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Only thing I have not observed is a flying squirrel

A (very) common, popular hobby with Americans is bird feeding. Some 60 million of us feed birds in our yards in winter or summer: that’s 40 percent of all Americans. It’s roughly a $6 billion industry. I have several different bird feeders and stations spread out at our cabin; our favorite is the...

Some things fade away, think eternal

I am in trouble. I forgot to winterize things at my house this year. The front porch chairs are still out, I didn’t get a chance to rake my leaves, and my garden hose still has water in it. Naomi mentioned it this past weekend and I realized that I have so much to do outside. Good news though...

Jakes and Toms all over the road

Echoes From the Loafers’ Club Meeting What’s the name of that guy who was a mnemonist whose elephantine ability to remember large amounts of information caused him to be called the “Yoda of Memory Training,” who coauthored “The Memory Book” with the basketball star Jerry Lucas and performed...

A complete contrast to this year's winter

My definition of my least favorite season of the year goes something like this: Winter is cold and dark. It usually takes hold in November and finally relinquishes to spring sometime in March. December, January and February are typically oppressive with snowdrifts, below-zero temperatures,...

The secret to winter is to wear layers

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting I think I’ll have my class reunion at my place. I’ll provide all the food, valet parking and a place for everyone to spend the night. Wow! That will be a great expense for you. Naw, I was homeschooled. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful...

People ask the wrong questions

People ask the wrong questions all the time. I usually wear an analog watch every day, and people will ask me the time, even when they have their phone out because they want to see my watch. My favorite recently has been the young teenagers that have no clue how to read an analog watch asking...

See a penny, pick it up and give it away

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting One of my shoes is tighter than the other. Are your feet different sizes? No, I put both socks on the same foot. Driving by Bruce's drive I have a wonderful neighbor named Bruce. Whenever I pass his drive, thoughts occur to me. It was stupid...

Improbable parts of God's plan

Every time it gets this cold I recall that old theme song from Chilly Willy. The show started in the 1950s, well before I was born, but I was able to watch it through repeats on the Woody Woodpecker show in the 1980s. During weeks like we have this week, where the cold seems to cut right to the...

Snowblowers lay in utter darkness

Old Man Winter is late in arriving this year. By his absence, he allowed us some record-breaking warm temperatures for the month of December, gave us a brown Christmas, and let us see only a dusting of snow. Personally, I’m all right with all of that. We are now well into January and it looks...

Seek to store up yourself for God

A nice backpack. I bought one this summer to use with football, it was a hot summer, it has a spot for a water bladder as well as many pockets for a variety of playbooks, tape, whistles and various other supplies. When it got to the late season my coat and gloves lived in it, just in case I...