A taste of sunshine!

What does sunshine taste like?

What does it do inside you?

I believe that sunshine is captured inside a wild berry...

it tastes sweet and tangy...

and sparks a healing energy inside us.

The wild "black cap" raspberries are beginning to ripen...

They grow profusely along the fence lines...

Their captured sunshine tantilizes our taste buds...

Enjoy the moment of delight!

What if the wish really came true?

Is the dream more fun than the reality?

I wondered about this as I was startled by the possibility of one of my favorite pastimes coming true!

I enjoy envisioning stories through my thoughts as I clean corrals, for example. Such a daydream has been about one of my favorite musical characters – Willie Nelson.

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You can hear me humming his touchstone song, “On the Road Again”, day or night. (The family groans as I may have overdone this on trips.)
I don’t remember much more than the title of the song so I might make up words too.

One day I got the idea that I would like to sing it with Willie. I’m not thinking I’m a professional singer. I just enjoy his song so much.
So I started picturing me singing with Willie. I found the words to the song to memorize them. I could even harmonize on parts! (That is, if I stayed on tune long enough!)

I hadn’t told anyone about my idea though. And no one hearing me sing out in the corral was going to tell!

But recently I was at a graduation party where I didn’t know many of the guests. I was just sitting and snacking and listening to the folks around me and it was a pleasant time.

Then I heard mentioned the name of Willie Nelson. I perked up.
And for some reason - probably because I didn’t know the people and I’d probably never meet them again – I blurted out – “I love Willie Nelson… it’s my dream that someday I would sing his song, ‘On the Road Again”, with him!”
Everyone smiled. A polite group you know! And my white hair gives me extra grace sometimes I think.

But then I was shocked as the man sitting next to me turned and said, “I may be able to help you on that. I work for Willie Nelson.”

After that shock, I was confronted with the fact that I probably was enjoying my dream more than if I really sang with Willie! For one thing, I have trouble remembering the words of the song!
And I realized that if I ever met him, I would just want to watch and listen to him. I wouldn’t want to bother him. I would want to be able to give some joy or help to him, not just take.

So later on I told the thoughtful man this and explained, maybe I’ll just keep Willie in my dream and say a prayer for him.
(But maybe I’ll also try to memorize the words to his music some more.. just in case. You never know!)

(Nelson photo from CD - Willie Nelson Songs)

Sand castles for "Dummies"!

As a kid it seemed all right to just pile the sand and form it into what we called "sand castles".

But now-a-days it seems like everything has to be done with expertise.

So I got a book from the library on how to build sand castles.

Do you know that when they are finished modeling the sand they spray on a solution of glue and water to help it keep its form?

Well, on the river on the back forty of our farm, a 10 year old and a 7 year old and a 68 year old helped build these castles and the start of a little village.

We didn't have the glue... and a day of rain followed!

But, checking on our "beginner castles" a couple of days later, I saw the river had risen and was like a moat but they were still standing!

Let's see... how about adding some turrets and roads and...

I think we're having fun anyway!

Police dog demo
fascinates all ages

He growled at the over three foot tall hand-carved wooden bear on display in the room and then sat at attention next to his handler.

The four-year-old German Shepherd police dog, Chopper, and his partner, Goodhue County Sergeant Collins Voxland then demonstrated some of the activities that won them the title of First Place Region Team in the 2006 U.S. Police Canine Association's national field trials to the Cannon Kids School Age Child Care Program and members of Triad - Cannon Falls Area Citizens and Law Enforcement Partnership.

Chopper is “a high energy dog”, as described by Voxland, who is trained in obedience, tracking and finding narcotics.

At first, the audience could pet Chopper.

Then he went into action. All on the command of his handler.
Joe Berg, a Cannon Falls police patrolman, was the person to be attacked. He put on a special “sleeve” to protect him from the jaws of the dog which can exert about 750 pounds of pressure into a bite.

Police K-9 dogs, properly trained and handled, give law enforcement officers one of the finest non-lethal aids in the prevention and detection of crime, according to the United States
Police K-9 Association.

These dogs are taught to do the following: 1) Search buildings and areas for unauthorized persons. 2) Track Criminals and search for lost children, etc. 3) Search for evidence dropped by criminals in flight. 4) Search for hidden explosives, narcotics, chemicals, illegally taken game and cadaver substance. 5) Pursue and apprehend, with minimum force, criminals fleeing a serious crime and arrest. 5) Apprehend on command only and in protection of the handler.

