Red line in the sand 04.13.17

                Have you heard about a red line being drawn? If not you have not watched any TV in many months. It is said that one of the so called leaders of the US drew a red line and then turned his back when the line was crossed. 

                Well this soon to be, “well written article”, has nothing to do with a red line! I thought of the title this morning as I was engaging in the morning stroll. I was heading east on Arkansas street when I observed a white line across the street. This white line had not been place there by any city worker. To be totally truthful, no human was involved in the placement of this white line!

                Before I receive the inevitable questions, allow me to continue please!

                I just went to the Ford’s kitchen and made a cup of coffee, and there were Blue Berry Muffins. I was told these muffins had no added sugar. I was also told by my spouse of 48 years, the muffins are all natural. I explained to her, “I am all natural, does that make me desirable”? I got that look from my first wife, you know the look that says without words, “I can’t believe you said that”.

                I digress: now allow me to continue please!

                The white line is all the way across the street. It is not a solid white line but it can be easily seen. This line is located directly under a power line that crosses the street. Now you know how the white line got there.

                What?    Come on!              Anyone should be able to understand, all the bird sit on the power line and they relieve themselves! Hold on, for that one reader let me explain, relieve themselves means, “they poop”, and it falls on the street making a white line across the street.

                   That is it from the Ford Homestead.

May there be no white lines in your life!

Don Ford

Drone it 04.11.17

                Having little to do yesterday, after cutting more limbs and placing them on the Ford’s Old Trailer, I decided to get the drone out for a little retired senior fun time!

                Retrieving the unit, it occurred to me that it would not take photos or videos and save them to the SD card! I had never tried to view the flight or send a photo or video to the somewhat smart phone!

                I then downloaded the app and began the learning process. To my surprise, old people are not like old dogs, we can learn new things!

                I have worked with the drone here in the Ford’s Old Office area (it began to rain yesterday just as I was getting ready to go outside) and have taken a few photos along with videos. I can also view everything the camera sees on the somewhat smart phone.

                It is still raining and, we received over 2.5 inches last night. “Rain, rain go away, little Donnie wants to play!”

 click to enlarge.

                Before the critics can get started, I will attempt to explain what is in this photo.

                First: I said I had been working and that is why the jeans are dirty.

                Second: Do not look at the fat belly, I forgot to suck it in.

                Third: I am not getting ready to make a gesture with a finger, I am moving the hand as I take several           photos and the hand in different positions make the photos different.

                Fourth: The drone was on a shelf sitting still, the control is in my right hand. 

If it ever stops raining I will try to get photos from the drone while flying.

May the rain not dampen your fun time!

Don Ford

Fixed income blues 04.10.17

                As you should know, we here at the Ford Homestead are retired and on a fixed income. The fixed income does not help when ones expenses are not fixed. For anyone who feels sorry for us, you may go to the web site to donate. 

                “Why are we talking about money”, he asked. The response was, “we needed a small table to sit near the Ford’s Old Rocker”.

                Yes, the old small table that has been positioned near the old rocker was breaking up due to the sun having shined on it for a few years now. Plastic does not do well in the sun. Our in house carpenter was on vacation, so the task of creating a new small table fell to me. Now we all know I am a good wood butcher, but I am less skilled at creating usable items from wood. Yes I have built several wooden chests which are still in service, but this project would be different due to the fixed income.

                I walked around the property looking for any scrap wood I may have available to build a small, yet usable table. In the following photo you will see an old piece of scrap wood, that came from and old porch swing that we had purchased over a quarter century ago. When the swing become un-usable, I removed the slats.  These slats which are Cypress, have been tied in a bundle laying outside for many years.

 

                If my memory serves me, which it does, I made dominos out of some of these slats in years past. 

                As one may be able to see, the old wood would need some sanding to remove the weathered exterior. I did have to waste valuable resources to purchase some screws, which would hold the small table together. I founds some left over white paint, so I did not need to expend more income on this small table.

                The completed project was introduced yesterday afternoon when I sat the Ford’s old tablet on it, while I rocked in the Ford’s old rocker.

 

                Different subject, I examined the black berry vines yesterday, and the bird has almost completed its nest, although that is not the news. If all those Green berries turn ripe at once, we will be over loaded with black berries. It appears to be a bumper crop coming our way.

May your day be filled with happiness!

Don Ford

Black is beautiful 04.07.17

                As we all have heard, “Black is beautiful” and I am one of those who agrees. I would ask a thoughtful question, “How do we get to Black, and how long does it take to become Black?” Please consider that question as I provide other information.

