To be enlightened is a gift....

Quote of the day

If you are a musician these are great adages to live by. 

"If you make a mistake, keep playing. You'll only get further away from it" JC via Bobby Lindstom

Vs. 

"You can run, but you can't hide from it"

Brent Mydland, GD

Music is awesome art.  Nothing is more simple or more complicated for those involved. Always looking for the perfect medium to sow the seeds of enlightenment and happiness. You can turn someone on with a simple rhythm just as easily as a full symphonic orchestra and everything in between. That's the beauty of music. 

To address the quotes today I found myself in an ineresting conundrum. Both are true and both make the art what it is. When combined with they are the representation of musical history. Some artists are known for famous faux pas. One hit wonders as well as legends have all made mistakes. Some have gone on to feed off of those mistakes and create magic, where as others have crumpled beneath the pressure. I would like to draw a parallel to politics here but if you read my initial post (many moons ago) I drew a line. No politics, religion, global warming, or abortion. I may have just added global warming but it's off limits, too. Look at how they handled their mistakes. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone specifically but all of us know of a mistake, here-or-there, and how it was rectified. 

Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone tries not to. We all still do. What do we do?  We take the next day like the next step. Sure a whoops or two happened today. What did you do? Did you sit in lement? Did you feel guilty? Did you tie your shoes with too many knots? I hope not. 

Back to the adage thing. Here's one I learned a long time ago from an athlete of pro caliber (a corner-back, former NFL) two simple words and two effective words. SHORT MEMORY. Barring a castastrophy nothing is that important to hang onto. Skip the little stuff and move on. Don't waste your time putting wood on a fire that only wants to consume you. 

Yes, we all have memories and we don't forget mistakes as well as we remimber accomplishments, so you're going to have to live with it. Regardless. 

So now what do we do with our mistakes? 

Perhaps you've heard of honesty. It makes everything digestible. You may not like how it tastes, it may even stink or have an insatiable desire to make you look silly (among other things.)  It's a jagged little pill to swallow, but it will allow you to move on. Honesty is the responsibility of the beholder. It comes from within and frees you from the arguments you have with yourself over your mistakes. Only you get to decide how you apply it.  Simply own up and carry on. Learn from it and be sure to do your best not to do it again. Take it as a learning experience. A new arrow for your quiver. Then forget it. Life IS too short to sweat the little things. 

Continue to grow. Learn something new every day. Let the ones you love know it and the love will come back to you. Thanks for stopping by again. To you first time visitors, please leave a comment for your free case of nothing. 

Sage and Cowgirls have come to a boiling point again. With no new negotiations, wild-west law has taken over again. If I were a betting man I would put the odds at 450:1 nothing is settled in the next month until order is restored.  

Carmen. 0000000000000000t

Hannah says, "Aloha" from Turtle Bay

Kids tell the best jokes

It's funny how kids know the best jokes. This one was learned when I was just a lil June-bug out on Bear Creek Rd. The following content is rated PG-13. Also modified to fit the narrators point of view. 

It all started when I went to work as a school bus driver a few years back. I was the rookie and one my first day all the other drivers told me I had to buy lunch. No big deal. I knew where the closest Micky D's was at and willing to be a team player.  So I went to mcdonalds and ordered Big Macs for all. I even got a few extras. I brought lunch back to the gang and from there on I was know as Big Mac. They loved it and loved calling me Big Mac. 

So I wore the moniker of Big Mac and was starting to become proud of it. Every time I bought lunch everyone knew what was coming. They liked it and I was starting to fit in. So much that I was promoted to run the Sesame  Street bus route. I was confused seeing how my town had no street named Sesame. I was stoked though, so I got the info on the route and come to find out it only had four stops. I was like, wow. This oughta be cake. So Monday morning rolls around and I'm off from the bus barn, en-route on my latest journey. 4 stops.... No problem. The clock wasn't being my friend this morning so I was trying to cut some time. I got to my first stop. A minute late but alright. Two young ladies boarded the bus. Ironically both of their names were Patty. Although one spelled her name Patti. These were some large young ladies. I mean really large. I was just thankful that each one sat on different sides of the bus, otherwise I would have been driving in circles. I got the Patties on board and set out for stop two. I could see from about a half mile away a young man and it would seem he was licking a mailbox. The Patties told me his name was Ross. The kids all called him Special Ross. He was a good kid and hopped on the bus and away we went. Come to find out it was only a three stop route with four pickups. So on to my last stop. The kids were talking and I learned that our next rider was Lester Sneeds. Lester was out waiting when I arrived and was excited to get on the bus. It was odd though. He was wearing flip flops in February. Then it came clear, he started picking at his feet. Picking bunyons. Ick. Now it was time to get this bus on its way to school. I looked at my watch and had lost about three minutes on the timeline. I was homeward bound so I decided to step on it a little. Bad idea. Next thing I know I'm getting pulled over, in a schoolbus no less. While waiting for the officer to come to the door the kids and I are all getting nervous. They are starting to get loud and this is making me more nervous or at least a lil tense. I have to get these kids to school on time. The officer approaches finally after damn near five minutes. My clock is screwed at this point and I'm a bit upset. The officer proceeds to tell me I was doing 23 in a 20mph school zone. Now I was really ticked!!! I had to light this mounty up. 

