🙂 so why do I wear earrings??… because I can and they are on my “bucket list“… 🙂 words from the Bellamy Brothers come to mind;
He’s an old Hippie
He’s not sure what to do
He don’t fit in with the old
He’s too old for the new

Sometimes in order to achieve mental and physical wellness and happiness, to realize ones dreams, one has to be different…. and as captain of the ship “Different” and manning the helm, I don’t have a problem with that here on the path least traveled… (and I do not go to Wal-Mart and demand to use the women’s restroom… 🙂 )

“My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze.. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny”. Elaine Maxwell

So I’ve thrown off the bowlines, sailed away from the safe harbor, have the winds in my sails, eyes to the horizon, and in search of adventure and rainbows, while learning about me and the universe I presently live in and share with the rest of the world….

“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” Louisa May Alcott

Now, I am sure there will be those that will pass judgement, have negative thoughts, perhaps even ridicule a bit… I suspect those people are unable to “man the helm” of their ship for whatever reason..

“One who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.”
Albert Einstein

and live in a state of “unhappiness”, their ship sailing through rough waters…so sad… like a big puzzle, every being is different and special, and that makes the world go round and a better place, as it should be…

Well, better close for now, need to adjust the sails a bit but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

And for the Doubting Thomases, Naysayers and others of like feather, believe the Carpenters say it best… 🙂

Banana Boat, Dreams and the Seekers on the path least traveled….

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
― Dr. Seuss

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” Abraham Lincoln

“A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.” Leo Buscaglia

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you may miss it when you get there”
― Kathleen Long, Chasing Rainbows

Hello Diary,

A pleasant day to be had this Saturday, a big difference from last week when it felt like one was living in the Amazon… 🙂 unfortunately the heat and humidity returns next week… while the weather hasn’t been all that hospitable for humans and other creatures, the plants appear to be doing well… looks like I may have some green beans this year…

Another area of daylily are growing strong…

Even the hosta are enjoying the jungle like weather…

There are times when one must venture out into the weather to do tasks around the house, garden and yard… and one must be prepared to protect oneself… of course, my long hair provides to things, 1. I like it that way 🙂 2. the long hair helps protect from the harmful elements… also I have two other sources of protection, Banana Boat and lip balm/lipstick…

Now, there may be a certain element of society that may raise their eyebrows a bit, but over the past few years I have seen what the elements can do to the unprotected and it is not a pretty sight, besides I usually ignore that certain element anyway… 🙂
While on the subject of certain elements of society, by being closed minded, they can do great harm to ones dreams… everyone has their dreams, dreams are the force that guides us to our destinies…dreams of who we are, who we wish to be, about love, how we wish to live our life… if one cannot live their dreams, one cannot know true happiness… the closed mined care little for anyone’s dreams but their own….

But we have our dreams and though there may be challenges along the way, we will follow them…

“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

Dreams..
There’s a place where I go that no one else knows,
Where mysteries abound and excitement grows.
A place out of reach of any man’s hands,
Safely secluded in a far away land

Beyond the grasp of those who may plunder
The wealth of its power and its life changing wonder.
I go alone to my secret place, never leaving a trace
For someone to follow and discover my space

Where I keep my secrets, my fears, and my regrets
Away from the world and all of its threats.
It’s mine and mine alone!
The only place I can call my own.

I treasure the moments spent in this realm
Where anything is possible and I’m at the helm.
This place I describe is all that it seems …
It’s a magical place I call my dreams.
(John Raines)

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 travelled one,
To mark on journey of my own.
(Illahi Bedi)

Well, I had better close, have my dreams to follow and rainbows to chase, doing it my way… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise….

Ah yes, always keep a dream in your pocket!.. 🙂

Spanish, poetry and the last rose on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

“Dying is merely the process of transferring from mortality to immortality, from one state of being to another state of being, from one dimension to another dimension, etc. depending on one’s personal beliefs… one should not dwell on the hereafter much or one will miss all the wonderful moments in the present…”

“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.”
― Frank Herbert

“You know it’s love when you want to give joy and damn the consequences.”
― Frank Herbert

“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

Hello Diary,

Have been dealing with oppressive heat and humidity, along with an occasional prairie thunderstorm, the last few days, not getting chores and tasks totally completed, but have the important tasks taken care of… as I were puttering in the office, I looked out the window and saw a robin on the ground….

First I thought the bird was injured because the bird had the wing slightly spread out, then decided that were not the case at all… there were some cloud cover seconds before I took the picture and had a good breeze, so the robin was attempting to cool off… a short time after I took the photo, the robin took off in search of his destiny… 🙂
So, what does a old hippie do when it is too miserable (and possibly dangerous) to spend a great deal of time outdoors, well, I do neglected tasks and projects indoors… one such project is go to school… 🙂 in my case, learning Spanish… so, I open my mini laptop which is my school book,,,

It has all the audio and text files needed to learn a good deal of Spanish… then I get out my notes….

So, I am ready to study and learn Spanish, right?….. Nope!… I still need to set the mood, to create the right atmosphere…. Sooooooooooooooo, first I put my sombrero (purchased in Tijuana, Mexico many years ago) in place, along with my Cinco De Mayo necklace…

THEN, I turn on another PC, select James Last playing an appropriate Spanish song (Oye Mi Canto/Hear My Singing)..

Now I am ready… bet you haven’t seen a classroom like that before, have you, Diary??… 🙂 well, this is not Spanish, but thought I would share another poem by my late friend, Chris Clark… it is about love..

The Man I Love!

He knows me
Better than I know myself!
And yet – in the World view of us –
We do not know each other!
.
He loves me!
(More than I love myself!)
And yet – as the World knows Love –
We’ve never touched each other!
.
He moves me!
As no other man has done;
Because – could the World’s eyes see –
Each of us IS the other!
(Chris Clark)

Well, I had better close for now, the pace may have slowed down a bit but still venturing on down the path least traveled with a pocket filled with memories/dreams, making new memories and chasing rainbows… but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise..

Well, Diary, I know with my love of music that I usually end my writings with some music that fits the thoughts of my writing… however, this time I will be a bit different… my late wife wanted a simple service at the gravesite, so when she passed away a few years ago (cancer), I honored her wishes… she loved roses and gardening as I, and I had a song (which is my favorite and I listen to often) selected to play at home when I returned from the services…. it dealt with roses, gardening and , as the way with all things, a time to say goodbye… the name of the song is; “The Last Rose Of Summer”… I will post the lyrics follow by a beautiful playing of the song by Andre Rieu…

“The Last Rose Of Summer”

‘Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming all alone,
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
No flower of her kindred,
No rose bud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
And give sigh for sigh.

I’ll not leave thee, thou lone one,
To pine on the stem.
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go sleep now with them.
Thus kindly I scatter
Thy leaves o’er the bed
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow
When friendships decay,
And from love’s shining circle
The gems drop away!
When true hearts lie withered
And fond ones are flown
Oh! Who would inhabit
This bleak world alone?

Poetry, Nature’s Picture and catching the Orinoco Flow on the path least traveled…

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Helen Keller

“Life is one’s house, of what one will become, the accumulation of one’s efforts and takes time to build..everyday is a stone for the foundation of that house and part of the whole…don’t lose any sleep over stones that have been put in place, for they are now a memory, instead look forward and concentrate on what the house will finally become“..

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hello Diary,

Managed to wake up on the green side of the grass this morning, to some sunshine and fog…

It appears to be pleasant outdoors but looks are deceiving as it is very warm and humid, much like the Tropics…. A good day to relax indoors and contemplate the tomorrows… and while doing that, thought I would pop in and share a few thoughts.. Too hot to ramble on so will share some poetry and leave negativity outdoors… 🙂 in history’s past I wrote a poem while contemplating my tomorrows…

Tell me , Fate
You hold the key,
What is my destiny
Suppose to be?

I was not a king or president,
No powers did I hold,
I wasn’t a preacher or a pope,
No sermon for the fold.

Never learned to speak fine words
A country bumkin’ was I.
Were taught never to tell a falsehood
Learned never to tell a lie.

So tell me , Fate
You hold the key,
What is my destiny
Suppose to be?

Can no longer build cities
The back is tired and sore,
Turned the green earth into a parking lot once
A forest….. into a general store,

I was a soldier once
No longer have the heart for war, I say
Children’s cry of suffering, I did hear
A memory still here today.

So tell me, Fate
You hold the key,
What is my destiny
Suppose to be?

I’ve tilled the soil as a farmer
Fed the world is what they say,
But I see the faces of hunger
Still this very day.

I’ve donated love, time and money
Ask for nothing in return,
But I see nothing has changed today
Will they ever learn?

I’ve tilled the fields and went to war
Helped build cities, towns and much more,
Sowed fields of flowers with tenderness an love
Has my destiny run it’s course, is there any more?

So tell me, Fate
You hold the key,
What is my destiny suppose to be?
( Larry “Dutch” Woller (8-18-2008))

Back before Facebook, Twitter, etc I were blogging on Yahoo 360 (in 2005), and like today, chatted with people all over the world… some were like ships passing in the night and for some we became friends of sorts over time… one such person were June Clark (she is the lady in purple, she passed away at the age of 88 in 2014)…

She lived in the small village of Skendleby, Lincolnshire, England…if you don’t know where that is at, Skendleby is a stones throw from Spilsby… 🙂 she was a poet (a distant cousin to Elizabeth Barrett Browning) and in her younger years, wrote articles for some of the newspapers, wrote poetry and articles under the name of Chris Clark… anyway, like everyone else, we would share thoughts about our worlds, etc. and on occasion share poetry… here is one of her poems…

Comes the Peace,
where others fight.

But, within the Self,
the poppies blow
from time to time.

Listening to others;
fighting their cause,
Rakes up the soil
that belonged once to you.

Turns up the stones,
exposes the worms
in the barren plot,
where nothing grew!

But hearts DON’T break,
that much is true;
They go on beating,
they have to do!

They go on beating
throughout the years,
Though bones start creaking
And pains cause tears,

Aches for the cared for,
who now don’t care.
Aches for the skilful miles that stretch
Further even than the years.

But worst of all is the hardening heart,
That little moves as the fast years fly.
For alas the heart knows the answer
To the everlasting WHY!
by Chris Clark, 2011

She were also a artist of sorts as in the late fall she would venture into the gardens, forests, etc. and gather leaves, twigs, etc and during the winter doldrums she would make pictures like the one below (gluing each piece in place), that she sent me a number of years back…

A picture made by Nature, try painting that!!!… 🙂

Well, I had better close, starting to get very warm so shut down the PC to keep from generating heat.. Will probably turn on my little MP3 player, listen to some soft music and meditate for a bit, check in with destiny… perhaps even dream about a world where everyone speaks the same language; LOVE and PEACE!!.. 🙂 but I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

After meditating for a time, will set sail, leave safe harbor and catch the Orinoco Flow, all eyes to the horizon and adventure… 🙂

Hope, dreams and we are the world on the path least traveled….

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

(Quietly sharing thoughts while exploring the world and the universe (no nominations please)….

“Laugh when you can, apologize when you should and let go of what you cannot change” Noel Letty

“When one suddenly finds oneself in the swamp up to their armpits in alligators, it is difficult to remember the objective was to drain the swamp”..

“A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.” Leo Buscaglia

Hello Diary,

Another heat wave approaching so have been busy last few days preparing… have outdoor tasks finished, decided today to make the meals for the rest of the week…

There are actually two meals in each plate, for noon meal and late meal, put in refrigerator or freezer… all I need is microwave, no creating heat… 🙂 I also made some ozone strips, called
“Schoenbein” paper…

They have a coating of potassium iodide, corn starch and water on them… I take on to a protected location, let set for 8 hours and strip will turn a color, how dark will depend on how much ozone in the air…

I have a graph that I can use to determine the amount of ozone in the air at ground level…

Then I send my data to the National Weather Service….so much for backyard science… 🙂

I ventured off the path briefly to check the news and two stories got my attention, one dealing with guns… guns accomplish nothing, create pain, hate and suffering….peace and the pen is still mightier than the sword… Mr. Eisenhower and I agree on something and there are no guns on the path least traveled…

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. “ Dwight D. Eisenhower

The second subject matter were immigrants and refugees… life is about dreams and EVERYONE has dreams, about love, their destiny, etc… I have watched over time countries trying to use force to impose their ideologies onto other countries, creating havoc, pain, suffering, even death to those who only wish to live their dreams.. people who witness mankind’s inhumanity against mankind, and when those people seek help, those same countries turn their backs on the people, to deny them….it does not speak well for the human race!…

“When we begin to build walls of prejudice, hatred, pride, and self-indulgence around ourselves, we are more surely imprisoned than any prisoner behind concrete walls and iron bars.” Mother Angelica

I believe the words from Les Miserables says it best…

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hopes apart
As they turn your dreams to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And I still dream he’ll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather!

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I’m living
So different now, from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

That does not happen on the path least traveled…

One can follow their dream (in spite of denial from others) and always hope, for hope is the last to die….
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tunes without the words – and never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson

Well, better close for now, and venture on down the path, have my tomorrows to contemplate, my dreams to chase and adventures to pursue… but I shall return again one day, fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

No matter what people might say, no matter how different you are and they may look down on you and ridicule, you/we are the world… 🙂

Mosquitoes, dreams and you are who you wish to be on the path least traveled

Diary of the journey on the path least traveled..

(Quietly sharing thoughts while exploring the world and the universe (no nominations please)….

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, the man who at best knows achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Hello Diary,

It’s a Sunday morning here, quiet with a bit of sun…. finished ordering some supplies online, taking a break with a spot of tea, and thought I would pop in and share some thoughts… earlier I had turned my data in to the Invasive Mosquito Project… they are using data gathered by volunteers like me to help control disease carrying mosquitoes….what I do is collect the eggs, if any… I made my own egg collecting cups…

Using brown coffee filters… every seven days (do not want them to hatch) I change the filters and let the “used” filters dry…

I then use my little USB microscope…

And I search the dried filters for any eggs… once in awhile I will find them and the eggs will look like this…

If I find any eggs, I will dampen the filter , put the filter in a sealed Zip-Loc bag and send the filter to the headquarters of the project where they can hatch the eggs and determine the type of mosquito and what actions may be needed to deal with any possible disease… 🙂

“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any creature, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again.” W. Penn

Getting away from science for a bit, I ventured off the path least traveled to check the news of the world, I see conflict and suffering is continuing… prejudice, ridicule, hate, extremism present… when will they learn, one wonders?..
Saw a bit of interesting news about the state of Nevada.. It seems that Dennis Hof, America’s best-known pimp, a strip-club owner who runs multiple brothels, looks set to win a seat as a Republican in the Nevada legislature with the blessing of many conservative Christian voters………..Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, interesting…

Now, the universe knows my feelings about religion and that I am not into religion, but I was under the assumption that things like pimps, brothels, strip-clubs, etc were frowned upon by the faithful… perhaps they are desperate, misguided people in the state though my instinct tells me there is a hint of hypocrisy… 🙂

I might do a little research on the subject one day, I have my reference books (left over from the last decade of being on national and international forums)…. The Bible (Christian), the Torah (Jewish) and the Koran (Muslim)…

In either case, while one can believe what one wishes to, here on the path least traveled there are no religions to dictate or determine what or who one is or wishes to be. or what life or destiny one has chosen for oneself!!… one can be different and follow their dreams… don’t do race, gender, etc here, “you are what you are and that is all that you are”.. 🙂

“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

“ The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own, no apologies or excuses.. No one to lean on, rely on or blame.. The gift is yours, it is an amazing journey, and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” Bob Moawad

“Never be bullied into silence, never allow yourself to be made a victim, accept no one’s definition of your life, define yourself”… Robert Frost

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, I had better close, the path is calling more adventures lie ahead and rainbows to chase…. But I shall return again one day, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise…

“Every morning your have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.”