PLACES--HERVE'S FARM--AND HIS WORDS OF WISDOM

TEMP WAS GOOD (WELL, FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR)…HEMET-FACE SOCK-LONG JOHNS—FIRE UP THE BIKE—SAFETY CHECK—A QUICK APPEAL FOR DIVINE PROTECTION---I WAS GONE…IN THE WIND…RIDING HIGH…SOMETHING ABOUT THE HELMET STIFLES THE EXPERIENCE FOR ME A LITTLE, BUT IT’S STILL RIGHT UP THERE AMONG THE LIST OF THINGS THAT MAKE LIFE EXHILARATING…SIMPLE MAN-SIMPLE PLEASURES…BEEN RUNNING A NEGATIVE WAVE THESE LAST FEW WEEKS…WITHOUT GETTING INTO SPECIFICS IT SEEMS LIKE ONE DISAPPOINTMENT FOLLOWS RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER LATELY…GOING THROUGH A PHASE WHERE I WONDER IF MY BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH AT WHATEVER IT IS I TRY TO ACCOMPLISH..

AS FAR AS THE BLOG GOES I’M REALLY HAVING TROUBLE PUTTING STUFF TOGETHER TO WRITE ABOUT- A TRICKY TIME OF YEAR, NOT MUCH GOING ON..OH, AND IN RESPONSE TO THE MANY E-MAILS ASKING IF I HEARD ANYTHING FROM ELENA (THE VINTAGE SHOP POST FROM THREE WEEKS AGO) NO I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HER, NOR HAVE I HEARD FROM JOHN AND TERESA (LAST WEEKS POST)…SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT DISAPPOINTMENTS?? SOMEONE ASKED IF THE WATERBURY CLOCK COMPANY PUT AN INDIAN FACE ON THEIR CLOCKS—SO FAR AS I’VE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN, NO THEY DIDN’T..BUT I DO THINK THAT THEY WERE THE FIRST COMPANY TO PUT MICKEY MOUSE ON A WATCH..

ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES WAS ‘BLADE RUNNER’ BASED ON THE BOOK ‘DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP.’ ONE OF THE VERY FEW MOVIES THAT I THOUGHT WAS BETTER THAN THE BOOK..AS I WATCHED THE MOVIE AND DEVELOPED AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ULTIMATE GOALS OF THE ‘BAD GUYS’ (CALLED REPLICANTS) I BEGAN TO SYMPATHIZE FOR THEM…AS THE BLADE RUNNER (HARRISON FORD) EXPLAINED TOWARDS THE END OF THE MOVIE—NOT AN EXACT QUOTE, BUT CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THE ESSENCE TO COME THROUGH.. ‘ALL THEY WANTED WAS ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS WE ALL ASK..WHERE DO I COME FROM?? WHERE AM I GOING?? HOW LONG DO I HAVE??’

 

A RATHER DRAMATIC PART TOWARDS THE END OF THE MOVIE HAS A REPLICANT WATCHING THE BLADE RUNNER AS HE IS STRUGGLING FOR HIS LIFE, TRYING TO MAINTAIN A GRIP ON A BEAM THAT JUTS OUT BEYOND THE ROOF OF A TALL OLD BUILDING..JUST AS HIS GRIP FAILS HIM, THE REPLICANT SNATCHES HIS WRIST AND LIFTS HIM ONTO THE ROOF, THEN TOSSES HIM TO SAFETY..THE NEXT WORDS THE REPLICANT SPEAKS HAVE ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME FOR SOME REASON… “I----HAVE SEEN THINGS THAT YOU PEOPLE WOULD NOT BELIEVE.” HE DESCRIBES A FEW VISIONS. THEN, AS A STEADY RAIN IS FALLING, HE CONTINUES---“THOSE MOMENTS, VISIONS WILL BE LOST IN TIME—LIKE TEAR DROPS IN THE RAIN.”

