Do you remember Ralphie Parker? Anyone who has watched the movie “A Christmas Story” will remember Ralphie. The triple dog dare. And the ever repeating mantra of “you’ll shoot your eye out.” Even Santa didn’t want that poor kid to have a BB gun. Every time I hear that iconic line and another voice utter […]
The Great Mud Bog Incident I recently had a few visitors to the great state of Colorado. About eight, to be exact. And with that many people, planning day trips can sometimes be a real challenge. With the diversity of interests of the guests and the multitude of adventures to be had in Colorado you
A personal letter to my family on Memorial Day Memorial Day is about here. Do any of you remember the true meaning or the traditions of Memorial Day? I suspect not because as a father I did not teach it to you. Do you know it was originally called “Decoration Day?” Do you know it
Smedlap Learns to Ride I lived in Arizona for over 10 years and during that time I began riding and finally racing motorcycles. It was all desert and mountain riding, and it was back in the 1970’s before mono shocks, gas-filled shocks, 4-stroke engines and all the high-tech equipment people have nowadays. We just put
Some people just really annoy me. I was in Anchorage, Alaska just relaxing after spending time metal detecting at Ganes Creek. My wife was due to arrive the next day and I had some time to spend awaiting her arrival. The day was beautiful, with the sky clear and the sun shining brightly. Of course,
Just the Bear Facts While visiting Alaska, my lovely wife, Joan, and I embarked on a hike to Exit Glacier. We hadn’t gotten too far into our adventure when we spotted a group of about 50 people, stopped in a huddle along the trail. As we got closer, the click of camera shutters grew louder,
The Flaming Oil Can I grew up in a very small farming community in Iowa. We used to joke that the village had 75 residents and that 15 of them all lived in one little house up on the hill. It was, after all, a good Catholic community. My father had a rural mail route,
Fishing For Squirrels If you are a PETA member please do not read this story. If you are a PETA member and can’t follow directions please note: No squirrels were harmed during this adventure. It all started when my brother-in-law, Art, came in for a visit with his family. Shortly after his arrival, I
The First Tale From the Past What a kindly old man taught me. Part One I am often asked where my love of old ghost towns, history, and the Ol’ West comes from. I owe that to my father’s strict discipline, and a lesson he taught me with one of his friends. My father owned
Does it feel like extortion yet? Well maybe not yet but we are in the beginning stages as we near the presidential elections. A few years back I received a request for a political donation. It was from a group that I had supported in the past. As I reviewed the mailing I realized