WE CAME ACROSS THESE BALLOONS IN THE DESERT ONE MORNING SNAGGED ON A BUSHYesterday was a good reminder again of why it's important to try & make these latter years as pleasant as possible with doing things you like to do or have always wanted to do if at all possible within your means. The clock is ticking for all of us & within the past two days that clock has come to a stop for a couple more friends.
Our good backyard neighbor Bert lost his battle with cancer Sunday bringing to an end a 4 year friendship of "over the fence chats", a few coffee's, some mutual gardening projects, & a like minded understanding of all the world's ailments. Bert was a soft spoken & gentle man & I always found it easy talking with him. Even without our joint guidance on the world's problems now Bert I somehow think this tired old earth will somehow continue along on it's own wobbly way.
WE UNSNAGGED THEM BUT THEY DRIFTED SLOWLY ALONG THE GROUNDCAMLACHIE MODERN MAN was my good cyber friend Fred's blogger site name. I met Fred on-line about 5 years ago when a mutual friend gave me his email address. We swapped countless hundreds of jokes back & forth & emailed each other about photography & camera ideas. I did finally meet Fred 2 years ago at a friend's 70th birthday party near London Ontario & we remained in email touch with our bantering back & forth right up until a couple weeks ago when Fred's cancer wouldn't let him use his beloved computer anymore. Send me an email when you can Fred & if you come across any good jokes out there wherever you are, send them along because I'll still be watching for you to pop up on my computer screen old Buddy. 
GAVE THEM A BOOST INTO THE AIR BUT THEY JUST HUNG THERE UNABLE TO GAIN ANY LIFT
We have a perfect weather day going on & that has helped smooth the saddened waters. I am in my usual sunroom spot with birds twittering about in front of me & a Colorado Atlas open on my desk. It's time to put some forward thinking travel plans into gear & begin the map plotting for this winter's trip to the southwest. Can we afford to go again this year?? No, of course not, but we're going anyway while we still can.......while we can still hear that clock ticking.
To-day's photos take us back a couple years to the HICKIWAN TRAILS RV Park in Why, Arizona. We loved our morning desert walks there & one particular morning we came across a bunch of tied to-gether balloons snagged on a shrub. We untangled the ribbons & tried unsuccessfully several times to get the cluster airborne but as a group they didn't have enough lift & the trailing ribbons would become snagged once again. It wasn't until we hit upon the idea of untying the balloons from each other that we were finally able to give the individual balloons their freedom. We launched each balloon into the air & the last we saw of them they were climbing steadily in the warm desert air currents, laughing & giggling, & heading for destinations unknown. There is a connection here with Bert & Fred & if you are quick enough to catch those balloons, maybe, just maybe, they will tell you what it is.........................:)) 
WASN'T UNTIL WE UNTIED EACH ONE & SET IT FREE THAT THEY ALL SOARED HAPPILY UPWARD & AWAY:))
GROANER'S CORNER:(( Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people seem bright until you hear them speak.
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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