"Look man, I need to get this bus to school! I've got two obese Patties, Special Ross, Lester Sneed, picking his bunyons, on the Sesame Street Bus!!!" 

Regards. Big Mac. 

Just a breify...Carmen oooot 

Photo journalism..."every picture tells a story, doe nit?"

Damndelion

When the ponderosa grows up inside a thunderbird feather

Lakes are cool. Even cold this time of year. 

Look who I found on the lake. Now that's a teeter-totter

My big sister. She's kept her eye on me since I was a twinkle in the Bend drinking water. 

This is my sisters boyfriend. She just can't seem to find a way to make him commit.....always the bachelor. 

This is where ducks live. Never mind the UFO crash in the background

There she is again. Show off. 

My friend G Deagle. 

Did you see that????

Photo essay complete. For now. Never say never like you mean it and try not to hate anything. Even those damn spicy peppers in your Chinese food. Let the ones you love know it. Carmen, ooooooooooooooot

Thumbs don't fail me now

It's rare that I post on back to back dates but figuring out how to re initiate myself back into cyberdom has giving me inspiration. It's like a dam with a leak that slowly gets bigger until it's a torrent. That's where I'm at. 

I did stumble onto some Sage today and asked what their beef with the cowgirls is. They really couldn't say anything bad. Same as the Cowgirls I spoke to last week. Neither one has anything bad to say about one another. They just sound like the leaders of the particular posse's are going about their own agendas to make themselves look like they have a better outcome. The rank and file, Sage & Cowgirls don't feel their best interest is being portrayed in the "negotiations" (if there are any at all) and feel it would be in the best interest of all to use their strengths to benefit each other's weaknesses. So from my point of view I'm going to have to see if smarter minds prevail while watching from the sidelines. Have you ever gotten between sagebrush and a cowgirl.....? When they're mad at each other???? It ain't pretty. I had to have Tommy John surgery on both knees, my right arm, my left ear, six toes had to be reafixed to one foot. That's why they call me Lefty. I have six toes on one foot and four on the other just because I got between sagebrush and cowgirls. So anyway, nothing relevant in the so called negotiations. Let's head back to Nellie's Kitchen. It's not as boring over there...…

Last nights guest list filled out about as planned. Robin brought her latest boyfriend, Flaggy. He's a tough little fellow and I do mean little. She looks like the Titanic steaming next to a tug with this lil feller. Tough too. He appears to have taken a serious beating before the two arrived for dinner. His lapel was all mussed up with a rip up the back of his jacket. He still ate like he was gathering food to take home to the nest. Robin she kept an eye on Flaggy to make sure he was doing alright. She seemed a bit nervous most of the time they were there. It wasn't until the rednecks showed up and started arguing with the du'Ves.  Apparently one of the "orange"-neck rednecks got insulted by a spare-"0" who was a friend of the du'Ves. This started a mele that had feathers flying across the Kitchen. Nellie was able to manage the action and keep the damage at a minimum. The rednecks and the spare O's were dismissed. Robin and Flaggy were alone for a brief moment at the kitchen and Flaggy whispered something to Robin. No one heard what was said but everyone heard the reaction. Robin jumped from her seat, spilling water all over Flaggy, and screamed, "YES FLAGGY YES!!!!!!!" One can only assume the rest. Meanwhile Nellie was seating the some of the RTH clan. Once again not sure which of the youngins showed up but they showed up hungry. Timm led the posse and Rachelle was not with them. There were two more than normal this time. I'm just going to guess and say that Hunter and Haley were the dinner guests this evening. Hunter is Timm's son from another marriage and looks much more like his mother than Timm. Haley is the only one in the clan who is accepting of Hunter so that's why I think that's who Timm brought to the kitchen this evening. Nellie seated them without any fuss. Robin and Flaggy picked at their plates and stole peeks into each other's eyes. Each time their smiles grew bigger. It was getting well into the evening and Nellie's was about ready to close the doors when out of nowhere the Craven family came through the door. "Party of 12!?!" Nellie's first relation was "oh shit", thankfully her second was to seat this raucous dozen as fast as possible and start a bar tab. The Craven's came in ywith some of the Scrubjez and a few Stejez. It sounded like someone gave Dennis Leary, Gilbert Godfrey, & Rush Limbaugh ten hits of Molly and told them to recite the bill of rights. It got noisy to say the least but all was well, everyone appeared to be having fun. While tending to the Cravens, Nellie was called away to greet a special guest. Erving Beekles. Someone of high regard under the big red cinder cone. Erving brought his date the impeccable Ms. Eva Gross. Compared to the heavies the Beekles have more weight to throw around in greater mass so everyone gives them much respect. 

