I'm Dreaming of a...

Icy Christmas? No... that's not how the song goes. We woke up this fine morning of Chritmas Eve to a thin coating of ice; just enough to make the roads questionable. Fortunately the temperature is hovering right at freezing, so as the day progresses I'm sure the temperature will climb just enough to melt most of this. They are calling for a wintery mix all day... a cold rain, ice, sleet, and eventually snow. As it looks now, I don't think it's going to be much. However, once the sun goes down this evening all of that will freeze again. Yuck.
Generally speaking, I don't really like winter. I prefer sunny days and temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. However, from time to time, I don't mind a good snowstorm as long as I'm not looking at it through the windshield of a car. But around here, it seems that ice has become a frequent visitor in winter, largely in the form of sleet... and freezing rain. That's the stuff that brings down entire tree tops, causes electrical blackouts that can last for hours or even weeks, and turns streets and parking lots into skating rinks. Not good. Nope, don't much care for winter. But that's just part of living where we do. At least we aren't in Iowa, or Michigan... or Buffalo, New York, where they measure their snowfalls in the feet.
I just hope everyone has safe travels these next few days. Fortunately, I think the only place we've got to go today is to the grocery store... one more time. Or maybe two. Here's wishing everyone a safe and Happy Christmas... Hanukkah... Kwanzaa... whatever celebration you embrace this season,

and a healthy, joyous and hopefully even prosperous 2011!!! Peace.

Home Made Tamales!

My good friend (and co-worker) Leslie just gave me two big Christmas gift bags full of her delicious home made tamales... plus her salsa and some festive chips. I've been waiting a whole year for these! They are goooood. That washed-out picture I took doesn't do them justice. Thank you Leslie! Feliz Navidad.

I don't know if George Bailey is going to get his Christmas miracle this time...

I heard on the news a couple of nights ago that the beautifully restored Gillioz Theater in downtown Springfield is under foreclosure. At the stroke of midnight on December 31st, the Gillioz will belong to the bank. The wonderful folks at Guaranty Bank saw fit to pull the rug out from under the theater, and the adjoining Netters Building, just as they were getting their feet under them. The Gillioz, which is owned by the Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust, was actually operating in the black for the first time since the massive restoration and reopening several years ago. They took a decaying downtown landmark and breathed new life into it. The last I heard, some 70,000 dollars had been donated by the fine folks of Springfield, to stave off foreclosure, but unfortunately, that falls far short of the minimum 1/2 million they will need to keep the doors open. It seems that Mr. Potter is alive and well and has controlling stock in Guaranty Bank this Christmas season. As Mr. Potter said... "George, you're worth more dead than alive". It's a shame that the board of directors of the bank that holds the note (many of whom live right here in Springfield) would allow this to go through. With them, it seems that there is no concern or consideration for the greater benefit to the community in allowing the Gillioz to remain open. The arts be damned... this is about the bottom line. Sad indeed.

She's Run Aground Captain!... abandon ship!!! no wait...

Gather 'round children and let ol' Captain Kevin tell the tale of that fateful night at the helm of the Showboat Branson Belle. "I remember it like it was yesterday (in fact, it was yesterday)... the lake, she was angry that afternoon when we hoisted anchor and set off on the dinner cruise. We were well on our way as the sun was setting, and a bitter, cold, north wind blew hard against her hull. The happy passengers, dressed in their holiday cheer, were unaware of the tragedy that was unfolding before them. Then, without warning, a great shudder raked across the Belle like a shiver from the icy hand of the Reaper Himself. The great Showboat, with some 600 souls aboard, had lost power to the main thrusters, and against howling winds, she began to drift dangerously toward the rocky coatline of Tablerock Lake. Anxious minutes passed with my nose pressed against the cold glass of the Pilot Room; my eyes straining against the encroaching darkness. The black coastline was looming close. White waves crashed again the mightly craft as she learched to a halt with a groan. She's run aground Captain!!! All hands on deck!! May day! Mayday I bellowed into the radio. A reassuring reply crackled across the speaker... "Copy that Showboat... where is your location?" God only knows.... God only knows".
Captain Kevin drew a heavy breath and stared into the distance. It was going to be a long night.

Dreams are funny, aren't they?

