Sunday, August 03, 2014

Cape Henry Lighthouse

It is fun to have an opportunity to write about a recent visit to the Cape Henry Lighthouse.   As you are aware, the name of this blog is The-Light-Keeper.   I began the blog because of our love for lighthouses and all the times we have been keepers at the New Dungeness Lighthouse.   At least seven or eight times we were keepers at NDSL for a week, giving tours, painting, doing chores and relaxing.  The first time we went our girls were in kindergarten and the last time I think they were in high school.  It is an amazing place to stay for a week.  My favorite memories are of sitting on the porch in the evening breeze, quilting and sipping a latte. There is nothing like being at the end of a six mile sand spit and having it all to yourselves!  I went back and looked at this blog and in 2006 in March we last stayed there.   Now our daughters are grown and one is in the Army at Fort Story, Virginia.  She lives only a five minute walk from the Cape Henry Lighthouses, Old and New and spends hours each week on the beach there.  The first evening we were there we took a walk down the boardwalk to the beach.  We came across a cute little guy below on our way to the beach and shortly after seeing him took the photo above where Dad and daughter added interest to the lighthouses. 
The first Cape Henry Lighthouse was built in 1791 and '92 and went into service in 1792.  It was the first lighthouse built by the new Congress of the United States.  On the tour we learned that even President Washington was involved in getting this lighthouse authorized and built.
  In the late 1800's the new Fresnel lens technology resulted in a light that was too large for the original lighthouse and so the new one was built.  The old light was decommissioned and the new light went into service. 
We took the opportunity while she was working to visit the older lighthouse.  The new one is operating and remains under the management of the US Coast Guard and so is not usually available for tours.  We got in line to pay the visitor fee of $8 and a woman behind us in line had an extra pre-paid ticket and so offered to cover one of our admissions!  So Vera, thank you very much should you come across this blog!  Here is Vera and her son posing in front of the  stairs to the entry of the  lighthouse for my "thank you" photo! 
Originally the sand went to almost the top of the steps now, just two white bricks showed above the sand.  We were also told that the foundation went about as far below as the white part is above.  In addition, the original stones that were delivered slowly sank into the sand and the builder knew it would take too much effort to dig them out again so they actually provide a secondary foundation below the formal one.
This is the top of the lighthouse where previously the light would have been.  From the top looking down we see the last ladder and the landing before the final ladder. 
 The blue plaque notes that this is the remaining original wall to the lighthouse that can be seen and admonishes us not to touch it!
The tight spiral stairs of a lighthouse evokes so many wonderful associations from our lighthouse visits around the country.
Out of the windows at the top of the old Cape Henry Lighthouse one can see the new Cape Henry Lighthouse, the beach where sail the ships of the world, and our daughter's abode in the distance.
 The beach right here is named Cape Henry because this is where the men and women of the first Jamestown settlement came ashore and thanked God for a safe journey across the fearsome Atlantic Ocean.  A few days later they moved on to establish Jamestown.  Cape Henry was named for Henry, Prince of Wales at the time.   
 Home sweet home for one of our family!  And I am happy to say not me!
The photo of the new Cape Henry Lighthouse above is taken from the top of the old light.  The photos below are taken from the ground. 
 The "new" Cape Henry Lighthouse
 The active Coast Guard area on Fort Story.  Note the year of 1889 above the door on the entrance to the lighthouse when it was commissioned and it is still in operation.
I forget how many miles the old Cape Henry light could be seen -- I think it was either 15 or 17 miles visibility.  Through the glass window you can see the first order Fresnel lens that shines 20+ miles out to sea and which was too large to operate at the top of the old lighthouse. 
After leaving the light houses, we joined up with our daughter and again spent some time at the beach and then visited the memorial to the landing of the James town settlers and looked out over the beach from the park.   
Here we are at the end of a fun day visiting the Cape Henry light.  And of course, being the well trained former Coastie and current soldier that they are, they both immediately stopped as required by protocol when the colors were being lowered for the day.
God bless America!
And as the evening darkens, the light shines out bringing comfort to families whose loved ones sail the seas and leading those loved ones safely home.
 