                It was a calm day here in Hewitt yesterday, and a calm day allows a retired senior an opportunity to cut some tree limbs. This senior will not try to trim trees on windy days as the limbs are moving back and forth continually. When I am sitting on the top of an eight foot ladder looking up at the limbs moving all around, I get the same filling that some people get when they are on a boat in the ocean, dizzy feeling. Also when the wind is blowing it can send the saw dust into a senior’s eyes.

                I was able to cut several limbs that I was wanting to get down for a long time. Imagine if you will, a physically fit senior (or me) sitting on top of the 8 foot step ladder (I feel very secure sitting) using a 16 foot pole saw to cut limbs that are 24 to 26 feet above the ground.

                The bad part to this process is after the limbs are on the ground, they must then be cut up and taken to the Ford’s trailer.

                Would you believe, the CEO told me to water the flowers and garden after all the wood butchering I had already done, she did! While watering, I was able to capture a photo which takes me back to the title topic of this fine article.

                “Black is beautiful”, and so is Green! I am unsure how Green turns into Black or how long it takes. In the professional photo below, one can see the Green berries which are the beginning of Black Berries! Click to enlarge.

 

                Today, our grounds manager has been instructed to manicure the Ford Homestead’s Lawn. We are finally getting him to do some work!

Be nice to your Grounds Managers!

Don Ford

Stinging situation 04.06.17

                As anyone who has read these posting should know, I have a tendency to sit in the old Ford’s rocker most afternoons. I sit there watching the grass grow, and occasionally wave at a passerby. I recently learned that one of our neighbors, who lives at the end of the block, gets a good feeling when she sees me in the old rocker most afternoons. She made these comments in front of her husband and my wife. She didn’t comment that I am very handsome, but she probably just forgot to say that. Women say the darndest things!

                               (Art Linkletter used the word darndest on his TV show, so it must be a proper word!)

                That was not the stinging situation, which is the title of this soon to be, “excellent article”.

                As I participated in the afternoon sitting program, which is an exercise program for my brain, there was this opportunity for me to get a photo of a new friend. This photo explains how making a new friend could have been a stinging situation. Yes those are my faded blue jeans. 

                You may have noticed the old wood, of the old fords rocker. Donations would be accepted for a new rocker! Click to enlarge.

 

                Changing the subject, I will show another advantage of afternoon sittings in the Ford’s old rocker. Charlie and Molly often provide me with friendly antics.

Up a tree, but not a bird!

Don Ford

A sermon by preacher Ford 04.04.05

                It was about 7:00am this morning, and I was indulging in my morning walk. My morning walks provide me with many insightful thoughts, and I will endeavor to relate one of those thoughts, not as much as a sermon, but let’s say, “An observation”.

                I was walking east on Arkansas street with my focus fixed on a small item at the house that was in front of me. The subjects of my thoughts today had been random when something cause my focus to move to the front door of the home. As the door opened a light in the house first caught my attention. There was a rather large female subject stepping out of the door onto the front porch. This female turned to her left and walked away from the door. I instinctively knew she was not going anywhere, as there was a rail on the porch and a wall at the end of the porch.

                The female stopped and raised her hand to her mouth. In her hand was a white object. In the other hand she had ignited a match. The match was brought up to what we now know was a cigarette. I was nearing the end of Arkansas Street and could see the subject much clearer now.

                The ignited match was at the end of the cigarette and I could see the intense glow from the end of the cancer stick cigarette, as the subject sucked on the cigarette. She deeply inhaled the smoke from her first wonderful cigarette of the day. As the smoke filled her lungs, she could feel the wonderful nicotine entering her system which provided her with a feeling of, “Everything is good!”

                As I began to turn to start back down the street, I observed her exhale the smoke from her lungs. What a good feeling she had from the first drag off the tobacco stick.

                My back to her as I started down the street, I heard the sound of several rough coughs from the female subject. I thought, those rough deep coughs was a small price to pay, for the euphoria she received from the first nicotine fix of the day.  

                Now I am not directing this lecture to any one person. I am presenting it to anyone who cares.

                I have learned over the years that giving up tobacco / nicotine, is a personal decision. You can’t talk anyone into quitting. For a person to give up their addiction to nicotine, it must be a personal decision, and it will likely be one of the most difficult endeavors they ever pursue. Mom, dad, wife, husband and no one else, can talk an addict into quitting.

                I am not attempting to talk anyone into quitting, if you have a nicotine addiction it is ok with me. Oh, if you use tobacco and think you are not addicted, try to quit. You will soon learn that it is an addiction.

                I was an addict for many years. I did not smoke, I was a chewing tobacco addict.

                The company I worked for had a no smoking policy inside the building for years. Then at one point they added no tobacco use inside the building. I had to terminate two employees for using tobacco (chewing) inside the building. 

