I said yesterday that I have been involved in church music my entire life. The truth is I have been surrounded by music of many kinds since I was old enough to remember anything. I was born in Detroit and lived there until I was seven. I recall my mother always having what I call …
Month: January 2022
Sunday Singin’
I have been involved with church music my entire life. Still am. I started taking piano lessons when I was seven years old, and from the beginning, dreamed of playing the piano for a southern gospel quartet. Never happened. That's okay, I never pitched for the Detroit Tigers, either. I played my first trumpet duet …
Saturday Snackin’ and Sippin’
I'm convinced coffee is as much feeling as it is taste. Coffee is an experience. Some coffee experiences are better than others. I can't remember having a cup of coffee that was so bad I couldn't drink it. There have been lots of cups that were less than hot, making the coffee more difficult to …
Friday Fries
French fries are a miracle of culinary ingenuity. Where else can you find something so perfect, so incredibly delicious, so amazing in a few quick bites? Which French fries do you prefer? Are you a McDonald's fry fanatic? Do you put anything except salt on your McD fries? Of course not! McDonald's fries are the …
Thursday Therapy Thoughts
Mindfulness has been defined as “awareness, without judgement, of the world as it is, of others as they are, of yourself as you are.” Awareness is described as “being fully present” in each moment. If we are fully present, we choose to listen and hear, and see. If we struggle with constantly comparing ourself to …
Building a Control Panel for the Maple Valley Short Line Model Railroad
The Maple Valley Short Line Model Railroad is operational. I have been running trains on the main lines without any major interruptions or catastrophes. From the moment I first drilled holes in the cement blocks, to securing the last piece of HO scale flex-track, this has been an enjoyable journey. But the journey is far …
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O-Scale Model Railroad Techniques
A visit to the Detroit Model Railroad Club in Holly, Michigan, is always an opportunity to learn something about model railroading. The giant O-scale railroad fills what was once the Holly Theater. I think the most fascinating part about this model railroad is that every inch of the thousands of feet of track is hand-laid. …
Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 20: The Bat Suit
Christmas in Maple Valley has come and gone. Intense anticipation in the weeks before Christmas keeps everyone in good moods and actions with lots of "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" greetings in the streets and shops. Hundreds of visitors came to town on The Old General just to take in the sights and sounds …
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The Most Delicious Peppermint Mocha
I really didn't think it was possible. Honestly. Finding a peppermint mocha, which I absolutely love, that is better than the ones I have so thoroughly enjoyed from Starbucks, was inconceivable. I don't have any idea how many peppermint mochas I've happily sipped since I first tried one. Many Christmases have inspired me to buy …
Chasing The Polar Express
One of my all-time favorite train stories is of the Berkshire class Lima 2-8-4 steam locomotive, #1225. The engine was built by the Lima Locomotive Company in Lima, Ohio and rolled out of the factory in November, 1941. It was built as one of twelve locos ordered by the Pere Marquette Railroad. The beautiful locomotive …
A Coffee State of Mind 