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September 18, 2006

Fine cool rainy day in Ozark Acres. Nice pruning of small trees, some Japanese natural style with chainsaw and loppers, a little hedging with shears, a little hand pruning with hand pruners. We planted two crepe myrtles, black mulch shape pleasing to the eye. We fleshed out the expensive mulch with some West Memphis chips. I trimmed variegated privet, numerous holly, numerous crepe myrtle, dogwood, burning bush, grape vine, redbud, pine, etc. Many others, I didn’t know all of them, light natural pruning to control size or shape, training for future growth. We worked through two rain showers, now we have a kick start on the week.

            Need to refocus, reload my fight against water pollution. It’s my calling. I can hear it calling. Yoda-lady-yoda-lady-hooo. Yoda-lady-yoda-lady-hoo. Can you hear it?

            Congratulations BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS. Once again the winners of the best blues band in Arkansas. They go to the nationals next month.

            Sweet canoe trip Saturday.

            Nice and quiet in Highland as I chill. Panadox is on tap for tonight. See ya. Al.

September 15, 2006

I’m baaack. But you probably heard Geezer announce his presence to the neighbor’s. He’s feeling like a conquerer. A shrill barking, annoying conquistador. After a Pecan, two elms, a willow oak and redbud in West Memphis we were beating rush hour to Stan’s Bar-B-Que in Imboden. We got the royal treatment with my girls Roxy and Rianna hustling for Stan and Terry in the back. MATT of BODAGUS made the scene. Look for them tearing it up at the Batesville Moose most weekends.

            Look for us at Howard’s Hard Rock tomorrow around noon. We plan to float down to Spring River Valley or thereabouts. I may fish, some serious veggin’ out. I’m amped up, not beat down enough, maybe I should have stayed down there a couple more days, did some massive trees, went out. But when I’ve got Tammy back here I don’t enjoy myself like I could if I were to run game on skanks. Not my world.

            I think I drank seven beers up there, and Ruby Tuesday’s and Cozymel’s was as close as it gets to a party lately. I’m still saving my Karaoke debut for the right time, a time when I don’t have limits, or any restraints, or any restrictions of any kind. Exactly. Never.

            Rebel River Adventures. Easing by Many Islands around two. I can show you how to attack the low water, find the only chute, I did it for ten years in the seventies with a heavy aluminum canoe, I know how to do it.

            Rebel Tree Care—planting and mulching in Ozark Acres Monday, also trimming many small trees and removing a dead vine snag. Other stuff ready to go too for later in the week.

            Erosion—jamming my set, someday the world will get it.

            Panadox—finishing Craig’s memorial DVD, finishing my documentary The Spirit of Seventy Six to send to Tammy’s son Joey when he gets out of boot camp.

            Rebel Word—streaming sentences together. Building paragraphs together.

September 14, 2006

Back home to the sixer. I used to play for the sixers. I was the only player to hit double figures in fouls and turnovers in one game. My hair was green. One time Doctor Jay lobbed one for me to slam and I hit the bottom of the backboard and did a triple chicken flip into the fourth row. Madonna was an undiscovered cheerleader and broke my fall. We had champagne that night in a penthouse with Phyliss Diller and Led Zeppelin. Yeah. I passed out. But not before I shot a left handed rainbow child.

            As usual the neighbors wanted some Rebel Tree Care as we finished a job strong. Big willow oak over the deck. Looks great now. Then it was west to east Memphis, big hickory over the house. Spring River folks. Partied with them more than a few times. Quite a scene as they remodel.

            Probably heading home tomorrow. A half day in West Memphis means a decent week, I was planning to swing through Heber Springs for a job but that got post phoned. CI rocks. No Beale Street this time. I jammed the bass hard though, I bent the strings. Spring River awaits.

September 13, 2006

Sweet day in Tennessee. Good solid work in Germantown. We tackled a massive holly overgrown with honeysuckle, English ivy and grape. There was a dogwood in there somewhere, sprawling throughout the clump, now it has room to breathe, the area looks like a park. A tall southern magnolia needed thinning, taken off the roof, lot’s of shoots removed. An elm was in the foundation of the house, meticulous rigging and bombing of branches and chunks got her down. A tall willow oak thick in the lower section needed thinning, it looks great, less intrusive and dominant in the back yard. A small maple over the drive had twisted branches low in the clearance. We went to see Brooke and Theresa at the mulch yard twice, that’s always a nice touch. Kevin is giving me good effort, he knows ropes and saws pretty well.

            We need to touch it up a little in the morning. Then I don’t know what. I need to make some calls, figure out how it’s going to go. I know I’ve got a half day in West Memphis for the way home. Maybe something in Jonesboro for SONNY CAMPBELL. SONNY CAMPBELL is a hell of a man. His beautiful wife Brenda and I are old friends. What a beautiful family they are. Cybershout.

            I may do Karaoke for the first time in my life tomorrow night at Flashbacks. OZZY or CREED. I think Kevin wants to go to the Gold Club, but those days are over for me I hope. It’s Ruby Tuesday’s for me, maybe I’ll slip an attractive hostess a fiver.

September 12, 2006

Safe in Mymfis. Really didn’t want to be here on the 11^th. Got lot’s of good proper pruning lined up for Rebel Tree Care. Willow oak, elm, southern magnolia, holly, dogwood, and some more. Just getting started, Geezer has taken charge of Motel 6, we got Papa John’s on the way. We may stay awhile, I’ve got lot’s of catching up to do. The black girls are sassy, the cops are cool, the ducks are waddling, the prison is lit. Welcome, good friend Memphis Tennessee, to Rebelriver.com.

            HBO has no commercials, did you know that? Remember when cable came out? You pay for it, so there’s no commercials? Where did that go horribly wrong?

            I’m going to miss a Spring River canoe trip Saturday. Old friend from Texas. All Star football player/genius. He bought some explosives just before 9/11 and got fired from his high security job less than hour after the towers fell. Ralph Freakin Graves.  The original Manimal. Hope he enjoys the ride, hell of a guy.

            All is well on Sycamore View. It’s over to Germantown in the morning. Walnut Grove will be packed, I don’t think it’s quite done yet. Not far to the Mulch yard, probably Danver’s for lunch. No rain in the forecast. Shalom.

September 10, 2006 

Sweet morning chillin’ at the cribbage. Tammy wants to go exploring. Last night was a bonfire with dear friends, then listening to track number six on 38 SPECIALS new album, the song is Quick Fix, my new favorite. Also BLACK STONE CHERRY rocks balls. TERRY DEES  gave me an autographed copy. I saw them and CHEAP TRICK in Little Rock circa the eighties. Special thanks to MIKE GRAY for toting his equipment up to BLUE COLLAR. His is truly a labor of love, as the heavy police presence undoubtedly kept the numbers down. He then accepted a less favorable afternoon gig so BODAGUS could have the spotlight gig Saturday at midnight. He sat in with WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES on some ALLMAN BROTHERS. That was sweet. And did I mention LALA wailing soulful and strong during the MIKE GRAY BAND set? How about MARK FENDER, of late off a European tour with TONY SPINNER of TOTO? Did I mention GREG ALLMAN’S son was in WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES?

