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Lawrence Foster

Mike McLeod posted/shared this item to me on my Facebook timeline and I am going to share it here.  I have been out of sight and lurking for a while.  Foot surgery recovery is going slow but better.  I am able to get in the water now and last week I started back swimming laps and doing my deep water aerobics.  Yep, being inactive for 2 months takes a toll!     

Michael McLeod

thanks Larry. Hope you are back in the swim/on your feet soon.

I'll always connect Schultz with the sweetness of childhood. He was the Mister Rogers of the funny papers.  

Oh, and John: can you spot the mispelled word -- one that spellcheck could not have bailed him out on, even if he'd had it at the time --  in his letter?

The letter, by the way, was stashed somewhere and just recently rediscovered. 

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Too easy, Mike; he used “then” instead of “than”. I missed the background on the letter, though. Is this to a Joel we should know or just highlighting Schultz’s comments?  How did you come into possession?  The date had me thinking back to the events that would provoke his comments in 1970 and, of course, recognizing that he could write that same letter today. 

Clare

David Mitchell

Larry,

Wow, I was beginning to wonder. It's high time you showed up again. You can lurk all you want, but sooner or later you need to get up off your rear end and give us some more of your wonderful Columbus history clippings. Failure to do so may put you in the same group that Berkermer (almost) fell into. 

To you I say, No history (or drawings) - No Cheese!

David Mitchell

Speaking of the question about who chose the class valedictorian?                        (and I'd still like an answer)

Later tonight they will choose who Hollywood's "Best" are.

I've seen a few but wish I had seen "Roma", "If Beale Street Could Talk", and "Blackklansman". I loved "Green Book" but it has fallen under so much controversy - not factually correct - demonizes Italian Americans - c'mom! (just read that in a USA Today column), and it may just have too much bagage. Too bad. A lot of Buzz about "Roma", but I have a hunch it's going to be "A Star is Born" or "Black Panther". If 'Star' doesn't win, the song surley will. 

"We're Far From the Shallow Now" will be the Oscar winner, but several more great songs in this film.          I just hope "Vice" doesn't win.

But I have decided to offer my own nominations for Best Posts on the Forum.

Most Deer Photographs EVER !  Doctor Jim.

Best Photograph (period) - Bob Berkermer

Sentimental favorite: 2-way tie. Linda Weinder's pictorial about her dad's Country Western band back in the day - too sweet. And Clare's good fortune on the night of the last game in St John Arena. I'd heard that one before and it still touches my heart. A place with a lot of fond memories.

Best Screenplay: Mark's link to his one woman play - "A Night With Jessie". Quite honestly, after a few pages, I realized I didn't have to read it anymore, It was simply speaking to me right off the page. Mesmerizing!

Best Historical Content: Larry - many times over - multiple "Oakleaf Clusters" (in military jargon)

Most Sheer Fun to Read: another 2-way tie. Tim's "Survial School" tale and Tim's "Big Sally" story.

Most Perfectly Written: Mike's review of Hamilton for Orlando Magazine. Damn Mike!

And finally, for the Best Combination of Writing Style, Timing, Humor, Content, and whatever: 

   May I have the envelope please?

Jack Maxwell's "How Not to Repair Your Roof (if you want to live)"

   * apologies to anyone I may have overlooked - seriously

David Mitchell

Ooops, sorry. Forgot one category.

Greatest Risk of Exposing Skeletons in the Closet:  Me

Be very afraid John. Very afraid!  

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Cool!  My favorite, "Green Book" won. But I had a gut feeling the ghost of Freddie would sneak in and grab somehting big. And what a wonderfu l acceptance speech the young actor gave. Too many great films this year. I couldn't see them all. 

David Mitchell

Hey, I almost missed this on my email today. And I am taking the liberty of puting this notice out on my own.

I got and email from Carolyn (Winchester) Drone that her mother died early Sunday, apparrently in Columbus. She and Jim were in Columbus at the time. Said they are returning to Houston but will be back in Columbus for a funeral on Thursday. She gave me no other details than that.

If anyone wants to be there you will have to look up details in the  "Obits" yourself. I will try to get back to her and gather more info. We used to be pretty close. She has been rather aloof. 

