How's that salad......really!

I raise beef cattle, and I eat beef steak. There, I've stated it about as plainly as possible, and I apologize to no one for being a part of the life cycle of beef. From field to fork, and enjoying it every step of the way.

Periodically, I post to Facebook a picture of a nice looking calf, or a very pregnant cow, or a massive bull whose sole job is to provide the seeds for future generations of prime beef cattle. Even though it's a hobby more than a business, I love the work. There's something very satisfying about caring for the herd and watching over the baby calves from birth to weaning.

Invariably, after posting a beef related photo, I hear from those who absolutely abhor the thought of cutting into a big, juicy T-Bone. It must literally make them sick, for they go on and on about the evils of killing animals for food, and my goodness, the health aspects of ingesting red meat, it appears that I may die tomorrow!  I've even had people tell me that I'm trying to poison my fellow man by creating this demand for my very fine beef. I guess that vegan fare you're stuffing in your mouth must leave a lot to be desired.

How is it that by simply posting a photograph of a nice, sizzling steak on the grill, I can generate such animosity?

Methinks the lack of red meat in their diet has created a chemical imbalance that has driven them to the point that reasonable conversation can no longer take place. Instead, I'm pelted (pun intended)with every lame-brained, ideologically based, and vegetable only dietary study that's ever existed.

Well, excuse me while I go eat my dinner......wait, we're having what?

It appears that tonight's menu is.......fajitas, a combination of vegetables and BEEF!

Maybe the vegetable part of this dinner will satisfy my vegan friends, but then again, What Do I Know....

Rainy day mornings...

I woke up late this morning. At least it was late according to the bedside clock. A glance outside revealed an ominous sky, scattered raindrops, and a pre-storm atmosphere.....perfect for catching a few more minutes of sleep, but alas, it was too late. I was already awake for the day.

There was a time when days like this would entice me to stay abed until mid-morning. Now, it's just a pleasant break from the typical August day, and the enticement is to grab a cup of coffee, sit on the back porch, and enjoy the serenity of the cows grazing on the still green grass of summer. I think as I get older, the pleasures are more about the time I spend awake than the hours lolling in bed.

Rainy mornings, and they have been plentiful this summer, are times to be savored. Some of the typical chores can be put on hold until the weather is more cooperative, and like most, I enjoy the respite from the drudgery.

So, why is it that, today, I find myself wandering through the house, waiting not so patiently for the skies to clear so I can get back to what needs to be done?

Sometimes, I find it difficult to figure myself out......again, giving support to why this blog is named What do I know!

I get by with a little help from my friends......

I lost a piece of my past today.......

It was just before the Christmas of 1970, and I was getting ready to head north for college in January. It was an exciting time as I made a list, checked it twice, and decided there were still a couple of  "must haves" missing.

First, college was in South Dakota so a nice warm coat was mandatory. And, second, I was lacking a dynamite stereo for the dorm room.....an essential piece of equipment for any self-respecting college student.

A friend, Tom Jones, was to be my roommate. We were destined to play football for the SDSU Jackrabbits, but right then, we were both more concerned about acquiring the college necessities before piling into his 19968 Olds 442 for the drive to South Dakota.

First stop, the music store and the purchase of a portable stereo system with lots of wattage and big speakers.....it was awesome. Next stop, Weinberg's Western Wear, where Willie Weinberg was more concerned about our choices of coats than either of us were. She knew I would struggle to pay for the coat she had picked out for me, but she insisted, and I relented. She then rang up an amount that barely covered the sales tax, and threw in a nice warm pair of gloves to boot. I was astounded, and if her husband, Maurice, had known.......Oh, but it was the Christmas Season!

On the way back to my house, I figured I still had a few extra dollars in my pocket (savings from the gift of the coat you know) so we stopped by the record store for a couple of new albums. It was a great time for music......

First selection; Sly and the Family Stone with the featured track, "I Want to Take You Higher".

Next selection; Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

Practically every song was destined to become a classic, and Joe Cocker became my all-time favorite performer. Who will ever forget his 1969 performance at Woodstock!

I turned eighteen the Sunday morning when Jimi Hendrix electrified the crowd on the last day of the festival, so it was a very special time of life.

This morning, at age seventy, Joe Cocker died. I feel much like people must have felt when a plane crash took the life of Buddy Holly.......immortalized by Don Mclean in the song, "The Day the Music Died".

