memories

Travels

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I grew up in a small farming community. As a child, travel was limited by both cost and the quality of both cars and roads. While a trip to Memphis was considered a “big” trip, as I grew older the trips became longer yet less frequent. After my sister married, my family, or parts of it, travelled to her home every two or three years. This included one trip to Virginia, near Norfolk, and several trips to Michigan, a short distance north of Detroit. One of these trips also included a daytrip to Canada. Many of my friends had even fewer trips other than to Memphis.

When I was a high school senior, my class took a three- or four-day trip to Houston to visit both the Astrodome and Astroworld. For many this was a first long trip from our hometown or the nearby farms.

After graduating, I entered college, not at the closest university but instead across the state. I think now that this may have been thought of as another trip but one that lasted nearly four years instead of a few days. While there I enrolled in ROTC and was commissioned in the Army. Perhaps the thing that attracted me to the Army instead of a local business was the opportunity for even more travel.

And travel I did, to locations in both the United States and Europe. Some assignments were short and some longer. Some were for training, and some were for regular duty. Some were enjoyable and some a bit less so. But I did get to travel and to bring with me memories of each location and hopes for the next. So here I would like to share a bit about the places, memories, and even some regrets. Many of the places where I was assigned are no longer there, but they are still remembered by those who served there. So, take a trip down memory lane with me and hopefully enjoy a bit about my travels, or maybe travails, as I talk about some of these places.

I will start with college, what was then a small college of about two thousand students. As with any college that small, degree options were limited but they met my needs. While there I was also the manager of the basketball team. This allowed me to travel some more, to places I would not have visited otherwise. I also went to ROTC summer camps at both Fort Knox (no, I didn’t get to see the gold – LOL) and Fort Riley.

After college my first Army assignment was at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. This was for officer training in 1974. Our training class was about forty-one new Lieutenants, some who would continue on active duty after the training and some who would go back to their communities as members of the reserve forces. You make many friends in a thirteen-week course, many of whom I remain in contact today, over fifty years later. I enjoyed this assignment greatly, along with several others at Fort Ben later in my career. The fort is no longer there for new junior officers to enjoy.

From there I was assigned to Fort Polk, Louisiana. The two locations could be no more different. Fort Ben was small and in a metropolitan area. Fort Polk was large and located in a rural area near the Texas-Louisiana border. Fort Ben had more of an administrative feel, like the soldiers stationed there while Fort Polk was going through a transition from an infantry training post to the home of a new Infantry Division. I was at Fort Polk for about three years and there were things I enjoyed and other things that I did not. I made several friends but not nearly as many as at Fort Ben and none that I am in contact with today.

After leaving Fort Polk, it was back to Fort Ben for another short school and then to Europe for my next assignment. When I arrived in Europe, my first assignment was to a data processing unit (a name no longer used or even relevant) in Nellingen, just outside Stuttgart, Germany. Our unit operated three computer centers supporting the Army’s Seventh Corps. I really enjoyed my first trip to Germany; both the military duties and life with the Germans participating in things like Volksmarching, beer and wine festivals, and shopping, skiing, and wonderful meals at local Gasthauses. This assignment also offered the opportunity to visit Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. The military post is no longer there and has been replaced by a modern German community.

From Germany, I was reassigned to a new unit located near the Mediterranean Sea. Camp Darby and an associated storage depot were shared by Army and Air Force units. It was just outside Tirrenia, a small seaside resort between Pisa and Livorno. There I was assigned to a newly forming logistics unit with fewer than twenty other individuals, both military and civilian. In this job I also had the opportunity of short visits to Army units in both Greece and Turkey. While I enjoyed my time there, it was also filled with challenges and after almost two years I was ready to move on. My one regret about my time in Italy was that I did not get to enjoy more of the culture that Italy offered. I visited Florence, or Firenza, but did not spend any time in Rome, visit Venice, or the Italian Alps.

After my time at Camp Darby, I returned to Fort Benjamin Harrison for a longer school and was there for about eight months, mostly in the winter. The fort had changed little since my earlier assignments there and the level of enjoyment was much the same. The class size was larger, and more new friends were made before moving to my next long assignment and new role.

