drifter
Well-known Member
Ships, planes, in cargo, foot I don't know, maybe a few at a time on a moon beam.
From A Wide Spot In The Road
- Thread starter drifter
- Start date
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
On those ding-dang cruise ships!
drifter
Well-known Member
Okay, I'm putting everything prviously written behind me. Would delete if I could do so.
I moved my patio from the back yard to the front. I installed a ten foot by ten foot concrete flooring, put one of these things on the concrete
flooring.
Cheklovokia
Hail and wind took off the top cover after a few months. I have put three new roofs or covers on it. Hail and wind storms have destroyed the everything but the frame. For almost a year now only the frame remains. I moved one bird feeder to the front so I could sit at the table, put a mini tripod on the table and shoot a snapshot once in a while. I have forgotten where I bought past tops, so I'm considering putting a tarp over all, something like this.
A 12' x 12' stretched over the frame and tied down to the frame. Easy to put on, easy to take off if desirable although someone would have to do it for me. It's either that or take the whole shebang down. I don't know, every thing I want to do seems a gigantic project. I thought about getting a roll of cloth and winding around the top frame from top to bottom. That would block out the sun, provide shade and you could make it as plain or as colorful as you wanted. It also might look as though a group of Gypsies from eastern Cheklovokia (sp) had moved in.It''s getting summer and I'm pondering what to do. Of course I'm just thinking out loud. As soon as we kick the bucket the place will be sold so maybe it doesn't matter. "Hi Ho Silver, Away."
I moved my patio from the back yard to the front. I installed a ten foot by ten foot concrete flooring, put one of these things on the concrete
flooring.
CheklovokiaHail and wind took off the top cover after a few months. I have put three new roofs or covers on it. Hail and wind storms have destroyed the everything but the frame. For almost a year now only the frame remains. I moved one bird feeder to the front so I could sit at the table, put a mini tripod on the table and shoot a snapshot once in a while. I have forgotten where I bought past tops, so I'm considering putting a tarp over all, something like this.
A 12' x 12' stretched over the frame and tied down to the frame. Easy to put on, easy to take off if desirable although someone would have to do it for me. It's either that or take the whole shebang down. I don't know, every thing I want to do seems a gigantic project. I thought about getting a roll of cloth and winding around the top frame from top to bottom. That would block out the sun, provide shade and you could make it as plain or as colorful as you wanted. It also might look as though a group of Gypsies from eastern Cheklovokia (sp) had moved in.It''s getting summer and I'm pondering what to do. Of course I'm just thinking out loud. As soon as we kick the bucket the place will be sold so maybe it doesn't matter. "Hi Ho Silver, Away."
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drifter
Well-known Member
Had a first good visit with our neighbors this evening.
The four of us sat out on the patio.
A very pleasant evening.
The first neighbors we've met and got aquinted win and chatted a spell
in nine years. Gosh, we're making progress.
And it all started when their five yar old grandson brought his scooter
over to my drive way. He said, "Would you take my picture?"
I said sure why not. He said you are not mad are you? I told him no,
I wasn't mad, that we were buddies. I took three photos of him.
My printer quit working or I would have printer them out for the boy.
Later I went to their back yard where they were working, to show the boy
and his grandparents the pictures. He ran and gave me a hug. I got their
email and sent the photos to them.
The four of us sat out on the patio.
A very pleasant evening.
The first neighbors we've met and got aquinted win and chatted a spell
in nine years. Gosh, we're making progress.
And it all started when their five yar old grandson brought his scooter
over to my drive way. He said, "Would you take my picture?"
I said sure why not. He said you are not mad are you? I told him no,
I wasn't mad, that we were buddies. I took three photos of him.
My printer quit working or I would have printer them out for the boy.
Later I went to their back yard where they were working, to show the boy
and his grandparents the pictures. He ran and gave me a hug. I got their
email and sent the photos to them.
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drifter
Well-known Member
I never kept a diary. I don't even now really know how. I kept an online journal
or blog for two or three years, recording my interesting in local happenings,
current events, and blogged on these and other subjects with a small group.
Most of my life has been spent living on the flat high country of west Texas
and eastern New Mexico, going over into the New Mexico mountains for relief
from the heat and for entertainment. My work has primarily involved irrigation
and the oil patch, drifting when and where the spirit moved me.
It is not a life for a woman but some way or another my woman endured,
on and now here we are, some sixty-four years later and still loving each other.