 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The Great Waffletown USA Mural

My husband and I just returned from a vacation trip to Norfolk, Virginia to visit our Army daughter.   Getting to the Navy Lodge hotel where we were planning to stay was quite the adventure.  Hearing that we were going to Virginia Beach the car rental guy sent us off on a journey from one highway to another.  My husband, having made the reservation, at least had an idea where the Navy Lodge was -- at Little Creek Naval Station -- and where that was compared to Fort Story.  I on the other hand had no idea where it was and was the driver.  We could have paid to add a GPS, but that takes all the adventure out of learning a new place (and being cheap, well. . .)

After realizing we were not going to get where we wanted to go any time soon, my husband called the Lodge and they gave us directions on how to turn around and how to get to Little Creek.  It was a Wednesday evening rush hour so it was not much fun but we did arrive safe and sound.  Ironically, on our return from the Lodge to the airport four days later, we discovered that all it took was one right turn and three lefts to get to the airport.  We said goodbye to the Base at gate 3,  took a right.  Went north to the main gate, took a left.   Went to Azalea Garden drive, took a left.   Went to Norview, took a left and there we were.  It was SO QUICK I seriously thought we were at some small regional airport and not the International.  Basically our trip was driving around the airport to the other side and there is likely even a shorter route!
But as usual, I digress.  We met our daughter, spent some time, sent her off to finish her work week and went to bed and to sleep.  We slept a full twelve hours - ten to ten --  and then went looking for coffee and breakfast.  A few blocks and we came across Waffletown USA (not to be confused with Waffle House) and agreed that "this looks good."  The food was very good but an additional treat was a mural covering more than the width of the dining area.  This distant photo I took later, the morning that we left, so that I could add some perspective and not just all the detailed close-ups that I had taken before.  You can just see the mural covering the back wall -- and because they were moving the employees have conveniently taken care of disguising their of faces to avoid facial recognition! 

I also have the option to do videos with my camera.  I was going to say "ability" but that might give the wrong impression.  This was a trick I only learned after my niece Emma had played with my camera while we were traveling in the car.  After I returned home, I saw a really odd looking photo and discovered she had videotaped knees, arms and backs of car seats.  What a surprise!  The last time I used it was a year ago at the boot camp graduation of the same daughter. I decided to try it here again to give perspective.  I think I did a great job on the video "overview" of the mural, but couldn't remember  at the end how to turn the video off.  Finally I just turned off the camera!  At this point in this narrative I know that both of my daughters are rolling their eyes -- and their friends too if they ever come upon this missive!  The friends at least won't roll their eyes in my presence.  Look at that -- my video works -- isn't technology wonderful?
Sorry about the motion-sickness there at the end!  The following are more close-ups of the entire mural (and they hold still).  It was painted by a man named James Johnson.  I haven't found out any more about him, but I love this mural and want to give him credit.
The very first thing that caught our eye as we were seated at this table in the corner was not only the mural in general, but specifically the wonderful Coast Guard Cutter Eagle catching the breezes as it flew across the bay. 
The mural continues beyond the door with the beach, the underwater bridge and some of the shoreline.  In the distance you can see the double lighthouses - the original Cape Henry lighthouse on the right and the New Cape Henry lighthouse on the left standing watch in the same area where the original Jamestown settlers first came ashore thanked God that they had survived. 
In the last two sections of the mural above there is the close up of the beach and the surrounding area.  And the small yellow sign right above that customer's head is "Waffletown USA" and so you can know exactly where you are!  It is quite clever and it was with this "map" that I began to orient myself and had a starting place to create the new "map in my head" that is my usual way of finding my way around.  Finding this wonderful little restaurant on our first morning in town was an auspicious beginning for our five days of fun and relaxation! 

Waffletown USA, you can find specific information about Waffletown USA at this link -- http://waffletownusa.com/

For a more detailed view of the mural, here you go!  The details are very fun.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Star, The Grout Doctor of Kirkland

Well, today I spent a minimal amount of money and ended up with what looks like a brand new bathtub and tiles.  I am a happy camper.  For those of you who say, well, you could have done that yourself for practically nothing, I say in return -- like that's ever going to happen.  The options were getting it done by someone who knew what they were doing, or letting it continue moldering on its own,.  Since you can't use the shower for 48 hours after the treatment is done, we opted to do the main bath first and will do our master bath after.  We are also considering (don't know the cost yet) of having the tub re-enameled.  We would do both steps at the same time of course.  That made it an easy choice to do the other bath first.

