Indiana Winter

No longer do I see every detail in the grass, every leaf, every stick

It's the blanketing of white nothingness; serene calm and quiet snow.

Each snowfall is unique. This one is very fine and small; yet deep, dry, and still.

Each light, each sun and moon, brings a muffled oasis - brilliantly bright, clean, glowingly dark and luminous.

Moonscapes. Teen terrorists with sleds. Yard boundaries undefined. And when dark, suddenly sleepy cold.

The pines in the forest are sharply defined, the ground beneath them swept away with a white brush stroke.

Squirrels are digging for walnuts in the snow. Red tablecloths are found inside.

Fuzzy pajamas crackle with static electricity. Childhood memories of an old house, scuffing socks along shag carpet and shocking the adults with a finger touch. Sparks bright in the dark.

Now we've found the childhood art: traced small fingers cut out and made into reindeer antlers, cotton glued onto construction paper for snow and snowmen, painted, glittered treasures stuck with magnets to the refrigerator.

The summer sounds - common sounds, insects, motorcycles, are gone. The quiet is peaceful. The sky quickly goes from brilliant and bright to gloomy, with flashing moods that pierce brightly again. It cycles back to dark, and then gets ominous.

Bone-chilling cold. Beautiful is the pure white snow. Precious is life, and is love.

Essay, or Poem, for a November Day

Leaves of locust tree and Japanese maple lie mingled on the ground.

The gold and red leaves on green grass glow bright in the crisp cold air. I feel stunned by the intensity of their colors - it contrasts with my stomach, which is dull and full from lunch of chicken, potatoes and slugs of chocolate milk. I almost reel with the scene flooding into my eyes.

I'm ashamed to say I've always disliked the weedy locust. Now on the ground, the spider-like branches make an intricate pattern. Looking up at the tree's sprawl, I wonder if I may have it cut down next year.

No leaf blowers for me. I want the exercise of wielding the rake. No mosquito whine of motor spoils the air, and gentle quiet goes unheard. I refuse to rake up the carpet of scarlet Japanese maple leaves - they are too glorious.

Holy Earth scattered with the tree's ash; old fire of life.

Couples whisper like young lovers strolling down my street. They pay homage to the town's best trees, which rule in my yard. Walkers look happy, like dating courtiers.

"What kind of tree is that?", a voice calls out behind me. I reply without looking up. "Magnolia." She's my prize, and beneath her is where I'm raking. Then I look up and see a woman pointing. "Oh, that one. Japanese maple." Luminous red, alas, yes, this is her season. Magnolia, magnificent and pungent in the spring when she displays her tulip-orchid flowers, she now only drops sad brown leaves. I love her no less. But Asia is the beauty contest winner of autumn, and commands all the attention: it is her turn now, her season.

King Gyros does Ribs

I'm sorry I can't give you a better picture of this meal. I admit I ate much of it before I made it home to take a photograph. It was excellent! The half rack BBQ rib plate came with fries and slaw, and everything was really delicious. I find King Gyros' food to be consistently good.

I can't find a story on the internet to tell me the history of King Gyros in Fort Wayne. I do see locations in different places in Indiana, such as Bloomington, Indy, Marion, LaPorte, and Valparaiso. There also seem to be locations in Chicago and Ohio. Whether they are the same group of restaurants I can't tell, but I will vouch for the food at the locations in Fort Wayne.

For the most part, the atmosphere in the Fort Wayne restaurants is pretty plain. They don't seem to invest a lot of money in fancy decorating, so don't eat there if that is important to you. The Greek gyros sandwich itself is excellent. (Remember, don't make a hard 'G' sound when pronouncing this word if you want do so correctly). Served on pita with onion, tomato, sour cream sauce and feta cheese, it is the traditional gyros. The meat is tender and slightly spicy, the sauce and bread are cool and creamy. It's just how you would want it to be.

The ribs are great too. The sauce is slight sweet and tangy: plenty of it. It's not too dark and heavy. The meat is nice and done, not too dry, and comes easily off the bone. Owners and workers are generally nice and conversational; many seem very loyal and have worked in the business for years.

There is much of the traditional fare of this type of restaurant on the menu. I'm talking about varieties of hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, burgers and a variety of fried fish. The location on Jefferson Boulevard, across from Parkview Field, lists ocean perch, Alaskan whiting, shrimp and catfish fillets among its fish dishes. There are also quarter and half cuts of chicken, both BBQ and Greek style.

You can order Greek salads and chicken Caesar salads. I'm glad to see they offer traditional Baklava, the honeyed layered pastry, and also a plain or chocolate chip cheesecake - something I have never tried. I'd be curious to know how far away from Indiana I could find a similar King Gyros. Maybe there are locations all over the USA. Regardless, I'm glad they are here in Fort Wayne and northern Indiana, so I can go back and see the large meat composite being sliced on the rotisserie and sample some sweet Baklava.

Wet Leaves on Halloween

Yesterday, in the autumn sunshine, I raked leaves.

Maples had stained the driveway brown. Green grass shone through the lawn adjacent, and leaves were borne on a tarp litter for a royal ride. One last grand trip it was, before their end in a pile, breaking down.

It rained through the night. At four a.m., I woke after dreaming about hidden tunnels winding through school locker rooms. Sleep disrupted, I rose to check the outside wind. There was a new carpet of wet leaves on the green grass. Corseting the sash on my bathrobe, I swept the driveway with a long-handled squeegee.

The rain pours. How will little skeletons walk the streets in this weather?

The unhappy clothes dryer stops. I have to restart it again and again. The dryer is too tired to work. It attempts to do its job, and then gives up.

The Cardinals lost. My friends' prayers didn't help. People post incessantly on Facebook, hoping and living for one more like.

The dryer stops again, and I drape clothing all around the basement - off knobs, boxes, exercise equipment. These are the new trees now, with socks for leaves.

Country Heritage Winery lets you tip a glass just a short drive north of Huntertown

The Lutter family, many of whom are long-time fixtures of LaOtto and Noble County in Indiana, opened their first winery alongside rural farmland in April of 2011. Since then, the place became quickly, even surprisingly popular, and created a need to expand with a bigger production area in 2013 - and the adding on of a large banquet and meeting room as well.

The Lutter family owns huge tracts of farmlands in the county, and runs other businesses such as the nearby Blueberry Acres. Some of those fruits are used in the productions of the local wines. I find Illinois and Indiana wines to be not quite up to standards of California wines, but it's good to see wine makers trying in the Midwest anyway. Things can get better with experience and knowledge - I just don't know about the Indiana climate and soil. I'm also picky about good wines.

