tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32915238204299215982024-03-13T18:15:50.028-05:00GraphicGumbo3GraphicGumbo3 is the third of three blog sites that I use to tell my stories. SketchieThoughts is the second of the three blogs that I use to show sketches, doodles, and onsite drawings on a daily basis, theoretically. "Three" is a general forum for all things not necessarily art related.Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.comBlogger388125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-57132241228068620842024-02-24T16:03:00.000-06:002024-02-24T16:03:14.008-06:00"Fire Prevention Week!"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbxnuV1IRF93vncpQW36TCSKOh8Z0r8eJHhoVMHsrXVwfU_3Lxc9rbkHFfo-HQCFtKHJqUgUDAg0Tvwb3lN7oe7T0LvSyoYMk95edSKLfLx1xPNb1jzpA63gIh8VNgac9V7RCimGiuaP_aE94Kp5ic-VwWGHeh711XhaFmGpCQvuCyhVCyk4eXLvxvg/s3907/FirePreventPoster.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3907" data-original-width="2717" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbxnuV1IRF93vncpQW36TCSKOh8Z0r8eJHhoVMHsrXVwfU_3Lxc9rbkHFfo-HQCFtKHJqUgUDAg0Tvwb3lN7oe7T0LvSyoYMk95edSKLfLx1xPNb1jzpA63gIh8VNgac9V7RCimGiuaP_aE94Kp5ic-VwWGHeh711XhaFmGpCQvuCyhVCyk4eXLvxvg/w241-h345/FirePreventPoster.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smokey would be pleased!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Good Sunday Morning, y'all.</span><p></p><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I hope no one minds me reminiscing the GD days. Some of these I've thrown out and some, once again, has made the cut... or made me smile. This is one of them.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">After my experience with the tech group, the graphics department thought it best for me to chill out... Or, that's my opinion of what went down!</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I was pretty much handed lots of ads for in-house events. If I was gonna screw up again, it wouldn't be on a national level. One of those was the Fire Prevention Week promo. I don't recall who designed the previous one a year before, but I'm sure it was most forgettable.</span><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfHHKieePReOJNeMhZNLACvVi8_NXMbvlxZZjREYrHBCfDcrmGNBCAaEb7V41IU9Rsk6_QEMSTbVdxfhLlfn_3Mhnk4_7pK0CfEChLv4HgSt5cupsaCxnXY3x9F6v89c6dOyWY7UG1-nUunQ1Oai6299beTD5FRgdrF0y8_qrbHV1gWB-4JonpULAlg/s4204/FirePrevent%20comps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3320" data-original-width="4204" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfHHKieePReOJNeMhZNLACvVi8_NXMbvlxZZjREYrHBCfDcrmGNBCAaEb7V41IU9Rsk6_QEMSTbVdxfhLlfn_3Mhnk4_7pK0CfEChLv4HgSt5cupsaCxnXY3x9F6v89c6dOyWY7UG1-nUunQ1Oai6299beTD5FRgdrF0y8_qrbHV1gWB-4JonpULAlg/s320/FirePrevent%20comps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div>I presented the boss a few ideas, but leaned heavily on the one with the burned hard hat. Seems the sticking point for approving the idea was acquiring an actual hard hat to destroy, so I told them that I'd use my own. I actually had a hard hat from my days with the oil companies from Louisiana.</span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">You couldn't walk on any property without one... even artists had to wear one to sketch and photograph subject matter. I did ask one friend who worked at the plant if I could use his helmet and he was delighted to give it up for "um" science and set it on fire! </span></div></span><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I guess he wanted an excuse to get a new.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">But, in the end, I decided to torch my "oil and gas chapeaux".</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Strangely enough, I don't remember anyone inquiring about where I was gonna do the deal. The entire scene was created in our driveway on our cheapo tin barbecue pit full of charcoal briquettes... even burned a piece of 2x4 for effect.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Back in those days, I did not own a 35mm camera, to I asked Mitch, the same photographer I worked with on"TheCountdown" if he could help me out. I think he enjoyed working me on my strange projects.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, one day after work, I spread out all my burned debris on the factory floor, and Mitch shot a roll or two. Mitch was a big time smoker and made the suggestion of smoke from a few lit ciggies.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">In one of the comps, I illustrated a water soaked floor, but we both felt that what we shot should suffice quite well. It would have been nice to have the poster printed in color, but the budget wouldn't allow it. The red headline was as good as we could expect.</span><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">It didn't win any awards, but I assume Smokey was pleased. More on that awards thing later down the GD line!</span></div></div><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Copyright 2024/Ben Bensen III</span></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-57670719884376152612024-01-30T21:46:00.000-06:002024-01-30T21:46:07.595-06:00" I Know, I Know, It All Is Completely Baseless!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3DOHeVlyBgEhYC7q_i8betWNo-I05Ga3aCFnhYEzKMNMuHHaB6vbK3WPCbiZvOeF-r5l_YRmcBzCJbLGIvvyLVV09h69sr9O45onFF39WenNIXzHvu8ERVj9bNocXkfcWyEzFt5Kc7rfDk9Amxuaz5oDKZRfqwxy4LkI1Wg3pSIzmVWPpWDawaUbTQ/s930/base%20boards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="930" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3DOHeVlyBgEhYC7q_i8betWNo-I05Ga3aCFnhYEzKMNMuHHaB6vbK3WPCbiZvOeF-r5l_YRmcBzCJbLGIvvyLVV09h69sr9O45onFF39WenNIXzHvu8ERVj9bNocXkfcWyEzFt5Kc7rfDk9Amxuaz5oDKZRfqwxy4LkI1Wg3pSIzmVWPpWDawaUbTQ/s320/base%20boards.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's based in truth...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Good "wacky" Wednesday Morning, y'all.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Well, here I sit, directly across from the bathroom wall wondering if, indeed, I have to once again, clean the baseboards from the lint, hair, and dust.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I know, I know, you laugh, but in most homes where carpet floors meet the walls, there is some kind of baseboard moulding. Some are quite simple and some are quite "fancy-dancy!" </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The "fancy-dancy" ones are the hardest to keep clean. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">In most of the house, carpets can hide the overall hairiness and dust making it easier to clean when one vacuums, but not so in the bathrooms. That's where most floors are covered with linoleum which easily show their dismay and lack of attention.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">And, the tiny spiders love that!</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I notice these things because I do more than just read my constitutional rights three or four times a day. I sit and stare, directly across from the wall and the baseboard, and sometimes think about a good friend who has since passed away.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">He was a big, burly Irishman that I knew from high school. In our football days, he was fast, and slim and powerful and could easily take on two offensive tackles, throw them aside and make the tackle. He made me look good at the linebacker position. That was then...</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Divorced, a bit overweight, and still Irish, and in his sixties, he was preparing to retire in a year or two. As far back as I can remember, he and another employee at the electric company, carpooled to work into New Orleans. Though they spent most of their time working away from each other on the road, much of their after work hours were spent with friends at bars and restaurants.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">But, his good work buddy had another life... he was married, and quite happily so. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">On the weekends, when Pat, the high school buddy, had no plans, no date and got lonely, he always tried to recruit Cliff to join him in some form of frolic, or another. But Cliff, the family man, better known to most as "Weenie", a moniker given to him by Pat, would on occasion, graciously join us all at the local restaurant for breakfast and then, try to excuse his way back home. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Some of those excuses, as one would guess were pretty lame, but the one that always brings chuckle to my heart was Pat grilling poor Weenie..."C'mon man, what'cha gonna do, give me that excuse about cleaning your baseboards again?"</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Oh, that Pat. He certainly had an effect on everyone, including me. Every now and then, I find I have to give them boards a second look!</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Coffee and then, another doctor's appointment!</span></span><div><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Copyright 2024/ Ben Bensen III</span></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-9644587082570207722024-01-23T18:38:00.003-06:002024-01-23T18:38:39.879-06:00"No, Not That Kinda Hey... HAY!"<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWNUoUfJT4ORSLNz84ISlZlXoNH_0SgP3wX-Uj39HOpD5n44HRGzK2Wo4JPiry60WxIjzWouCfwLowxyu8tulSZKFNbklgPn_AUsRJTHbTRHA6Z1aHFTOAKtAv1a3wa0a19KMfI6TXISHu8JumxCr-Mmq5CX85XwInX048oZDk8O0RLIha96UEhPSlQ/s649/326765557_989268625400904_263576309576308_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="649" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWNUoUfJT4ORSLNz84ISlZlXoNH_0SgP3wX-Uj39HOpD5n44HRGzK2Wo4JPiry60WxIjzWouCfwLowxyu8tulSZKFNbklgPn_AUsRJTHbTRHA6Z1aHFTOAKtAv1a3wa0a19KMfI6TXISHu8JumxCr-Mmq5CX85XwInX048oZDk8O0RLIha96UEhPSlQ/s320/326765557_989268625400904_263576309576308_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">Good "Monday Again" Monday Morning, all bodies!</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">See, you have to understand some people here in Folsom come from a different stock with their own special priorities. For example, we are in the middle of a highly sophisticated topic about automobile oil filter sumps when a friend's eyes set long and hard on a pickup truck that passed by the window of the coffeehouse.</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">"With her eyes all a twitter, she jumps up out of her chair and yells, "Hay!"</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">Now, being a city boy who is still trying to find my place in this here town, I answer,"WHAT?"</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">"No, Barbara says as she points to the window. Not that kinda hey... HAY!"</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">Her enthusiasm puts a halt to the conversation as everyone watches her run to the window.</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">"It's hay... two bundles of the good kind of hay sitting in the back of that truck. I wonder where he got it,” she asked hoping that the owner was gonna stop by for a cup of coffee.</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">Unfortunately, he did not making a right turn at the corner and off into the distance.</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">With a giggle, I asked her, "Do you always get so worked up about... um, HAY?"</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">"I do when it's the good brand of hay. You can't get that kind of quality here in Louisiana."</span><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><br style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; transition-property: none !important;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif;">As she continued to explain the differences in hay to anyone who'd listen, I couldn't help but be impressed by Barbara's ability to see and discern one brand of hay from another, and even from the back of a pickup just passing through. Gotta love it though!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Copyright 2024/Ben Bensen III</span></li></ul><p></p>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-81585787298961851462023-11-24T20:04:00.003-06:002023-11-24T20:04:35.725-06:00"I Thought, Is It Too Early To Thank Old Saint Nick?"<p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj03VhQUq9iOMLg-H52xQHhNU7IaFVwADXzZPx7dswtIaDirX6gGIRtHI23mwSMp3FUls7Ab3zHZt5ar6IUI7b3Q6pBC7J9STt7IpALcOfRApbrv93alQ5m1DmakF07IgN5BTagyLGgUlwEUEVVv46fWHpm7AqCyOckyEhON_By9xjW9ohTA-spuVjfiw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj03VhQUq9iOMLg-H52xQHhNU7IaFVwADXzZPx7dswtIaDirX6gGIRtHI23mwSMp3FUls7Ab3zHZt5ar6IUI7b3Q6pBC7J9STt7IpALcOfRApbrv93alQ5m1DmakF07IgN5BTagyLGgUlwEUEVVv46fWHpm7AqCyOckyEhON_By9xjW9ohTA-spuVjfiw" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Good Thanksgiving Thursday Morning, all bodies.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">In the afternoon two days before today, I walked into Folsom's "The Donut Stop" to assure myself that there would be enough chocolate covered Bavarian creme donuts and apple fritters. The young woman at the counter, let's just call her Darcy, assured me that there would be but that they'd be closing at 1pm the day before Thanksgiving.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">She asked me if I wanted to to secure my order and I told her that I didn't think that that would <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>be necessary though in the back of my mind, I knew better. The Donut Stop's apple fritters are legendary.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">Well, I should have placed an order, and then again, Darcy might have mistook my indecision and did it anyway!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">It's been our Macy's Morning tradition even in California, to order danish and bearclaws and serve it with a big bowl of fruit. I can't find bearclaws that I like on the Northshore, so apple fritters fill the void... So to speak!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">So yesterday around 10am, I saunter into the bakery to find no apple fritters on the shelf, or in the back, baking..AACK!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">The woman who knows me from my frequent visits over the years, apologized and said that they were holding in a box, two apple fritters and two chocolate covered Bavarian creme donuts for pickup sometime today... for someone!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"Aw jeez, my wife told me that I should've placed an order," I said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">Therese who was with me was a bit disinterested because she spotted on the shelf plenty of chocolate covered Bavarian creme donuts.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">So the manager, sporting a camo baseball cap, and wearing a long black apron that covered his camouflaged ensemble, seemed to be biding his time till 1pm. He came to the counter to see what was the problem. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">After telling my tale hoping that Darcy mistook my non-order as an actual order, I awaited the manager's decision. The older woman told the manager that they were saving the order, but that there was no name written on the order. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">I could tell by the sympathetic look on her face that she was pleading the case in defense of the entire staff as well as my traditional Macy's parade need.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">The manager put his large hands across his salt and pepper gray beard and scrubbed it in thought. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"So, we don't know who actually made the order," right?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">The older woman handling the drive up window, nodded.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"And it is the exact same order this man is looking for, right?"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"That's right," she said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">I could tell as he continued rubbing his beard that he was thinking about that "bird in an hand" stuff...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"Well then, let these folks have it!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">"That'll be $ 8.53 with tax," he said, confident in the finality of his decision.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">I thought, is it too early to thank Old Saint Nick?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">First home brewed with fritters!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">Oh yeh, c... y'all.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span><br /></div><br /></div><p> </p>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-56918444851217079812023-11-15T16:47:00.003-06:002023-11-15T16:47:15.710-06:00."Belton, the belted kingfisher.".<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQppVTGx2G4ObOZDL1KZQdcSVwYgHt47_J0TTHuoLO4qQNOqqtvDh6-Q0ALJPDuvkshb7NW9N9N6ustddeLoxQSi9gG48JU7iE8xXDVKeBPrpyptD1VoP56Tw9svxtz8ixpcHzo1K7od48fH1qcuSHDxJ59xY1UE1-HJkw0M3XjrlaUZViS3JFTk1WFg/s810/Kingfisher%20@72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="613" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQppVTGx2G4ObOZDL1KZQdcSVwYgHt47_J0TTHuoLO4qQNOqqtvDh6-Q0ALJPDuvkshb7NW9N9N6ustddeLoxQSi9gG48JU7iE8xXDVKeBPrpyptD1VoP56Tw9svxtz8ixpcHzo1K7od48fH1qcuSHDxJ59xY1UE1-HJkw0M3XjrlaUZViS3JFTk1WFg/s320/Kingfisher%20@72.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little Opportunist!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Good "late Wednesday Morning," everyone!</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We drove into Merrywood a few evenings ago, and circled the bird sanctuary to notice white things on the lake. Slowing down, I noticed that those white things were egrets, ibis, herons and other shore birds feasting on the slowly drying up lake... It's pretty sad. I don't think Louisiana has ever had a drought as long, hot and intense as the one we've been experiencing in the last three or four months or more.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUtMmPwOnbNSzHXJGwUCO-VHgrTmtUZ9oJ0iL0wc_01x1anexsd3ZQUCYpRXf2HvOFhsEDhF3pzesSzUUdv0f0_RKvejib2HHT-ajEs2_SGFi6E_j9hvr227gAWUuikbZjlJtkDae1LsDHYJw-wIMfgQCXnvXABKk12ywFkmTFLaAeMou8q-hoP7k1A/s1024/399067444_10227837944607038_4313210744186445234_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUtMmPwOnbNSzHXJGwUCO-VHgrTmtUZ9oJ0iL0wc_01x1anexsd3ZQUCYpRXf2HvOFhsEDhF3pzesSzUUdv0f0_RKvejib2HHT-ajEs2_SGFi6E_j9hvr227gAWUuikbZjlJtkDae1LsDHYJw-wIMfgQCXnvXABKk12ywFkmTFLaAeMou8q-hoP7k1A/s320/399067444_10227837944607038_4313210744186445234_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird Sanctuary Pond</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We get all kinds of the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">feathered visitors according to the seasons, but one that seems to endure the changes is our clownish resident, the belted kingfisher and his babe. Most of the times, one finds it hard to locate them around the many ponds and the sanctuary lake, but you sure can hear their noisy "rattle" that seems to express their disgust with being disturbed.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Perched high up on a very flexible branch with a coififure that is straight out of a punk rock group, the kingfisher overlooks the lake, bounces and awaits the right moment dive bomb the lake for a scaly tidbit. We sat quietly in the car for about twenty minutes to checkout the action.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We were both laughing in disbelief when we saw the "belted one" dive down and actually snatch a fish right out an ibis's mouth and take it to the treetops on the other side of the lake.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Little stinker!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">A sketch inspired by the antics of the clownish freshwater fisherman. Maybe tomorrow, I clean it up and add some digital color!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGUFLi9WuMcmZuHaM3eXyJ05kUR4UhDJsClhVgIevk0zlZ_oWdOHUhG-tR9zbTcbj6ePrW4OCSMja1bVPanvGuzgbZesBNI-LGDTZxM8ooBuyJ7DI-cmkZVirsU7pt2wOJsYh_KinHPTI2kEMz3qY96jZZ919kFQfHCHDkxIiLTGK7YJco8Z4Z_iHBA/s1280/398938921_10227837944727041_9110800317922113396_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="1280" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGUFLi9WuMcmZuHaM3eXyJ05kUR4UhDJsClhVgIevk0zlZ_oWdOHUhG-tR9zbTcbj6ePrW4OCSMja1bVPanvGuzgbZesBNI-LGDTZxM8ooBuyJ7DI-cmkZVirsU7pt2wOJsYh_KinHPTI2kEMz3qY96jZZ919kFQfHCHDkxIiLTGK7YJco8Z4Z_iHBA/s320/398938921_10227837944727041_9110800317922113396_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A few adjustments were made!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm pretty happy with the outcome so, I think I'll give the bird a name. The name "Belton." seems appropriate and kinda Cajun though not as popular as Boudreaux or Benoit!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I'm okay with that...Belton, the belted kingfisher... ha!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Copyright 2023/ Ben Bensen III</div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-66752501175573339222023-09-27T12:28:00.001-05:002023-09-27T12:28:20.034-05:00" Don't Look At Me,"<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRcSdcLfWAMEjWwhok8KFrNoerR8RYxMzinVcXhcIXx4bxHoJGBAPa86HbusciU2WXIdQfQFvQ15Nj6kQT-cj8lbLcSTpbBgXM6iCjxTGUVeJQs_n6E_1kEPu175qXUaFJKpFR2CuYiPj2gLpRFlV1DM8lplxt0lucuncDujbnK0_mj2IslbIdfx4lw/s526/120289233_10220899578272216_2974319684609600739_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="526" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRcSdcLfWAMEjWwhok8KFrNoerR8RYxMzinVcXhcIXx4bxHoJGBAPa86HbusciU2WXIdQfQFvQ15Nj6kQT-cj8lbLcSTpbBgXM6iCjxTGUVeJQs_n6E_1kEPu175qXUaFJKpFR2CuYiPj2gLpRFlV1DM8lplxt0lucuncDujbnK0_mj2IslbIdfx4lw/s320/120289233_10220899578272216_2974319684609600739_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Don't Do Like They Used To!"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Good " Don't Look At Me," Sunday Morning, all bodies.</span></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Last night, after that LSU debacle, we settled in on a baseball game. I sensed that Tee didn't want me to return to the studio after dinner. All through the baseball game, our dawg was stalking Therese's left over potatoes. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He was told, way too many times, to go sit, but his "MO" is to wait a few minutes and jump off the sofa pretending to be thirsty. He'll take a perfunctory sip at his water bowl and then, as if no one is <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>watching, plop himself at Tee's feet just under the table that holds the potatoes. I casually point to the sofa and he acquiesces, but five minutes later, he's thirsty again.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It reminded me of the game I played pitting wits between my mother and Pierre.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Mom, don't feed the dawg," I'd say.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"I'm not!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Naturally, the discussion has to end there otherwise we'd have a yell fest, which wouldn't help anyone's digestion! Even though mom knows I know she does feed the mutt, she tells me she doesn't. Pierre circles the table like a shark waiting for his chance to attack.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Pierre, go away," I'd yell.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He uses his patented "thirsty pup routine" and then, moves in for the umpteenth time. In the corner of my eye, I see my mother lean over to stealthily drop the dog another tidbit, saying...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Don't look at me, Murgatroyd! Benny told me not to feed you!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Mom always referred to that moniker with disdain, or when she couldn't remember a person's name.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Ah... such memories!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, after the ballgame is over, Therese gets up and returns her plate, with the uneaten potatoes, to the kitchen counter. Taking his chances that I'll yell at him again, he slips off the sofa and follows Therese's every step. Then, he puts on the cocker spaniel charm and looks up to her longingly.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">From across the room, Tee looks at me with a smirk and says to the dawg...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Don't look at me, Pierre, Benny told me not to feed you!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">First cup...</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-24964406575007605922023-09-22T22:23:00.001-05:002023-09-22T22:23:22.808-05:00"Thud... and a "Cold Cocked Cardinal Is On Its Back!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27tFd8TdFxEhgQv8CA5kCYRMExCjddm6Yjt9xxx-omKq3h2hBHQh5vhX-CmvikQ11_VyhJ2-l4cBBZHfPyEFibD8pbVVUvMS_4QN2J8YW-F9K2gPZ2pMJP74HeGK5ZEA0m2VyLSowm8zvb4xXoChUS9Cx0douvsQ9ok8dkQY6gqAbQoLi6Va6HWByIg/s1046/B&WCardinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="757" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27tFd8TdFxEhgQv8CA5kCYRMExCjddm6Yjt9xxx-omKq3h2hBHQh5vhX-CmvikQ11_VyhJ2-l4cBBZHfPyEFibD8pbVVUvMS_4QN2J8YW-F9K2gPZ2pMJP74HeGK5ZEA0m2VyLSowm8zvb4xXoChUS9Cx0douvsQ9ok8dkQY6gqAbQoLi6Va6HWByIg/s320/B&WCardinal.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An attempted heart shaped couple.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: large;">Good Saturday Morning, y'all.</span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">St. Louis is jogging my memory a bit. It reminds me of a failed attempt to capture a cardinal adventure that happened months ago. There was a thud against the breakfast nook window unlike the familiar thump I occasionally hear around the early spring when fledgling birds try to test their independence only to bounce off the screened windows.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">But this was a distinct THUD!</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">So, I left the kitchen and walked out near the bird bath to find a "cold cocked" cardinal on its back with its feet straight up in the air. I took a look at the bird's eye to notice it was not sunken in, which is a sign that blood is running through the cardinal's head. </span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I had a large wooden spoon with me and gave the bird a slight poke... There was no movement, so I waited.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I went back into the kitchen to check on the soup I was making, and wait a bit. About five minutes passed before I went back out to see if the bird left, but it was still belly up. I gave it another poke and attempted to flip it over on its chest and it gave me a rather aggravated screech like I had awakened it from a good dream.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I gave it one convincing poke under the wings and he flapped his wings and complained again... but, I bit louder. I went back inside to check on the soup and to give the bird another five minutes to compose itself. Finally, the colorful male took one look at me, freaked out and dizzily fluttered a few feet unto a branch of our maple tree. The whole process of shaken out the cobwebs and making it to the tree took all of about a half an hour.</span><br /><br /><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">But, strangest thing is seeing the female cardinal meet him as he entered the azalea bush a few feet away. She obviously was concerned, but decided to wait and see what transpired for she was nowhere to be found as I attempted to awaken her "beau."</span></span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAEyqIgtJ-6r0U7slLCshmiTlqhNg9ED_gcjf4QwAcAKidjZSdwVdyA9HZOV6tHCA4R1XE3u9dkoLYaWuil_eawn7gCBKT31L22fw3kS2m45T0-lcOQvvxwNUiBQaZAY4snCx-b7kuwv_w9PFkX8XRauLZTGnxMf5H8PQYNgXjbMEIAppvAyYLxFONuQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="757" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAEyqIgtJ-6r0U7slLCshmiTlqhNg9ED_gcjf4QwAcAKidjZSdwVdyA9HZOV6tHCA4R1XE3u9dkoLYaWuil_eawn7gCBKT31L22fw3kS2m45T0-lcOQvvxwNUiBQaZAY4snCx-b7kuwv_w9PFkX8XRauLZTGnxMf5H8PQYNgXjbMEIAppvAyYLxFONuQ" width="174" /></a></div></span><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A minute or so later, they both took off for the safety of the tree line probably to continue feeding their brood. Blue skies...</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div><br /></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-66265632463921234512023-08-17T12:10:00.000-05:002023-08-17T12:10:02.047-05:00"A Family Of Cardinals Started The Proceedings Of Excommunication!" <p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzIHsu2QDHHY3zaTqwZuEwx7X1Q3uhLdu-t87exytcqv-9gfYpkEqyhmJOF2HDokcB8G8xD4_sBYGP32fHw2exL5cskSSDOeph5DQ9yTdyhSq7EwDMpe6ZwD05w72LLXJOJcTOC49x6DnW_tDBF70hFzISaZbOcqeh8EWaIKgp21onLfKRKdzvPkZwQ/s1131/117933908_10220618494365294_5085158560747472798_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzIHsu2QDHHY3zaTqwZuEwx7X1Q3uhLdu-t87exytcqv-9gfYpkEqyhmJOF2HDokcB8G8xD4_sBYGP32fHw2exL5cskSSDOeph5DQ9yTdyhSq7EwDMpe6ZwD05w72LLXJOJcTOC49x6DnW_tDBF70hFzISaZbOcqeh8EWaIKgp21onLfKRKdzvPkZwQ/s320/117933908_10220618494365294_5085158560747472798_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: var(--primary-text); white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Good Monday Morning, y’all.</span></span></p><div class="x1yztbdb x1n2onr6 xh8yej3 x1ja2u2z" style="margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div class="x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class=""><div class=""><div aria-describedby=":rei: :rej: :rek: :rem: :rel:" aria-labelledby=":reh:" class="x1a2a7pz" style="outline: none;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x78zum5 x1n2onr6 xh8yej3" style="display: flex; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x2bj2ny x1qpq9i9 xdney7k xu5ydu1 xt3gfkd xh8yej3 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xquyuld" style="border-radius: max(0px, min(8px, ((100vw - 4px) - 100%) * 9999)) / 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div><div><div><div><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":rej:" style="padding: 4px 16px 16px;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px;"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The bluejays are full of scorn. The female titmice flashed me in disgust. The woodpeckers pounded a tree and screamed their disapproval. The chickadees chattered, “yeh, you rite,” and shot me the bird while a family of cardinals started the proceedings of excommunication. The hummers just hummed.