David Mitchell

If anybody would likle to send a message, Carolyn's email address is;

carolyndrone@hotmail.com

Michael McLeod

Mary Clare:

I just found that Charles Schultz letter at random on Facebook.

It was recently discovered by the sister of the man Schultz wrote the letter to.

People who say you can't end a sentence with a preposition are full of crap.

.

David Mitchell

Mark,

Just think. Our grandkids will never know the joy of watching the Ed Sullivan show. It's sad.

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Barbour

Just one more thing about the NYT, they will send you an email called "In her words" which is currently

titled "Taking back 'HYSTERICAL' ."  Worth looking at .

Robert Berkemer

Picacho Peak State Park, Southern Arizona. Self Portrait

Robert Berkemer

Mexican Golden Poppies, Picacho Peak State Park

David Mitchell

DUCK AND COVER !!!!!

I hope you are all in a safe place. A nuclear (or nuculer)  bomb is about to go off in the Senate Hearing room shortly. 

Bill Reid

My favorite thing to do this morning ... and every morning. As a deacon, assisting Fr. John Nguyen at our morning Mass today, at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Carmel Indiana. (I'm a bit taller than Fr. John!)

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Dock themes are in this year - right Bob?

This the May River and our community dock - about 50 yards from my front yard. May River is home to the cleanest oyster bed waters left on the planet (according to Jaques Cousteaus' son). It was also the inspiration of Johnny Mercer's Oscar winning song "Moon River" (He was from Savannah and had a summer home here in Bluffton). And the location for Pat Conroy's book, "Prince of Tides". He wrote it while living here in Bluffton.

James Hamilton, M. D.

A Pictorial History of the Rockrimmon Neighborhood in Northwest Colorado Springs

About Sixty Million Years Ago

Colorado was at the bottom of an ocean. As the waters receded limestone deposits along drainage planes formed into hoodoos, mushroom shaped rock structures, many of which are found throughout the Pikes Peak Region including Rockrimmon.

About a Hundred Years Ago

The Pikeview Mine (adequately named) operated from 1896 to 1957 and was the largest coal mine in the state. The mine itself is under the neighborhood at various depths and has caused some mine subsidence issues in the past. Our home sits about 400 feet above the mine and is fairly safe. (Everyone had to buy mine subsidence insurance in the 1980's.) The town of Pikeview itself was located along what is now the eastern border of Rockrimmon. The old buildings have long since disappeared but some mining remnants persist. For years I had assumed this oven was a "horno" possibly used by Ute Indians, but in actuality it is a coke oven in which coal was burned to produce coke ash and creosote oil. The ash was used in blast ovens of local steel mills in the manufacturing process of railroad rails. The Pikeview Quarry (from the same company) west of Rockrimmon, operates today but shaves off limestone instead of coal. It has been a source of an ugly scar on a couple of the foothills. I always thought that a line from John Denver's signature song, Rocky Mountain High, which mentioned "more people, more scars upon the land"  was a reference to this area. Reclamation is ongoing for these scars.

About Seven Years Ago

On June 26, 2012 the Waldo Canyon Wildfire crested the foothills at the western end of Colorado Springs, including Rockrimmon, and entered the city. That night 346 homes were destroyed mostly in the Mountain Shadows section of Rockrimmon. The first area to burn was the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner and it's old restored western buildings and shops. That was located between the red rocks in the midground of this photograph and the foothills in the background. The "black toothpicks" which were once stately pine trees are easily visible when there is snow on the foothills.

Jim

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Sorry. Early dismissal today so I was busy with the grandkids. Closest I got to snapping a pic of the great outdoors was the view out my patio doors. We were very busy destroying my kitchen!! 

Clare 

Anna & Caroline  (Luke & Sean came in later from shooting hoops & added to the merriment!)

James Hamilton, M. D.

David Mitchell

Clare,

Are those two Cherubim, or Seraphim? 

I'm afraid your son or daughter will need to keep a nice baseball bat or hickory stick behind the front door in a few years.

David Mitchell

Joe M, and or Mark, Are you near the flooding?