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Happy 13th Birthday River Priest
Today (January 16, 2010) is my one and only nephew River Thomas Priest, 13th birthday.
Happy Birthday River and welcome to pre-adulthood (aka teen-ager). Yes, I have a niece -Sister Kally-and more on her later.
I can’t begin to describe what a blessing this special boy (now a teenager) continues to be. He’s a sweet, compassionate and caring kid. Although I don’t want time to fly by I can’t wait to see what he is going to do during his adulthood. He is a one of a kind blessing to others.
One of my most favorite stories I love to tell about River come from a trip that Greg and I took him and his sister Kally on Spring break 2009 to St Louis Missouri .
We were walking in the downtown area towards the St Louis Cardinals Baseball Stadium for a moment, I lost eye contact with River and looked to see what he was doing. I looked back and River and was giving money to a stranger, a homeless beggar. He did it totally on his own. Not asking permission, not telling what he was doing- he just did it!
What an altruistic act for a then 12 year old. He is just like that. He gave without thinking. He didn’t try to reason in his mind before the giving act- what was the beggar was going to do with these coins- he just gave because he felt the man’s need. River has a spirit we all need to have!
Many times in my life I have often used the excuse before giving to someone “They are just going to buy more alcohol or drugs with that money” and I did not give. I have learned (thanks Pastor Tim) we have to give unconditionally. Thanks River for showing us all that too!
Today’s Grace for the Moment sends me to Galatians 6:4 “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” River is on to doing just that. God never prefabs or mass-produces people. He makes all things new. God didn’t hand you (River) your family’s bag or your parent’s life; he personally and deliberately packed YOU! So make a deliberate exploration of who you are and the work you have been given and sink yourself into doing just that!
Lori and Neal (my one and only brother) have done a great job raising a special young man River Thomas Priest!
I love you River!
Uncle Nibby
Product Review: The Yankee Flipper Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
During one of my frequent travels to Franklin TN we visited the local True Value Hardware store Harpeth True Value Homecenter. We saw two products that caught our attention. One was the Yankee Flipper Squirrel Feeder.
We were simply amazed by the video that was playing continually beside the product. It was so funny.
The official Yankee Flipper video can be seen here.
We never laughed so hard watching hungry Squirrels getting flipped off this well built feeder.
The feeder is constructed quite well. The birds really enjoy. It is being emptied at least twice at week. The feeder is placed at a private residence that adjoins one of the area’s most respected birding locations John James Audubon State Park. The park is a bird sanctuary.
We positioned the feeder in two different locations trying to get a glimpse of them trying to eat from the feeder. We have had the feeder up in place since April 1, 2009. We have never been able to catch a squirrel on the feeder. Disappointing.
We think possibly that the squirrel has been flipped off of the feeder when we were not looking. Several times the squirrel has been seen looking up at the feeder thinking about making a move on it but does not. Again, disappointing.
The birds however have really been enjoying the Black Oil Sunflower seed.
One thing for sure is the people at Droll Yankees did a great job creating a hilarious video that made us buy the product.
If you are looking for a bird feeder that is squirrel proof this is the one! If you are looking for a bird feeder with some entertainment value, this is NOT the product! This feeder works too good for the squirrels in this neighborhood. They are very smart squirrels.
Buy your Yankee Flipper Squirrel Proof Feeder.
What do you do to keep pesky squirrels off of your bird feeder?
Do you have a Yankee Flipper? If so how are you getting the squirrels to play on it like the video show?
A Talent Worth Sharing …A dear friend Jica Crafton
If you have not had a chance to look at the Henderson Gleaner Newspaper this morning you need to pick up a copy. Donna Stinnett wrote a great article about our own Jica Crafton and tomorrow’s concert “Musical Tapestry by Jica Crafton” and the release of her CD titled the same.
The concert is tomorrow, Sunday, September 28 at 2:30 pm at Community Baptist Church.
A sample of the program (song/set list) can be found by clicking HERE.
A great quote cited in this article:
“Not only is she a fine accompanist — who actually practices and prepares for our rehearsals — but she is so calm and adaptable. And believe me, those are important characteristics to have in rehearsal and performance situations, Jica is great to work with. She’s talented and fun and enthusiastic,” she added. “I am so thankful that her schedule allows her to share her talents not only with the Community Chorus but with HCHS choruses and to Community Baptist Church, too.”–Heather McCormick,(director of Henderson Community Chorus)
Be sure to read the online article at The Gleaner and we look forward to seeing you at the Concert tomorrow. You will not want to miss it. One note of correction the website for the church should read http://www.communitybaptistchurch.org/. This has been corrected on the online version of The Gleaner and only was misprinted in the print edition.
An audio CD will be available after the concert. The suggested donation for the CD is $10. All proceeds go to ministries of Community Baptist Church.
You can listen to a SNEAK PREVIEW of one of the pieces Jica will play at the concert at http://www.communitybaptistchurch.org/. Look for the “SNEAK PREVIEW” tab.
The Latte 15 Years Later
It was the fall of 1993 when I flew out of Evansville Indiana into St Louis Missouri and met two other ladies that worked for the then AGENA Corporation. We flew from St Louis Missouri to Seattle Washington. The flight was long about 4 hours.
When we arrived in Seattle it was very late around 11 pm. We got in a cab from the SeaTac Airport and were on our way to a hotel close to the Bothell Washington offices of the then AGENA Corporation (know known as AMS Services).
One of the ladies (sorry but I can’t remember there names) had the cab driver stop at a place called “Starbucks”. I asked, “Why are we stopping here?” they said “to get a Latte”, for the rural Kentucky boy I again asked “What’s that?”
Well they showed me. I don’t think that I slept the rest of that trip. To start with I had a bad head cold and really couldn’t smell or taste anything—but I love that Latte.
While I was in Seattle for that trip I stayed over an extra day and ventured downtown Seattle to check out the city. One thing that was going on while I was in town is that there was a trade show going on for people in the Coffeehouse business. I had really never heard of such other than the coffee shop on the bottom floor of the Community Methodist Hospital in Henderson where my grandmother worked for many years on Friday nights.
So I ventured into this coffeehouse trade show in downtown Seattle. I learned about espresso, roasting coffee, what a barista was, and coffee flavorings—just about everything that was becoming the rage of the coffee business boom.
When I came back to Henderson I couldn’t wait to tell others about my findings. That same week Dave & Connie Walasky were preparing to open “Planters Coffeehouse” in downtown Henderson. I knew of the Walasky’s but did not know them well. From the first day they opened the doors of Planters till when they sold the business I was in there every morning purchasing my latte. Dave made my lattes for several years then he turned it over person whom too became another dear friend in life Donna Hatfield.
Well my love for coffee and especially the Venti Non-Fat Latte all began in Seattle some 15 years ago and this week I am back in Seattle.
Hats off to a great city that makes a great Latte! Thanks to Starbucks and the many great independent shops who too have made coffee and coffeehouses a great place for people to be and be seen just as they are!
The picture above is that of the very first Starbucks Coffeehouse across the street from Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle Washington.
Thanks Starbucks for many years of GREAT LATTES– and I look forward to many more and more trips back to Seattle to remind me how special they are!