The new large hall is great for events. The night I was there recently, a three-piece band performed for a pre-Halloween event. Guests showed up in costumes, and the mood was very festive. It was not the winery experience I usually expect - much more bar-like. I did see a few folks tasting and having cases hauled to their vehicles, but there was also a lot of ordering single glasses or bottles at the bar for on-site consumption. More surprising to me were all the wine "cocktails" being ordered and served - namely the wine slushie. Maybe in the summertime - but it was chilly out. I wonder if a lot of folks are beer drinkers and don't like the taste of wine. That's ok, I guess.

The room is attractive with wood paneling and windows. Wood and beams extend across the ceiling. There are also large taxidermied brown and black bears in a pond display, one with a mounted fish in its mouth. It was as if I was in Bass Pro Shop.

Country Hertage promotes events such as wine and canvas (painting parties), ladies night out, and cooking with wine. Much of the year they are open Monday - Saturday 11 am until 7 pm, and Sunday 10 am - 6 pm. Kevin Geeting is the winemaker. As do many Midwest wineries, they offer lots of semi-sweet, sweet and dessert varieties. I'm not used to wines being described in these ways: a cranberry riesling in which they say, 'think sweet tarts!' Heritage Red, 'grape jelly in a glass!' A blueberry dessert wine, 'think blueberry pie!'. I really don't want my wine to induce a diabetic coma.

They do offer a Zinfandel, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a good proprietor's reserve that is part Cab, part Merlot. These could not be home-grown grapes, but these wines are decent. There is no outside food allowed, and it would be nice if they would offer something more than the rolling food truck I saw parked there last Friday night. But the place was busy, the parking lot looked full, and they seem to have an enthusiastic market. Keep trying - it looks like the bucks are just rolling in.

Embassy Theatre Showcases the Best

'So You Think You Can Dance' quietly premiered in the summer on Fox television in 2005. Since then, we have really enjoyed watching unknown dancers try out at open auditions across the country and rise up in the ranks to become winners on the show. Often, the grand prize has been $250,000; but more importantly, a place for a future in show business is obtained.

The sweat, guts and heart it takes to make it is awe-inspiring. Dancers are awarded airline tickets to Las Vegas to comepete with each other in challenging choreography rounds. The best of the best make it into the country's top 20 and compete in Los Angeles on the televised show.

We love how different forms of dance are showcased. It's great to not only see ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary, but also Bollywood, hip-hop, animation and crump all on one show. The untrained street dancers are very exciting - they bring the future, creative side of performing alongside seasoned ballroom and technically-perfect ballet dancers.

The top ten winners of season 10 recently came to Fort Wayne for a live performance at the Embassy Theatre. We were thrilled to see the male and female first-place finishers - Fik-Shun and Amy Yakima. Fik-Shun is a crowd favorite with his hip-hop animation, street dance and charming 'face' performance. We were also delighted to see lanky, sexy Jasmine and tapper Aaron, who has the size and skill to be a gifted partner.

The dancers performed many of the crowd's favorite numbers from the season, including a bell hop number with rolling luggage cart, a gangsta bicycle crump routine, and a male duet channeling survivors of a horrible car crash. A ghostly group number reminiscent of haunted toys in the attic, and a cool pool table saloon dance were also audience favorites.

The show was terrific. The crowd loved it, and on the whole the audience was screaming, off and on their feet much of the time. It was great to see how popular dance is, and how well-received by audiences in Fort Wayne. Who knew?

Great national choreographers contribute to the show, including Napoleon & Tabitha D'Umo, Sonya Tayeh, Mia Michaels and Mandy Moore. Nigel Lythgoe produces and helps judge the show, and tall Cat Deeley is the supermodel-lookalike host. One mustn't forget ballroom dancer turned pro Mary Murphy, who loudly proclaims hot dancers are ready to board her 'Hot Tamale Train.'

The gorgeous Embassy Theatre is a perfect venue for this type of show, with its plush gilded interior and red velvet main curtain. Originally the Emboyd built in 1928, it hosted organ shows, traveling performers and vaudeville acts until becoming very run down. It was almost demolished just days before a group of volunteers took it over in 1972, raising money to save and renovate it.

In 1975, it reopened and was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Now it's one of Fort Wayne's most prized landmarks, and features broadway shows, concerts and other events. The 2400-seat theatre will be the location for a Fright Night Saturday, Oct. 19. The 1925 black & white film 'The Phantom of the Opera' starring Lon Chaney will be screened as Dennis James plays the historic Grande Page Organ. There will be tours in the narrow tunnels under the theatre as hosts describe tales of ghost hauntings and other historic legends about the place.

The Embassy is well worth seeing, even if there is no show happening. Art Deco and sumptuous, it's a jewel in Fort Wayne and one of my favorite places. Don't forget to also tune in to Fox TV next summer - an eleventh season of 'So You Think You Can Dance' has been commissioned.

Collegiate Waterskiing Brightens the Gap between Summer and Fall

It's only about a 45-minute drive from anywhere in the Fort Wayne area to little Van Wert, OH. Many people don't know there is a private, tournament-quality water ski lake there, right off of Highway 30. My family has participated in American Water Ski Association (AWSA) tournaments there over the years, and it's a fun site close to home. As a spectator, you can watch, for free, close-up events such as slalom-course skiing, trick skiing and ski jumping.

Owned by the hard-working and kind Jim McClure, Pleasant Shores is known by its water slide (popular with the children in the summertime) and trampoline where many of the trick skiers warm up and become airborne.

Fall is the time the collegiate skiers come out to compete, although there are some warm-up tournaments in the spring as well. This can be challenging and best suited to these young die-hards, because frequently, even though it's mid-September, this collegiate tournament is often plagued by rain, cold weather, and very windy conditions. It takes a college kid to camp in a tent, get up and ski as early as 7 or 8 in the morning in a choppy wind, and love the experience.

We went to watch the Great Lakes Conference Championships on September 21. Parents of college teams set up shade tents and bring food (what college kid isn't starving)? you can also find concession stands, ski stuff for sale, and commemorative t-shirts.

Teams from Purdue (we know folks on this team), Bowling Green OH, and other teams from Ohio, Michigan and Indiana participated in this tournament. Qualifiers at the different collegiate conference championships go on to compete at the collegiate regionals, which are being held in Decatur, Illinois this year.

