A couple of nights ago a neighbor of mine called and invited me to dinner. Miss Elizabeth was in Kansas City, and his better half works in Topeka, so we two "bachelors" sometimes decide to take a break from our own cooking and head into town for something different. Neither of us is very hard to please, so long as the meal is prepared by someone other than us. Mexican food sounded good, and it was.
We are roughly the same age, but only became friends after Elizabeth and I moved to the ranch several years ago. Since that time, however, we've discovered that we have much in common and probably played baseball against each other way back in our teens. We often talk about what fun we had playing America's game, but mostly we talk cattle, finances, and "men talk", never getting too personal.
There's something that's quite different about two men getting together occasionally than when women friends meet for lunch or dinner. The conversation is different, somehow more reserved, as if we're protecting ourselves from getting too close to the things we hold dear. Why is that? I remember a time when I was a boy that there were no secrets held back from my friends. We shared everything, and I think that is what etched those memories so clearly in my mind. It's also, to my way of thinking, why there are no friendships like those that are forged when you are young.
Last week, I had an email from an old high school friend. He's the organizer of a monthly breakfast gathering for some of us who go "way back". While I may have generated the idea for the breakfasts, if it wasn't for Ben it wouldn't have happened. But, I digress. The email was to inform me that my old friend, and blocking back, might have had a heart attack and was on the way to the hospital. Damn!
Memories flooded back. I've known him since the fourth grade, and we've shared a lot over the years. Please God, don't let this happen to my friend. He has a good heart, and I would miss him beyond words.
Fortunately, it was a false alarm and all is well with his heart, at least for the time being. But, we're all of the age when these little "false alarms" need to trigger some life style changes, eating better, exercising more, and not acting like we're still in our teens. We are no longer young and bullet-proof.
I'm certainly guilty of eating too much Mexican food and too many cheeseburgers.....Sorry Steve, but next time we go to town, it's the salad bar so we can continue to develop a friendship that will take us all the way to those rocking chairs on the front porch.
If you have friends that you hold dear, take care of yourself and ask that they do the same....It could be the difference between life and death, but what do I know?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Common sense will prevail.....or not!
Today was a good day. I was up early to do the chores and get prepared for a day of hot, hard labor to get the pasture grasses burned while there's still plenty of dried grasses to fuel the fire. Some ranchers burn pastures every Spring to help control weeds and brushy plants. I only do it every other year.....lazy I guess.
This morning was cool and calm as we gathered at my place to coordinate who was to do what. There were five of us who had decided to burn about 600 acres, covering parts of three different ranches. The land was all contiguous, which is a good thing, but we also had to work around my house, another house, some gas wells, and a couple of old wooden barns. To do it correctly requires a little planning, and to do it safely requires a large dose of common sense.
Last Saturday I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the results of an ill-planned and poorly executed burn started by one of my part-time neighbors. As I mentioned above, a large dose of common sense is in order when dealing with fire. This is especially so when your actions are putting others in harms way. It's illegal to start a controlled burn when the wind exceeds 20mph, so even though you may have made plans to burn, common sense and the law, would dictate that a person cancel the burn until more favorable conditions prevail. If we had gathered this morning, and the wind was blowing too hard, we would have waited until another day.
Saturday I awoke to the smell of smoke. The wind had been howling all night long, and the forecast was for high winds, low humidity, and a temperature in the high eighties......not exactly ideal burning conditions. My first thought was a wildfire, not someone trying to burn intentionally. Wrong! This particular neighbor is a weekender, and has a history of making poor decisions when it comes to lighting matches. Chalk up another one for him!
We ended up with three different fire departments responding, several neighbors chipping in, and the sheriff having a "congenial" visit with the culprit. But, you know what? I'll bet he'll do the same thing again next year, or the year after. Some people just have no common sense, or is it that they have no respect for anyone or anything.....I really don't know the answer.
We were lucky this time. First, we were at home, and second the wind was from the south so we were on the backside of the fire. Still, it ended up burning about eighty acres of my place, and ended up at the driveway to my house. Too close for comfort.
