Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone

The morning after has to be the worst......

A lonely bed, within a lonely house.....

The cats wander, as they do, and seek the comforting hand for food......

The dogs bark, with the familiar sound of a car in the driveway.........

The papers lay in the driveway.....awaiting the 5AM gatherer of news......

The mail nestles itself in it's enclosed box....waiting for the next opening......

The plants long for water....and water is not found.........

The dishes, from the night before, are left in the sink.........


I often think of life after me........and I have to!

I don't wish to pass my burdens on to my wife........for she is such a loving being.

But death does not discriminate..........

I'll try to negotiate the final dance, but it's a dance I'd like to pass on......


And the last dance is on me........as Jackson Browne said....."the last dance we dance..... .....is alone....."

da'Wizard

An Injured Baby Deer

I watched a deer family walk slowly across my front yard tonight. And it was sad.

A family of deer (two mothers and two fawns) that my wife and I have enjoyed for the last few months, crossed my path once again.....but this encounter hurt.

One of the fawns had an obvious leg injury. She limped across my front yard as I stood and watched. And the look in her face, as she looked at me in curiosity, saddened me. She almost cried out for help....but what could I do? Her mother and fawn companion, encouraged her to keep walking. They knew I was no danger. While they huddled together in the front yard, I scrambled to get some cracked corn out in the yard. The injured, youngster watched as I spread some feed.

As I walked away, I could see the "Family" gather towards the food......and the healthy ones stood back as the injured young one ate some much needed food.

I don't hold out much hope for this child......one that has been a frequent visitor to my yard. But a needed meal and a shared and loving glance, from me to her, made me feel I had offered some hope for her.

At LEAST she knew that not all humans are bad.

But I STILL hurt for this child....and the mother who will likely lose her child.

And I have to say, my eyes watered as I watched that injured child limp away......as a parent, I couldn't help but to cry........

The injured one looked back at me, as she crossed the street into her next yard, as if to say thanks.....I just nodded, wiped back a tear, and went inside my warm home.

On this cold evening, I hurt for that child......

da'Wizard

Brought to you by the Letter "P"

I was challenged by the Countess of the Woods to list 10 of my favorite things that begin with the letter "P"......I promise to keep this clean but it goes against my natural instincts!

My List

1. Pound Cake...more specifically Almond-Cream Cheese Pound Cake. This is my seasonal baking speciality. The recipe follows:

Almond Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 (8-oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract + 2 tsp. Almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add vanilla, mixing well.
Combine flour and salt; gradually add to flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.
Fill a 2-cup, ovenproof measuring cup with wter; place in oven with tube pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.
Yield: 1 (10-inch) cake.


2. Pink Floyd-One of the greatest Rock 'n Roll bands of our time. Their music and lyrics have yet to be matched and their artistic ability to take every day sounds and morph them into great music is amazing.

3. Pickles-I am a lover of dill pickles and have the reputation (in the family) of giving every young child their first dill pickle. I also make my own pickles.

4. Tom Petty-Another one of my all-time favorite musicians. He has remained true to what Rock 'n Roll was meant to me....along with his Heartbreakers.

5. Peppers-I am a grower of peppers and make my own salsa...now a world famous necessity for gatherings of all types!

6. Plagarism-da'Wizards spouse is a high school English teacher and often challenges me to prove or disprove plagarized writings from her students. Yea, Google!

7. Plants-Most of my life has be spent growing various types of plants (orchids, succulents, African Violets). The struggle is protecting them and giving their babies nice homes to live and thrive. da'Wizard's spouse, however, is a murderer of plants, so there is a life-long struggle to keep her classroom "Green".

8. Pussy Cats-Yea, you just THOUGHT I was going there! Bad people! I love cats and their unique personalities....da'Wizard's spouse does NOT like cats......no way!

9. Photography-As my family and friends will tell you, I love photography. This goes way back to high school. I purchased my first 35mm and became the head photographer for our high school yearbook. I never let my interest get set aside. I publish my photography, now, at:


10. Pecan Pie-I am a lover of da'Wizard's spouse's Pecan Pie....and it's that time of year! Sorry....no recipe here....SHHHHHH! It's a family secret!

Bonus

Promise-It is my hope that America has evolved, matured and grown-up. Today is election day and change is needed for our nation to continue in her quest for freedom. I certainly hope you voted.......