Monday, May 30, 2016

Memorial Day 2016

I would like to say thanks to the men who died for freedom and liberty throughout our countries history.  I know your ears will never again hear the sounds of this world but there are many of us who still feel a great sense of gratitude for the courage and sacrifice of our Fallen Soldiers.

This day is for the dead but please do not forget the living.  Those who have returned from battle having seen the worse that humanity has to offer.  Men with scars not only on the outside but on the inside as well.  Many of the dead we thank today died so the men with scars could get home.  Out of the chaos of war and battle they became family - brothers.

My wife's Grandfather, Paul Villamero served in three wars - WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  He came home from each but I am sure he left a part of himself in every battle.  He did not speak much of his service but I know from his wife that he relived those battles in his sleep at night.  In July of 2007, he went to rest with his Creator.  We miss him but are grateful for all he and the MANY other Vets have given to keep this Nation and many others free.

The dead should never be forgotten, nor their reason for their death - Freedom, Family, Love and Hope for a better tomorrow.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

An abundance of sunshine makes a garden happy!

Well, I'm not trying to show off to those of you up in the northern states (Hello Redoubters!) but there is at least a nice part about living in southern California - Lots of sunshine, early and long growing seasons.  In just  a few months I have tomatoes just about to start turning red, collard greens and spinach ready for harvest.  Happy plants!
 

And that patch of straw in the lower part of the pic on the right is onions.  Something I was not planning on growing but someone left some produce too long in the buyers area at the office and I couldn't help myself but take them home and plant them. That much growth, they needed to be in the ground growing and I happen to have some ground!
The corn is going strong with one already in tassels and silk. Yummy corn coming soon!  It's only one plant that's gone that far but the others are growing nice as well.
Another bonus this morning, I was greeted by a bunch of California Poppies.  These have been a favorite of mine.  As a child, my father hauled feed to many of the dairies that WERE all over southern California (all most all the dairy farms are gone now). On weekends he would pack up the family and drive out to some of the  beautiful picturesque country where the dairy farms were at.  Out of the car window I could see the poppies in the fields so this little clump of poppies takes me back to happy times of childhood and family.
Last but not least, I had a hen go broody last week.  This had made egg collection a challenge with a girl that doesn't want to give up her eggs.  As if one wasn't bad enough, a second girl started clucking this morning and guess where I found her when I went out to collect eggs - next to broody.  Apparently, nobody had the 'birds and the bees' talk with these girls because I do not have a rooster so these girls are only hording my breakfast!


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Write To Your Representatives

I've never done this before but here I am a week after my 49th birthday writing my State representatives.  I guess this means I really am getting old...


Sir,

I am asking as a third generation California resident and a constituent in your district - Please do not vote yes in the current group of new gun or ammunition laws.  These do nothing but help crime.  By disarming law abiding citizens and lawful gun owners you will
be hurting the people you are here to represent.  

Additionally, I know these laws will make it illegal to bring ammunition in from other states but I am sure that this part is going to have only token enforcement like many of the many gun laws from years past.  What will be created is a whole new economy in black market ammunition.  

If you need a shining example of how these additional gun laws will fail, look at Chicago, Washington DC, New York and any of the other Democrat strongholds with draconian gun bans - Gun related crimes are still happening because the only people these laws apply to are the law abiding and do NOTHING to stop criminals.

Alan #####

Here in California, the Liberal politicians have such a grip on the population between the dependency class and the "we know what's good for you" groups they can get any bad law they can dream up passed.  This new group of gun and ammunition laws is simply insanity run a mock with background checks for ammunition purchases, higher fees (taxes) and the icing on the cake is that the California Attorney General has not completed implementing all the restrictions from laws passed in the 90's.

At what point will the Democrats in California start legislating against sharpened sticks and harsh language?  Meanwhile the thugs and criminals will still have an upper hand on the law abiding citizens.  They never seem to learn that their ideas just will not work - Socialism and gun control go hand in hand.  But they will never achieve the lofty long term utopia they are looking for; it always turns bad once the money is gone and the lazy dependency class they've created stops getting their freebies.

This is why history needs to be taught in our schools - these ideas just don't work.  Maybe this is exactly why it is not being taught - They really want to try the bad ideas again with what remains of the productive American tax payers footing the bill because this time they're sure they can make it work. It'll only cost us the Republic and our freedom - Don't you want to be safe and taken care of?

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Blog posts canceled due to Rant

I see why many bloggers start out strong and then fade after a couple of weeks.  I have started several posts in the last couple of weeks and ended up deleting or shelving the posts - due to rant.

Talk Radio or keeping up with the news could be the blame for my angst during this election cycle.  It is definitely been one of the most interesting presidential races in my almost 5 decades on this Earth.

We've had some possibly good leaders drop out of the Republican race. Some with dignity and grace, others not so much.  While the "handouts and breadlines" party has a Socialist and an un-convicted criminal (who is also a Socialist (Matthew 7:15-20)) slugging it out to see who can promise more freebies than the other.

In the end, the well informed are outnumbered by vast numbers of the uninformed or the Kool-aid drinking masses that will vote for some slogan or for the 'first woman' concept.  They will vote to make their moral failings legitimate and acceptable.  They will vote out of fear that the gravy train they are riding will be derailed.  Gone are the days of hard work and sacrifice to reap the rewards that they bring when you can just wait for your government check to give you the rewards that others have sown.  Taken by the state at the point of a gun.

For all the departures the progressives have taken from the simple, well written Constitution of this country, maybe the green energy people should look into tapping into the graves of our Founders.  The spinning could be harnessed as a final insult to give free electricity under an Obama energy plan.

Maybe, Dear Reader (if anyone actually reads this), you can see why I have been loath to finish a post lately.  It's kind of hard to transition from "Look - the tomato plants are starting to put on fruit" to "Elections have consequences" and not sound like a loon.  Hopefully, by my next post I will have calmed down enough to show off how well the garden is doing.