This kind of water skiing is very exciting. A boat running 34 or 36 miles per hour, towing a girl or boy flying across a wake and turning around a buoy, head and shoulders kicked back inches over the water - exhilarating. You might be more thrilled with the jumping over ramps; youngsters flying 60 feet before landing on two skis. You might be most impressed with students performing timed trick runs, with spins, flips, and toe-in-rope-handle stunts. These kids are good.

Indiana is blessed with many good water skiers, of which lots of folks are unaware. On September 8, 2013, Nate Smith, of McCordsville, Indiana (near Indianapolis) set a new slalom world record at Ski Ranch in Covington, Louisiana, running 2.5 buoys at 43 feet off the tow rope. That length of shortened rope is six feet shorter than the distance of the 75-foot rope to the buoys, meaning the difference is made up by his six-feet two-inch body and arm stretch from the rope handle (not a lot of room to spare there, folks!) The 22-year-old is a world class, professional water skier who is sponsored and travels to compete in water ski tournaments around the globe. All of us Indiana skiers who know Nate and watched him grow up through the ranks love him, partly because he is just genuinely a nice guy and so supportive of all the local kids.

Most of us know water skiing as a past-time on big public lakes, which becomes difficult with waves from boat traffic and jet skiers running about. But, it can be a great family sport, and takes excellent physical conditioning and skill. I'm here to say water skiing isn't just for folks in Florida and warmer climates. There is still a slalom course on the St. Joe River near the bridge between Leo and Grabill, across from Riverside Park!

Assembling Soccer Lunches

In my child's school soccer league, the parents take turns providing 'lunches' or meals on game days. It's not really lunch, since it is served after school: on the bus on the way to the game, or whenever the child wants to eat before arriving home.

It was my turn recently. The kids will beg for boughten lunches, such as Jimmy John's or Subway. But I wanted to do it myself, and save some money. It starts with the shopping. I am getting in the habit of bringing my own shopping bags, to cut down on the number of disposable plastic bags used. We have recycled these for years - still, I shudder to think how many are manufactured and then thrown out everyday. Recently, we were given some reusable, water resistant bags as a promotion from the Vera Bradley company, and I am training myself to bring them along.

Old habits die hard. Often I simply forget to take them with me when I am going shopping. Probably the best fix for this is to fold them (I like the large, nearly suitcase-sized ones) and leave them in my car.

Off I go to Meier, a good grocery chain in the Fort Wayne area. I am going to make 18 sliced turkey and cheese sandwiches. I buy that and sliced, whole grain white bread to try and please as many picky kids as possible. I also find baby carrots, bananas, clementines, Smarties candies and store-baked chocolate chip cookies.

At home, I write a personal note on each of 18 brown paper bags, and set these up in a large cardboard box. I put the fruit and treats inside each (stuff that doesn't have to stay cold). Then I assemble sandwiches on a cutting board, carefully folding meat and stacking each one exactly the same, so kids won't pick through bags. For this purpose it's better if stuff is identical. The sandwiches go into fold-top bags, and then into the refrigerator until right before it's time to put them in the paper bag lunches and then deliver.

Baby carrots I also wrap in plastic three to a person - unfortunately I think a large serving of vegetables could go to waste, so a little fiber and vitamin A here is better than none. A paper napkin is also included. A case of bottled water can just be carried separately, no big deal.

And that's it! Not too much garbage or individual wrappers - and no forbidden grapes, which I have been told become projectiles on the bus. Who knew? My duty is done for this go-around. And the team is having a winning season!

Whatzup tells us what to do

Mid-September, the faithful have continued to water gardens of annual and periennial flowers, and passers-by such as myself can admire the brilliant colors. So too, I can admire Fort Wayne area's 'whatzup', the free newspaper available in gas stations, restaurant lobbies, etc., which publishes features and notices about local events.

The 'whatzup' is an institution of those 'in the know' in the arts. It's a calendar of upcoming events: musical performances, artist showings, karaoke, dance, theatre, and plain old 'things to do'. But it also has features, sometimes written by regular staff, sometimes by freelance writers. The latest issue had three artist features: one about a wood sculptor, a second about a local author, and a third about a band originating in Fort Wayne.

The paper is tabloid or magazine size and is attractive, with color photos printed on recyclable newsprint. It has an edgy, indie feel about it. In addition to the upcoming attractions, I enjoy reading Catherine Lee's movie reviews - she was until recently director of the Cinema Center and has a really good eye for movies. Plus, her writing is zesty and entertaining. If she recommends a flick, it's probably worth viewing.

If you're looking for local festivals, fairs, or events; they are listed. If you want to read about upcoming lectures, readings, or workshops; it's posted. As a parent, I appreciate the 'Kid Stuff' column - it's a quick way to find something going on that will educate or keep children entertained.

You can find out about music, yoga, gardening, or hula hoop classes. You can learn about spectator sports or volunteering. Tours and group trips out-of-town are listed. And auditions for upcoming productions are posted, in case you want to try out for a play or musical theatre.

There are reviews about books, CD music releases, artist exhibits, and dance performances. You can see what bands are playing in which bars and other venues, listed night by night. There really is something for everybody in the 'whatzup'. Even the advertising is useful and tasteful, and that's saying something.

If you can't easily get your hands on a paper copy (or don't care to), find the publication on-line at www.whatzup.com. It's published weekly and distributed on Wednesday or Thursday to racks. I grab one whenever I can. Fall is the time to start coming back in from all the outdoor fun, and re-discovering classy, local cultural events - even if it's just hearing a band at a bar (no offense intended to all you bar flies)!

A Rainbow in the Lawn Sprinkler

The crickets are so loud, they sound like distant sleigh bells, or far off cheering in a sports stadium.

The doves fly together, curving and diving in formation like aerial military bombers. Air whistles through their wings as if Harpo Marx was flying along too.

There is a rainbow in the lawn sprinkler. The misty water squirts up in a V for victory.

An Amish woman ties her horse's reins to a dogwood tree. I know the manure will come - yes, there it is. I find a shovel and a trash bag, and hand these to her.

Cars line up on the bridge. Waiting on a four-way stop, the exit traffic from the fair backs up. Snips and bits of conversations carry in the breeze over the water, above the shimmery heat and hum of engine noises. Cars honk horns at a lone ski boat pausing near the bridge. Temptation always brings a huge desire to say 'hi' in this way to those below on stage in the river.

It is small town fair weekend. The ground bees attack trash cans and dumpsters. Aggressively they claim their prizes from the fair. The bees won't be deterred from what nature tells them is theirs.

By Sunday, all are gone. Silence comes welcome. No more elephant ears, apple dumplings or lemon shake-ups. In another year, maybe I will want to go.