I still have the albums we bought that day......I think I'll run a needle through a few of the old tunes of my youth, and conjure up memories of a time when one of  my very best friends entertained us all with his spot-on impersonations of Joe Cocker singing "The Letter". What times we had.

Rest in peace Joe. It's been a great ride.

What just happened??

The letter began, "Based on a national program, the Kansas Power+Hope award recognizes individuals...."

The event occurred a few months ago.

It was a typical August day, hot as blazes outside, which was why I was firmly ensconced in my home office with the air conditioning cranking out a constant stream of cool air. Working from home has it's advantages, one of which is the ability to do professional work while clad in shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops.....no one is the wiser.

I caught a glimpse of the pick-up as it flashed by my office window, so I was in the process of heading outside when the pounding on the front door caused me to reverse my steps. No one ever comes to the front door.....I didn't recognize the face of the young man, but anxiety and fear was written all over his face.

"You've got to come quick!" he said. "Your neighbor has had a bad accident, and needs help." Immediately, my mind started racing, Which neighbor, what kind of accident, is he hurt badly, and what the heck am I supposed to do. At that point I just headed out the door to see what we could do.

"He's flipped his tractor over and he's trapped. He's been there for nearly two hours and is in bad shape." Tom, the fellow who was now driving us back to the site of the accident, was talking a mile a minute. He was scared, and was short on details except to say that my neighbor needed help right away. He was right. We both scrambled out of the truck before it even stopped, and I rushed over to the ditch where the tractor was turned on its side. I jumped up on the wheel, grabbed my young neighbor by the arm, and asked, "What happened?"

He was in shock, barely conscious, and was pinned by a t-post that was impaled in his thigh. For two hours he had been in the hot sun, unable to move, and now it was almost too late. The relief on his face was almost too much for me to bear. He just assumed that we would be able to handle the situation. I, on the other hand, had no confidence at all that this would turn out well.

We had no coverage for the cell phones, so Tom used his truck radio to call for an ambulance. It would be at least thirty minutes and we were running out of time. Again, my mind raced for an answer. 

What do we do? I don't have a way to cut the post, I can't risk nicking an artery, but he's going to die if we can't get him free.

So we did what anyone would do, we prayed for some divine guidance and went to work. A chain was located, and as Tom backed the truck into position, I attached the chain to the tractor. Another prayer, and we tried to raise the tractor enough to get him free. It was working, so I climbed back on the tractor, grabbed the young man under the arms and lifted him from where he'd been trapped.

I'll never forget the look on his face......and, I suppose he'll never forget mine.

When the ambulance arrived, we had him ready to go. His blood pressure was almost immeasurable, his kidneys were shutting down, and he had a leg that didn't look like it could be saved. So, we prayed again, hoped for the best, and sent him on his way to Wichita for surgery.

I've visited with him several times since. His initial surgery was to cleanse and repair the leg injury, and a second one was needed to remove some damaged toes. But, he's alive, he still has his leg, and recovery is well on its way. Another prayer of thanks for prayers that have been answered.

And now, Tom and I have been given this award in recognition of our actions in saving someone's life. Awards are nice, but I've already received my reward;  Every time I see my neighbor walking upright, and smiling as we greet each other, I rejoice in God's work and happily embrace His miracles.

But really, what do I know!   

The aroma of camp coffee and bacon....

Dawn was just breaking and I was still lying in my bunk. Outside, I could hear muffled conversation, but was unable to grasp the words.....perhaps it was my typical early morning stupor, or maybe the early risers were just being considerate of those of us who were still abed.

Soon the aroma of coffee and bacon wafted into the room and I rolled out of my sleeping bag. Nothing like camp coffee and bacon to get one's juices flowing, and I'm no exception.

The morning was spectacular, and as I stepped outside I felt a pang of remorse that I had missed the sunrise. The remnants of an early morning fog still floated above the river, and we watched as a few boats drifted by with only the upper torsos of the fishermen visible from the shoreline. It was a surreal scene, and lasted just a moment before it was gone. I tried to capture it with my camera, but the mist had already begun to lift.....leaving only a picture of a boat floating on the still waters of the river.

It was our last day of a four day excursion to Arkansas. Each year our group tries to schedule a few days in May to float and fish the beautiful rivers where we find peace, friendship, and an opportunity to rejuvenate the soul. The experiences we've had along the way simply add fodder for the stories that grow along with our ages.