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I apologized profusely and tried to explain that it wasn’t my fault. It was Perky Pet!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>That’s right. After rebuilding and rebuilding while searching for years to replace the original Cathedral Feeder with a new one, my wife actually found one. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">That first feeder lasted, with some help, about ten or twelve years. I cajoled, chastised and even caressed that feeder. At one point, I believe that I totally rebuilt every aspect of that feeder using bleach, glue, gesso, varnish, finishing nails, and one ply plywood. I attached it to a stand that was originally belonged to a bluebird feeder until I accidentally backed into it with my lawn tractor. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Sadly, this new Perky Pet Feeder is slowly falling apart like a French cathedral. It is barely two years old. Damn those Chinese! Let’s make America Great Again by first designing and building a better bird feeder!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Of course, I was smart because I bought two more of the famous feeder, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna give those birds the satisfaction of a new place to worship even if it is easier to just replace it. They are just gonna have to go out and, and eat worms… or something.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I wonder if there are any “building code” violations to poorly built bird feeders that I can pursue?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="x1yztbdb x1n2onr6 xh8yej3 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div class="x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div aria-describedby=":rf1: :rf2: :rf3: :rf5: :rf4:" aria-labelledby=":rf0:" class="x1a2a7pz" style="font-family: inherit; outline: none;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x78zum5 x1n2onr6 xh8yej3" style="display: flex; font-family: inherit; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x2bj2ny x1qpq9i9 xdney7k xu5ydu1 xt3gfkd xh8yej3 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xquyuld" style="border-radius: max(0px, min(8px, ((100vw - 4px) - 100%) * 9999)) / 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="x15uvora x1cnzs8 xc73u3c xx6bls6 x5ib6vp" style="border-bottom: solid 1px var(--divider); font-family: inherit; padding: 20px;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf x4cne27 xifccgj" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -6px; margin-top: -6px;"><div class="xzueoph x1k70j0n" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-40343512330722024572023-08-06T15:18:00.003-05:002023-08-06T15:21:17.717-05:00"Speak Softly And Carry A Big Paint Brush, Bridget!"<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4eU0YqTQY2DG1OKShtSz0yLWViux6IlUGnuOnD12XI3Ry6G2xwoY5oc1SvaHKvASkWXsf0kYbBmcvGqxDaEEWMy3RIOV3m15mTaHVYCtJsUqaTno-W6WG-yde5ThHeHVZNJK7fs9QYFwwnZvqbRd18eo-n07WuV015BV99QZlHIC2M3BGSGzGS4lTQ/s2048/362666752_10227241313091623_3209053491217296592_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1879" data-original-width="2048" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4eU0YqTQY2DG1OKShtSz0yLWViux6IlUGnuOnD12XI3Ry6G2xwoY5oc1SvaHKvASkWXsf0kYbBmcvGqxDaEEWMy3RIOV3m15mTaHVYCtJsUqaTno-W6WG-yde5ThHeHVZNJK7fs9QYFwwnZvqbRd18eo-n07WuV015BV99QZlHIC2M3BGSGzGS4lTQ/s320/362666752_10227241313091623_3209053491217296592_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curating was fun while it lasted...</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Well, good Saturday Morning on another sleepy, dusty, delta day, all bodies!</span></span><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Some rain would be nice!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">One of the really great things I loved about curating at City Hall in Covington was all the wonderful art I got to see and discovering the artists that created them. One of those was Bridget Jarvis, who indefatigable spirit shined through everything she did and everyone she met. I only got to spend a few moments with her over the last few years, but had the chance to speak with <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>her, at length, when she rolled on in with her paintings and the "HueDats" about her disability, her art and her perspective on life.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">I was told about a week ago that she passed away leaving a hole in the hearts of everyone who was lucky enough to have made her acquaintance. Speak softly and carry a big paint brush up there in the heavens, Bridget.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">No cups, yet!</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;">Copyright 2023/ Ben Bensen III</span></span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-73769914547985363912023-07-15T13:50:00.001-05:002023-07-15T13:50:04.703-05:00"Once Again... This Time With Soul!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1fhSTkP9xkAbx75oYXdtwXgZeqV2Wl5cOXG1Jhv0AdZWUu3kRSgj5pcLo0NPiJ-O7IuPKTGjRvt1RbK2I-IIpOkWT2B_Oz-uArBsHM-CmAyey2UR3TQ9g_qhL4tRM-Ej8tNihOo7-Ee3Af_hnZPC57RChDdQE4FbOZJG9ZnA-VC43V5y6HlOhDd0Ew/s906/358542835_10227079317401832_6325485413537711359_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="906" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1fhSTkP9xkAbx75oYXdtwXgZeqV2Wl5cOXG1Jhv0AdZWUu3kRSgj5pcLo0NPiJ-O7IuPKTGjRvt1RbK2I-IIpOkWT2B_Oz-uArBsHM-CmAyey2UR3TQ9g_qhL4tRM-Ej8tNihOo7-Ee3Af_hnZPC57RChDdQE4FbOZJG9ZnA-VC43V5y6HlOhDd0Ew/s320/358542835_10227079317401832_6325485413537711359_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before... on site!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijifyyTnWn5jWRtwiLxrDXIZTdHGLEdSo2eSPrxrwdWieJ2QQ7ozx9jEl1esIPI6rVweOWjlI3SjCzPVd_j02EUzxKSplLnoHMF8jXo3MGTEcEPuYwuIWKjRLl4vsKDQennKcO-Hp6x0aYqShvJfxr7e3TcE763ZbX76XLCPMcTqiINJ0keC6SvbRBQ/s900/359427571_10227079317881844_7029559219273946659_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijifyyTnWn5jWRtwiLxrDXIZTdHGLEdSo2eSPrxrwdWieJ2QQ7ozx9jEl1esIPI6rVweOWjlI3SjCzPVd_j02EUzxKSplLnoHMF8jXo3MGTEcEPuYwuIWKjRLl4vsKDQennKcO-Hp6x0aYqShvJfxr7e3TcE763ZbX76XLCPMcTqiINJ0keC6SvbRBQ/s320/359427571_10227079317881844_7029559219273946659_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, Once again...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good "for a good cause!" Wednesday, all bodies.</span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">About five years ago, I painted this waterway near the Prieto Marina near Mandeville and hung it in one of the few one man shows I've ever done. The show was a lotta fun, but I only sold one panting and I sold it to a high school girl friend I hadn't seen in a very long time. The painting was entitled, "The Best Seat In The House!"</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Twenty minutes after I sold it to Cathy, a family friend wanted to buy it. Many business opps came <a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>to mind, but a sale is a sale... is a sale. When I offered to paint another one for him but at a higher price, Ken jump on it. I have done such things in my commercial business. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Too often ad agencies don't know what they like until they see it!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Every Christmas get together, Ken inquires about the state of that art. "Yeh, man," it is still available, and the deal is still the same." (It has been in and out of many galleries, at different prices.) I'm still pretty proud of how the second one turned out... Damn near nailed it, but I have no record of the original that I sold to Cathy except the one on an easel, unfinished.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This morning I dropped off a few paintings at The Far Horizons Gallery to be auctioned off for a good cause... And, I donated one called "The Best Seat In The House!"</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">First cup!</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/ Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-79600208380956579662023-06-30T10:46:00.003-05:002023-06-30T10:46:42.879-05:00The "Watermelon Man" sez...<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEzTvyIC0EnYM46ZUfympdgPod7My7s7BhXirc0MePfN2yE8c1c_pa3wS7Vu16QL26MUyG8CJK5dfzF2eFlyE1VJFEyJN1iyfgsjIXYyQEYTYdUiPe-iXhQyMENCJt-unhKzfAur3exF5F4uNnNllO4f1LvRRNesEqi5LAvx3jSepVSRVme4CD08Ojw/s640/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEzTvyIC0EnYM46ZUfympdgPod7My7s7BhXirc0MePfN2yE8c1c_pa3wS7Vu16QL26MUyG8CJK5dfzF2eFlyE1VJFEyJN1iyfgsjIXYyQEYTYdUiPe-iXhQyMENCJt-unhKzfAur3exF5F4uNnNllO4f1LvRRNesEqi5LAvx3jSepVSRVme4CD08Ojw/s320/0.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Curly Pig Tail...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Good "freaked out" Friday Morning, all bodies.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, yesterday, in my Facebook memories, I found a post I made six years ago about hunting for the perfect watermelon. I found the post after returning from the local grocery to purchase, you guessed it, a watermelon.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Coincidences that most folks consider "just a part of doing life," freak me out. But, I pulled myself together by allowing the gods of happenstance to assist me in the use of the post for today's "Throwback for <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Thursday's.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There's only one thing wrong with that... the god's timing!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So, for the amount of time it takes one to read a post from 2017, let's pretend that today IS a Thursday. Thanks for y'all's cooperation and understanding... Here ya geaux...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Still groovin’ after the Tuba Skinny concert on Saturday night, I skipped on over to Giddy Up to converse with the regulars and have a cup or two. Even though I thought it unwise to squeeze in some local grocery shopping, I managed to meet MaryJane, a good friend who has had her own special version of tribulations, and one who still finds a way to smile. We had a fun talk!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">While grabbing a few things “we just can’t do without”, I was reminded that it was once again, Washington Parish Watermelon Time and they seemed to be going fast. As MaryJane went her own way in the store, I bumped into a total stranger who, like me, was kinda baffled as to which melon to take home.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I remember that song, “Watermelon Man” did pretty well on the radio in the late sixties.” I suspect it was a successful tune, especially in New Orleans, because most of us as well as our parents grew up with salesman selling fruit and veggies from a horse or mule drawn cart.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Herbie Hancock wrote the song, but Mongo Santamaria turned it into a hit!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzJuX-JJ8WF0%26fbclid%3DIwAR2ubmRsBrEdFIBYbH4fHlTSsxR1cMoBuhcank8ln7TmY_XUcHEUVqCCogU&h=AT23MF1UOP9S4w7Ji4YJCKZcKytbaLMfMwYKhTCsE2tUmgE-Cr6H22NrRvPvQKOeCkFWzRffblB50gBMDqCCpA_kgUtj0nhjLOfTHVlGtvzI72VT_OUg6qQC5ctTqQP7sKTFi1c&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT176jQ8sxEUthaElHui_RB2rKtq_tvGxQ7-7JMvOsTW_H_yhDT4RNr9H9z3_eTjlIVN9_O24ZJClRUgokSeYFQntjGUl4BL2bsoiShaa5HB744XbA2jgSUREMcp7zSKe6nbx2wff0n_xKckueBzb7wYaSwBiTqbtBNojmbx0zRqGrxDb988Sg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJuX-JJ8WF0</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“I never know which melon to pick,” a man said to me as if he needed help.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“What’s the matter?” I said. “The wife’s giving you grief about last year’s pick?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The man was wearing a jeans, a camouflage tee shirt and a baseball cap that advertised a “weed and feed” store. To me, wearing blue jeans in this heat was a definite sign… he was a farm boy.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“So you don’t know how to pick a good watermelon either,” I said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Well, you’d think I’d be good at it because I used to grow them commercially, but lately, I haven’t been too successful picking a winner!” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“I know that’d be of little help. Washington Parish melons are usually the sweetest and juiciest I’ve ever had, though I must admit, I’ve had a few over the years that weren’t as good,” I replied.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“You know, he said, there’s a farm in South Carolina, I forget the brand name, that had a sure fire way of being consistently successful!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Oh, yeh, what was their secret,” I asked.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“It was a sure fire solution,” he said. Eighty five days after the melons are planted, they are harvested. Works every time… in South Carolina!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“I’ll tell you a good way to be sure the melon here is ready. It seems to work pretty well when I was growing them, though not all the time!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Cool, man! What’s the secret? I asked. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“Try to find one where the stem is curled kinda like a pig’s tale!” He continued, “the way they farm now, it’s hard to find one with a stem still intact, but if you do, it’s a big help!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So, after the man decided which one to pick, and left with his prize, I went digging around the two large cardboard boxes that were left and actually found one… kinda. Hopefully, it’s “Piggy Approved!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">First cup!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben BensenIII</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-89348781531832054472023-05-27T01:08:00.003-05:002023-05-27T01:08:55.921-05:00"Mary, Can You Change The Music, Please." <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4keE0vt-kUxruhonPaWz3LgFl9NQ2eDwO2kEoBkqOaJZNVTZHvsvbEz3oPTro3OKmd01M0sIW2WeIWege_C9zenUxd75T9ynVpQkQ-gXwk4TaU3MyDLIT_orgEhqx_h3YpoQuHY9gBovJsuvQxe67LCWi2uoXPDsqwrPw9BO4s9HCy21_RoU4HY/s344/Big%20Al....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX4keE0vt-kUxruhonPaWz3LgFl9NQ2eDwO2kEoBkqOaJZNVTZHvsvbEz3oPTro3OKmd01M0sIW2WeIWege_C9zenUxd75T9ynVpQkQ-gXwk4TaU3MyDLIT_orgEhqx_h3YpoQuHY9gBovJsuvQxe67LCWi2uoXPDsqwrPw9BO4s9HCy21_RoU4HY/s320/Big%20Al....jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Good "I hate the f%@*king Eagles, man!" Saturday Morning, y'all.</span><br /><br /><span>Well, ya know, it's one of those pre-programmed stations whose playlist just overplays certain songs and certain groups. </span><br /><br /><span>Big
Al and I arrived at the counter to the mellow sounds of "Take It To The
Limit" to order some coffee. Al always gets a small expresso cappucino.
He normally stays only long enough to finish his morning jolt, but
today was a bit different.</span><br /><br /><span>"Mary, can you change the music. I hate the damn Eagles," I said rather irritably since I hadn't had my first cup yet.</span><br /><br /><span>"Dude, exclaimed Big Al, The Big Lebowsky!"</span><br /><br /><span>"Hey you mean like the Dude, his Dudeness, Duder, um, the effin El Duderino?"</span><br /><br /><span>"Yeh, man, Al said, that line is from the movie,"The Big Lebowsky!"</span><br /><br /><span>"Oh man, Mary jumps in and says, I love that movie!"</span><br /><br /><span>Next
thing you know, we three are recreating our favorite scenes like
bowling alley confrontations, the sweater, the rug, the Dude's penchant
for a white Russians... stuff like that.</span><br /><br /><span>Al
and I got our coffees, sat down and for another twenty minutes or so,
we're mixing the movie with other subjects like the finer points of
welding (Big Al's a metal sculptor) and my Air Force paintings in the
Pentagon.(I had just received my new copy of ASAA's "Aero Brush"
magazine and brought it along to read.)</span><br /><br /><span>His
cappucino finished, Al gingerly extracts himself from the leather sofa
and as he heads for the door, Al turns and stops, smiles and points to
the heavens and says, "I hate the f%@**king Eagles"... Ha!</span><br /><br /><span>"Take It Easy" was playing on the radio.</span><br /><br /><span>No cups, yet...</span></span><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span> Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III </span></p>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-77246964779031602462023-05-24T11:31:00.001-05:002023-05-24T11:31:20.671-05:00"He Liked The Photo Better"...<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Y_8aD8yudIhd0NiZzD62QSGT6aKykKqvKo7CnLz13w2S9U6xugHC6yG-eYySe6lE1RPlADyRJuuQhp9sOfoi2RYAuNnhroFP85Or8sgNIZD9dPbGevIeG8f60MEyRXankb1MhtArRPuacbTnKbHmk7l6SZh2JOn-4IZTdD3US1SmtDRbMq6s498/s2048/348821727_234010149263552_437119313936458518_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Y_8aD8yudIhd0NiZzD62QSGT6aKykKqvKo7CnLz13w2S9U6xugHC6yG-eYySe6lE1RPlADyRJuuQhp9sOfoi2RYAuNnhroFP85Or8sgNIZD9dPbGevIeG8f60MEyRXankb1MhtArRPuacbTnKbHmk7l6SZh2JOn-4IZTdD3US1SmtDRbMq6s498/s320/348821727_234010149263552_437119313936458518_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old West Altar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Last night, while having dinner, we watched a PBS series called, "Iconic America" where the reporter wanted to get to the bottom of the lore of the real cowboy vs the TV hero. Being a baby boomer, we could relate to the questions the reporter was asking of real cowboys about how TV heroes like Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, and Hopalong Cassidy was distorted even more by the movie industry.</p><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":Rlal5bb9l5qq75b5klbaH2:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> What's the real story!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">So funny, are my latest connections to the story because just three weeks ago, some artists from the Lacombe Artist Guild came to the coffeehouse, Giddy Up in Folsom, to sketch and nosh a bit. We picked a saddle seated atop a wooden bannister as our subject, but it wasn't a great saddle and it wasn't well lit.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I mentioned a saddle I sketched a few years back and liked it enough to add some color to it, and post it on Facebook. Well, a friend of Karen Kuchar, Linda and David Weirather, saw it and thought it would fit right into the extra bedroom they had. It was turned into a western theme.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The room originally belong to their daughter who passed away a few years back. Having lost our son in 2013, we had a lot more in common then just the old west. So, as requested, I tore it out of the sketchbook and sold it to them.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">About a week ago, looking for something interesting to sketch, I saw this rusted old spur that broke away from the other half on the wall and rested behind the original saddle I had sketched years ago. How appropriate... kinda like an omen of sorts!</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLy0K32WgEneW80r4WBeqLR-mJhEMwf-jVkeubgkYrHZwpwGtg86RXM6q1s2LdZnLy2KFtGHPDe9d1tyVC_gqAbbsYeeBSH9OWBS8Po-5-3GjMpGpV3pYEpk5lC077r8ATLDPxsVnKqUOSmiJFtCDTzSHyeQcjP70sV-XPMeJPAuddCDicjHOAEQ/s864/GiddyUpSpur2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="607" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLy0K32WgEneW80r4WBeqLR-mJhEMwf-jVkeubgkYrHZwpwGtg86RXM6q1s2LdZnLy2KFtGHPDe9d1tyVC_gqAbbsYeeBSH9OWBS8Po-5-3GjMpGpV3pYEpk5lC077r8ATLDPxsVnKqUOSmiJFtCDTzSHyeQcjP70sV-XPMeJPAuddCDicjHOAEQ/s320/GiddyUpSpur2.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> So, I sketched it as is on one of the <span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/gufolsom?__cft__[0]=AZV_imiSL47FZj-TzdydX26y5_BKHh9FNs8pAEziem6dbEEDrHR3HVxBYnsPZqv2c45d8aLdDgaSuOlcivHymLI57oM4PC-ar1up-EjE4kHYwvx3Y2guZLvDqoXIpoCFcKs&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2"><span>Giddy Up</span></span></a></span> coffee tables and posted it. David saw my post and loved it. He thought that the real rusted spur sitting on the table in front of the Giddy Up branded logo was gonna be a nice edition to his collection. So, he asked to purchase just the photo... How could I refuse him.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Check's in the mail, man...</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Second cup!</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Copyright/2023/Ben Bensen III <br /></div></div></span></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-24140315090609184972023-05-18T11:57:00.001-05:002023-05-18T11:57:11.130-05:00"Hey Coach... Remember Me?"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckxS20fk-ZHXuoz88z5c9DhorYYxGVOHMqJ_fhOjW6MG4v8LIefquRQQYcAbmzKvE1eJwrCuEHAQwxHRULj2_cahbYauBZHC9I7ZPawbv1Ursw4UpvLxuHlPON5xFlN-Xuq0TwDvELI5xUJ1Wu2sUtT43yB6KoHfAGaWL527V-F07XcIpt9q9cb8/s887/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-18%20at%2011.48.34%20AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="887" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckxS20fk-ZHXuoz88z5c9DhorYYxGVOHMqJ_fhOjW6MG4v8LIefquRQQYcAbmzKvE1eJwrCuEHAQwxHRULj2_cahbYauBZHC9I7ZPawbv1Ursw4UpvLxuHlPON5xFlN-Xuq0TwDvELI5xUJ1Wu2sUtT43yB6KoHfAGaWL527V-F07XcIpt9q9cb8/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-05-18%20at%2011.48.34%20AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluetail Medical Group, Chesterfield, MO<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":r1e0:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Good Throwback Thursday Morning from St. Louis, MO.'</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Lots of reflection going on here currently. </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">So funny. I overheard a conversation one man relating his upbringing to a teacher he fondly remembered. It was weird because last week on Facebook, someone I now from the old neighborhood was talking about meeting one of his high school teachers after all those years. </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">It <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>was one of those, "Hey there sir, do you remember me?"</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">And, of course, the friend was positively affected by the teacher's response. I tried to relate a similar story to this friend in an attempt to continue the conversation passed the "like button" or some aggravating emoji, but I couldn't find the blog story I wanted to use.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">This morning, on a TBT day, I moseyed through my memories notifications and found the very post I created years ago but couldn't find last week... </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Freaks me out... </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Third Hampton Inn cup...</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><div class="x1jx94hy xdppsyt x78zum5 x1peatla xaw8158 xh8yej3"><img alt="" height="64" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/goodwill/throwback/shared_story_tetra/shared-story-left.png" /><div class="xamitd3 x1c4vz4f xz9dl7a x1sxyh0 xsag5q8 xurb0ha x2b8uid"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen x1s688f xzsf02u x2b8uid" dir="auto">3 Years Ago</span></div><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x676frb x1nxh6w3 x1sibtaa xo1l8bm xzsf02u x2b8uid" dir="auto"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/onthisday/?source=shared_feed_story&__cft__[0]=AZWjk1CR8Fs3D84zAs6GwAOO-eDgg5s4d5nXEB-mF0BIuYHAMkjD6i9VJEvskQzp6wN-Xk2fORN3A43VqlUemPJcwwLZDfSV_6aQcZ5X9BrLw-R-5eBIuLckFP5QWdBfqM4DH6aWjw5Zmv2Rnj__H6GX-5tdEAmQSy2XYSrMEvBLcmMUQWhsPmAR8_lzTJaQa-s&__tn__=H-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1nxh6w3 x1sibtaa x1s688f xzsf02u">See your memories</span><i class="x1b0d499 xep6ejk" data-visualcompletion="css-img" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/rsrc.php/v3/yg/r/Q4Yw9CHUj1C.png"); background-position: -164px -105px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; width: 16px;"></i></a></span></div></div></div><img alt="" height="64" src="https://www.facebook.com/images/goodwill/throwback/shared_story_tetra/shared-story-right.png" /></div><div class="xz9dl7a x1pi30zi xsag5q8 x1swvt13 x1jx94hy"><div class="x78zum5 x1q0g3np x1ba4aug"><div class="x78zum5 xqtp20y x1emribx"><span class="xt0psk2"><a aria-hidden="true" class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u" href="https://www.facebook.com/Gumboben?__cft__[0]=AZWjk1CR8Fs3D84zAs6GwAOO-eDgg5s4d5nXEB-mF0BIuYHAMkjD6i9VJEvskQzp6wN-Xk2fORN3A43VqlUemPJcwwLZDfSV_6aQcZ5X9BrLw-R-5eBIuLckFP5QWdBfqM4DH6aWjw5Zmv2Rnj__H6GX-5tdEAmQSy2XYSrMEvBLcmMUQWhsPmAR8_lzTJaQa-s&__tn__=%3C%2CPH-R" role="link" tabindex="-1"><div class="x1vqgdyp x100vrsf"></div></a></span></div></div></div><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><h3 class="x1heor9g x1qlqyl8 x1pd3egz x1a2a7pz x1gslohp x1yc453h"><span class="xt0psk2"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/Gumboben?__cft__[0]=AZWjk1CR8Fs3D84zAs6GwAOO-eDgg5s4d5nXEB-mF0BIuYHAMkjD6i9VJEvskQzp6wN-Xk2fORN3A43VqlUemPJcwwLZDfSV_6aQcZ5X9BrLw-R-5eBIuLckFP5QWdBfqM4DH6aWjw5Zmv2Rnj__H6GX-5tdEAmQSy2XYSrMEvBLcmMUQWhsPmAR8_lzTJaQa-s&__tn__=-UC%2CPH-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><strong><span>Ben Bensen III</span></strong></a></span></h3></span></div><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x676frb x1nxh6w3 x1sibtaa xo1l8bm xi81zsa x1yc453h" dir="auto"><span><span><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz x1heor9g xt0b8zv xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/Gumboben/posts/pfbid028kYxfE4sk4sAjYn4eV9EzwwHN3DU7xNoPifj52iXuBqDiKBJgybdwhZBvaAdmQQ6l?__cft__[0]=AZWjk1CR8Fs3D84zAs6GwAOO-eDgg5s4d5nXEB-mF0BIuYHAMkjD6i9VJEvskQzp6wN-Xk2fORN3A43VqlUemPJcwwLZDfSV_6aQcZ5X9BrLw-R-5eBIuLckFP5QWdBfqM4DH6aWjw5Zmv2Rnj__H6GX-5tdEAmQSy2XYSrMEvBLcmMUQWhsPmAR8_lzTJaQa-s&__tn__=%2CO%2CPH-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span><span aria-labelledby=":r1eb:" class="x1rg5ohu x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x16dsc37 xt0b8zv"><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1g77sc7" style="display: flex;"><span class="x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1wa695h wrhKlDKq wdxu">o</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1esxh7v wrhKlDKq wdxu">t</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x2r4l8e wrhKlDKq wdxu">S</span><span class="x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xt3tw32 wrhKlDKq wdxu">o</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1pvdv19 wrhKlDKq wdxu">e</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x13rv6gb wrhKlDKq wdxu">s</span><span class="xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xd1zjae wrhKlDKq wdxu">n</span><span class="xmper1u x1qlqyl8 x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1xxvtuq wrhKlDKq wdxu">r</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x7zgzr6 wrhKlDKq wdxu">d</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x16kj9vd wrhKlDKq wdxu">p</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xt5e8co wrhKlDKq wdxu">m</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xhp99yf wrhKlDKq wdxu">c</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1g88jzi wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xax70vg wrhKlDKq wdxu">1</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x36lzlx wrhKlDKq wdxu">1</span><span class="xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x182iqb8 wrhKlDKq wdxu">f</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1sjo555 wrhKlDKq wdxu">t</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xgeagd7">0</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1ee9ax4 wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xnt8be4 wrhKlDKq wdxu">7</span><span class="x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x4g1k81 wrhKlDKq wdxu">7</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xnlcnb7 wrhKlDKq wdxu">4</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1wx7m7v wrhKlDKq wdxu">0</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1h3rv7z">a</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xzfnrur wrhKlDKq wdxu">9</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xal98gn wrhKlDKq wdxu">3</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xdc8zo0 wrhKlDKq wdxu">c</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x14yy4lh wrhKlDKq wdxu">c</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1eopwuj wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1o7lsid wrhKlDKq wdxu">f</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xpchg7c wrhKlDKq wdxu">a</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xsmz2so wrhKlDKq wdxu">t</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1n901it wrhKlDKq wdxu">1</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x4ffpxb wrhKlDKq wdxu">i</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xo1ph6p">M</span><span class="xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1o75cna wrhKlDKq wdxu">f</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xi695je wrhKlDKq wdxu">a</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x434fd wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x7txf1f">,</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xwmoq1i">8</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1iapmwa"> </span><span class="xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xclvua8 wrhKlDKq wdxu">6</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1meexak wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="xmper1u x1qlqyl8 x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1ihsnu5">2</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xde8tdn wrhKlDKq wdxu">c</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xlmi2g5 wrhKlDKq wdxu">5</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xv5skbt wrhKlDKq wdxu">9</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x8az3br wrhKlDKq wdxu">1</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1162wnf wrhKlDKq wdxu">l</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1hrcb2b">y</span><span class="xt0psk2 x1qlqyl8 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 xccpzn3 wrhKlDKq wdxu">c</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1nicfno">0</span><span class="xmper1u xt0psk2 xjb2p0i x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1vqz4hg"> </span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x8o8amb wrhKlDKq wdxu">u</span><span class="xmper1u x1qlqyl8 x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x4pqqfc">2</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1ocldi">1</span><span class="xjb2p0i x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1pt730z wrhKlDKq wdxu">4</span><span class="x1qlqyl8 x15bjb6t x1r8a4m5 xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x9ek82g wrhKlDKq wdxu">m</span><span class="x1r8a4m5 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x1hzvdaj wrhKlDKq wdxu">7</span><span class="xmper1u x15bjb6t xi7du73 x1n2onr6 x17ihmo5 x8onsx5 wrhKlDKq wdxu">a</span></span></span></span></a></span></span><span class="xh99ass"><span><span class="xzpqnlu xjm9jq1 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x10l6tqk x1i1rx1s"> </span><span aria-hidden="true"> · </span></span></span><div class="x6s0dn4 x3nfvp2 xl56j7k"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"><span class="x1n2onr6"><span class="xzpqnlu x179tack x10l6tqk">Shared with Public</span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Good Monday Morning, all bodies.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Yeh, it's a Monday again... Second cup!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"Hey Coach!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">When <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>returned to Southern California, after being away for about five or six years, my wife and I visited a local restaurant that at one time was owned by Dodger manager, Tommy LaSorda.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Of course, it was an Italian restaurant. But, while eating there, a former Little League team mate who was with his family dining, saw me and called from across the room, "Hey Coach!"</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I always loved that.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I remember a coach as a young ballplayer who directly and indirectly taught me a thing or two.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">With "ducks on the pond" and probably nobody out it was a definite bunting situation, but I struck out swinging. The next time at bat, I was given a signal, but never got it. After a swing and a miss, the coach called me over to third base for a conference.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"You see this bat?" he said pointing to the bat with his right arm around me.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"The next time you miss a signal, I'm gonna wrap that bat around your head... Okay?"</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"Uh, okay, coach!"</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">This was my coach almost all through my little league days. I read online that he just recently passed away. This scenario was the first thing that entered my mind. I shook my head and chuckled. As a coach in South Pasadena for over 12 years, I remember vowing to never motivate a player in such a way.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I also remember that same coach escorted me to the St. Claude Hospital when I snapped the ulna and radius in half on my glove hand just before a game. I don't recall being too upset as a twelve year old though I didn't look at my forearm much. The coach could never have been so attentive. He stayed with me long after my mom arrived and the arm was reset and put in a cast.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I only remember hoping to get home in time to watch the first episode of Combat! on TV.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Coach always gathered the team together before each game, and sometimes, before each practice, to pray for a good game, sportsmanship, and give thanks to the Lord for our parents and teachers. Maybe, he started a prayer at practice after my accident... I wouldn't be surprised.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Many years later visiting home, we attended Mass at St. Raphael, in Gentilly and was surprised to see and hear the man read the sermons. His voice was very 9th Ward as he had a tendency to speak through the side of his mouth.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"Therese, remember that guy I told you about that coached me all those years at Bunnyfriend Playground?"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"Yes, what about it," she asked.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"That's him on the podium. I haven't seen him in twenty years or more," I said. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">"I gotta see him after Mass, okay?"</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> Immediately after the blessing, I dragged our son and my wife to the parking lot to intercept him and capture a moment from my past.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Walking away from a few Mass celebrants, and as he headed for his car, I yelled, "Hey Coach! Remember me?"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Gotta be a special place in heaven for coaches like Firmin Simms!</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> <span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dignitymemorial.com%2Fobituaries%2Fnew-orleans-la%2Ffirmin-simms-9178646%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0zEjrmJBayCHxhcxb17peivh0RnawSJ_poptoCeqq7hXG291pL-Rz5gmc&h=AT2w_z33zYmuG85qCh0rUvFzISU8jNMW682eZxIJxekKhjiz2b7_H28tsFMKpMMDW8fuh_nE3_IDYQ0pbWDBtLzRx0knbbVmcDAQ95-WSyOsVmnZ9wh0HjF6vJCLYspa50TumdeNIqvI8VZ3ueS4Vng&__tn__=-UKH-R&c[0]=AT0wdBuferHqzmXmGtjiVuqbI7LW67LVBcz1ZTLFy6pnNd0BLvoJf_BXFRnBnp_gkSsszA8AbtiPgcB1LqxXsUbsOATTrzQOQQn0hqViJwyIUYvA2dZbDY9TYJYcJyW9R3KzjM54d4ulJp_p_napRR6hBNbZ_P4A-i3iIxj8mYFJSncv3fi7QiwrsW9AXPL3VvKkIRTGhA" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.dignitymemorial.com/.../firmin-simms-9178646</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span> </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Copyright 2023/ Ben Bensen III</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div class="x1n2onr6"><div class="x1n2onr6" style="padding-top: calc(100%);"><div class="x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x10l6tqk" style="inset: calc(0% + 0px) calc(50% + 1.01px) calc(0% + 0px) calc(0% + 0px);"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x10l6tqk" style="inset: calc(0% + 0px) calc(0% + 0px) calc(0% + 0px) calc(50% + 1.01px);"></div><div><div class="x1n2onr6" id=":r1e1:"><div class="x6ikm8r x10wlt62"></div></div></div><div><div class="x168nmei x13lgxp2 x30kzoy x9jhf4c x6ikm8r x10wlt62" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic"><div><div><div><div class="x1n2onr6"><div class="x6s0dn4 xi81zsa x78zum5 x6prxxf x13a6bvl xvq8zen xdj266r xktsk01 xat24cr x1d52u69 x889kno x4uap5 x1a8lsjc xkhd6sd xdppsyt"><div class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1iyjqo2 x6ikm8r x10wlt62"></div><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1qughib x1qjc9v5 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np xykv574 xbmpl8g x4cne27 xifccgj"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w xeuugli xsyo7zv x16hj40l x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn"></div><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w xeuugli xsyo7zv x16hj40l x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt x1jfb8zj xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j"></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1qughib x1qjc9v5 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np x150jy0e x1e558r4 xjkvuk6 x1iorvi4 xwrv7xz x8182xy x4cne27 xifccgj"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x193iq5w xeuugli x1r8uery x1iyjqo2 xs83m0k xg83lxy x1h0ha7o x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn"></div></div><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x193iq5w xeuugli x1r8uery x1iyjqo2 xs83m0k xg83lxy x1h0ha7o x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn"></div><div class="x1n2xptk xdj266r xktsk01 xat24cr x1d52u69 x1iorvi4"></div><div class="x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x9f619 x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w x12nagc x1gslohp"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x1iyjqo2 x2lwn1j"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w x1swvt13 x1pi30zi"><div class=""><div class="x78zum5 x1q0g3np x1a2a7pz"><div class="xqcrz7y x14yjl9h xudhj91 x18nykt9 xww2gxu x1lliihq x1w0mnb xr9ek0c x1n2onr6"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class=""><form class="x1ed109x x1n2onr6 xmjcpbm x1tlxs6b x1g8br2z x1gn5b1j x230xth x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x78zum5 x1iyjqo2 x13a6bvl" role="presentation"><div class="xh8yej3"><div class="x78zum5 x13a6bvl"><div class="xi81zsa xo1l8bm xlyipyv xuxw1ft x49crj4 x1ed109x xdl72j9 x1iyjqo2 xs83m0k x6prxxf x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x1y1aw1k xn6708d xwib8y2 x1ye3gou" data-visualcompletion="ignore"><div class="x1n2onr6"><div aria-label="Write a comment…" class="xzsf02u x1a2a7pz x1n2onr6 x14wi4xw notranslate" contenteditable="true" data-lexical-editor="true" role="textbox" spellcheck="true" style="user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="0"><p class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r"><br /><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></form></div> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><br /> </div></div></span></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-91746361585135733072023-05-08T12:41:00.003-05:002023-05-08T12:44:26.505-05:00"For Me, It Was The Adventure Of A Lifetime."<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTK60_1pephb_hwpBcSb-pa1rotzOg6RjwllJXp6IsyLuxUW8sZZxpnHyOUWCJkoS1Ao6opIeeSkCDrPdyHYPwe_-z9sIdVx1mtibPnF4w07XVVSXDMeF5KgJRWujsWpvjhnCw95JSZBJ94HNzY9ejKJ8dihvfvbGC9m1ZhAviw6glZLVVAuZSTzE/s1022/McCullogh%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1022" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTK60_1pephb_hwpBcSb-pa1rotzOg6RjwllJXp6IsyLuxUW8sZZxpnHyOUWCJkoS1Ao6opIeeSkCDrPdyHYPwe_-z9sIdVx1mtibPnF4w07XVVSXDMeF5KgJRWujsWpvjhnCw95JSZBJ94HNzY9ejKJ8dihvfvbGC9m1ZhAviw6glZLVVAuZSTzE/s320/McCullogh%20copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuttin' Up with my electric eraser...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"></span><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Good Monday Morning, all bodies.</div></div><p></p><div dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":R1a6lbql5l5bb9l5qq75b5klbaH2:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Last Wednesday, I finally took a friend's offer to checkout my Husqvarna chainsaw. I've been complaining... no, bitching, about the fact that my old Husqvarna that I purchased used immediately after Hurricane Katrina, never needed such "babying." </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Herb has heard my complaints for over two years now.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>Anyway, I finally brought the barely used saw to him and after some minor adjustments and a little TLC, the saw worked like a charm. Herb took the chainsaw out to the wood pile and tested the blade with a few quick cuts. He also showed me the best process for keeping the carburetor clean and in running shape. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I kinda knew all that already, but...</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The McCulloch artwork was one of eight storyboard frames I created a long time ago. The model had a brand new look so the ad agency gave me the saw to draw from. It was also one of the first times that I actually used an electric eraser to render with.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The storyboard was rather personal for me. As the story goes, this rain drenched man climbs the trunk of a huge tree and cuts it away from the house. As a sixteen year old, my mother asked me if I could climb our front yard magnolia tree and free the house's electrical line from a branch that had broken and hung precariously on the line.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I don't know what my mother was thinking, but my grandmother went "apeshit" because it was at the height of Hurricane Betsy. For me, it was the adventure of a lifetime.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">So, with a kitchen broom in my hand, through wind and rain, I climbed the tree and dislodged the branch. I remember after doing so, a feeling of such satisfaction as I just sat in the tree to take in a birdseye view of the neighborhood being blown around in the storm.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I also remember that, like a cat stuck up in a tree, having the realization that it is easier to climb up a tree than it is to climb down... especially in a hurricane.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">First <span><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/gufolsom?__cft__[0]=AZXmkS0SUBrqP8PZh66V7p8AMTwo4CujA07pYNkN5AT2INPXf2S9M-yPGEa23VHJnLcDUajp82wGVy_O-pr8fwGJth5F1iRGrkvlNfBh4IqrukR79gElazU-E_WWKPZHnX-m9knu2aVdvW3xhDpAcmIWeRwOH83lPPONXLHFHNP2dQ&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2"><span>Giddy Up</span></span></a></span> cup, y'all...</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III <br /></div></div></span></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-40046380180278885002023-04-29T10:43:00.000-05:002023-04-29T10:43:07.528-05:00“It's Guy Deel, dammit,” I said to myself "...<div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":r159:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3DA8nXpJ0S7gH7wzJCIgGh5dQLz5sURdx6XjV7oOvHxTaFRZBYI544WdkFE2Nk7RvFzBZfi7nce4ZmMWk2vyPdVY5_YXHXAl6_GOd3hMXzv3agybVmHnRmESQ50IC8uSAbDwUXN4lu7dOWdkn4u6MY59TwqrIJpyhlEB3Xb0zk4rhv6TNcu_dCM/s640/336774921_200741435904344_446018317741262566_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="416" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3DA8nXpJ0S7gH7wzJCIgGh5dQLz5sURdx6XjV7oOvHxTaFRZBYI544WdkFE2Nk7RvFzBZfi7nce4ZmMWk2vyPdVY5_YXHXAl6_GOd3hMXzv3agybVmHnRmESQ50IC8uSAbDwUXN4lu7dOWdkn4u6MY59TwqrIJpyhlEB3Xb0zk4rhv6TNcu_dCM/s320/336774921_200741435904344_446018317741262566_n.