As Robin gazed into Flaggy's eyes as if star-struck by Zeus' lightning Bolt. The rest of the crowd clambered in their happiness and reveled in atmosphere that catered to good love and happiness at Nellie's Kitchen. 

This is where things went crazy and all hell broke loose. It would seen one of the RTH clan, most likely Hunter, was fooling around with one of the Cravens in the hallway to the bathroom. Screams and yells were heard from across the street. There was so much noise I have to out down the hand tongue and rekindle this interlude at another time. As fate would have it Flaggy did propose to Robin and she said yes. The rest of the drama at Nellie's Kitchen is going to have to wait for another day. Better stay tuned cuz things are gonna heat up. Not just the oven, Craven Babyrow got herself all up in Hunters business and sparks are starting to fly. Btw, the Cravens name their children with their last name first as we would translate it in our culture. So if I were a Craven I would Craven Gilstrap Carmen. Weird, I know just deal with it. I think this is the part where I'm supposed (not spose, like the rednecks say) to say "good night Gracie" so good night Gracie and may all you dreams come true. Thanks for stopping by and the fire will be lit more often now so stop on by anytime. Be sure the ones you love know it, go easy on the salt, and tell Bigfoot, if ya see him/her, I want my REO Speedwagon cassette back. Love y'all, Carmen oooooooooooot. 

Long time coming...

It's been over a year now and my finger-tongues are finally learning their way around this modern utility. My use of the keyboard is all about wasted at this point. Btw I'm probably the only person you know who has failed typing twice. Once from Flatop Ricketts, the next year, Ms. Hibbs. As irony would have it, about the time I became comfortable with a "keyboard" was about the time I lost all contact with it. 37yrs later. Thx Ms. Hibbs & Mr. Ricketts. I only hope I never catch the Hibbs or Ricketts. 

Back to action at hand. The cowgirls and sage are waiting for the outcome of the Donald Sterling ownership to see how to proceed. It seems some of the sage may have insulted the cowgirls by posting a picture similar to this....

On twitter. So there are some allegations going around that may or may not be founded. The commissioner is still in Turks & Caicos and no negotiations have been scheduled for the near future. 

NOW WHAT YOU REALLY CAME TO HEAR!!!!!

Ab found a cat. We know that. Her & Felidae are doing great. If you look towards the eastern sky tonight you may just see them. 

Tonight has brought a new light to my finger-pencils, hand-tongues, what ever this act of writing is afforded by. I have stumbled onto a neighborhood unlike any other in the world. This neighborhood has a cast of characters right out of the 50s. Their interactions remind me a lot of what happened during Happy Days at Arnold's. The setting is a local establishment where everyone comes to eat. Some of them come from miles around but most of them are pretty close in the neighborhood. Let's set the scene. 

On the edge of where north meets south and high meets low, there is a diner kitchen. Nellie's Kitchen is it's name. It sits beneath a giant red cinder cone covered in grasses and thunderbird feathers. They call these thunderbird feathers juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) trees. That's a story for another campfire. This giant red cinder cone has made the backdrop for Nellie's Kitchen for the last 4 decades. In this time it has entertained many clientele. From great aristocrats to penny-pinching misers, high-flyers and low-ball scoundrels. Nellie's Kitchen has seen em all. In the wooded setting covered in thunderbird feathers and the magestic ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) behind the grassy knolls that hold the shells of our loved ones who have left  (cemetery), sits an oasis for any weary traveler or any regular who just wants some company. At Nellie's you'll find just about anything you like. The menu isn't bad either. 