Today's burn went off without a hitch. All it took was a little coordination among neighbors, the right equipment to deal with the unexpected, and most of all a big dose of common sense! I'm going to have a face to face "talk" with my neighbor to the north, and I'm almost positive that he will come away with at least a "small" dose of common sense......or maybe not.....after all, what do I know?
This morning was cool and calm as we gathered at my place to coordinate who was to do what. There were five of us who had decided to burn about 600 acres, covering parts of three different ranches. The land was all contiguous, which is a good thing, but we also had to work around my house, another house, some gas wells, and a couple of old wooden barns. To do it correctly requires a little planning, and to do it safely requires a large dose of common sense.
Last Saturday I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the results of an ill-planned and poorly executed burn started by one of my part-time neighbors. As I mentioned above, a large dose of common sense is in order when dealing with fire. This is especially so when your actions are putting others in harms way. It's illegal to start a controlled burn when the wind exceeds 20mph, so even though you may have made plans to burn, common sense and the law, would dictate that a person cancel the burn until more favorable conditions prevail. If we had gathered this morning, and the wind was blowing too hard, we would have waited until another day.
Saturday I awoke to the smell of smoke. The wind had been howling all night long, and the forecast was for high winds, low humidity, and a temperature in the high eighties......not exactly ideal burning conditions. My first thought was a wildfire, not someone trying to burn intentionally. Wrong! This particular neighbor is a weekender, and has a history of making poor decisions when it comes to lighting matches. Chalk up another one for him!
We ended up with three different fire departments responding, several neighbors chipping in, and the sheriff having a "congenial" visit with the culprit. But, you know what? I'll bet he'll do the same thing again next year, or the year after. Some people just have no common sense, or is it that they have no respect for anyone or anything.....I really don't know the answer.
We were lucky this time. First, we were at home, and second the wind was from the south so we were on the backside of the fire. Still, it ended up burning about eighty acres of my place, and ended up at the driveway to my house. Too close for comfort.
Today's burn went off without a hitch. All it took was a little coordination among neighbors, the right equipment to deal with the unexpected, and most of all a big dose of common sense! I'm going to have a face to face "talk" with my neighbor to the north, and I'm almost positive that he will come away with at least a "small" dose of common sense......or maybe not.....after all, what do I know?
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Yes, I'm old and set in my ways....
Recently, I read a rather heated exchange of ideas among several people communicating via that ever so popular venue called Facebook. It seemed to me that some were simply commenting to incite anger and had little regard for the opinions of the others. In a verbal exchange it would have been considered quite rude.
I'm a relative newcomer to this modern "social networking" scene, as I've only been a member for a year or so. Like many of us old-timers I was a little hesitant to get on board, and was finally "forced" to do it in order to follow the comings and goings of our children and to see pictures of the grand children.
It's been an interesting experience and suddenly I find myself checking my page regularly and communicating with friends from all over the world. For the most part it's just chit-chat among friends, verbal jabs, and an occasional serious discussion about the differences of opinion in all things political. As Alan Jackson sings, "I'm not a political man", and usually I stay on the fringes of these exchanges. If anything, I try to insert a comment that will lighten the tone a bit. It must be the mediator in me.
Anyway, I'm somewhat surprised at the things people are willing to post on this very public network; compromising photos, inappropriate language, and comments that are sometimes less than flattering. Things that can and do have far reaching effects.
As a business coach, I see business owners who have taken full advantage of the social network to help market their products and services, and it's a great way to reach new customers and expand sales. On the other hand I see some business owners, or their employees, post things that are totally inappropriate....Things that can definitely have a negative impact on how they, and their businesses, are perceived.
I'm not really sure why I'm writing this other than it just strikes me as being odd that a person will work so hard at building a reputation, only to risk it by getting a little too loose with what is posted for everyone to see, and writing things they would never say in a face to face conversation.
I'll admit that I'm old and set in my ways, but I was taught that a person's name and reputation should be treasured and protected at all costs. After all, at the end of the day, what else is there......I guess it's just another one of those things that falls into that abyss known as..... What do I know?
I'm a relative newcomer to this modern "social networking" scene, as I've only been a member for a year or so. Like many of us old-timers I was a little hesitant to get on board, and was finally "forced" to do it in order to follow the comings and goings of our children and to see pictures of the grand children.
