Day at the Dog Park
I took Daisy to the dog park a couple weeks ago to go swimming. She didn’t jump in for a minute or two, but after that I couldn’t get her out. She outlasted every other dog there and swam for about an hour. I took a couple tennis balls for her to swim after, but she just ignored them. As soon as someone else threw in a ball for their dog, she chased them to it though. She is a goof ball, but I think she had a blast. Here are some pictures of the adventure. (For those that do not know Daisy, she is an American Bulldog/American Pit Bull Terrier mix and she is three and a half years old)
Garden Progress
My garden has been planted for about a month now, and it has been making some nice progress. I actually got my first tomato from it a couple nights ago. Last time I wrote about it, I wasn’t entirely sure what all would be planted. I decided to plant a few different varieties of tomatoes, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, hot Hungarian wax peppers, orange bell peppers, Romaine lettuce, habanero peppers, super chiles, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, and sweet basil.
The tomato plants have grown a great deal over the past week and some of the fruit is starting to become more prominent. A few of the tomatoes have actually turned color already.
Almost all of the pepper plants have started fruiting as well. The cayenne and wax peppers are probably farthest along, and the super chiles seem to be really healthy.
The Romaine lettuce is a back and forth affair. One day it looks wilted and on death’s bed, the next it has nearly doubled in size. There is one plant in particular that has just taken off, and is head and shoulders above the rest.
I have used the sweet basil a number of times already and it keeps coming back with new leaves ready for use. I have made a tomato basil mix a few times thus far, but am looking forward to being able to use my own tomatoes in the mix.
I continue to add things to my compost bin. I am amazed at how well things are broken down in there. I heard a lot of noise from my friends about my worm finding, but the worms are helping out a lot. Every time I mix the compost, I see more and more worms doing their thing in there. I like knowing that my own kitchen waste is helping my new garden stay healthy.
Here are a few pictures from Saturday afternoon of the garden, and of my first tomato from Friday.
Code of Ethics
So, it has been a while since my last post. That is mostly due to me mulling this one over in my head. I was in Findlay over Mother’s Day weekend and came across a book called Cowboy Ethics at my sister’s home. I only glanced at it briefly, but when I did I came across a list of ethics. I was pretty taken aback… as I read them, I realized that they were the same things that had been pounded into my head time and again by my dad and step-dad. I know it is still a little early, but with Father’s Day just around the corner, I thought this would be a good starting point.
A lot of the people I know, even people I am close with, seem to have a hard time trying to ‘figure me out’. Well, this may be the closest most will get to ‘getting’ me. Pay attention!
(Jim Owen’s Code of the West from Cowboy Ethics are numbered below, my take on each one follows)
1. Live Each Day With Courage
Do everything you do with confidence. Take risks. Don’t be afraid of failure. Sometimes you have to push yourself to the limit to find your boundaries. Once you do, it takes courage to push past them. You may stumble along the way, but pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and try it again.
2. Take Pride In Your Work
If you have taken on a responsibility, own it. Put everything you have into it and see that it is done right. A lot of people don’t see all the work you may have put into something, but you will always know where you may have cut a corner or taken a shortcut. Give yourself the satisfaction of a job well done.
3. Always Finish What You Start
See your work through to the finish. Don’t make someone pick up where you left off because you half-assed it. It is a lot more satisfying knowing that you completed a task. To a certain extent, this also helps others increase their trust in you.
4. Do What Has To Be Done
You may have a task you don’t altogether enjoy, or there may be some steps you don’t like taking. Maybe you are scared of a certain outcome. Until you have the courage to change the circumstances, do what you have to do. Maybe that means working two or three jobs, or working third-shift, or giving up time at the bar with your friends… it could be something different to everyone. Do what you have to do to meet your responsibilities.
5. Be Tough, But Fair
Sometimes this one can be as hard as it sounds. Not everyone likes being tough on anyone, let alone someone you may be close with. If you apply the same rules with everyone, it gets a little easier. If you are fair, it is easier still. I find this one easiest to follow when your expectations are clear from the beginning.
6. When You Make A Promise, Keep It
This is a big one for me, and pretty self explanatory. It goes a long way in gaining somebody’s trust. Trust goes a long way. Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, and don’t lie about things. For those who know me, you know how much I despise lying and, even more, how much I despise liars. It is far better to tell the truth or keep a promise than it is to lie or not deliver on a promise. I was taught that a man’s word is worth more than any piece of paper a guarantee or contract can offer. It is a sad place we are in that this is thrown about with no regard.
7. Ride For The Brand
This one may seem odd at first, but it is steeped in loyalty. To some, it may be brand loyalty, to others, myself included, it is loyalty to those closest to you. Again, those who know me, know (or should) that I will always have your back…unless you stab mine. Of course, when in a group of friends or family, we always poke fun at each other. If you are with me and someone from the outside has backed you into a corner, don’t plan on me running off. I’m with my friends from the ‘git go. This one was pounded into my head over and over. I guess it is part of the Big Brother Territory. This one is also necessary in any team situation.
8. Talk Less And Say More
You don’t always have to be the loudest person in the room to be heard. Make your words be heard by having substance behind them and showing results of your actions. Lead by doing.
9. Remember That Some Things Aren’t For Sale
To be honest, this one was never really covered in my youth. I will leave it open to your own interpretation. 
10. Know Where To Draw The Line
There are some boundaries that you shouldn’t cross. Crossing them may have dire consequences. Know where they are, and pick your battles wisely.
