"I gotta get out more" (and then baling hay)

I've started reading "The Geography of Thought" which is about the differences in Western and Eastern thinking. Westerners learn nouns easily because we stress objects, what objects do and how to control them. Asians see "things" as they interrelate, or are connected, to a whole. Nouns, to them, aren't as important as the relationship the noun has with the background in which it is placed. Since I’m a Westerner, this book makes my head hurt ~ in a good way.

Last Tuesday I went to the coast to visit old friends. It was a beautiful day. I spent the night. The next day was beautiful too. I enjoyed being with the family I was visiting. I swore that I needed to get out of the house, (and Portland), more often. Following up on that promise-to-self, that next Saturday, I went out to Vernonia and bucked some hay with a friend of mine who owns a small farm. We brought in 70 bales which was a lot but they had baled close to 5,000. Looking at what they have left to do, I don't think my contribution was much at all but out of many small efforts, eventually great things come to pass.

It was hot and sticky work but it was good to do. I used to have a horse and love the smell of hay and warm, wooden barns. It took me back to my earlier days of getting hay in for my horse. It was also nice to ride in the back of a pick up again. That's been illegal (on the street) for so many years now that just riding in the back of the truck in the hay field and across the creek to the barn was a great memory experience.

I am grateful that I could pick up those bales although I couldn't get them higher than 2 levels on the wagon. The men, with their greater upper body strength, could toss them (65 lbs!) 4 to 5 levels high all afternoon. How can that be?? Men can be amazing that way. I love men!!

A friend has moved from the ward but we try to “visit teach” each other once a month. (We visit more than teach. It only means “schedule it in”.) Last month we did the search for fresh eggs and heritage chickens on the farm in Canby. Tomorrow, we are going to take my little kayaks out on the Tualatin River for a couple of hours. It’s a quiet little river – there is no risk of being buzzed by jet skis. We’ll look for birdlife and maybe try catching some crawdads. It’s SUMMER!! I will get out – if only for a few hours.

While in Sweden, I learned about Rhubarb juice (“saft”). I loved it. I also have a fondness for rhubarb crumble. When anyone gives me his/her garden rhubarb, it's a tough decision on how to "spend" it. Next year, I’ll have to plant my own. This year, I’ve made both a crumble and the saft. To each I added some orange zest. Wow. I love it even more! I think it is a marriage of flavors never to be torn asunder. I am so impressed that it turned out so well. Woohoo!

A quote I like from a prisoner in my Toastmaster class: “Look at a setback as a setup.” He meant of course that it was a set back to be in prison but it can be a set up for a better life later (if you made good use of the time). This guy is an inspiration. Last month he was elected Club President. It will be interesting to see how he does. We have some really fun personalities in our club now. The laughter is back and I am happy! I love my prisoners! I love life!

PS And I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings hope, happiness and life to my life!