Olde Towne Diner

There is a big opportunity in Leo, Indiana (just North of Fort Wayne) for a nice restaurant. Residents say it all the time; it comes up in surveys and town planning meetings. The few restaurants that exist are pizza chains, a Subway and a couple of 'mom & pops'.

The food at the Olde Towne Diner, 14515 Leo Road (State Route 1) is decent. Sometimes it's pretty good. Maybe that's good enough - it promotes itself as a 'diner', and a diner it is. Retro diner decor, pictures of Elvis and James Dean - you know the drill. It opened in 2007, and the booths in the front window are becoming a bit 'sprung out.'

I like the people who work there - friendly service goes a long way in any setting. The view across the street is interesting - I've taken a photo (shown above) of the Scherer & Maxfield tractor dealership, featuring quite a few antique tractors parked out front.

The soups are a good feature. Cream of Broccoli is on the menu, and the last time I was there clam chowder was the soup of the day. I've heard good things about a lasagna soup - I haven't had a chance to try it, but it sounds interesting. My kids like the grilled cheese sandwich they serve.

I personally am fond of their fried fish. I know that isn't the healthiest thing for me, but it's something I don't make at home, so I don't have it very often. I was told theirs is Alaskan pollock. It's light and the batter is usually not overly fried. It comes with slaw and fries. I'm not crazy about their French fries, so I was given the choice of their chips instead. It would be nice if they would offer another vegetable as an alternative. The chips (called seasoned chips) are good though - kind of thick, fried on site. Tasty they are, and an indulgence.

They do offer some salads, but otherwise it's mostly classic diner sandwiches and burgers. You know what I mean - BLT, breaded pork tenderloin, hot ham and cheese, grilled or breaded chicken, coney dogs, hot dogs. There are cute little diner knick-knacks for sale by the cash register near the door. So why am I expecting more? I guess because I see the opportunity. Leo tends to stick to its old formula, and doesn't always keep up with the times and current tastes and trends. It might be a philosophical argument - is this simply sticking to the classics, or is it a lack of forethought or worse (excuse me) laziness? I dislike being critical, but those are my thoughts.

On a sweeter note, they do make handmade milkshakes, and offer a variety of homemade pies. I also like the fact they have a drive up window - more than once I've called in a phone order and then driven to the drive up window to pick up the food. They could use a little updating, some help branding perhaps. But that's just my opinion. It's Leo, so they'll probably just stay stuck in the time warp and do it the way they want. With their location close to the downtown businesses and high school, they probably have enough clientele just as it is.

Cork 'N Cleaver is consistently excellent

The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry was depicted in the Academy Award winning film, Glory. This African-American army unit led the assault on Fort Wagner near Charleston, South Carolina during the Civil War.

This plaster sculpture by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in Washington D.C.'s National Gallery of Art is a fitting tribute to the brave unit and its leader, Col. Robert Gould Shaw. When I think of the 54th MA, I think of excellence, tradition, and something classic. This is also the way I feel about the Cork 'N Cleaver Restaurant in Fort Wayne.

The parking lot of the Cork, as locals often call the place, is consistently full. Businessmen often meet here for lunch, and professionals network in the bar after work. They have an excellent selection of wines and many cosy small sections of seating to give it an intimate setting.

The salad bar is famous for its large selection and quality of fresh ingredients. Some salad bars have a cafeteria-like feel, but this one is a cut above. It has a rounded, organically-shaped look that is so much more attractive than nearly any I have seen.

On my most recent visit with friends for lunch, I chose the Philly steak and cheese sandwich. The Cork has excellent steaks, so this was no ordinary Philly sandwich. It was slices of one of their best cuts on a thick roll, layered with grilled onions and green peppers in the melted cheese. It came with a savory au jus for dipping. I have never eaten a better one. My companions both picked a chicken kabob lunch special. This was broiled chicken and roasted vegetables laid out of a bed of greens - it looked beautiful and was a healthy, lower calorie choice than what I had.

We didn't have appetizers, but the button cap mushrooms, stuffed with cheeses, garlic, and then baked are a well-known favorite. I also love their seared tuna wasabi. It is pressed with black and white sesame seeds, fresh garlic and ginger, and served with wasabi drizzle and kimchee cabbage. This is about as good as it gets anywhere.

For dinner, you can't go wrong with one of their outstanding steaks, or try the black and bleu salmon. The salmon is seasoned with blackened spices and topped with bleu cheese. It can be baked or charbroiled. The crab cakes are also a nice dinner choice for something different.

I ordered creme brûlée for dessert, and it came topped with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Delicious, but my only correction would be I found the custard to be too cool underneath - I like the temperature of the crusty top and the custard to be similar, even slightly warm. Maybe this is just personal preference. Cork 'N Cleaver is classy a place to take new companions and people you'd like to impress. It's definitely up there among Fort Wayne's best.

The splendor of August

I see a patio umbrella, far away. Unfurled, it flirts its skirt and waves to me in the wind.

It's high summer; the middle of August. It brings great joy - yet comes the feeling summer is nearly over.

It brings moments remembered. The sight of the Mount Vernon airport in the humid Illinois air, late summer. There is an ambitious expanse of simple ground lights. I know I saw it all more often from a car than from the air.

It seems memories come around in a year's time. Our bodies remember what happened a year ago this time, as if it should happen again now. I am missing something; I do not know where it went, and then later, what it is.

I see a young turkey vulture: one who looks as old as all of his species. He learns to circle and climb the thermal air. Soon he will use his height to spy, drop upon and possess a corpse of carrion on the road. So specialized, his is a world we do not know.

Crab apples are exploding in a nearby tree. What eats these sour apples? I do not know. They look so lovely, they are tempting, but we humans only pucker, spit and scowl upon tasting them. As I approach a tree, a dwarf crab, I see bluebirds fly away from it one by one.

Lastly, I watch my image in the shadow of the patio deck grow to be large upon the lawn. Doves arrive at the beach two by two. Great summer, you will soon be over.

Take me out to the Tin Caps

The Tin Caps are a Single-A division farm team for the San Diego Padres.  There are three other divisions between the Tin Caps baseball team and Major League Baseball.

It was a gorgeous week in Fort Wayne the second full week in August. Temperatures were mostly in the 70's, so Friday night was wonderful weather at Parkview Field downtown. The management works hard to come up with attractions, and this appeared to be an 80's night, and the team wore the 'Wizards' uniforms - the old name for the team. In the photo above, the groundskeepers raking the sand/dirt around the baselines were in costumes, and danced to the music when they threw down their rakes at the end of the line.

