The Gift Of Nostalgia.

I am currently sitting on the front porch with the cat as it is raining.   And in the background, I have "Avenue" playing from the 2003 Full Metal Alchemist  sound track.   It brings me back. 

Funny how music can do such a magical thing.    Play an '80's song, and I'm back in High school.   In the Locker room during football camp.  In the dorm playing D&D with my brother's roommates.  Or driving home for the weekend.  Music can take your mind  back to places you forgot.   And even re-ignite those emotions you buried or lost in the process.   Truly an act of wonder and mystery.   Call it "Magic!" 

But this song hits me on so many levels.  It makes me long for the 2003 Full Metal Alchemist. ( The first one...  Not Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood 2009.)   I will refrain from trying to explain the differences on the blog post and try to focus on the initial point.    I watched that series several times.   And we eventually purchased the CD set and the music.   If anime could ever be described as an Oscar Winner for Best Series.  ( I don't know what awards the entertainment industry uses to pat themselves on the back these days....) It would be Full Metal Alchemist.    I have watched many Anime movies and series... and there is nothing that can compare to this story.    Even the later Brotherhood. ( I said I was not going to compare them!)   Could be classified into a different genre.   More action,  less story.  ( Ok,  I'm done comparing them now...) 

But the main thing is how the music takes me back.   Back to that little apartment in Iowa.   Curled up on a couch from IKEA.... Watching the series on a DVD with a 15$ Old Tube Television that we purchased from Goodwill.   Because we had no money to go out, and no money to buy nice things.    We were forced to rewatch out limited DVD collection of Anime that survived the Trip to Iowa from Michigan.   And although those could be cataloged as "Dark Times" in our lives... I actually remember them with fondness.  A touch of Excitement,  Romance, and Melancholy.  A moment in time that is now lost to history.   

When I went back to Michigan to see my Brother and Friend,   I was forced to drive through Grand Haven.   (And Saugatuck and South Haven, and Holland....) And all those Michigan thoughts came flooding in.   I could feel the "Carving and Art Show Years"  pounding on my heart like a hammer.   The places had changed a bit, but enough was there to cause me discomfort while passing through.  And one of the things I noted while on Long Drives:    Your Mind tends to Wander towards those things in the past that you: "Should have..... Would have.... Could have"  done better or different.   Would the results have been better or worse?   You will never know... 

So why beat yourself up over them.   

That is what your mind tells you.   But your Heart is beating loud and strong.. Telling you that it all matters somehow.   And maybe it is not always for the bad...   Even though it may feel like that in the moment. 

And so I listen to Avenue.   A short, little instrumental song that is played only a couple of times during the entire Full Alchemist Series.  A song that is nothing more than background when Ed and Al are on their Journey.   And they look back on their Childhood...  With Nostelgia.  

And,  like real life,  they look back on many moments of their past with Horror, Fear, and Great Sadness.   But it all works to shape their path towards the one  that they are on.  It takes them a while, but they eventually recognize that.   A line I remember is when Al  is lamenting that he and Ed do nothing but "Give to the Void"  and get nothing back in return.   Even though they wholeheartedly believe in the fundamental principle of Alchemy:   "Equivalent Exchange."   And  then another random character will offer the explanation : "Sometimes that which is gained is not always what is wanted..."   

Wisdom sometimes comes at a high price!

But this song brings back those good memories.   Those soft moments of peace and sanctuary when our world was collapsing around us.   And it brings back the person who shared those moments with me.  Even though I no longer have that person,  I still have the memories.   

And those moments.   

And all it takes is for a brief melody of music to bring them all back.   

Like... Magic.  

The music will mean little to anyone else who has not lived my life,   And even less to those who have not watched the Anime Series.  But here it is.    Just to add some context to the thing that allows Time Travel, Nostelgia, Heart Restoration, and Peace.    Enjoy. 

The Lack Of Passion.

Recently, I have become aware that I am not a very good Christian.   

Ok,  Technically,   Everyone is a sinner...   I'm not really talking about that.   I'm probably talking more about "evangelism" than actually believing in Jesus.  I believe the "belief" part I have covered.   And really that is between me, God, and Jesus.   

But as far as  sharing the Word with other people... I definitely know that I lack something. For a long time I wondered why it was so difficult to chat about something that I have been rooted in my entire life.   Heck!  I even went to College and planned on making it a career!   What was it?  

 I think it is "Passion." 

Talk to me about Alaska... And I will monopolize the conversation for hours!  To the point where people are trying to get away from me because I will just not stop!  That, is passion!

I even joined the Army just so I could go back to Alaska for an additional three years!   Normally, people do not join the Army for such a reason.   Normally,  Soldiers who get sent to Alaska did something like "Date The General's Daughter" that got them banished to such a remote place.   The only someone who really WANTS to be in the Frozen Tundra would either be a fool, an adventurer,  or both!   That is Passion!

And so it goes with "Mushrooms", and "Fish", and "The Army."   All "Taboo" topics that I am highly passionate about.  If you want me to drone on for hours and not be able to get a word in edgewise,   bring up those topics.  

But not Christianity.   

Not that I avoid the topic.   Nor that it embarasses me in any way.  I'm a Christian.   Specifically Lutheran!  Occasionally,  I will engage a Catholic (Another Christian...) for a little playful banter on our differences, (Which is actually kind of fun! For both of us.)  but otherwise I rarely go into much depth about the doctrine or faith with strangers.  I wonder why that is.  

You would think,  given the Life-changing Gift that Jesus gave us, that we ( as Christians) would be shouting the message from the rooftops!  Especially ME!   Again,  I thought I would be a part of the Ministry and went to college for such a thing.   But it was not really meant to be.   Perhaps I lacked the passion.  

When I was at Shoreland.  I was surrounded by Passionate people.   All of the teachers had that passion that I seemed to lack.  And it was both inspiring and  a little intimidating at the same time. I so wanted to have that level of dedication to being a teacher.   Specifically, a Lutheran Teacher.    But, for some reason (that was never obvious to me),  I was never able to find it.   Even with the help of all of the teachers who went above and beyond!  I think I just lacked the passion.  

I find the things that we are passionate about to be a great mystery.  I'm sure a younger me would have been confused why anyone would not LOVE fishing.  How is it possible that being out on a lake, surrounded by nature and water,  while waiting for a fish to bite is not the greatest feeling  and experience in the world?  The cold rain?  Nothing!   The hot, baking sun?   Who cares?  You're fishing!  What could be better? 

But now I'm older.    And I have a little bit of experience that has shown me that everyone finds different things to be fun.  To hold and have different things that they are passionate about.  And that is fine.    It  brings me peace knowing that there are people out there like Dave and Pastor Scoggins,   and Pastor Prange who have the passion that I lack.  And it shows ... Every Sunday with their Sermons.  And the "Burden" of bringing everyone on the planet to God is not exclusively mine.  (It shouldn't feel like a burden...)    

Don't get me wrong.   I will still chat with anyone who actually wants to know about Christianity. Just like I can talk about sports or cars or any number of other topics I have experience in, but lack the "passion" to make it a focus or career for myself.    That is probably why I was never a good teacher.   Teaching kids who want to learn is easy and Fun!  But trying to instill a passion for learning in students who do not want to learn felt like a burden. 

All of these thoughts springing up from one song that I am currently listening to.  And now this blog post is too long to add in the original thought that started me down this rabbit hole.  Funny how I go off on tangents and they can consume and take over my thought processes.  But.   Writing can be a form of therapy.  And Cheaper than drugs or doctors.   Perhaps I will write later on the song and how it got this ball rolling.     In the mean time...   I will continue to chase my passions that God gave me and try to make every second count. 

Mother's Day In Michigan.

That is correct!  I spent the weekend in Michigan visiting my brother while lumping in a mushroom hunt as an activity.   Mother's day was traditionally the time when my Grandpa Genther would go up north to hunt for morels.  And,  to the best of my memory,   there was (only) ONE time where we hit it good and filled up several grocery bags with black Morels.  Ever since then,   I have associated that day ( time of year) with peak Morel hunting time in the northern parts of Michigan. 

Well,  Manistee is nearly at the same Latitude as Marrion Michigan... So the times Should match up... Right?  

Well,  not so much.   I think we were a little late to the party.   It did not matter too much as I had to work last week anyway, so I would not have been able to get that time off.   But I had hoped that we might get it lucky.   And I KNOW that there are at least some Morels on the Property... so simply finding the location where they pop up would not be the main challenge.  

When the Morels are in their prime.  ( Whenever that is....)   You can find them usually from the road.   We have done it before!   But if they are not...  Meaning:  you are early or a little late,   Then you really have to hunt for them.  And since I am not a master of habitat or Tree Identification...  It is kind of like searching for a needle in a stack of needles. (Elm trees are the gold standard, by the way.  Still does not mean you will find them around the bases.) 

That all being said,  we did find a few mushrooms.  Mostly the Poisonous ones....  People have been posting their finds for over the last two weeks now.   And the rains of early April had flooded a number of places.   But things dried out pretty good and we only found a few.   Mostly of species that were not edible.   I did find a small button of spring Oysters, but they were so small and hardly worth eating.  

