ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Family and faith are my top-most priorities in the life I am blessed to share with my beautiful and dedicated bride; we're the proud parents of two brilliant, caring and creative adult children, and enjoy the companionship and antics of our three furry, purry pets. We live amid the nature and majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountain region, but love adventuring to explore the many other creative wonders and captivating cultures on God's beautiful Earth.
I've arrived at the descriptor of "nurturer" for myself because it crisply captures the important purpose of the two "jobs" I've kept myself busy with over the past couple of decades. I work at a middle school with struggling readers during the school year, and overlap that at a greenhouse/garden center taking care of flowers (and customers) for a few intense months in the spring and summer. Both jobs bring me joy, inspiration, and cool opportunities. Although they differ widely in their execution, the compelling commonality of both jobs is the emphasis on "nurturing." I endeavor to create the ideal environment for optimum development and growth for both budding young readers and seedling flowers. Witnessing the blossoming of a beautiful flower or the beautiful mind of a child is a glorious reward!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

A "Sensical" Tour: Part II: SOUND

Over the past months--since before my negligence--I have reveled in a number of auditory events that hint at memorable moments of our lives.  Tune in now; listen with a sensitive ear, and enjoy the euphonic melodies of our momentous months.

**rhythmic clickety-clack and haunting whoooo-hoooo of  arriving and departing Amtrak trains as they carried the princess home and away for her winter and spring breaks from college.  About a 24-hour ride for her, so she's really ready to be off when she arrives, but always a blessing to have her home--even if the six weeks (between Thanksgiving and New Years) or the eight days (mid-March) rush by way too quickly.  Actually, in March, the train brought both the kids home to us, as the son flew from Bozeman to MN during his spring break, spent a day with his sister meeting her friends and seeing her college, and then accompanied her back home on the train.  Good time for them to be able to spend some sibling time together.  He was only home about a day before we needed to drive him back to Bozeman to get back to classes.

**gentle, whispery breaths and squirmy baby gurgles of our five-day-old great-nephew as he lay contentedly sleeping or wiggled peacefully in my arms during our late-February visit with him, and his lovely Mommy and Daddy.   My sister is the first of us siblings to become a grandparent and she declares her grandson is the "prettiest baby in the world."  The beautiful bride and I were also very enthralled and charmed with his full head of curly black hair, sweet round cherub face, and sparkly dark eyes.  Have only seen a couple photos in the past several weeks, but he seems to be holding on to that angelic image.

**garbled and rushed, nearly-overlapping airport announcements --spoken in an amazing variety of accents-- repeating tirelessly over static-filled PA systems, on our couple extended weekend treks out for family celebrations.  Treasured time with brother and his charming new bride at their wedding in a historic chapel nestled against the saguaro-sprinkled foothills of the Sonoran Desert in January.  Pleasant preparatory moments, a simple, special ceremony, followed by flavorful Fiesta cuisine among the rustling trees and twittering birds on the "veranda" of a Mexican retaurant, and a bit of desert sight-seeing the next day with brother and his bride, her sister, and our sister made it a memorable whirlwind winter weekend visit for us.   And pleasant, relaxing family time with bride's dad and brother in CA in mid-April; enjoyed more tasty Mexican dining, gorgeous rose-filled tour of friends' nursery, and necessary time at the beach while helping celebrate Dad's 80th birthday; even skyped both kids so we could all sing Happy Birthday together from three time-zones.  The flip-slap-shuffle of playing-cards during a couple nights of fun family card games (all of which I came in last place) and the grinding whir of the automatic juicer as I prepared superbly tasty fresh-squeezed juice from the backyard citrus trees all contributed joyful moments to our festive family weekend.

**gentle mews, insistent mewling, contented rumbling purrs all resonate daily from our home as we continue to enjoy and cater to our three furry feline friends: calm, quiet creamy-chocolate colorpoint, K' Zool; attitudinal and demanding, but very loyal and loving soft-silvery grey Sakura; and our active, playful tom, fiery-orange tiger-striped Phoenix.  Can't really imagine our days without their needy, but comforting and cuddly company.

So, friends, keep listening.  Bask in the happy harmonies and beautiful beats of your life as "time marches on."   

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