This morning I had an unusual dream... as if most dreams are normal (ha)
Anyway, I was in a very large, old college class room or lab, and the ceiling is like two stories high... just a huge room. And I'm there with David Letterman. There were some things going on at the beginning of it that I can't clearly recall, but everything sort of came to a focal point once I realized that the room was filling up with water. At first I thought it was some kind of a Letterman gag... a stunt for his show, but Dave was as surprised as I was. Before we knew it, the room was completely filled with water! We are both swimming around (under water) and in a little bit of a panic. I happened to have a small bottle of air with a hose attached to it, and I drained that in just a few seconds, but it gave me enough time to see that Dave was up in the corner, with his head above water. I surfaced right next to him just as my last breath was giving out. Our heads were touching the ceiling, it was so close. I was concerned that the water would keep rising, but it didn't, so we treaded water there for a minute or so, not talking... just quietly pondering the unusual situation we are in. Moments later the level of the water began to slowly drop, but I was still looking for a way to get us back down. I saw a large chisel sitting on a desk below, and swam down to get it. I smashed a couple of the windows, and I could see that the water was flowing out. And then I woke up. Bizarre. I wonder if David Letterman had a similar dream last night? Now that would be an interesting twist. I should give him a call.

Turkey Trot!

Pam & I, my son-in-law Brett and my sister Donna got together on this very cold Thanksgiving morning to do the KC/Sprint Turkey Trot and fun run 5K in Kansas City. Did I mention it was cold. But after we started walking we warmed up. Patricia was signed up for it also, but just wasn't feeling up to it that morning, dang it!
Pam and Donna set their pace, and Brett & I set ours. Probably about 200 or 300 yards behind Pam & Donna, as best I can figure it; because after the first mile, we didn't see them again till the finish line (ha). It became apparent that we were going to be left behind when they started power-walking and weaving in and around the slower clumps of people. It was a fun event, and that afternoon at my brother's house I didn't feel quite as guilty about having that extra plate of turkey and sweet potatoes.

Another amazing image...

Spicules: jets on the sun. This photo looks like an abstract painting or something. If you click on the image, I believe it will bring it up full size, so you can see more detail, and get the full impact of it. It's really something to behold. Another amazing picture from the Astronomy Picture Of The Day website archive. I have a link to it over on the right side of this page.

nudge

Three amazing, inspiring pieces of pottery, from artists Curtis Stewardson, Kyle Carpenter and Wayne Hewell. When I see works of art such as these, I can't help but feel that nudge... that push to explore my own modest creativity. I've had plenty of those nudges over the years. Sometimes I think what I really need is someone to just give me a big shove right off this safe rock I've been perched on for so long. Of course, that's easier said than done, unfortunately.

SockMonkey schedule

We will be playing this Saturday night (Sept. 25th) at the New Key Largo on East Republic Road (between National and Fremont) in south Springfield, from 9 to 1.
Hope to see you all out there.
For more information and some other cool stuff, go to www.sockmonkeyband.org
we are also on FaceBook

9/25/10 - New Key Largo
10/16/10 - private party in Springfield
10/17/10 - Cartoons (early show)
10/22/10 - Cody's South
10/30/10 - New Key Largo Halloween bash
11/5/10 - Three 20s Club
11/26/10 - New Key Largo
12/4/10 - Cartoons

Back from paradise...

We got back yesterday from a wonderful (and much needed) vacation to Hawaii. The cruise ship we were on went to Oahu, Maui, The Big Island (Hawaii) and Kauai. It was beautiful there. Kauai was my favorite... it had a very rural feel to it. Of course, Oahu and Maui were nice too. And I thought the Big Island was great... I guess it would be fair to say that a favorite is kinda hard to nail down. I think I need to go back and spend more time there, just to be sure.
The view from the overlook at the Spouting Horn, on the southern coast of Kauai, not far from Po'ipu.
A rare Hawaiian Monk Seal sleeping on the the beach at Po'ipu Beach Park, on the south shore of Kauai.

about three day's worth

Have you had your tomatoes today?...

100 tomatoes...

late April
mid June
That's a lot of BLTs! Yum. I did a rough count last week from our 6 main tomato plants. Now the count is more likely up to about 120, and I noticed last night that we have two tomatoes that will be ready to pick early next week! The garden is doing well. We've got bunches of little 3 inch long green beans, and lots of peppers, also. The weather has been very cooperative so far. They are saying, however, that we can expect warm and dry conditions for the next week or so. Time to haul out the garden hose. That's fine.

Ten years ago...

Hard to believe that it has been ten years, mom... and yet it seems like a lifetime ago. I miss you. November 29, 1927 - May 13, 2000
This is a picture of my mother, Wilma Jean Mitchell Thompson, and her father Wilson Mitchell, taken on Christmas morning, some time in the late 70s or early 80s (papaw passed away in 1983).

Silver Dollar City's 50th anniversary

Pam & I spent the day at Silver Dollar City this past Friday. This is SDC's 50th anniversary, and anyone born in 1960 gets a free season pass. That would include Pam! I got my season pass also. They were expecting storms Friday, but the day turned out to be just great. It was pretty windy, and overcast most of the day (and we did get caught in a downpour at around 4:00) but other than that the day was just fine. We rode all of the roller coasters... my favorite was the Powderkeg. We saw the Chinese Acrobats show (World-Fest was still going on) and took the cave tour. I don't think I've ever been to SDC and not done the cave tour. It hasn't changed much over the 40 years or so we've been going there, and that's what I like about it. That park has grown so much, but it's nice to know that there (hopefully) will always be parts of "the City" that never change.
The day was capped off by a very enjoyabe concert by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils at Echo Hollow Amphitheatre.
The stage lineup included Nick Sibley, Ruell Chappell, John Dillon, Steve Cash, Michael 'Supe' Granda, Dave Painter, Ron Gremp and Kelly Brown. Larry Lee and Randle Chowning were conspicuously absent. They weren't even in the promo picture. It would have been nice to have them there, but it was still a good show. Not perfect by any stretch... but you know, that's what you get with any live concert experience. It's in the moment, and that's fine.
Despite the churning clouds overhead, Echo Hollow Amphitheatre was fairly packed for the evening's festivities. The Dares took the stage and set the evening off right with Standing On The Rock. The show included Black Sky, Homemade Wine, Country Girl, Chicken Train (of course), You Made It Right, and Jackie Blue... with lead vocals by Ruell Chappell (in the absence of Larry Lee). They even pulled off A Satisfied Mind, which was a nice treat. Supe brought out a couple of his solo tunes, including Ode To Mel Bay, which went over very well with the crowd. They finished off the concert with If You Wanna Get To Heaven, and then came back, just as the rain started coming down, with a wonderful version of It'll Shine When It Shines. It was a very enjoyable evening of music, after a great day at Silver Dollar City.

Happy Earth Day!

Little blue marble

flox

There's really nothing more to say here...

except... thanks the fellow blogger Brad Haller for bringing this to our attention. Now I'm curious about it. I wonder if WalMart sells this stuff? Silly question.
This just can't be real. But then... this IS America! (as I stand up with my hand over my heart... actually I'm clutching at my heart and gasping for breath) Can you say 'double bacon cheese burger with fries? MMmmmmmmmmmmm

What Easter Bunny?...

not so fast...

First day of spring.... highs in the low 30s and a pretty good chance for snow in the next 24 hours. Right now though, it's rain, rain, rain. And cold. Yuck.

spring?...

I got tired of looking at that King Cake sitting on my floor tom every time I open my blog, so here's something new to look at for now. Several things going on so it's not like I don't have anything to write about... just taking the time to sit down and do it. I will. Today I think we are going to see the sun for the first time in about a week. It was very foggy this morning, but there is a nice hint of light blue behind it as I sit here at my desk at work this morning.

Fat Tuesday!...

I played a Fat Tuesday party last night at Saint James Episcopal Church with some of the guys from M-Dock band... Dwight Gann, Dave Farabee, Greg Hale and a guitarist from the church named Clay Stuckey. Those guys are good musicians and good folks. It was a lot of fun, and we took home red beans & rice and king cake for our time! Not too bad a haul for two hours of playing... of course we won't go into the two hours of rehearsal time and two more hours of set-up and tear-down. But you know, that's just part of the deal. The weather was cold, but thankfully no ice or snow to contend with, so getting around wasn't an issue. Happy for that. And this Ash Wednesday it's supposed to get well above freezing! Yeah!

Playing in the mud

Here are a few of the pieces of pottery I have made so far. I've got a couple of others that didn't make it into the shot. As for the "pitcher", the guy that oversees our class, Nathan, said it wasn't ready for a handle yet, so I sat it back under plastic for another week. One of the girls that I am in class with, named Lee (that's her and Nathan in the upper picture) calls those smaller pieces, like the ones in the picture "cat bowls". I thought that was pretty funny... and she's right, some of them do look like catfood bowls. I am slowly getting the feel for making larger pieces, but it is more difficult than it looks, but that's OK. I didn't expect to be making large anything in the first month. I am enjoying it, and eveyone is very welcoming and encouraging. I learn something every night I go there. I'll be ready to open my own studio any time now (ha!)... OK maybe next year. Nathan said they would probably be bisque firing the pots (in the picture above) this week. FUN. Then I will glaze them and fire them one more time to make them waterproof. Now we have to get a cat.

what the...?

Well... look at the time. We're already into the second month of 2010! Been distracted with this, that and the other thing. And I can't promise it will get any better anytime soon. Such is life. I will say this, I am ready for this cold, snowy weather to head back to the Northern Country where it belongs.

So Close...!

This Saturday night... 10:00! Come on out to Springfield Brewing Company. It's not that cold out! No ice... no snow... no excuses. It's time for some FUN!

Next weekend!

Our band will be rockin' at Springfield BrewCo next Saturday night, from 10:00 till 1:00!

Remember When The Whole World Looked Up...