On Saturday,  We went over to visit the Arnold's on their 40 and see if we could find some there.  Eric spent the time fixing his Quad runner while Ed and I went out with the Dogs.    We only found a bunch of Birch Polypores and were about to give up and spend the rest of the evening drinking beer, when Ed saw a mature Dryad Saddle!   

We harvested it, even though it was well past its edibility stage.   we figured we could seed some parts of Erics property with slices of the mushroom.  

  In the mean time,  Ed ended up twisting his food trying to carry his dogs across the creek.   I thought it was funny, because the dogs had been running and swimming in every puddle that was there on the land.   But the moment they had to cross the creek,  they suddenly became "Damsels in Distress!"  

We enjoyed some dinner and swapped some stories. ( And drank some Beer... of course.)   I really should make plans to visit more often.   Uncle Bill went to the gun show and came back with two more shotguns to add to his "collection".  (He is a proud, card carrying NRA member!)  

And then yesterday,   Eric and I found three small Morels right where we USUALLY find them on the property.   I had looked there just days before and could not find them.   They were pretty dry and brittle, but I harvested them anyway. 

On the way home,  I stopped by Grand Haven's Harbor Island.   Where we had always found them when we lived there.  No luck.   

But I did manage to make friends with a Mourning Cloak.   With the Sun being hidden behind the clouds, and the temps dipping into the 50's,   this little guy did not want to fly.  I only noticed him because he looked like a mushroom shadow from a distance.  But finding a little gem is still a bit of a thrill, and I took his pictures for the blog.  

And now I'm home.   I washed the car;   did what little laundry I had;  and went shopping for this week's Lunches.  The Cat was happy to see me and I have been hanging with her pretty much all day.   And I certainly could use a little time to relax before heading back to work tomorrow.  All good things have to come to an end eventually. 

By the way,  Dave is coming back to sign papers and will be stopping in for a visit tomorrow.   I'm sure he will not have much time, but he wanted to at least stop in and say "hi" before heading back.   I think he wanted to visit as many family members as he can while he is here as well.   It works out since I will be heading to work in the afternoon anyway.  

There was much more to blog about on this little visit,  but I will keep this one limited to the Mushroom hunting part of it.     The weather in Michigan was as close to Heaven or Alaska as I could have asked for.   Warm Sun, cool air,  Gentle breeze....   With just enough clouds to keep the sun from being annoying.   The bugs were out, ( The Arnold's Property is located near a swamp.) but they were not terribly annoying or bad.  In short:  It was a peaceful Weekend. 

Some of the areas we searched might be great for Future Mushroom hunts in the Summer.   Ed tells me that they have "Those Yellow Mushrooms" and Corals later in the summer and early Fall.   I would love finding a bunch of Chanterelles and Corals and cooking them up on the grill with some steaks or pork chops!   We shall see how the Summer plays out.  In the mean time,   I will try to make every second count. 

Earth Day At The Haribo!

 Wednesday was "Earth Day".   The one day on the planet that we set out to recognize that we live on a planet.   And try to do stuff to make us feel like we are saving said planet.   Kind of stupid, if you ask me.   The planet will be here long after we are gone.   And it is doing its best to kill us with everything from the weather, landslides, floods and volcanoes around us.   And don't get me started on using the other living things to wipe us out!   (Black Plague, Anyone?)

As you can see, this topic is an easy one  for me to slip into a political rant against the Greenies and hippies that worship "Mother Earth."  But I would wager that few people love the "Great Outdoors" as much as I do!  Hunting, Fishing, Camping were all parts of my childhood experience growing up.   Heck!  I even went to College to learn even MORE about the intricacies of nature.  Most people who work outside do so because they were terrible in school and have no other option.   I actually went to college so I could work outside!  Try to explain that! 

So when Haribo offered an Earth Day Clean up Crew that would clean up the area on the other side of the highway,  I volunteered!  What a great way to spend a couple of hours outside with my Peeps!  And the weather was wonderful!   Making the experience all that much better! 

Most of the people were from the offices.    It makes sense to me.   I know what when I worked in an office,   getting a chance to go outside was very liberating!   And I would accept just about any excuse to be out there.  ( as long as it was not raining!)  

But there was at least one guy from the Packaging Floor  besides me.   ( So I didn't feel too out of place.)  I imagine most people were probably not willing to show up  two hours before their shift to walk around in Tick Infested brush to pick up a bunch of trash...  (That shows you where their love of the planet ends.... )   Luckily,  there were no ticks.  At least from our shift.  

