It's been a long time.

I figured it is about time I put something on here. Well, not much new that everyone doesn't already know or expect to read.

Had a good christmas and new years. Saw a bunch of friends that I haven't seen in a long time.

My family is healthy and life is good.

I do believe

One of my favorite singers.
Good song.

Plantains...

Tastes like a sweet potatoe to me. Pretty good, I suggest you try one if you haven't already.

Slice it and then fry it in a tablespoon of olive oil.

The first time I had this was about 15 years ago, when I knew this Nigerian guy who came to ND from NY. His name was Malik (sp?).

I wonder where he is now.

He pan fried a plantain for me since I hadn't ever seen one until then and he couldn't believe it.

Anyway, time for bed.

I hope you all are well.

Colorado on my mind.

Going to be headed down to CO next week for a week. Hopefully I will get into the hills for a morning with McKenzie. When we were hiking in the river bottoms this spring she said she wants to hike in the mountains, so...

There's nothing like the smell of pine, the sound of a stream and just being in the mountains.

Here is John Denver talking about Rocky Mountain High; one of my favorite songs.

One of the best summers ever.

There was a summer when I rode bike everywhere. We looked for arrowheads where old villiages once existed near the river.
We spent many nights by the river with good friends and learned a lot about ourselves and each other.
I met nearly all of my closest friends that summer and the others that are my close friends now are a result of those friends. All except 3 or so.
I worked at a hardware store and had lots of adventures. Made my first trip to the Rockies and it changed my life forever.
That was definitely one of the best summers of my life and I'm greatful.

Thanks Matt and everyone else who I'm friends with now becuase of!!!

I can't imagine life without all of you.

A few of the best who ever lived

I was listening to a song tonight that always reminds me of my grandparents. Its a song by Van Zant called "Help somebody". This song hits so close to home it practically brings tears to my eyes everytime I hear it. I wish I had some digital pics to post of my grandparents on here. Maybe I will be able to get some from my folks one of these days.

My grandma was one of the most giving people I know, had the biggest heart and she was only 4 foot 10 inches tall. My memories of her are always of giving. Giving to me, my cousins and all kinds of people who needed someone to listen. My grandma worked for Community Action and her job was never 8 to 5. I remember meeting so many people who would stop in at her house to talk with her, needing her for who she was. But, I also remember her turning into a little fireball when she would get mad at my grandpa or one of us kids for something. She walked her talk always.

My grandpa was one also one of the kindest people I have ever met. I can still hear his laugh and I can still feel his hug. My grandpa had an answer for everything, whether it was always right or not I don't know. But he was one hell of a man and one of the things I remember my grandma telling me that he said to her once was "I will always stand by your side no matter what, as long as you always tell me the truth". And he did. I cannot even remember a single time when he was mad at her.

Both of my grandparents died a little more than a year apart from each other at about 68 years old, both from Pancreatic cancer in April,2002 and October,2003. The saddest thing I have ever experienced was a night in March about a month before my grandma died, standing in her kitchen and giving her a hug as I was crying, because we all knew she was going to die soon and she just kept telling me it's going to be alright.

One of the best memories I have of my grandpa, even though it was on his death bed was when he said to me "you and I are so alike, Blake, we are so alike".

I guess this post is obviously more for me than anyone, but I guess most blogs are in my opinion. They make good journals.

Here and gone

So,one of my favorite seasons has come and gone... unless it rains again before June.

The Morels were back and it has been a very enjoyable few weeks. It seems that I might have been a week or more late on my initial harvest I was told.

Last Wed. McKenzie and I collected over 70. Then on Sat. between me, my dad, McKenzie, uncle and cousins we collected close to 150. Then yesterday I had a half hour and found about 10 that were in good shape, but there were a lot of them dried up already.

McKenzie even started finding them on her own!! I wonder how many 3.5 year olds there are wandering the woods finding Morels on their own? I'm proud of her and she is my little out of doors buddy.

Anyway, a few things came to mind as I was walking the "river bottoms" this season that I will share (besides better pictures of the Morels for identification purposes).

1. The first is that beyond the general appreciation of the Morel, taking it step further in realizing that each one you have the honor to pick could be the last one. This year they weren't as plentiful as last year. I was anticipating another year like last so I left a bunch that most people would have picked, but I was only picking the freshest at that time.

2. When I go to harvest the mushroom, I cut it at about 1/4 to 1/2 way up the stem. I noticed that this is how much the deer leave when they eat them, so it is obviously the right thing to do.

3. I don't really understand the reproductive cycle of the mushroom, so I don't know when it is that they release their spores. I know that isn't very responsible, but as a result of that lack of knowledge I have decided that I will leave several standing when I find a group of them and anything that has any part of the mushroom that is too dried up or moldy will be left where it stands.

4. I like to use a knife to cut the mushroom off, but a scissor would work fine. This minimizes the risk of damage to the lower half and underground structure.

Anyway, I will post some pics soon!