Strasburg Rocks!

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Archives for 2015

Merry Christmas!

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Happy Holidays lights

The stockings are emptied; the gifts are open. What remains is more important: time with loved ones.

Merry Christmas signPerhaps the greatest gift the Lord gave us in 2015 is a new home in a new town. From the first day we visited Strasburg, Colorado, we have seen the beauty of its land and its people. That beauty is what inspired, and continues to inspire, Strasburg Rocks!

Happy Holidays lights by the Strasburg Convenience StoreWe are slowly unearthing all that Strasburg and the surrounding area has to offer; it is like unwrapping magnificent gifts year-round. One of the more recent discoveries was the annual Christmas celebration downtown. We were remiss then in not photographing the beautiful decorations along Strasburg’s main thoroughfare, but hopefully have made it up with a video of driving through the town late Christmas Eve (or early this Christmas morning, depending on your perspective):

Wooden carolers in front of the Strasburg Post OfficeNow, we stated that the greatest gift God blessed us with in 2015 was a home (not just a house) in Strasburg…but, of course, it pales in comparison to the greatest gift ever bestowed; one that was for all who will accept it. The 50th anniversary of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” makes it apropos to remember that sacrifice from above with the same words that Linus used when Charles Shultz bucked precedent and included these verses in a Christmas special:Continue Reading

So may I suggest
The secret of Christmas
It’s not the things you do
At Christmas time
But the Christmas things you do
All year through

Ella Fitzgerald – “The Secret of Christmas”

Kudos to Chris Oakley of C&T Auto Repair!

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Santa as a mechanicYou know you’ve done something worthwhile when it’s being emulated over 1,000 miles away…twice:

KUSA – The heartwarming story of an Eastern Plains auto mechanic who footed a $1,500 repair bill for a struggling single father, has inspired people across the country.

Chris Oakley, owner of C&T Auto Repair in Strasburg, Colorado gave the early Christmas gift to Cory Grimes. Grimes works as a part-time dishwasher at High Plains Diner in Bennett and cares for his 7-year-old son who has autism.

It would break “fair use” to quote much more of this article, but please read how Chris’ actions were emulated in Wisconsin and Louisiana:

“Mechanic’s act of kindness creates chain reaction”

The person blessed in Louisiana by the free service said the mechanic was “Santa Claus.” Seems to me Santa Claus actually lives in Strasburg and owns C&T Auto Repair. 🙂

Video:Continue Reading

Strasburg Cub Scouts Help Wreaths Across America

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Crowd at Wreaths Across America at Fort Logan National CemeteryAlthough I mentally went, “Ugh!” when the alarm went off at 6:30 this morning (so Augie and I could get breakfast together before meeting with the Scouts at 8:00 in front of the American Legion)…I am really glad we got up.

Until today I was unaware of Wreaths Across America. From their “Who We Are” “Mission & Vision”:

Our mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies on a specified Saturday in December at Arlington, as well as veterans cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Augie at military gravesAnd honor them they did today at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.  As part of working on their Fellowship and Duty requirement, Cub Scout Pack 439 attended the ceremony and laid wreaths at servicepersons’ graves.  I don’t recall the main speaker’s name, but he was a 93 year-old WWII veteran of the famous 10th Mountain Division. Trained in Colorado, he returned after serving his country.

It was a bit nippy out, but our boys did great during a relatively long ceremony, standing behind (to support) a group of Boy Scouts displaying American flags. (That was ad hoc…when we arrived the Scouts’ leader asked if we wanted to join them.)

Thanks to those who have served our country, especially those who gave the ultimate gift to protect our liberty. Thanks also to all the families who shared in their sacrifice and to those who, with missions like this, make sure we do not forget that freedom isn’t free.

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas – In Strasburg!

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Wooden carolers in front of the Strasburg Post OfficeI’m a bit tuckered today (up early to help decorate the church we attend in Centennial), so just a quick post to say how terrific the festivities in downtown Strasburg were today. If you made it, you know exactly what I am talking about: free food (including being able to decorate your own Christmas cookies), free drinks (at least hot cocoa and hot apple cider), hayrides (thanks to a huge tractor), a beautifully Christmas-tized center of town, and more…like reindeer and pictures with Santa!

Although it was helping out with the Cub Scouts that brought me down there (we were distributing the free hot apple cider provided by…and in front of…Hank’s Hardware), I am glad my tired, aching bones didn’t keep me home.  After the next shift relieved us, Michelle, Augie, and I checked out what was going on, wrapping up by visiting the great people at The Pizza Shop and…well, you can guess what we had for dinner. 🙂

Oh, and in front of The Pizza Shop was a brass band playing Christmas carols. Does it get any better than that?!:

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Turkey and boyI am not sure those who haven’t been able to live in a place like Strasburg can understand just how blessed we small town folks are. Like the vast majority Americans, we have plenty to be thankful for, but we (in this tremendous community) additionally have great businesses, great schools, and great people…

Like you.