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2BGnWNRkZVHP_Vk1Vy7cMPx23uVPrYWP79estX8WPAg2YcGbd4N3whHpLn5db0cWPYrsIyFqlpjahlGkNKdGglaHQMgDuPVwVLBoYJJPJj__j3nIsCtY_Vgu0571_Xzesvv1bncwUGXMXZlDPzCHy--0SIsFlgG4zZsMVDlXv5qslN_fhBukXP8/s811/336790677_1255946745345517_6634433898520359080_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="746" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2BGnWNRkZVHP_Vk1Vy7cMPx23uVPrYWP79estX8WPAg2YcGbd4N3whHpLn5db0cWPYrsIyFqlpjahlGkNKdGglaHQMgDuPVwVLBoYJJPJj__j3nIsCtY_Vgu0571_Xzesvv1bncwUGXMXZlDPzCHy--0SIsFlgG4zZsMVDlXv5qslN_fhBukXP8/s320/336790677_1255946745345517_6634433898520359080_n-1.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Good Friday Morning, y’all.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">“Guy Deel!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">“Guy Deel, dammit,” I said to myself as I drove to Giddy Up yesterday morning.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">In a <a tabindex="-1"></a>conversation with some friends on Wednesday, one friend mentioned that her husband loved to read novels about the Old West. I believe we all arrive at that topic because Dennis’s wife loves the Rodeo Channel and old Westerns.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">“Well, Frank loves to read Western novels by Louis L'Amour, and that McCarthy guy,” Maureen said.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">Attempting to participate in the conversation having never read one of the many Louie L’Amour books, I said, “Oh wow. I knew one of the Illustrators that actually painted covers for Western novels.” I know that he painted quite a few Louie L’Amour covers.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">“Yeh, his name was…” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">At that point, I went blank as Maureen appeared a bit miffed that I had hijacked her story with a story that I couldn’t complete. I apologized and then, just listened to the many stories that cropped up over a second cup.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">I sat there ruminating over my entire relationship to a man that I first met, mid semester at Art Center, as a replacement for George Bartell, who’s young son suddenly died in a skateboard accident. I was not a big fan of Bartell’s style of illustrating. It was sad that George had lost a son in such a way, but I grew to like this new teacher’s style.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">I think I got an “A” in that class… Ha!</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">Every now and then, later in my career, I’d bump into the man at one LA art function or another. He, like I, was an artist for the Air Force Art Program, (with 17 paintings created as a member from 1978 to 2000) and that’s where I really got to spend some quality time with him over the years.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">But, for the next 24 hours, I struggled, in vain, trying to put a name to the art and the face of someone I knew well enough to call him a friend, and one of the many who had an influence on me and what I wanted from my art. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto"> I remember him telling me about getting the details of your painting correct right up front especially historically. "The right pistol in the wrong holster just won't do to those who are knowledgeable buyers!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">Guy nodded in affirmation when I mentioned that aviation art is very much like Westerns.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">Then, out of the blue, for no reason whatsoever, the man’s name popped up out of my head… </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Guy Deel. What a deal!</div><div dir="auto"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv xzsf02u x1s688f" href="https://www.facebook.com/170447793061890/posts/guy-deel-who-painted-the-beautiful-piece-depicting-the-selling-of-the-lots-on-de/2591775350929110/?__cft__[0]=AZUtGnxnib3-ApfnAzTWsowz2xzcImiQwGf-j5bW6_OgG3KDIAamoxhxd9HhzcTjrZRUvY1-Iqz4OicmdDeLknJR8O3TNwp5w0aghfbW3nGwYQ&__tn__=-UK-R" role="link" tabindex="0">https://www.facebook.com/.../guy-deel.../2591775350929110/</a></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto">First cup before the deluge!</div></div></span></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-5068608710866626422023-04-06T22:31:00.003-05:002023-04-06T22:31:23.907-05:00"Galleries and Moms!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7feulomeotlNx_9Q513RlTKY3hz6BemTVgqkMkRBrIhpYb7DG7srzMETH5R1jntzx5rqdpAXBlozO_5uB4mcsSTsXqyTVgqvfbGXq8C3lVXNHAv1w1oP5PbJpTOAzNE_Mew2DF58GoaZ2XRWbwp6bDx8jaxgXlXpH5VNJgjVqOMUO4V60FvswFIw/s512/12931299_10207788968035154_1063213761026184106_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="395" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7feulomeotlNx_9Q513RlTKY3hz6BemTVgqkMkRBrIhpYb7DG7srzMETH5R1jntzx5rqdpAXBlozO_5uB4mcsSTsXqyTVgqvfbGXq8C3lVXNHAv1w1oP5PbJpTOAzNE_Mew2DF58GoaZ2XRWbwp6bDx8jaxgXlXpH5VNJgjVqOMUO4V60FvswFIw/s320/12931299_10207788968035154_1063213761026184106_n.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hunting...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">So funny. I just sent a prospective gallery some of my latest Plein Air stuff just to let them know I am kinda producing. The galleries retort was, </span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Thank you for showing me what you are doing! Bright and graphic! Might be too bold for this gallery... Best of luck in Abita Springs.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Now, there's nothing wrong with that comment. It is really professional for them to even respond. Every gallery has their niche, and that's the beauty of art. I understand... I think there wrong, <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>but I totally understand!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It does bring back a time when many of my friends and relatives were worried about me because many of my images were so dark and moody, and foreboding.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">"Who would want to have that in their homes?" my mother would say. She once, because I was in a funk about a guitar chord that I could not play, practically gave me permission to go to Bourbon Street and..."try to have a good time!"</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mothers... who can figure them out!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Galleries, too!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-2082313385317273282023-04-05T08:56:00.003-05:002023-04-05T08:56:51.340-05:00"Well, Mothers Do Have Their Ways!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQR6YmW3KTxs8WP5qDsX2BhvDp7cDffAJvuww2QJgyG7ldX5MGF6ae09cBIhkjRAFwtwrolRV5smk-bXQjB9vYbP4A1D6KVRNwmWFHOlIVGnLXoWvrZ30t1VJk0wKff63ntNtLyJUh87npYQQdf1Cnkw8fCOXueqXY5uAFcEow2ERV5KzISjrSlQ/s600/333269227_546968847247072_1212078297769207911_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQR6YmW3KTxs8WP5qDsX2BhvDp7cDffAJvuww2QJgyG7ldX5MGF6ae09cBIhkjRAFwtwrolRV5smk-bXQjB9vYbP4A1D6KVRNwmWFHOlIVGnLXoWvrZ30t1VJk0wKff63ntNtLyJUh87npYQQdf1Cnkw8fCOXueqXY5uAFcEow2ERV5KzISjrSlQ/s320/333269227_546968847247072_1212078297769207911_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claes Oldenberg Lives...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good "foggy and humid" Wednesday Morning, y'all.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't know Claes Oldenberg was fond of making model airplanes... If you know what I mean. Claes was artist/sculptor, best known for his public art installations typically featuring large replicas of everyday objects.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I saw this photo a couple of weeks ago and cracked up. If you were a model maker back in the Fifties and Sixties, the design on this tube of cement will send you way back.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>also reminds me of a story that I might have mentioned before where against my mother orders, I bought for 29¢, maybe 49¢, Aurora's kit of the Lockheed F-94C Starfire. I hid it inside the upright piano that no one has ever played on for years.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Qj4aufXgLEu90UkXNI22ppzXytXZW8V7YfEvJNLjflDVsRMQ-zVefd4eipkm3jZndbqFwNM9vH6fBEE8GPhFJLJ34PvabxM6Lgs2tvYBxDo0CA_k6CkUe27-xC3g7evJPiHeQU6kvhk0NTAjx5sBY1GOQY5wBpLtXDmv4l-Cjk8Kmdt7VP9rn5o/s585/333093890_1170604230320542_2457971058619266574_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="585" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Qj4aufXgLEu90UkXNI22ppzXytXZW8V7YfEvJNLjflDVsRMQ-zVefd4eipkm3jZndbqFwNM9vH6fBEE8GPhFJLJ34PvabxM6Lgs2tvYBxDo0CA_k6CkUe27-xC3g7evJPiHeQU6kvhk0NTAjx5sBY1GOQY5wBpLtXDmv4l-Cjk8Kmdt7VP9rn5o/s320/333093890_1170604230320542_2457971058619266574_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long ago and far away, this model costs .49¢.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, mothers have their ways, don't they. I have to assume, in spite of my surreptitiously covert action, that my mom found out about the stash. It was really hard to lay low till the heat was over, but when I returned to my secret hideaway few impatient days later, the model was missing!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Where could it have gone?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I lifted the piano cover and practically climbed into it sifting in between the felt hammers thinking the small box may have slipped way down below them. I pushed down the foot pedals hoping doing so would pop up the hidden gem. But, to no avail.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Swallowing hard a month or two after I "filed a missing person's plane report", I asked my mother, with slight trepidation, if she had seen this model of the famous Lockheed F-94C Starfire. She looked at me rather confusedly. Even at an early age, I was about eight years old at the time, I knew my mother was known for her practical jokes.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But, after repeated inquiries over a series of months, I could see in my mother's eyes that she wasn't joking and was starting to show concern for my loss... and my emotional well being.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Poor baby!"</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The mystery still haunts me sometimes in my dreams. Did I actually get on my bike and ride three miles to the strip mall hobby shop between the cemeteries and the Gentilly Branch of the U.S. Post Office.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I was a regular client there. I showed up every other weekend from a weeks worth of cut lawns with money burning a hole in my pocket.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But that part of the dream never occurs. It was only of me opening the piano top and setting into the hammers the model of the Lockheed F-94C Starfire, and returning to find it gone.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A few years later, belonging to the American Society of Aviation Artists,( ASAA ) and having forgotten all about the mystery, I found a picture of the wonderful illustrator that stole my aviation soul to sent it to some nebulous dream world. Where DID that illusive 1/82 scale model of the famous Lockheed F-94C Starfire go?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you, Joe Kotula... I think!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">Second foggy cup!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-58027674607816711332023-03-17T21:29:00.002-05:002023-03-17T21:29:25.877-05:00"Come-a, Come-a, Come-a, Camelia... You come and go!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUrMjE5ifS7VD0rzzq2bfLOgp4b0H3WBHYhJuYoBs4uuXDM1iR8JUJy8GkleqwYwyefXQ6DZ9BngQ37JVk3yT6oEmOgk0HcgV0fV4ODPVQp8xUufKxww6LVsmOiC3dt2ubnLFULUOk0NXf2Q8Ki8vkzhIIM7wjeC0zj2miwYSD3gl-ixRtj4DpSI/s1049/335637258_729706695322117_3636412668839769413_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1049" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUrMjE5ifS7VD0rzzq2bfLOgp4b0H3WBHYhJuYoBs4uuXDM1iR8JUJy8GkleqwYwyefXQ6DZ9BngQ37JVk3yT6oEmOgk0HcgV0fV4ODPVQp8xUufKxww6LVsmOiC3dt2ubnLFULUOk0NXf2Q8Ki8vkzhIIM7wjeC0zj2miwYSD3gl-ixRtj4DpSI/s320/335637258_729706695322117_3636412668839769413_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come-a, Come-a, Come-a, Camelia...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">My first Plein Air painting for the Abita Springs Show in </span><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Abita Springs, LA on </span><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">April on the 21st-23rd... Three more on-site paintings to go.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Copyright2023/ Ben Bensen III</span></span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-64372079829527748812023-03-14T20:40:00.000-05:002023-03-14T20:40:01.865-05:00"Wanna Read The Paper," He Asks?" <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J-WpTwzNkV1Q1FhuNTQ3Ul3G8G2xw3WGMCbCgeFgaXpOqwZ2XQyq1aCLa75pBTevxelbeMT9n3uljylDR_DB-reh_4eu_G0HPxWJ23Z1BlFY9lfbXTZXQYcK0myxJDHke6PdVj9-RwStySg8JM2_c2A4Jym8khKzABbI7sSE10dJDR8Z16c9mOs/s640/275753333_10224208681157720_172103922584037902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="338" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J-WpTwzNkV1Q1FhuNTQ3Ul3G8G2xw3WGMCbCgeFgaXpOqwZ2XQyq1aCLa75pBTevxelbeMT9n3uljylDR_DB-reh_4eu_G0HPxWJ23Z1BlFY9lfbXTZXQYcK0myxJDHke6PdVj9-RwStySg8JM2_c2A4Jym8khKzABbI7sSE10dJDR8Z16c9mOs/s320/275753333_10224208681157720_172103922584037902_n.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: var(--primary-text); font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good "early morning shout out" Tuesday, y'all.</span></span><p></p><div class="x1yztbdb x1n2onr6 xh8yej3 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div class="x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div aria-describedby="jsc_c_12j jsc_c_12k jsc_c_12l jsc_c_12n jsc_c_12m" aria-labelledby="jsc_c_12i" class="x1a2a7pz" style="font-family: inherit; outline: none;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x78zum5 x1n2onr6 xh8yej3" style="display: flex; font-family: inherit; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x2bj2ny x1qpq9i9 xdney7k xu5ydu1 xt3gfkd xh8yej3 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xquyuld" style="border-radius: max(0px, min(8px, ((100vw - 4px) - 100%) * 9999)) / 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="" dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1swvt13 x1l90r2v" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_12k" style="font-family: inherit; padding: 4px 16px 16px;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-top: -5px;"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 5px;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--primary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tom Burns one of the many octogenarians that, on occasion, shows up at the opening bell and beats me with his buddy, Herb, to my favorite chair. It's a friendly competition... GRRRRRR!