It's been an interesting experience and suddenly I find myself checking my page regularly and communicating with friends from all over the world. For the most part it's just chit-chat among friends, verbal jabs, and an occasional serious discussion about the differences of opinion in all things political. As Alan Jackson sings, "I'm not a political man", and usually I stay on the fringes of these exchanges. If anything, I try to insert a comment that will lighten the tone a bit. It must be the mediator in me.
Anyway, I'm somewhat surprised at the things people are willing to post on this very public network; compromising photos, inappropriate language, and comments that are sometimes less than flattering. Things that can and do have far reaching effects.
As a business coach, I see business owners who have taken full advantage of the social network to help market their products and services, and it's a great way to reach new customers and expand sales. On the other hand I see some business owners, or their employees, post things that are totally inappropriate....Things that can definitely have a negative impact on how they, and their businesses, are perceived.
I'm not really sure why I'm writing this other than it just strikes me as being odd that a person will work so hard at building a reputation, only to risk it by getting a little too loose with what is posted for everyone to see, and writing things they would never say in a face to face conversation.
I'll admit that I'm old and set in my ways, but I was taught that a person's name and reputation should be treasured and protected at all costs. After all, at the end of the day, what else is there......I guess it's just another one of those things that falls into that abyss known as..... What do I know?
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Politics + Money =
Last night I attended a meeting. Not just any meeting; it was billed as a "community conversation". You ever see 200+ people have a conversation.....about money....interesting, very interesting.
I'm not sure what I expected, but the one thing I wanted to see was how anyone could possibly facilitate a conversational meeting of this magnitude. Especially when the subject matter was of such importance to everyone who took the time to attend. You see, a neighboring county is about to receive a significant financial windfall, and I've heard that discussions about money don't always bring out the best in people.....Last night went a long ways toward dispelling that belief.
The facilitator, after dealing with an initial disruption, did a masterful job of maintaining order and guiding the meeting to a productive outcome. People were passionate, but polite while stating their opinions as to how the elected officials should spend the money, but that's the way we do things in rural Kansas. This county has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the State, and how this money is utilized will be critical to the county's future, yet the discussion was civil and appropriate.
Politics + Money = Civil Discourse.....No way I would have believed it, but at the end of the night, there was no other way to describe it. I applaud the County Commissioners for their willingness to listen to the citizens before making any decisions regarding the best use of the anticipated funds. At this point, there is much yet to be decided, but what a wonderful start to open the dialogue before decisions are made instead of after the fact.
Though I am not a citizen of that county, I admire their approach to this issue. I attended to simply listen and observe, but came away with a renewed belief in our system of governance, at least at the local level. People really do care about doing the right thing, and given the opportunity will participate in the process.
Maybe we can all learn something from what I witnessed last night, but as always, what do I know.
I'm not sure what I expected, but the one thing I wanted to see was how anyone could possibly facilitate a conversational meeting of this magnitude. Especially when the subject matter was of such importance to everyone who took the time to attend. You see, a neighboring county is about to receive a significant financial windfall, and I've heard that discussions about money don't always bring out the best in people.....Last night went a long ways toward dispelling that belief.
The facilitator, after dealing with an initial disruption, did a masterful job of maintaining order and guiding the meeting to a productive outcome. People were passionate, but polite while stating their opinions as to how the elected officials should spend the money, but that's the way we do things in rural Kansas. This county has one of the lowest per capita incomes in the State, and how this money is utilized will be critical to the county's future, yet the discussion was civil and appropriate.
Politics + Money = Civil Discourse.....No way I would have believed it, but at the end of the night, there was no other way to describe it. I applaud the County Commissioners for their willingness to listen to the citizens before making any decisions regarding the best use of the anticipated funds. At this point, there is much yet to be decided, but what a wonderful start to open the dialogue before decisions are made instead of after the fact.
Though I am not a citizen of that county, I admire their approach to this issue. I attended to simply listen and observe, but came away with a renewed belief in our system of governance, at least at the local level. People really do care about doing the right thing, and given the opportunity will participate in the process.
Maybe we can all learn something from what I witnessed last night, but as always, what do I know.
Friday, February 18, 2011
This is not the headline I had envisioned....
