Christmas Day 2014

Halloween '14

Behold the cuteness thereof:


And thus we see it was exceedingly great!

Celebration

Trucks, diggers and chocolate pumpkin cake join forces for a special occasion.

Character building

Having evicted the previous subterranean tenants from our front yard (i.e. aspen roots), I couldn't help but feel great satisfaction knowing that with each individual swing of the axe that I had persevered the bruising botanical bout.  Yet Nature has a funny way of reminding us that the game is far from over.  After the soil was prepped, I went about seeding the front yard with a hearty fescue blend.  Unbeknownst to me I wasn't the only one at work.  Upon hearing of the new digs in town, a conference was quickly convened by members of the Digitaria genus (crabgrass) in which it was unanimously agreed to catch the next draft over and start a rumble.  Upon discovering their nefarious plan, I armed myself with a trowel and went to work.  I cannot yet report triumph, but I can say that there is joy to be had in the journey.  Though I may be hopelessly outnumbered, each stroke of the trowel and yank of the weed brings a certain peace.  Looking at the bigger picture of life, it is because of agency, or the gift to choose for ourselves, that we can wield the power to become and fill the measure of our creation.

I have work enough to do, ere the sun goes down.

Noxious Weeds

 
Convolvulaceae arvensis - known commonly as the bindweed.  It's very name strikes fear into the heart of gardeners.  It's roots can grow to 20 feet deep and can spawn new growth from a single 2 inch rhizome, making it extremely invasive and nigh impossible to eradicate.  This noxious weed is one of the most serious weeds in temperate regions of the world, resulting in crop losses totaling in the hundred of millions of dollars each year - and it is living underneath our garden.

In finding ways to deal with this dilemma, I've subscribed to the principle that a plant cannot live without the enriching effects of photosynthesis.  Starving the herbaceous beast of sunlight is thus the only viable option.  Over the past several weeks, I have trained my eyes to detect the earliest signs of its budding camouflage spears.  From observations, bindweed can send upwards of ~2 dozen shoots a day.  Missing a day only prolongs the pain.  Initially I was dejected; however, with each passing day I take more and more pleasure in rooting out its network of devious spies.

In a spiritual parallel, temptations and impure thoughts that are allowed to fester within us can rapidly pollute our minds and destroy our peace.  I'm reminded of a Cherokee legend I heard growing up:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Ode to my Liezel

Dear Liezel,

Ever since I first met you, your spirit has radiated with warmth and kindness.  The past few years seem like a blissful dream and every time I look into your eyes, I see my perfect equal and loyal friend.

You treasure life's teachable moments

I love your playful spirit.

You roll up your sleeves and put your shoulder to the wheel (even tillers!)

 

Did I mention that you are pretty hot?

 

 You make our home a heaven on earth ...

 

 ... and do it with a smile

 

Thank you for choosing me.

Your loving and faithful companion,

Dallin

Giggles

I think the drought was kicked in the tush

The air has been buzzing with Chinook and black hawk helicopters today as stranded people are rescued.  Unfortunately, my parent's sump pump seized up the other day and was unable to keep water from soaking sections of the basement, requiring removal of carpet and moving furniture.  I was privileged to perform some minor gutter surgery and discovered how not to scale a roof.  The proper way to get onto a roof is to hire someone who knows what they're doing.  I just about slid off the garage roof on account of not being aware of my surroundings, particularly the slippery thin green residue atop the shingles hiding in the shade of a tall honey locust tree.

Saw some crazy pictures on TV and linked a few below.  Many of the farming communities east of I-25 are now feeling the full swell from the rain in the foothills a day or so ago:

Some people take their jobs seriously while others take it a step further; case in point:

The systems engineering side of me totally geeks out when I see well designed systems perform their indicated operations in stressing environments as spec'd.  It certainly boosts my confidence to see the end result.  Go Go Firetruck!

When it rains it pours

It has been raining straight for the past 5 days, but today soaked them all.  Pictures can remind us that Mother Nature is not a force to be reckoned with.

 

 

According to the USGS, many areas affected have experienced a 100 yr flood.  Dams overflowing, highways washed away and whole towns (Lyons, Longmont, Loveland, .. - is this a cruel alliterative pattern or what?) cut off by torrential flash floods make for dramatic headlines, but also uberly excited weather anchors.

