Archives for February 2020

ALWAYS

Just some thoughts:

ALWAYS

Image result for picture of two children walking along holding hands

“It always helps to have people we love beside us

when we have difficult things in life to do.”

Fred Rogers

Image result for a young married couple walking sitting with each other

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February 23, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

OUCH

Just some thoughts:

OUCH

“There is a time for departure even when

there is no place to go.”

“There comes a time when you look in the mirror and you

realize that what you see is all you will ever be.”

“Time is the longest distance between two places.”

“A line can be straight, or a street,

but the human heart, oh no,

it’s curved like a road through the mountains.”

Quotes from Tennessee Williams

Image result for picture of tennessee williams

===============================================February 22 ,2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

ROBERT PENN WARREN

Just some thoughts:

ROBERT PENN WARREN

I once heard someone say, “Good literature and good music are timeless.”

Four or five times a year I will go back to Indiana for a visit. It is about a five hour drive for me. Often I take that trip alone. Somewhere between the Tennessee and Kentucky borders I will see a road sign that says: “The home of Robert Penn Warren.”

He was actually born in 1905 in Guthrie, KY. I always look for the sign and every time I think of the classic book he wrote many years ago, All the King’s Men. I think it is timeless and one of the best books about politics and politicians.

Image result for picture of robert penn warren

Image result for picture of all the kings mens by warren

Robert Penn Warren - Third and Cherry Streets, Guthrie, Kentucky 42234

(Penn’s childhood home–Guthrie, KY)

“Politics is a matter of choices, and a man doesn’t set up the choices himself. And there is always a price to making a choice. You know that. You’ve made a choice, and know how much it cost you. There is always a price.”

Robert Penn Warren

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February 20, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

REMEMBRING

Just some thoughts:

REMEMBERING

Remembering (stealing a line from the Bible) “Remembering fires that have been built before us.”

From a very early age I have always liked auto racing. I guess my Indiana roots would be the cause for that. In 1955, at the age of thirteen, I saw my first race at the Vigo County Fairgrounds. The following year my brother would take me to the Brickyards in Indy.

Image result for picture of ted horn the race drive in his car

Ted Horn was a name I heard early on when I would be around racing folks. He had been a well known race driver, raced a number of times at Indianapolis, but sadly would lose his life in a racing accident in California well before I ever started following racing. But the stories told by others always made me aware of him and even still today prompted me to read his life story. He came before me but with all I heard about him I wanted to know about him. His memory had been kept alive by those who came during his time and after him and thus I knew of him.

Recently a good friend of ours told me how in preparing for a house move one of his daughters went into the attic and looking through old boxes etc found a letter her dad’s grandfather had written many years before. Her father had no idea of the letter. He shared with me what the find meant to him, here these many years later.

Last night before I went to bed I happened to look at our youngest daughter’s face book page. It caused me to smile and reflect a bit. (It was a nice way to end my day) On her face book page was a picture of Perry Como. Strange one might think, ole Perry was not on her play list ever. Explanation of why Perry Como. She said, “Tonight I’ve been thinking of my grandmother, I need a bit of her, miss her.”

All three of our kids knew their grandmother had a thing for Perry Como. I find it interesting that today our granddaughter seeing a picture of him on a record album caused her to play his music and thus recall her grandmother. In fact her sister in Washington, D.C. would see her post and also post, “Yes I also need a bit of her tonight.”(Note: Many years after my father-in-laws death my wife and I took my mother-in-law to a Perry Como concert. It was special)

A letter written many years ago, or a Perry Como album, interesting how they created a memory. For years that letter had stayed in a box in an attic. Only years later would it be discovered by a grandson and the positive effects received. Or an old record album sitting in a record bin found and brought out for play.

May you and I be so lucky that in our lifetime someone thought enough to write words of encouragement and maybe a “at a later time find.” Or leave an old “Perry Como” album in our record bin.

Words of remembrance, words of encouragement, a well “kept remembrance.”

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February 19, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

THE SEQUENCE OF IMPORTANCE

Just some thoughts:

THE SEQUENCE IS IMPORTANT

“The events of our lives happen in a sequence in time but

in their significance to ourselves they find their own

order the continuous there of revelation.”

Eudora Welty

Some things you have to read more than once…and then yes.

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February 17, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

SPECIAL HONORS

Just some thoughts:

SPECIAL HONORS

This past week here in Nashville two friends were honored. Former head basketball coach at Belmont University, Rick Byrd and former Executive Director of the Tennessee State Golf Association, Dick Horton.

I am sure the three of us have a number of things in common but for sure there are at least two things the three of us have in common. One, is a love for the game of basketball, the other, the game of golf. Personally I fell in love with the game of basketball many years ago as a very small boy when my dad hung a hoop on an old red barn in Indiana. I likewise developed a love for the game of golf when Tom Meeks took a chance on me back in the late 1970s’ and took me on staff with him at the United States Golf Association.

Image result for picture of rick byrd court

Ricky Byrd was honored this past week between games at Belmont University with the naming of the basketball court after him. Coach Byrd spent thirty-three years as head coach at Belmont. During all of his coaching years he attained over 800 victories. Spending thirty-three years as coach at one school (Belmont) in this day and age is unheard of. A tribute to Rick and equally speaks well of the school and its administration.