Now that we know where we are let's fill you in on the guests. At Nellie's the is a list of regulars, all characters in their own right. No one can forget the one time visitors and the guests who only come around when the weather is right. Nellie calls them fair-weather guests. Funny tho, she gets them at all times of the year. It must be subjective to what makes up fair weather. Let's fill you in on tonight's reservations. First off and she really needs no reservation is Robin. This lovely likes to sport rubies and show off whenever she can. She has been a regular since Nellie's opened. Next would be the du'Ves. There are two families of du'Ves. One is originally from Turkey, the Collard tribe, and migrated to Jamaica as an act in the circus. The second, the Mourning side of the du'Ves are indigenous to the giant red cinder cone. Both families are just as common at Nellie's but you never know which one will show up. There are some heavy hitters who frequent the Kitchen. One who was a rare guest for just a week was G. Deagle. I think he had plans on a hostile takeover of the du'Ves latest investment. Another heavy is the RTH family. Rachelle, Timm, & Holly. This tribe seems to show up around February and spend about five months and we don't see them again until the next February. We're still not sure if it's Holly this year or Hannah, maybe even Harley or Haley. Hell it might be, Hatley, Hans, Jamir (he likes it spelled with an 'J', still pronounced [ha-mir]), or Hambone.  Hard to tell the youngins apart. The have a hunting business on the giant red cinder cone. Evidently they are very successful. They have been established here for a lonnnng time.

 The locals usually move out of the heavies way but in general they don't move far. There are a flock of red-necks that like to hang around the watering hole at Nellie's. Also a group refferred to as the "spare-O's". Why? I don't know. Someone once did tell me that they had just enough brain-power to make a piss-ant's motorcycle make a circle around a Cheerio. That's their beef. I just know that the red-necks look a lot like David Spade. The spare O's look a lot like the Finches. 

Among other regulars to the Kitchen are Scrubjez, the Steejez, & the Peejez. Much like the du'Ves, these folks have a large family. All could appear at once and none could appear at all. The "jez" tribe are a bit of the opportunist variety. Their fellow family members the Cravens are bigger and twice as opportunistic and have a huge family. They come around but only when something is for free. 

How could I forget Woody? He pecks around Nellie's like he lost his keys somewhere inside the walls. 

That should get us up to speed on the regulars. Other guests may have a seat at the bar while we wait for this story to develop. So we're going to chill for now and let the preceding imagery develop until you can come back and find out. .....

If Sagebrush & the Cowgirls are ever gonna figure it...out! What chilling end may be coming to CravenBabyRow.....the youngest Craven, and of course

What's going on on in Nellie's Kitchen....this could be the best worst soap opera you've never seen.  Tune in again soon. 

Love to all who shared the time to read this and be sure the ones you love know it and until next time, this is you're fearless naredowell, Carmen Gilstrap signing off for now. Gee whiz I think I forgot how to do this..........oh yea......Carmen oooõōóòöooøt!

Hear the River?

When we last spoke I was mentioning the fog in Whimbrel. Today we speak with bluebird sky and the songs of Spring in the air. My tongue has departed Whimbrel for now to indulge in the fruit that springtime in Bend has to offer. Today I have seen the violet-green swallow. One of my regions harbingers of spring and an alarm clock to the central Oregon outdoorsman. The bell has been rung and we can't put that toothpaste back in the tube.
Spring has sprung to coin another cheesy cliche.
This time around has been something even more overwhelming than the last multitude of overwhelming moments I've mentioned in this blog. I'm truly sorry it doesn't have to do with the sagebrush and the cowgirls, this time. Oh, wait, I think I just out metaphored my own damn self. Anyhow let's get back to the spring I'm talking about.
So I get this call. It was my phone ringing, I know redundant but I must spill my skill right now. So I answered my phone with the typical, "Hellllo..." No reply.......... Hmmm......I didn't know what to think other than a telemarketer or a prank. I love pranks, so I wanted to play along. As I waited for a reply with baited breath and a snicker on tap, I heard 3 words. 3 words that threw my for a loop. I didn't think prankers said that. I was a little off kilter for a response. It was kinda like learning the " 'I' before 'E' except after 'C' rule". Probably quite a bit like how you are feeling right now. So I responded off the cuff with a brief answer, "I've been here and I don't plan on leaving." I know, you want to know what the question was, right? Well let's just say I'll allude to that eventually.

