Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

   Recently I've had reason to search back through my digital pictures. I've been writing some stories for a writing web site and sometimes find myself looking for a picture that would enhance the story I'm doing. With few exceptions, each picture brings back a pleasant memory. I've got a few in the digital library of things like the back of the computer or the wiring of the boat that have no sentimental value. They're so that when I take it all apart I won't be relying on my faulty memory to get it back together correctly. I've got pictures of fishing trips and crew hands, of family gatherings and friends who have moved away. I took photos of places that were a part of my every day life like the store where we shopped. There are deer pictures and fish pictures and pictures of eagles. I see one of a car we used to own and the house we lived in for over thirty years, both before and after we remodeled it. While you're in the process of living life, you do

           This past Wednesday was March 17, Saint Patricks Day. It just so happens to be the day that my dad passed away fourteen years ago as well. When Jan told me how long ago it had been I was reminded of how quickly  time passes, whether you're having fun or not.       My daughter Autumn happens to work at Sophia's Cafe'  here in Wasilla. It's a Greek restaurant and she is the manager as well as the baker. She decided to make some cupcakes for St. Paddy's. Even though it's not a Greek holiday. The top picture isn't very accurate. For some unknown reason  the icing looks pink, but it wasn't. Pink is for Valentines Day or some such thing or a little girl's birthday or whatever. Actually the top cupcakes were the same color as the bottom one, a kind of creamy light white/yellow color with the green sprinkles and florets or whatever you call them.  The cupcakes themselves were a most delicious chocolate and the icing was butter cream. Oh my they we

           I love taking showers. I take one every day, unless I'm on the boat. I've even considered buying a different boat just because I could take a shower at the end of a long day. Not only do they get me clean, but the hot water seems to offer some relief from my aching joints. I take rather long showers, and while in there I spend a fair amount of time thinking; often of what I've just heard on what passes for news nowadays. I was going back over the news in my mind and thinking of Lord knows what all else, when  a thought struck me from out of the blue. I don't know if it was a question from God, or just a random thought that found it's way into my brain as the result of something that I'd recently heard or read or possibly what I was feeling. Anyway, a question formed in my mind- HOW LONG DO YOU WANT TO LIVE? It made me wonder, do I really have a choice? I mean outside of suicide, which isn't an option for me, and I hope that it wouldn't really

       I wish I could lay claim to the title for this post. I found it enlightening and entertaining. I was listening to a pod cast by Dave Ramsey today and he coined that phrase while he was ranting about the stimulus package that has apparently passed in congress. One TRILLION, nine hundred BILLION dollars large. The largest bill ever passed. I saw a clip of the president talking about this stimulus bill. He mentioned that $400 Billion was going to the relief package to help out the American public. He didn't mention what the other $1.5 Trillion  was going to be spent on. Where is that money going?  Who do you think is going to be paying the bill when it becomes due? We're already seeing a spike in energy prices. I suspect a good part of that is because of the war on the oil industry, but we can't overlook the fact that the government is printing money at an unprecedented rate. What do you think that money is actually worth? In another year will we be paying $20.00 for a