Fly Little Bird

   The story you are about to hear is true...well mostly true...OK...some parts are true. Some of the photos are completely natural (flowers) some are reenactments of what really happened...and others...are just plain staged.

I went out to mow my lawn the other day and as I was picking up sticks I found a baby Robin in the grass.                                                                                      

 



Of coarse this isn't the baby Robin I saw...this is Roger who agreed to be a stand in for this blog. But I did see a little robin in the grass. I put on a pair of gloves and picked the little guy up and moved him\her to the side of the yard. The little birds' mom was not pleased that I was picking up her little one. I didn't catch a lot of what she said but it was either "I told you not to stand so close to the side of the nest" or "You think you can fly but you really can't" (kind of a movie line...which really impressed me...I didn't know birds could play that game).

It got me to thinking of how we send off our kids. Either with a shove out of the nest or try and hold on to them as long as we can. (You didn't know that mowing the lawn was such a philosophical experience did you?) I think I left the nest on my own when I joined the Air Force. I left for boot camp in TX without a change of clothes...just a tooth brush. Where as Cindy said she was kinda pushed out of the nest with "fly little bird." When she graduated High School her Mom moved to NM as she started off to college. But that's the nature of things (get it?). So how do we balance raising our kids with all the care and love we can to only end up having to let them go...or push them out? I found one answer just outside our kitchen door patio. We put up a couple bird houses last year and both of them have renters. Only this one seems to have an addition put on...either to give junior a head start out the door or he came back to the nest after he was out for awhile. Either way Mom and Dad needed space.



They started to add a nest on the roof



This bush  glows at twilight

 Speaking of nature...we have had a good growing season with alot of rain this year. It's the survival of the fittest in my yard...meaning those plants that take the lest amount of care do the best...that includes weeds that pretend to be flowers . We're letting them grow this year because we didn't get any annuals planted. A lot of the plants that flower seem to spring up over nite and then last only a week or so.







These are awesome for a week.



 



 

Wild flower









 

This is some type of weed but looks great...it got to stay






















 

You guessed it





Busy as a bee?



 

                                                                                 

That got me to thinking (dangerous I know)...how I need to slow down and enjoy nature. And pay a little more attention to what nature has to offer, when it's offering it. We have a jungle growing in our back yard and I'm trying to get a handle on it. I cut a path through it a week ago and found an amazing discovery!







 A giraffe! Do you know how rare these are in Nebraska? I'm talking rare! I thought, "if this little guy could be hiding all this time in my backyard, what else is out there?" I started staking out the old watering hole...and sure enough...a zebra showed up. Not nearly as rare as the giraffe, but pretty cool.









Either he's getting a drink or checking out his reflection





                                                         

Then I found out these two know each other...I caught them playing in the back yard.

Ok...I got a little off track here (can you get off track in a blog?)...but that is my adventures in my back yard. What's going on in your backyard?

                                                                              

                           



                                                             Thanks for haning around!









 

 

Top 10 reasons we like to go to Mom's House!

Why we like to go to Mom's house......

#10 The squirrels are smaller than here. I'm not saying that makes them cute...you just don't have to worry about them carrying off your patio furniture.










#9 There are great sporting events!



Home run a coming!



Sold out seating at basesball

World Ladder Ball Champion chips

#8 Lots of entertainment. From non stop Sudoku puzzles, to my sisters (very entertaining), to hanging in the backyard (Mom and Dad's to Sherry and Dave's). It's a party when two or more gather together!

A star in the making



Oh, Mom



April at Zarah's reception with grand kids Parker and Tanner, and Michael



Cindy's step father, Jim, and Zarah

More Zarah party pics



Party pictures



Expert marshmellow cookers



Partiers

#7 The coffee pot is on before you get out of bed. Of coarse this doesn't mean a lot to those who get up at 10am or later. Cindy calls Mom and Dad's the best bed and breakfast in the Hills (Sherry and Dave are a close second, but you have to side with the hand that feeds you. :) )





#6 The back yard! For living in an apartment Mom and Dad might as will be the only one there when it comes to the back yard. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are only a step out the back door. Coffee in the morning...68 degrees outside - can't beat it! Cindy says the world goes away in Mom and Dad's backyard (that's a good thing).