I like the fan participation between innings with features on the giant screen Jumbotron. A couple of funny things happened - they found volunteers to imitate famous screen faces: the 'Home Alone' (just slapped his face with after-shave and it's burning) face was the first. There was an applause contest to pick a winner as fans could see themselves doing their best up on the giant screen. Then there was a Mr. Bean face (the actor Rowan Atkinson): crossed eyes, tongue towards nose, eyebrows up - complicated! A winner was picked among imitators here as well.

In a three-hour baseball game, I have read there is an average of about 17 minutes of actual play. The Bowling Green, KY Hot Rods were the Tin Caps opponents this night. Their team leads to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tin Caps tried hard, and we enjoyed some nice steals (and one great attempt that led to an out, although it took the umpire a few seconds to call it; he had to think about it). It's exciting when a player tends to foul up into the stands - one foul ball cracked up high and bounced off a railing in the stands behind the plate, creating lots of moans from the crowd - the loud rattle off the rail made everyone glad the baseball didn't hit a person. Another foul came up near us close to first base, and again bounced off the rails - as much as people want to catch fouls, it's hard to see the ball coming down in the lights and my seatmates missed it, much to their regret.

Again between innings, there was Jumbotron fan playtime - this time, a chance for fans to mimic the Leonardo DiCaprio "I'm King of the World" move. The stadium railings make a perfect background for fans to stand up and imitate this for a camera to capture: arms and head arched back widespread, hair blowing in the wind off the bow of the ship (ball field). Who comes up with this stuff?

The Tin Caps lost this night, but it was a family-friendly time, as I saw lots of little and big kids, popcorn and Dipping' Dots eaters, kids playing with flashlights and scaling the climbing wall, as well as the typical grown beer drinkers. There were fireworks after the game as well. A good time was had by mostly everyone.

Baseball has a long history in Fort Wayne - the Summit City Club was formed in 1862, during the Civil War. Men named Shoaff and Brackenridge started the first team. In 1871, the first professional game in the U.S. was held in Fort Wayne, when the Fort Wayne Kekiongas defeated the Cleveland Forest City Club, 2 - 0. In 1883, the first pro game to be played under lights also took place in Fort Wayne.

Baseball also made history in 1945, when the Fort Wayne Daisies (of the women's professional league) came to be during World War II. The women's league (the AAGPBL) got a lot of attention after the 1992 movie, 'A League of Their Own'.

The Fort Wayne Wizards became the Tin Caps in 2009, and moved into the newly-built Parkview Field. The stadium drew a record attendance of 408,000 fans in 2012. Since 1993, 117 players have gone from Fort Wayne to play MLB. Maybe I'm becoming a bigger fan of baseball than I thought.

Star Gazing in August

The Perseid meteor shower brought me down to earth recently. The stream of debris, an ancient cloud consisting of particles ejected from the Swift-Tuttle comet, has been in the news as a sight to see in recent days. Small, dime-sized or smaller fragments burn off as meteors, and peak in visible activity between August 9 - 14 this year.

This meteor shower has been observed for at least 2,000 years, with the earliest data about it coming from the Far East. In my mind, I envision shepherds guarding their flocks at night, with no city lights, smart phones or other distractions to get in the way. I'm sure without all the ambient light, the sky must have nearly burst and throbbed with the constellations and comets - a primeval laser show.

I'm not enough of a night owl to wait up for the best view of the shower (after midnight or when the crescent moon had set). Also, here in Northeastern Indiana we had some cloud cover, so I thought the whole idea might be a bust. But low and behold, early Monday morning I found myself waking up at 2 a.m., and decided to get up and see if I could peruse any shooting stars.

I was the only person awake. I tried to not turn on lights so as to keep my eyes adjusted to the dark. Sleepily, I grabbed a bathrobe and a pillow and decided to just lie down on the concrete driveway. A lawn chair would have been better, but there wasn't one on that side of the house so I settled for the cool cement.

I didn't see anything at first, but I heard many things. One was the deep call of the big bullfrog down at the lake. It sounds like it's always the same frog guy. Is it really always this 'Fred', or are there others who have the same sounding voice (and same territory)? I don't know the answer to this question.

I also heard birds twittering and chirping. This really surprised me at after 2 a.m. It made me check the clock, because I didn't know they carried on like that in the middle of the night. It was how I just said though - maybe they were up thinking they saw some fireflies 'way up in the sky to go after (kidding).

The insects put up their chorus as well. Best of all, two owls started up, communicating with each other. First, a higher pitched 'WHO WHO who-who-who WHO!' Then the same call, the same rhythm, but notes in a lower range. They seemed to speak to each other back and forth from different trees for some time, and then stopped. In my mind, with their excellent night vision, they saw me come out and were alerting each other "it's a human - let's owls not track rabbits until the primate vacates."

And then, as I looked straight up into the darkest part of the sky, I began to see the seemingly quickened acceleration of the meteors as they burned themselves up in our homey atmosphere. When I finally saw a so-called shooting star, I got an adrenalin rush that excited me so much, it made me wait patiently through the boredom to see another one. It took several minutes. Then I saw another! Excitement again! I learned to scan the sky in the darkest places, and to try not to blink. I don't have good vision, and I think I need a new prescription for distance, because I even tilted my eyeglasses slightly to better focus the distant sky. I didn't use binoculars or a telescope, but I'm sure that would be great also for those inclined.

I stayed out there at least 45 minutes - I think it was after 3 a.m. when I actually went back to bed, and I am so glad I did it. I'm not sure if there was any vivid color attached or what I saw was just a brillant, sudden light streak - and there definitely was a momentary vapor or dust trailer that followed. It was something wonderful, natural to see.

Perhaps, maybe next time I would recommend to others: remember mosquito spray and a blanket. I do know one thing - in the future when I learn there will be a meteor shower, I will be getting up in the night to go outside to watch it.

Road trip to the east coast

From Fort Wayne, Indiana, it's just a day's drive to get to many locations along the Eastern seaboard. Hoosiers often make Florida a driving vacation destination, but don't realize how many states in the Northeast are a lot closer. I love Florida and the Carolinas also, but there are many wonderful things to see in D.C., Philadelphia and New York, of course.

We made this a destination for a summer get-away, and we got from New York City to Fort Wayne in ten hours. Toll Road 80 was fast, even with some construction. Other than a few grand, picturesque hills in Pennsylvania, It's an uneventful drive.

