time is never wasted

I am lying, eyes closed
shutting off the visual
sensing only my skin
as the cool air rushes in through the open window
chilling my shoulder as it passes over
sliding across my chest
it tickles as it brushes past the hair on my flattened stomach
and turns into a whisper as it brushes against my legs and then falls like a waterfall
to the floor, where my feet should be.
Time to get up!

not an easy day

I knew a man once.
Growing up with a screwed up father
left him unable to love,
but he could keep things clean
and neat.
You could read his magazine but please don't lay
it down opened, upside down, that will bend the cover.
Magazines must remain mint condition.
He could not appreciate his house, on acres
in the northern woods, because it could not be
ALL right. there were too many things to fix.
He could not enjoy his work.
Saddest of all
he could not enjoy his beautiful wife,
So he did her the ultimate injustice.
He committed the perfect crime,
he killed himself in the garage where they lived
and she was left with the mess.
That is terrorism.
----------------------------
Every day from now on I will thank God for my dad
and the great years he gave his family.
He was a lover, and messy.
I am his son.
forever

spider - in doorway - at dog poop house

 

painting in a fog of dog poop fumes

I hope nobody googled DOG POOP and found me that way....
nevertheless
I had to paint this fence today
it hems in three large dogs who surprisingly do not know how to pick up their own poop and carry it out to the curb on trash day. Silly dogs!

at the east end of the fence the smell was horrid, so I started there, knowing it would get worse. By the time I was within 20 feet of the west end I could barely breathe. the effect of months of three dogs crapping and weeks of rainstorms making it smell worse was literally sickening. There was no one to paint but me. I would not send a hireling to do this job, since there is no amount of money that would make it worth while absorbing the decaying feces of three LARGE dogs that is carried aloft by a thousand flies.
It was a really good day to say, "I can't do this." But somehow I lasted two hours and most of it is painted. I will go back after the HAZ- MAT team has made it safe to do so. The treat at the end of the day was a chance to get a picture of a HUGE spider in a doorway, very cool. i will insert those later. I have to go shower, RIGHT now.

happy dance

it isnt pretty
but I am having fun
dancing because what I knew about myself
and my work
was proved to be true
and I get the back pay that was due to me
and have no NO liability for the damages
to a clients house,
since what i worked on did not leak
and I am happy
and I will dance all afternoon with m,y chainsaw
that I love
as we cut hardwood to burn when winter returns to the mountains
I need a vacation, maybe next month,
far away, camping.... YES!

thrilling

 

the rising

the light grows as the sun pushes up below the horizon

scattering a dozen colors across the vast expanse of sky
the display brightens my spirit, and strikes the sleep from my watery eyes

a crows flies over as if he was shot out from a rifle

cawing, wings beating the heavy air, wet from last nights storm
the night retreats, the day attacks, life is on the move again
the gift of God in this one day, to unwrap, enjoy and revel in.
Some will miss the treasure here, wearing a scowl, grumbling
the simple things are of no value to them
a child's laugh , a mother's smile.
Two lovers sitting for a while
the sun's warmth on a face up turned, cool grass on bare feet
and silence blesses the one who waits, to hear what others miss
voice in the wind, the spirit whispers, "calm yourself, be at rest"
no chasing after, to aquire. no racing round to fill the void
don't miss the treasure buried there, inside of you
the magic of life if you slow down
to see, to feel, to enjoy the sweet sound

of living on a mountain

green sea turtle

hawaii 2004

to ad or not to ad

there is a prompt each time I go to post that says I can make money ( haha)
by posting ads on my blog.
Why would I want to do that? who would want ads on their blog?
we live in a world full of ads and its nice to read someones blog without having to ignore that flashing banner telling you what to buy.

I don't need more stuff, I need less
and my blog is a place for less.

So pay no attention when I say that I am typing this on a Belkin keyboard, it appears on a Nokia Monitor, and that for connectivity I chose Charter Cable (blazing fast) and a Linksys router.
I really should think of something more profound to write about, but its so hot up here in the loft room, that I am going to twist the top of my O'Doul's and enjoy the chill of the Hampton Bay fan. Life is strange, or is it just me?
(drinking) AHHHH that's good!

---------------Thursday -----------------
I just read Ken Jennings Blog
and today of all days he has tried to help Jeopardy! with some suggestions for how to improve their show ( after all that money he got, the ingrate!) go look at it - he is smart and a witty writer. with money to burn, I guess, Thanks to Alex Trebek.

did I mention I have no camera this week ? sad!

a good day in the woods

I talked to this reporter guy today
he did not realize I was a total nut
so he put me in the clip of his news report
I am halfway famous, wooooo hoooo

Although Mark Coogan seemed very nice, his camera man was a bit naive.
He parked the van right in the road where a tree was being felled, moved the van and then stood in the spot until I yelled "TIMMBEEEERRRRRRRRRRR" and had to add "MOVE move" the tree splattered a few feet from where he was standing, good thing he was quick on his feet. hehe

In the video my son and I work together to get a big tree to fall.
Jared hammers in the wedges and I cut it through then it falls sideways from where I expected it to, but safe after all. I look a little wild with a camo hat and lots of sawdust all over me.

NO pics - my daugter has my camera at camp this week.
Link to the press Enterprise article on Scott and Vickie Wilson's battle to save their home and guest cottages from the fire. with a picture of Scott cutting some of the brush away.

a man is allowed two loves

I think that a man is allowed to love His chainsaw if he wishes to do so.
He may also love his dog or cat, and most certainly will love
the fine woman who cares for him and convinces him that he is
the most special man in the whole world or at least a close second.

