Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “May your…”

May 23, 2026May 22, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

“ May your day be wonderful” is the message on the touchscreen of the coffee machine. For the life of me, I can’t imagine why the machine has started to provide motivational messages. The last software download must have led to the idea that we humans can change our emotional state at will. Oh well, it is a nice sentiment, and a touch of the two coffee buttons is a more practical way to alter a mood. The aroma of the magic elixer provides a hopeful sign that the day may, in fact, be wonderful. The first sip quells the 50-story fall climax of the grand piano feeling in my head, brought on by the lack of caffeine.

The second sip, as we have grown accustomed to hearing, is coupled with the cacophony of the Westminster chimes of the doorbell and the instantaneous iPhone unhealthy noise warning sound of Twiggy and Tempeste, believing with all their heart they are doing a good deed in causing eardrum-bleeding mayhem. A quick toss of a handful of kibble into the soundproof room and a slam of the door restores a kind of hush all over the world.

A look at the security monitor confirms the cause of the ruckus. Heckle and Jeckle, the yellow-billed magpies, fill the screen. Knowing that any discussion with these two will be fruitless, the security shutdown process has begun.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes was put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above the front door were fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. The front door is opened.

It’s hard to tell who’s who, but one magpie had the envelope, and the other had the clipboard. Each gave me their item, and the clipboard was returned with a signature where indicated. Both held out wings in an obvious hint for a tip. “You don’t need to wait for permission to succeed, ” was my tip for the day. Stepping back through the front entrance and closing the door, the envelope from Linda Hill is opened. Here is the message:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “may your…” Use the phrase “may your” in your post. Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post https://lindaghill.com/2026/05/22/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-23-2026/.

“Heckle and Jeckle? I haven’t seen them for years.”

“I know. They made their first appearance in 1946, so they are 80 years old.”

“I can see why you invited them to the post.”

“What do you mean?’

“Old guy like yourself.”

“Well, as a kid, I liked them.”

“Hard to visualize you as a kid. Where did you watch them?”

“On TV and in comics.”

“TV? Was it invented when you were a kid?”

“Of course, it was. We had a black and white 10-inch screen.”

“Hard to imagine.”

“As near as I can remember, we had that thing for about seven or eight years.”

“How could you see anything?”

“It seemed okay to me.”

“May your eyes thank the heavens that you didn’t strain them too much.”

“Yeah, we weren’t allowed to watch TV much, so I guess I survived. You order an Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“Just, no.”

“Aw, come on. I’ll ride on the back. You’ll have a seat.”

“Well…. what is the catch?”

“No catch.”

“Come on.”

“Okay, a small one.”

“Hit me.”

“There’s a trailer.”

“Okay, that’s no big deal.”

“With a tree in it.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“Yes, we need to plant it.”

“Oh, man. How long will that take?’

“Will only take an hour, if.”

“If what?”

“If we don’t have to use the jackhammer on hard ground.”

“I’m not dressed for this.”

“Take these overalls and gloves and oh yes, these goggles.”

“Goggles? What for?”

“You are doing the jackhammer.”

“Just shoot me in the face.”

“The goggles will protect you.”

“Fine. Let’s go.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

May 22, 2026May 21, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 62 Comments

A bull moose passing through Gary Verbrugge’s yard – credit, supplied by Verbrugge to the Spokesman-Review

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network.

Man Gathers Up Family Acres Home to Moose and Mountain Lion and Returns Them to Indian Tribe

By Andy Corbley –May 21, 2026

Early in May, GNN reported how Australian and US citizens have amassed 85 million acres of private land specifically for conservation.

From the Spokesman-Review comes the story of a man in Washington state who’s about to make it 85,000,885 by donating his own patch to the Kalispel Indian Tribe.

Having spent his whole working life in urban areas during a 30-year career with the Social Security Administration, Gary Verbrugge longed for the natural world he remembered from his youth, where he lived on land his relatives bought after moving from Iowa in the early 20th century.