Obviously, these are not the only things I learned while growing up, but they are definitely at the core. I know I have a different view than most people on many things, but I truly believe in this Code. I thank my dad and Ed both for bringing me up with these core values (sorry Mom, you taught me other things 
), and I look forward to passing them on to my kids… someday.
Garden Time!
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to have a vegetable garden. Everywhere I have lived in my adult life has been less than ideal for a garden. Until now. I have a perfect space in my backyard that was used successfully before me.
Since I moved in in February, I have been trying to plan this whole thing out. I decided that my first step would be building a compost bin. I put one together with four extra pallets from some friends in February. Since then I have been adding a lot of kitchen scraps (coffee grounds, scrap fruit and vegetables, and egg shells mostly), fallen leaves, and miscellaneous yard waste. Whenever it rains, I can be found outside gathering worms from my driveway and the street to add. Finally, I added a little organic bloodmeal for a nitrogen boost. The composting has been a success thus far. Once I get some plants in the ground I will add some of the compost to the garden for a nutrient rich soil mix.
The space was originally set up around 16′ x 12′. I cut that down to about 12′ x 12′ this morning but may expand it next year. I don’t want to start with something that is too big for my first growing season. The other four feet are pretty shaded, and I don’t feel like cutting back the branches from my neighbor’s tree quite yet. I should probably say ‘hi’ first anyway.
In my original sketches I had 12 different varieties of plants. I have since decided that it will be a lot smarter to start with about half that number. I am now planning on planting tomatoes, peppers (hot, sweet, and bell), cucumbers, and zucchini. I haven’t decided if I will plant green beans or eggplant yet, but I would say the beans have a better shot.
I welcome any tips anyone could share. As I mentioned, this will be my first attempt at growing any vegetables myself. I eat a lot of produce during the summer and fall, so I am really looking forward enjoying something I will labor over all season.
Columbus
I have been in Columbus, OH for over four years now. Let me tell you, it is quite a bit different than where I come from. As much as I like being in the country, I always wanted to live in a big city when I grew up. Well, I am here, and I can’t say I am disappointed.
It seems like there is something to fit everyone. If you like food, music, sports, beer, art, shopping…almost anything, it is here. It took me about two years to really enjoy living here. That is when I realized Columbus can be as big as you want, or as little as you want. I generally stick to the small-town feel with the big-city option.
When I want to relax and hang out with some friends, my favorite spots have been Too’s and Run of the Mill Tavern. Lately I would have to add the Grandview Cafe to the list because I have been hitting up trivia night there. All of these places have the laid back atmosphere that I like. When I want a geat beer, I head to Barley’s Smokehouse…my friends don’t know what they are missing here!
Sometimes the day/night calls for some excitement. I love going to a game in Columbus! This will always be Buckeye country, but there are other teams to watch as well. The Blue Jackets, Crew, Clippers, and Destroyers (when not canceled) are all a blast to watch, especially in person.
The food scene here is top notch. You can find anything from cheap pub grub to grade ‘A’ steakhouses and anything in between. Columbus is very diverse, so there is a lot of international cuisine that you will not find in smaller towns as well.
I know I have only scratched the surface since I moved here, but I plan on sticking around for a while to keep trying new things and places. I have yet to check out an art walk, haven’t been to the zoo since I was a kid, would like to go to a holiday parade, have only visited the parks for rugby of disc golf…I could go on for a while here, but there is obviously a lot of stuff I want to check out while I am here.
What are your favorite places to visit and things to do here in Columbus? Anything unique, something not many folks know about?
Shaving Old School Style
Most of my friends think of me as old school. They often tell me I was born and living in the wrong generation. A lot of the things I enjoy are things that our parents or grandparents liked way back when. My music choices, favorite movies, activites, and thinking all put me in the throwback category.
I like watching low scoring, grind-it-out football games where a running back gets 30 carries. Sitting outside during a thunderstorm is better entertainment than most TV shows. I could listen to Frank Sinatra or watch Humphrey Bogart or read Ernest Hemingway while having a martini and be content. One of my favorite things from the past is shaving like my dad.
It seems like some company comes up with a new razor cartridge with more and more blades each month. You get to pair that with some synthetic ‘manly’ scented shaving cream or foam, and a hideous aftershave. All of this leads up to a routine that most men do not enjoy and rush through as fast as possible, all the while not even getting the close and comfortable shave as advertised. To make matters worse, those blade cartridges keep getting more and more expensive.
I prefer a different approach, and it pays. Not only does my method cost less per shave, I get a better shave with less irritation, and I actually look forward to it each day! With everyone looking to cram more into each day, I like the slow pace of wetshavig.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
- Shaving brush (badger hair is best)
- Shaving mug
- Quality shave soap or shave cream
- Double edge (DE) razor blades
- Safety razor
- Styptic pencil or alum block
- Aftershave
My shaving routine starts just before a shower. I prepare everything I will be using and soak my badger brush in hot water. Once my shower is done I whip up a nice thick lather with my brush in my shaving mug. I usually use something more natural smelling than Cool Breeze or Pacific Surge or anything else that sounds like that. If I am looking for the old school barbershop smell in the morning, I grab my tube of Proraso. Other favorites are Rosemary Mint, Rose, and Lavender. Laugh if you want, but remember people like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, and Winston Churchill used these as well. I brush up my face and then begin shaving…with one blade. This single blade cuts a lot closer than the four or five on most new cartridge blades. I don’t have to press on my face with it either, so there is very little irritation afterwards. Once I am done, I follow up with with one of many different aftershaves. My favorites lately have been Pinaud Lilac Vegetal and Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum.
Take back your face! Dictate how your day is going to be. Get off on the right foot each day with a great shave!
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