Two good looking people

What a Grandma



Party all the time.



You gotta love em!

Paparazzii



This lilttle guy is always happy...unless it's time to sleep



Three good looking guys

#5 Bed time is 9pm...for those over 50, this is a good thing! Cindy and I keep telling each other that we are going to get to bed earlier than we do....but rarely do. At Mom and Dad's it's lights out at 9!

#4 The Hills are beautiful and special...you have hills...and seasons...and pine trees...(and motor cycles)...we love to climb Harney Peak every chance we get.

Here's Alex in his Super Hero Cape carrying Michael up and down Harney Peak

This was Michaels 2nd trip up Harney Peak...1st Ashley carried him...BB (before birth)...now with Alex...he was hot and bored...to sleep.

#3 The Magic Board! This almost made it to the number one spot. It is amazing...put donuts on it...pie...pizza....games...trout (this was a stretch for the board but it came through). Is there nothing this board can't do? Where was this board when we were growing up? I think I know the answer to this one...it was around and it was called Mom.  We just didn't know it at the time until we all grew up.

#2  Dad...you made it to the number 2 spot...and if I know you like I think I do (since I am proud to have many of your great traits), as men we are just happy to make the top 10.  I watched you with Michael and how comfortable you both were together. I realized that you are still setting an example that I want to follow. Thanks, Dad.

Having some guy time

   And now what we have all been waitting for....why we love to go to Mom's house....

#1 Mom!...ok, no big surprise here, but Moms never stop being moms.  I see this with Cindy and our girls...she is a great Mom to two grown daughters and always gives you, Mom, the credit for the example you have given her. So, Mom, you are number 1 on our list....for a lot of reasons.  For the great breakfast you make, aside from burning sausage and plates :).  For being the gathering place for family, for your unconditional love, for teaching me to be the great chef I am (and the humble person), for your love for dad and all us kids.  Thanks, Mom! 

This is a Great grandma









Keep the lights on...we will be back soon! 

When good Copiers go Bad!

It was 8:15 on Monday morning...I was on my 2nd cup of decaf and my 3rd page of Copier Weekly when my pager went off. I knew it was important...I'm on everyone’s speed dial...when they call 911 they get a recording saying "if this is a true emergency please hang up and dial the "Man" and not just any man...I'm the CopyMan! You've heard of Superman...Spiderman...fictional characters...I'm the real thing!

The call came from a very familiar nemesis...high-up from the 2nd floor office downtown. This copier has acted up in the past...eating critical documents...burning...jamming...screeching...it was a good copier...gone bad!

As I walked in I could see relief in some faces...but as with many superheroes there was animosity, too! I heard one say "we should get you an office here"...and another say "we should put you on our payroll"...they laughed like it was the first time I had ever heard this...I thought to myself... my pet iguana wouldn't want to work here and I AM on your payroll...and I'm not cheap! Instead I just smiled and said "please step back...this could get dangerous"...they ran back to their little cubicles and acted busy.

This copier was a pro! It was hiding jams in places rarely seen...it threw an error code to try and  throw me off the path...a loose connection in the doc feeder and bald feed rollers in the cassette! I pulled out my electric screw driver and pliers and went to work! After 30 minutes the copier surrendered and I was victorious! While I was cleaning up I noticed voices around me. It is an interesting phenomenon that in the "super suit" my company provides me with...I actually become invisible. I here talk of boyfriends, girlfriends, pets, bosses and something’s I cannot share.

I would include photos but being a super hero requires some anonymity. If my true identity got out I would not be able to grocery shop on the weekends without being overwhelmed with requests for assistance. Just last week at the YMCA (true story) I was in the sauna and somebody asked me what I do. I told him I'm a copy repairman...he said that he added too much water to theirs at work and made a huge mess...also it is so hard to get the flavor just right! He asked me if I have ever had that problem. I then realized he thought I said coffee repairman...I told him that a lot of people have that problem...then promptly left the sauna.