At heart I am still a drifter, the grass is always greener over yonder, or the jobs
pay more. Not really. The pay is about the same and the grass struggles to
survive in that flat dusty land. I see it differently than I did when my eyes were
younger, my hair darker and maybe a bit curly.
I suppose by most standards I was a never do well, a high school dropout,
doomed to reside at the bottom of the food chain. Maybe so, but sometime I
was up and sometime down. I was happy when I was up, happy when I was
down, and if I could do it all over again I'd probbly change a few things, but not
many. Like one of Frank's old songs said, I did it my way and for the most part,
I did. I made mistakes, tried to correct them, told myself I'd do better next time.
And I wound up here, in a little Oklahoma town, wounded and banged up from
some of life's encounters. But happy and content.
If you were to drive by my place some evening you might see me here,
sitting in the sun or shade, depending on the season. You'd be welcome to stop, get out and have
a glass of cold iced tea or a cup of coffee and we could get aquinted and gab a bit. You could tell
me about your kingdom and what I mght have missed out on and no doubt I would agree, but point
out that I was in some little town watching bowlers bowl and chowing down on a chocolate sunday
that sure was good. And while we rode on different trails we were not all that different. If you stopped
by here, I'm glad you did. You take care now.
or blog for two or three years, recording my interesting in local happenings,
current events, and blogged on these and other subjects with a small group.
Most of my life has been spent living on the flat high country of west Texas
and eastern New Mexico, going over into the New Mexico mountains for relief
from the heat and for entertainment. My work has primarily involved irrigation
and the oil patch, drifting when and where the spirit moved me.
It is not a life for a woman but some way or another my woman endured,
on and now here we are, some sixty-four years later and still loving each other.
At heart I am still a drifter, the grass is always greener over yonder, or the jobs
pay more. Not really. The pay is about the same and the grass struggles to
survive in that flat dusty land. I see it differently than I did when my eyes were
younger, my hair darker and maybe a bit curly.
I suppose by most standards I was a never do well, a high school dropout,
doomed to reside at the bottom of the food chain. Maybe so, but sometime I
was up and sometime down. I was happy when I was up, happy when I was
down, and if I could do it all over again I'd probbly change a few things, but not
many. Like one of Frank's old songs said, I did it my way and for the most part,
I did. I made mistakes, tried to correct them, told myself I'd do better next time.
And I wound up here, in a little Oklahoma town, wounded and banged up from
some of life's encounters. But happy and content.
If you were to drive by my place some evening you might see me here,
sitting in the sun or shade, depending on the season. You'd be welcome to stop, get out and have
a glass of cold iced tea or a cup of coffee and we could get aquinted and gab a bit. You could tell
me about your kingdom and what I mght have missed out on and no doubt I would agree, but point
out that I was in some little town watching bowlers bowl and chowing down on a chocolate sunday
that sure was good. And while we rode on different trails we were not all that different. If you stopped
by here, I'm glad you did. You take care now.
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drifter
Well-known Member
Got some fuzzy pictures to check out.
This is somewhat out of focus. I couldn't tell by looking at the camera. My eyes seem to be
unpredictable. Hard for me to tell when a photo is sharp. Why I'm checking them here.
This one also. This could have been a good picture if focused correctly.
Have to call these 'Practice.' Not good enough to put in photography section.
This one is a little better. So hard to read these cameras when sitting in the sun shooting into the
shade. Hard to see anything. I mean anything.
This guy was sitting on the lawn under the windows of the house across the street, about a
hundred and fifty feet away. I didn't know i if he'd show up at all. Not bad for the distance with a
little powershot. I guess.
This is somewhat out of focus. I couldn't tell by looking at the camera. My eyes seem to be
unpredictable. Hard for me to tell when a photo is sharp. Why I'm checking them here.
This one also. This could have been a good picture if focused correctly.
Have to call these 'Practice.' Not good enough to put in photography section.
This one is a little better. So hard to read these cameras when sitting in the sun shooting into the
shade. Hard to see anything. I mean anything.
This guy was sitting on the lawn under the windows of the house across the street, about a
hundred and fifty feet away. I didn't know i if he'd show up at all. Not bad for the distance with a
little powershot. I guess.
drifter
Well-known Member
A couple more i need to look at
.
I thought this a bigger bird. She looks like she's about to domino.