            Thanks to my homeys that paid the price and parked frontstage, showing the bands appreciation. Thanks to all the quality musicians who came out on a risk, no guaranteed money, strictly percentage. Now it’s time to move on. Decompression is complete. The roller coaster ride will slow, so we can see the sights, smell the roses so to speak, knowing that once again the ride will lurch forward. Will it be Christmas? Thanksgiving? Joey comes in from boot camp around then, I want to take him to Timberline restaurant and get him some root beer in one of those faggy little glass boots the waitresses give me sometimes to be funny. Joey has kicked ass as security for the last two BLUE COLLARS. Thanks Joey.

            Looks like a day trip to Spring River. Did I mention Tammy wants to go exploring? (wink, wink)

September 9, 2006

Still wet from Southfork river. Took a swim. Washed off that big post oak. Saturday work is weird, I start later just on principle. Sure was fun bombing that top down, piecing and notching, hinging, missing obstacles just barely. In this particular situation it was two new redbuds, a retaining wall, a driveway, and two landscaped areas. It took skill and luck to do the removal. Spikes help on removals, I don’t use them on pruning, never have, never will. Yesterday I did this massive red oak over wires and a house. Operating around eighty feet, again it took skill and luck to trim that tree, but it looks great now. Once again my job was complicated by improper pruning done in the past. Heavy dead stubs had to be lowered carefully. ANSI standard people, do I need to spell that?

            Saul Goode now, I’m chillin, gellin, veggin… Got a cold mountain dew and my bass. Geezer and the itty bitty kitty stare at each other on the porch, Tammy is working. Cool days lift spirits, cool night so quiet. In the distance the jack ass brays, cows bawl like hell bound souls. I saw a hawk with a snake in his talons. Coyotes are whooping nights, crazy yapping and howling.

            I’m probably off to Memphis Monday, so this may be your Journal fix for awhile, cause then it’s straight to Heber Springs. Rebel Tree Care—in demand.

September 7, 2006 

Badda bing. Blingity blang. Yoda ya. Here comes the rainbow child. Whatever. Another good Rebel Tree Care day done. Thinking about shooting blue jays. Kale has my b.b. gun. Have you noticed flies get evil around this time of year. Big hairy house flies. Aggressive, loud, overbearing. I think it’s time for a buzz kill.

            Need to reassert my mission to fight polluters. Everyday I see blatant disregard for polluted runoff where bulldozers have ripped substrata and left no buffer zones. Loggers destroyed a tract right to the rivers edge near shade tree resort. The trouble is just beginning. Bulldozers in Hickory Park ripped up the vegetation indiscriminately, no erosion controls in place, no sediment filters. It’s so easy to slow the destruction, all it takes is a little knowledge or care by either the developer or the contractor, the equipment operator, the planner, designer, somebody. In most cases, nobody gives a shit about the damn river. Well, this is borderline felony when an extraordinary resource waterway is involved. Blow the whistle. It’s the only way politicians and businessmen are going to listen, hit them in the pocketbook. Like the the guy that bulldozed an entire island in Spring River. He was fined 100 thousand dollars. But he knew somebody, got that reduced to ten thousand, and eventually dropped. Sucked. I may never make a difference, in enforcing tree standards and water quality, but I’m thinking the fight is what breathes life into me. I have only begun to fight. Get your dirty asses ready polluters, rebelriver.com is after you. Sleep tight bitches. I’m packing.

September 6, 2006

Fine, fine day in Arkansas. Productive, too. I started the morning on Lake Sequoyah in Cherokee Villlage, an emergency call, a twisted hickory over a house. Then it was over to Spring River north of Hardy, a dead white oak over one hundred feet tall. Things went well. Tomorrow it’s a post oak leaning over a house, a massive red oak over a house, an elm over a house, and a hackberry over a house. Also landscaping, and a storm damaged pecan. May take till Friday.

            Cool temps allow afternoon work. Spring River sure felt nice. Glad to be alive. Things are so right. All is well. Seriously.

            I picked up a stray kitten. Little Bitty.

            Memphis trip in the works. Yeah.

            Think I’ll jam. But I sound sucky after the great bands I’ve been hearing. But that fuels me, cause EROSION  is different anyway. Sparse. Minimal. In your face. If you’re there.

            I’m just a tall long haired working residential arborist. I take people canoing. I show video behind bands. I play bass for friends, and I write stuff. Rebelriver.com-- I can live with that.

September 4, 2006

Labor month has begun. Can’t type well, I ripped a fingernail off and jammed a dirty screwdriver in to my hand. Plus my leg hurts from volleyball. Everybody was there at Debby Bartlett’s. Mom, Rodney, Tammy, Debby(Gray), Mike, Garret, Allison and Brad, Darby, and Colby, Slade, Geezer and Lucy Lu. And a bunch of our friends.

            Yesterday was a sweet little canoe float from Spring River Valley to Hardy Beach. Then EROSION  rocked us a set.

            Saturday was a hip little deal called SPRING RIVER VALLEY BLUE COLLAR JAM. Attendance was low again, again under two hundred of our closest friends. Maybe the low turnout had to do with the football games, maybe it was the thirty state troopers strip searching blacks and hippies just outside the gate.

            MIKE GRAY started us off with a rippin’ set of originals and southern fried hard rockers. As the crowd grew, CHILLYROSE absolutely tore it up. They are relentless, ballsy and rakish, with festival covers and original stuff. It’s hard to label them, it’s like southern ska. WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES did their thing next, peace and love oozes from them, you’d swear you were in San Francisco circa sixty eight. BODAGUS took the stage around midnight, southern blues rockin till the wee hours. They literally caused a speaker to explode in fire as the set closed. Special thanks to MATT  mentioning the importance of protecting the Ozark Hellbender. He did it several times, I think mostly because he borrowed BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS  harmonica player and kept getting their name wrong. Soulbender, hellbender, whatever.

            I do know that each and every person that came out had a blast. We put on the most quality music to be found on one stage on one weekend. There was no lame ass karaoke, no non rocking posers. Panadox danced with all the bag of tricks, lighting up the  800 or so square feet screen with jumping action of all sorts. All in all, a success! Thanks to Darryl Glover of Spring River Valley for working with us. Next up, CHILLYROSE, WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES, and MIKE GRAY at James Ranch in Pocahontas Oct. 15.