As I waited for a response to my response, it sank in. I found it. She was always there but I had never found her the way I did that day. My answer was the golden ticket to my own question. Until I heard her say it, out loud, it never sank in. Many pages of scripture and related writings have been spent trying to explain what I just found and it was all summed up in 3 little words. I've known her all my life, it feels like, and for some reason I was blessed to get to know her once again. The love has always been the same and the bond is stronger than it's ever been.
In the short time I had to spend listening, she spoke much wisdom and kept a smile on my face. My confidence grew and somehow I felt like a superhero, like I could walk through walls, catch a bullet in my hand, and beat the capital 'O' in a footrace. She told me more, without saying more than 3 words, than I could have heard in a lifetime. My heart has grown and my smile has not left.
Perhaps if I haven't 'out metaphored' myself, it would appear that the sagebrush and the cowgirls have gotten a little closer to solving their battle. If I were the mediator, I would simply ask, "Hear the river?"

Let the ones you love know it! Keep the sunny side up, and don't take a poo while your lover is showering in the same bathroom. Carmen, OOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooot

Prrr...

     The fog was thick in Whimbrel as Ab made her way through the forested trail leading to the dump. After her last trip she was well aware that Caniday may be lurking. Still not sure how she felt about this critter that she had hand fed and nearly lost her finger to. Ab trudged on, she had a job to do regardless of who was in the forest. She could only see about an arms length in front of her face with the heavy fog and could only hear the battering surf on the shoreline not too far below. Ab was carrying a heavy load and felt the need to take rest midway through her journey. She found a comfortable log that was dry despite the thick humidity. Ab shrugged her load for a moment in order to relax her tired muscles. She was carrying a great deal of rubbish this trip. It was the week of celebration in Whimbrel, and much more rubbish was produced compared to a normal week. As she relaxed herself and began to let her hair loose from the tight braid she had used to keep her hair away from the refuse, she noticed something. Something seemed to be tugging at her hair. Ab had grown her hair as long as she had been alive. It was long to say the least. When she finally unfurled all of her lengthy locks she still felt something tugging on her head. She shrugged her head in order to relieve herself from the tug. It tugged back. Ab tugged the other direction with a great burst to free her hair from its confines. She tugged so hard, she yanked the tugger from its perch. The tugger was animal. Ab was startled and jumped from her rest. The animal was not happy and seemed to be caught up in Ab's hair. As Ab jumped to her feet, trying to flee the critter in her hair, the critter became more entangled in Ab's hair. Being dark and foggy Ab thought the worst as this critter wriggled around in her hair and seemed to become even more entangled. When you grow something all of your life, you become quite protective it and Ab didn't want to loose her hair, even more she didn't want to loose her life. As she jumped up off of her log to dismiss this critter, the critter landed at her feet, still entwined in some of Ab's locks. A bright pair of green eyes stared up at Ab. Ab's eyes stared back. Both of them confounded by what they were experiencing, looked back with confused eyes. Eye-to-eye these beings saw into each others soul and that explained everything they needed to know of one another.  Calmness ensued as Ab and the critter tried to wind their way out of the predicament they were in in. Both were reserved when faced this chaos and neither were upset. There seemed to be a recognition between the two. Neither wanted to hurt the other but they both wanted out of this situation. At that moment Ab had met something she had never met.  As she unwound the critter from its binding it began to make an unusual sound. This critter seemed to be vibrating, on its own. As each breath this critter breathed the vibrations would follow. This puzzled Ab. The critter seemed as if it was paying respect or rewarding Ab for rescuing it from it entangled web. This sound got louder as Ab reached out her hand and began to lightly pet the critters head. Ab had no idea what she was doing but it seemed to work. The critter became more and more docile to each loving touch Ab extended.
     The morning light began to come up over the bay and life was to begin again in Whimbrel. The village began its day as normal until someone noticed Ab had not returned from her chore. Most just thought she was out feeding that midden wolf and paid no mind. Some had ideas that Ab might have gotten into trouble with the wolf and went to look for her. Six or seven of the villagers went up the wooded trail leading to the dump to go and seek Ab.

    The morning turned to afternoon and still no sign of Ab. The six or seven villagers turned into the whole village out on a hunt to find Ab Initio.

Meanwhile, back in the woods Ab and her new friend had come to peace and started a rather special relationship. As the village looked for Ab, she was off-trail and enjoying the time she was spending with her new friend. The critter.

Tune in next time when we define "the Critter", why Ab is missing, and where the hell does the cat get involved? You're not too far away, so stay close. Here kitty, kitty, kitty.....




Sagebrush just kicked another cowgirl out of her saddle and that led to cowgirls going on a chainsaw spree so I don't expect any resolution anytime soon. What I do expect soon is you and I figuring out where the dog and cat came from.
Let the ones you love know it and be good to yourself.
Carmen, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooot