Monday Musings - April 28, 2014

1. Sitting on the back deck last evening with Chris, who is finally home, and a 2001 Pinot Noir from one of my favorite wineries in California was a fitting end to a difficult time.

2. As I turned onto my street yesterday afternoon at the end of a six hour drive from Upstate New York, I was amazed at how the trees had filled out. There were actual leaves on the trees and their shadows were no longer of stick figures.

3. Due to the cold weather, I am sad to report that pool opening day has been slipped two weeks to May 17th. Maybe the thermometer will be registering more 70 degree days and fewer 30 degree nights by then.

4. Game 6 tonight--Penguins and Blue Jackets, Pens up 3-2 in the series. Be there!

5. I had an interesting discussion the other day about taxes. It is amazing how municipalities are finding new and creative ways to increase revenue through taxes. Why is it that our representatives believe they should be increasing taxes as first resort to balancing budgets?

6. While I'm on taxes, Maryland, between 2007 and 2012 levied 24 tax and fee increases totaling $2.4 billion, according to the referenced report. AND during the 2014 session, when there was a surplus in the budget, instead of refunding the excess, they found new ways to spend the money and reduced tax deductions, which is effectively a tax increase.

7. Chris and I visited a very nice winery on the shores of Seneca Lake while on our way home yesterday, Catharine Valley Winery. I'll write it up later, but for those of you tracking, we did get two more grapes on our quest for wines from 100 different grapes!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My very special nephew Troy

Yesterday was a difficult day. It was a celebration. How can a celebration be difficult?

Well when you are celebrating someone who was very special and made a huge impact on his local world in 23 all too short years and is now gone, it can be difficult.

But it was uplifting to see how much of an impact one person can have on others.

His story was in the local paper, The Ithaca Journal, on Friday and was picked up today by USA Today. Wow.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/04/25/ithaca-golfer-masters-cancer/8144595/

I learned a lot about my nephew yesterday from his friends. He leaves a great legacy and so his story is not yet finished.

Thank you everyone who has been praying and supporting my family through this difficult time.

Bob Doan
Elkridge, MD

50 Years

OK, I know I am not supposed to write about work and the stuff happening there in this blog--but, celebrating 50 years as an organization is really special.

To everyone I work with, everyone that I have worked with in the past, and everyone that came before me in the organization--thanks, you are all great. We have a great history and we live for the future--how much more awesome could that ever be?

Today is going to be an especially tough day for me personally. Many of you have read about my nephew Troy and know what my family is dealing with--but the culmination of 50 years of fantastic service to our nation by my small organization has really helped me to focus my energy and time.

Even Makayla senses my anguish over how this particular Saturday is going to play out. She is going to have an overnight with her best friend Chewie, Patrick's dog.

To all of my work friends--congrats on 50 years of success.

To all of my family--I pray for peace and comfort in this distressing time.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Troubled Drivers

The speed limit is 55 MPH on Maryland Route 100. I was going somewhat faster, but moving with traffic and not trying to be either the fastest or slowest car on the highway.

A huge pick-up truck came up onto my bumper trying, I believe, to push me to go much faster than the speed I was going. Yes, I was in the left lane, but I was still traveling at a speed which risked a ticket from Maryland's troopers. 

There was no way that was I going to go faster. The driver behind me was inching closer to my bumper. OK, I slowed a bit to make a point and hopefully get him to back off, to no avail.

It was scary. 

Finally, the driver passed me on the right and was able to get just in front of me before I exited the roadway. 

Why are people like that? All of that angst and aggravation to gain 50 feet. Less than a second of driving.

Aggressive and in-your-face drivers make the roadways dangerous.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Below Normal Temperatures

Forecast from April 24, 2014

Although Spring is here, I am still hearing the words "below normal temperatures" every morning on the daily weather forecast.

Ugh!

I could really use some warming weather where the temperatures are "above normal" for a few days or weeks. 

I long to have my pool open, but the cold temperatures are keeping me from even buying my annual supply of chemicals, which I need to do before the sales end. 

In addition to the below normal temperatures, rain seems to dominate the forecast. Cold, rainy, gray skies. That, of course, leads to a gray and gloomy mood.

I dream of hot sun and sand on a beach somewhere where the ocean water temperature is at least 80 degrees. It is time for palm trees and warm weather flowers--cue the geraniums! But, I fear there is still a threat of frost! 

There have been a couple 80 degree days recently, but they were just teasers and soon departed for the cooler temperatures we are experiencing. 

Warm temperatures are out there and I am sure there will be a lot of complaining when they finally arrive. But I, for one, am looking forward to basking (or is that baking) in the warm sunshine.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Gardens Grow so Quickly

I took a quick tour of the gardens even as it was raining yesterday and was amazed by the bleeding hearts. They have grown from almost nothing into thriving plants complete with blooms in less than two weeks. Despite the cold weather and rains, they continue to grow.

