Little activity the next two weeks

From tomorrow [Sunday 12th] through Thursday [23rd] I will be at Indian Lake for Family Camp and District Assembly, so there will be little, if any activity on this blogspot. Have a great two weeks. See ya later.

Where the River Ends

Where the River Ends, [a brief book review]; by Charles Martin. New York, New York. Random House Publishing. 2008; ISBN: 0767926994; 380pgs
I bought this book at a bookstore in Grand Rapids that I've never been to, and must put in a plug for it - SchulerBooks. Its really a great bookstore. I bought this book yesterday morning[Thursday] and read it last evening. The book comes with a sign on the front cover: Warning, This book will break your heart!
This to say the least, is a fascinating book. Amazon.com has 76 reviews of this novel, and/or you can go to my shelfari and get a preview there. Charles Martin is a southern writer so all of you, like Sage, who are in the Summer Southern Reading Challenge this is a book for you! If you like river life this author is very familiar with the southern river of St. Mary's that runs between Florida and Georgia; he is also extremely familiar with human society along the edge of the river, familiar with the fauna and the wildlife that lives in and off the river. The author is also well versed in the effects of climate and tides on the river , and the effects of flood stages ... an outdoor extravaganza for any wildlife enthusiasts. On a personal note the author reminds us that true love goes beyond the visual, beyond the physical and into the heart. My favorite line is when Abbie Grace, in a letter to her father, tells him, 'I have a gift for you, it is stored in my husbands chest - my heart.' One more clue: Early in their journey on the river they meet a human evil, which symbolizes the cancerous evil that challenges them, and keeps reappearing.
ENJOY

Tuesday afternoon

Went fishing yesterday .... and it was fun! I caught a 10" and 13" crappie, plus a good number of blue gill. [we also put back in a number of nursery catches] My buddies let me keep most the catch, and Tom took about a half dozen. I immediately, upon getting home, got them all filleted and put in the refrigerator and Thursday night I will cook 'em for the wife and I. I'm searching Bobby Flay's website for a new fish breading. The 13" crappie dwarfed everything else caught, I'd like to have about a dozen of those, especially since crappies are my favorite pan fish. I really wanted to place the 13" on a plaque, but why waste the good eatin.'

p.s. Last night [Wednesday] Ernie brought me in 25 nice size blue gill ..... and I filleted them, and they are ready to be fried tonight. I will first put them in a batter of eggs and milk, then into a simple breading of original Ritz crackers ......um! um! um! can't wait for supper tonight.

pp.ss. now those were some good eats!! [Friday am]

Fireworks from 4th!

As I sat and watched a fantastic display of fireworks this past Friday night, I noted that my two little grandkids, after a few minutes, seemed to be bored .... they missed the excitement and thrill of that final display of red, white and blue explosions. Then a small voice said, 'that's just like gramp's when he gets too distracted and misses out on what God is trying to show him, or when he loses the wonder and grandier of the normal. Thanks grandkids for teaching gramps a needed lesson.

p.s. This was also my grandson's first viewing of fireworks! I probably shouldn't have bought him the cheap glowstick because he preferred to play with that rather than watch the fireworks. Gramps is a slow learner.

Bragging Rights!

This ole grandpa wants to brag on one of his granddaughters .... a granddaughter who went to Orlando, Florida to the International Church of the Nazarene's World's Kid Quizzing Contest ... and among a thousand other kids from around the world, my granddaughter took home the gold along with some others!! Way to go granddaughter!

Great food with great friend!

Tonight we tried a new salmon recipe with a good friend, who was willing to be a guinea pig along with us. The recipe turned out fairly good, although I would trya few more spices the next time. I'll share the recipe on the food links. Tomorrow morning we head for the big 'D' to see the grand kids and enjoy the fire works with them tomorrow evening!

too expensive birds

The birds are getting too expensive ...we're now the proud owners of three bird feeders! The feed is getting too expensive, all we get for our return is gorgeous red-headed cardinals; beautiful yellow finches, royal blue tufted bluejays, the occasional oriole plus an assortment of other birds I don't know the names of, and the rare biblical sparrow. An occasional hummingbird has been seen trying to figure out why all the birds - then taken off to feast on their own feeder - hey that makes 4 bird feeders! I'm open to knowing where cheap bird seed can be found?