You Know Who You Are!

When I began this blog, I did so only in an effort for me to understand who I am. I believe that by putting my thoughts to words helps me to that goal. So, I invited two or three persons to check my blog out.

But as time passed, I realized there are many Followers who read this blog because they too are trying to understand who I am. It is apparent that the original people that I invited to the blog, became active Followers, and they have told their friends, who told their friends, and their friends told their friends. It's incredible to realize the fan base that I have developed so soon. I think I have even built a fan base of Followers equal to that of Barrack Obama.

Problem is; I can't actually verify the number of my Followers out there, because not everyone comments each time they visit, and there is no counter system in place to see the actual number of hits like E-Bay has. Now, I know there are at least two Followers, but I reason reason to believe there are many thousands, perhaps millions more, out there as well.

I sense that I've had one particular avid Follower that seems intrigued by me, but who prefers anonymity and has never left a comment. I know that he/she is reading this. Only You Know Who You Are!

So, in an effort to determine my true popularity, please participate in the poll at the left. And no, it doesn't expose your identity to me. I'll be waiting for the results from the Dock.

Shipwrecks, Sea Shells, and Whales

I've always liked the beach. Not for swimming or surfing so much, but for the intersting things I've seen at the beach.

As a young teen, we lived on the Right Coast and that was my first real exposure to a beach. I loved to play beneath the boardwalk at Coney Island while searching for lost things dropped by those above. I discovered surf fishing then, and actually swam in the warm water current during a winter snow.

I've visited my share of beaches. Beaches in Florida, beaches in Louisanna, beaches in Texas, Bahama beaches, California beaches, Hawaiian beaches, and now the beaches of the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon beaches are really different than the ones I've visited in the past. They are not much for swimming, although some do. They are mostly for walking, exploring, finding stuff, and appreciating nature. And you can drive a car right on most of the beaches here.

I've seen but a few that dare to wear a bikini, or a bathing suit of any kind. No, no one is nude, but more likely wearing Levis instead. And there is lots of stuff to discover, recover, or just let be. It's common to find intact shells, starfish, and unusual driftwood pieces. I've not seen a condom, or hypodermic needle, a dirty diaper, or many empty beer bottles.

Low tide, following a storm, is the best to beachcomb. Sand Dollars the size of your palm, colorfull dinner plate sized starfish cover the rocks, while crabs hide nearby from the birds lurking above. Driftwood pieces of all sizes, some apparently hundreds of years old, are waiting to be picked up and fashioned into artwork. I'll see people digging for clams, fishing the surf, or riding a sail buggy through the winds and for miles down the sand.

The bigger storms really stur things up. This year, at least two shipwrecks have appeared on the beach. Temporarily uncovered by the ocean's forces, they reveal themselves briefly only to be taken back to the depths with the next storm. Historians work fevorishly to identify the wrecks and preserve the artifacts before the wreck leaves, usually in the next storm. Recently, 4 cannons from the same ship were found on the beach, in three different places, across 60 miles of coastline. Amazing..

Oregon law declares all natural waterways are public domain up to the hide tide or high water shoreline. That means that you can walk the shoreline of any beach, lake, river, or stream without fear of tresspassing, including the shoreline of my front yard. And Oregon has a finder keepers law that allows you to keep anything you find along a shoreline providing it is not stolen, you register it, and have the means to recover it in it's entirety (ie: you can not cut pieces off a shipwreck, but you can take a cannon lying next to it in the sand, if you have the means).

Volunteers, organized by the State, watch and monitor the coast. Each volunteer is assigned a segment of beach and is required to monitor it regularily and report their findings to the State. It seems that there are beach clean up days every weekend. Therefore, you'll find little trash on the beach, and most of what you do find originates from other parts of the world.

A few weeks ago,coastal observers discovered a 55 foot whale lying dead on the beach in our town. Unlike in 1970, where a dead whale was blown up with dynamite by the town experts, it was quickly burried with a bulldozer. Check ou this old video clip to see that whale explosion, and the ensuing side effects. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_t44siFyb4

Visit the Dock and I'll take you to the beach.

It's Gone!

"What," you might ask, "Is gone?" Well, the Taco Soup is gone, and with one last bite, so will the cornbread.