Here is the bathroom in it's original state.  It doesn't look nearly as bad in the photographs as it did in real life.  Maybe I need a higher resolution camera.  But you get the idea.  A bit yucky!


So Star, of The Grout Doctor, came by a couple of weeks ago and gave us a bid for each bathroom.  It didn't seem unreasonable to me so we determined to do it soon.  Fortunately for us, if not for them, Star's boss stopped by when we weren't home and left a card with a $20 coupon on it.  Gotta love those little quirks of life.  So we set up the date.  Star's plan (and it unfolded exactly as stated), was to grind out the layer of grout till all the grungy stuff was gone, scrape off all of the old grout and moldy caulking, give a quick acid bath to the whole thing to kill germs and make the old surface more amenable to the new grout, grout (wipe down), seal (wipe down) and lastly do the final caulking around where the tile and tub met, and around the soap dish.  The initial grinding off part provided a great deal of motivation for the dog to indulge in a competitive barking competition , so I dragged him downstairs to cut the decibels. 
 
Now for the drum roll . . . . ..  
 
 

I love it!  It has never looked this good since we moved here eleven years ago (11 years ago 3 days ago!)
Well, this is aggravating!  The "overall" photos when uploaded below looks uneven, but in real life it isn't like that.  I'm not sure why the photo is texturing.  Alas!  What you see in the photos above is right.  What you see below looks more like a coloring book maze than tile work, but that is an optical illusion! You can see the "texturing" in the light reflection along the bathtub too.   
So, in spite of the funny photo, I have nothing but good things to say about Star at Grout Doctor Kirkland.  The moment of truth will be when we turn the water back on it in two days, but as for the moment, it is gorgeous!  You can see a picture of Star and her Uncle on their website!  I like small family businesses that do quality work.  2nd tub will be done in a month or so once we determine that the re-glazing of the bathtub can be added in. 
 

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Happy Valley Beekeeper Sweet on His Honey

I know that there are many of our friends who regularly get pints or quarts of the wonderful and diverse varieties of honey described in this article below.  I came across this clipping about Dad and his hobby of Bee Keeping and thought our friends might like to read about the man who provided all this sweetness!  This was published in the Clackamas County REVIEW on January 16, 1992 and was written by JoAnn Henley. 
This is the total article, but it is cropped for easier reading following this section.
 
 
 
 
 
 In the photo below it is amazing how few trees were in the area even in 1992.  When they first moved there in 1972 there were almost NO trees as this has been a farm area.  From their house you could see the flag at the national cemetery at the top of the hill.  Now the giant fir trees look like they have been there forever, but it was really only 40 years.
This article was written in 1992 and we are still all enjoying the same honey.  We do not sell it of course, but we are happy to share with our friends.  
 
What to do if your honey has crystalized! 
First - DO NOT HEAT IT IN A PAN OF BOILING WATER.  This changes the flavor of the honey.
Crystalized honey is fine as it is if you want to eat it that way.  There is nothing wrong with it and it is easier to measure when using honey for cooking.
But if you want honey that looks just like new, heat your oven to 125 degrees.  Put jar of honey on a cookie sheet or in a cake pan. Leave the lid on but loosen it so it just sets on top of the jar because the honey will expand a little bit in the heat and you don't want the glass to break.  
Put honey in oven and let it sit there for about 8 hours.  My folks would do it overnight.  Turn off heat and let the jar go back to room temperature before moving it.  Sometimes you can use less time - you can just experiment.  The folks would do a whole case of jars (12 quarts) at a time and let it liquify overnight. 
 
JoAnn, if you come across this post -- thanks for the great story on Dad.  I looked for a link to the original, but couldn't find one.  I hoped you and the Clackamas Review wouldn't mind a second time around.  Blessings!!

Sunday, July 06, 2014

Looking for Trustem Family Members from Norway that settled in Hanlontown, Iowa Area

Our Tangen family has a reunion every three years and it is always fun to attend.  Last time we got Tangen shirts and that was fun! 

