GMC Died for Me

From time to time, life gives us curve balls. In my case, the curve was on a mountain road and the ball was a Jeep sliding out of control across the center divider and into the front end of my truck.

I could tell you the story of the ride to the hospital. I could tell you the story of the real cost of uninsured motorists. But I choose to tell you the story of the truck.

Selecting the GMC truck off the lot was an exciting day. The detail guys just finished vacuuming the carpet; the truck would never again be quite as pristine. The commitment to the payment was a biggy, even though this story pre-dates the early 21st century Depression-era.

The GMC transported my family, got me to work, and toted the groceries, dogs & supplies. Gas milage was as expected and the overall cost of maintenance was within budget. Of course, the price gas was in the $1.50 - $2.00 range. The CPA and I agreed, this was a good purchase. With a stroke of luck and lots of hard work, the truck fell into the asset column.

Until that fateful day, I hadn’t given much thought to the safety features. Until that day, I hadn’t thought about what a downward moving Jeep could do to my Sierra pick-up. Until that day, I hadn’t thought about the auto designers & engineers. Until that day, I hadn’t thought of how government safety regulations might save my life. I had only thought I drove a pretty truck.

My pretty GMC truck gave its life that day to save mine. I’m grateful.

Autumn Changes

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower. ~ Albert Camus

Perhaps it's programmed in our human DNA or just a coincidence but Autumn brings changes to our situation, to our psyche. Summer, a time of activity, productivity and fun draws to a close. Autumn is a time of harvest. Traditionally, we prepare for the winter.

Opportunity comes in the quiet moments of Autumn mornings. It provides time to reflect on our position and what we need to do to make it through another winter. Moments of reflection used to motivate bring us to new levels of understanding, work to enhance our experience of the Harvest.

Celebrations through the millennia include gratitude for the abundance we find, for the promise of a warm hearth and home through the cold months and for camaraderie we've found through our summertime actions.

Moving forward with the flow of the season cycle keeps the balance in our lives. Including those who would like to join us brings delight in new ways. Placing effort and energy toward the solutions puts the dilemma of the moment in perspective.

Life is the promise of new and wonderful things ahead.

Check out a new and wonderful project, Solid Happiness at http://SolidHappiness.com Click to the blog for a 10 second thought-of-the-day.

Yummy, Sun Butter!

Sun Butter

Sunflowers like other weeds that yield food have a history of bring esthetic value to an otherwise dreary area. The sunflower has the habit of turning up in unusual places, sometimes unwanted but often to the delight of children and Nature’s admirers.

The Sunflower is native to the Americas, there is archeological evidence of Sunflower use dating to 2600B.C. It did not traveling to Europe until the 16th Century where it became immensely popular in the 18th Century.

As an annual, the sunflower grows best in moist fertile soil with heavy mulch. It grows best in full sun. Traditional gardens grow sunflowers within the combination of beans, corn , squash and sunflowers.

As a food, the sunflower seed is processed, roasted and salted. A favorite food in Germany, sunflower seeds are made into Sun Butter, similar to peanut butter. The seeds are a good source of protein.

Notes about Sunflowers:
In the US, Kansas is the sunflower state.
One of Van Gogh’s most recognizable paintings is Sunflowers.

Visionary Howard Hughes

http://howardhughescarroll.blogspot.com/
Born December 24, 1905, Howard Hughes was among the great visionaries who made the United States a great country. Granted he had personality quirks but what he did for America should be a blueprint to innovation and forward movement into a better future.

With the spirit for a great inventor, Howard Hughes dared to build experimental aircraft moving aviation to single wing planes, then to aerodynamic designs of the sleek aircraft we have today. Daring to buck the status quo, he sought to improve flight by hiring the best of the best and paying them particularly well often doubling their pay. He found that happy employees were able to produce remarkable innovations.

So forward thinking were the scientists and engineers brought together by Howard Hughes that we can only stand in awe of the company moving from rudimentary aircraft to Hughes Galileo Probe.

Read more about

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_D-2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_XF-11

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM

http://www.mrc.uidaho.edu/entryws/presentations/Papers/bienstock_pioneer%20venus%20and%20galileo%20probe%20history-final.pdf

Picture from http://howardhughescarroll.blogspot.com/