One week ago today (seems like it was just the other day), my wife, and her daughter-in-law, made the Taco Soup. That evening, we served it, with cornbread, to a bunch of friends that dropped by to meet our family and tour the new house. I'm guessing about 15 bowls were served, and many spoon fulls went to those that only wanted to taste it.

Then we had it again for lunch and snacking the next day. Friday, my wife took the remaining stock to work and served it all day from a crock pot to the co-workers, friends, and customers dropping off their pets for medical care.

So that polished off the Taco Soup, but it took me until this morning to get to the last of the cornbread. Talk about getting your money's worth.

Well, an appointment with the tax guy is in a few hours. Then I got to do the grocery shopping for my wife. Seems she's come down with a cold this past weekend, so I've been pampering her until she regains her strength. She always gets hit much harder with these bugs and takes much longer to recover from them than I do. I think she has the whooping cough this time, but hopefully with the pampering I provide (doing all the cooking/cleaning/shopping/etc) she'll bounce back soon. She loved the chicken soup I prepared for her, but gets bummed because I so seldom fall ill.

Oh well... I'll find some time for the Dock anyway.

The Tree

You know, while my eldest daughter was visiting here the other day, she commented on The Tree that she saw through the window, and how different it was. The conversation soon went in another direction. She was referring to the smaller tree on the left in the photos.

I had seen The Tree many times in the past, but had paid it little attention.

But this morning, as I sat with my coffee, I looked at it again. This time, I saw so much more. Look at it closely and you immediately will notice that it is about 25% shorter than the one next to it, although they appear to be close to the same age. But, following it's main stem, you will note that for no apparent reason (no lightning strikr or broken limb), the stem suddenly makes a 90 degree turn to the left for a few feet.

Then it makes another 90 degree turn and grows downward a few more feet. Then it makes yet another 90 degree turn and follows a path right back, but below where it first began it's path. Then, as it collides with the main stem. it grows true and straight skyward and blossoms into a near perfect Christmas Tree, even more beautiful than the tree growing taller and straighter right next to it.

The Tree reminds me of my life where I grew quickly and straight for a number of years, very successful to some, but I was without branches or blossoms. Then suddenly, my life changed. A plateau for a few years, then a downturn, followed by another plateau. And finally I grew straight and true again, but better than I was before. Like a Christmas Tree, I now feel full of life and happiness. Although, perhaps not as tall as I would have been, but much fuller and better instead.

You see, although I began with a firm foundation and a faith in Christ, I soon became too busy for Him. I grew without him, but without blossoms. I struggled for a while before casting Him entirely from my life. But, He has always stood by me, even as I tumbled downward. And when I asked for His forgiveness, and invited him back into my life, my life grew upward once again, and better than ever.

I had once thought about removing The Tree to widen our view of the Lake. But now, if I thin anything out, The Tree will stay. I will share it as a testimony of Faith to everyone who visits the Dock.

Really Wowing!

Wow! For me, that is, what this past week was, when my children, and their children, visited the Dock.

You know, many people enjoy and remember their family visits by the fun times, playing games, visiting attractions, over eating, revisiting memories, and catching with the rest of the family happs. And we did all of that.

But for me, it is most wowing to watch how the roots that I helped plant have matured. And by no means is that meant to say that I am the reason for their success, but it is comforting to think that I was a part of it. And as I mature with my family, the more I learn and love it.

With each visit I learn and love so much more than the previous. I learned that I can actually communicate very well with a 2 year old, if I only take the time to listen. And that her favorite colors are really similar to her mother's, and her mother's mother color favorites.

I learned that my daughter's husband can call me Dad, and that I can think of him as my son. He has shown me the value of being the true leader of a family, rather than the dictator that I was. He learned that I don't know everything, and that I increasingly turn to him for advice. I learned that you don't always get a crab with every trap set, but that it was because of his bad luck.

I realized that my eldest grandson is not always buried in a book, but likes to chop wood with an axe. And that my eldest grand daughter is beautiful, (some have even commented that there is a resemblance to me), and rocks out to music through her headset as she heads toward becoming a teenager. And that they both love to explore and value the creatures of nature.

I learned that I am much more like my daughter than we care to admit. She learned that I wear a belt with my sweat pants, even though there are no loops. I learned that I can mark my initial "D" to label my bottle cap, but from her perspective it looked like the letter "A" and questioned why.