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel in Times Square. If you have ever stayed in a city high rise building, you know it's lots of elevator trips and vertical perspective. I liked this hotel's layout, however - there is a second floor foyer with two restaurants and spectacular views of Times Square. The architecture and design is very modern; beautiful wood floors and walls, chrome and silver fixtures, eclectic furniture with leather and textured upholstery, and organic-looking glass art light fixtures. It's masculine, (not normally my style) and I loved it - every bit of it. Earth tones and warmth, it was inviting, creative, and comforting in the big city.

We roamed the city - including Central Park, Barney's iconic department store, and One World Trade Center. The 1776-feet high structure (including antenna spire) is the tallest structure in the Western hemisphere. The complex has a bit of an identity crisis; for a while this building was called Freedom Tower, and the 9/11 memorial is officially called the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. Eventually there will be three other high-rise office buildings erected at the rebuilt World Trade Center site.

The 9/11 Memorial, with its waterfall reflecting pools in the place where the Twin Towers once stood, is in itself worth a visit to New York City. The two pools contain the largest man made waterfalls in the United States. Victims' names (of the terrorist attacks) are inscribed on the edges of the waterfalls. The two one-acre pools aptly symbolize the loss of life and the physical void left by the horrible events that occurred at the World Trade Center. I thought the memorial was breathtaking, and the sounds of the great waterfalls cascading into the void of the building healing.

In the other photo above I've used for this blog post, is a shot from the Brooklyn Bridge, looking into Manhattan. I've wanted to walk over this bridge for years, from learning about the amazing bridge on PBS, and also seeing it featured in "Sex and the City." The walk was a bit crowded the day we made it, and there was construction happening. Traffic from cars below the walkers was noisy also. But it's a gorgeous bridge, and I will never forget the experience and the views. The park on the Brooklyn side is quite lovely also, and worth a stop.

We traversed the city by cab and by subway. Cab travel can be a bit slow in lots of traffic, but interesting, especially if you happen upon an interesting driver with whom to chat. We thought the subway would end up being a lot cheaper. But with a family of four, a cab ride, even across town, was never more than about $12 - $20 for us - the subway was $2.75 per person one way, so the saving were not huge. Yet sometimes a cab was hard to hail in some areas, and the subway ends up being incredibly quick in comparison. Any subway is a bit of a challenge for a newcomer to decipher, but worth it as a unique experience. Be ready for strong smells and foul language at the very least. I stepped on the foot of a kind soul, and he didn't even yell at me. I sat next to a mentally challenged or mentally ill woman who was stroking her plastic pull-along toy dog, and she was charming and sweet - I asked her the dog's name (Spike), and found her a much-needed tissue. I wonder where she lives and how she manages so well, but she seemed to know what she was doing.

We also took a great water taxi, and saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I will save more about the trip for a later blog. I am not a city person, and somehow I love NYC - I can't explain it. I hope to return again sometime soon.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is so much more than a kid's museum. Four levels (plus a lower level) of exhibits are connected by a central winding path, inviting the children to run higher and higher to discover things in the museum.

One of the highlights this summer is an exhibit featuring the James Cameron movie Avatar. Kids lined up to be filmed as an Avatar in a movie scene, and to use state-of-the-art cameras and technology in the same ways the filmmakers did. There are actual costumes, robots and machines from the movie. You can stand in the Avatar's shoes for a photo op. The shoes are gigantic, so this was great fun.

Pictured above is a common street vehicle used in Egypt, part of the 'Take me There' Egypt exhibit. A screen in the street car show you how scary and tight the traffic is on the streets. In other sections of this feature, kids can put on clothing items, sit in replicas of Egyptian homes, make jewelry, play instruments, and interact in all sorts of ways.

On level three was one of my favorite exhibits - The Power of Children. It features the story of Ryan White, the young man from Indiana who was infected with AIDS from a blood transfusion and discriminated against. It has his actual toys, posters, clothes, etc. from his bedroom. It has lockers from his school, and shows how other kids and parents were afraid of him. The story of Anne Frank and her life hiding from Nazis in Holland was wonderfully done. It's amazing the Jewish folks hid in that building annex for a year and a half. Her diary, discovered on the floor after the Nazis took them away, was saved by a worker and eventually published: the world eventually knew her story.

Ruby Bridges, the little African American girl who was the first to be integrated into a public school classroom, is also represented in this wonderful exhibit. Kids get the opportunity to see how their small voices can actually change the world, one child at a time. They learn they too, can make a difference.

There's a great ScienceWorks display on the fourth floor, with a freshwater pond, rock climbing wall, and an interactive watershed table. Also don't miss the National Geographic Treasures of the Earth on the lower level, where kids can help uncover three archaeological sites including an Egyptian pharaoh, China's terra cotta warriors, and a Caribbean shipwreck.

Children's Museum - 3000 N Meridian Street, Indianapolis IN 46208. 10 a.m - 5 p.m. Some evenings open later. $13.50 for youth; $18.50 for ages 18 & older. Discounts for seniors and museum membership.

Easy road trip to Indy Zoo

The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is excellent for its size, but Indy is a bigger city. No wonder it seems as though the Indianapolis Zoo is a step up - and we had a great experience visiting it this week.

One measure of a zoo is the display of the larger species. The Indy Zoo does not disappoint. I'm not ashamed to say I love the exhibits of the African elephants (perhaps my favorite animal) and the highly endangered white rhinos. Make sure you don't miss the new baby elephant if you make the trip this year. The rhinos were taking mud baths on this 90-degree day and didn't look all that happy, but who or what would be? But what am I thinking - a charging rhinoceros in a zoo wouldn't be a good idea anyway.

It's easy to get a good photo op in this zoo, and that's what so many people are all about these days. Clean, clear plexiglas and glass cage fronts - you can pose your kids and grand kids in front of the tigers, walrus, sea lions, penquins, dolphins, and more. One can find lots of opportunities to make memories to keep forever.

There are lots of good hands-on experiences in this zoo. There's a huge shark touch tank with tons of room for people to stand around and get close to the sharks. The walls are nice and low, and yes, you can reach in and touch the backs of these gentle, small sharks as they cruise by. They have huge eyes and aren't aggressive, although it appears it takes a while for many of the smaller children to work up the courage to give it a try.

The kids (maybe grown ups too) will also love a hands-on experience feeding birds. There's an aviary with budgies for which one can purchase a 'food stick'. There is another aviary for which you can procure a cup of lorikeet food. If hungry enough, the birds will alight on you hand, arm or shoulder for an up-close feeding experience.

To have a great time at this zoo, I would recommend buying the unlimited ride pass bracelet. $10 for adults, $6 for kids - you can ride the roller coaster or train as many times as you wish, see the 4-D Ice Age movie without charge, and feed the animals (not the giraffes though). We definitely got our money's worth out of that purchase.

The shows are good at this zoo also. The dolphin show was entertaining, not too long, with opportunites for audience interaction. The dolphins can play beach ball with the audience, dance(?) yes! and can catapult out of the water to touch buoys suspended from the ceiling.

The dog show was good too. The different breeds of dogs were hurdling over high jumps, among other tricks they did. I got a kick out of it, and being dogs, they didn't look 'forced'; you knew they were having fun.

I talked about the big animals, but sometimes it's the little things that mean the most in life. A close-up encounter with a meerkat, such as the one in the photo above, can be a life-changing experience. After a moment commiserating together, you begin to think feelings, emotions, a ponderance of the world and our place in it is not a human-only experience. To see a giant bat, so scary and suspended from a ceiling, looking like a vampire - and then to watch it unfold into a flying fox, big-eyed and curious, crawling towards a piece of fruit - these moments can be transcendent.

Indianapolis Zoo: parking $6. Ages 2 - 12: $10 online price, $12 at the gate. Adults: $15 online, $17 at the gate. 62+ reduced fee. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Thursday. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Friday - Sunday. 1200 W. Washington, Indianapolis, IN 46222. Food & drink is pricy: be prepared with cash or credit cards, or bring your own to eat in the picnic areas outside.

Summer at the Lake

Yes, it's been awhile since I have written a blog post. Since the last one, I had taken a new job working for an online writing service. Alas, I had been seduced by the assumption I would be able to do more article writing; quickly I learned I would be assigned to updating an online product catalog. That was ok for awhile and was a good technical learning experience, but not a good long term plan for me.

 After that I got an excellent job offer for a position that was more suited to me, but then had to turn it down because of some emergencies in my family. It was a strange spring, with challenges mounting up over and over again; a time of anxiety, just having to put one foot in front of another, a time to just keep breathing and surviving.

I haven't had as much support over the years with a couple of my problems as I have needed. I'm not programmed to be good at asking for help, either. I'm trying to fix that though. I am doing better now, regardless - and I looked at the calendar and it's what - July? Too much time has passed.

One thing that is wonderful, though, is the reality in which I have access to a summer getaway place. It makes it possible to rest, and to enjoy peace and quiet. No sounds of city noises; excited birds chirping become the sounds that awaken me. It's often we hear the twang of big bullfrogs and the booms of summer thunderstorms.

We are bombarded with information, social media, and the rush of our modern, consumer-driven society. We have forgotten how to lead simple lives. Our kids spend hours on the Internet and are shuttled to and from games and sports workouts. We work harder and harder to please stockholders we don't know. It feels blasphemous to even say these things.

Yet it's so restorative to watch the changing moods of the sun, the wind, the water. There's nothing like experiencing the phases that each entity takes as the clouds and sun move across the sky. One can almost feel as well as hear the sounds of a freight train at a distance in the humid air. Young children spring up taller like weeds before our eyes. Wildflowers surprise us in the tall grass. We see insects that perplex us, that we can't quite identify.

One might see a song bird attacking the head of a hawk, or a mink family running across a country beach. To have that kind of beauty in front of one's eyes - it has healing powers that no psychiatrist can replace with a prescription. So here's to summer, and more summer days ahead. I've got some great summer fun planned soon, and I'm going to be blogging about it. It's time.

Higher Grounds rocks the locally owned coffee business

The whole idea of a 'coffee shop' has changed over my lifetime. As a child in the 1960's, it had a connotation of existing as a bohemian place, where poets and beatniks gathered to pound bongo drums and discuss intellectual thoughts.

But I suppose the idea of U. S. coffee shops go back at least to WWII and before. Always a gathering place; now with the inception of the Internet, laptops and cell phones, coffee shops are hubs of activity for all generations. Commuters, soccer moms, grandmas and kids even frequent them. Teens and pre-teens want lattes and mochas. Please, parents - get the kids hot chocolate or something else age-appropriate.  Caffeine is simply too strong for younger kids.  I admit I drank too many sodas as a kid without knowing better.  But times have changed.  Coffee is big business. In the age of Starbucks and national franchises, it's nice to see locally owned shops in the area.

Leo has the modest Higher Grounds business on Amstutz, near Dollar General and CVS. A patron can sit inside or pull up to the drive-through window. The Leo location reportedly roasts all the beans for the other Fort Wayne locations. I was told by a clerk the local owner sold his successful store in IPFW's college campus to the school (or a contractor, I'm not sure). But there are other locations at 6122 St. Joe Center Road in Fort Wayne, and at 127 W. Berry Street. 630 E. Dupont also houses a location - and I think there are other spots, maybe in hospitals or even large churches. I couldn't make a clear search on the web for all the locations around here - I think they need to update their online search information.

I liked their Creme Brulee coffee that was one of the daily specials when I visited. It was mid-morning, and the coffee was served out of a thermos. It wasn't quite hot enough this way, but I did like the flavor, and would order it again. I also bought a pound of French Vanilla beans to grind. Sold in an environmentally-friendly brown paper bag, I will have to seal it in something else at home, but I can do that. When I brewed the French Vanilla, I found it to be disappointing. I couldn't discern much in the way of vanilla aroma or flavor. I won't buy it again - instead, I'll go back to buying Starbucks Vanilla I can get at some grocery stores.  But that's just me - and otherwise I do so like the idea of patronizing a local coffee shop.

There's also lots of wonderful, established shops in Fort Wayne, such as The Firefly Coffee House on North Anthony, the Dash-In on South Calhoun, and others on the southwest side with which I am less familiar. Many of these have live entertainment and a more complete menu of food. If you have any good recommendations, please let me know.  Whether you call it Java or Joe, coffee is my friend.  I try to keep it to morning only, because it can interfere with my sleep if I overdo it. Debate may continue whether coffee is a virtue or a vice, but I think whichever you weigh out on that matter, we can probably agree coffee is going to stick around.

Aveda Experience Center in Fort Wayne Sparkles

There are plenty of decent cosmetics available at local salons and nice department stores in the Fort Wayne area.  But if you've tried Aveda products, you understand why so many high-end spas, salons and hotels choose to carry the Aveda line exclusively.

