I freely admit that I saw this on Brain Pickings, but for those who do not follow the blogs that I follow, it is really worth a look.  Go ahead, enjoy, it is a book trailer and the book really seems worth reading.  The title  Wisdom: The Greatest Gift One Generation Can Give Another by Andrew Zuckerman




WISDOM Trailer from Andrew Zuckerman Studio on Vimeo.

I Just Couldn't Resist this one...

A LADY WALKS INTO TIFFANY'S .. SHE LOOKS AROUND, SPOTS A BEAUTIFUL DIAMOND BRACELET AND WALKS OVER TO INSPECT IT...

AS SHE BENDS OVER TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY, SHE UNEXPECTEDLY FARTS...

VERY EMBARRASSED, SHE LOOKS AROUND NERVOUSLY TO SEE IF ANYONE NOTICED HER LITTLE WOOPS AND PRAYS THAT A SALESPERSON WAS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR...

AS SHE TURNS AROUND, HER WORST NIGHTMARE MATERIALIZES IN THE FORM OF A SALESMAN STANDING RIGHT BEHIND HER...

GOOD LOOKING AS WELL .. COOL AS A CUCUMBER, HE DISPLAYS ALL OF THE QUALITIES ONE WOULD EXPECT OF A PROFESSIONAL IN A STORE LIKE TIFFANY'S...

HE POLITELY GREETS THE LADY WITH, 'GOOD DAY, MADAM .. HOW MAY WE HELP YOU TODAY???

BLUSHING AND UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT STILL HOPING THAT THE SALESMAN SOMEHOW MISSED HER LITTLE 'INCIDENT', SHE ASKS, 'SIR, WHAT IS THE PRICE OF THIS LOVELY BRACELET ??'

HE ANSWERS, "MADAM .. IF YOU FARTED JUST LOOKING AT IT - YOU'RE GOING TO CRAP WHEN I TELL YOU THE PRICE..."

Hobbs Conservation Area - Shaddox Hollow Trail

Today, I went with a group sponsored by OLLI for a hike at Hobbs State Park Conservation Area on the Shaddox Hollow Trail which is a loop trail 1.5 miles in length. It was my first real outing since my accident and I was concerned about my ability to handle it, but it went pretty well. I did the hike and enjoyed the cruise around Beaver lake on a pontoon boat, then lunch at War Eagle's Bean Palace. We caught a thunderstorm for our return trip, but our driver handled it very well. I have to admit that I was pretty tired when I got home and a little achy, but I am hoping that I am healing well and will be getting better as time passes. I know I am much better than I was when I first got home from the accident a month ago.

What was really special about the hike today was that there were so many wildflowers blooming. I felt like I was walking through the pages of a Tim Ernst book...wildflowers everywhere! So without further ado, here are some of the shots I got on our hike:
I will attempt to label them, but I know very few plants...any help is appreciated!

We took a group vote on these and concluded that they are phlox...

This is wild Iris, and just too pretty to behold!

A sassafras sprouting..what makes this unique is that (if you look closely) there are actually 5 different shaped leaves coming up from the same plant...most unusual!

Jack in the Pulpit, so...amazing

ok...here is where I can use a little help

A mayapple bloom

Half the group (including me) had already walked right past this fellow...probably only six or so inches away from our feet was this Pygmy Rattlesnake; fortunately someone in the group asked "what kind of snake is this"?  Yes, it is as poisonous as a copperhead.  He was ready to strike into action, but fortunately none of our group gave him (her) a reason to.

A little more identification help needed here...

A Penny for Your Thoughts...

Last week, the plan was to meet some friends at a local strip mall and they would drive to a little theater in Rogers where Arsenic and Old Lace was being performed.  The weather was perfect and as usual I arrived very early.  It wasn't a problem since the area was relatively active, I enjoyed a little people watching while I waited.

I positioned myself just outside a Barnes and Noble bookstore and it wasn't long before two women walked out and headed for their car.  One of the women bent down just after stepping down from the curb, as if to pick something up.  It was a penny.  She picked it up, looked at it, commented to her friend and then carefully placed it back on the pavement.  They kept walking.

Five minutes passed when another couple (man and woman) exited and took the same route.  The woman noticed the coin, bent down, picked it up, smiled and said something to the man pocketing the coin.  Just at that moment...everything was right with the world!

I have no doubt the penny was facing heads up.  That is the position for good luck and heavenly angels.  What a fabulous random act of kindness.