I was at the Brentwood Branch library the other day, and came across a movie that I had intended to see when it was released back in 2007, but I never got around to it... until now. The movie is called In The Shadow Of The Moon... and what a wonderful film it is.

For those of us who remember the early days of the first manned space flights, and later sat in awe around the family television set watching the first moon landing, this movie is a must-see. But even if all you have ever known is the space shuttle, this movie is something not to be missed. Just fantastic.

That was a very special time in our history, and this movie helps remind us of just how special it was. We could use a little of that wonder in our lives today.

Prelude to Dusk

A beautiful late Thanksgiving afternoon in rural Howell County, Missouri. This was one of those peaceful, silent moments that wraps around your soul and warms you. A moment when you can take a deep breath and then exhale the stress of everyday life.

BrewCo tonight!

Our band Electra 225 will be playing at the one and only Springfield Brewing Company tonight, starting at 10:00. Come out and have a beer and enjoy some tunes. You will have a good time... I promise.

Buffalo River... 1974

In this picture, left to right: Brett Owens, Roger Williams, David Evans and me. This picture was taken 4 or 5 days into our week-long float trip with Boy Scout Troop 61 on the Buffalo River, in north-central Arkansas, summer of 1974.
Long story short... the two boys in back lost control of their canoe and drifted broadside into a tree trunk in the middle of the river. It tipped upstream and was soon bent into a nice, jagged V against the stump. After several hours of work, we managed to pry the canoe free (the force of the current was amazing) drag it to the bank of the river and push the bottom down, back into a more-or-less floatable shape. There is much more to the story, but that's enough to at least explain what you see in the picture. It was quite an adventure. I still have the broken upper half of the paddle that I am holding in the picture, 35 years later.

Halloween 2009!

What a great Halloween night! The weather was pretty much perfect, the moon was almost full, and the little monsters were everywhere, scurrying all about the neighborhood. Fun night. We had almost 100 trick or treaters!

Fell

The night sky

This beautiful... amazing image of the Crab Nebula, located in the Taurus constellation, was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. For more information about this nebula, and a storehouse of other images highlighting the wonders of the cosmos, click on the Daily Astronomy Pics link to the right, on this page. there's always something there worth taking a look at.

Paranormal Activity

After hearing so much about this movie, I decided I needed to go see what all the fuss was about for myself. It was good, and I am glad that I saw it in a theatre on the big screen. Actually I think this one would translate very well to the small screen, since it is filmed like a home video, but there is something special about seeing certain movies in a theatre. I went to the 2:00 matinee, and there was (maybe) 25 people there.
The pace of the movie was a little slow, especially in the beginning, but ultimately it wasn't enough to be distracting. In fact, the pace actually helped as the movie went on... it helped create and build a creeping sense of dread and hopelessness. There are some scenes that are startling... even a bit shocking, and I did enjoy the movie. Was it the scariest movie of all time, as some of the hype would have you believe? Hardly... but that shouldn't take away from the fact that Paranormal Activity is a first-rate scarefest.
For me, the American version of The Grudge, or The Ring cannot be beat for sheer spine-tingling, raise your feet off the floor, "holy crap!" scary fun at the movies. Still, I certainly wouldn't try to talk anyone out of going to see this movie... especially if they want a little something to rev up their pre-Halloween fun.

Just in time for Halloween!

We have a guest that has taken up residency in our garage overnight... a bat. I guess it just got too cold for the little guy last night and it had to find a safe place. Not quite sure what to do about it right now, so I will leave it alone for the time being. Hmmmmmm. Interesting. It looks healthy, and probably just wants to be left alone, but what I'm afraid of is that it is thinking it has found a great hibernation spot, and will be there all winter. Not so sure I like that.
We had a bat that spent three straight summers roosting under the overhang of our front porch here at the house. We called her Betty... Betty Bat. She didn't show up this past summer, so in a strange sort of way we missed her. Betty was a little bigger than this bat we have in the garage, so I doubt it's the same one. I'll just keep an eye on it and see how things go. If necessary, I will shoo it out, but killing it will be an absolute last measure. And that's only because I don't like it being so close to the dogs in a confined area.

The Gatherers

Halloween 2009

Rain, rain, rain...

In the past 24 hours we've racked up rain totals as high as 11+ inches in some areas here in southwest Missouri. Lots of flooded roads... lots of rivers and streams well over their banks. These pictures were taken in Ozark, at the bridge over the Finley River on Highway 14, by the river walk park.

Oh... how I do love this time of year.

I'm hearing great things about this one. It came out on DVD yesterday, and it is already being called one of those "must-have" movies for Halloween lovers everywhere . I'm ready to see it, but I imagine it will be hard to find at the rental place. I may just have to buy it. This is one of those movies that Pam will probably NOT want to watch... but you never know. I have really got to get busy with my Halloween decorations. It's on a Saturday this year!