My next duty station was at Fort Gillem, Georgia. This was on the southern side of Atlanta, and we provided administrative support for Army Reserve and National Guard units located throughout the southeastern United States and in Puerto Rico. Many others assigned there spent many days travelling although my office did little travel other than regular trips to the Washington, DC area. This is another post that no longer exists as it did. While some military units may still have headquarters there, most of the larger units are gone.

Then it was back to Germany for another tour. Initially I was assigned to another data processing unit at Kilbourne Kaserne near Heidelberg, Germany. My time here was spent much the same as during my first visit to Germany. This was a nice place to be assigned; a small Kaserne yet near all of the conveniences necessary to support the Army’s Headquarters for all of Germany which was located in Heidelberg. The Kilbourne Kaserne, like many other kasernes throughout the country may still exist but are no longer used by the US military.

My final years in Germany were spent in Wurzburg as part of the 3rd Infantry Division. The Division was spread over several locations in that part of Germany, and I visited several new cities and towns as a result. Like all of my tours in Europe, this was an enjoyable one with a few challenges thrown in just to keep things interesting. One memory that stays fresh in my mind is falling in deep snow, late at night, wearing full battle equipment during a field exercise. This is definitely an experience that I would not want to repeat. None of the Army posts remain in the Wurzburg area as a result of changing priorities and new missions.

To wrap up my Army career, I spent several years in St. Louis working in a headquarters supporting Army Reserve soldiers across the country. This unit was composed of a large number of civilian employees along with a smaller number of military personnel. Here too, my travel was largely limited to trips to and from Washington, DC or nearby Alexandria, VA. And, even here, the Army organization where I was assigned is no longer in St. Louis and has been absorbed into another organization elsewhere.

After retiring, I have remained in the St. Louis area and will probably not relocate again. But my travels did not end here. Since arriving I have had the opportunity to visit the Gulf Coast, the lighthouses on and around the Great Lakes, the desert Southwest and Rocky Mountains, and the New England area. All have been fun and all have offered an opportunity for learning and enjoyment.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief description of some of my travels and have the opportunity for travels of your own.

Science-Fiction or Science or Fiction?

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A few days ago, I read a short observation about where the future might lead us or how the world might be a few decades or even a few years from now. Unfortunately, I failed to make note of who had written the observation or even where I had read it. But thinking about the writing as I was lying in bed early this morning I thought about how science-fiction or even science itself has changed the world around us.

One of the first things I remember that could be classified as science-fiction was the mythological tale of Icarus. I tried to find a specific date when this was written but was unsuccessful. It was written by Ovid, along with several others, and focused on an escape attempt by Icarus and his father using wings made from metal, feathers, and beeswax to fly away from imprisonment. If one gives this some thought, this was science-fiction of its time. Flying, by man, was not even a dream. Yet Icarus’ father was able to conceive the construction and use of wings which would allow them to fly. Sadly, according to the myth, Icarus flew to close to the sun, the beeswax melted, and he fell to his death in the oceans below.

A person must wonder, could the people in Ovid’s lifetime conceive, or even dream, of our large airplanes today that can easily fly us around the world? Or could they possibly things like space travel? Yet in some form this myth was recorded and passed to later generations and is even known to some people today. So, while the tale of Icarus has passed through generations it is still a part of our lives today. So, were the writings of this myth only fiction or were they science-fiction, simply not defined as such?

Science-Fiction probably became a more well-defined genre in the latter half of the 1800’s with the writings of Jules Verne. Verne seems to have included technology (a term used loosely), or science, that existed in his day but expanded on how it was used. For example, this work “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” suggested the use of submersible craft to travel some 40,000 miles or more beneath the ocean. While submersibles existed, they could not travel to that depth, even had such a depth existed. Yet Vernes conceived this as a possibility and while we can search the oceans to great depths today, not anywhere near the depths Verne described. But Verne was able to imagine what might exist there.

Verne also wrote “Around the World in Eighty Days”, a time that, at least in the 1870’s seemed almost unbelievable. One must wonder, what would Verne think of today’s air travel where a trip around the world takes hours rather than many days. Again, the technology that Verne imagined existed. But it has advanced far beyond what he wrote as a novel, not as a prediction of the future. So, how was Verne able to reach out and predict these things that might exist in future times?