One week ago I woke up to minus twenty degrees and frozen pipes in the utility room.....today the thermometer topped out at eighty-one and I ran the a/c in the car. You gotta love winter in the country's heartland. No long johns or insulated boots needed today, and in fact, this long sleeve shirt is just a bit too warm. No complaints from me!
This time of the year I'm just thankful for any day that stays above freezing, especially as my cows are getting close to calving. There's nothing worse than waking up to a freezing rain, going out to check the livestock, and finding a half frozen calf clinging to life. Fortunately for me those times have been few and far between, and I'd like to keep it that way.
It was so nice today that I took Molly and Maddie, our two Labs, for a walk across the pasture to check on the progress of a couple of cows that are nearing their "time". We made this same trek yesterday, taking a side trip to the pond to check the ice that was still covering the surface. I was happy to see it rapidly melting away, but it was still a danger for the cattle who might venture out on it. Just last night a news story reported the loss of 52 steers that had fallen through the ice and died. A truly sad event, and a huge financial loss for the rancher.
While we were standing at the side of the pond both dogs decided to scamper out to the middle, and I could just imagine myself having to wade through the freezing water, breaking ice along the way, to rescue the two of them.
"Man succumbs to freezing water trying to save dogs"
This is not the headline I had envisioned to announce my untimely passing. Fortunately, both dogs made it back to shore without crashing through the ice and my "headline" remains unwritten.
Today, after a couple of days of high temperatures and sunshine, the ice is completely gone. Maddie and Molly again made a mad dash for the pond, and with only a second hesitation, splashed mightily into the water.....this time they're on their own....no rescue needed....I don't swim as well as either one of them.
I certainly hope this weather continues, and we usher in an early Spring. Our first calf of the season arrived this week and was greeted with near perfect conditions.....only 15 more calves to go....Surely they'll all be just as lucky, but what do I know.
This time of the year I'm just thankful for any day that stays above freezing, especially as my cows are getting close to calving. There's nothing worse than waking up to a freezing rain, going out to check the livestock, and finding a half frozen calf clinging to life. Fortunately for me those times have been few and far between, and I'd like to keep it that way.
It was so nice today that I took Molly and Maddie, our two Labs, for a walk across the pasture to check on the progress of a couple of cows that are nearing their "time". We made this same trek yesterday, taking a side trip to the pond to check the ice that was still covering the surface. I was happy to see it rapidly melting away, but it was still a danger for the cattle who might venture out on it. Just last night a news story reported the loss of 52 steers that had fallen through the ice and died. A truly sad event, and a huge financial loss for the rancher.
While we were standing at the side of the pond both dogs decided to scamper out to the middle, and I could just imagine myself having to wade through the freezing water, breaking ice along the way, to rescue the two of them.
"Man succumbs to freezing water trying to save dogs"
This is not the headline I had envisioned to announce my untimely passing. Fortunately, both dogs made it back to shore without crashing through the ice and my "headline" remains unwritten.
Today, after a couple of days of high temperatures and sunshine, the ice is completely gone. Maddie and Molly again made a mad dash for the pond, and with only a second hesitation, splashed mightily into the water.....this time they're on their own....no rescue needed....I don't swim as well as either one of them.
I certainly hope this weather continues, and we usher in an early Spring. Our first calf of the season arrived this week and was greeted with near perfect conditions.....only 15 more calves to go....Surely they'll all be just as lucky, but what do I know.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Is it too late for a "do-over"....
It's snowing.....again. The second major snow event in as many weeks, but this time I don't have anywhere I absolutely need to go, so I won't venture out beyond the ranch boundaries for a day or two. After all, there's plenty of work to do right here.
It's bitterly cold, with wind chills below zero which reminds me of a football game we played in Fairbury, Nebraska. The weather was much the same except for the snow. There was a little snow on the ground, but what I remember most is the field. It had evidently been wet when another game had been played, and the field looked as though a herd of cattle had tromped over it. It was treacherous footing at best, and now that the field was frozen solid, it was downright dangerous. What a miserable venue....but we played the game....and it hurt.....a lot.
In junior college I played running back, and was also the team's punter. There were times when, like the Fairbury game, I would get really beat up as a running back, then have to punt the ball into a driving, gale force wind. To me, punting was a sideline.....I made my living as a running back.