One weather anchor tonight shared some interesting statistics that put the recent and unusual weather into perspective:  In the past 24 hours, Denver has received as much rain as it does on average from January to June for a given year.  Six months of rain in 24 hours?!?  Does this mean a lower water bill?  Not likely... 

Another interesting perspective: Colorado is known more for the amount of snow accumulation than rain, yet if this precipitation were to fall as snow based on water content, a conservative estimate would equate that to 80 inches just in the city of Boulder and still more up in the canyons.

As the work day progressed, I heard rumors about the latest road closures.  After lunch it was getting ridiculous and so I planned my route home, only my plan A lasted a total of 10 minutes before I had to switch to plan B.  That lasted a measly 5 minutes, landing me on plan C.  That lasted a good 20 minutes until plan D ultimately became necessary. Through it all, this comedy of errors reminded me of the following scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail of a father explaining to his son why they have the strongest and most stable castle in all the land:



The landscape on my commute home is made up of rolling hills and farm fields; however, today it resembled more the look of a swampy bayou where instead of cyprus trees, giant cottonwoods stood half concealed by dense low hanging clouds.

In retrospect, I for one would like to extend my deep appreciation for all those who have been paying their tithing, in full.

Celebration Time

Where Fire meets Ice:

In the name of cheap

I heard that Trader Joe's announced their 4th store in the Denver metro area.  This is all good and dandy; however, I would like to start a petition to bring the Aldi's grocery chain to the front range.  That's right, with ever increasing inflation and cost of living, this country could use a couple more stores where a dollar feeds a family of 8 for a week.  Who's with me?  Say I.

  

 VS.

In other news, how about some white castle Colorado?  If you build it, they will come ...

Things I'm learning about life

1 - Raising children takes a lot of work
2 - Personal time is worth it's weight in cookies
3 - Raising children takes a lot of work

Fiddler on the Roof!

My mother-in-law found a fine gem in a local music store a while back - the Cadenza and opening number to the 1971 film "Fiddler on the Roof" by John Williams.  For some awesome reason, I've enjoyed an affinty for Klezmer music since visiting the historic Jewish quarter of Kazimierz in Krakow, Poland ages ago.  A few years back I attempted to transcribe the piece - unable to locate a copy online - but got about as far as a few dozen measures before finally giving up.  It was a genuine surprise to me when I opened a Christmas present to see the title page smiling back at me.

Recently I had the opportunity to play the piece with an exceptional pianist from the ward (aka a local congregation in Mormon-speak) for a musical talent show.  Mazel Tov!

Musings on the acquisition of non-essential material goods (aka stuff)

Pringles would have you believe that "once you pop, you can't stop".  A simple and catchy marketing phrase; however, conceived with the intent of persuading mankind of the impending doom that awaits all who partake of said salty snack.  Spray-on-flavor-chips aside, it's hard not to resist the polished promises of gratification that saturate the airwaves.  As for me, I more easily succumb to guarantees of efficiency.  For example, there's always another kitchen gadget out there that can do the job quicker, easier and better.  If left unchecked, I could amass an exorbitant collection of culinary contraptions.  To my benefit, I am happily and blissfully married to a most loving and wise woman, and therefore comprehensively checked.  That's a good thing, because there's more to life than the next shiny thing.  #family  #peaceofmind

Unwelcome germs and other loathsome things

We live in a marvelous age of medicine and specialists; procedures and therapies.  Living amid such aesculapian abundance, one would think the world would be a healthier habitat.  Yet despite the medical marvel of our day, the enemy remains a stubborn foe, ever lying in wait.  I speak of unwelcome germs, to whom I direct the remaining words of this post: "Wake up, pack your bags, and get outta my house"  That is all.

It has been said that "The First wealth is health;" however less commonly known is the Second wealth, otherwise known as Financial Backer of said First wealth.

Proof that I update my blog at least once a month

 

A park sign near our old dwelling dispensing timeless wisdom

 

Another sign near our old dwelling place, proof that dinosaurs have no respect for formal education:

 

The largest carnivorous plant of plant zone 5 eating a typical midday meal of fencepost.