Celebrating Strasburg, Colorado, a small, friendly town in the plains east of Denver...
Time to go onto other things…but late yesterday afternoon and evening we threw up the first version of a new web site for Strasburg’s Cub Scout Pack 439 (and tweaked it today). Check it out?
Even better…have a boy in first and fifth grade or who is 7 to 10? Please contact them and see how your youngster can have a ton of fun will improving his skills and growing his character.
…you will get to see me wear this cool name badge. 🙂
Well…you’ll get to see it in mid-February when I become Cubmaster. 🙂
However, join now! Great kids, parents, and leaders. Lots ‘o fun and activities that’ll help your youngin’ gain skills and build their character. If you are interested and want more info, please contact me.
P.S. I was chosen specifically because the wanted someone who, quote, “Wouldn’t be afraid to act crazy.” Now, if that doesn’t sell you on it, what will?! 🙂
P.P.S. I got my badge via QuatermasterStore.com.
After visiting a friend in Cañon City, I’m heading back…and this is just a taste of the beauty living in Strasburg allows me to experience…
P.S. Yes, my car needs a wash. 🙂
The stockings are emptied; the gifts are open. What remains is more important: time with loved ones.
Perhaps 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!
We 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):
Now, 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
Although 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.
And 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.
I’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!
Just two photos from recent bicycle rides (if you click on either image you’ll get a larger version)…
Last Sunday:
Today (a panorama midway in the ride):
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? 🙂
Life is good. In Strasburg.
Our sight at breakfast time:
The snapshot just after we got up (and before I turned off Daylight Savings Time on the webcam):
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 🙂
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. 🙂
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
Yesterday, 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
Being 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.
I don’t know how many more Fridays there will be before it is too cold, but Augie and I spent the night in the tent again (and I am not sure who looks forward to or enjoys it more :-)). Although it doesn’t fix it 100%, being away from all the electromagnetic interference in the house means both AM & shortwave listening are better, so I live tweeted what I found again (as I did last week). Reception last night was amazing. I think the best since I started the hobby back up a couple months ago.
Before I put the stream of tweets below, I wanted to share the most exciting part of the evening, tuning in Radio New Zealand International (transmitting from New Zealand). The clip plays a few selections…and at the end has proof it is Radio New Zealand (they do a station id). This morning they had replied back on Twitter (also below) and I actually picked them up again! (Albeit, on another frequency.)
I didn’t get enough sleep last night, but I am still jazzed from all the neat, and often very distant, stations I picked up! Here is what I heard:Continue Reading
Augie and I grabbed breakfast at Taco Bell in Bennett, and on the way back I wanted to snap a picture of whoever was manning the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive in front of the Strasburg Convenience Store today to remind people it was going on.
And that was Chad. 🙂
So you have two chances to help great causes…all day in front of the Strasburg Convenience Store or from 12-6 at Love’s Travel Stop (for the local Cub Scouts).
But Chad wasn’t the only person we ran into at the store…Augie was able to snap a selfie with Byers High School Homecoming Duchess Tailor (my apologies to the Duchess if I spelled it wrong). Congrats to her for being the homecoming duchess, and hopefully all will have a great, safe (that’s the dad in me speaking) time in Byers today!
The job that allows me to live in the great town of Strasburg means I do have to travel, and I spent the last couple days in Pasadena, California with the management team for our new consolidated department. One of my peers suggested we catch a comic hypnotist who was in town at the same time. I entered The Ice House Comedy Club not knowing who I was going to see only to find out that one of my favorite comedians, Gabriel Iglesias (“Fluffy Guy”) was hosting it (and he did some standup himself).
But that wasn’t the only good news…the opening act was another tremendously talented comedian, Alfred Robles. I should note two things: (1) I never saw or heard of him before and (2) he was the first standup comedian I saw live.
And he was great…one of the best performances I’ve seen recently. Really impressed. If he isn’t already, he should be headlining.
Now…after Alfred…and after Gabriel (who was also great)…Rich Guzzi took the stage and I’ve got to say, he was an amazing combination of humor, caring, and hypnotic skill. I’ll be up front and say that I had (and still have) concerns with hypnotism (even some religious ones), but if anyone could convince me that there is nothing nefarious with it…Rich is probably the guy. He is either a practiced liar or someone with genuine concern for the participants and who is committed to using hypnotism for positive purposes.Continue Reading