NORTHERN NOTES – HODGE PODGE

It is very likely that hodge podge is not a legitimate phrase. But I remember it from my youth, and it meant an unrelated collection of whatever thrown together for whatever reason.
And that is how I am using it for this posting.

We’ve been eating cherries bought at a very congenial honor system roadside stand – no staff on duty.

And we started eating ‘em…and carefully depositing the pits in various containers.

And something caused me to think of Romans eating…was it oysters, and pitching them here and there.

I wonder if there is some similarity to Northern Michigan residents or visitors eating and pitching cherry pits and the ancient Romans eating oysters and pitching the oyster shells. And whether or not future investigators will dig up piles of ungerminated cherry pits and discuss the eating habits of the ancient Michiganians.

The Kayla Elise, our pontoon vessel, set sail from her slip today to the strains of Anchors Aweigh, manned by Grammi, Grandpa, and Kayla and Elise, distinguished Grandchildren.

We cruised The Narrows, a channel between the two halves of our 20+ mile long lake, looking at lake front homes, cottages, and being on the look out for wildlife, flora and fauna.
Target destination was a sugar sand beach for swimming, where the water depth went quickly from 70+ feet to two feet. Neat!

Boats collect along our lake at similar shallows and folks swim from their own decks.

Fun and frolic, food and drink. And a friendly wave from the Sheriff boat as he kept us all as safe as possible.

Grandparents need good grandkids. Our Grandkids are…perfect. They add a zest to all things.
Thank God for the blessings of Elise and Kayla.
My prayer is that all families could be similarly blessed.

Stopping by a pub for pizza takeout for dinner, we noted that b.o. is wowing lots of Europeans who think he is God’s gift to a troubled world.

Our experience with Europeans is limited. But our impression is that they know squat about American politics. And nowadays, they know squat about what it takes to run a world. Not that a world can really be run. But that folks can make a run at running it. And they have lost the skill.

They have lost the ability to know and to do. And yet they presume to be superior to the Yanks, to the one and only hyper power the world has ever seen.

Well, they suck up to the image of b.o. So do lots of Yanks.
What can I say?

Not all the dummies are on the other side of The Pond.

But the arrogance of the Europeans is…at times boggling. Is that a word?

Their sense of superiority, of superior food and art and etiquette and on and on and on.
Ok, I am displaying an American prejudice. I know it. I am. And there is lots of truth to it.

All cultures have to learn the lessons over and over again, given the passage of time.
The USA is learning to be a hyper power. I once told my son I had never had a teenage son before and that I would make mistakes but that I would apologize when wrong and try to do my best.

That is what the USA is up to in the world today. We are a hyper power learning how to use that power, how not to be governed by ‘old’ Europe and our national democrats.

Our status in the world is unique.
And some of us, many of us as we retire and recede into our Northern retreats and armchairs, see a lot and…regret perhaps that we have not done more to contribute to the success of our unique Republic.

But enough of that for now.

The list of b.o. flip/flops is growing. And the msm ignores ‘em. I could, I could list a number of them, but is is late and the dog is snoring and wife will soon put on the Up North News and I am trying to get a few thoughts down before that happens.

I will try to make up a list but, the few folks who read these humble pages doubtless know them already.
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TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;
5


Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,
10


And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.
15


I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.


I think of this poem a lot.

And of the ending in the movie Saving Private Ryan wherein the saved character stands over the grave of the officer who helped save him and asks his family if his saving was worth it.

If I ever studied this poem a lifetime ago in college I have forgotten. I do not really know what it is saying.

But it reminds me that there are things that I wish I had done, things that I wish I had tried harder to finish, things that I wish I could have another go at.

We usually do not get a second chance. As the saying goes, we pass this way but once.
But wouldn’t it be nice to maybe pass by again?

Lots of folks think it can be done…again..

some faith disciplines say no. Others...yes.

What do I say?

Well, on the one hand, ha!!!!!!!!