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">The diminutive Tom, I'm told, is a retired judge which is maybe the reason he keeps it close to the vest. On this day, Herb did not show up so, Tom's hiding behind the newspaper, every now and then, taking a sip of his coffee. Nothing is said.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">I <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>guess, nothing needs to be!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Twenty minutes later, Tom gets up, gathers up the local newspaper and tosses it onto the table that separates us.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Wanna read the paper," he asks. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"I'll just leave it here for you," he says as he moseys on over to the microwave oven to warm up his small cup of coffee.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">As he's waiting for the microwave to do its thing, I venture to make a comment.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">"You do that often, don't ya?"</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">He grabs his paper cup, pauses for a moment as he attaches the plastic top back onto his cup, and then, heads for the door, turns, smiles, and blithely says," I don't care for cold coffee!" </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">The newspaper is the St. Tammany Farmer and as I page though the different sections, I noticed an article that interested me.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">About two months or so, Tee and I met a good friend, Peggy DesJardin, at a downtown grocery store. We stood out in the parking lot as she spoke of spearheading the building of a labyrinth in Covington for Lent.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">There's lots of history behind labyrinths. The stories abound, but my knowledge extends only with artistic and graphic versions. Apparently, there's much more to it, but for the sake of this post, I just wanna thank Peggy for her tenacity and resolve in getting this approved and completed. Pretty cool...</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Lately, there are many things that I say I'm gonna do, but don't!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Props to you, Peggy...</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="font-family: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Third cup!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; text-align: center;">Copyright 2023/ Ben Bensen III</div></div></span></div></div></div></div><div class="x1n2onr6" id="jsc_c_12l" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><div class="x1n2onr6" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="x168nmei x13lgxp2 x30kzoy x9jhf4c xx9tyur x6ikm8r x10wlt62" style="border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; font-family: inherit; min-height: 12px; overflow: hidden;"><div class="x1n2onr6" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><div class="x6s0dn4 xi81zsa x78zum5 x6prxxf x13a6bvl xvq8zen xdj266r xktsk01 xat24cr x1d52u69 x889kno x4uap5 x1a8lsjc xkhd6sd xdppsyt" style="align-items: center; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--divider); color: var(--secondary-text); display: flex; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; justify-content: flex-end; line-height: 1.3333; margin: 0px 16px; padding: 10px 0px;"><div class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1iyjqo2 x6ikm8r x10wlt62" style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-grow: 1; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j x1jfb8zj" style="align-items: inherit; align-self: inherit; display: inherit; flex-direction: inherit; flex: inherit; font-family: inherit; height: inherit; max-height: inherit; max-width: inherit; min-height: inherit; min-width: inherit; place-content: inherit; width: inherit;"><div class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1o1ewxj x3x9cwd x1e5q0jg x13rtm0m x1n2onr6 x87ps6o x1lku1pv x1a2a7pz x1heor9g xnl1qt8 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x1vjfegm x1lliihq" role="button" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-radius: inherit; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; max-height: 1.3333em; outline: none; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; z-index: 1;" tabindex="0"><div class="x9f619 x1ja2u2z xzpqnlu x1hyvwdk xjm9jq1 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 x10l6tqk x1i1rx1s" style="box-sizing: border-box; clip-path: inset(50%); clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); font-family: inherit; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; width: 1px; z-index: 0;"><br /></div></div></span></div></div><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1qughib x1qjc9v5 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np xykv574 xbmpl8g x4cne27 xifccgj" style="align-items: stretch; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: space-between; margin: -6px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w xeuugli xsyo7zv x16hj40l x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn" style="box-sizing: border-box; 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align-items: stretch; appearance: none; border-bottom-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-left-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-radius: inherit; border-right-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-style: solid; border-top-color: var(--always-dark-overlay); border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; cursor: pointer; display: inline-flex; flex-basis: auto; flex-direction: row; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-height: 0px; min-width: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: inherit; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: none; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 x2lah0s x1qughib x6s0dn4 xozqiw3 x1q0g3np xwrv7xz x8182xy x4cne27 xifccgj" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; justify-content: space-between; margin: -6px -2px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x78zum5 xdt5ytf x2lah0s x193iq5w xeuugli xg83lxy x1h0ha7o x10b6aqq x1yrsyyn" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-shrink: 0; font-family: inherit; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding: 6px 2px; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs xlh3980 xvmahel x1n0sxbx x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xi81zsa" dir="auto" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: var(--secondary-text); display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 1.3333; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word;"><br /></span></div></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="x1yztbdb x1n2onr6 xh8yej3 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 16px; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div class="x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="" style="font-family: inherit;"><div aria-describedby="jsc_c_12x jsc_c_12y jsc_c_12z jsc_c_131 jsc_c_130" aria-labelledby="jsc_c_12w" class="x1a2a7pz" style="font-family: inherit; outline: none;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; position: relative; z-index: 0;"><div class="x78zum5 x1n2onr6 xh8yej3" style="display: flex; font-family: inherit; position: relative; width: 500px;"><div class="x9f619 x1n2onr6 x1ja2u2z x2bj2ny x1qpq9i9 xdney7k xu5ydu1 xt3gfkd xh8yej3 x6ikm8r x10wlt62 xquyuld" style="border-radius: max(0px, min(8px, ((100vw - 4px) - 100%) * 9999)) / 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px var(--shadow-2); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 500px; z-index: 0;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><div class="x15uvora x1cnzs8 xc73u3c xx6bls6 x5ib6vp" style="border-bottom: solid 1px var(--divider); font-family: inherit; padding: 20px;"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf x4cne27 xifccgj" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: -6px; margin-top: -6px;"><div class="xzueoph x1k70j0n" style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-66496133163324637242023-03-08T21:32:00.011-06:002023-03-08T21:32:58.994-06:00"S'what Happens Before My First Cup Of Coffee"...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Aytqc2nTUJO-w77X3avjSh5mzZ8Oa6boXeXggo42T4-HJiXVBfxi-HxSQX2NdKRZrAk7wxhLAYZqFgdAb5voqRNfArVnvTPB2Hx9CiJUrRxGzTOfquCoi8Ki-UavkxUj4h2ugxLMSM_2PpMp5OXXZ52CZGk0qJccsAWO0_MRWxMk0PCT56OSfwE/s556/1016549_10207488463362725_3953291603404370744_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Aytqc2nTUJO-w77X3avjSh5mzZ8Oa6boXeXggo42T4-HJiXVBfxi-HxSQX2NdKRZrAk7wxhLAYZqFgdAb5voqRNfArVnvTPB2Hx9CiJUrRxGzTOfquCoi8Ki-UavkxUj4h2ugxLMSM_2PpMp5OXXZ52CZGk0qJccsAWO0_MRWxMk0PCT56OSfwE/s320/1016549_10207488463362725_3953291603404370744_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good "wishful thinking" Wednesday Morning, y'all.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">S'what happens before my first cup...</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I got a lot of stuff to do today, so I have to make a few promises to myself.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>time to get TOUGH!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not stare out of windows and think about stupid things.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not listen to that German "do-wop" song I posted a while back.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to tuck my shirt in my pants and keep it that way and wear socks.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not let hangnails ruin my day. </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not open any tortilla chip bags, nor the really out-a-sight Dutch cheese which always leads to me opening another bottle of wine.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to stay in the studio focused for at least one full hour.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to drink more water, which means potty breaks to leave the studio!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not allow the birds to distract me.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not curse at my Mac, or lovely little pop ups reminding me that I'm a out of date loser!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not listen to the song,"Every One's Gone to the Moon" cuz it gets me down.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not let Joe Walsh's high energy have me "boogalooing" all over the house ( although that German do-wop post is pretty good!")</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not watch MLB on the "telly". Nor PTI reruns.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to stretch and do my "yogi" thing even though it hurts like hell.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not get depressed over the fact that "yogi" thing it hurts like hell.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not get upset when telemarketers hang up on me first!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not open the refrigerator door and stare into it.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to ignore my mind when it reminds me of things I'm not getting done!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to not spend the day waiting for Facebook to make my day.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> ( although that German do-wop post is a pretty close substitute!")</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Did I mention drinking more water, which means more potty breaks!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I promise to use CS6 Photoshop, which I hate, instead of CS3 which I love.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And finally, I promise to not open any wine till it's five pm... somewhere!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No real coffee yet!</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-8143384040673858632023-02-19T11:52:00.002-06:002023-02-19T11:52:34.412-06:00"Could It Be, Could It Be!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYc7oWvblFc-rzhh0E1Ql8HILWnJPD2eiCXXzZQVIv2gAcGKo3HmC7ODRZcpM-ZioLZyRJXvSPeM6Sbnz_Ge70px7QHDLrw-6iVLomsB05iVyD4nDy9NJncNPK6VObbnhE50i8te57Yp0Ekm-CDeUdR4d-GEYQC6oDM0SY2OcFUR93J7vYo1qeqg/s586/33621322_10214309664448489_5650845388530253824_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="394" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLYc7oWvblFc-rzhh0E1Ql8HILWnJPD2eiCXXzZQVIv2gAcGKo3HmC7ODRZcpM-ZioLZyRJXvSPeM6Sbnz_Ge70px7QHDLrw-6iVLomsB05iVyD4nDy9NJncNPK6VObbnhE50i8te57Yp0Ekm-CDeUdR4d-GEYQC6oDM0SY2OcFUR93J7vYo1qeqg/s320/33621322_10214309664448489_5650845388530253824_n.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 5"x 8.5" painting!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good "easing into" Sunday Morning, all bodies.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, it was another yucky, wet day three days ago with very little color, I felt, in my life. After all, the football season was gone. But, a little ray of sunshine came by to visit our bird feeder.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Through the kitchen nook I peered cautiously through the glass to analyze closer without scaring the bird. Closer and closer making no sudden moves… like reaching for one of the three binoculars which are always on the shelf just out of reach.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The size of the bird was bigger than a goldfinch, but smaller than a cardinal with an elongated head and a sharp narrow beak. I was too far behind the glass with the Venetian blinds to really get a better look. With a slight flinch, it was gone.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Replenishing my coffee cup, I sat at the kitchen table with my trusty laptop open for anything. A flash of blue caught my eye as our resident House Wren hopped atop and circled the birdbath looking for drowning insects. Another flash. It was too small to be one of those noisy and nosy bluejays. Could it be, could it be!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I decided to try, one more time, to attract a different variety of birds by purchasing some dried mealworms, and adding it to the feeder. What usually happens is the woodpeckers discard to the ground whatever isn’t a nut. The bluejays aren’t much better.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A decade ago, or so, I attempted to raise live mealworms and keep some in the refrigerator. I was pleasantly surprised that my wife didn’t mind, but disappointed that wherever I put them, the ants got to them before anything else did.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Another blue flash, but this time, the bird landed atop the feeder and was hitting on the mealworms big time. It was the male version of the bluebird… such a beautiful bird. Not moving a muscle, the bird I saw earlier in the morning was the female which now landed and joined in on the feast.