Frank Lloyd Wright Called It...

...the most beautiful car ever made. 

Might be because he never saw a 1956 Venetian Red Corvette...

...but the '41 Lincoln Continental is a beauty in its own right.

Just look at those sleek lines...

Can you picture yourself in the driver's seat?

That's an on the column 3 speed stick shift and get a load of those gorgeous analog gauges!

The doors have push buttons, not handles -

- and they open to reveal a lavish, burgundy leather interior as rich as a movie star's smile:

Tired from the long drive?  Curl up and catch some Z's on the most luxurious couch you ever owned.

All of this opulent elegance is powered down the road by a classic V-12 engine:

That's right, 12 cylinders of Motor City ingenuity back before Detroit lost its mojo and started mass producing boring eggs shaped cars.

I know, you're wondering what kind of gas mileage you can expect with a 12 cylinder, am I right?

Who cares?

It's a 1941 Lincoln Continental!

And at only $60k, it's a steal!

So I figured, why not?

You only go around once in life, might as well make the most of it.

Shipping from California was reasonable, considering the cargo, and I'll be honest, I couldn't be happier with...with this gorgeous...

Huh?

Hold on a sec, Karen's pushing on my shoulder for some reason.

What's the emergency?

Hm...well, you know I don't have my hearing aids in at night so I don't always hear the alarm.

Ok, ok...sorry.

Rats!

It's 6 am already...time to get up.

Ah well...it was a lovely dream while it lasted.

Now you know what you can get me for my birthday.

Did you remember Mom's day?

who's a good boy?  I am!

A dozen red roses - preserved to last several years - along with that Mom's day card on the right.

And the bell on the left?  It's the complement to these:

used crutches from Gateway Mission for $3.99

To celebrate the holiday, Karen had foot surgery, so she's laid up for a couple of weeks.

During that time, she uses the little bell to summon yours truly for all her wants and needs - and they are considerable - along with the crutches to hobble around a bit.

Right now it's a race between Karen becoming mobile again and me removing the little clapper inside that bell.

Turns out I'm one of those hypocrites who prefers talking about the importance of Christlike servanthood more than actually being a servant.

Who knew?

Lucky you - this is all you must endure for my weekly HGU*:

teeing off #1 into a 35 mph crosswind

Tough day on the links.

I play bogey or better wins the hole, higher than that loses the hole.

Today's score was 1 win, 8 losses.

Never short on excuses for my lack of talent and poor play, today I'm blaming the wind:  steady 20mph SW wind gusting 35.

My hickories in their stand blew over at least once on every hole, and most drives turned into hooks or slices depending on the cross winds.

Conditions were mucho annoying and by the 3rd hole I was wondering why I bothered.

Golf is a game, and games are supposed to be fun, right?

This was not fun; will try again next week.

Maybe.

*Hickory Golf Update

Enough of the constant complaining!  Let's 23 Skidoo:

our ducks are back and wondering why the pool isn't open yet

in honor of May 5th, an original composition by Larry entitled, "Cinco de Milo"

Old Dominion clay pipe and leather pipe stand from the good folks at Missouri Meerschaum

moon on the water up at Larry's cottage

Tulip Time is ending and one of the events was a drone show...

...paid for by Hudsonville ice cream, which explains Lady Liberty's new torch

I actually lived in Maine for several years, back when they were just annoying tree huggers.  now they're off the rails Nazis.

the Democrats should consider changing their mascot from the Jack Ass to the Rattlesnake to better reflect their cultural shift embracing both stupidity and toxicity.

This is the part of the blog where I wax intelligent about some deeply important life lesson and impart useful advice like "never pat a burning dog", or "if the shower stall is already occupied by a boa constrictor, don't step in".

But tonight I'm just tired, and am reminded of something a pastor once told me when he was preparing his sermon:

"I write it all out long hand, walk away and let it sit for a day or two.

"Then I go back and strip out everything that isn't from God, because they don't need to hear what I think; they need to hear what God says."

Pretty good advice, and here's something God says to all of us:

16  Rejoice evermore.

17  Pray without ceasing.

18  In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

    - I Thessalonians 5:16-18

later, mcm fans...

The Humanitarian In Me...

bomb's away

...has decided to spare you...and thus no mention of politics...

gotta be a Casablanca fan to get this one...

...or any other subject that might angry up your blood...

...and the Art of War by Sun Tzu fan to get this one.

...will be mentioned in this blog entry.

