Autumn is the time of year for venison and for hunting in the forest for the illusive white tailed deer for many Vermonters. For my family, it was one of the most cherished times of the year. My father and his brothers were avid hunters. My uncles always looked to my father for guidance in where to go and where the deer were traveling on a regular basis. Many evenings were spent planning and figuring out where to go Continue reading
When I was six years old, I was blessed with a new baby brother. My new brother’s name was Jeffrey. Back in those days no one under 12 years old was allowed to visit in the hospital. My sister and I waited in the car for Dad to come back each time he visited Mom. One time, he returned to the car and told us to look up. Continue reading
Most of us, at one time or another, have been pests to our parents, asking if we could go with them every time they left the house. I was no exception to that, as just about every time my father went out the door, or even told my mother he was planning on it, I asked if I could go. It was more like, “Can I go too?” I also recall there were more than one of those occasions that I regretted having spoken the question.
One of such times was when I asked if I could go with my father and Uncle Dave to the top of Saltash Mountain, to listen to a radio broadcast of the Red Sox baseball game. The reception was better there. I have no idea who the Sox were playing, but I do remember Continue reading
Decades have no sense of passing,
They blend like olive oil in salad dressing.
Some sinks and spends very little time,
Saturating into the leaves.
Flavors of life depend on who is tasting.
Life is much time spent breathing the aromas,
And contemplating its placement in the meal.
With the decades come love and memories,
Making new life out of happiness.
Making love and dreams out of being in love.
Searches that went nowhere,
Following maps with no destination.
We arrived here today,
Together, never really alone.
Taking decades, waiting without knowing,
When today would be,
Because it was always tomorrow till now.
Fresh greens and the new fragrance,
Of gently crushed peppercorns.
Spice and life blended to perfection.
© Rick Wyman
Sometimes it seems life presents a pattern of embarrassing situations. School was more than frequently a series of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. My teachers got a few laughs because I was so literal in my understandings of what was said, and I would often be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I remember being dropped off at the front door on my first day of school Continue reading
When writing a blog that often consists of episodes of my childhood, I find that I have difficulty staying in the present moment. Many sources of psychological health say it is better for us to enjoy our lives if we stay in the present moment, rather than worry about our expectations for the future or dwell on negative events of the past such as divorce, loss of home and money, or injury from accidents etc. Whatever the influence for the thought, it’s a drag on our ability to enjoy the day we are currently living in and can cause such a distraction that our present moment slips by unnoticed or passes us by without Continue reading
In the 60’s, living in the woods of Vermont involved a lot of down time because there was hardly any t.v. reception, and certainly no cell phones. Riding a bicycle was the only way to experience the feeling of freedom, and how much fun you have on that bike is dependent upon how hard packed and smooth the dirt road is. One summer day, David, the neighbor closest to my age stopped by, and we anxiously rode up the road to Cavendish town. It was always a big deal when we got permission to go all the way to town about 2 ½ miles from where we lived. The partial shade of the trees made cool spots along the way. It was a free feeling to weave and change speeds at a whim as we enjoyed the sounds of the tires sliding and rolling along on the dirt. We got to the end of the dirt part of our ride where the railroad crossing marked the spot that the pavement started. Pavement riding was rare. We stopped for a few minutes to talk with a pretty girl who was a classmate of ours, but unfortunately that was the last thing I actually remembered Continue reading
Friendship,
Truth and real feelings,
Where the handshake and hug blend together.
My life and our lives
Become more than silhouettes in separate shadows.
Dreams offer more to awaken to,
And feelings have sound with more than visions.
Who knows where to look for friendship.
It is not in places we have searched,
But comes to us from behind faces
And from within the looks that eyes return to our own.
Friendship, will not build its foundation on jealousy,
Nor will it compete to gain advantage over a friend.
Sharing and filling from the same spring.
Friends tip their glasses to lips
That speak of happiness for one another.
Rick Wyman©
Parents are full of advice as their child grows. My mother was full of advice, and full of superstition and scare tactics. She had a variety of fears and she wanted me to adopt them. She was well meaning and often the lessons were valid, but sometimes it would have been good to add a few exceptions to the rules.
One of the things she told me time and time again was that if I ever got into a stranger’s car I’d never be seen again, and Continue reading
I’ve been interested in writing most of my life. As a grade school student, my interests developed with some encouragement from my educators. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Hemenway, wrote a note on my report card that I might perhaps become a writer someday. I was drawn to writing as a form of self-expression and to occupy my time and exercise my imagination. Continue reading
mind salvage 