For what it is this could have been a good shot but a mere tid bit out of focus. Almost like a soft
focus. Right now birds are all I've got to shoot at. Wait until all those snakes and spiders arrive.
Then focus will be difficult.
Okay, here's a grackle that flopped down. He is saying "Here's looking at you, bud." or something
like that.
This one no good either. Well, it's not the camera's fault. I'm going to try another pair of glasses
I'm thinking. I know the camera is good because I shot a good one the other day. I hate this
inability to see well. If someone views these photos, give me your opinion on the focus. No use
to mention the subject matter. I already know I'm over doing birds. Appreciate your comments.
.
I thought this a bigger bird. She looks like she's about to domino.
For what it is this could have been a good shot but a mere tid bit out of focus. Almost like a soft
focus. Right now birds are all I've got to shoot at. Wait until all those snakes and spiders arrive.
Then focus will be difficult.
Okay, here's a grackle that flopped down. He is saying "Here's looking at you, bud." or something
like that.
This one no good either. Well, it's not the camera's fault. I'm going to try another pair of glasses
I'm thinking. I know the camera is good because I shot a good one the other day. I hate this
inability to see well. If someone views these photos, give me your opinion on the focus. No use
to mention the subject matter. I already know I'm over doing birds. Appreciate your comments.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Well, I think these are really good! The second one is perfectly sharp, as are others. You're doing great, imo. I love the grackle.
drifter
Well-known Member
I put on some reading glasses.Some of those photos look a little better.
Thank you. It is hard for me to tell. Nearly all seem slightly out of focus to me. I trashed the last pair of glasses I got. I don’t know what my problem is.
C'est Moi
Dishin' it out.
- Location
- Houston Y'all
They look great, Drifter!
drifter
Well-known Member
thank you.
drifter
Well-known Member
Thinking back to childhood, we had a bridged that crossed the river. On one side of the bridge cars went over the river. On the other side they came back. In the center was a wooden walk way for walkers. A few hundred yards to the west was a bridge for trains. I had no walk way. A few yards from directly under the railroad bridge was sort of a campsite. It was used more or less by hobos riding the rails, some going from coast to coast. As a young boy, seven for eight years old I would walk up river from my house something over a half mile to this camp site and look around. I was surprised the first time i walked into the site which was hidden from prying eyes on either side of the river or from the bridge and found people there. Real hobos. I tried to talk to them but they told me to get, get on outa here, boy and don't come back. One old man sitting on what had been the the trunk of a water soaked log, wiggled his finger at me, and said 'come here, son. He said, you go on home now. You can get in a bunch of trouble hanging around here. Now go on.'
I went. Next day after school I went back down there. Everybody gone but this old man. He wasn't pleased to see me. He had picked up a bunch of butts from the street and was tearing them apart and putting what tobacco left in the butt in a bulldurm sack. He had papers and he lit a cigarette as I watched. Why you coming around here, he asked. I don't know, I said. I wanted to talk to someone who was a hobo.
Well, talk, he said. I'm a hobo. You ride boxcars, I asked. Yessir, he said, all the way from Florida. I used to live in Florida. I got family there. On my way to California to see my sister. She married to a soldier boy. Where do you live now I wanted to know. Today, he said, maybe a few days I live here on the side of this river. In a day or two I may live in Albuquerque. Sometime I get off the trains and try to find a meal and some smokes. Sounds like fun, I said.
Boy, this ain't fun. You got a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, food on your table. You know what its like to go hungry, two or three days, a week? Life ain't fun for a black man. A mule is worth more. Now you quit coming down here. Some of these folks may decide to take you with them. Now go on home, scat. I did and I never saw him no more. I never told my mama or my daddy about my venture to the hobo camp. I don' recall I ever told a soul.
I went. Next day after school I went back down there. Everybody gone but this old man. He wasn't pleased to see me. He had picked up a bunch of butts from the street and was tearing them apart and putting what tobacco left in the butt in a bulldurm sack. He had papers and he lit a cigarette as I watched. Why you coming around here, he asked. I don't know, I said. I wanted to talk to someone who was a hobo.
Well, talk, he said. I'm a hobo. You ride boxcars, I asked. Yessir, he said, all the way from Florida. I used to live in Florida. I got family there. On my way to California to see my sister. She married to a soldier boy. Where do you live now I wanted to know. Today, he said, maybe a few days I live here on the side of this river. In a day or two I may live in Albuquerque. Sometime I get off the trains and try to find a meal and some smokes. Sounds like fun, I said.
