My new office

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Farm work is good for the body and soul! Longhorn cows arriving soon to Elmwood NC!


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The songs of life- Thanks to mom

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My home was filled with music and people growing up. Mom loved music and can play an assortment of instruments but her favorites are the lap dulcimer and the hammered dulcimer. I'm not certain of when she took up these pieces, but her talent and ear for music made the learning curve much shorter than most. Mom also loves people and there was always someone over at our house playing music and enjoying fellowship. Mom was always having dulcimer parties and with some of her friends played weddings, church events and parties for folks. My favorite was down at my aunt Becky's house just a 1/4 mile from our home. Becky would take the whole month of May to celebrate her birthday and it would culminate with a big party called "The Strawberry Jam". I'm sure there were strawberries there but I was never real sure the origin of the name. Everyone would gather in my aunt's carport, musicians would arrive with instrument cases and chairs. There was lots of conve...
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One year out- Remembering Dale Beatty

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I looked down the hallway at Walter Reed Hospital and saw a Veteran in his late 30s being pushed in a wheel chair. At first, it was just a normal sight at Walter Reed to see someone missing legs, but then I noticed a familiar crooked grin and a familiar hat atop his head. The hat read, Purple Heart Homes and the smile meant that it was my friend Dale Beatty. He didn't recognize me in my Army uniform and clean shaven. I looked down at him as we both waited for an elevator and I said sarcastically, "Hey son, what do you know about Purple Heart Homes?" He looked up at me and said, "I'm the co-founder and we do critical home repair for disabled Veterans!" The excitement in his voice was contagious. I smiled back and said, "I know you Dale" Then the reunion began as we rode up in the elevator and for the next 2 hours we continued in conversation, Dale, his wife Belinda and me....just reconnecting. As I was leaving that day, Dale gave me a coin ...
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  At the urging of my friend Tony who informed me that it had been some time since I had penned some thoughts here, I thought I'd jot down a few musings at his request. I suppose the biggest impact point of the last 12 months was a devastating injury that I suffered last June.   I had been to visit my father at the NC coast for Father's Day and had an amazing time with my wife, my brother and his wife along with my dad and his. But I also got to ride my bike on some flat roads, and I was feeling particularly strong. I had been training all spring to get myself ready for a cycling fundraiser I started in 2020 to benefit the nonprofit where I serve (www.phhusa.org).   We made our way home and the next day I went to work basking in the glow and looking forward to the rest of the summer. On my way home from work on what would be a fateful day, I stopped at a local convenience store to grab a Gatorade. While there I noticed a young lad, covered in dirty clothes, obviou...
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