Recently, longtime Aveda representative Alicia Clark opened Fort Wayne's only Aveda Experience store at the stylish Jefferson Pointe shopping center, next door to the posh Von Maur and near De Brand's chocolates.  Aveda products consist of organic plant and flower botanicals combined to create impressively natural, lovely scented products.  They don't have the  cheap filler ingredients that dilute the average cosmetics.  The Aveda line costs more but I think it's worth it.  So at home we just use these lotions and shampoos sparingly; it's so good, a little goes a long way.

The small store is beautiful and clean with the products easy to find. There's a wood table and chairs, and the decor has a clean, nature-like feel. At the table settings are bowls designed for cleansing one's face, and there's herbal tea for relaxing.  Alicia introduced me to a product I just loved - and I'm extremely picky about lotions on my skins.  I don't like many smells and some textures don't feel right.  But this 'stress-fix' Aveda body lotion is luscious.  It really does have a stress-relieving aroma, and using it is like taking a mini-aromatherapy session.  I have used some on my hands and forearms every day since I got it; for me it's both relaxing and refreshing.  I've started walking around rubbing a bit on the back of family members' hands in the evening if I think they appear stressed from the day.  It's kind of an "ahh" experience.

Another new product we tried was Rosemary Mint shampoo.  One younger member of our household experiences rather oily hair, and we wanted to try something different than department store shampoo. Aveda offers lots of specialty shampoos and hair care products, and this one delights with the scents in its name and also includes essences of lavender and marjoram. It's an invigorating shampoo that leaves a nice shine, and a person can use just a small amount to get results. One 8 1/2 ounce bottle was $12.

Finally, one of our other ladies was there for the trademarked 'be curly' curl enhancing hair spray.  There are different products like this on the market, but many of them don't seem to be very effective. If one has natural curl or wave in one's hair, one can bring out the curls and set them in place using the right products and drying the hair correctly. After shampooing, you work a bit of Aveda's 'be curly style-prep' through damp hair.  Scrunch, lift, or squeeze hair with towel a bit to make spring: encourage hair to lift and coil and don't straighten with comb or regular dryer. You can use a diffusing dryer with minimized motion to speed drying. Lift hair and apply the curl enhancing spray both during the process and as you finish working the hair.  It will continue to set.  I find this a nice alternative to straightened or set hair.  Even for a person whose hair is mostly straight, one can add a little variety to a look by working in some waves this way.  It's nice to change our hair styles from time to time!

Alicia and her staff are trained and so knowledgeable - I've known Alicia for years, and she has worked in fitness, wellness, is trained in cosmetology and business - she's great with make-up and nails - and spiritual wellness!  I'll make another visit back to the local Aveda Experience Center soon.  The address is 4206 W Jefferson Blvd in Fort Wayne.  This is really a nice new store, and a great addition to Fort Wayne.

Sushiya - us has steak also

I'm glad a new sushi place has opened on the north end of Fort Wayne, although I am told Sushiya-us actually has been there for nearly a year, near Trolley Bar. It's an Asian fusion restaurant, in which new flavors are introduced into traditional sushi, Japanese or other Asian dishes.

Americans are supposed to be fond of these modern flavor combos, and I'm all for trying something new once in a while. Traditionalists can still get hibachi (grilled) entrees, bento boxes with teriyaki and katsu dishes, and noodles (udon or donburi). There is a lot on this menu, and it's augmented by a spacious restaurant with lots of windows.

The decor is pleasant and simple, and the sushi chef in white hat is poised and visible at his station. Next time I want to try the bibimbop, which is usually a Korean dish in which rice, egg, vegetables and meat are cooked in a hot stone bowl that is brought to table.

On this occasion I went for "special roll," an elaborate sushi fusion roll. I chose the Mountain Fuji. It was salmon, crab, tuna, avocado, more and a spicy sauce. Flying fish roe gives it an orange snow-capped look. It was delicious, as was the clear soup and ginger salad that came with it.

It's fun to see what the chefs are naming their new creations. One wonders what was going on for someone to dub a roll "IPFW," or Harry Potter, or Dune Palm, or 007, or Yam Yam (no sweet potato involved).

I suggest you check out their website at www.sushiya-us.com or just go to the location at 2882 E. Dupont Road in Fort Wayne. For a long time Yokohama was about the only sushi restaurant in Fort Wayne; then Asakusa has ruled the market for years. I was really impressed with sushiya-us: I'm not sure about it's odd name, but maybe I'll ask them what it means the next time. I will be back.

Colts post-Manning gain momentum with Coach Pagano

Lucas Oil Stadium is massive.  With seating for 63,000 fans, it sits on a total site of 39 acres.  Two giant HD screens highlight all the action below the retractable roof and wide-angle windows that open to a view of the downtown Indy skyline.

It's always a sea of blue jerseys, from the crowd walking in to the seats in the top rows.  The main walkways are marketing 'ops' and street parties with live bands, games for kids, and proudly displayed Lucas Oil sponsored racing machines.  Cars, motorcycles, four-wheelers, souped-up tractors - anything that can run on Lucas Oil products are mounted in the entryways.  Colts fans have really come together with their brand, and the Indy team spirit is electric.

New quarterback Andrew Luck has been living up to his name as he has turned the Colts around since the loss of famed Payton Manning.  Up to this last regular season game on Dec. 30, Luck had completed 325 passes this year for roughly 4200 yards. Star receiver Reggie Wayne had caught 102 passes for 1315 yards.  So the Colts had momentum coming into the last regular season game against the Texans.

Indy's own Sandie Patty sang the national anthem, as servicemen unfurled the enormous U. S. flag shown in the photo.  It was all NFL theatre, as good as it gets.  The halftime show was singularly unusual:  Tim Lepard, a rodeo performer, wrangled a trio of border collies herding sheep.  The dogs, on top of this, were ridden by capuchin monkeys.  I'm sure kids watching thought this was great; the monkeys sat their saddles perfectly as the dogs wove and dodged abruptly.  I guess we have to be shown something new, n'est pas? It was kind of odd, but we seem to be in an 'anything goes' culture.

Another thing notable about this game was that head coach Chuck Pagano was back for the first time after being treated for cancer.  To honor and support his struggles, two of the glamorous NFL cheerleaders had shaved their heads.  On the 'JumboTrons' they stood out, cute and sassy with butch haircuts next to all the long Barbie-esque locks on their squad mates.  Pagano's return had ignited the team and fans, and helped push them to overcome the Texans this day.

Maybe the day will come again the Colts are Superbowl champs.  Maybe one day people will stop stealing street signs that say "Manning."  Time marches on, and any given Sunday..