While science-fiction, as a genre, continued to grow over the years since Verne, one must also look at the world around us and ask how science has grown. We should mostly ask ourselves are today’s researchers and scientists science-fiction writers or dreamers. Should they have chosen to record their works in novels, would these works have been considered science-fiction? Or were they only science?

An example might be the works of Henry Ford. Ford did not invent the automobile. Instead, he made the automobile affordable. Had Americans who travelled westward on the Santa Fe Trail or the Oregon Trail known of the automobile would they have made those long treks via animal-powered wagons? Would we have the rutted trails that offer historic value today? Or would they have laughed at Ford?

 In other fields one can see both individuals who by imagining possibilities. They looked at problems and tried to find solutions. When they began, there seemed to be no solutions, yet they were willing to stretch the existing limits to create things that were better. People like Pasteur and Salk in the world of medicine who often were chided or punished for their works. People in other fields where advancements were made, or new solutions were found. Many who were successful and many who failed yet challenged others to try.

The differences between these individuals and people like Verne is not in what they imagined or accomplished but in how this was shared with others.

Now, perhaps in a less serious mode, let us move into things into the 1960’s, when I was a child. Many of my generation remember the cartoon series “The Jetsons”. The cartoons were, supposedly, set in the year 2062. This means that we have about thirty-seven more years to see if these cartoons were true or if they were only the imagination of the writers. But we can already see some things become real. For example, the Jetson home was cleaned by Rosie the Robot. While today’s robots take different forms, we can now have our carpets cleaned by robotic devices. Similarly, The Jetsons also had smart watches, video phones, and video chat; all things that are commonplace today. So while Hanna-Barbera were making a cartoon to keep children entertained, were they actually writing science-fiction?

I grew up in the “space age”. We, along with the Soviets, sent man and animal into space. Our exploration allowed us to ultimately development of a craft allowing scientists and others to live for extended time away from earth. They have allowed us to explore other planets and environments. But when we were children each trip to space created tons of junk. Old rockets and other craft that either burned up in the atmosphere, was left in space, or crashed into the oceans. It seems such a waste.

So, what have we done? Today, we have ways to bring much of this junk back to earth, land and capture it safely, and reuse it in the future. Are today’s solutions perfect? Probably not, but they are a step forward and can be improved as we move forward.

When I was in my teens and early twenties I worked on farms, drove tractors and combines, and help farmers tend their crops. When I look at farm equipment of today, I am amazed. Things that we learned to do in the past are now done by automated tools. The farm worker is still there, but for how long?

We have cars and trucks that drive themselves so all we need to do is tell them where to go. Again, something that is yet to be perfected. But something that would have been science-fiction just a few years ago is now emerging reality. Electric vehicles, not the first if one remembers trolleys and electric trains, that also have limitations but may ultimately reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.  All these things started as ideas which could have been discarded as science-fiction but have instead began moving into the world of science.

Who can predict what the future holds? Will it be the scientist, the science-fiction writer, or someone else? And will the future leave us older folks behind or will it be something that makes or lives better? I have no answers, just questions and hope.

Reflection

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When we look in a dictionary for the definition of reflection there are some common thoughts or trends as in these from the Cambridge Dictionary Online:

  1. The image of something in a mirror or on any reflective surface
  2. serious and careful thought

There are often other definitions as well, but here I want to reflect on these two. Each of the images in this post are made using the first and then there is some thought, perhaps not too serious or careful, related to each. Others may have different interpretations of these images or even the images themselves.

Innocence – The duckling here is innocent. Quite young, it has not been exposed to the beauty and dangers that may enter its life. Instead, the most important thing now is to simply swim fast enough to catch its mother who is a bit ahead. Living its life in a protected, not natural, environment, it does not need to worry about the source of its next meal, predators from above or below, or even the humans who watch it or take photos. As the duckling ages, it must learn of these dangers and how to keep safe. How does it gain this knowledge? It must be taught by the older ducks, the hen who gave it life or others. But this happens without voice, at least as we humans define it. It must learn when and why migration occurs. It must learn how to avoid predators. When the time comes to breed to ensure the flocks future. Yes, the duckling is innocent now but soon in will be knowledgeable and know how to survive.

