9000 Words

  Photo credit:   ( Scott Cain ) "Should you decide to sail away" Written for Cheyenne If you go I will not interfere    I will stand upon the foredeck White trousers and blue blazer Flapping in the breeze   Watching in stoic silence   Your vessel departing for warmer waters   Staring without wavering   Blinking not  Until that dot on the horizon disappears I will not tell the crew what I had just witnessed   It is not their burden to know. Every one of your words unforgettable in my soul. I will look to their smiles for gratitude   I will seek their laughter for latitude But in my cabin   In the quiet moments I will play a different tune out of my eyes   Where every note remembers   The one who filled my cup in unexpected ways.   Today’s entry in the ships log Will not mention any fever-filled designs   To swim to an uncharted shoal   At breakfast in the salon   where I take my grub   I ...

  Photo credit: ( Scott Cain ) "Bewildered by your light" Written for Cheyenne At the Waters edge Where I, accustomed to a dabble Found water splashed on my face A wave from a depth bewildering my place Water in my hair Running down everywhere   I look for composure within   and realize I am not prepared to swim From water a fairness of aquamarine   Quite possibly more worthy than a dream Gave question of confidence beyond the shoal As I looked upon that destination before my soul

Photo credit:  Scott Cain  "St Patrick Stew" For Colin Happy St. Urho’s Day!   For my son, the recipe distilled from five other recipes. Hopefully he likes it. The venison from Robert Ruiz (AKA, Bobby Danger!). It had been in our freezer since 2022 and 2023 respectively.  Essentially all ingredients were what was on hand on this day. At the start of the day (8am), the meat was still frozen. so I added it to the slow cooker immediately, and covered it with the all the liquids required for the recipe. Once defrosted (10am), I added the remaining ingredients. Turing the cooker on high for one hour and then back to low for 7 hours. I estimate that all should be ready by 6pm. 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound venison cubed 1 pound ground venison 1/2 pound bacon (cut to squares)*cook separately and then add 1/4 cup all purpose flour Freshly ground salt and pepper 2 cups beer (Guinness) *one pint 2 shots whiskey (Old Grand Dad 115) 1 tablespoon Worcest...