I also realize that I'm not the only super hero...the butcher at my grocery store stands between me and the cows and pigs with a butcher knife! My garbage man risks his life each day taking loads to a toxic waste site! Kevin at the YMCA, who mops the locker rooms each day, is a true super hero!

So yes...I'm just doing what I can...saving the world one copier at a time.

COPYMAN

SD Church Camp

Cindy and I made our way up to SD Church Camp (CFO) the middle of June. The big draw was of coarse our grandson and oh ya...he brought his parents. We drove west across NE and came in thru the southern part of the Hills. It is so beautiful...we meant to take Hwy79 to 44 then in to Keystone but we turned a couple of miles too soon into the park and ended up taking a little longer route. It actually turned out great...we drove by a pretty large herd of Buffalo and the drive was wonderful.

We had Carsten and Katie with us for the week which was a real blessing. Talk about good kids.

   And here is the Star of the show...with Grandma.

And here is Michael having a snooze with Grandpa

   

 

                                                                          

 Hey Mom where you been? 

This guy just has to show up and it makes for a good picture.

                                                                               And here's Dad

The week flew by and we really enjoyed our time with daughter...son-in-law...grandson...nephew...and great neice...short and sweet!

Play Ball

I like to watch sports...some more than others...but in general I will watch anything sports related. Now don't get me confused with the sport fanatic...I like to watch but only mildly care who wins...50-50. That goes up to 90 percent on Fall Saturdays...you figure it out. But what I really like to do is to watch sports with the 3 girls I love. This is on  rare occasions...but with the introduction of 2 wonderful son-in-laws... 2 of my sweeties have taken a new interest in sports. First Ashley...she likes to commentate...not on the sport itself but on everything else. The uniforms...mannerisms...what is said... the weather...it doesn't matter as long as she can commentate and if you keep up a running commentary with her it is a huge bonus...I love it. She has shared with me that she commentates some with Alex but it is much less when she is with all the Cranes...but give her time. Alex is very easy going with this and even has Ashley watching Denver hockey...we're talking true love here!

Now Dene' has not been a big sports fan either but that is changing too...huuummm I wonder why? Thanks to Tyler, Dene' has an inside knowledge of some facts that a casual fan is just not suppose to know. Awhile back we were watching a college basketball game and part way thru she started telling us about how young this team was and where some of the team members came from and their back-ground.Then true to Dene' fashion  she asked..." so what color are we for?" I love it and so does Tyler...he is so patient with her!

 

Now Cindy...you wouldn't guess her for a sports fanatic...and maybe I'm bending the definition here...but when I can get her to sit down and watch something with me...watch out! I would never call her opinionated but her her friends call her that (kinda a movie line). Last nite we were watching the second game of the Heat and Mavericks (basketball Miami and Dallas) and Cindy was going on non-stop about how sloppy both teams were playing the first half and the refs were letting so many fouls go by and Dirk talking such poor shots! She becomes an expert on any sport she sits down to watch...I love it too! Guys...if your love-one is willing to sit and watch some mindless sports with you...listen and agree with whatever they say...the magic of LOVE!

Speaking of mindless sports...lets talk about soccer. OK..that was low...my apologies to Alex and Tyler. Seriously I have come to really enjoy soccer. Thanks to my two sons in-law I have taken a great interest in the game..er..match. Cindy and I where blessed with the opportunity to watch Tyler coach and play...and hope to have the same opportunity to see Alex do the same.

Tyler coached the JV team at at our Catholic High school here in Lincoln while they were with us. They did really well and enjoyed the experience and energy Tyler brought to the program.

If its not obvious...Tyler is from the South...its hot...always hot...especially during soccer season. Coming to Nebraska and coaching in March was...shall we say... pretty cool!

          Here's the half time inspirational talk.

Tyler also played on a city team...which we really enjoyed watching  each Sunday afternoon. It reminded me of myself...when I was the star athlete in high school..running circles around everyone...OK...in my dreams.  

                                             

 

 

                                                                        Don't even try and stop this guy.

                                                       OK he's fast!

                                                            

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                              

                    

  Launch

                                             Another cool match

                              

                           

And the crowds came from far and wide!

Thank you Lord for Alex and Tyler, two good men, who share their love of sports with the ones they love.