Morning Reward

Sometimes, there is an extra reward for getting up early in the morning. This morning, for example, I was treated to the most beautiful of eastern skies when I stepped out to let Tighe outdoors after his breakfast.

I've been enjoying time in my workshop recently. There has been a list of projects that I've wanted to do for some time. Some were just for me, while others are things my kids have asked me to work on. In the former category is this oak music stand that I completed about ten days ago. I've had the plan for some time. It intrigued me because of some of its construction features–I like trying new techniques and methods. The stand is fully adjustable, with pegs that control height and tilt–I turned the handles for the pegs on my lathe. I've not decided what to do with the stand now that it is complete. Of course, I could give it to one of the grandkids, but I've also thought off and on of continuing to work at learning the guitar. If I did that, I could use the music stand myself. Time will tell! I'm working on more fun things that I may share in a future posting.

Thought I would also share with you that I just finished an excellent book called Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch. This is the second in a trilogy of books devoted to the history of America during the Martin Luther King years and the civil rights movement. A good friend recommended the trilogy to me, and it has been well worth my time. I'll read the final book sometime later this year I think. Reading this one and thinking back to the years from about 1963 to 1965 that the book covers, when I was an undergraduate here at Iowa, really brought me to thinking about all the constructive activism and political process that was going on at the time. It doesn't feel like we are able to do that anymore. All of us Iowans are completely exhausted by the approaching presidential caucuses. For many of us, myself included, there seems to be only bashing and anger and name calling and very little constructive dialogue upon which to make a choice. At this point in my writing I could easily veer off into opinions and expressions of disgust with the Republican party, big money interests in politics, gun control, immigration, religion, and on and on. However, the day started with that beautiful sky and lifted my mood, so I'm not going to go there.