After taking early retirement to help with his parents’ ailing health, he bought more land and a neighbor’s cabin and went home to see what had happened to his father and uncles’ forest.

It turns out that the forester they entrusted with managing their land was more interested in making money from timber sales than in ensuring the health of the woodland.

A year later, in 2007, Verbrugge partnered with the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy to turn 605 wooded acres he owned into a conservation easement. In 2025, he bought another 280 acres directly abutting his own land from his nieces and nephews, and added them to the package.

The idea, explained by the INLC’s conservation director, Michael Crabtree, is that the Conservancy acts “kind of like the third party that makes sure the rules are being followed,” on behalf of the owner, who has stipulated he wants to see the land preserved in a natural state.

Though Verbrugge, who lives alone at 72 years old in the forest, has no heirs to pass the property to, he found a suitable inheritor in the Kalispel Indians, who said they would carry the responsibility of keeping the land in good health forward with “profound gratitude.”

As to the land itself, the Little Spokane River runs through it, along with several creeks home to bull trout. In a subdivided and developed area, Verbrugge’s woodland is a haven for elk, deer, moose, wolves, cougar, bobcat, and eagles.

“To see the wildlife, where they’re not aggressive, they’re not scared, they’re just at home, is the reward,” Verbrugge told the Spokesman-Review, who enjoys catching glimpses of his sylvan neighbors with trail cams.

Today’s good news story points out that individuals with a heart can make a difference in preserving valuable natural resources. Today’s JohnKu talks about individual effort in conservation. I hope you have a restful weekend.

It doesn’t take much,

To help the Earth get healthy . . .

Recycle does work.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy and Tempeste Check out the New Fence

May 21, 2026May 20, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 116 Comments

“Tempeste, why aren’t you testing the fence?”

“For one, this tasty leaf needs to be finished.”

“Is there a for two?”

“Well, from here it looks mighty wicked.”

“What do you mean, ‘wicked?'”

“It might be electrified.”

“Dad would never do that.”

“He would get pretty excited when I busted through the old one.”

“Yeah, but this looks like it is made pretty well.”

“It does look substantial. I don’t see any wires.”

“For heaven’s sake. It won’t be wired.”

“But it is all creepy and black. You can hardly see it.”

“Go ahead and touch your nose to it.”

“If I get shocked, I’m going to be really mad at you.”

“Well, you satisfied it’s not electrified?”

Sure am. Now I have to figure a way out of here.”

“I can’t believe you. You have everything you want. The fence is because you eat every leaf you can find. Why not stop the leaf habit, and I’ll bet the fence would disappear.”

“Twiggy. If I could stop the leaf habit, I would. You are right about having everything right here. It’s just there are so many leaves outside this fence.”

“How about forgetting about the leaves and just enjoying the day. A few will blow in that you can pounce on.”

“So true, sister. Alright, I’ll forget about the great escape. Why are you smelling that chair?”

“Great. I’m smelling this chair cause someone used some kind of cleaner on it.”

“That sounds like normal behavior. And you get on me about leaves.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Content”

May 19, 2026May 18, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 51 Comments

Today, I randomly opened The Eternal Road – The last stop to page 253. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word nearest my finger is “content.” That is our prompt.

“Well, you look content.”

“Makes you jealous, doesn’t it?”

“Not really. I have had enough to eat, and the expanded content of my stomach tells me it is nap time.”

“I’m not sure I understand the concept of enough to eat.”

“What do you mean?”

“I always feel hungry, is what I mean.”

“You are kidding.”

“No. Even when I have just finished a big meal, I could eat more.”

“That is a sad situation.”

“Tell me. MY content factor is usually pretty low.”

“I’ve always wondered why you seem to be moving all the time.”

“I guess I’m trying to forget my discontent.”

“I don’t understand why you remain so thin.”

“Must be the metabolism.”

“I’m surprised you don’t take food from others when we are dining.”

“That wouldn’t be right. Besides, I may be hungry, but I’m not a fighter.”

“You would definitely get into fights, taking food from others. So when do you get extra food?”

