Last month I reported on the Turkey Calling Contest at the Kittery Trading Post. Just so you'll understand what all the noise was about, I thought it appropriate to illustrate the object of their affection in this post.
On the way to a meeting in Waltham yesterday, I captured this picture of a fleeing wild turkey at the corner of Forest and Trapelo Roads. Pretty impressive for a suburban turkey!
Happy Hunting!
Sailing lost "one of a kind" on June 3, 2007. Bruce Goldsmith, winner of 2 World Class Championships and 4 NA Championships in the Lightning Class, and 2 Pan-Am Golds was hit by a swinging boom in a storm during the Commodore Perry Race in Lake Erie last Sunday afternoon.
I had the privilege of sailing for a short time with Bruce on "Send in the Clowns," the J-29 he raced out of North Cape Yacht Club. He was one of the finest and yet funniest A-List yachtsmen I've ever known. Having crewed and skippered Great Lakes sailboats for many years, you develop a short list of people you'll join on a race at the drop of a hat. Bruce was one of them.
When I got a call today from my oldest and best sailing friend, Dave Williams, filling me in on the news, we both had a great laugh remembering an overnight (Mills Cup, Sisters?) race that we did with Bruce back in the '80's. We both got to the boat ("Clowns") early, then waited and waited for Bruce to show up. Finally, he arrived, with an armful of liquid "provisions" for the race. We were 15 minutes late for the start, but sailed a good race. Uh, yeah, we had a great time!
My best wishes to Bruce's family and friends at North Cape and elsewhere. Bruce will be missed. But, as his eldest daughter Carrie was reported to have said, he left us while doing what he loved.
Occasionally we do the right thing. Not often, mind you, but occasionally. However, last week I took the opportunity to do just the right thing in flying south to orchestrate (with much help) a party for my mother's 90th birthday.
A quick glance at my mother's medical history, coupled with the fact that she's reached 90 would lead most actuaries to abandon their life expectancy tables and resort to divining chicken entrails. A big factor in her continued presence on the "good side of the grass" can be linked to her wonderful support network, many of whom can be seen in the party photo below.
Best of health to her friends and church group, who've made occasions like last week's possible!