Sometimes my punts weren't very pretty.
We were playing a home game, and it was a beautiful fall night. There were coaches visiting from the University of Miami to scout a few of us and we were pumped. Miami had a long history of recruiting players from our little community college, so it was not unusual for them to make a visit or two. The year before, Kurt Schottenheimer and a couple of our receivers had signed with the team and they were doing well.
That night I had a good night running the ball, and two of my punts were boomers. After the game, a couple of us were greeted by the Miami coaches and asked to stick around to watch some Miami film and talk about the opportunity for a scholarship. It was an exciting time.
"Jack, we were really impressed with your punts tonight and think you're the guy we'd like to have punting for us next year. We believe that if we get you to a warmer climate, and concentrate on just punting, you'll probably add 5-7 yards to your average."
"What do you mean, concentrate on just punting? I'm a running back."
"We have a stable full of good running backs, what we need is a good punter."
"Not interested. I want to go to a school where I can run the ball."
Days like today get me to thinking about that conversation.....Do you know that the University of Miami used to have a picture of its Olympic sized swimming pool on the cover of its brochure? What was I thinking?
You think it's too late for a "do-over"?
Evidently, this whole "What do I know" goes way back.....
It's bitterly cold, with wind chills below zero which reminds me of a football game we played in Fairbury, Nebraska. The weather was much the same except for the snow. There was a little snow on the ground, but what I remember most is the field. It had evidently been wet when another game had been played, and the field looked as though a herd of cattle had tromped over it. It was treacherous footing at best, and now that the field was frozen solid, it was downright dangerous. What a miserable venue....but we played the game....and it hurt.....a lot.
In junior college I played running back, and was also the team's punter. There were times when, like the Fairbury game, I would get really beat up as a running back, then have to punt the ball into a driving, gale force wind. To me, punting was a sideline.....I made my living as a running back.
Sometimes my punts weren't very pretty.
We were playing a home game, and it was a beautiful fall night. There were coaches visiting from the University of Miami to scout a few of us and we were pumped. Miami had a long history of recruiting players from our little community college, so it was not unusual for them to make a visit or two. The year before, Kurt Schottenheimer and a couple of our receivers had signed with the team and they were doing well.
That night I had a good night running the ball, and two of my punts were boomers. After the game, a couple of us were greeted by the Miami coaches and asked to stick around to watch some Miami film and talk about the opportunity for a scholarship. It was an exciting time.
"Jack, we were really impressed with your punts tonight and think you're the guy we'd like to have punting for us next year. We believe that if we get you to a warmer climate, and concentrate on just punting, you'll probably add 5-7 yards to your average."
"What do you mean, concentrate on just punting? I'm a running back."
"We have a stable full of good running backs, what we need is a good punter."
"Not interested. I want to go to a school where I can run the ball."
Days like today get me to thinking about that conversation.....Do you know that the University of Miami used to have a picture of its Olympic sized swimming pool on the cover of its brochure? What was I thinking?
You think it's too late for a "do-over"?
Evidently, this whole "What do I know" goes way back.....
Friday, February 4, 2011
It's okay, I'll blaze the trail for us......oops!
Well, that was fun!
The wind blew, the snow flew, and my FJ Cruiser went in the ditch......how embarrassing.
Miss Elizabeth's Yukon was left sitting in the garage as we loaded up the cars. I insisted we take my FJ since it's the "go anywhere" vehicle, and we sure don't want to get stranded. After all, this was the blizzard of 2011, and it was nothing to mess around with. The wind was howling 40 miles per hour and the snow was falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour......Wait a minute, why are we even thinking of getting out in this mess?
Unfortunately, we had a family funeral to attend and there was no turning back. Here we go. Just in case the unthinkable might happen, I threw in some boots, coveralls, coat, hat and gloves. "Better to be safe than sorry" I said....it's the old boy scout in me. Never really expected to have to use those things.....purely precautionary. Did I mention that we live on a ranch.....way out in the country....off the beaten path....well, we do.
My eldest son was here from Wisconsin, and even he was concerned about the way the snow was piling up. He was driving his own SUV, but he would be following me as I blazed the trail. Fortunately, the service was a mid-morning event, and the brunt of the storm was yet to arrive. We were sure that we would be safely back home before things became totally impassable....In retrospect, that may have been wishful thinking.