            I may take one more day off before strapping on the big boots. Do laundry. Piddle. Peace.

September 2, 2006

Silence rains in the wee hours here in Highland. I think the guy on the four wheeler has made his last run. I’ve had a shower and rinsed BLUE COLLAR JAM off. It went well, even if the turnout was a little sparse, less than a couple hundred. BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS  did their trick well, she growled and shimmied with entertaining blues as a rowdy crowd gathered. One guy was real belligerent, I got in his face and he ran off and jumped in the river. Lucky his brother took his ass home. He made me miss part of FURTHER DOWN. FURTHER DOWN rocks balls. I love the band, love the manager, Skip works with me, he knows this is an experiment that does not need to die. Thank you so much FURTHER DOWN, along with MIKE GRAY the stalwarts of all three BLUE COLLARS.  THROTTLE W/GERRY MOSS finished us off with absolutely smoking hot blues JESSE joined in quite nifty. As always SONNY and KALE grooved with precision and romp. Panadox went well, no wind ruffled the screen, sequences of white water, kaleidoscope and car bombs reeled off unending. The occasional cartoon or Benny Hill, football folly or bursting oils showed well.

            Be at SPRING RIVER VALLEY tomorrow(later today actually). MIKE GRAY will rock the afternoon set, we have CHILLYROSE, WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES, BODAGUS, and special guests are in the works. Go canoing or fishing, then get your asses to SRV.

August 31, 2000

Yowsa. Ya’ll.

I shouldn’t say that, it sounds racist(I once misspelled the word debating on ArboristSite.com. This nerd named Clarence called me on it.) I woosed out this morning, that dead ninety foot white oak can wait till next week. But we made a killer setting for the stage and video for Blue Collar Jam.

            One time I was at a Memphis Redirds game and the first baseman’s name was Peeples. My buddy Learch French ran a Budweiser booth, in the lobby with an exit straight out to first base. “That’s my peoples!” I shouted numerous times when Peeples caught a throw from the infield for an out or pulled a foul line drive. “That’s my peoples!” I shouted over and over, there are many reasons to cheer irrationally for a first baseman.

            People acknowledged me with uncomfort. Players and umpires discussed me. Still the bigass beers flowed and I paid the full six dollars a beer all night. In the seventh Learch and I hit Beale at a brisk stroll.

            Geezer leapt from the back of the truck at some point. I had to back track on turkey pen to find him, staggering toward me with a bloody eye.

            Lucy Lu took my flip flops. She was contrite.

            I need to update Rebel Word. Panadox will be awesome this time,. I want to show the tribute between FURTHER DOWN and THROTTLE. Then Saturday, we’ll play Craig’s CD REDEMPTION early between bands. I was going to play the tribute while MIKE  was on, but since they switched with BODAGUS, I  may not do the same video. I think Bodagus needs the video I made for FURTHER DOWN in april, ballistic kaleidoscope and white water rapids. Let’s see, BODAGUS will be after WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES. WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES will probably get the FIREBOX video that I like so much. But they need a lot of kaleidoscope too. I have a DVD I made called Best Kaliedoscope I’ll play for them. Saul Goode.           

August 30, 2006

Howdy. Tired. We started the morning over on Southfork River in Cherokee Village, pruning an ash over the roof, a sycamore in decline which we also fertilized and mulched. Also a cherry. Then it was over to the south golf course, more satellite clearance. I got those satellite blues. Two tall post oaks. Also some mulching there. In the morning it’s over to Spring River for a tall dead white oak, then some trimming and miscellaneous at SPRING RIVER VALLEY. That’s right, we’re getting ready for BLUE COLLAR JAM. I think MIKE GRAY may do the afternoon gig Saturday and let BODAGUS take his midnight slot. That would be kind of cool, cause I love it when MIKE does afternoon shows, he is the master at rocking a party crowd. SLAMHOUND may pop in, and other special surprises are in the works. However it pans out, one thing is for sure. I don’t know what that is right now, but we’ll find out together at SPRING RIVER VALLEY BLUE COLLAR JAM. This too will rule.

FRIDAY NIGHT: BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS—FURTHER DOWN—THROTTLE w/GERRY MOSS.

SATURDAY: ELECTRIC HILLBILLLY MIKE GRAY SLAMHOUND? CHILLYROSE, WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES, BODAGUS.

    If you haven’t seen the flyers yet there will also be a giant video screen with ballistic kaleidoscope, car bombs, white water rapids, etc. And a special Craig Dunbar tribute. Take advantage of the free camping, or call me to line up a free shuttle to and from anywhere in the Hardy area. Rebelriver.com--a labor of love. Peace dogs and beautiful people too.

August 29, 2006

Hello. My name is Alan. I have a little black dog, and four chainsaws. Can you say BLUE COLLAR JAM? This will so rock! We’ve got the band voted best blues band in the state of Arkansas(arguably the birthplace of Blues) in BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS. We’ve got the best rock band in Arkansas—FURTHER DOWN. And we’ve got the best blues guitarist in Arkansas—GERRY MOSS of THROTTLE. That’s Friday night.

            Saturday we’ve got some of the best of other genres, CHILLYROSE is hard to label, they have a hard edge, with bluesy and ballsy songs you’ve never heard. WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES is the hippest bluegrass? band around, hypnotic dance rhythms and relentless layered DEAD classics and the like. Fly your freak flag. Then the best southern rock band in Arkansas, THE MIKE GRAY BAND.

            GET IT ON!

Nice overcast day drop crotching hickory and post oak. Stiff wind played havoc at times, two other red oaks trimmed also, miscellaneous sassafras and dogwood. Loujo’s fueled the afternoon finish. Geezer attacked some golfers and ran off with a new pro staff ball that would have been a sure eagle! We got the hell out of there! Love ya. Gotta go.

August 28, 2006

Wet sweaty morning in Cherokee Village. Two big red oaks down. Dogwoods missed, no damage to the house, etc. Sure felt good to put those big boots on, good to sink the spikes into the tree, good to fall big tops and watch them plummet to earth from high above. It felt good to stumble constantly on rough terrain, good to battle chronic pain, aggressive horse flies, thorny pathless underbrush. After a shower and Price Chopper lunch, all is well. Slowly catching up on messages and details. So many, as I crawl back to a stature needed to conduct business and run things to completion. I’ve done some soul searching lately, examined the meaning of it all, I’ve cried, I’ve bled, I’ve sweated.

            I mean forty nine died this morning on a jet in Kentucky. Dozens in Iraq this morning. How many died in Sri Lanka this morning? How many in Pakistan? A water tank fell yesterday in India killing forty five folks watching a wrestling match. How many were poisoned today by the acid rain besetting China. How many died this morning in Kibera, Kenya, where 700,000 live in one square mile?