Ole K Tangen married Ella Mae Nelsdotter Dokken in 1877.  And this good looking, intelligent and otherwise phenomenal family is the connection that all of us have.  Oline died at 10 years of age and  Nels -- on the far right -- also died young (20), but he made it into the family photograph.  Sadly they left no direct descendants to join us, but remain important members of the family.  My young grandfather is on the far left and all the other members of the family are identified at the bottom of the photo.
The parents of Ole K Tangen were, if my information is correct, Knutsen Olsen Tangen and Guri Johnsdtr Avestrud.  Beyond that I have no knowledge and hope to some day learn more about them. Ella Mae's parents were Nels Olson Dokken and Christina G (Gulesdtr?) Trustem. 
 Christina G Trustem Dokken
Nels Olson Dokken
 
In going through the family letters I came across a photocopied letter.  The original is likely in the possession of someone else in the family, but since I came across it today I thought that I would pass it on in hopes that if there is anyone who knows more about the Trustem family that they might come across this and add to our general knowledge.  This letter was written by the wife of Gule E Trustem.  Gule was the son of Erick Trustem who was a brother of our Christina Trustem Dokken, The motivation for the letter was an appeal by Thea Tangen Kaasa and Anna Tangen Allen, (our well-known family members and past participants and organizers of our reunions) for any information that Gule Trustem might have had about their shared ancestors.
 
*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    
Hanlontown, IA
Sept. 24, 1971
Dear Anna,
            Thea Kaasa and her sister, Anna, were here one evening recently and she wanted me to write to you concerning your ancestors.  I really don’t know what to write about as Gule doesn’t know too much about them either, only what he can remember as a child of his father [Erick Trustem, Chrstina's brother] telling him.  I have had this information written some years ago and will give you this much.  Gule’s father was Erick Trustem and his father was also named Gule Trustem and his mother, Randy Trustem [These two would be Christina's parents as well].
Their children were: 
  1. Erick Trustem – born Aug 3, 1831 (in Hallingdal, Norway, maybe in Gore)
  2. Ole Trustem – Janesville, Wis
  3. Michael Trustem – Norway
  4. Corbeen Trustem – Norway
  5. Christian Trustem – Worth Co, Northwood. He has one son also named Gule still living in Northwood.
  6. Mrs. Erik Overstrude – Janesville, Wis.
  7. Mrs. Nels (Christie) Dokken – Worth Co,  Hanlontown [this is our family line]
I can tell you something about Gule’s father [Erick] but don’t have much about the others.  When in Norway he worked in the lumber mills to designate how many feet of lumber each log contained, which took a good head in math.  He was well educated in Norway for the time and if he was, I imagine all the children had a fairly good education as his parents were considered well to do in Norway, owning several farmsteads.  He was noted for his strength and was a champion wrestler. He was about 5 ft 10 inches and weighed as much as 227 lb.  He was a great bear hunter in Norway and an excellent marksman.  He was  in the military service in Norway and came to America when he was about 40 years.  His sisters and brothers came at the same time probably about 1870.  I tell you this as it may give an insight to all the family.
            Your great-grandmother, Christie, of course married Nels Dokken when they were still in Norway [He was 19, she was 16]. 
            It would be fun to see you again, if you ever come back to Iowa.
            Gule is 89 years old now.  Keeps well, although after breaking his hip some years ago, has difficulty in walking and his eyesight and hearing is bad.  I am 75 years and have been lucky to have good health. 
            Hope this finds you well and happy with best wishes from both of us.
                                                            Sincerely,
                                                Gule and Anna (Mrs. Gule) Trustem

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *
My mother is the third from the right and her sister Marjorie is next to her.   Near the left side front is Marolyn with Bruce in the middle front. There are supposed to be some grownup Trustem's in this photo taken around 1935, but they are unknown to me!  On the lookout for Trustem family descendants who might know more!

Almost forgot!
Already looking forward to the next reunion in 2016!

 

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Prohibition and the Sherwoods of Spring Brook Farm

When I was growing up my parents did not drink alcohol of any kind -- at least not knowingly.   My dad came by his strong views legitimately, being the son, grandson and great-grandson of strong  prohibitionists. When he was 21 he signed a pledge to never drink alcohol and never did, at least not knowingly.  He gave his word and never looked back.

