Son David and his daughter Elliana. Always and still a terrific father.
American Press Travel News-Bob and Barb, On The Road Again, but remembering our dads. June 19th, 2022–What does it mean to have a dad, a true dad who gives of his time, not just his money, as a child is raised? Everything!!! A dad, and as an extension his parents, your grandparents mean a lot in the forming of a child to an adult in all stages of those formative years. The word “formative” is the operative word!
A child can grow up bereft of a true dad, but is definitely missing key elements in a healthy, mind forming benefit. We can go to the bible to see how important family is in molding a healthy individual, or not. Speaking directly, I, and research, and real world tells and shows us how damaging it is for individuals and society to have a person missing such an important component, as missing a huge portion of what family values incorporates into a persons makeup. This America has a huge amound of dead-beat dads. Family values are the only things that can turn America around. Only politicos that are real fathers and mothers, not grifters of the world should be duly elected by intelligent people!!
A great way to exercise your butt and casting arm!!
American Press Travel News-July 15th,-Bob and Barb at Goose Holler’ Farm and Ranch–Well, we are self-quarantined, or sequestered, or hunkered-down. Never in our life, have we ever thought, that we would be in-hiding from something we cannot see with the naked eye! So here we are, waiting for what we think we know, what the future could hold for us, and everyone else in America, and the world, are waiting for. We hope its a real vaccine that is easily available for everyone, quickly! In the mean time, what we all have to do is keep our “cool”, not let our cheese slip off the sandwich! There are several ways to keep the bulb in the socket, for light at the end of the tunnel: Number 1– Stay in touch with your loved ones and friends. Reaching out for sociality now is vital for the human psyche. 2-Stay away from the constant TV news channels that pump info on statistics and fear. 3-Pickup on an existing hobby, or acquire one. Go hobbies.com for ideas, and also do a home improvement project or two. 4-Eat and drink well! And if married, or sharing your hideout with a friend, still find alone-time, too!
If you have a pet, feel blessed! Why? Getting out of yourself, and caring for a pet is a therapy, all on its own. If you don’t have one, get one! Dogs are best, cats are great too! A dog is empathetic, and note; spelled backwards, dog spells G-D! With a dog you have to bend to feed, and pickup after it. Smile, and look into the eyes of an entity that will not judge you, love is always real. A dog is always faithful to the love it is shown! And remember; Exercise is a key component in staying healthy. Everything is connected from head to toes. Not seeing to thewhole body by forgetting to care for any part of it, will effect the whole body!
Just finished clipping thorny brush away from the fence that blocked my view of feeding bass. Got my juices flowing, as I just sat back down to my monster, flip-top, laptop. No it just has a 17-screen, but I feel like I’ve got to feed the monster every few hours-I’m a writer, eh? A few thoughts: Great exercise, a full-set of clothes, after a towel-bath, and here I am again!
I love to do exercise that allows me to look back and see exactly what I accomplished with my sweat-equity. I used to actually go to a health club. I lifted weights, pulled cables with iron attached, and rode a bike to nowhere. Yes, I got sweat equity, but always felt that I was beingtotally self-serving-just stretching muscles, pumping heart, etc. I guess, before my farm, that’s what I needed to do as a food and travel writer. Got to burn those amazing home-made desserts off somehow! Oh, and while I was out there along the fence-line, the blackberries were black. So, I stuffed my mouth with mostly sweet, vitamin C.
Our Terry as a pup. Gone now, I still mourn his loss!!
The take-away from all of the above is: Keep moving, don’t despair, stay healthy, drink, drink, drink–water, mostly and try and keep more smiles on your face than frowns.
Amercian Press Travel News—-April 3rd, Goose Holler’ Farm and Ranch–Bob and Barb Have Stopped to Smell the Roses!!!
This is tough to write about so I’ll keep it short. This is truly a time that try’s men’s & Women’s Souls! For those of us who have a wife, husband or live-in mate, things are very tough, but not as tough if anyone is facing this alone. Barb and I are getting daily calls from our son, and my mom who is, about 100-years old, and totally mobile (so lucky for her and her spirit) but we are also being in touch with Barbs friend who is alone, after losing her terrific husband. People need to feel that they are thought of, especially when the bleak meets the road!! I ask everyone to call, email or skype, wherever possible to folks that need love and contact. We all do!!!!!!Barb and I have a daughter-in-law Doctor of nursing on the front line, my cousin Adam a doctor doing 12-hour shifts in the largest NY hospital, and my son; Director of Emergency Management at the Homestead, FL Air Base. Please keep them in your prayers and all the first and emergency personel. Fireman and law enforcement are doing double duty too!!! I went to a food store and saw how vulnerable workers, checkers, etc. were. As we checked out our groceries, the young woman looked at me and smiles. I told her how much we appreciated her doing her job so well in times like this. She began to tear-up and said: “Thank you so much, I needed that right now.”
Love alot, and cry a little!!! Please remember, Pray for our great president, Vice President and their team, trying to get and keep a handle on this Plague of unprecedented dimensions.
American Press Travel News March 12, 2020–Bob and Barb “Stopping to Smell the Roses”, and remembering his best friends.
My first dog pal was Shishkabob, she was alternately covered in bands of white and black fur. She reminded me of my favorite skewered dish of Shishkabob. I don’t have an image of her for this article, just pictures of her in my memory. I was in my last year of college, It was February, the coldest month in Vermont and it was snowing. I looked out my apartment window and saw this dog next to the front door of a Jewelry store in Brattleboro, VT. It was shivering. A patron opened the door and I saw it run in.Donning my coat, I went down the stairs, across the street and entered the store. The owner was shooing the near- frozen- dog out of the store, and the patrons smiled and looked on. I asked if this was anyone’s dog? No one responded, and so I scooped her up, took her home and she became my first, 4-paw, best friend.
Terry lived with me for 14-years. She really lit-up my life. Long gone now, I remember her funny, and sometimes delightful antics. My second dog was when living in the Florida Keys. It was a rainy New Years and Barb heard about a dog that was being held, but being mistreated by this family in Key Largo. The puppy-dog was 7-months old. He was being left in a closet in a plastic garbage bag with his muzzle taped, so when the owners who were tenants, and not allowed to have a dog, left their home, he couldn’t bark. I took him, after being extremely gruff with the people, cleared him of ticks and worms, and Charlie became my dock-dog. He too made it to 14-years. He was our traveling companion all over the USA as we traveled in our motorhome, fly fishing America!! My third dog also traveled with us around America. Terry, mixed up Terry, was our fabulous pal for about 14-years too! Terry saved me from a huge tree that fell in the exact spot I had been standing, one evening at our farm. He pulled so hard and whined that I walked away from repairing a solar fence light. The tree fell seconds after I was away from the fence. We buried Terry 2-years later after his kidneys failed, on our farm, with a carved granite head-stone made for me by a Cherokee Indian in Alabama. Dogs-just cannot live without them, and for me it was proven!!!!
Barb in Minnesota fishing with Charlie.Charlie with pup Terry!!Terry as an adult.