“I don’t. I just live with it.”

“Well, I’m sorry about your condition.”

“I appreciate your sympathy. It’s no laughing matter.”

“That is a sad state of affairs for a hyena.”

“Tell me.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do Working on the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869

May 18, 2026May 18, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 Comments

More of the historical backdrop for this set of Top Ten Things Not to Do. This post was published on September 24, 2018. I hope you enjoy. it

The Top Ten Things Not to Do Working on the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869

10. If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not forget to double-check your measurements. If you do, at best, you can correct any mistakes before the East meets the West. At worst, the Westbound group will be in Promontory Summit, Utah, and your Eastbound group will end up in Provo. (You only missed the union by a few hundred miles, Ferris. Maybe you can cut over before the three-foot snows.)

9 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not borrow Tiny the WWF champ’s sledgehammer. If you do, at best, Tiny will not know you have it. At worst, Tiny has been seeking help for his inability to let things go, but has not addressed the part about possessions. (If you can, Forest, I would sneak that hammer back into Tiny’s tent since it looks like he is in stage ten of a meltdown looking for it.)

8 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not forget your gloves. If you do, at best, you might be able to buy a pair. At worst, you will be using a shovel to dig out the rail bed for twelve hours a day. (It might be a good idea to get those hands wrapped somehow, Fredrik. Otherwise, I think you may be out of a job.)

7 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not light up your cigar as you are pouring gunpowder into the blasting holes. If you do, at best, the wind will save you. At worst, you will get a lesson in flight long before the Wright brothers. (That ringing in your ears means you are lucky to be here, Fakhir.)

6 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not complain about the food. If you do, at best, no one will listen. At worst, the cook, who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute, has a huge knife and very tender feelings. (I think it might be time to try out those new running boots, Flint. I don’t think an apology is going to work this time.)

5 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not decide to sleep out on the prairie even though the stars are beautiful at night. If you do, at best, the mosquitoes will drive you back to camp. At worst, your slumber will be disturbed by growling noises you have never heard before. (Those are wolves, Finnigan. Playing possum won’t help. I would get up and run screaming back to camp.)

4 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, I would not try to introduce s’mores at the nightly campfire. If you do, at best, your fellow workers won’t pay attention. At worst, you won’t have enough to go around, and the resulting riot will get you fired. (Now that you are way out here, Findlay, how are you going to get back to San Francisco?)

3 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not start singing, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” If you do, at best, you won’t remember the words and will stop. At worst, you’ll get to the part about Dina blowing her horn, and the rest of the workers will want to know who Dina is. (Looks like you have a credibility problem, Flynn. Everyone wants to meet Dina. You’d better figure out who is going to play Dina.)

2 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not think you can organize a union of workers. If you do, at best, your boss will stop you before you get too far. At worst, the railroad company and the government will escort you off the job and on to a buckboard heading back to civilization. (I guess no one told you, Fabian, that this was going to be dangerous, unsafe, hard work, and you would only get minimum wage.)

1 If you are working on the first transcontinental railroad, do not party too hard after the last spike is driven. If you do, at best, you will have a killer headache the next day. At worst, you might miss the train back to your city. (Well, Fachnan, it looks like you might be asking the local tribe of native Americans if they have room for a blood brother. Don’t be too surprised if they are less than friendly. You just finished a railroad through their land without their permission.)

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Photographer Debbi Varela

May 17, 2026May 16, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 49 Comments

Today, we are visiting the Lakeway City Hall Art exhibit. There is an exhibition by photographer Debbi Varela of Lakeway. We are catered by Rough Creek Lodge Restaurant of Glen Rose, Texas. Our entertainment is Survivor.Menu