This year was no exception. We had two of us doing our infamous "snake dance" when a slithery friend decided to drop into our boat from a low hanging branch, and of course, my very own, soon to be classic, "slow motion swan dive" from the bow of the boat.......geez I'll never live that one down.



This trip, however, had fewer epic events than previous outings when we saw a deer fall from a cliff and nearly capsize one of our pontoon boats, or the eight hour late-night float in absolute darkness, or the time we decided that we would brave the elements and launch our rafts into the flood waters in spite of the signs warning us of the danger.  No, this trip was just about as peaceful as that last morning was beautiful. Good friends, good stories, and the scenic river views we all enjoy.

I'm already looking forward to next year's trip. Who knows what the future holds for us; certainly not me, for as everyone already suspects, What does Jack know!

"We" need to get that garden planted.....

"I think we should put in a garden this year" she said.....

Uh oh, here we go again, and I'm pretty sure that the word "we" will translate into a fair amount of work for "me".  "Yes Dear" I replied with all the enthusiasm I could muster. Of course that was months ago, and I hadn't really given it much thought since.

"We need to get some topsoil brought in so we can get that "raised-bed" garden started." she said....

Again, notice the liberal use of the word "we". So, I dutifully ordered a couple of loads of topsoil that was delivered last week. Then, I went to the lumber yard to buy the 2X12s needed to build the sidewalls for the "raised-bed" garden. Notice that this is turning into a construction project in addition to a gardening project.

"We'll definitely need to put a fence around the garden to keep out the rabbits, raccoons, and deer." she said.....

"I'll use the old dog kennel fencing, and just buy a couple of additional panels so it will be large enough to encircle the "raised-bed" garden." I replied, as I pondered how much those fresh tomatoes, peppers, and assorted other vegetables were going to cost per pound!

To date I've spent $300 for topsoil, $100 for lumber, $100 for fencing, and I've yet to commence construction on the actual gardening project. Meanwhile the cows need feeding, the calves need to be monitored, my clients are demanding my immediate attention, the rural water line needs to be hooked up, and the clock is ticking toward getting a garden planted......

I began to formulate a plan, and said, "Perhaps this weekend we can get everything completed and the ground prepped for the seeds to go in the ground. With the two of us working, I'll bet we can have it done by Sunday evening. What's that Dear?"

"Remember, I'm going to leave for Kansas City on Friday, and won't be home until Tuesday." she said as she began to pack......

Just an old man's perspective.....

First, let me be clear about something.....when I was young I was driven to be the best.

In sports, I wanted to be the best, but never quite was. In school, I wanted to be at the top of the class, but never quite made it. In business, I wanted to rise to the top, but never quite did. Boy, that sounds as though life has been one disappointment after another......

That's not the case at all, they were simply choices.

At some point reality set in, and I realized that there are limitations to what one accomplishes in life. Some are physical, some are mental, some are influences from sources beyond our control, and sometimes the limitations are self-imposed.

Age tends to put these things in perspective. Yes, I probably could have achieved more had I been willing to work a little harder, but that would have required sacrifices that I wasn't willing to make. There was a point early in my career when I felt that work was the most important thing there was. After all, it was the means to provide the "quality of life" we were striving to attain.......really?

Then, the kids came along. It took awhile, but soon the job was requiring sacrifices that affected the "quality of life" we were striving for as a family. Still, the career demanded that choices be made......

Do I take that transfer to the international division......the chance to really advance in the company? The answer was easy, my family came first and work took a back seat. The decision was no!
 
Do I continue to perform duties that I find distasteful just to keep my paycheck, or do I speak out against the policies? My integrity commanded me to speak, so I did!

A career change was soon required, but where do I start. I turned to my faith and friends, and soon things were back on track!

A few years ago my annual physical identified some areas of concern. Suddenly, health became an important part of my life, for without your health everything else is at risk. Do I change my lifestyle or continue as I always have? The choice is easy, make the change.

Life is full of sacrifices, and choices. Some of mine appeared difficult at the time, but as I look back they shouldn't have been that hard. Had I considered the truly important things in life, Family, Faith, Friends, Health, and Integrity the answers would have been crystal clear. Or at least I now believe that to be the case......but after all, What Do I Know.

The five balls of life story is from James Patterson's book, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas. He didn't include Faith, which I've added to the mix......how can you not include Faith in every decision.