Memorial Day 2008

Would like to share with all the wonderful Memorial Day we had this year. Usual Memorial Days in the past have been swimming, cooking out, family...etc...and all that is great stuff. This year Felicia Chavez who works with Kim at The Red Cross invited us down to Culpeper VA for the National Cemetery Memorial Day Celebration. Most times I do not think of going to these events because I get very emotional when I consider and reflect on not only the cost of the great blessings we enjoy, but also because I have been blessed to truly know the blessings we enjoy living in this great country. WE picked Holly and Micah up around 930am...( I guess you all know, but just in case...Holly is Pregnat...YEA). OK, back to Memorial day...We got directions from Google and headed to Culpeper. It's a samll rural community, but a beautiful place to visit and live. I was surprised at the number of people there. But parking was available and it was relatively painless enjoying the event. Of course as soon as we got ther Kim and Holly had to find a bathroom, so Micah and I headed to the Cemetery and Kim and Holly headed back toward town. They found one, but so did Micah and I.....right where we were sitting for the celebration... but we'll know the next time. It was a very moving ceremony mingled with both patriotic music that always fills my eyes with tears and war songs song by a duet. Felicia gave a wonderful talk that no one could walk away and not understand the who and why we were all there that day. WE had a 21 gun salute to the fallen, taps played calling the fallen home, and a rousing opening and closing prayer from a black baptist minister that understood how to get all you can out of a microphone. WE stopped on the way out to reflect upon those that had served in our military and that had been laid to rest there. I knew none of them and yet I knew them all and could not help but feel a sense of comradary with each of my fellow soldiers and I longed for each of them to have had the opportunity to see and understand what there ultimate sacrifice had done for our country. Overall it was a wonderful day. WE did not go swimming, yet we swam in an ocean of emotion and understanding, we did not play horseshoes, yet we through our arms and hearts out to those who will no longer play any games, and yes we did feast not only on some really good hot dogs, but more so we enjoyed the feast of understanding and for a moment partakers of a feast of knowledge and gratitude and reflection on who we are, how we are blessed and that all this and so much more has come with a terrible price given by men and women who had love and courage to willingly expend for their family's and country's freedom. May we not wait for another year to pass before we express our gratitude and appreciation for our family, neighbors and friends who paid the ultimate price that we might enjoy these ultimate freedoms. Didn't get a picture of me while we were there, but perhaps this composition gives you a better picture of me than a camera ever could!!




The 3 Amigos./..Pancho is taking the picture!!!!


The grill was ugly, but the dogs were "GOOD"

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL...kjb

Gardening again after 10 years

I've always had a desire to do gardening. But with fishing, astronomy, and aquarium...we'll did not want to take too much more from family life and be selfish. But Kim got the gardening bug from a project sponsored by her work at the Central Virginia Chapter of the Red Cross. WE found this neat website..... www.squarefootgardening.com that approached gardening a little differently, even to the point of not using our native soil in the backyard as the nurturing source. Anyway if you are interested in growing an abundant crop in a little space you should check out the site. I'll share the project we did today in a pictorial format. Once we got our stuff and got home today the actual project took no more than 4 hours from start to crops growing in our back yard.The 1st picture shows all the goodies we got to get started....Compost, peat moss, and vermiculite for the "Magic Mix", plants from The Red Cross, lumber from Lowes.
Well it is time to really get to work. Had been a cool, cloudy day until we actually began to work...then the sun came out and got a little warm. But that is ok, a little sweating never hurt anyone...has it? Kim's getting that magic mix going. If it works like we understand we should have a good supply of fresh veggies for the late summer and early fall and YOU can have some too....but it would be more fun to grow them yourself. I have tried to figure out how to put the Pics in the order I want, but you probaly can see I have not been very successful. Guess I'll have to get hold of my Blogger Guru Holly when she get back from Roanoke this evening. But you can sort of figure out the order and see the progress right down to the final product complete with growing already going on. I'm glad to see Kim take an interest in this, and it will for the most part be here project with me in the background for advice or more likely brute force as it is needed to dig, transport, or run off varmits as directed by the Director of Gardening, Mrs. Kim D. Brown. Also Happy Mother's Day out there to all those who are, are trying, in there hearts are, or like to think they are Mothers. It's your day, you deserve the best and I hope you get it. God Bless each and every one of you who truly understand the importance and impact Motherhood has on us all....kjb

Spring has Sprung at Dudley Mountain Rd

Spring...at least the blooming part of Spring, seems to have lagged a little for our neck of the woods this year. Usually by now it seems that our azaleas have bloomed and gone by now,but are just coming to their high point of bloomalosity. In case you are wondering that really is not a real word! This is one of the most enjoyable times of the year for Kim and I. The drab of winter has left, the green is flourishing, the temperature is still most comfortable, and we get to enjoy the shrubs and plants that have been given to us by our children or bought over the years, as they reach the peak of their celestial glory. Anyway we thought we would share with you some of the things that bring us a special feeling of peace and home each Spring. May you too find great joy in the creative powers that are for all of us to enjoy and may you find comfort in that place you call HOME...kjb

First Bass of 2008

Most of you out there who know me (Keith) know I enjoy the opportunity to fish for that great North American Fish "The Largemouth Bass". Recently the weather has been cool so I have not gotten out to fish at all yet and here it is May. Mark and I were going to go last Tuesday, but clouds and cold kept us both away from the James River on that day. This week I knew I would be in Crozet at least once, so I called my good friends, "The Zobrists" and asked if I could stop by onme morning before work and just get the feel of fishing out of my system, and as always Sharon called back...on all 3 of my phones....and said sure come on anytime. So at 720am this morning, with Kim's blessing I headed for the pond. It really was a little late to be getting there, but what the heck...fishing is fishing!!!!!!! My first appointment was at 9am, so I had about a hour. The water in the pond was up to full capacity...ran into 2 dozen buzzards on my fishing area, so they left when they saw me coming...good thing!!!!! Anyway, not a great first fishing trip, but certainly better than many all day trips I have been on. Caught 2, nothing huge, but for all those that fish you understand catching as HOG would be great, but just catching fish period is pretty awesome also.
So I am sharing with you, especially those who have not gotten out yet, my first line wetting for 2008. Of course it is always "catch and release", so no fish dinner tonight. Instead I will reflect on the one that got away, (and it did), and on the ones that got landed, and the times ahead for you and I to go fishing again. Everyone have a great day,...... and if you have children, take them fishing....guarantee it will be a memory maker............kjb