Rainy, Lazy, Saturday

OK, so not my favorite weather today, rainy and grey. I sit here in my little office, what my wife called the man room. The world is very green outside my window, as everything seems to come to life more after the spring rain. The grass is growing now at rate faster than I care to cut it, the crepe myrtles are showing new growth, the live oaks are shedding, the dogwood and azaleas are done blooming, as we march toward summer and the heat that it brings.

My desk is cluttered with paper that I really should file, maybe a task for today, maybe not. The desk sits in a wondrous corner surrounded by things that make me happy, and let me daydream of good times past. The picture of my last helicopter flight from an aircraft carrier, old wooden duck decoys, a basket full of deer antlers from past hunts. Over my right shoulder are two mounted green wing teal, forever in flight. There are other pictures, a painting of Bennett's store in Lithia Springs, a drawing of an owl done by my son and a Irish prayer. There is a hand carved CPO plaque made by a friend who is no longer with us, and a 45-110 cartridge signed by Tom Selleck, that is from the Quigley rifle. There is my old re curve bow, a large deer mount, and an antique fly rod.

My favorite poet, Don Blanding, wrote a very famous poem called "Vagabond's House" I wish everyone would take a moment to goggle and read it, because it fits my mood for the day.  For you see, as I sit here and arrange duck calls, and turkey calls, arrows and fishing lures, I feel I am surrounded by treasure, that of found memory. Sometime that is all a day like this calls for, to remind me of how rich I am. I leave you now with another Blanding poem named "Gold".

 

Gold

My treasure chest is filled with gold.
Gold . . . gold . . . gold . . .
Vagabond's gold and drifter's gold . . .
Worthless, priceless, dreamer's gold . . .
Gold of the sunset . . . gold of the dawn . . .
Gold of the shower trees on my lawn . . .
Poet's gold and artist's gold . . .
Gold that can not be bought or sold --
Gold.

 

Old Captain Sends.