I came across this letter written to Nellie Thompson, my great-great grandmother's youngest sister.  The author of the letter, Florence Ida Richardson Wallace, was the daughter of Nellie's brother Robert Fletcher Richardson II  (named for his grandfather, not his father).   Nellie, the youngest of the siblings,  was born in Vermont in 1847, married George Thompson and lived in the Dakota Territory and later in Washington Territory, over on the Palouse.  After George Thompson (in 1914) and their daughter Myrtille (1902) had both passed away, she returned to Wisconsin to live near her niece, Ella Stevens Atwater Sherwood, my great-grandmother. 

1924-1207 – Florence Ida Richardson Wallace to Eva (Nellie) Richardson Thompson
Waterbury, VT
Dec 7, 1924
Dear Auntie:
            Yes, I can get you the book you wanted but they didn’t have it at the store where I got the other one so cheap. I sent to the publisher at Boston and it came today.  I changed the address and started it for Wisconsin this afternoon. I would have had the publisher sent it direct to you but I wasn’t quite sure they would have it.  Last year I wrote them for four Pansy books and they only had one of the four I wanted.  Said many of her books were out of print now.  Several years ago they printed a cheaper edition of ten of her books.  They are 50 cents.  The reading is just as good but the bind and the paper isn’t of course.  The list of those ten is on the cover of the book I think.  I have nine of those books and ten of the $1.50 edition or some of the children have them.
            When I was a girl I read a lot of Pansy books.  They had them at the East Orange S.S. [Sunday School] library but I couldn’t find but four or five at our S.S. library here inWaterbury. I wanted the children to read her books so I began to buy them when I had any money to spare.  Have given the children each one for their own.  The girls have more than one but it was hard work to find boys stories enough to go round.  Do you remember the names of those you reading Dakota?  Was wondering if they were any of those I have read.  I can remember 35 that I’ve read. I wish I had every one she wrote.
            I am sorry Ella doesn’t get strong again.  It is so hard to have stomach troubles.  Hope Dura doesn’t get cold again. But it’s a good job done where her teeth are out.  Mine used to bother me so that I was awful glad when the last one was out. Lelia will be home Friday I expect, but is so far William won’t try to come, fare is so much.
                                                                      Love to all,
                                                                                Florence
* * * * *
This particular letter was written in 1924.  While dealing with our parents estate, my brother and I came across some of the Pansy Books referred to in the letter and the ones I have are in the photo above.  I don't know exactly where the letter is, but I have another letter where some relative or another is rejoicing that prohibition has passed and that future generations will not have to deal with the terrible consequences that come with alcohol.
Prohibition was in effect from 1920 to 1933.  I was surprised to read on Wikipedia today that in spite of it being so controversial and having so many unintended consequences such as bootlegging and mafia, that overall alcohol consumption in society dropped by half.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States.
As I read an article today on Mynorthwest.com about the unintended consequences of the legalization of marijuana -- just after reading and transcribing this letter to Aunt Nellie -- I could only imagine these relatives incredulity after all their hard work, at the decisions being made by this current generation in Washington and Colorado.   http://mynorthwest.com/11/2549192/Pot-Boom 

The Pansy books were a strong force in the prohibition movement.  The author used fiction stories to tell the tales of the destruction and havoc that alcohol brought to families.  The stories center a lot on the victims of alcohol, particularly the wives and children who were impoverished because of the hold that the need to drink by their breadwinners brought to their families.
 I also came across a website that has a lot of information on the Pansy books -- and to my surprise, one of my favorite authors when I was young, Grace Livingston Hill, was her niece.  Pansy wrote about 200 books -- maybe more.  And the whole point of her books was to share Jesus with others.  What a great woman!  Well, a day is not lost where you learn something new!  http://isabellamacdonaldalden.com/about.html

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Taking Time to Stop and Smell the Flowers: An essay by Bob Weber