 

I, LIKE THE REPLICANT, HAVE SEEN---‘THINGS’..(WE ALL HAVE).. SOME OF THESE---‘THINGS’ I HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT EVER SHARE WITH OTHERS..THEY WILL BE 'LOST IN TIME, LIKE TEAR DROPS IN THE RAIN.’ OTHERS I HAVE WANTED TO SHARE, BUT NEVER DID..I GUESS THIS BLOG AND SOME OF THE STORIES AND PICTURES ARE MY WAY OF SHARING SOME OF THE ‘MOMENTS, VISIONS’ THAT HAVE COME MY WAY..SOME HAPPY—SOME NOT SO HAPPY…MOST OF A RATHER SIMPLE NATURE…AGAIN I SHARE…



MEET 'OREO' ONE OF THE FARM WORKERS THAT KEEPS AN EYE ON THINGS.
LOOKS SERIOUS BUT HE'S PLAYFUL AS A PUPPY



BACK IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES I WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE MARINES..BEFORE I EVEN MADE IT HOME I WAS ALREADY A HURT-ANGRY-CONFUSED INDIVIDUAL..MY HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART BECAME SOMEONE I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW (EVEN BEFORE I GRADUATED BOOT-CAMP)..ON MY FIRST VISIT HOME SHE TOLD ME SHE WOULD STAY WITH ME IF I RAN OFF WITH HER TO CANADA…I REMEMBER BEING PROUD OF MY UNIFORM AND I WOULD NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO CRY IN FRONT OF HER (EVEN IF I HEAR FROM HER I WON’T MENTION IT SO DON’T YOU READERS ASK)..DURING MY LEAVE TIMES, MY FRIENDS WOULD USUALLY HAVE ‘THINGS TO DO.’ BEING A SOLDIER IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES WAS NOT AN EASY THING, WALKING THROUGH AN AIRPORT IN UNIFORM WAS SOMETIMES AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE..



THIS IS 'SARGE' ANOTHER WORKER THAT KEEPS THE COWS WHERE THEY BELONG
SHOWING OFF HIS GOOD SIDE ON CAMERA



‘I—HAVE SEEN THINGS.’ ONE EARLY MORNING A BIT OF COMMOTION WOKE ME..A GROUP OF MARINES STOOD IN A CLUSTER AROUND ONE OF THE MAIN POSTS OF OUR PLATOON TENT..IN THE CENTER OF THIS CLUSTER, CLINGING TO THE POST WAS A YOUNG MARINE WHO HAD LOST HIS GRIP ON REALITY..HIS FACE WAS CONTORTED WITH FEAR AND HIS GRIP ON THE POLE WAS ALMOST SUPER-HUMAN..HE WAS MY FRIEND ‘JESSIE,’ THE VERY ONE WHO INTRODUCED ME TO MY LIFELONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH MOTORCYCLES..A HELICOPTER TOOK HIM AWAY LATER THAT MORNING AND AS I WATCHED IT DISAPPEAR INTO THE DISTANCE I FELT PART OF ME SHRIVELING UP AND BLOWING AWAY LIKE DUST..I NEVER LEARNED WHAT BECAME OF JESSIE—HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH HIM NOW..

THE NEW BRIDGE IN RIVERTON CT..

BACK HOME, MY OLD FOREMAN PULLED ME AWAY FROM MY VISIT WITH MY OLD CO-WORKERS AND HUSTLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE.. “I’VE GOT TO GIVE YOU YOUR JOB BACK, THAT’S THE LAW.” HE THEN POINTED OUT TO THE FLOOR AND SAID, “I’VE GOT TO LET ONE OF THESE GUYS GO SO YOU CAN COME BACK. YOU TELL ME WHICH ONE.” I NEVER SET FOOT IN THE PLACE AGAIN..THINGS WENT KIND OF HAYWIRE FOR A COUPLE YEARS..WANTED TO GO BACK IN THE MARINES BUT WAS TOLD THEY WERE DOWNSIZING..WANTED TO JOIN THE V.F.W. BUT VIETNAM ERA VETS WERE KIND OF LOOKED DOWN ON.. “NOT A REAL WAR”…THE VETERAN’S ADMINISTRATION LANDED ME SOME PRETTY GOOD JOBS..I LOST NINE OF THEM IN ONE YEAR AND SEVEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR..I COULD GO ON AND ON AND MAYBE I WILL, BUT NOT IN THIS POST..

