Show # 237

Hello Friends of the Garden!

Amazing fun, writing in the rain! This Saturday morning finds me on my deck at my fortress of solitude at the coast. The rain is coming down steadily and it is such a cool feeling to witness. I've got my umbrella out and I'm not certain if it knows that this was it's original purpose! Sure over time it probably realized it wasn't going see a lot of action in the rain department however, it found another invaluable purpose in protecting it's user from the sun! 

I perfected rock skipping on these creeks!

When I was kid it was like being incarcerated when it rained. I spent very little time doing anything indoors as a child. The rain spattered window that I stared out of on those rainy days might as well of been prison bars! Throwing dirt clods, riding my bike, catching crawdads, building tree houses and walking endless miles of white limestone creek beds was how I would spend most of my entire day. I was no where to be found on most days. All I had to do was check in by dark and it was all good!

Those carefree days seem so far away in comparison to what Thanksgiving week has become. We host Thanksgiving at our house every year. That means taking time to clean house and do the cooking and endless little unforeseen tasks! Everything seems so rushed and multitasking is a necessary skill to complete the job! 

Painted in to a corner like
some kind of politician!

Another Thanksgiving routine is to head over to the coast immediately after the last of the leftovers are shipped off with satisfied family. Sometimes, but not always, there is no agenda at the coast, just to decompress and regroup. Sometimes there are chores that need addressing. This Thanksgiving the coming rains provided another opportunity for reviving that long standing battle with my leaky roof.

Me!

Friday morning I awoke to a beautifully sunny day at the coast. I had to forego my usual sea glass hunt to work on my roof. Most of my friends are aware and even envious of my knack for being handy. My roof has proven to be that one area of prowess that lies unaffected by all my best efforts. This is not the first time I've realized my limitations. In fact I've learned more and more about my limitations as I've gotten older.

I got as much done as I could. I worked until it got dark and checked the weather reports to see how much time there was until the rain would start. Now it's wait and see. This makes me think of playing street football back in Texas with my buddies. Whenever traffic would come through it was "game off" until it cleared and then it was "game on"! The steady rain has called "game off" for the time being and now it's redirecting my mind to focus in other areas that are relegated to indoor activities.

I was getting ready to write on the deck, under the umbrella and enjoy the miracle of rain! While setting up to write this morning I saw that Fidel Castro had died. I can't say that I was sad or happy. My ambivalence toward Castro is natural I think. Nothing he did truly affected me. 

Grumpy old Clint!

To me he was like that grumpy neighbor that when your ball went in to his backyard you just went and got another ball. After time you conditioned yourself to not even step on his lawn. Everyone in the neighborhood knows he's there, with a cool vintage car in his garage like Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino but, everyone acts as if he's not there. 

Looks like Liam Neeson kind of huh?

This gray day and the gentle percussion of the rain on the umbrella have induced a contemplative almost hypnotic state of mind this morning. I wonder, as Castro took his last breath, what he would miss the most or what he wished had been different? Was he proud of what and how he left his mark on the world? Did he mellow? I have to imagine that with all that power, to have left the world without some lasting legacy of how I made the world a better place, would be disappointing!

Like that grumpy neighbor, Castro was no different than the Amish to me. No offense intended toward the Amish. I know as much about the Amish as I do Castro. I don't have enough real information about either to have a well formed opinion. Of course I'm not comparing Cuba and the Amish from a human rights aspect but more an analysis of their secular ways. 

The Amish could seek to show the world that industrious, peaceful living is a more sustainable existence, yet they cloister themselves and remain cultish. The Amish have no affect on me either! Like Cuban cigars, furniture is about the only thing I feel the Amish have to hang their reputations on. Liking Cuban cigars hasn't made me want to be Cuban any more than admiring Amish furniture has made me want to be Amish! 

Whiskey, beer and Tim Horton's!

I was reading lately about the security of our northern border with Canada. Apparently it is the longest international border in the world. With all the attention given to the Mexican border the Canadian border is starting to see more traffic. Surely after the completion of the US/Mexico wall consideration must be given to the inevitable building of the US/Canada wall.

Like human ants!

If it were me, I would commission the Amish to build that wall. They know a lot about separation and are skilled craftsmen! It would be a lasting legacy for the Amish and give them that sense of patriotism they seem to lack! I suppose it would be more a fence really, seeing how they primarily deal with wood. Yes that's it! A US/Canadian fence sounds perfect!

On to Show# 237! This show has new stuff from Luther Dickinson, The California Honeydrops, and Alejandro Escovedo. First Timers include Darden Smith and Brothers Osborne as a request. I had several things floating around when I put this together. I just had fun doing it! Overall I'd say this show is mostly laid back. It lets loose with a handful of tunes but not much. Chill, like sitting under an umbrella and enjoying the rain!

Thanks Robin and Jerry! Especially Robin this time as Thanksgiving duties were primary this week! See you soon Jerry!

I hope all of you listeners had a great Thanksgiving and thanks so much for listening to the show!

Peace and love,

Mike

Last minute update: I ended up getting a tarp and throwing it over the roof! Mike - 0, Roof - undefeated! Next time!