I drove over the summit pass today, closer to the fire to help friends
prepare their property to make it more defensible if the Fire makes it that far.
from 7 this morning to 3pm I whacked at trees and bushes that were too thick, too tall and all a bit dead and dry. I really appreciated seeing this whole family; mom, dad, four sons work hard together all day to try to save their property and their business. I did not have a camera
but the picture is this: Familial love, unbounded and set against a terrible natural force.
it would make a great short story. I was honored to witness such a powerful bond between brothers, between mom and dad, between a family and the ladn they cared for and needed to exist. today was a beautiful day.
When I washed my hair the shower immediately smelled of wood smoke, my jeans are caked with sawdust mixed with oil and exhaust. my back and shoulders ache, but its a good feeling.
It is right to care, to do something to help. It is what neighbors do, here, anyway.

Congrats to Jayleigh and her hubby Rob, who took their first week at the new church, May God's blessings go before you and follow you as well!

it continues

heat
passion
lots of fluids
excitement
loud noises
smoke
less sleep than normal

is this love?





Big bear fire
Millard complex fire

travels with charlie

travels with charlie

my photo blog
pictures of the Big Bear Fire

Sawtooth Complex fire

that's MY KIND of Chopper

more chopper and fire photos at my photo blog

bookmark it
link it

just stare at it all day long

sawtooth fire
big bear lake
millard

google sattelite - two fires for the price of one

 

scrub fire

 

Freakin Friday

I am not:
depressed
nervous
scared
I am:
praying
watching
and thanking God for the firefighters and wishing for 10,000 more of them to come save our forest. 

Thirteen reasons she is SO HOT!

1. Lots of hair that doubles as a bib for eating crab
2.eyes that scream "HELP ME!"
3. very effective use of faux fur and sheet metal
4.long aquiline nose
5. pasty complexion
6.nothing real about her at all
7. she is 30 years my junior
8. batlike wings growing from head (look carefully)
9. perma-pucker on pouty lips
10. licorice flavored kisses
11. will not need ear muffs in winter
12. must be very HOT under all that vinyl
13. can never say to me, " you look weird!" 

wordless, women I would like to date, wednesday

 

fire beyond the mountain

maybe twenty miles to the east
but looking bad
as the wind carries smoke over the horizon and spoils the mood of barbara's birthday -
Thank you fire fighters. 

Happy Birthday Barbara!

trying to catch up

she lives in upstate Ny
loves birds
and blogging
has helped me make this blog more beautiful

she hosted the BlogOlympics and made many friends
and now she has a birthday,

a day to celebrate
we all wish her well and pray
her special day is great!

We love you Barbara!

please go leave her a happy greeting

Sailboat on a sling

In order to get at the center board to inspect and varnish it we hung the stern from a porch post and a 2x6 ( angled board) to lift the 'baby' off her trailer.
Now almost ready for the water, I just need to fight the paper work through the DMV and the Lake district to get a boating permit.

Movie review Devil wears Prada

Meryl Streep - one of my favorite actresses, makes such a powerful statement in her current movie, "The Devil Wears Prada". She dominates the people around her and scares the hell out of almost all of them, including her first assistant. It's such an abrasive world that everyone in it who does not have some semblance of real life to escape to gets worn down. The rudeness is unbelievable and the pace of life in NYC and the fashion industry makes watching this a bit difficult for a mountain man.
If you hate Streep as Miranda, you try to love her second assistant Andrea, because her flaws are so human, so like what we all endure on a daily basis.
The Miranda character demands perfection and degrades her subordinates with practiced cruelty. They take it because it is a privilege to work with someone so powerful, so respected for her business sense and acumen. Humiliation is the price paid to be in the company of "the best, the brightest".
Like fashion, the life of Miranda is a show with glitz and glamour but lacking depth, substance.
Lots of money and shallow interactions, and no sense of humanity, no time for being, just doing more, making more, with less and less feeling. You ALOMOST are sorry for her, but it is her mess. She is a big girl. she makes her choices and lives with them, however sad and ultimately lonely that leaves her.

TBC

When I was very brave and much younger

I built this house ( for sale, on spec) from a set of plans and a big pile of Home Depot lumber in 1991.
It is still one of my favorites. Ahh the days of checking accounts and credit lines. No more.
Now I build sheds and trash enclosures. BUT if someone wants to build there own home from scratch, I know of a darned good foreman who and can still lift 100 lbs off the floor.

what to do? what to do?

three possible friday night outcomes:

I will have gone to see a (waste of my time) movie

I will have read blogs and played games

I will have installed my new sound card and DVD burner.

hmm we will just have to wait and see....

America the beautiful

Here we are, fellow citizens,
Living in the greatest country on earth
Let not our pride in that fact cause us to fall
God made us great, and humility and justice will keep us great.
Think right, do right and be thankful you can write.
Please use commments for 'What makes America great?'

Thank you Jayleigh for the awesome picture of Kodiak,
the most beautiful face in the dog world!

Mango, the bird

Mango says "thanks for all the compliments, except for those cats emailing me wanting to know which house I live in!" he is tiny but this pic adds ten pounds, he sings a bit and squawks a lot which annoys my X wife. Iwould like to train him to my shoulder to go with my pirate outfit and schtick. Arrr lads - stand back there or me bird will be takin a piece outta yer ear, Arrr.

Happy Birthday America, Jimi is playing your song. Thanks to all who help me make this blog thing more interesting.

Don't watch this if you have a weak bladder

Video:submitted for your consideration
a woman afraid of pickles, is she an actress playing,
or is she deeply disturbed by childhood memories?

prepare to laugh at someone elses mental instability for a nice change*

this is a talk show host we should all fear
he is married to Connie Chung, whose singing set back my libido
for a whole two weeks!
YUK
American television will cause the fall of Rome - all over again.