Rocks

Only the rocks live forever.
James Michener
Centennial

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
Matthew 7: 24-25

I love rocks. Not only because they are pretty to look at, but my rocks take my mind back to past experiences.

The spotted rock in the middle is the state stone of Michigan-the Petoskey stone. It came from Lake Michigan, and the only time you see its spots is when it is wet, or you can sandpaper and polish it, too.

Going clockwise...The striped one is from the Bighorn Mts. of Wyoming. The orange and black one from Lake Superior on a lighthouse tour with my wife. The black one from the Atlantic Ocean in Maine on a trip with my dad and two sisters. The orange one from the Uncompahgre River outside of Ouray, Colorado. My dad and our late buddy Mike loved our mountain trips. The green striped one I picked up when we were impatiently waiting for a female moose to quit napping in Jackson, Wyoming. The rusty one came from Minnesota during a waterfall tour with dear friends. The gold one from Arkansas on a trip with my late mother near the highpoint of the state. (We bagged it.) And, finally the round one on the bottom came from near Glacier N.P., while we were watching some bighorn sheep lick some salt.

I not only love rocks, but if you know any of these places...You recognize that I/we love the mountains. The mountains are a spiritual place. When their inhabitants claim that "This is God's country"....they are right. I can't remember where all the rocks came from, but the ones that I do remember bring to mind rich and happy times.

P.S. Happy Birthday to my middle child Karen. I'm proud of her and her new role of being a wife and mother. Remember.....KK, Red, Freckles...Love conquers everything. (30 years ago a little girl came to live with us. She did'nt have any teeth. She did'nt have any hair. All she did was cry...........)