Beauty – The wood duck drake is often described as one of the most, if not the most, beautiful waterfowl species. The multiple colors stand out bright against the environment. The drake here is also in a controlled environment, not in its natural habitat. How does the drake know that it is safe? Why does it come close enough to be photographed? There are no trees or other places to hide in the face of danger. Yet the wood duck or perhaps its offspring return each year to share their beauty with other waterfowl and even we humans. If it does not survive the winter, how do others know to come in its stead? While scientists may give us answers, are they correct? Or are we simply attempting to fit animal behavior into our human model? Why does the drake sport these beautiful colors while the hen does not? And how do they know where to go in the winter? The beauty is there for all to behold, but it creates so many questions that perhaps the best answer is to simply enjoy.

Peace – I have always had problems defining why we find sunsets so intriguing. Yes, they are often beautiful, but they can also present danger. But to me, this sunset image from Bosque del Apache to be very peaceful. The sun sets over the mountains, miles to the west. It reflects off the shallow water stirred by a light breeze. The sand hill cranes feed in the flooded fields seemingly without any threat. Later in the evening, the cranes will be joined by others, ducks and geese. And all will rest peacefully through the night. Then early the next morning the peace will be disturbed as the birds take flight, almost as one, to move to their daytime resting places, near and far. Unlike the duckling or the wood duck, these are birds are in their natural environment. Danger and risk are there. But at this time of day, all seem at peace.

Serenity – The Grand Tetons offer many different things to those who see them – safety and danger, homes and escapes, beauty, peace, a place to feed, a place to give life, and a place for life to end. To me this photo represents serenity, or calmness. The mountain in the distance is solid. It stands up to storms and rain. It tells us that some things are reliable and dependable. The river and reflection on this day show how things can be calm even as the world is in turmoil around us. Yes, on other days or at other times the water may be rough but after a few moments or days, it will return to the serenity of the moment to be enjoyed by others. Although one cannot see wildlife in this image, we know they are there, hidden away and safe. Perhaps they too are enjoying the pace and serenity of this wonderful place.

Introspection – As we reflect on things around us, we are given moment ourselves. Time to look at where we have been, and possibly where we are going. To think about what we have done and what we might do. I don’t really see this photo as a “selfie” or even a goal. I know where it was taken but I don’t know why. When I look at it, I remember the day it was taken, a simple reflection in a window. It highlighted a hobby or maybe a wish. But it has never been shared. It was a time to think, alone in a park. Perhaps it was a simple pause in my photography that day or a memory created for the future. I really don’t know.

I hope you have enjoyed these images and the few words that are shared. Maybe the next free moments you have, you too can reflect on the things around you and what they mean. Have a great day!

The Lionel Lines

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For many of us old-timers, at least the men, who were around in the 1950’s, Lionel meant trains, or what we call model railroads today. Lionel, American Flyer, and Marx were the trains of the time in the United States. Although HO scale trains, much smaller than these three, had been introduced by German company Marklin in the 1930’s they had not yet become a large part of the train market in the United States. Lionel trains, sometimes using the logo Lionel Lines, remained both popular and profitable through sometime around 1956 when the smaller scale gained in popularity.

Lionel trains were some of the first things youngsters looked for in the Sears Christmas catalog or at local stores. Larger stores often had train displays in their windows and children could look at them for hours even though these were only trains running in circles.

In my small hometown we had no toy stores of other stores that sold Lionel trains. To see Lionel trains, we had to travel to nearby Jonesboro.  There we could visit the small Firestone store located in the heart of the business district.

Yes, as strange as it may seem, Firestone, a tire dealer, also sold Lionel trains. Each year at the beginning of the holiday season, the store brought their train display. To most children, the display seemed wonderful. Looking back today I suspect it was no more than about five feet wide and ten feet long. It had two loops of track close to the edges of the table where trains ran constantly, one in each direction.

Train sets and individual cars that were for sale were stored under the table. In the center of the two loops were some short sidings where some cars and accessories were on display. And directly down the center was a set of shelves extending upward. These shelves were used to display train sets for sale that year.

