Icewind's Ramblings

If you are one of the fabulous long time readers to my ramblings you have seen that there are days when I can put up seven or eight posts in a row or then real life steps in when you cannot find the time to sit down to write things down. Then again, probably like everyone, there are those moments when I have almost nothing to say and it is an effort to update the blog. Ok, luckily those days are few and far between. In general I usually have no trouble coming up with material which is part of why my draft folder is filled with drafts of posts that never managed to see the light of day. I see things or something happens to spark that odd thought which I jot down so I can come back to it later. I’ll write it up and it all falls into place and gets posted. But, sometimes I can't make the post work. That is, I don't like the end product or it gets bogged down as my style sometimes wanders off point. It doesn't flow. I can't stand the way it reads. I hate the way i...

Awhile back my grand daughter managed to win a couple of goldfish at the local carnival that was in town. It’s called Saturday market and it runs on weekends from May till September when tourist season ends here. The booths have many handmade crafts and native items from which to buy and send home or it’s just a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. Some booths are set up for the children with games that offer the goldfish as prizes. It is one of the bigger draws at the carnival, especially among the younger crowd because it is enticing and cool to win a fish. Those of you who have experience with these particular fish know that they are not the hardiest of creatures and often expire rapidly. In the old days they used to actually pass out the fish at the carnival. This presented a number of problems. As a child it was "papa can you please carry my fish so that I can play other games" and as a grandparent it was "I am carrying too much crap to begin with, how...

During my travels as an outside salesman I see many things that are both beautiful and sometimes just extraordinary. This is Alaska . . . a place with a wondrous sight around every corner or bend in the road, wild life of all kinds may be found anywhere. The mountains reaching from the sea up through the timberline and into the snowfields that linger all summer long. I saw something the other day that still I cannot get over or figure out. It was just too . . . strange . . . even by Alaska ’s standards. It was a ‘hot’ summer’s day by Alaska standards with the afternoon temperatures approaching 70 degrees. There were a few clouds that seemed like they were placed in the sky here and there . . . just right. The deep blue of the sky with the mountains as a backdrop makes one wish for that perfect day on the water fishing but this just before the start of our fishing season so that would have to wait until another time. I stopped by the golden arches for a quic...

The more you complain, the longer God lets you live. Smile, it’s all good! Ice