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I read bluebirds can live from eight to ten years old, and we’ve had our box occupied for way past ten years. Now that I’ve got the couple’s attention, after all these years, I suspect that they or one of their siblings will drop by every day to entertain and amaze us with their “bluetifull” ways.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">Peaceful Sunday Morning cup!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-20160661794073959142023-02-05T10:09:00.001-06:002023-02-05T10:09:21.488-06:00"S'what Happens When I Stand In Line Too Long!"<p><br /></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY74AVV6sZI0-1-te_jIboKpiysihk5oH0BOBgW2ca5O0dX-9dRXBDo2z0rvxewIFtMtOOIj9uvzlvfI7-bqK8KfHnjZWOomqvlxenpVdNHOqmhhVSziDK6h80kHTkYQNBQJkw6nMXb3CMteQzvPEbmeU1wxrE-yTDWoaHpJCiLWS70wYIwFwmJrw/s764/0%208.51.27%20AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="573" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY74AVV6sZI0-1-te_jIboKpiysihk5oH0BOBgW2ca5O0dX-9dRXBDo2z0rvxewIFtMtOOIj9uvzlvfI7-bqK8KfHnjZWOomqvlxenpVdNHOqmhhVSziDK6h80kHTkYQNBQJkw6nMXb3CMteQzvPEbmeU1wxrE-yTDWoaHpJCiLWS70wYIwFwmJrw/s320/0%208.51.27%20AM.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, the Angst!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Good “Sunday before the Super Bowl Sunday” Morning, all bodies.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My wife </span>and I had a fun time yesterday at the WYES-TV Antiques Showcase where the experts were on hand to assess real value of your antiques. The event is not part of that PBS Monday night series, “Antiques Roadshow”. Which got me to thinking as I stood in line to have an Art Deco lamp appraised, how much fun it would be if I was dead, but returned to earth to hear an appraiser’s comments on one of my paintings that someone bought at a garage sale.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I say this because on that “Roadshow” series, the appraisers seem to know, personally, all of the historical styles and personalities and quirks of every artist that ever painted in a particular time frame. And naturally, the artist has long since passed away. His or her art is now valued at some ungodly price, and at times, for an ungodly piece of crap, aesthetically!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Kinda pisses me off.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, I also had a giggle or two with the thought of personally bringing one of my paintings, framed and signed, to “The Showcase” be appraised. What would they say to me in person not knowing that I’m the actual artist and that I am not yet dead!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes, I crack myself up!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So, let’s pretend it is one hundred years later and one of my pieces is being appraised.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “I don’t know. The owner said their mother owned the piece and had it framed and hung in the master bathroom for years.” Apparently, she felt ashamed to love the piece the way she did and didn’t want anyone to disparage or belittle her taste in art… Weird, huh?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: Well, sir, for all the abuse it may have received in that location, it is in good condition with no signs of water, humidity or damage from soap bubbles. In our investigations, we found that the mother only used Ivory Soap! </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: Wow… Really?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: That’s correct, sir. You know Ivory Soap is still ninety-nine and forty-four one hundred percent pure!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Still?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Yes… Still!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Can you tell me how much you paid for it?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Yes, twenty five dollars and thirty-four cents! I asked the owner if he knew who the painter was, but he said he didn’t know.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Well, sir, I’d say you got a real bargain here… with or without this damaged, Bondo repaired and slightly discolored varnished frame. What we have here is a classic Ben Bensen III painting created in the late 1970’s during his deepest and darkest period as he struggled with his addiction to Hubig Pies.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">“It has never been proven that he mixed the lemon pie filling with titanium white and acrylic gesso, but our investigations into Ben’s palette, at that time, clearly shows the genius of doing so.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Gee!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Yes, indeed! You may notice that at this time the subjugation of his brush strokes is purely in line with his intense need to put aside and crush his demanding ego and lay prostrate amongst the paint. It was in this “humble” period that the painting you own in your hands for $25.00 was created.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Wow!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Yes, Indeed. Much later in his career, forced to change his style by his rejection of that gluten laden paint recipe, created a real comeback for the man. His “Under The Causeway” series of watercolors is a true triumph. Mixing salt water with fresh water from Bayou Chastaine changed the way many artists now work as well as a whole new way to fathom what we perceive as deep.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Gee, that must be something to see.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Quite!” Just owning a print of one of the watercolors from the collection, could finance your kid’s education!” </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “No kiddin’…”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: I’m sure that you’d like to keep this undiscovered jewel as your own. But, should you decide, for any reason, to part with it, maybe, donate it as a museum piece for all to enjoy, you need to know the details. Personally, I’d appraised this marvelously historic painting at $250,000.00 and insure it for over $1,000,000.00.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “No way… no way! That’s amazing… that’s absolutely incredible,” he says slightly aghast at his good fortune, which is a hallmark staple of the show!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: “Yes… Way!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Patron: “Hey Honey, c’mere. You know that Louie Vuitton calf skin leather bikini you’ve always wanted? Buy it… and then, book that trip to the French Riviera we’ve always wanted to visit. We be rich, now!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And, God bless that masochistic pie eating Ben Bensen III guy. What a sap for his art he was, though he did have exquisite taste! And bless, the garage owner that owned him and hasn’t got a clue… about art!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Appraiser: Indeed…</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It was a fun and informative morning and leaving with lagniappe like granola bars, donuts, coffee, finger sandwiches and mimosas, was a hit!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;">First cup!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2023/ Ben BensenIII</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-27137523778747568802022-12-27T21:43:00.008-06:002022-12-27T21:43:49.737-06:00"And Tee Got A Snazzy Black Gift Bag For Free!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowpRO_ek0mFqspD0pRDrtjNFde9Dw00OjiuOaN6Y6F4wJ9z6s2US-KlXXM0v5bEeaJBepqeRsjkuffn1PT6jW7lEqrob70MlYAJ1h-1WWNiFjEAIc9yAiChCL2qudjgl6JqZZ8caBe_E8P1EkqRmHqB7KFlFLo7vwUOtISAjTVGeqcBqRd_paYnE/s1250/570338134_355_large.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowpRO_ek0mFqspD0pRDrtjNFde9Dw00OjiuOaN6Y6F4wJ9z6s2US-KlXXM0v5bEeaJBepqeRsjkuffn1PT6jW7lEqrob70MlYAJ1h-1WWNiFjEAIc9yAiChCL2qudjgl6JqZZ8caBe_E8P1EkqRmHqB7KFlFLo7vwUOtISAjTVGeqcBqRd_paYnE/s320/570338134_355_large.webp" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Fashionable Ruana!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good "Twofer 2'sDay" morning, all bodies.</span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Let's just say that a girl friend suggested a "Ruana" for Therese for Christmas. She looked pretty nice in one she wore one cold morning a few weeks ago.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Never even heard of a Ruana... Kinda sounds like it's African safari wear.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Anyway, I found a few online that I thought would look good on Therese, but I rarely shop online. Okay, okay, this is a real long story that'll try to keep short. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Naturally, they wanna sell you other things to accommodate the look, but once I found one that I liked, I just decided to cut to the deal. I put my Ruana in the shopping basket, then notice options for delivery which come at a premium if you want it by Christmas. Then, "if you act now" we can gift wrap it for you for an additional discount price and still have it arrive in time to be put under the tree. And, if you purchase it with our credit card you can get and additional blah, blah, blah.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">No, I thought once again, just let's get to the checkout.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Well, I couldn't find a way out of the shipping post in order to checkout. Frustrated with the entire process, I deleted the entire purchase and started the entire process over again, and then, over again... and over and over trying to pay for shipping and get to the checkout. When I finally did, I was buying four Ruanas at the discount price of $387.50 which included shipping and a gift wrapping.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">WHA-A-A-AT? </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I decided to delete the entire transaction completely and call the local store to see if they had the Ruana I was interested and at the same discounted price and for... help! And, they did!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Two days after putting the gift under the tree, I get a package at our front door, and in it is a Ruana in a beautiful gift wrapped bag. Having made sure that Therese liked the shawl, I told her the whole story about now having two Ruanas.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">So, yesterday, we returned the one I purchased online to the store. I told the salesperson as best as I could about the entire process. I tried to cut it short, but I think the woman was actually intrigued with my hair raising tale. She's probably heard it all before, but not from a guy.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">I opened the box and presented the Ruana still gift wrapped in snazzy black bag which, being a guy, could care less about saving the bag... but Therese did.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">And, so did the salesperson who stated that I paid for it as part of the deal and that I/we should keep it.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The woman and Therese tried in vain to open the snazzy bag without recking the bag.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">"I hate to cut the strap to open the bag and get the shawl out of the bag," the salesperson said. </span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">"Well, you've got the fingernails to get whatever and wherever the knot is," I said.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Tee tried again, but no luck. Losing patience with the whole experience, I just grabbed one of the loops and pulled real hard. II figured it was like a sweatsuit pair of pants where the string tie got tangled. One more assertive pull and... voila!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Now, everyone was happy. The salesperson got a new Ruana to put on the rack, I got rid of the whole embarrassing situation, and Tee got a snazzy black gift bag for free.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Uh... Merry Christmas?</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2022/ Ben Bensen III</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><br /></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3291523820429921598.post-73843216898732065672022-12-15T10:51:00.000-06:002022-12-15T10:51:01.252-06:00"Ben's First Law Of Storage!"<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJNSQ9muwiI-3VzvjtJXH6tUdskTwtX6fSyOpxcZ-EI-pX9XOJrEqxT0MAdJOfKS9Js7FB3l8E5sQ6pjYSILvwCEYiLMuEp4mjIxf6kvnbAcho5689lw6Cm-sdhd5cFBZ_huFb25WrITpuOW-pbnc-rQWr4NKaWOghutz9x4aPwd_ovu60Oz-PEw/s640/0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJNSQ9muwiI-3VzvjtJXH6tUdskTwtX6fSyOpxcZ-EI-pX9XOJrEqxT0MAdJOfKS9Js7FB3l8E5sQ6pjYSILvwCEYiLMuEp4mjIxf6kvnbAcho5689lw6Cm-sdhd5cFBZ_huFb25WrITpuOW-pbnc-rQWr4NKaWOghutz9x4aPwd_ovu60Oz-PEw/s320/0.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hook On A Feeling?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Good "totally mystified" Thursday Morning, all bodies.</span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yesterday, after complimenting her about her Christmas decorating, I expressed my frustration to a friend, Karen Kuchar, about spending, at least, an hour or so searching for our tin of ornament hooks, and in that post I said, "Watch what happens...We will schlep to the Dollar Store to buy some more hooks, and the "forever lost" box will show up sometime next year!"</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Well, it didn't take that long!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer;" tabindex="-1"></a>After we bought two pack of hooks, and found the old box, we decided to pack it all in till later, and watch two Christmas Carol movies, the one with George Scott and the other one with Albert Finney. Though I fell asleep halfway through the Albert Finney one, I do prefer that one.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The sad part of this escapade was that the original tin of hooks was exactly where it is supposed to be... in a plastic tub full of ornaments!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Well, how 'bout that, folks!</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Second cup at <a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://www.facebook.com/gufolsom?__cft__[0]=AZVhINZ8vEl61Ne602N0fwJJzI7i2Wy_RmlQBAjJn545bVxjWSUJk7ZJhnuUIV00ZJfj4fNuE6FnfyflURbHzwOkcJNqbXlRm84d_SAPO9r7ucxZYzuVJheIUaFDgxpREQb5YmgXWpFktuNjkBs44CfgOIKmFFKLxQqqGyr1kq5HAA&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="display: inline;">Giddy Up</span></a>!</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Copyright 2022/Ben Bensen III</span></div></div>Ben Bensen IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08063667151570644210noreply@blogger.com0