  I guess one of the guys on first shift picked one up while cleaning the median.  But there was not a lot of tall grass or brush in our section.   A little bit safer.   (Ticks!  Another one of "Mother Earth's" Vectors of Destruction!)  Still,  I wore long pants for the occasion.  Had I thought of it, I would have brought my Deep Woods Off! from my fishing gear.  

The entire Event lasted a little over an hour.   And we had cleaned up a fairly long stretch of the road and highway.  Nate and I filled up two large garbage bags each.  ( Not sure about the others,  as they were further down the road)   But it was a Fun way to prep for the work day and they even brought snacks.   There were pictures for the Haribo Blog and Commons area, but I forgot to snap a picture while at work today. 

Speaking of which,  I worked today.   I have been working a lot of Saturdays lately.   Mostly because I have don't have much else to do and enjoy getting all of that Tax Free overtime now.  Who would have ever guessed that elections actually have results?  Besides,  I enjoy the work and the people I work with.   What could be better than spending the day helping out friends with a common struggle?    

Oh!   And did I mention the pay?   Which is nice.  ( And tax free!) 

It has been so nice outside lately that I even went down to the park for a bit of fishing before work.  The Bluegills are not on the beds yet, but they are getting ready... and are Hungry!   I managed to catch several before losing my fly.  It's always promising when you catch something on the first cast!   Hopefully,   when I have a free Saturday or an early morning,  I will be able to head to one of the local lakes and try my luck there.    

In the mean time,  I will have a little bit of fun with the small pond fish next door.  It's a perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy a little nature. 

In addition to the fish,  the flowers are now showing off their full colors.   Several yards in the neighborhood are spotted with dots of yellow and blue.   This is the one time of year when Ll of the Dandelions bloom in unison.  And I personally  like the symphony of yellow they produce.  I really should get out there and harvest a few for my Dandelion Green Potato salad.  (Mom called it "German Potato Salad, but that is not really what it is. )  

The cat is telling me to wrap this up as it is getting late and I have Church tomorrow... Early!  ( I can't help it, I like the early Service best.)  Which means I had better be getting to bed soon if I don't want to be a zombie tomorrow.   I have tentative plans to go out and look for some mushrooms tomorrow after Church, since I will be close to Parkside and know a few places where the Oyster Mushrooms might be popping up.   Dave already sent me a pic of some Oyster Mushrooms in Canada.  So it is possible the nicer weather has set them to bloom here.   I will try to be there when it happens.   And make the rest of the weekend count.  

The Signs Of Spring!

 The April Showers have begun and this week we have had not one, but TWO!   Tornado Warnings/Drills at the Haribo!  The last one was Friday and lasted 45 minutes!   I guess there was some flooding in Milwaukee....    But seriously...  I have never seen a Tornado in the Midwest. Usually,   it is just some strong winds with thunderstorms.   I'm actually kind of fond of them.  ( Sometimes they even drop a tree in our yard for carving purposes!)

But there has been lots of rain this year!   It even rained today!   (Slight sprinkle.)  And with the rains come all of those flowers.   I walked around the neighborhood and took a few pics of the tulips and daffodils.  Also, a bunch of the trees are beginning to sprout and flower up!   It won't be long now before all of those fruit trees start painting the landscape with pinks and yellows. 

I even found the first mushrooms of the year!  I'm guessing these are something from the "Inkcap Family"   Possibly edible,  but inkcaps have a reputation of making you ill if you drink any alcohol after eating them.  ( Up to three days!) And some will just make you sick regardless.   I did not harvest any. I'll wait for Morels.

In addition to the flowers and mushrooms,  the spring rains have also triggered the growing grass in the yard.   And after last fall,  the caretakers of this property asked if I would mind taking over the lawn maintenance.  I agreed...  After all, it was soon going to be winter and I had thought I would be out of this place by the first of the year!

But plans tend to change and here we are in April! So it looks like I had better make good on the commitment.   It has been about 30 years since I actually mowed a lawn.  ( Not counting the times I worked for the DNR.   That was a Tractor/brush hog) I used to mow our yard growing up.   Me!  With a purple push mower from Sears that hated cutting grass almost as much as I did.  It took about 30 pulls to get the thing started.   It was loud,  heavy, and dull as a butter knife.   Mom used to make me re-mow all of the sections I had just finished because it would not cut the Dandelions or Plantain stalks.  Looking back, it could have probably been a better experience had I given it a good cleaning,  tune-up, and sharpened the blade...  But I was a KID!   With no small engine experience or knowledge.  And Mom would just yell at me until I got the thing running.  She must have thought that that just yelling at something would fix  it.   Mom yelled at everything.  And most times, it worked!  (Mostly because people just got tired of her throwing a fit over everything and would just fix it for her....) 