                One male subject who was working at a new center helping them get started, had gone out side for break and was chewing. Break ended and he came back inside and the manager found that he still had the chew in his mouth. They put him on a plane and sent him back to our center were we terminated him for using tobacco inside the building.

                Another time one of our employees came to me and said, another employee had spit tobacco on his shoe. I called the employee in and asked what happened and he said he opened the door to spit outside just as the other employee stepped in front of him, it wasn’t intentional. This employee was terminated for using tobacco inside the building.  

                It was about this time that I decided that I would quit. I had terminated two for using tobacco inside the building and I was concerned that I might forget and walk inside with a chew in my mouth.

                I had been working at another center covering for their manager, a week or two at a time, then back at my center. My youngest son was getting married, so I decided to stop the Sunday after my son’s wedding. The week of his wedding was also my last trip to the other center.

                Quitting was my decision. It was not easy! I was not easy to be around!

                I have been a recovered nicotine addict for 14 years now.                 

Only the addict can make the decision!

Don Ford

Smelly situation 04.03.17

                It happened this way. For several days I had been smelling something when I was in the back yard. I had originally thought the neighbors dogs were the cause of the smell. It at times smelled like dog manure and at times smelled kind of like a sewer. I looked in the ditch behind the house and there is some water in the ditch but it was moving, so it was not stagnated.

                It was very annoying to go to the back yard and be bothered by this unknown bad smell. I had even thought about calling someone from the city to see if they could determine the reason for the smell.

                This past Saturday my first wife and I went to one of the local home centers to purchase some tomatoes, jalapeno peppers and bell peppers. This year I insisted that all the tomatoes be the same variety. I do not like the odd shaped or the tomatoes that are a different color when ripe. To see a ripe tomato that is yellow, just isn’t right.

                Returning home with plants in hand I proceeded to get in my recliner and take a well-deserved nap. Arising refreshed and re-energized I sprang from the chair and rushed to the Ford’s small garden spot, to plant said plants (being on a fixed income we can’t have a large garden).

                First I removed some grass from the edge of the garden. Then I proceeded to get on my hands and knees and crawl around the garden planting the tomatoes and peppers. Even though it only took fifteen minutes or so, this planting process seemed as if it took hours on this poor old retired senior citizen.

                At one point I was able to stand up with the help of the fence post. While I was hanging on to the fence post in an effort to keep this old body from falling to the ground in a heap, I noticed that the smell seemed to be much stronger here in the garden spot.

                Have you ever smelled a dead person’s body after they have been laying in a field dead for a week or so?  I haven’t either, just thought I would ask. That was the smell coming from the neighbor’s yard. Our neighbor has a kid’s swimming pool, I believe it was originally put there for their dogs (you know, plastic, round and about 6 feet across) in the back corner of their yard. That back corner is next to the Ford’s garden. I took a close look at the pool. It always has a few inches of dirty water in it and I thought possibly it was the stagnated water providing the aroma.

                The black water wasn’t the only thing that was providing that aroma, there was a large dead bird in the pool.

                I pointed it out to the female subject who lives there, and she said they knew of it, they thought it was a hawk, and she had told her husband that he should call someone about it. Call someone?

                I noted that they probably did not want their dogs drinking from the stagnated pool with a dead hawk in it, thinking that might cause them to clean the pool and dispose of the dead body. She commented that she did not think the dogs drank from the pool. It is good to have nice neighbors. Photo to follow.

               

Click to enlarge, if you dare!

                I did get everything planted, and I tested the sprinkling system. The sprinkling system works well as long as the wind isn’t blowing too hard.

              

May those who live next door to you, actually be neighbors!

Don Ford

Mirror image 04.01.17

                As I was sitting on the front veranda at the Ford’s Homestead This April fool’s day, I decided to try a favorite pastime of many people. I know what you are thinking, would I, the head of the Ford Homestead (when my present spouse isn’t around) participate in things that regular people do. Obviously, the answer in some situations is yes.

                What is this pastime? It is the practice of taking selfies.

                As I sat in the chair, I became aware of a flag (that is what my wife called it) slightly behind and to my left side. This flag had the name of, “Ford” on it. I thought, it might be nice to have a selfie of me and the flag with my name. I retrieved the cell phone and took a selfie.

                When I reviewed the photo, the word Ford was backward. Are all selfies in reverse, are is this an April fool’s day prank, played on me? Click on the selfie to enlarge.

 

                Luckily, I was able to flip the photo using the Ford’s seven year old computer. Before you ask, the photos are in black and white because we hear at the Ford Homestead are trying to save money, we are doing without color.  

 

                Someone said I wasn’t smiling. Believe it or not, having never created a selfie before, I was not aware that I would need to smile!

May you not be fooled today!

Don Ford

May today be better than your best day, but not as good as tomorrow.

                  Donald Ford         NARBNL

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