Boy, this ain't fun. You got a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, food on your table. You know what its like to go hungry, two or three days, a week? Life ain't fun for a black man. A mule is worth more. Now you quit coming down here. Some of these folks may decide to take you with them. Now go on home, scat. I did and I never saw him no more. I never told my mama or my daddy about my venture to the hobo camp. I don' recall I ever told a soul.
drifter
Well-known Member
What made me think of that childhood experience? I don't know. Maybe bec ause last night I listened to Bobby Bare
sing, "Detroit City," and made me think of my days riding the rails, hitchhiking to and fro and about some of the people I've know who did that.
sing, "Detroit City," and made me think of my days riding the rails, hitchhiking to and fro and about some of the people I've know who did that.
C'est Moi
Dishin' it out.
- Location
- Houston Y'all
Sounds like a nice day, Drifter. And I'm glad you are sharing your stories with us again.
drifter
Well-known Member
The Enemy: Eyeball To Eyeball
I’m at war and it has boiled down to patrol action. I’m point man on this patrol and I have a KATUSA assigned to me. Where I go, he goes. Now I have been ordered to climb this hill, really an embankment, overlooking a trail and a good sized flowing stream to see if any chinks are using the trail, camped out along the trail. The purpose of our patrol is to observe.
Both my KATUSA and I climb up the hill. It is rather steep and covered it high grass, and we are on our bellies inching our way up with our elbows. We’re almost to the top. I’m using my M-duece carbine to part the grass in font of me.
Both my KATUSA and I climb up the hill. It is rather steep and covered it high grass, and we are on our bellies inching our way up with our elbows. We’re almost to the top. I’m using my M-duece carbine to part the grass in font of me.
As I scoot up and part the grass I encounter a black coiled-up snake. I’m too close to him. My first impulse is to jump back and put space between the snake and myself, but I am disciplined, My back and neck prickles but I freeze. My KATUSA is to my left side and a heads length behind me. I whisper out of the side of my mouth, ‘What kind of snake?’
Pit Viper, Kim says. I can plainly se his head and body. His eyes are unblinking, his tongue darts about. I’m afraid to move lest he strike.
What you gonna do, Kim asks.
I don’t know, Kim, bur even as I whispered those words, my elbow slowly straighten under me and my extended arm slowly drifted down to my belt and my bayonet. I grasp it’s handle and my extended are, bayonet in tow, raised upward as I looked at the snake and tried not to blink my eyes. Somebody was coming up behind us I could hear them. The snake remained coiled,
it’s head weaving slightly now. I shifted my weight slightly to my left hip and elbow. Kim is watching both me and the snake. With all my might and as swift as I could, I swung the bayonet, catching the snake two or three inches behind the head which went flying over toward Kim who dodged it.
A voice behind us said, ‘What’s the hold-up, the Lieutenant is pissed.’
Kim grabbed the snake by the end of the tail, slid it back down to the soldier, saying, take this back down to the lieutenant, tell him this was the holdup. The soldier took the snake and inched his way back down the hill a short distance and waited any word for the
lieutenant.
As I peeked over the rim, Kim joined me and took a good look-see. It looked peaceful and unoccupied, Kim whispered, ‘GI, you number one.’
We spent an uneventful night observing the trail. I was glad for I knew I had already met the enemy and my hands had shook only a little, after it was over.
I’m at war and it has boiled down to patrol action. I’m point man on this patrol and I have a KATUSA assigned to me. Where I go, he goes. Now I have been ordered to climb this hill, really an embankment, overlooking a trail and a good sized flowing stream to see if any chinks are using the trail, camped out along the trail. The purpose of our patrol is to observe.
Both my KATUSA and I climb up the hill. It is rather steep and covered it high grass, and we are on our bellies inching our way up with our elbows. We’re almost to the top. I’m using my M-duece carbine to part the grass in font of me.
Both my KATUSA and I climb up the hill. It is rather steep and covered it high grass, and we are on our bellies inching our way up with our elbows. We’re almost to the top. I’m using my M-duece carbine to part the grass in font of me.
As I scoot up and part the grass I encounter a black coiled-up snake. I’m too close to him. My first impulse is to jump back and put space between the snake and myself, but I am disciplined, My back and neck prickles but I freeze. My KATUSA is to my left side and a heads length behind me. I whisper out of the side of my mouth, ‘What kind of snake?’
Pit Viper, Kim says. I can plainly se his head and body. His eyes are unblinking, his tongue darts about. I’m afraid to move lest he strike.
What you gonna do, Kim asks.
I don’t know, Kim, bur even as I whispered those words, my elbow slowly straighten under me and my extended arm slowly drifted down to my belt and my bayonet. I grasp it’s handle and my extended are, bayonet in tow, raised upward as I looked at the snake and tried not to blink my eyes. Somebody was coming up behind us I could hear them. The snake remained coiled,
it’s head weaving slightly now. I shifted my weight slightly to my left hip and elbow. Kim is watching both me and the snake. With all my might and as swift as I could, I swung the bayonet, catching the snake two or three inches behind the head which went flying over toward Kim who dodged it.
A voice behind us said, ‘What’s the hold-up, the Lieutenant is pissed.’
Kim grabbed the snake by the end of the tail, slid it back down to the soldier, saying, take this back down to the lieutenant, tell him this was the holdup. The soldier took the snake and inched his way back down the hill a short distance and waited any word for the
lieutenant.
As I peeked over the rim, Kim joined me and took a good look-see. It looked peaceful and unoccupied, Kim whispered, ‘GI, you number one.’
We spent an uneventful night observing the trail. I was glad for I knew I had already met the enemy and my hands had shook only a little, after it was over.
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drifter
Well-known Member
Australia
Australia has a east coast and a west coast. I know because they have cyclones on the east and great white shark patrols on the west Coast. I knew this but really didn't digest it until recently when speaking of beaches. You also have south coasts and north coasts, making Australia a great big island, patrolled all around by sharks, looking for swimmers and those into water sports. In addition, the north Is guarded by alligators lying around in wait, in wait to snap off a leg,
Or to drag one off to some nearby pond to share with family members.
Australia's interior is well guarded, too. By snakes and other creepy crawlers. They all look like our neighbor's pet snake that sleeps out on his back porch but these rascals in Australia are all poisonous. They
have sweet sounding, colorful names like the Brown Snake, the Red Bellied Black Snake, the Tiger Snake, the Mulga Snake, the Eastern
Brown Snake, the lowly Common Death Adder, and the Coastal and the Inland Taipan snakes. Then there are the lowlands Copperhead
And the small Eyed Snake. That inland Taipan is said to be the
deadliest snake in the world. Say What? Yes, Sir, and these crawling, and colorful death-traps lie in wait for you to step on or step nearby,
to give you the shock of your life and possibly take it. And would you
believe the snakes are protected. It is against the law to kill one of them.
So go ahead, call somebody. Line up your trip to Australia. They have
a vast interior to explore. Get away from this coronavirus, these masks, these plastic gloves, this six foot spacing. Fly away to the great Down
Under. Take yourself a real vaxation.
But, watch your step.
Australia has a east coast and a west coast. I know because they have cyclones on the east and great white shark patrols on the west Coast. I knew this but really didn't digest it until recently when speaking of beaches. You also have south coasts and north coasts, making Australia a great big island, patrolled all around by sharks, looking for swimmers and those into water sports. In addition, the north Is guarded by alligators lying around in wait, in wait to snap off a leg,
Or to drag one off to some nearby pond to share with family members.
Australia's interior is well guarded, too. By snakes and other creepy crawlers. They all look like our neighbor's pet snake that sleeps out on his back porch but these rascals in Australia are all poisonous. They
have sweet sounding, colorful names like the Brown Snake, the Red Bellied Black Snake, the Tiger Snake, the Mulga Snake, the Eastern
Brown Snake, the lowly Common Death Adder, and the Coastal and the Inland Taipan snakes. Then there are the lowlands Copperhead
And the small Eyed Snake. That inland Taipan is said to be the
deadliest snake in the world. Say What? Yes, Sir, and these crawling, and colorful death-traps lie in wait for you to step on or step nearby,
to give you the shock of your life and possibly take it. And would you
believe the snakes are protected. It is against the law to kill one of them.
So go ahead, call somebody. Line up your trip to Australia. They have
a vast interior to explore. Get away from this coronavirus, these masks, these plastic gloves, this six foot spacing. Fly away to the great Down
Under. Take yourself a real vaxation.
But, watch your step.
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