We are thankful for Strasburg…and thankful for you regardless of where you live. Thanks for reading this blog or following us on social media. You make it all worthwhile. But, most of all…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Afternoon Sun and a Bicycle Ride

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Just two photos from recent bicycle rides (if you click on either image you’ll get a larger version)…

Last Sunday:

Sun and a flag

Today (a panorama midway in the ride):

Panorama during a bicycle ride (looking west)

Proof the Transcontinental Railroad Completed in Strasburg

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Transcontinental railroad video clipFlying from Denver to Oakland on Southwest this afternoon, I checked out a series called America Fact vs. Fiction on the American Heroes Channel. Not only was it a very interesting program, but it was pretty cool that 30,000 feet above the earth I saw proof that our great town of Strasburg is the true place where the transcontinental railroad was completed!:

Now, it wasn’t the first time I heard that…but it was the first time I learned exactly why we can claim this important milestone for our great country…thank you Kansas Pacific Railroad!

Snow in the Morning, Bicycle Ride in the Afternoon

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Earlier I posted a video of this morning’s snow, how about now I show you what the western view was during my bicycle ride this afternoon? 🙂

 Western view in Strasburg 
Life is good. In Strasburg.

Summer Is Officially Over

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Our sight at breakfast time:

The snapshot just after we got up (and before I turned off Daylight Savings Time on the webcam):

Webcam photo

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 🙂

Building Strasburg

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Ron Morse at his deskA while back I sat down with Ron Morse, Pauls Homes‘ local representative. I’ve know Ron since March, when he was kind enough to stay late on a Saturday to allow my wife, son, and I to check out a new house in their Coyote Ridge development. We bought that home…but not only did we get a house in a great town, I got a good friend in Ron. He was kind enough to agree to an interview about the company he works for, what they’ve done up to now in Strasburg, and what their future plans are…along with more about himself. (Pauls Homes and Ron received 5 out of 5 bulls and “We Recommend” from Strasburg Rocks! in our review.)

Who is Pauls Homes?

Pauls Homes is a subsidiary of The Pauls Corporation, a real estate and investment development company. They are heavily involved in commercial, light industrial, and apartments. With residential units, they are not like DR Horton, building huge complexes, instead creating developments sized in the couple hundreds. Sometimes they finish what another developer didn’t complete (e.g. the last 50 homes where someone else failed). With Coyote Ridge they built all the units, but the land was in foreclosure and the company saw a vision and opportunity (with Denver growing) and purchased it.

What have they built so far in Strasburg?

Pauls Homes has been building in Strasburg for twenty years, completing three developments, soon to complete one more, in phase one (of four) for a fifth, just starting a sixth, and planning to build a seventh. They have been here for the “long haul” and will continue to be here. Those that have already been finished or have sold units are:Continue Reading

Weekend Activities

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How was everyone’s weekend? Just back from a church fall festival (in Centennial), mine was a bit of a blur…but I thought I’d report quickly on it…because…well…it is “life in Strasburg.” 🙂

Actually, this weekend kind of started on Tuesday when (to beat the rain) we cleared rocks in the back yard and built our new tent. Augie and I plan to camp out every Friday night until it gets too cold. We’ll know it is too cold the first time we go back inside. 🙂

New tent

Friday night dad was freezing, but Augie was toasty. Instead of stealing back my 0 degree sleeping bag from him, I’ve ordered a new one for this coming weekend. Even freezing, I got some interesting shortwave listening in:Continue Reading

Produced in Strasburg: Traditores Higher Frequency

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Traditores Higher FrequencyI hope you folks will allow me a little shameless self promotion here. I am actually a Church of Christ pastor (inactive until I get a calling in the area or plant a church), and I recently started a program being broadcast on shortwave radio (called Traditores Higher Frequency). I produce the program right here in my home studio in Strasburg:

Home studio

If you have any interest in things Christian or religious, will you check it out?

Thanks either way. 🙂

Tent Life

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Tecsun PL-398BTTecsun PL-310ETYesterday, a four day weekend started for Augie, so he and I slept in the tent two days in a row. Let’s just say last night was just enough colder where dad definitely was uncomfortable and woke up quite a bit. Nothin’ layers can’t handle during future excursions.

I hope. 🙂

As for Augie…plent toasty it appears. (Of course, he is using my colder weather sleeping bag with a second one his cousin Evan gave him.)

Pictured at the top of this post are the two radios I used to check out shortwave and AM last night. The one on the left is a Tecsun PL-380BT and the right is a Tecsun PL310ET. I spent most of the time with the former…but, just as was true the previous night with the beefier Tecsun PL-880…shortwave reception wasn’t near as good as last week. I also didn’t live tweet every find this time…just the highlights.

So, without further ado…Continue Reading

Crosses by Qwikdraws Customs

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Michelle with crossesBeing modeled here by my beautiful wife Michelle are two crosses we purchased last night from Qwikdraws Customs. Michelle and I have been looking to put something artistic on the front of the house, but didn’t find anything yet that jumped out for both of us.

That is until, looking through the Coyote Ridge Facebook group I just joined, I saw this cross in an old posting. Lucky for me it was still available!

The next night we headed over, meeting Dustin and his family, and purchased the original piece plus a second, smaller one. The prices were great, and both will decorate our abode while keeping with a local flavor. We expect to buy more from Dustin…perhaps having him make something custom to put over our garage.

Please check them out and let Phil know Strasburg Rocks! sent you. 🙂

If you click on the photo you can see a larger version.

Our Purpose

The sole purpose of Strasburg Rocks! is to celebrate Strasburg, Colorado, a small, friendly town in the plains east of Denver. It does not exist to make money. However, should Strasburg Rocks! produce any net income, it will be donated back to the Strasburg community.

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