Chopper also demonstrated his expertise in tracking from scent. For example, this is used in tracking lost children, Alzheimer’s patients, etc. Chopper would pick up their scent coming from cells fluffing off the person’s body and falling on the grass.
In this demonstration, Voxland hid a package of marijuana inside the gas cap of a Cannon Falls police car. Chopper was told to find it and his excitement was evident as he indicated its hiding place.

The time and dedication that Voxland and Chopper spend in training also paid off in winning the admiration and hearts of the viewers.

(First three photos by Rosie and the last one was by Dave Timm, courtesy of the Cannon Falls Police Department.)

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JOB WANTED!

Not just any old job.
He would like something that would be interesting… would tweak his mind… and be fun.
Since he is retired he would want to limit it to around 15-20 hours a week.
And since he is also 81 years old, he would have to be realistic as to whether there were any physical limitations involved.
But Fred McKee’s philosophy is simply to “look at a job and see if I can do it.”
He emphasized, “It’s not about the money.”

Fred recalled his first job when he was about ten years old. He was hired by the owner of a dump to burn the cover off wires to get at the copper.

As a young man after World War II, Fred was stationed with the army in the Philippines.

As is his nature, Fred made friends with island natives. They even gave him a tiny monkey whose tail had been cut off.
She was named “Gook” and stole their hearts. When Fred was being shipped back to the U.S. he couldn’t bear to part with her. He had her vaccinated, etc. but then found that live cargo was forbidden.
But he figured out a way.

Fred explained that his monkey was paper trained and would sleep and ride around inside his shirt when he was below deck. When getting some sunshine and exercise topside, other soldiers would surround her and McKee and keep a watch out.
The two of them got back to Minnesota all right but since Fred was living with his grandparents, and Grandma was a little scared of the monkey, Gook ended up in a local zoo. But Fred felt she enjoyed being with other primates.

In the following years, Fred had a variety of jobs. He worked in sales, then as a field rep, president of his union, as a purchasing manager, in maintenance, real estate and also had a stint as a taxi driver. (Fred chuckled, "The best tippers were the 'Ladies of the Evening'"!)
When he was 70, Fred started a new job – as a “bell hop” at a casino. He would take guests to their rooms, answer their questions almost like a tour guide. Fred enjoyed doing this for another ten years.

But now at 81 he’s looking for something different. Fred explained, "It’s a fallacy to think that retiring is the answer... People only talk about death, taxes or bodily functions.”

Fred would like to find a group that might tackle problems in the community. This group of creative people could enjoy “running” with an idea that might solve a problem for some business, etc.

As far as that new job he is looking for… Fred recalled that he has always been fascinated watching how businesses dealt with their employees. So one direction he is considering is heading back to college to study Human Resources.

As he states on his business card, “Please do not define us by our age. Young, old, - all have special gifts. Look closely, really listen – and you’ll find it.”

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What do you see? Should we sell it on "eBay?

High winds blew these trees over.

While cutting them up to get them off the fences we saw these interesting patterns inside the trunks.



Recalling the large sums of money that folks got on the auction site of www.ebay. com when they apparently found a replica or reminder of the Virgin Mary on some cheese, etc.
I wondered if you could find something of interest in these tree trunks?

And we could share the reward!



Send your ideas to: spiritsonghorses@yahoo.com

Computer monitor malfunction leads to...

(His favorite screen saver is the fish swimming in an aquarium, of course!)

Guest Columnist:

Smokey T. (The) Cat...

"Stupid Human Tricks!"

One of the late night TV talk shows features "Stupid Dog Tricks". They’re kind of an “Everyman” or “Everydog” feature showing the dumb things that animals can do that bring a smile to your face.

But have you ever thought that we animals might have a similar program when we get together? We call it “Stupid Human Tricks”!

And I (humble barn cat though I am - although I’ve never seen a cat that thought themselves “humble”) have one that would make it!

You see, I have a routine when I see it’s dinner time. Here’s how it goes: I sleep in the hay mow in the barn. (Yes I have a heated pad but I can nestle better in the hay.)

From there I watch from my perch as the horses get fed. And when that’s finished I know my owner is heading back to the house where my food is kept under the deck. And I am off and running.

My route goes from the barn... across the yard... behind the bushes... leaping onto the steps... then under the windows... jump to the top of the dog house... and then fly to the picnic table stored under the deck and hop over to the wood pile where my dish is kept.

No trick here yet.

The clue is that the feed bin is between the dog house and the picnic table. The trick is that the I am usually in hiding. And my owner has no idea when I will pounce!

And she, poor dear, does not know if I will miss her in my flying leap or WHAP! she’s been hit by a flying fur ball!

But if you look quick you’ll see me sitting calmly by my dish waiting for this “stupid human trick” to get over and I can eat!

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