            I hope you are all well today.

August 23, 2006 

            Exhausting day on the banks of Spring River. A beautiful red oak shaded me for hours as I moved about it working eighty, even ninety feet off the ground. I thinned it slightly of dead or nuisance, rotten or dying, reducing the weight of a major branch over the cabin, removing a large lower entirely. It tested my ability, all of my talent and skill was needed. Also a sycamore removal was no walk in the park. The chipper broke down, etc…Frazzled with swirling thoughts. I use a palm pilot to organize things, but I’ve had such a landslide of personal calls and dozen of unanswered or unheeded messages personal and business. Spring River sure felt good this afternoon.

            BLUE COLLAR JAM is afoot! I believe the lineup is as follows: FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 1—BIG RED AND THE SOULBENDERS, FURTHER DOWN, THROTTLE. SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2, CHILLYROSE, WEAKNESS FOR BLONDES, ELECTRIC HILLBILLY(MIKE GRAY). I’m not sure if BODAGUS is on board or not, and THROTTLE is not written in stone till I get with Gerry later this evening. Hope so, then we can reuse the radio ad from April. Getting brain dead, got lot’s of scanning and burning DVD and CD. Got to figure how to dub soundtracks so I can put LYNARD SKYNARD or Craig’s own stuff to slide shows. Also video. I got Harley guys and girls coming over every night fixing Craig’s bike. Things are cool

Donations in Craig's name can be sent to: Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton, NH, 03086

August 22, 2006

Hey!  I’m still alive Hey, Hey, Yow, How, How, How, I’m still alive. One time I had this month of near death experiences, like a speed boat incident, a cracked tree, car wreck, etc… And then there was that August in the mid nineties I don’t remember. I usually take labor month off anyway. Take my wife. Just kidding, I’m not married. Tammy and I are very trustworthy to each other I believe. (Twisted face of contorted, barely concealed rage.)

            I was supposed to do this crazy red oak on the south golf course in Cherokee Village today, but it rained. Thank god. Now I got his crazy red oak on Spring River tomorrow.

            Kind of out of it. Lost a Friend Thursday. One of my best. Gunshot. Fucking self inflicted.

            PANADOX is busy getting video and slide shows ready for the memorial service. Everybody is chipping in and getting me some great photos, CRAIG  was a photogenic guy. I had some killer video of him, in many settings. I burned a VHS over to DVD yesterday, a one hour video Craig and I had shot like in 91/92, swinging around, trees and chainsaws. First time I ever saw it. I want to set the best clips to LYNARD SKYNARD. Craig did a cool CD. It’s titled REDEMPTION.

            I’ve got video of Craig climbing trees, urinating in public, drinking transmission fluid. We could each drink four full drafts in ten seconds in the day. That my friends, is some serious drinking. He was on the meds soon after, the V.A. set him up well. Even when he was sober for eleven years, he still had a death wish. The original Jack Ass. Swear to God, me and Dunbar were Jackass in the Eighties. Or Dunbar and anybody. He always climbed a little higher and jumped first. One time he jumped from a riverside deck in about one foot of water. He looked like a gingerbread man with the mud. In high school he would hang by one hand or leg three hundred feet off the ground. He leapt from vehicle to vehicle at sixty miles an hour.

            Craig was a rescue swimmer. Best in his class. One time in a wild horse rodeo a horse kicked Craig in the head, and Craig spun around, and chased the big horse down, and bit his ear, so the team could rope the horse. They won. Craig was the kind of guy that would take a burning sled down main street with a midget. We leapt off sixty feet into six. We took Champagne Illinois by storm the night they beat number one Michigan on homecoming. I rode his Harley that day. Long Long time ago, Homer, you bet your ass.

There's a grey horse standin' still
As a soldier climbs in the saddle for one last ride
As the rain pours off his hat
You can see the shadows of the past written in his eyes

Now the cannons are silent
His friends are all gone
Gotta put it all behind him
If he ever wants to find his way home
He's the last rebel on the road

Just a boy with his old guitar
Keeps to himself
but everybody takes him wrong
But he carries on
Got a dream that will never die
Can't change him, no use in stayin' where you don't belong

Now he's rollin' down the highway
Gone too far too fast
No one will ever find him
he'll never look back

(chorus)
'Cause he's the last rebel
And he's all alone
He's the last rebel
His friends are all gone
He's the last rebel
The last rebel on the road

There'll never be another like him
He's the last of a dying breed
Ain't no use in tryin' to tame him

'Cause he's the last rebel
And he's all alone
He's the last rebel
His friends are all gone
He's the last rebel
gotta carry on
He's the last rebel
The last rebel on the road
He's the last rebel
He's the last rebel
He's the last rebel
He's the last rebel

--written by Gary Rossington, JohnnyVan-Zant, Robert Johnson, Michael Lunn

August 16, 2006

All is well in Highland. Been shooting guns, canoing with fine folks, and getting stuff done. A Memphis trip is on the way soon, Geezer is looking forward to it. Working on Panadox presentations, researching a new historical fiction novel I’m working on. Still banging out details for BLUE COLLAR JAM. Mom and Shelbi went to church. Still fighting the good fight, water polluters beware! I’ve got something for you!

August 11, 2006 

Wet morning chipping Bradford pear. Storm damage. It doesn’t take much to bust up a Bradford. They must be pruned early and often to remain an asset.

            Now the sun is breaking free, the river is green. I’m taking a group canoing! See ya on high falls.

August 10, 2006

Fine morning in Ash Flat trimming a maple over a house. Quick job, then over to Highland, trimming and chipping storm damaged cherry, and dead Japanese maple. Ya do what ya gotta do.

            Looking forward to a trip on Spring River tomorrow, high falls awaits, roaring like the proverbial lion’s den. Simple Christians tremble in awe. Geezer comes. BLUE COLLAR JAM  is stewing. I’m getting ready to put an ad on Z100.5  Jonesboro(Z100 rocks!)  I hope 7UP is on board, they need to cut loose some of those big bucks. Book your canoe trip now with me, Spring River Valley will have plenty too. Or reserve a cabin. It’s free camping, but if you need electricity or other hookups there is a charge. Spring River Valley.

            Looks like it’s lunch with my lovely niece Shelbi. Life rocks. Get some lunch.

August 8, 2006

Hot morning robbing a bank in Hardy. JUST KIDDING. But there was a robbery, we were working very near by, and I actually suspected my helper Jason for a brief time. He disappeared for a little bit when I was gone, almost to the minute of the robbery, he was sure sweating too. But I guess it was because of the chipping and raking in above ninety degree heat. I trimmed a huge dying white oak, and numerous redbud, dogwood, cedar, privet, mulberry, serviceberry, hornbeam, etc… Old Wahpeton, a favorite place of mine, I grew up not far away, those bluffs and ravines will always be like home to me. Spring River rolling quietly below… You can see that ugly raw clay from the road, I wish they would clean that up. I bet closer inspection reveals eroded ravines where tons of the stuff has just disappeared after rains. It goes right into the river, settling as the flood recedes to coat clean gravel bars. Not so clean these days.

