A Wedding on the Farm

Many years ago, my Dad and I started to take "guy" vacations. We slept in the back of my van, ate our meals out of a cooler, didn't shave, farted when we wanted to, and took our baths in a cold river. Men doing manly stuff.

Then, our friend Mike joined us. On our first trip together, we tried to make him sleep in the van, but it didn't go well.

By the next year, the three of us were sleeping in motels, eating at sit-down restaurants, taking regular showers, and even shaving.

I think, as a trio, we took 5 or 6 trips together. Colorado, the East Coast, the Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, the Tetons, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Although we got soft when Mike joined us, we saw and did some great stuff.

Then, Mike had to go and get sick on us, and he died of lung cancer 5 years ago.

The bride in the picture is Mikes daughter Liana. She is being walked down the "aisle" by her brother Dan. Dan's wife Amy is on the sidelines, fighting back tears.

It's been tough not having Mike around. I thought we would grow old together, and go on trip after trip. He sometimes was a little overbearing with his politics (Republican), but he was a funny, kind, compassionate, caring, and generous man. (Can you tell I miss him?)

I felt his presence here today, as I'm sure a lot of others did, too. Best of luck to his little Liana.

P.S. On my FLICKR PAGE are day 8 and 9 of the baby robins. Today was the first day that they were looking back at me. I probably won't push my luck much farther...not wanting to "spook" them into leaving the nest too early.