We arrived at the church with plenty of time to spare, and no significant issues with the roads. We did, however, decide to postpone the graveside services. A quick glance outside confirmed that the decision was the right one, so we were back on the road home before noon.
It was a delightful drive.....
Drifting snow can be deceptive. Especially when the snow and ice on the windshield, combined with blowing snow, reduce the visibility to basically the front of the hood. Regardless, we made it nearly all the way home without incident, then a large snowdrift appeared.....a really large snowdrift....right in the middle of the road......no problem. I'm invincible in this here FJ Cruiser, and we'll plow right through it. Blaze the trail, if you will....Oops.
This car is equipped with a skid plate to protect the undercarriage from rock damage, and it does a great job. It also (much to my chagrin) creates a wonderful bobsled effect when the car is launched into the appropriate amount of snow, which is evidently about the size of the snowdrift we encountered. Suddenly we were on top of the snowdrift, sliding right along in my newly converted FJ bobsled....right into the very large ditch alongside this desolate, untraveled stretch of rural road....Oops, again.
Thank goodness for Rural Mail Carriers, who will not let a "paralyzing blizzard" keep them from their appointed rounds. Neither rain, snow, etc, etc....and all that stuff. It was great to see that little red jeep bouncing down the road. "Need some help?". "Yes........ma'am".
A short time later the red-faced FJ, and its owner, were headed for home....rescued by a jeep, and the mail lady! That's something that may be hard to live down, but then, what do I know?
The wind blew, the snow flew, and my FJ Cruiser went in the ditch......how embarrassing.
Miss Elizabeth's Yukon was left sitting in the garage as we loaded up the cars. I insisted we take my FJ since it's the "go anywhere" vehicle, and we sure don't want to get stranded. After all, this was the blizzard of 2011, and it was nothing to mess around with. The wind was howling 40 miles per hour and the snow was falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour......Wait a minute, why are we even thinking of getting out in this mess?
Unfortunately, we had a family funeral to attend and there was no turning back. Here we go. Just in case the unthinkable might happen, I threw in some boots, coveralls, coat, hat and gloves. "Better to be safe than sorry" I said....it's the old boy scout in me. Never really expected to have to use those things.....purely precautionary. Did I mention that we live on a ranch.....way out in the country....off the beaten path....well, we do.
My eldest son was here from Wisconsin, and even he was concerned about the way the snow was piling up. He was driving his own SUV, but he would be following me as I blazed the trail. Fortunately, the service was a mid-morning event, and the brunt of the storm was yet to arrive. We were sure that we would be safely back home before things became totally impassable....In retrospect, that may have been wishful thinking.
We arrived at the church with plenty of time to spare, and no significant issues with the roads. We did, however, decide to postpone the graveside services. A quick glance outside confirmed that the decision was the right one, so we were back on the road home before noon.
It was a delightful drive.....
Drifting snow can be deceptive. Especially when the snow and ice on the windshield, combined with blowing snow, reduce the visibility to basically the front of the hood. Regardless, we made it nearly all the way home without incident, then a large snowdrift appeared.....a really large snowdrift....right in the middle of the road......no problem. I'm invincible in this here FJ Cruiser, and we'll plow right through it. Blaze the trail, if you will....Oops.
This car is equipped with a skid plate to protect the undercarriage from rock damage, and it does a great job. It also (much to my chagrin) creates a wonderful bobsled effect when the car is launched into the appropriate amount of snow, which is evidently about the size of the snowdrift we encountered. Suddenly we were on top of the snowdrift, sliding right along in my newly converted FJ bobsled....right into the very large ditch alongside this desolate, untraveled stretch of rural road....Oops, again.
Thank goodness for Rural Mail Carriers, who will not let a "paralyzing blizzard" keep them from their appointed rounds. Neither rain, snow, etc, etc....and all that stuff. It was great to see that little red jeep bouncing down the road. "Need some help?". "Yes........ma'am".
A short time later the red-faced FJ, and its owner, were headed for home....rescued by a jeep, and the mail lady! That's something that may be hard to live down, but then, what do I know?
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