I am encouraged by their growth because I enjoy the bleeding hearts in my gardens. They are definitely springtime plants, but the speed at which they grow is also encouraging. 

Although I am definitely a summertime person, I appreciate the rebirth of life that abounds during the springtime. I recall Sunday morning, looking out the window an seeing three rabbits playing--OK, it looked like they were playing, in the yard in upstate NY. They were running around the yard chasing each other similar to the way that children play. I can imagine they were enjoying the more moderate springtime temperatures, in the low 40's that we were experiencing that morning.

Each new day brings new joys to discover. And yes, the lawn still needs to be mowed, it was raining yesterday when I had time to actually accomplish the second mowing of the year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Grass Needs to be Mowed

Well, I wished it upon myself. I was waiting for the grass to green up so that I could mow it for the first time and enjoy riding my tractor around the yard. 

Be careful what you wish for because it may come true. 

I looked last evening and I noticed that the grass needs to be mowed again--just a short week after my first triumphant ride across the lawn on my tractor!

Somehow it already doesn't feel like a victory.  But it is springtime and the lawns need to be mowed and cared for. That is why I put fertilizer on the lawn--to make it green so that I could mow it. 

But I have been so busy lately, I haven't even had much time to enjoy the greening of the lawn before I need to rev up the tractor again.

As I was heading out last evening, I noticed that many of my neighbors were also mowing their lawns--it is that time. The trees are green and the lawns are growing.

That is a good thing. 

The weeping cherry was beautiful, as expected. I do miss my plum trees which died last year--they would have been full of blooms as well. But, there are a few dogwoods blooming in their place.

It appears that all of my favorite friends are recovering from winter's grasp.

Yay!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - April 21, 2014

1. Happy Easter Monday, be sure to enjoy the White House egg roll.

2. It has been a rough weekend and, amazingly,  Easter happened despite everything else going on.

3. I was surprised at how springtime has happened in Maryland but not yet un upstate NY. It was nice to watch springtime return as I traveled farther south yesterday. 

4. Sleep is overrated.

5. Faith is what gets us through the times when we can't see the way.

6. On this date in 1836, the Texas army under the command of Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto. 

7. Computers can be very frustrating. I was trying to install new software and I couldn't get it to run properly! Ugh!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Easter Mercy from Iran

Happy Easter!

As most of my readers probably understand, my celebration is a bit muted this year. But, it is because of Easter that my faith continues strong despite the deep unanswerable questions that confront me.

While reading the news the other day, I ran across an act of mercy from an unlikely country, Iran. I call it Easter mercy, although I know that Iranians don't celebrate Easter.

The situation was that a young 18 year-old Iranian man was to be executed for murder. He was sentenced to be hanged for his crime.  The victim's mother pardoned the killer and stopped the execution while the noose was around the condemned man's neck. You can read the full story in Sky News.

The story resonated with me because like the condemned man in Iran, I too deserve to die for my sins. But, the good news is that because of Easter my sins are forgiven.

If people could forgive each other in the same way that God has forgiven us, what a great planet this would be to live on!

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Outpouring of Love

Troy

I was up early this morning, about 5 AM. I looked out the window and saw the first signs of the day. It was an early morning scene filled by deep red hues and silhouetted hills on the east side of Cayuga Lake.

It was a surreal scene. I was thinking about Troy and Easter and resurrection and eternal life. No wonder I couldn't sleep. My mind just kept turning over the events of the past week and how quickly things had changed.

I checked the Ithaca Journal on line for Troy's obituary. The outpouring of love for Troy has been astounding and I am constantly amazed by the entries on his Facebook page from his friends. 

The images in this blog were posted by some of his friends.

The comments on his page are even more telling and not just from peers, but from teachers as well. His infectious personality affected everyone he met.

I have made up my mind not to talk about him in the past tense--but in the present because he still lives. Not just in my mind and heart, or the minds and hearts of everyone who knew him, but he lives eternally at a new address. It's just I can't phone him right now.

The last couple of lines from his obituary provide some information that some of my friends have asked for and so I will copy it here--but I urge you to click the link above and read about the wonderfully full life of my extraordinary nephew.

Excerpt from the Ithaca Journal, April 19, 2014:

We were blessed to have him in our life, but are deeply saddened by his passing at such an early age, with so many things left he wanted to experience. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 26 at 2:00PM at the Danby Federated Church, 1859 Danby Road, Danby NY. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a scholarship fund which will be set up in memory of Troy at Ithaca High School. Donations to the Troy Whittemore Memorial Scholarship can be sent in c/o Mike Kasel at 320 Elm Street, Ithaca NY 14850. 


-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY