With the thunder and lightning nearly knocking me out bed last night, I’d say we’ve been on a wild ride with our weather since April. Here we are only a day away from the Summer Solstice, and it sure doesn’t feel like it’s time for the sun to start marching south again. I’m afraid everyone in North Iowa will be fit to be tied if we’re not given at least a few exceptionally pleasant months before winter arrives. Since I’m not even the slightest in like with winter, I’ll likely be one of those who’ll not be happy with a “fly-over” summer. Since I visited the Baltic countries a number of years ago, I’d say North Iowa is looking all the more like one of their areas.
My appointments were stacked to where I was about five minutes from being late for each. I’m glad they all fell into place without rushing myself along with any clients or customers. In between one of my appointments, I couldn’t help but stop a moment near all the excavating that’s taking place on 5th St. SE near Federal Avenue. Oh Mercy! I have no clue why they’re doing so much digging other than possibly installing new infrastructure. Those staggeringly tall hills of ground-up concrete are much larger once you get closer to them. I’ve never seen extensive road work like that being done on such a small stretch of highway. I’m sure Hardee’s business is hurting because of it.
Another one of Prairie Place on 1st condominiums went under contract today. Since that was my number one pick, I now have to decide which one of the 10 units remaining I’ll be dubbing my favorite. Perhaps Unit 305 will be my new “precious” because of it being on the third floor along with having a beautiful maple tree outside which is a portrait in and of itself. I’m sure anyone living in that unit would fully enjoy watching that tree going thru all four of its seasons. Some like to watch paint peel, but I’d rather watch the subtleties of living trees. When the wind is blowing, some of their branches begin swaying in almost rhythmic fashions. Take time to slow yourselves down enough to experience it. It’s almost mesmerizing.
I’m not sure if I ever spoke about a colleague who I worked with a number of years ago. The few times I would have to go out to his secluded homesite after hours, I would find him seated on a wooden bench in the middle of a clearing that was surrounded by mature trees. One particular time, I asked his wife if that was a daily happening with him. She smiled and said, “As long as it’s not storming, he’s out there getting re-fueled”. That “re-fueling” was just another way of saying Mother Nature was helping him get back into balance from his sometimes very stressful day job. He’s long passed, but I’ll never forget the many gifts of knowledge and understanding he so generously gave me.
One of my well known’s got me laughing yesterday when I was speaking about some of the demands people who live far away believing it’s their right to place on others. After mentioning a crazy conception one of them has, she said while tapping her forehead, “You gotta remember there are those who’ll go to their graves with addlepated ideas. And just remember, no matter how hard you try convince them otherwise, they’re gonna stick to their guns.”
Tonight’s one-liner is: In death, the good ones are the last forgotten.
