lemonade

         Marley, Hunter, Jenna and friends mad a lemonade stand to help support World Orphans.

Jarrett's birthday

Jarrett cooked his own birthday dinner. And we were all glad

We had smoked pork loin stuffed with provolone cheese and bacon, and a smoked pork shoulder marinated in brown sugar and bourbon.

Plus burgers, dogs, brats, and cheese stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon

what i'm reading now

The Dancing Wu Li Masters and overview of the New Physics is not just an account of the latest development in quantum theory  that a layman can read but it also connects the new physics to some of the concepts of eastern thought and religion. Here are some passages from the book that I found intriguing:

"Acceptance without proof is the fundamental characteristic of western religion.  Rejection without proof is the fundamental characteristic of western science.  In other words, religion has become a matter of the heart and science has become a matter of the mind.  This  regrettable state of affairs does not reflect the fact that, physiologically, one cannot exist without the other.  Everybody needs both. Mind and heart are only different aspect of us."

"Physicists are people who have pursued tenaciously this endless series of questions.  What they have found is startling.  Wood fibers, to continue the example, are actually patterns of cells.  Cells, under magnification, are revealed to be patterns of molecules.  Molecules, under higher magnification,  are discovered to be patterns of atoms, and, lastly, atoms have turned out to be patterns of subatomic particles.  In other words, "matter" is actually a series of patterns out of focus. The search for the ultimate stuff of the universe ends with the discovery that there isn't any."

"...classical physics says that there is one world, it is as it appears, and this is it.  Quantum physics allows us to entertain the possibility that this is not so.  The Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics eschews a description of what the world is "really like", but concludes that whatever it is like, it is not substantive in the usual sense.  The Many Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics says that different editions of us live in many worlds simultaneously, an uncountable number of them, and all of them are real."

recovery

I had the stitches removed yesterday. Before I left for my appointment I had Dorothy take a picture of my nose. I thought it would be good to post it on the blog as a public service warning about skin cancer. Then I thought better of it. It's too gruesome. The doctor did a great job and I'm sure I'll look as good as new in a few weeks, but I can't help but regret the procrastination that led to surgery instead of simply freezing off a little speck. I paid as much attention to it as  I would have a fly I waved away during an interesting conversation. So, if you ever have a little itchy spot that you're barely conscious of, or if it can be scratched away or taken care of  with a little anti-bacterial ointment, until it comes back, see a dermatologist immediately.
     Last week my eyes were black and swollen, I couldn't wear my glasses, so now I'm in catch up mode. I'm trying to get current with all the blogs I follow, the magazines that are piling up, and the novel I began before the surgery.
    In recent months I've had some medical tests done and my health is excellent except for my blood pressure. I had a scary episode with that during the first attempt at surgery a few weeks ago. So, it's time to do something about it. I have "White Coat Syndrome" so my pressure always reads high in a clinical setting, but it has been creeping up even at home. In the past I've had success controlling hypertension by losing weight, so now that I'm 65 years old it's high time I took some responsibility for my own health. My plan is to increase exercise and decrease food intake. I've already resumed my morning walk and now I need to match that with a little restraint  on my fork.  I created a poster which I have taped to the refrigerator door and the cabinet where the cookies are kept. I'm hoping that seeing this image when I'm tempted to snack will help be to stiffen my resolve.

surgery

If you'll remember, last month I had surgery postponed for a basal cell on my nose. High blood pressure prevented  the procedure then and in the intervening weeks I've been able to bring my hypertension under control. So yesterday the surgery went off without a hitch.  I'm using pain medication so I won't post for a day or two until the fog evaporates from my brain

wistful solitude

I woke up this morning to a deafening silence.  There was no Spongebob Squarepants (Absorbant and yellow and porous is he!),  no Dora the Explorer (Swiper, no swiping! Swiper, no swiping!). The grandkids weren't here.  The house is woefully empty and quiet.  I miss Marley, Hunter, and Jenna.

quote of the day

Reality is what we take to be true.  What we take to be true is what we believe.  What we believe is based upon our perceptions.  What we perceive depends upon what we look for.  What we look for depends upon what we think.  What we think depends upon what we perceive.  What we perceive determines what we believe.  What we believe determines what we take to be true.  What we take to be true is our  reality.

--Gary Zukav

last day with horses

Today was the last day for us to have the grand kids.  Hunter went to a birthday party yesterday and spent the night with a friend so today we just had Marley and Jenna. In our neighborhood there is a cowboy race every Saturday morning and I thought that it would be fun to watch that.

Before the event started Jenna and Marley were able to ride a horse.

This event displays the horsmanship skills of both the horse and rider.

Some of the events involved having your horse to walk through tractor tires...

Stand still while you spray his feet with water.....

ride or lead the horse through a shower of water.....

and lead him into a trailor.  This horse was in no mood to enter the trailor and broke loose from his halter

and ran away.

When the event was over Marley got a chance to mount up and have Kathleen lead her over the course on her horse Blue

s'mores

This was probably not a good time to do s'mores what with it almost 9:00pm and still just short of 90 degrees. But, they were good.

We got a good fire going

Applied the marshmallows

Boys love fire

Good idea Jenna. Sit behind the gate so you don't have to share with Lizzie

day trip

Four years ago Kelly and I took Marley, Hunter, and Jenna to the Blue Bell creamery in Broken Arrow.

Today, Dorothy and I took them there again.  It's interesting to see how ice cream is made.

Plus, there are free samples at the end of the tour.

We also went to Porter for fresh peaches and then on the Chouteau for lunch at the Dutch Pantry and then to the Amish Cheese House where the kids found their favorite flavors of Jelly Belly jellybeans and Dorothy picked up fresh loaf of jalapeno cheese bread.

4th of July

The hummingbirds get the last of the nectar before the fireworks start

I cleaned up the yard before family arrived

A brisket has been smoking for 4 hours

Gracen is dressed for the occasion

So is Hunter

Here's Jenna with a sparkler for Lorna in Ottawa

quote of the day

America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact - the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality. 

--Adlai Stevenson

sisters half a world away

Our two daughters are as far away from us as they have ever been. In fact, they are half a world away from each other.

Rachel and her husband, Brad, are in Hawaii visiting his family.

And Kelly is in Uganda on a mission trip with her church.

miscellaneous photos of the week

You never know who you'll see along the creek

Like these horse riders.....

Or my neighbor Mike looking for his cows.

Everytime Hunter goes into the water he comes out with a differnt hair do, like this one....

or this one.