Easter Sunday and I feel gratitude towards my Savior for all he has done for me. Everything else pales in comparison and all of the trials of this World fade-away with that knowledge. He lives and he loves each of us. With that knowledge I can face all of the trials of this mortal existence.

Stick

What can I say? I have been very lazy about blogging. It's not that I haven't had anything to say, or that nothing has happened that I could have blogged about. I have just been busy with the rest of my life. I teach at a high school, and have been very involved with that. I teach Special Education, and there is a LOT of paperwork associated with that. I have also been writing a book, which I haven't done much on recently. In the time that I have not been blogging, I have had several grandchildren born, and they have kept us busy as well. I have also been trying to expand some of my other interests, including developing my artistic side, so I have been sketching more. Altogether, it has taken me away from the blogging side of my life. I will try to blog more often. I know I have some poems I have not posted here, and I might share a picture, or two.

Hang in there. Stick.

We just traded our 2011 Traverse in, and bought a 2014 Ford F-150 Platinum edition.  We REALLY like this truck.  We have to.  We are going to own it for a LONG time. Every time we get in the truck to go somewhere, we find out something new about it.  You need a degree just in how to operate it, but we still like it.  It keeps our brains active, at least they say that's what puzzles do.  It is Tuxedo Black, with the platinum stripe on the tailgate. I'll add pictures later.

Been a While

It has been way too long since I wrote here.  I have felt like I need to write more often.  Since I last wrote, my two sons have both graduated from high school, my youngest daughter has graduated from junior college, my oldest daughter has given birth to our third grandchild, and my third daughter is expecting number four. Since so much has happened, I think I will be writing a series of posts to bring things up to date. I may even backtrack and write some of my early memories as I have done before. Look for more to come.  Hang in there.  Stick.

Our Driving Tour of Central Wyoming

We had an interesting day today.  We went on a driving tour of Central Wyoming.  We didn't plan to do it, it just happened.

We were in Greybull, Wyoming this weekend for a family reunion.  When we got up this morning, we planned to eat breakfast, pack, and leave so we could get back to Rock Springs early. Right. This is a drive of just over 4 hours.  Normally.

When we got to Thermopolis, we noticed a flashing yellow highway sign.  WIND RIVER CANYON CLOSED.  This canyon connects Northern Wyoming to Southern Wyoming.  Look at a map. No. Other. Direct. Route.  We were told there had been a snow and a rock slide that closed the canyon.  We were also told that Highway 14 towards Yellowstone was also closed due to rock slides.  The ONLY other route took us back 30 miles North, 100 miles East, then 200 miles South, and finally 100 miles West.  Our just over 4 hour drive--now 9 1/2 hours.  We drove through rain, past a 3 car accident in the mountains that had traffic doing 20 mph, through a blizzard, and more rain before we finally got home.

We are grateful to be home safely, and we don't plan on repeating the trip any time soon.  Drive careful, and have a great day.

The Mare

           By Stick

I saw a gang of wild ponies

Out on the prairie sward,

With a coal black stallion,

Who was leading on the horde.

He had one white stocking

And a star upon his head,

With mares and colts a'plenty

All hale and quite well fed.

He moved them like a general

To keep them safe and whole

Leading them to new pastures,

Safe havens to raise each foal.

They were made up of every color

From blonde and chestnut, to mousy gray,

And they gathered all close together,

To be safe at the end of day.

But there was one lone mare

Who stood off from all the rest.

She didn’t join the herd

Just stared towards the west.

She was a sway-back pinto,

Whose ribs stood out bare enough to count,

And it seemed like the next strong breeze

Would be more than she could surmount.

Yet I saw her every day

Throughout the Spring and Fall,

And each day I was surprised

To still see her standing tall.

It seemed to me she was waiting,

But for what, I could not tell.

A friend, a mate—I was not sure—

Or maybe heaven’s clarion bell.

I looked for her when winter broke,

And the snow and ice were gone.

I found the herd, new foals and all,

Running through the desert dawn.

The mob was all still standing,

But of the mare, there was no sight

Perhaps she found what she was looking for

Out in the desert night.

The Sharp Edge

         By Stick

I got a knife

When I was just a lad

It had three blades

Just like the one dad had

I've kept it in my pocket

For nigh on fifty years

And tho' it's drawn some blood

It's never caused shed tears.

My grandpa always taught me

To keep it sharp and clean

For a dull knife cuts no wood,

So the blades should all be keen.

I learned truth and honor

When I was just a lad

I was taught to always keep them,

Just like my father had.

I've kept them in my heart

For nigh on fifty years

And though it's caused no harm

It has caused a few shed tears.

My grandpa always taught me

Not to cheat and not to lie

For a liar has no honor,

So stay true until you die