Although Lionel trains started to lose popularity around 1956, when I was only four years old, the Firestone store continued to display and sell them for several more years. And I enjoyed watching these trains run around in circles much as my Lionel train at home did.

While Lionel trains are still around today, they do not seem early as popular as the trains of the 50’s. Nor are they as easy to find. Model railroading has moved to the smaller sizes known as HO or N scale. And the trend seems to be highly detailed layouts with buildings, scenery, and other things to make them seem more realistic. Costs have risen greatly both for the trains and the space to use them.

I wonder if our children today have something that replaces the enjoyment provided by these simple Lionel displays. While they have their cell phones, video games, and other electronics, “Has imagination disappeared?” Have we as adults taken away the need to dream or to imagine or even to play? Has cost driven the children, or their parents, from the market?

Before I am criticized for being outdated or living in the past, I am a supporter of most new technology. At the same time, I believe that imagination is important to new ideas for the future. Had there not been those who could think of things outside the box, we would not have many of today’s advances.

So, let’s not push our children to become adults before their time. Encourage them to imagine and to work and play with others. Let them be children, not young adults, and to balance their new technologies with playing and enjoying the outdoors and the world around them. Push them to read and learn and to accept mistakes as part of life. In other words, let them be kids. They have a limited time to do this while they will have many years to be adults.

Temporary Buildings

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On Monday I saw a photo online of an old barracks building on the grounds of Fort Chafee, Arkansas. This building, like others on military bases across the country, was erected before or after the beginning of World War II. These barracks (like the one behind my father in this photo) provided housing for soldiers during their initial training and before they were deployed throughout Europe and the Pacific. Later they would serve the same purpose during the Korean and Viet Nam conflicts and even in peacetime.

A typical barracks had two floors and could accommodate about 40 soldiers on each floor. Privacy was non-existent. The soldiers were provided a bunk and a locker, typically a footlocker, for their possessions. The buildings were erected quickly with limited insulation, minimal heating or cooling, and either wood or asbestos floors.

Along with the barracks buildings, a number of single-story support buildings were erected. These buildings might house hospitals, mess halls, supply rooms, or other administrative operations.

Most were built in the early 1940’s and were designated as “temporary buildings”, a term never clearly defined but thought by many to mean until the end of the war.  Many of these buildings not only survived but were in use in the 1970’s or 1980’s, and even rarely into the 1990’s on some military posts. They were not luxurious by any stretch of the imagination. They were utilitarian – designed to house and train our military. Civilians arrived here by train, bus, and automobile. A few weeks later trained soldiers, sailors, and marines departed. For most, these were the best places they would live until the end of their service. Many of the thousands who passed through would never return to our country. These temporary structures were also used for housing immigrants after the Viet Nam War and, unfortunately, as internment camps housing people because of their place of birth or names. I, personally, lived in one of these temporary buildings at Camp Forsyth, Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1973. Our mess hall was also in one of the single-story buildings.

In 1974, many of these buildings were still in use for housing soldiers during basic and advanced training after enlistment. Some of the administrative buildings are shown in this photo from Fort Polk, Louisiana in 1974. Many of these buildings and barracks on South Post were torn down and replaced with new, “permanent” buildings in the mid-1970’s as the 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) was activated. At the same time, many of “temporary” buildings on North Post were retained for training of new soldiers. Similar things occurred at forts and bases across the country.

In some locations, forts and bases were turned over to the National Guard to meet training and other needs. This happened at Fort Chafee, Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, among many others. In some cases, the “temporary” buildings were demolished, in others sold, and sometimes abandoned. Some may still exist today.

When I think about these “temporary” buildings today, I wonder if those who were involved in erecting them ever believed that their work would continue in use for so long into the future. When new soldiers passed through the buildings on their way to war, did they believe the buildings would remain if or when they returned? Were these “temporary” structures better or worse than the homes they left behind to fight for our country?

I also wonder if builders today were tasked to create temporary structures to rapidly meet the needs of a country going to war, not just smaller engagements but war on the scale of World War I or World War II, could today’s builders meet the demand. If so, what shortcuts would be taken? How could we do this fast? And would today’s temporary structures still be usable 30, 40, or even 50 years in the future?