California White Bass – Santa Barbara Mussels, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Grape Tomatoes, Chef’s Salami, Garlic Toast & Shaved Burgundy Black Truffle Salad
Red Chile Glazed Swordfish – Shrimp Quesadilla, Wilted Beet Greens, Toasted Pepitas & Butternut Squash Sauce
Skillet Roasted Chicken Breast – Creamy Wild Rice, Pancetta, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash & Pan Mushroom Gravy
Locally Raised Red Wattle Pig -Sampler For Two, Grilled Chop, Seared Loin, Smoked Shoulder, Rutabaga Puree, Pomegranate Sauce & Garlic Sautéed Dandelions

Hanger Steak-8oz -Marbled & Full Flavor

Rib Eye-12oz -Marbled & Full Flavor
Filet -7oz – Lean & Lite Flavor
Green Bean – Potato-Cheddar Casserole & Green Tomato Chutney

Everyone on the bus.

Here is the gallery. Notice how much light. The photos are behind glass making taking photos of them difficult. I did get them all.

About the photographer and the exhibit.

About the exhibit.

Under the Same Sky.

Holding Space.

Seen.

Momentium.

Golden Silence.

Grounded.

The quiet Strength within.

Growing Through Conflict.

Balance.

Working Together.

The Wins We Share.

I hope you enjoyed the exhibit. It is now time for food and entertainment. I hope you have a great week.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Sweet”

May 16, 2026May 15, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 65 Comments

The coffee machine sits quietly waiting for its first command of the day. A touch of the two coffee images on the touchscreen brings the sweet sound of beans grinding. In 14 seconds, the magic elixir that quells the evil caffeine withdrawal pain pours into the cup. The first sip quiets the sound of a falling Mosler safe crashing into a five-story greenhouse that is in my head. The second sip is accompanied by the predictable cacophony of the Westminster chimes, the doorbell, and the baying of the hounds of Baskerville, portrayed by Twiggy and Tempeste. A quick toss of a new bone into the soundproof room, followed by a door slam, brings the peace train back home.

A glance at the monitor shows that Clarabelle the Clown is on the front porch. Knowing it is silly to ask it to leave the envelope, the security shutdown process is begun with a sigh.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes was put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to go off. The Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above the front door fed. The front door is open.

Clarabelle gives me a honk and passes the envelope and clipboard. After the signature, we trade the envelope for the clipboard. Clarabelloe has a hand out in the classic request for a tip. “A positive mind is stronger than a negative thought.” Is the tip left with Clarabelle as the front door closes. The envelope is from Linda Hill. Inside is a message. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “sweet.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2026/05/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-16-2026/

“Clarabell? From the Howdy Doody show?”

“Yup, the very same. I used to watch it on our 10-inch TV screen.”

“In black and white?

“Of course.”

“What year was that?”

“The show started in 1947, and I think we got our first TV in 1948.”

“You were a kd.”

“Yup. Seven years old when I began watching.”

“Do you remember anything about the show?”

“Only that I sent away for a Clarabell cut-out figure. It arrived about 100 years after I sent in for it.”

“Did you like it?”

“Oh yeah, it was all in color and stood on its own. It was in my room for years.”

“Do you still have it?”

“Unfortunately, no. I’m sure it went the way of all my kid stuff. Passed to cousins.”

“Well, at least you can go on YouTube if you want to see the shows.”

“I don’t have any interest, but thank you for the information.”

“Why talk about Clarabelle then?”

“I just thought it would be fun.”

“You know what else is fun?

“You call Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“A 1978 Mark V Lincoln Continental. That will get us there.”

“I thought you would like it.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Just one stop.”

“Can’t wait to find out on this one.”

“Well.. There was a recall on a part back in 1978, and the dealer had to order it.”

“Yes.”

“The part just came in, and the owner wants to get it fixed before the shop closes.”

“After 47 years of waiting, I don’t blame him, but can’t he do it next week?”

“Yeah, but the price of the ride will never be as sweet.”

“How long is the repair supposed to take?”

“Twenty minutes max.”

“That means 4 hours. Okay, let’s go. I’m going to order VooDoos from DoorDash. Well, just sit in the dealer waiting room as if it were the pub.”

“Worth a try. They have snacks.”

