Jordan On The River

John Denver wrote some wonderful lyrics about the great outdoors, about love and love lost, and about his guitar.

"This old guitar taught me to sing a love song
it showed me how to laugh and how to cry.
It introduced me to some friends of mine
and brightened up some days
and helped me make it thru some lonely nights. Oh
What a friend to have on a cold and lonely night"

I regret I never built a relationship with a musical instrument. Looking back I wish I had the calling to make music.

Jordan got the calling and a couple of years ago she came home from school and informed us she wanted to learn the violin.
Learning any instrument is a fantastic achievement, but she happened to pick one of my 3 favorite music makers. She picked the violin, she could have picked a clarinet or flute, and there is nothing wrong with a clarinet or flute, but she picked a fiddle and I don't think she had any clue how much I love the fiddle.

Jordan picked up the violin while in the forth grade and Vinton Elementary School has an awesome program for the kids.
Three days a week, early in the morning I would drop her at the Middle School were she would learn her instrument from Mr Carbonneau, after she would board a bus back to Vinton School.


When she first started her lessons, we were living in a camper on the property while the house was being renovated.
So try to imagine this, 4 people, a very large dog, and 4 cats living in a 25' camper while a 8 year old practices pulling the bow across the strings creating god awful screeching noises every night. believe it or not, I still love the fiddle and her.
I have attended a number of concerts Jordan has played in, and as I scan the stage full of one time sceechers, I can't help but think that Mr Carbonneau has performed some type of magic.

That was the forth grade, now in the fifth grade she has the ability to play music and my hope is she grows to call her fiddle "her friend". And when my time comes to meet my maker, and when my ashes are scattered to the wind, she will play something sad for me.



If Tommy should decide to play the drums, we will find a way to continue to love him.

Seeking Normality, or not!

Sometimes a person needs to take a step back and do a little self evaluation.

The question is, "What is normal" and do I really want normal?
If everyone followed what might be considered "NORMAL", life would just be boring.

It Is funny how a little Innocent phone conversation could end up with me sleeping in the basement with a date for a competency hearing scheduled.

Me - Hi honey
Jeanne - Hi
Me - Guess what
Jeanne - what
Me - I found a local guy that will sell me 150 frozen mice for $25.
Jeanne - OH JOY!
Me - that's $200 worth of frozen mice for $25
Jeanne - you need to get some sleep
Me - OK bye
Jeanne - bye

A few hours later I call back
Me - Hi Sweetie
Jeanne - Hi
Me - babe, I have 150 frozen mice
Jeanne - where are they?
Me - in the freezer
Jeanne - you filled my freezer with mice?
Me - no only half
Jeanne - you filled half of my freezer with mice?
Me - OK maybe a third of it, but just think we don't have to buy mice for a very long time.
Jeanne - YOU HAVE MICE IN MY FREEZER??
Me - honey babe, we have $300 worth of mice for $25 and guess what.
Jeanne - whaaat?
Me - the guy also gave me a 90 gallon aquarium with a stand and screen top all for $25
Jeanne - you have mice in my freezer!
Me - babe he also threw in all types of heat lamps.
Jeanne - oh joy
Me - honey pie, did I tell you this also came with a 5' corn snake? we are talking $600 worth of stuff for $25.
Jeanne - so you are telling me I now have 5 snakes in my bedroom?
Me - did I also tell you he threw in a BugNaper. Its like a bugzapper, but it catches bugs alive. It sells for $39 online and all of this for $25.
Jeanne - FIVE SNAKES IN MY BEDROOM, I HATE SNAKES.
Me - Honey Pumpkin, I was thinking, if you take the bottom bunk in Tommy's room I could have more room in the bedroom.
Jeanne - Click
Me - hello, hello, honey pumpkin are you there?
Me - Uh Oh

So I made a little mistake thinking it was "our" freezer and "our" bedroom, that's no reason to have me medicated.

For The Children Of Our Children

A man walks into the woodlands with a shovel and maybe 3 or 4 young evergreen seedlings. He randomly plants the seedlings and for a moment, he envisions what they may grow to be.
When he is asked by family, who did not understand why he planted these future trees so far from sight, he simply replied, “just because”.

Fifteen years goes by and a morning dove builds a nest and safely raises her young within the thick branches.

Twenty years goes by and a Ruffled Grouse finds refuge when a Nor’Easter dumps 11 inches of snow.

Thirty years goes by and a family of Red Squirrels feed on the seeds from the pine cones.

Fifty years after the man planted the seedling, a group of amateur Ornithologists focus their binoculars on a Great Horned Owl perched high in the branches as a pesky murder of crows dive bomb and harass the magnificent predator.

The seedling that grew into a large presence in the forest could write a thousand stories during its long life, just because someone decided to plant a tree.

I have known men and women who without any fanfare, ventured out and planted a tree or two just because they dreamed about what the tree would become, and recently I had the opportunity to meet a group of folks who without any fanfare, dedicate their time and energy to a subject that is extremely important to us.

The beautiful Willimantic River and it's watershed offers outstanding fishing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife equal to any national park.

The Willimantic River Alliance is made up of a dedicated group of Folks that care about the past, present, and future of the Willimantic River, the surrounding riparian zone, and the Willimantic River Watershed.
They promote conservation, education, and recreation on, and along the river.

The Willimantic River is a everyday part of our life here. It is a great privilege to look out our window everyday and watch the river flow on by.
The insects living in the water, the trout feeding on the insects, the herons, kingfishers and otters feeding on the fish. The raccoons feeding on the muscles and crayfish, the wood ducks buffleheads, mergansers and baby Canada geese all tell me the river is healthy and alive.

When I sit and enjoy all the river has to offer, I appreciate all the work that the folks at The Willimantic River Alliance do everyday to save and protect this treasure for many generations to experience and enjoy.

Recently I was invited to attend the annual Spring meeting of the Willimantic River Alliance, and I can not think of the words to describe how thrilled I was to receive their "Spirit Of The River Award".
This will hang on my wall forever and it will remind me that just because people care, the Willimantic River will be here for the children of our children.

Check out their site at www.willimanticriver.org