I have no answers for these questions. They are just food for thought. What could, would, or might happen?

Why the Army?

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In the past. I’ve been asked, “Why did you go into the Army?” This is a question I have pondered repeatedly and even today I’m not sure I have a good answer. Perhaps patriotism played a role although I do not consider myself more patriotic than others my age. If I had been a few years older, I could have said it was because of the draft and the Viet Nam War. But this was not true because by the time I graduated from college, the end of the War was near and the draft was, for all intents and purposes, no longer an issue. Or was it something else?

As I was laying in bed this morning this question came to mind again although it has not been asked recently. While I am the son of a World War II veteran, the idea of entering the military was never discussed in our home. Nor was it ever discussed in our school. So why did I even consider it?

Maybe it was something in my childhood. When I was young in most years my family went to the nearby small city of Jonesboro to see their Christmas parade. The parade consisted of a few floats, some marching units, some vehicles, and Santa Claus – a favorite of the children. While I cannot remember many details, there was one unit that I always enjoyed seeing. It was a small military drill team; I believe they were from ROTC unit at the local college and were called the Reng Rifles. They marched proudly in their uniforms, carrying rifles and wearing brightly polished silver helmets. As they went down the street, they twirled their rifles and did other movements that I found fascinating.

Several years later, a young man who I respected graduated from that same college commissioned as a Second Lieutentant after completing ROTC. He was five or six years older than me, and I can’t remember if he went on active duty or became a member of the reserves. I know he never suggested that I follow in his footsteps yet his decision to become an Army officer increased my respect for him.

When I left home and entered college, one of the first classes I asked to enroll was military science, or ROTC. Unfortunately, the only class session that fit my schedule was cancelled because of low enrollment. I could have moved on and no longer considered ROTC or the military as part of my future. Instead, near the end of my sophomore year I learned of a program that allowed those with interest in the military to enter a two-year ROTC program. To do this, you had to attend a summer camp between your sophomore and junior years, enroll in ROTC classes the next two years, then accept a commission. I agreed to do this and thus was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon my graduation.

There were several who encouraged me throughout these two years – my roommate who was two years ahead of me in college and in ROTC, others both ahead of me in college and even some following me, our ROTC staff, my parents, and others. One person I especially remember was the head of our ROTC department with whom I shared a first and middle name along with a last initial.

Even with all of this, I’m not sure why I entered the Army. Were I placed in the same position today, I believe I would do the same thing. While there were good times and bad during my Army career, I learned much and travelled to places I would never have seen otherwise. I met people who I remember to this day although I have not seen them in many years. I served our country. I was lucky, I did not have to serve on the battleground. I knew many who did. I have no respect for those who dodged the draft, nor can I respect those who criticize our military today yet have never served.

So, if you ask, give me a few moments to gather my thoughts and try to provide you a good answer. There are too many things that affected my decision both to enter the Army and remain there for a career.

Brr….

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In the last couple of weeks, the St. Louis area has suffered through some strong, at least for here, winter storms. During the first, we were on the border between snow and ice. At our home, southwest of St. Louis, we spent the first two days of the initial storm as a target for freezing rain and sleet. Only the final night gave us some of the snow that had been seen north of us.  As a result, we had a layer of ice on the ground, on streets, and on driveways which was then covered by snow.  A few days later, another blast of winter weather added several additional inches of snow.

While many others, like my nephew who lives a short distance from Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan, have far worse winter weather and far more snow, they are better prepared for what that brings. Still, I wonder if they sometimes laugh about our weather woes or have sympathy for those who rarely have this type of weather.   

I will admit that I probably have difficulty understanding the reactions to winter weather myself. I grew up in northeast Arkansas. As school aged children, we were usually happy when we had more than one “snow day” in a year. More often, we had none. My second Army assignment was in Germany. There, and like in this photo from Austria, we had much more snow than in Arkansas, but I don’t remember it ever bringing things to a standstill. Instead, communities and drivers there seemed to be prepared for snow and took it in stride. I saw this in multiple assignments in Europe and in the U.S.