            It’s supposed to hit 106 degrees today, I’m chilling out. The river would be nice, but I’m pacing myself. Been jamming acoustic. My J.B. Player was made in Seoul, Korea, so you know it’s the real deal. Korea is a hot bed of Blues, probably. Roy Orbison glasses, drunken shrieks of wipeout, two dollar lickey lick, four dollar picture with Elvis. The rain sheets for days, standing in the streets, butterfly women singing…I’m too far from home… Too far from home…

August 7, 2006

            What a society we live in. Fatter and lazier than any country, the US is a celebration of debauchery. I’m not talking about the rock star slamming groupies. Consensual sex. I’m talking about Gluttony, Waste, Greed, and probably some more deadly sins. Envy comes in. Progress. Churches try to put emphasis on kindness and morality, but the real decisions roll along with impunity unquestioned. Where does the money go? Exxon reaps record profits while gouging poor people. Americans have three air conditioners and a huge green yard to maintain, other countries eat baloney if lucky. Other countries have to allot one hour of preparation time for a drink of water. Americans spill cases of beer with a laugh. In the old days a man worked forty hours and fought like a pit bull to earn a fine automobile to drive. Horses were old school. Did you see where the vote on the minimum wage was in a package with the estate whatever. Something nice for the dirt poor, something really nice for the really rich. I wonder if they ran over any starving people delivering those pork barrels. The ancient Greeks had the same reward for this type of senate vote: a castle in Switzerland.

            For every guy in the suburbs who wears that hat, watering your plants, squirting the dogs: look to the sky, for the green and black jets are aloft. For every poser at every party, every loser in every closet, and all points in between: get in shape. Conserve your fuel, live sober and efficient. Choose one vice only, that combination of many must be reduced. Make a shelter, be it rain, bomb, tornado. Be nice to your family and friends. Clean your weapons, use them, befriend them. Dogs must be disciplined. Boisterous noise and liquor on occasion only.

            Maybe this would end war. Suddenly the U.S. does not meddle abroad, like Japan, we don’t send troops. We don’t patrol China every day. We pull out from all countries, maybe annex Cuba. Then we could make Canada and Mexico states 52 and 53. Or, each province: hell, Yukon and Alaska are joined at the hip, also British Columbia, with Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.. The Northwest Territory I think is ceded to the Inuit Nation(Eskimo to many).

            Baha, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas are likewise strewn, connected by our southern border in Mexico. Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco, Vera Cruz on the gulf of Mexico, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Jalisco, Sinaloa, all these countries north and south might welcome amenities and luxuries that Americans enjoy to wasteful heights. This list of countries was from 1958 encyclopedia Brittanica so some of those could be changed.

            We could annex Cuba, I’m sure they have districts too. Maybe all of the Bahamas could be a state. But then we’d be bound to take Haiti under our wing and clean that up. Seriously, we better start planning our trips to town.

August 6, 2006

Sunny morning in Baghdad. I mean Highland. Looks like I’m faced with a long day of Spring River fun. Darn it. Yesterday was some good swimming at Saddler Falls while literally hundreds of crazed canoers tumbled and plummeted over the series of falls. Loud music and screams of the damned wafted over the roar. It never gets boring, you got all ages, all stages. I sit with Jim at his perfect little spot across from the rocks. He says he’s got glaucoma, but that man sees ever bouncing titty that shoots the chute. Over at Howard’s if you’ve got just a little class you can sit like a king on deck chairs up above the fray, or fish full beers out with fish nets. A lucrative business at times.

            Horrible construction right on the banks of the river upstream at Charlie Johnson’s old place. Supposedly a hotel to be built. A bunch of clay was moved in, not just dug up. Bad, bad, bad. I’ve seen it leaking blood red, just like ancient Egypt, as the non stabilized clay begins crawling into the river. They’ve got a pathetic little silt fence, mostly to keep distressed canoers from walking on their property. Can you spell EPA?

August 5, 2006

Hard morning in Williford. Trimming five white oaks. One was dying back, a really tough job. The others were snipping and pruning branches away from the roof and wire. I finished strong, cutting up two huge oaks I dropped yesterday, cutting the stumps low. We chipped some for the heck of it.

            A logging job near Mammoth Spring must have violated some enforceable codes. The naked hill side dumps tons of orange clay water into Spring River and Field Creek each rain. We have no gravel bars unless cleared by humans. Think about, in the day, not too long ago, the river was shiny spacious smooth gravel bars. The gravel bars are still there, you just can’t see them under the invasive weed. This weed roots in the sediments deposited there, clogging the filtering process.

            I’m off to Saddler Falls for swimming. I’ll play my bass and laugh at crazed canoe antics. Blue Collar Jam is approaching Labor Day weekend..

August 4, 2006

Rainout. Sweet glorious rainout. We got some big old trees on the ground first, though. Perfect drops. Had to be. That hundred year old rock fence was irreplaceable. We’ll finish up tomorrow, hell I don’t mind working Saturday if there is a break in the heat. Thunder booms.

            I wonder if the Cattlemen’s association recommends riparian zones(buffer zones) to it’s constituents. Do they recommend stopping erosion? Do they recommend Best Management Practices for filtering runoff? I doubt it, they seem more concerned with ridding themselves of regulations and confusing or stalling environmentalists. They want to be able to drive tractors in the river, water herds in the river, have hay fields to the river, with no concern whatsoever for water purity and bank stabilization, sediment control and erosion. The rights of property owners should be limited, not to include the right to pollute an extraordinary resource waterway. If they can’t make the bottom line without shaving the natural areas to nothing, watering the cows away from the river, without using steroids to inflate the cows and pollute the groundwater, without educating themselves on the Best Management Practices, then they need to sell out. Find another way to finance that second Hummer. Same goes for development, these are point and nonpoint sources of pollution. The degradation of our Ozark streams is business as usual. The only way to enforce these regulations is for citizens to call the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. ADEQ. LODGE A COMPLAINT AGAINST A WATER POLLUTER

August 3, 2006 

Howdy. Alan Williams here. Rebel Tree Care. Rebelriver.com. Warm morning in Ozark Acres. We took down a tall red oak way over a house, and several hickory, elm, hornbeam and black locust, etc., in a lot clearance. I love the slopes of Ozark Acres, lush dogwood on steep wooded lots and acreage. Had some good times around there. Tomorrow it’s Williford, quaint little Spring River town. Had a few good times there, too. Two large dead white oaks, a large dying white oak we’ll try to save, and other miscellaneous pruning of several oaks. Many more jobs coming up, trying to find a slot for Memphis, maybe a run to Stone County, need to keep hitting the river.

            What’s the deal with the massive clay embankments eroding into the river behind Rebel Station? Horrible. I may call the EPA. I’ll make a damn federal case out of this.

            Geezer raced some horses in the hot sun. He’s large again, in charge again. Peace-a-derchi.

August 2, 2006

Fine August morning working in trees in Ozark Acres. We dropped a big dead hickory, big dead red oak, and big live hickory over the house(topping it out seventy feet up, I got a little ride). More of the same on tap for tomorrow. Need to hit the river hard. It’s not even noon and already pushing 100 degrees. Need to pay some bills, clean up, maintain… Nah, I think it’s the river. All that other stuff can wait till it gets cool this evening.

            I need to renew my battles against river pollution(sediment from animal farms and development are prime suspects). If these people would just leave a riparian zone to filter runoff things would be better. But they don’t, it’s all about extravagance, make a sloped beach to the water, clear out all vegetation for someone’s whim. It’s time contractors became educated, and told landowners what to do, not vice versa. Landownership is temporary. Land stewardship is forever. Please, look into best management practices for extraordinary waterway watersheds. Here in Highland our runoff goes into three separate extraordinary waterways, and there is no best management practice in place. Development in Hardy and Cherokee Village is business as usual; sediment controls are laughable to nonexistent. Whistleblowers unite! Hold contractors accountable for polluting rivers with sediment. This is an illegal act. I’ll be starting on stabilization of the newly widened Pontiac drive in Highland/Cherokee Village. Look at the raw clay already eroding into the creek. How long till they at least rip rap that? It’s been a couple of months, so let’s start the counter at say, 60.

July 31, 2006

Hot  Morning in Mammoth Spring. Working high in the air. My highest cuts were some little pole saw cuts around seventy feet. Storm damaged maple. And a storm damaged pecan. Jason cleaned it up. Cool fogs still lingered as we approached. The reunion is setting up rides and booths. Mammoth rocks.

            Easy day tomorrow landscaping and fishing. Geezer got on the river with us. I had three different groups wanting to go canoing, missed them all for various reasons, but ended up with great friends, and paying customers. Tammy brought her cocker spaniel Annie, we got in the hole on high falls. We made that two hour float last about six hours. We’re training that Cocker to tow us, this will so rule when we do. She pulled us upstream about a mile one time. Geezer slept. He got to ride with Gary and Megan a lot. Lucy Lu is running amok. I’m not sure why, but I gotta go.           

July 29, 2006

I found Geezer! I had handed some folks a flyer near gitchi-gummi beach and sure enough they found him and called me. It was only seventy two hours but it seemed like ninety six. What ugly misadventures must have confronted the little black dog as he wandered the mean streets? The wolf apparently led him around for a day. He was seen dragging a rope at one point. When did things go bad with the wolf? Was it a poodle in heat? All the rottweillers and pit bulls straining at chains, frothing to taste Geezer flesh as he paraded in footloose freedom. Alley cats flaring to unnatural sizes, spitting with unfathomable fury. Heat beating the little black dog. Rain. It’s over for now, I’m thinking seriously about a microchip. He’s such a headstrong little bitch.

            He’ll be king of the river again tomorrow, just me and a bunch of women. He’ll show his nut sack, get some beads, he done it over three hundred times. It’s a dog’s life.

            Now all is well. Work is lined up for next week in Mammoth Spring, they had ninety mile an hour winds last week, and Ozark Acres, quaint retirement village on steep Ozark slopes  just east of Hardy.

            EROSION was in the house last night! I’m hoarse from screaming, fingers sore. I figured out why musicians drink so much. When your fingers are burning from playing guitar, or in my case bass, a cold beer sure soothes them, in more ways than one. See you at Howard’s Hard Rock tomorrow, or damn 3, or all points in between. Jesus just left Chicago, and he’s bound for New Orleans.

July 27, 2006 

Soft rain moistens Highland. Cool temps mean I’m getting lot’s of stuff done. This morning it was a clearing job on Southfork River, (leave the redbuds). Yesterday was a tall hickory with dangling storm damaged branches over the house(rebel tree care—insurance certificate). By the way that insurance certificate was recently renewed for the fourteenth or fifteenth year without a lapse. Thank you very much.

            Now the big news—Geezer is gone. He ran off with a pack of seedy looking strays led by a white wolf with an evil glint in one blue eye. Be on the lookout around the town center of Cherokee Village. Please, I need to find my buddy.

            Errands and repairs on tap, errors and ommisions. What to leave in, what to leave out. Need to jam—Erosion. Rebel Word- I’ve been reading Hunter S. Thompsom, god rest his bald soul. Rebel River adventures, rapid surfing and Frisbee, planning BLUE COLLAR JAM. Rebel Tree Care—rolling along with irrepressible force. Gotta go look for G-dog.

July 25, 2006

Yo. Hot morning. We started off trimming and chipping a storm damaged Bradford pear. Then over to install a cable in a big sycamore. This was on Southfork River. Then over to Lake Thunderbird, trimming white oak(4), hickory(3), and a post oak for a view. We mulched for erosion control. Then down the street a dead loblolly pine finished us off for the day. It was getting hot, no lunch, I was running off yesterdays supper of Doritos. It’s all good now.

            What an active weekend. Mountain biking from Highland to Taylor’s camp, then basketball and Frisbee in the sun all afternoon. Rapid surfing. Horseshoes. I hope to finish up a short week and get back at some serious R and R. Geezer faced down a pack of wolves!

July 21,2006 

Incredible lightning storm gone now. I was on high falls. Me and Geezer were nervous. Did a mountain bike tour too. I may be on tv giving yellow watermelon to CROWBAR! Also it looks as if a BLUE COLLAR JAM is in the works. More on this later. Huh! I said moron! This is hard on me.

July 19, 2006

Yody yo yoyo’s. Cold and wet from Spring River. I do this thing where we grab a ski rope and hang on in the current. It beats the hell out of you like a good massage. I hang on for an hour sometimes, slipping and sliding about in s-curves. I stay chill for many hours afterward. I’ve needed it this week too, as temps are over ninety, nay over 100. I can’t remember when I last checked in, so much has happened. Monday was a big morning trimming ash over the townhouse, oak over the townhouse, hackberry over the townhouse, cedar over the townhouse. Then Tuesday a big sycamore over two parking covers and a box elder on the roof. Also a dead curly willow. Today was Batesville Arkansas, for an old friend and good client, of late with a quite lovely lady in his life. She turned me on to some Sammy Jo. She had some chart topping country hits in the early seventies. I’ll try to post a link. I took a dead elm over the house, a large oak way over the house, hackberry close by, honey locust, and cherry over the wires. It was over 100 when we four barreled back to Highland.