“All the better.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

May 15, 2026May 14, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 84 Comments

Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft, supplied to the Washington Post

Today’s good news story comes from the Good News Network

Senior Scholar Fulfills Life-long Dream to Graduate Medical School–a Doctor at 73-Years Young

By Andy Corbley – May 14, 2026

When Mr. Carl Craft nearly died from a brain hemorrhage, he and his wife Dawn reviewed their bucket list. Carl wanted to travel, and Dawn said she wanted to go to medical school.

“He thought I was crazy,” she said.

Now, though, Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft proudly holds a doctorate in medicine after graduating as the school’s oldest-ever graduate at 72.

The doctoral dream took root from the earliest periods of Zuidgeest-Craft’s life and would blossom into a career as a nurse practitioner and pediatric educator. It was a career she enjoyed even while marrying and giving birth to two children.

For their sake, Zuidgeest-Craft put her medical school ambition on hold—at least until her 40s, she thought. Then she got divorced and remarried before she and her new husband, Carl, decided to start their own family. Zuidgeest-Craft spent the decade raising two more children.

The dream of medical school gradually faded until Carl suffered his brain hemorrhage, at which point Dawn realized it had to happen now, or, as the phrase goes, never.

Digging into her retirement savings, Zuidgeest-Craft paid the tuition for St. James School of Medicine in Anguilla, the Caribbean, where the institution waives the requirement for a Medical College Admission Test.

It wasn’t a straightforward process, and the senior scholar wouldn’t have hoped or imagined failing the biochemistry exam during year 1, but with the support of her husband Carl and the classmates who all remember her fondly from their dorm living, movie nights, and yoga sessions on the beach, Zuidgeest-Craft kept going.

It took clinical rotations in Chicago and West Virginia, and a stint in South Texas, where a medical professional encouraged her—based on her aptitude—to seek a residency program, for Zuidgeest-Craft to graduate with her doctorate this month, not long before her 73rd Birthday.

“When you have to do it for work… you feel like, ‘I got to do this so that I can pay my rent,’” Zuidgeest-Craft, who has three grandchildren, told the Washington Post. “I want to do this because I really enjoy this.”

“I feel alive when I work in the medical field.”

She will begin her residency at Trinity Health Medical Center in Muskegon, Michigan, this year.

The good news in this story is that a long-held dream has finally been realized. Today’s JohnKu talks about dreams. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

They are yours to have,

Which no one should take away . . .

Work till they come true.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Tempeste Learns Something

May 14, 2026May 13, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 111 Comments

“Tempeste, what are you doing?”

“There is something in the cross-vine.”

“Don’t be silly. The only things in those vines are lizards and birds.”

“I think there’s some kind of creepy crawly up there.”

“You’d better get off that rickety fence.”

“Lizards could be classified as creepy crawly.”

“Hold on. I’m coming.”

“I think we could make a break from here.”

“You and your breaks. I hope you know Dad is putting a new fence in.”

“That’s why we ought to make a break while we can.”

“I think you’d better cool your jets, little one.”

“Okay, I get it. There is still something in these vines though.”

“There may have been a bird rustling, or as I said, a lizard. They live in there.”

“Live in there? Do they pay rent?”

“Don’t be silly. That would be like you and me having to pay rent.”

“I don’t know. We provide a lot of entertainment for free. Maybe that’s rent.”

“Do you have to sleep outside and catch your own food?”

“Okay, I get it. The birds and lizards live free like we do.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “First”

May 12, 2026May 11, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 47 Comments

Today I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 151. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page, and the word closest to my finger was “first.” That is our prompt today.

“When did you first see him?”

“The first time? Let me see. I think it was last winter.”

“What about him did you notice first?”

“Oh, that’s easy. He had a bright red coat.”

“Where were you?”

“Well, he startled me, and so I ducked behind this huge tree.”

“What happened next?”

“My heart was beating so fast I was sure he would hear it.”

“Did he ever see you?”

“No, I stayed out of sight.”

“What else can you remember?”

“I could tell he was fit, but he had on a hat, so it was hard to see his face.”