But the recent days have made me wonder, why do we not prepare for winter weather and why do react the way we do? Preparation, at least on the surface, seems fairly simple. We should keep enough basic food and other necessities in our homes in case we cannot visit stores for a few days. Instead, it seems that purchasing these basics, particularly food, is never thought about until the last minute. Store shelves are emptied where there should be simple items like bread, eggs, and other everyday items. Little or no thought is given to what will happen if we lose power or if our roads cannot be cleared as rapidly as snow or ice falls.   

Perhaps our businesses should have plans in place to either operate with limited staff or to close for a few days if necessary.  Schools seem to be able to do this, so why not others? Also, our stores should have enough supplies like snow shovels and salt or other ice melting chemicals on hand to meet the needs of the community. This clearly did not occur during our recent bad weather as people needed to call or visit multiple locations, some miles away, to simply get enough salt to clear their sidewalks.

During the first part of our recent bad weather, I had a great deal of sympathy for our HOA president who was receiving email and other complaints in the middle of the storm asking when the streets would be cleared so that someone could go to work or visit a store. He tried to explain that clearing the roads while the snow and ice continued to fall would be of little value. Still the complaints kept coming (along with a variety of reasons for why the roads needed to be cleared immediately). Yet after the main part of the storm had passed and the roads were first plowed, because of the ice the roads rapidly covered over again and driving conditions were no better. Others decided that warnings from area police and highway departments to travel only in emergency did not apply to them so they could travel as usual and create danger for our first responders and others.

All this occurring even after multiple warnings over several days before the storms. I had to wonder, “What would have happened had the winter weather been worse? And how are we teaching our children to be prepared for similar events in the future?”

Resolutions

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January 1 has come and gone. Now we look forward to a, hopefully, better 2025.  Did you make any New Year resolutions? If you did, how many of them have you broken already? Do you regret any of them? Are there other resolutions you wish you had made and kept?

What are resolutions? Are they wishes for the future? Are they goals we hope to achieve? Are they simply something we make because our family or others expect from us? Can they be shared with others or are they like birthday wishes which can only come true if kept secret? I’m not sure I have an answer for any of these questions. Perhaps the answers are different for each person or for each resolution. Perhaps there is no need for answers.

When I was a child, each year it was important to make resolutions. Sometimes they were to correct things that had been done wrong the previous year. Sometimes they were new hopes for the new year. Sometimes they were meaningless to anyone except me. And, regardless of what they were, they were often broken within a few days or weeks.

As I look back, I cannot remember any specific resolution that I made. I can’t remember any resolution that was shared by a family member or friend. Yet it always seemed that making resolutions could not be missed.

When I grew older the value of making resolutions at the end of each December or in early January became unnecessary or unimportant. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was I recognized that resolutions were broken almost as quickly as they were made. Perhaps it was because I became more cynical although I probably didn’t even know the meaning of the word. Or could it have been that the time spent was considered wasted.

Even today, I don’t make resolutions. Now my reasons are more easily defined. I do not make resolutions because I don’t really believe I can keep them. Maybe this is a recognition that one of my human weaknesses is the inability to set long term goals. And, for me, a goal for an entire year is long term.

I’ve never asked others, apart from young children, about their views on making resolutions. I suppose some do and that they can succeed in accomplishing whatever they hoped for. I know some who make resolutions that do not last even a few days into the new year. Some may make resolutions as a form of humor. In any case, if you or someone you know makes a resolution, I hope you can achieve your goal whether in a single year or even a longer time.

Who knows? I may make a resolution or two at the beginning of 2026 or I may continue with my tradition of making none. Or maybe I should make a 2025 resolution to make new resolutions in all future years.

Waterfowl

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As the first cold snap of 2025 approaches, it reminds me of the days of my youth. My hometown was in the middle of farmlands where the summers saw rice and soybeans growing if fields large and small. In the autumn was harvest leaving bare fields behind. In the winter, it was a stop along the Mississippi Flyway, a traditional migration route for waterfowl and other birds from breeding grounds in Canada to wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast.