So I had to mow the yard.   Not Eric!   Eric....  a Genius!   Mowed the lawn only once.   And he did such a bang-up job that the job was quickly handed off to me shortly after I took my first steps!   Eric was so thorough in his mowing, that he made sure to mow off all of Mom's flowers.  

And I'm not talking stray flowers that grew wild in the yard.   I'm talking "Flower Beds!"  Mowed down to the dirt!   (GENIUS move!)   You might be thinking "what kind of idiot would jump over the meager landscaping and mow off the Tulips, Hyacinths,  and Irises?"  But you would be mistaken.   He did not do it out of stupidity...   He did it intentionally!  

You see,  Eric was much smarter than he pretended to be.  Mom and Eric never really got along.   And whenever Eric would not want to do something,  he would become "Extra Dumb."   To the point Mom would call him and idiot and make me do it instead.  Not wanting to be dumb, myself... or get yelled at more,   I would do the job and try to do it so Mom would leave me alone.  

It did not take long for Eric to be banned from the lawnmowing....   And I was forced to take up the slack.   Genius!   And I was the actual dumb one not figuring that out until years later.  

But when I finally had enough money. (A small savings account with birthday money.   I purchased a new lawnmower and learned to assemble and maintain it myself.   (Because Dad was usually out of town working...  Otherwise he would have assembled i!  Because I would "hurt myself" if I ever used any of his tools....) I remember the lawnmower was from Kmart.   It was the cheapest one they had. ($70 Bucks!)   And it was lighter, quieter, and started on the second pull!   

I remember changing the spark plugs and washing the heat sinks.  I cleaned off the fuel filter and sharpened the blades.  In short,   I maintained it and it actually worked!  We had that machine until I went to college.  Then Dad purchased a riding lawnmower so Mom could mow the lawn in my absence.  (Dad still worked out of town and Mom never trusted the neighborhood kids to "do a good job."  

And so it was that I have not pushed a mower since then.   Nor have I had any opportunities to work or assemble a small motor.  Until today! 

I bought a small lawn mower at Menhards yesterday.   And I have to say,   the entire event is rather exciting.   Not so much the cutting of the grass... But mostly the assembly and maintenance of the machine.  

I have to say,  it is just like riding a bike!   (Figuratively speaking...)    The box came with instructions... But who needs those?    Besides, they are usually in twelve different languages anyway.  And who wants to read that much or be told what to do?   (Luckily,  there were pictures!)  

Most of the assembly was intuitive.  The wheels go on the frame.  The Handle goes on the back part.  And that was pretty much it.   They did have BIG RED WARNING signs alerting the customer that they needed to add fuel and oil to the machine before they could operate it.   Something I still knew after all of those years of having my own.   {Cough, cough...}

It did take a couple of pulls to get it going.  ( Even after priming it..) but it ran great!  And was the perfect size for the small yard around this house. It only took about 15 minutes.   Unlike the yard I grew up with,  this yard is small and easy.  Back in Michigan,  our property was NOTABLY larger! 

We lived on about an acre and a half or land and I used the push mower for it all!  It was also filled with large sandy patches mixed with old brush piles and stumps that mom insisted should be mowed over. It usually took me several hours to complete, counting the Kool-Aid Breaks I would take between yards. 

Now I am not a yard man.   I have no intent to purchase a weed trimmer or edging tool for a completely manicured lawn. In fact,  being in the natural sciences,  I abhor those lawns!  (Bad for bees, butterflies, and the soil!) But I do like the minimum of a mowed lawn.  And there was a bit of nostalgia that accompanied the experience.   Mostly on the equipment, and less about the actual job.  I would wager that I am probably  the first one in the neighborhood to mow their lawn for the year.   ( Unlike Iowa,   Where I'm sure Don has already mowed his lawn 4 times!)  

With yard work completed,   I now plan on spending the rest of the day inside with the cat.  She could use a little attention after a week of late work nights. 

 (At least I had this Saturday off....)  She currently is whining over something, ( probably attention) and I should probably end this post soon.   It ended up much longer than I had originally thought it would be.   But that is what happens when I take a week off from blogging.   I guess that writing bug has to manifest itself somewhere!  

So hopefully the stormy cool weather will trigger a bumper crop of Mushrooms this year.   (Specifically Morels!)   My plan is to go visit my Brother in Michigan on the property and hopefully find a few while I'm out there.   The timing should be in the peak of the season... But you never know how things will pan out when it comes to Morels.   ( So elusive!) 

In the mean time,  I will try to contribute to the blog more regularly...  And make every remaining second count.