(Dick Horton)

I was fortunate this past week to be at a function where it was announced that Dick Horton was being named to the 2020 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. No small honor. Horton had been at the helm of association going back to 1973, just recently retiring from his duties.

Image result for picture of tennessee sports hall of fame

Over the years I have been fortunate to have known both men. With Horton going back over forty years and Byrd nearly twenty. Numerous times I have been on the receiving end of the kindness and thoughtfulness of both men.

Using the old illustration, if you looked up the word “Class” in the dictionary there would be a picture of these two men.

The legendary comedian Bob Hope always closed his show with the song “Thanks for the Memories.” Thankfully neither Rick Byrd or Dick Horton are going away but to both men from me and countless others:

“Thanks for the memories”

Not just for the memories but all your efforts. No small task.

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February 16. 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

FREEDOM

Just some thoughts:

FREEDOM

A young boy’s first taste of freedom.

Image result for picture of an old schwinn bicycle standing alone

A teenage boy’s first taste of “real” freedom.

Image result for picture of a 1950 chevy car

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February 15, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

HAPPINESS IN A REAR VIEW MIRROR

Just some thoughts:

HAPPINESS IN A REVIEW MIRROR

Image result for some that has the name of the town of ringgold ga on it

“My daddy always said that if the good Lord can take the time to care for something as small as a baby sparrow nesting in a tree, then surely He could take the time to listen to a little girl in Ringgold, Georgia. So every night before I went to be I got down on my knees and begged the Lord to find me a way out of this town. And every morning I woke up in the same old place.”

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen–

Susan Gregg Gilmore

Young lady a lot of folks at one time in their lives have had similar feelings as yours.

I once was driving Mac Davis to a golf course and we had been discussing that very subject. The matter of seeking happiness somewhere other than our beginnings. He had addressed the matter in a song he had written, “Happiness is Lubbock Texas in My Rear View Mirror.”

Image result for picture of highway sign for lubbock texas

“I was just fifteen and out of control lost to James Dean

and rock-n’-roll.”

Who among us, who among us……has not had the thought its gotta be some where else other than here?”

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February 14, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

THE DAIRY QUEEN

Just some thoughts:

THE DAIRY QUEEN

I wonder how many lies have been told, how many hearts have been broken, how many times that one certain song was played, how laps around the drive were made, how many class rings were given back, how many tires have been spun, how much gravel thrown, how many cars had something hangin’ from the rear view mirror, how many stolen looks, how many waves, how many kisses……..how many, how many times at the Dairy Queen.

“Hank would drive me over to the Dairy Queen for some fries or a chocolate-dipped cone, knowing good and well I ate Dilly Bars only on Saturdays with Martha Ann.”

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen–

Susan Gregg Gilmore

Image result for picture of a carhop at a dairy queen

“I’ve given this a lot of thought, Catherine Grace, and you cannot go to the Dairy Queen for the rest of the summer. It is off limits till the first of September.” The Reverend Cline–Ringgold, GA

“My Daddy knew that taking the Dairy Queen away from me was worse than any spanking. He had no rights to take that away from me.”

Catherine Cline

If you are from the 1950s’ or early 60s’ you might have some idea. Chances are even a participant.

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February 13, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson

DOESN’T GO LIKE PLANNED

Just some thoughts:

DOESN’T GO LIKE PLANNED

Often life especially for seventeen, eighteen year old kids, life doesn’t go like planned. Even I had a few changes given to me, how about you?

Image result for water tower in mccook nebraska

He was eighteen years old when the photo of him and Warren Spahn was taken standing together. Both of them standing on the field at Milwaukee County Stadium. The young eighteen year old had just completed a workout and shortly there after would sign for the times a very large signing bonus ($45,000) and be a member of the Milwaukee baseball farm system. He would now be sent to one of the farm club in McCook, Nebraska to begin his baseball career.

Image result for picture of ball park in mccook nebraska

Folks had first began to take notice of him as early as twelve years old and his playing days in Little League. From there he was a highly talented high school pitcher in his home state of Connecticut. Major league scouts showed up in numbers at his games. At age sixteen the New York Yankees had courted him, having him and his parents guest at one of their games. Interviewed and appeared on Mel Allen’s, the famous Yankee announcer, show. He was labeled with title, “Can’t miss.” Surely in just a short time will find him pitching in the major leagues.

He spent three years going from team to team place to place in the minor leagues. Then one day it all ended as it had not gone as planned. His fate became the fate of many a young man who had signed a professional baseball contract and it did not go as thought it would.

“We’re going home. Pack our things.” “But the season isn’t over yet, she said. You still have two more games.” “Don’t worry,” I said. “It’s all right.” We loaded the Chrysler with all our belongings and then, because we still owed a month’s rent on our apartment, I coasted the car down the hill past our landlord’s house. And then I turned the key and we drove off.”

“What would I be without baseball? I could think of nothing. I stopped at a red light, an interminable red light. And it was then, for the first time, that I began to wonder…..why?”

A False Spring–Pat Jordan

Life often comes with thoughts never imagined and unplanned changes. For just about everyone.

You?

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February 12, 2020

Keep on,

Larry Adamson