SOMEHOW, ONE DAY ALONG THE WAY I MET HERVE..A SMALL TOUGH MAN WHO WAS MADE OF WIRE AND CABLE..HE HAD A FARM (SON NOW RUNS IT) AND AS IT TURNS OUT, AS THE YEARS ROLLED BY, THE HOUSE I EVENTUALLY BOUGHT HAS A LARGE BACK YARD WHICH ABUTS HIS FARM LAND..I LOVED TALKING WITH HIM..HE LISTENED AND EXPLAINED WITH A COMMON SENSE THAT WAS REFRESHINGLY UNIQUE..I TOLD HIM OF MY ANGER, MY DISAPPOINTMENTS, MY FRUSTRATIONS..SOMETIMES WE WOULD SIT ON BALES OF HAY, OTHER TIMES ON A FENCE..HE SPOKE ABOUT THE RESPECTABILITY OF LABOR, ANY LABOR THAT WAS HONEST WAS RESPECTABLE IN HIS EYES..HE SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CLARITY OF MIND AND THOUGHT..A LITTLE WHISKEY AND BEER IS GOOD FOR YOU—TOO MUCH WILL DESTROY YOUR DIGNITY, WILL INJURE THE ESTEEM IN WHICH YOUR LOVED ONES (AND OTHERS) HOLD YOU..MONEY IS GOOD, SAVE A FEW DOLLARS ALONG THE WAY..OWN A FEW THINGS BUT NEVER LET THOSE THINGS OR THE MONEY OWN YOU..BE EASY TO PLEASE-AND YOU WILL STILL BE DISAPPOINTED FROM TIME TO TIME---EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM LIFE, OR PEOPLE, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MISERABLE..A GOOD WOMAN DOESN’T HAVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL—A DECEPTIVE WOMAN CAN BE BEAUTIFUL BUT ONLY FOR A SMALL WHILE—SHE WILL CRUSH YOUR SELF RESPECT AND BECOME UGLY IN YOUR HEART--ONLY TWO THINGS A GOOD MAN WILL BEG FOR, A CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF AND FORGIVENESS..THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE WORDS OF WISDOM HERVE SPOKE TO ME..


COLD STARTED TO SINK THROUGH ON TO ME-STOPPED TO WARM UP
AND THOUGHT THIS WAS A PRETTY NICE VIEW OF THE FARMINGTON RIVER



HERVE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS BACK..IT WAS A COLD BLUSTERY DAY, I WAS AT THE CEMETERY TO SAY A FINAL GOOD-BY TO MY OLD FRIEND..I REMEMBERED ONE OF OUR LAST CONVERSATIONS..WE WERE SITTING ON A CEMENT WALL AND THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN..IT WAS EASY TALK, NOTHING THAT I CAN REMEMBER ABOUT IT..I THINK HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE TEXTURE OF OUR DISCUSSION..GONE WAS THE ANGRY YOUNG MAN HE ONCE KNEW..HERVE CHANGED MY OUTLOOK ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT ARENAS IN LIFE……HE’S GONE NOW…..AND I’VE SHARED SOME OF HERVE’S THOUGHTS WITH YOU…..I GUESS I JUST DIDN’T WANT HIS KIND AND INTELLIGENT WORDS “THOSE MOMENTS, THOSE VISIONS, TO BE LOST IN TIME, LIKE TEAR DROPS IN THE RAIN.”    THANKS HERVE-THANKS A LOT.   



SATURDAY UP IN BARKHAMSTED--IF THERE IS A 'BIKER HEAVEN' IT MUST HAVE  ROADS
LIKE THIS ONE -- MINUS THE CARS

 WELL, HERE WE ARE.. DEEP INTO THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY AND STILL NO PILES OF SNOW ALL OVER THE PLACE..DAYS ARE ALREADY GETTING NOTICEABLY LONGER AND WE'RE DEFINITELY GETTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF WINTER AS WELL AS THE RIGHT SIDE OF SUMMER..ONLY SAW THREE BIKES OUT ON SATURDAY BUT IT WON'T BE TOO LONG BEFORE THEY WILL COME OUT OF THE GARAGES, GET CLEANED-UP

 WAXED DOWN, CHROME POLISHED NICE AND SHINY AND READY TO ROLL..YOU WOULD THINK SOME GUYS BUY A MOTORCYCLE JUST SO THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO CLEAN INSTEAD OF RIDE--
I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR NEXT WEEK..HELP ME OUT A LITTLE--SEND IN A PHOTO OR TWO OF YOUR MOTORCYCLES YOUR FAVORITE PLACES--I WOULD BE GLAD TO POST THEM..

***********************************TILL NEXT WEEK******************************
                                                                                JIM
P.S.==TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME VIDEO THAT A READER SENT TO ME--I LIKE SKYDIVING BUT THESE GUYS ARE REALLY INSANE..STARTS OFF A LITTLE SLOW, BUT THEN-WOW!!

http://player.vimeo.com/video/31481531?autoplay=1