DAY 60: DooDooDoo LOOKIN' OUT MY (FRONT) DOOR!

Was I surprised today at this scene! Two guys with their seeing-eye dogs making their way down West Main Street together!

One is very familiar to me (and probably to most people in Lebanon), and I've seen him and his dog make their way past my house daily, for years.

But it appears he and his dog have found some similiarly situated friends.

I like that for them.

(Note: Isn't it odd how many "visual" words I have used in this short commentary about the visually impaired?)

DAY 59: GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER?

Has anything like this ever happened to you? 

I could not WAIT to enjoy a salad from the fresh spring lettuce a friend brought to me, and WOW – was it tasty! So tender and soft and succulent...

Mmmm mmmmm Gooooood!

I was almost finished feasting on this special treat when I was shaken from my blissful reveree ----

!EGAD!----

I had unexpected company on my plate: 

A LIVE SLUG!

I am sure that finding a whole live slug on your plate is a lot better than finding a half dead one and having to concern yourself with visions of what became of the missing half… but still...

I learned my lesson that day. Never be "sluggish" about rinsing and inspection, no matter how ready-to-eat the food looks to be.  Everything gets an extra rinsing and going-over around here now, even if it's pre-rinsed, organic, whatever. That policy has served me well, so far (as far as I know).

DAY 58: AND THE RACE IS ON!

It’s that time again – Marion County  candidates for office are gearing up for the May primary election!  Chief Deputy Jimmy Clements is running for Sheriff, and supporters packed the Chili Supper/Fundraiser held for him this weekend at the St. Joe Community Center.         

Jimmy spoke at the gathering, obviously humbled by the large crowd assembled there on his behalf. 

 

He told all us yay-hoos that he was gonna be one sorry-#ss Sheriff...

 Just kidding about that last remark... (that is how rumors get started!)

Actually, Jimmy Clements thanked all for their support and promised to be a good Sheriff.  

 A word from me about rumors, though. It is a BIG DEAL when any citizen decides to throw his or her hat in the ring and step forward to run for office. It takes a lot of guts. It takes hard work and dedication. You get your "nose bloodied" sometimes. Some may think that big-city races are the most difficult, but I'm not so sure about that. In a small community like Marion County - where chances are good that almost everyone knows and likes all the candidates on a personal level - it can be brutal!

With that said, one of the best things a candidate can hope for is a clean race without having to worry with the distraction of dispelling unfounded rumors. Often such rumors come from well-meaning but misguided supporters and not from the candidates at all.

Jimmy briefly addressed a persistent rumor by stating his intentions to retain the current staff and deputies.

I wish I'd gotten more individual pictures of people through the evening, but the chili was so good that I stayed fairly busy eating for quite awhile. Here is the only close-up I got of Jimmy through the night. He is standing with former Sheriff hopeful, Ray Gardner. Looks like Cards and Cats were both represented.

 The very young came out... 

 ...And the very old, too.

 

   There was some great music playing, and people lingered for a long time, just to talk. 

 Special Entertainmentment was provided by The Solid Gold Sisters...

  

               

And at the end of the night, Jimmy's wife, Julie, was in the kitchen with her sister and brother-in-law, Mary & Terry Gootee, about to finish the clean-up detail. I learned the chili for the night was from the recipe used currently by all the Marion County schools. It was delicious!

Best of luck, Jimmy Clements!

DAY 57: WEATHERED DOOR

 

There really is something irresistible to me about a well weathered door. I think they are beautiful. And it's always a special treat to have a chance to see what's on the other side - the evidence of lives once lived there. This particular door is from an old house in St. Mary's. The log cabin part of the house dates back in my family to the late 1700's and was moved there from its original location.

  

WEATHERED DOOR

I learn from each adventure

And yearn to travel more

Enthralled with all the history

From each old and weathered door.

With the old town square that won’t be there

When progress has its way

The proud white church with its lofty perch

Where our fathers came to pray.

Just minutes away on a sunny day

History can be found

Take some time to experience this

It won’t always be around.

Our elders will share their wisdom

If you ask them they will tell

Of better days and simpler ways

Working hard, yet living well.

So look beyond the layers of paint

Don’t let progress blind your view

We must restore, not just rebuild

Not all that’s good is new.

 ----Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

DAY 56: STAYIN' ALIVE

 

This is one of the magnificent monuments in Ryders Cemetery in Lebanon. 

Forgive me, but the pose totally reminds me of disco dancing and the Bee Gees.

"Stayin' Alive" was sort of the anthem of the disco days.

Seeing this pose in the cemetery and thinking of 'staying alive' was kind oxymoronic for me.

But look at that sky! Some of you in Lebanon may remember that Sunday a few years ago when we had that crazy sky. The clouds just swirled and the sky was amazing! It was no ordinary day.

This photo was taken on the amazing crazy sky day.