And I learned that it is lonesome at the Dock without them.

School Books and Stuff..

America invented the computer. Do you ever wonder why then our educational system sucks? Recently a ballot measure asking for additional property tax funding for our schools failed by a large margin, shocking the local school board.

The Board cried that because our community is heavily populated by senior and retired persons, we don't care about the future of the American youth. The board immediately cut the school year, layed off teachers, cut sports, and most of the arts in the elementary schools, and threatened to do the same for junior and senior high schools. That's nuts. How would they expect a student to begin art, music, or sports in junior high, if they never finger painted, sang a song, or played dodge ball in elementary school?

The People replied that they would gladly give the Board more money, if they could be assured that it would be spent appropriately. They said the upper management gets paid too much, take expensive retreats they link to training, and waiste money buying books.

I'm sure most every community across America has a similar problem. But squawking about buying books sounded crazy. Until I thought more about it. The schools claim that it costs hundreds of dollars per student every year for books, only for them to become obsolete within a few years. I don't think elementary school books become out dated quite so fast though. But I do think most other books are obsolete before they are even printed. I believe that once a child has basic reading, writing and arithmatic skills, usually (hopefully) by the 4th grade or so, his books do become very obsolete.

Imagine learning about a country, that by the time you read it, it no longer exists! Or studying chemistry to find a way to make something more green, when the idea has all ready been discussed!

I believe in technology, and I think computers are the way to go. Just think, the laptop I am now using can be purchased for less than $300. If every middle and senior high student were provided with a laptop filled with everything he will study during the term; that could replace most every text book he lugs to school daily. I'm sure the initial cost could be expensive, but they could be updated every year with the latest learning information, and that cost would be small. Imagine have access from your school room or from home, to every book in the school library. It would have to have a big impact on teaching our kids. Why make them wait to get to college before using a computer?

I'm voicing my concern to our local district, and if you agree, please voice yours as well. Gotta get busy to make way for the children's visit. No more Docking today.

Three More

My wonderful child, and her amazing husband, and their amazing children, will be visiting the Dock in just Three More days. How fun will that be?

I'm sure there are other avid Followers of mine that would love to join in. Wouldn't you?


They arrive late into the night of the next weekend day. They will likely be really tired after being up at dawn tending to the amazing children's school events only then to travel here later in the evening. They'll lose an hour of the day when they arrive in the Pacific Time Zone, after all ready losing an hour earlier this week to Daylight Savings Time.


So, we'll pick them up in the Manor on Wheels, and get some sleep. Then, we'll drive a bit to my udda brudda's place and attend the Baptism of his eldest child. Following the celebration and visit, we'll continue on westwardly (or should it be westerly/) to the Central Oregon Coast, and arrive soon thereafter at the Dock for several fun filled days.


We'll go camping for a night in the Forrest at the famous Oregon Dunes. We might go crabbing in the bay, or try a hand at fishing the Lake, or shoot an arrow, or walk the beach, or visit a lighthouse, or experience some fresh seafood, or chop some wood, or just hang out at the Dock and relax with a bowl of Taco Soup.

So, it's not too late to get some discounted tickets and join in on the fun. There's plenty of room, and a local casino for you Paigow addicts. Yipee!

Three

This past week, Ive been working my butt off building a walkway from the front entrance to the driveway and street using Three Rivers Rock. It's a flagstone kind of product that was imported from Colorado. No surprise there since Colorado sure has a lot of beautiful rocks. The Do it Yourself show made it look simple, but I didn't find that to be true. Had I access to those SoCal illegal aliens hanging out at Home Depot, I would have considered renting a few. But there are none here..

Friday evening, the local draw bridge over our Siuslaw River (one of the Three rivers in our hood) opened to allow a fishing vessel to leave the harbor. But it go stuck as it began to close due to an electrical fire. That cut off all the tourists pouring into town from the south, and the sand rail nuts going to the Dunes from the inland areas. A crew was called from 60 miles south to lower the bridge by hand crank. That snarled traffic for Three hours. What a mess.

Saturday evening we went to get a burger at Three Rivers Casino. The coffee shop has a one-pound burger called the Jackpot. It's huge, about the size of an 8 inch frisbee, and a full one inch thick, with fries and fixins.

The casino floor was packed. At first, I thought the Stimulus Plan was surely at work. But then, I realized that most of the patrons, unable to make their rent with the few quarters they have left, stuff them feverishly into the machines hoping for a big one. Then it was announced that someone playing a machine in the new non-smoking section, hit one for 10-Thousand Dollars. And then they announced a Five Million, Two Hundred Thousand pot was awarded just the night before in that very same non-smoking section.

Now I thought the Stimulus Plan was surely working, and there would surely be a third, because 3's were all around me. So, I converted a 20 into quarters and promptly fed a Keno machine to no avail. Guess I should have picked a machine in that Non-smoking section to play, since thanks to the pressures of friends and family, I'm on my way to being smoke free. But the Obama Plan ain't working for me.

Ain't going to the Dock now because it snowed this morning and it's cold there. I wonder what Al Gore is thinking now.

Not a Bear...yet

It's Spring time on the Left Coast. Geese fly in formation to their northerly destinations overhead, while the Lake is hosting a variety of new duckings. Their chicks, now only about the size of a child's fist hang out around the Dock as their mammas and pappas keep a careful eye over them. It's amazing to watch them mature. In a few weeks they will be taught to fly. Watching that is too funny!

Otters make their trips around the Lake and play with one another much like seals do. They always seem to be having a blast. Osprey and Eagles soar above with a watchful eye below, always eager to dine. They have a feast when the Fish and Game plant thousands of trout in the Lake each month. The fishermen show up in droves, but I haven't seen them catch much recently. I guess the water needs to warm a bit.

Seems the Great Blue Herons have moved on, but I don't know where they go. Very soon the bears will awake and the deer will move into the areas looking for the budding rose bushes.

I love to watch nature. God has truly created a fascinating place for us. Every thing and every one has a place and function. I am amazed at His power and grace.

Oops, just as a thankful tear came to my eye thinking about His place, I saw a GBH land in the shallows just a few feet from the Dock. Guess I spoke too soon. Wonder what it's up to?

The sky is a brilliant blue and the air is calm. What a wonderful world it is, especially when viewed from the Dock.

Almost to Final

Well, I think all my Followers know that we moved from out tiny mobile home into the new house just before Christmas. Speaking of Followers. I've just learned that I actually have three. Seems my udda brudda, DDD, is an avid Follower. I'm sure that there are many more that I don't even know. They just feed on my thoughts and disappear into the sunset as a better, smarter person. I expect my blog will quickly grow to the point where I might make some money by offering advertisement space to major corporations very soon.

Anyway, today was another milestone in our home project. The guy from Colorado had our mobile home hauled away to his home site of 87 acres a few hours south of us. With that, I can finish the grading to the basement level, remove the old septic tank, and hopefully get the final inspection signed off in the next few weeks.

Pretty excited about that. Not that it will mean I'm finished ('cause none of my prior homes ever got really finished), but at least it will mean I can relax on the work without being rushed to make deadlines.

And then on Sumday, I gotta rebuild the Dock.

Scrambled?

So, a few months ago, I advertised our old mobile home on Craig's List. Would you believe, Jay from Colorado, responded to the ad. Turns out he has some property about 3hrs south of us and wanted the place. I had been planning to just demolish the old thing and haul it to the dump, which would have cost me $$ and a lot of hard work. I agreed to let him have it for free providing he bear the moving expense. He was delighted,and so was I.

Anyway, yesterday he arrived here to make the final preparations. Look what he brought with him for me. He was so excited to give me the gift. I opened the egg carton and saw these things inside. I guess he stopped by a local farm while driving from the airport to here, and bought them. Turns out they are quail eggs. I guess they're a delicacy for some, but for me? Took him out to lunch and sent him on his way.

Well. my wife came home from work, and discovered these beauties in the refrigerator. She almost cried and told me to rid them.

So, what am I supposed to do? If either of my avid followers would like them, you need to speak up soon. Maybe I'll put them into an Easter basket to give to a friend. Maybe they will just hatch and I could then return the chicks to nature. Or perhaps I'll advertise the on Craig's List.

Remember, there is enough for everyone, but never enough for the greedy ones. It's raining at the Dock.