Thoughtful Orchid

Thoughtful Orchid

Noel Laflin

3-23-20

This cymbidium usually blooms, like clockwork, around the first week in March. It’s been doing so since my father died the first week in March thirteen years ago.

This year it held off till March 20th, which had me puzzled until I remembered March 20th marked the first year anniversary of the passing of David’s father.

Orchids are thoughtful - as are the friends that first gave me this particular beauty some thirteen years ago in early March.

Shuffling Memories

Shuffling Memories

Noel Laflin

3-11-20

Lost a long-time friend yesterday. John is the handsome blond fellow in this photo.

His death was not unexpected, as he’d been quite ill for sometime. But that does not diminish the pain many of us are now experiencing with his passing.

John was funny and kind. He was hard to resist when he had his heart set on something and insisted that you join him. He was an excellent dancer. In fact I could never master the shuffle unless he led, and then you thought you had been born to dance.

He was a fine roommate - I envied what he could do with a tiny ten-by-ten-foot room configuration. 

He helped me when I was hurting long ago and I think I was of help to him in return.

What more can friends ask of one another?

Some things you just never forget.

Thus, I am going to miss him greatly.

Pea Ridge

Pea Ridge

Noel Laflin

3-7-20

The battle of Pea Ridge in northern Arkansas was fought on this day in 1862.

I bring this up as it’s the only Civil War battlefield that I have ever visited, and even then, it was not on our road trip agenda thirty years ago.

But there were the signs along the highway telling us of the famous roadside attraction as we departed our log cabin motel in Hot Springs early one June morning. So we stopped in for a look round.

We had the grounds practically to ourselves that beautiful summer morning. I even have a photo, somewhere lying about, of handsome young Jeremy petting the head of a handsome young fawn that emerged from the woods in order to check us out. We quickly departed, however, when the youngster’s daddy showed up. He was a magnificent looking creature.

We viewed ancient cannons still in place, read of rebel and Yankee engagements, learned how five Indian nations assisted the Confederacy throughout the battle, some even taking a few Union scalps. But it was all for naught as Mr. Lincoln’s Army eventually won the day.

And although I hope to see Gettysburg or Antietam Creek some day, I know I’ll never have the opportunity of photographing a beautiful young man stroking the head of a beautiful young fawn, without another soul in sight for miles about. Well, with the exception of the magnificent buck looking on, who disapproved, of course.

Butterflies and Daughters

Butterflies and Daughters

Noel Laflin

3-1-20

Years ago I placed a butterfly decal on the sliding glass door right about at eye level. I thought the decal, which is actually something cooler than that, was a freebie in some junk mail maybe; then Krysten reads this little story and reminds me that it was something that she made in art class when she was little. Who says kids don't always read your posts? Anyway, all ll I know is that placing that decal/art project on the door seemed like a good reminder to open the door first before trying to exit the house. I remember a friend from years before who ran right through a sliding glass door in his home. Sure, he was only eleven at the time, but hey, it can happen to anyone. The good news about his unfortunate experience is that he survived without a scratch. The door was not so lucky.

Now, I should have placed a decal, or maybe a full out stop sign on my own door years earlier when I tried to walk right through it.

It wasn’t really my fault, of course, as the window was sparkly clean for a change, thus allowing me to think that I was entering the great outdoors uninhibited. And speaking of inhibited, I further blame the half empty bottle of vodka in my hand when I tried to walk through the glass as being a major culprit in my miscalculation.

Fortunately, for both the door and me, there was no crashing of glass – just a major sense of embarrassment on my part, and a goose egg of a bump on my forehead.

Subsequently, I no longer drink vast quantities of vodka in one afternoon, or do I keep the glass so sparkly clean.

And should I fail in either of those endeavors, I have a butterfly to remind me to open the damn door first.

I am now looking for something similar to place on the screen door, as in my haste to view a bird upon occasion, I have walked pell-mell into it, knocking it out of its frame.

The screen is always quickly righted while curses fly. And speaking of flying, that’s just what happens to the birds that get away.

Madame butterfly snickers each time.

But as she’s only a decal she’s stuck with me.

And so is my daughter.

Up Close

Up Close

Noel Laflin

2-20-20

A few years ago a beautiful hawk nearly flew into my car. Had he been just a few inches lower in trajectory, and had my window been rolled down just a bit more, well, I would have been wearing that fellow firmly impaled in the left side of my face.

You see, he was literally on the heels of a jackrabbit crossing a lonely stretch along a narrow canyon road. I came upon the chase while rounding a gentle curve. The rabbit was barreling across the two lane road, heading for thick brush against the hillside, and that hawk was about three feet behind him. I was fast approaching the sure-to-be nab when Jack dove into a protective bush a nanosecond ahead of outstretched talons.

Well, the hawk put on the wing brakes, flipped himself around in an amazing midair somersault and zoomed directly back my way as I passed by.

We stared at one another, that proud raptor and me, and like I said, had he miscalculated his rise by an inch or so, it would not have been pretty - window up or down.

But I got to tell ya, they are magnificent looking creatures up close.

Precautions

Precautions

Noel Laflin

2-18-20

I just checked the garden to make sure the tiny wildflower seeds I recently planted over the last week or so are undisturbed. I looked carefully for bird footprints and sharp little holes in the soil. There were none. Yay.

I took this precaution so as not to be disappointed when nothing sprouts, as did happen years ago when a towhee stealthily followed me – unbeknownst to me, of course – as I carefully planted Giant Russian Sunflower Seeds. He dug up and ate every single one. I found this out when I attempted the same task a couple of weeks later as the same culprit was caught sabotaging me once again. Then I wised up and planted the seeds under a covered planter on the patio and transferred the sunflower babies when they were six inches tall.

Now, the wildflower seeds most recently planted (lupine, bachelor buttons, etc.) are about 1/50 the size of Giant Russian Sunflower Seeds, but one can never be too cautious with the likes of clever towhees

Crème brûlée

 Crème brûlée

Noel Laflin

2-9-20

I found a pristine book of matches gathering dust on a shelf in the garage today. Le Biarritz in Newport Beach was my first introduction to French cuisine nearly 40 years ago. Wasn’t crazy about escargot, but fell in love with Crème brûlée ten years later, when my old friend and boss, Rick Nicholson, suggested I have one. I liked it so much I asked if I could have another. As Rick was buying, why not? He happily complied.

It’s strange to find this today as Rick has been on my mind quite a bit lately; we are coming up on one year since his untimely passing.

And the restaurant is no longer Le Biarritz either; it hasn’t been in years.

But I am grateful for the small find today as a reminder of a happier time
.
Here’s to Crème brûlée, and more importantly, to you, boss.