            So many breakdowns and problems this hot week. But I’m over the hump, with seven Cave City Yellow watermelons. I live for watermelon, yellow Cave City watermelons, the sweetest in the world…Period. I refrigerate them for twenty four hours, rotating out every day, take them to work, or here to the river.

            Big MIKE GRAY show coming up in I believe Imminence Missouri. I’ll be on the river I’m sure. I’ve got a couple more mornings to knock out, vehicles are on the mend. Life rocks hard. 

July 14, 2006 

Whew. Hot. Getting it done in the heat though. The last two days have been very productive, trimming five cedars, two Bradford pears, two red oaks, a white oak, dogwood. We removed a rotten red oak, and two hackberrys. We usually get going by six thirty, and finish up not long after lunch. Tammy works in the Village mall about a hundred yards away, she joins us for lunch at Carol’s or Loujo’s. The chips graced a home in Highland last night, tomorrow they go out toward Agnos—we called it Agnos of God in the day.

            Going through Gatorade and Mountain Dew like crazy. It’s supposed to be super hot next week. The river is still a little dingy, should be clear by tomorrow.

July 11, 2006

Deep thinking about Bradford Pears. Get me to prune yours. And crepe myrtles, don’t give me that blank look that says, I have absolutely decided to bob ‘em off. No you haven’t. You will talk to me first. Journal veterans know my insistence on mulching. It’s dead serious. All trees need it. Erosion control. We need it all over the watershed of our extraordinary resource waterways. Speculation is killing the river. I mean when’s the last time you saw a gravel bar? A couple on Eleven Point were clear of a few feet of sand and fine gravel we used to chase Frisbees across and dive to catch them. There are a few on Spring River, but only because people weed eat them down. The easy way out is to blame the weed invasion on an exotic non native strain of water weed, but sediment from construction sites is settling on the gravel bars that sparkled bright as recently as the nineties. There is a new erosion control device called           I’ve read about in some Mulch Yard pamphlets. I’ll try to get that link. The Mulch Yard, Memphis Tennessee.

            Southfork River still has a few special little beaches not over grown with this invasive weed. Although construction in Cherokee Village has polluted, the roads have been chatted since soon after construction in the fifties. This has helped with water purity immensely. Thank you, John Cooper, for that particular vision. I think maybe Cherokee Village was more important than we all know as a real Cherokee Village around the time of the American Revolution. Lake Thunderbird may have been the location of the source of the Thunderbird legend. I mean picture this, at some point the water levels were stable at fifty feet above where they are now. The Mississippi lapped into where riverside drives are high and dry now. In the flat expanse of cotton fields in Missouri and Arkansas would have been ten or twenty feet of standing water backing into the Ozark mountains from swollen cypress swamps jammed with logs as glaciers in Missouri, Kansas and Colorado filled rivers with cold swift water.

            Crowley’s Ridge became a long island. The western band of old Cherokee headquartered here. From the Arkansas Missouri line over to Kentucky a one day canoe trip, over to Black Rock Arkansas or Imboden also one day. At Poplar Bluff Missouri many fires must have streaked the sky, as old Cherokee  32 foot boats were in fact made from poplar. From St. Francis river across Cape Girardou into the Ohio or Tennessee river probably would have been open water. Water on the scale of a great lake. From the St. Francis river over to the Ozark foothills might have been slowed by cypress forest. Marked trees on points might show the best way into the sun, as canoes slid through dense shady forest between massive flared cypress trunks, the directional markings more frequent. A smaller bay similar to the massive Cape Girardo would welcome travelers near where the Spring, Eleven Point, and Black converge today.

            Though ancient Black Rock and Reno offered mountain structure and trees to build sturdy homestead, astute travelers pressed on across while open water represented unencumbered travel. Smooth and straight toward the setting sun travelers raced. Near present day Imboden oak lodge and coal pit welcomed fish traders, ocean sponges, raw copper, rocky mountain obsidian, quetzal feathers.

            The nights must have been serene, may be a spanish girl plucking a guitar, beading and kneading by tallow-light. Foggy mornings chill, into the Spring River current travelers fought, surprised at pull and tow, adjusting to slower travel. Mid morning brings noticeable ripple and rise, all the team taxed to beat the ripple and continue upstream, but once the lip is gained, smoothly and effortless travel for many miles. Deep canyons beckon north and south. Turns north forced by craggy forested jut. Beaver dams bar ways away from the main channel. Though easily traversed, the dams are avoided for awhile. Stealth and patience are observed as the myriads of canyons and long beaver lakes are entered. Each clan had a different alcove, tiny box canyons easily defended or loaded.

            Maybe the water spider clan found a water fall and set up store. The thunderbird clan maybe went ahead.  At the junction of present day Spring and Southfork rivers might have been the first good waterfall encountered. No need to traverse it though, on the trip up Southfork toward the village, only cruise slowly by, rejoicing in spray. It is said Native Americans held olympic style games here. Also it is said that a famous conference of five civilized tribes occurred at Raccoon Springs on the north golf course in Cherokee Village. My little researched guess is this: Cherokee, Shawnee, Delaware, Chickasaw, and Osage got together around the time of the American revolution. It was easy to see that the white men had killing boom sticks, guns, and that they arrived by the shipload every day. Although traditionally this area of Arkansas was Osage, it was the fringe of their territory, and with the arrival of horses they must have been more into buffalo hunting. They were a lake people, but the water shed of their home base went into the Missouri river, or the Arkansas,White, or Eleven Point  or Current River system. The water shed of the Sring and Southfork is very small and short compared to most other rivers. Also the Osage warred with the Missouri north of that river, and probably didn’t watch the swampy fringe that much. Maybe they sojourned to Mammoth Spring but rarely further south. The Location of Cherokee Village would have been perfect. Delaware and Shawnee had come down the Ohio River many dozen moons. Many Cherokee had come from the Tennessee River communities in Alabama. Chickasaw had crossed swamp from extreme northeast Mississippi through the Hatchee or Wolf system in Tennessee, or joined With Cherokee northbound to Kentucky on the Tennessee or Duck River.

            Many tribes killed by first contact with Europeans, Caddo, Quapaw, Ouachita, Tunica, Puxico, Natchez, Osceola; the list is long. Others had lost ninety percent. Some communities of tens of thousands wiped out. All restless as the pale menace grew.

            Great banquets must have been. Great chiefs pow wowed. Great pipes passed. Barter and sport, social function and craft guild. Treaties made were kept, the next few decades brought great community, shared education of five tribes. Mingo were dark mixtures of Portugese blood maybe, that had maybe adopted native American ways. They were accepted by council vote, then gradually won a vote at council. Ethics and alphabets taught, Strong intermingling of surrounding clans, families and tribes in Arkansas and Missouri were much stronger than the Spanish or English knew. Secrets of the Village were not released. What few European visitors found their way into the sun never returned. And then the New Madrid earthquake of 1812 hit.