Depending on the weather, both in the north and along the Flyway, waterfowl became abundant in our area from mid-October until sometime shortly after the start of the new year. The waterfowl, mostly ducks, could be seen could be seen in huge V-shaped flocks passing high over in the sky or in smaller feeding groups in the recently harvested fields. Perching ducks could be found along bayous and rivers while puddle ducks were more often seen in lakes and ponds.

Our town had a moment of fame just before Christmas in 1956 when ducks on Claypool Reservoir were highlighted on the Wide World of Sports. A clip of this show can be found on the web along with images of a picture and poster showing thousands of ducks taking to the air.

While geese were sometimes seen, ducks were far more common. This has changed over time as has the number of waterfowl seen passing through each year. If you compare the Claypool photo from 1956 and it to these from 2013, you can still see large numbers of waterfowl on the Flyway, just different types.

When I read of “advances” in farming today, I often wonder if we learn from the past. In the early 1900’s waterfowl were much more abundant. Over hunting and habitat destruction reduced populations to dangerous levels. Only through wildlife management and conservation efforts were waterfowl and other wildlife protected and even restored. But then man stepped back on the scene. There were rains and storms that cause short term flooding, so we drained and cleared bayous and woods replacing them with straight ditches. Again, habitat was lost. Habitat that could not be replaced. But even today, the flooding still occurs. Now I read of how farm equipment is so much more “efficient”. There is no “waste”, no residue left behind. But if this is true, what will our waterfowl do for food?

I wonder who the advances and efficiency have benefited. The costs of farming today are unbelievable, so it would seem there has been little gain for farmers. Food prices continue to climb so I don’t see much benefit for the consumer. So, the advances appear to only serve the manufacturers and their investors who care only for the dollar.

I live in a semi-rural area today. Not in the city yet not in a farm community. I wonder how many of those around me appreciate what life hear offers. We share our community with deer, squirrels, and rabbits. In winter we see ducks on our lake, not lifetime residents but those passing through. I’ve even taken photos of wild turkey in my backyard. Yet there are those who complain about wildlife eating their flowers. If it is so bad I want to ask, “Why did you move here? The wildlife was here first. If it is so bad, why do you stay?”  But, perhaps, my thoughts are straying.  

My memories are of enjoying seeing the waterfowl and appreciating their beauty. Mornings in freezing cold duck blinds sharing great time with others. Contributing to conservation groups like Ducks Unlimited or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation who protect waterfowl and wildlife for future generations to enjoy. I hope that you have enjoyed similar times and that we humans can learn to share with our wildlife neighbors who were here before us.

Can You Train a Cat?

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As I sit here on this New Year’s Eve morning watching our cats play with their Christmas toys, I couldn’t help wondering it you can ever really train a cat. While training a dog seems relatively easy, our cats no matter their age seem much more independent. It seems rather than allowing us to train them, they are far more likely to train us to meet their needs and fit their personalities.

When I visit other sites across the web, I often see links to humorous pages. They often say in a joking manner that this is the cat’s home where they allow us to stay and others to visit. This, at first, draws a laugh but when you really think it may be true.

A dog may learn its name and come when called. A cat, on the other hand, may learn its name as well but will respond when it wants and more often at not simply ignore us or turn away. A dog can be taught to sleep in its bed, yet a cat may more often give us a few inches in our bed or even use us as a bed. If given a new toy a cat may play with it for a few minutes and then hide it for later but just like a human forget where it was hidden. Our cats decide when we should sleep and when we should arise, even at 4:00 AM although we would sleep until seven if given the choice.

It seems that no matter how hard I try to teach otherwise, my cats seem to think that my keyboard is a good resting place. And a small spinning screen icon while a program tries to load is to be stared at and swatted and blocked from view.

So maybe our cats are probably smarter than me. They almost have me trained now but there is still much to be learned. I need to understand if they can see even a small part of the bottom of their bowl then the bowl is empty. And their litter box must be emptied every time that they go. And I only get a small space on the bed trapped between them and the floor.

But even with all this, we love our cats and would be sad if they were not here. So, no matter who trains who, our cats are an important part of our lives. We hope that we make them content to be with us and never want to leave.

And I still wonder, “Can you train a cat?”.

On this New Year’s Eve, I hope that everyone has a wonderful evening. If you are driving, stay safe. And starting tomorrow have a very happy 2025.