May 3, 1986
11:07 A.M.
             Into each life come those special days that are so extra that they stand out in bold face against the millions of lovely things that make up the total experience of life.  Some of these experiences cause us to laugh, some cause us to cry; some make the sun shine through the rain and some just fill us with so much joy and happiness that we can hardly contain it.
            I am a man most blessed to date.  My life is yet only a snap of the fingers in time.  Yet in my short life I have enjoyed experiences, and felt pain and happiness, so often and in such depth that only God, and those who love me and whom I love, can begin to share those experiences.  And only God and I really know how each of these encounters and occasions has touched this man.
            I have had the privilege of courting and marrying and sharing 42 years with the most special and precious woman in creation.  I have shared with her and with God, the privilege of creating new lives for God’s Kingdom and to help replenish the human family.  I have suffered and shared with her the heartache of the death and burial of our first born, and known the hope that we will see him again in eternity.  I have shared the joys and sorrows and the good health and the sicknesses of our other three children.  I have watched them all grow to maturity and led by God’s Holy Spirit, each one has been born anew in Jesus Christ, which assures that we will all be together in eternity.  I have shared, as all three of them have in their own self-reliance and with God’s help, completed their college education and become useful and conscientious citizens, with deep concerns and firm dedication to being lights in the increasing darkness of the world. 
            I have shared the joy and companionship of my three children, together and each in turn.  And God has given me a son-in-law that has become a blessed son and another companion and a full part of my life.
            I have shared the joys and pains of a number of very special people who have become a very part of me.  God has given me great love and a compassion for all people, but with a few he has permitted me a closeness and a bond that is so powerful and so complete that I inwardly (and sometimes outwardly) weep when they weep, laugh when they laugh, share and care completely in their ups and downs, their likes and dislikes, their heavens and their hells. 
            I appreciate a cool walk in the winter snow; a moonlight walk along a sandy beach, or lying beneath a metal roof in a rainstorm.  I enjoy watching the freedom of the birds as they fly and at times I have flown alone in one of man’s aircraft and have become one of the birds, soaring and climbing and turning and thrilling to the pure joy of being a bird.  Only those who love to fly can appreciate the fullness of the pleasure that becomes mine when I am up in the sky and am no longer just guiding an airplane, but instead that machine has become an extension of myself and I am completely the man-bird.
            I love to watch children play and listen to their laughter.  I enjoy being with young people.  I show them my love and they often show me love in return.  I love to visit with older people.  They have lived so much and if I but truly listen, and not let their repetitions and their forgetfulness bother me; I learn many things and add fullness to my life and pleasure and joy to theirs.
            How sad that so many folks do not pause to smell the flowers.  Today I smelled a few.  I watched the early sunshine glistening on the dew, I watched two robins mate in the meadow outside my window, I watched a gopher hiding behind a pile of horse-dung, hoping I didn’t see him; I hugged by wife and each of my four children several times, I untied a knot in my shoelace and thanked God for the sunshine, the robins, the gopher, my wife, my children and my fingernails.  I drove my car, and it too is an extension of my being.  I said hi to a number of friends and family and hugged all who wanted to be hugged.  I administered the commissioning oath to my son as he accepted a commission as a second lieutenant into the United States Air Force.  A few years of happiness slipped out on me as I looked with humble pride at this new air force officer, whom God had given me as a son.  Tomorrow he will graduate with an electrical engineering degree.
            My first, my second and now my third.  All, with God’s help and grace, very special people. . .            . . .And I thanked God again.  No drug culture, no shoplifting; no trouble with police, no disrespect for law and government, no disrespect for their Father and Mother, no . . .
            No, not perfect. . .but caring. . .and I wondered why so often young people go wrong who have parents just as concerned as Bernadine and I, and I thanked God again for His Grace.
            I ate dinner with five wonderful people.  We made it a celebration of my son’s commissioning and his graduation.  The food was good; the fellowship better.  We talked and visited and my love reached out to Bernadine, and my children; and then bounced right back until my cup was full and running over.  When one gets six people that full of love together, I guess all of the cups run over.
                        And, too, it’s the little things, a “hi” from my younger daughter a “What cha doing, dad” from my son, a hug from my older daughter, a hand slipped into mine from Bernadine, a “What’s up” from my son-in-law, and phone calls from friends.
            All day today I smelled the flowers.  I even enjoyed an audience of 8 children and two friends as I hived a swarm of bees, which (bees) were hanging in an azalea bush.  And when the bees were moving into the hive I smelled the azaleas and examined the yellow blossoms, and the pale green leaves and the segmented stems, and the small cluster of bees still clinging on the one limb.
            And then as I turned away, and as darkness began to close in, I noticed a dead bee, deep within one of the bell shaped flowers.  And I said out loud, “Certainly you, my friend, have not gone through life without smelling the flowers.”
                                                                                    11:07 PM