So, on to happy time pics:

we start with some from Larry up at his cottage...moon over the water...

...mirrored water on the lake...

...and a loon swimming past his cottage

now around the ol' homestead...happy to report our Oriole is back for another year...

...enjoying orange slices and grape jelly

Ryan's tree is blooming again...

...a constant reminder of the fleeting beauty in our lives

Larry shared this meme with me...as a transplanted Texan, I had to smile

one of our projects for this year just got underway...patching and seal coating the driveway

the King and Queen admiring one of the White House honey bees...I cropped King Charles out of the pic bc, you know, no kings

while visiting a local greenhouse we admired their koi pond display

this was supposed to be a picture of my sub-par scorecard but I must have misplaced it...so I opted for something else you'll never see in this lifetime

and speaking of hickory golf, this week's outing was canceled due to a freeze warning...looking forward to next week

There...not too painful, I trust.  Gave our collective cerebral cortex a break and allowed our <limbic system> to shift into neutral for a much needed rest.

But don't get too comfortable; reality awaits, crouching right outside your door, ready to pounce on you, its unsuspecting prey.

What a segue!  Lines up nicely with this week's parting verses:

8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

    - I Peter 5:8

37  What I say unto you, I say unto all:  Watch.

    Mark 13:37

later, mcm fans...

Imagine How Proud...

Cole Allen: from graduate to gunsel

...his parents must be!

"Ma," Dad crows as he points to the TV screen, "our boy Cole just tried to assassinate the president of the United States!"

"I know," she replies contentedly, "we're practically famous now!"

Their son certainly is, but according to the left, the profound mystery here is "who was he really trying to kill?"

Reporters?  Celebrities?

The Gray Lady (aka The New York Times, and here we must assume "Gray" is used as a synonym for "Delusional") claims we may never know:

But wait...the overweening Mr. A was condescending enough to leave us a detailed explanation:

<Gunman's Manifesto>

Very revealing!

He explicitly states his target was Trump and his administration.

Ironically, he chose the White House Correspondents Dinner to make his doomed-to-failure attempt, but then again, why not?

Was there anyone in that room who hadn't written a hit piece on Trump?

With a democrat to republican ratio of almost 100 to 1, rare indeed is the msm journalist who doesn't despise Donald J Trump.

The dems have been calling Trump and Maga "Hitler" and "Nazis" for years now, and their lapdog stenographers have dutifully regurgitated every attack.

Intellectual featherweights like Jamie Raskin...

..and Temu Obama, Hakeem Jeffries...

...have been leading the charge, while the propaganda arm of the DNC have been faithful apparatchiks, breathlessly repeating every outrageous claim.

Cole Allen was simply the weak minded weapon they locked and loaded with their <non-stop litany of hateful rhetoric toward Trump and his followers>.

In the aftermath of yet another attempt to assassinate President Trump, there will be the usual farcical political theater, hand wringing and of course, "DARVO":

Deny the accusation;

Attack the accuser;

Reverse Victim and Offender.

We've never tried to incite violence against Trump, but Trump constantly attacks us!

He's not the victim, we are!

Of course it's Trump's fault!

Just another day in paradise.

My daily prayer:

"Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered."

    - Proverbs 11:21

Lord, let it be so.

We're going to change subjects without even a half hearted attempt at a clever segue:

You guessed it, my first round of the season!

The good news?

This pretty picture is not the best thing that happened on the course.

In other words, it was a decent round for my first time out.

Hit ok from the tees, well from the fairways, and surprisingly well around the greens with my lofting iron.

Putting, as usual, was my downfall.

I play bogey or better wins the hole, double bogey or worse loses, and this was a win, 5 holes to 4.

Definitely committed to playing better as the season progresses, but I walked off the course feeling ok about my round:

A little exercise, a little solitude, and a pleasant stroll through the countryside.

Let's hit the 23 Skidoo trail:

big happenings this past week: #2 grandson tied the knot...

...and Larry opened his cottage up north.

we're making some progress with the courtyard...

...and Lady Baysweep is back in action.

the ornamental cherry tree in Ryan's Corner is getting ready to bloom...

...and the lilacs are making their welcome appearance.

in springtime Tom Turkey's thoughts turn to love...

...while the thoughts of his intended turn to fleeing.

It's an oft repeated request, but please pray for peace:

"I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men;

"For kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

    - I Timothy 2:1,2

later, mcm fans...