            The tribe(s) were never the same. The destruction of the waterway and awesome flooding as church bells in New England rang was to destroy the nation we never knew. What the initial chaos failed to ruin or kill in some way, chain reaction of ruin sure to get the survivors: the trade and support network was annihilated. All camps and stations between the Ozark foothills and Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi were bashed by tidal wave and destroyed. All camps and nations up lowland valleys of tributary waters for many dozen miles were destroyed. Slammed to bits. Disease and trial followed survivors for a lifetime. Though undoubtedly hundreds if not thousands of survivors spread into higher ground toward the white river valleys, where future treaties would be struck, the political and military potential was gone in one fell swoop. 

Rain begins in Highland. Looks like a lot of work for Rebel Tree Care lined up. I’ll be keeping you posted on my doings. The van is in the shop. The short wheel base truck is too. Tammy has the other van. Good old black is always there. Oh wait, he’s gray now. The river is mocha today. Peace.

July 10, 2006

Rainout. Glorious rainout. Lot’s to do though. I had a blowout on the way to dam three Saturday and the ensuing flapping tire tread ruined my air conditioning unit. We had a great trip, though, a little Rebel reunion. Boobies bouncing beads flying, bad karaoke and all. Then it was over to Copper Feather for BACKFLASH, another cool show of classic bar tunes. Those guys are a lot of fun. Panadox was in the house, giving a different lighting effect and interesting sequences behind the music. I’ve put off a Memphis trip this week, rain is moving through the mid south. But we’ve got trimming to do here at home, satellite clearance(I’m not fond of the concept, but somebody’s got to do it, I just try not to violate standard. I won’t do classic topping, but there are other solutions usually.)

            Shout out to all the positive thinkers, free lovers, pollution fighters, and gay muslims. Keep it real. Rebelriver.com—hit it.

July 7, 2006

Chillin at the crib. My biggest fan on low. Long day in Horsheshoe Bend topped off with a job in Cherokee. Dead Hickory. The tree had been dead for years, but the guy wanted it done before I disappear to Memphis. It was only 85 degrees, so I told him I would. This was after vista trimming on Crown Lake on two separate jobs. Tired.

            Tomorrow it’s dam three to Howard’s Hard Rock. This too will rule. Tonight and tomorrow it’s BACKFLASH w/ Panadox Visuals. Maybe MIKE GRAY will stop by. Lot’s on my mind, but no time. Have a good weekend. 

The Bowman and Lion

  A VERY SKILLFUL BOWMAN went to the mountains in search of game,

but all the beasts of the forest fled at his approach.  The Lion

alone challenged him to combat.  The Bowman immediately shot out

an arrow and said to the Lion:  "I send thee my messenger, that

from him thou mayest learn what I myself shall be when I assail

thee."  The wounded Lion rushed away in great fear, and when a Fox

who had seen it all happen told him to be of good courage and not

to back off at the first attack he replied:  "You counsel me in

vain; for if he sends so fearful a messenger, how shall I abide

the attack of the man himself?' 

            Be on guard against men who can strike from a distance.

Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

July 6, 2006 

Cool breezy morning in Cherokee Village pruning sugar maple, redbud, cedar, and loblolly pine. Also removing a dead red oak over a house. Love sick peregrine falcon flew over us moaning the whole morning, the folks said he does it every day all day. I wonder, did he lose his lover to a speeding car or drunk redneck with a shotgun? Poor guy. Curious buzzards checked him out, but no crows menaced, I sensed he would take them on with fierce desperation. Chicken hawk is too cheap a nickname for these royal, regal birds of majesty.

            Look for Panadox at Copper Feather this weekend as BACKFLASH rock the house. Swagfest in Missouri sounds happening. I may not canoe. Tomorrow it’s Horseshoe Bend for vista pruning on Crown Lake, then next door for takedowns of skinny construction damaged elm and hickory. Back to Highland by mid afternoon hopefully. Life rocks.

The Bee and Jupiter

  A BEE from Mount Hymettus, the queen of the hive, ascended to

Olympus to present Jupiter some honey fresh from her combs.

Jupiter, delighted with the offering of honey, promised to give

whatever she should ask.  She therefore besought him, saying,

"Give me, I pray thee, a sting, that if any mortal shall approach

to take my honey, I may kill him."  Jupiter was much displeased,

for he loved the race of man, but could not refuse the request

because of his promise.  He thus answered the Bee:  "You shall

have your request, but it will be at the peril of your own life.

For if you use your sting, it shall remain in the wound you make,

and then you will die from the loss of it." 

            Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost.

Know those things that lead to your well-being, and those things that lead to your destruction

July 5, 2006 

Nice morning landscaping in Cherokee Village. We put some erosion badges about a steep yard, and processed some red oak. Rough morning as you might imagine. The truck wouldn’t start right off the bat, everything irritating, tiny mosquitos and flies, gnats, etc. Such is reality. Yesterday was a super nice trip from Dam Three to Spring River Oaks. Most of us packed up and left by dark. The Cherokee Village fireworks were booming as I brought the canoes back to Highland. I’m living hard, tan and tough.

 The Dancing Monkeys
  A PRINCE had some Monkeys trained to dance.  Being naturally
great mimics of men's actions, they showed themselves most apt
pupils, and when arrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they
danced as well as any of the courtiers.  The spectacle was often
repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a courtier,
bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and
threw them upon the stage.  The Monkeys at the sight of the nuts
forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) Monkeys
instead of actors.  Pulling off their masks and tearing their
robes, they fought with one another for the nuts.  The dancing
spectacle thus came to an end amidst the laughter and ridicule of
the audience.
-"Not everything you see is what it appears to be."

 Observe moderation and balance in all things.

July 3, 2006

Long day goes on and on. We left Spring River Oaks around noon and took our time to the low water bridge at Spring River Valley. We had super fine folks cooking, not just cooking but slow cooking, brine soaked ribs and chicken. Back at camp is chaotic, young partiers jamming Pantera and mom ‘n us unwinding in shadow. Tomorrow it’s Dam three to here, another kind run. I’ve got trout and bass cooking, lemon and butter, double wrapped. This whole family reunion is super. We’ve got Slade and Shelbi, my niece and nephew, two great nieces, Darbi and Colbi, my niece Allison(she got banged up real good yesterday in an ill advised canoe maneuver), her husband Brad(with me through many a rebelriver adventure the last ten or twelve years, my sister Debby and her husband Mike(erosion—live music). Little LALA(Lauren—erosion—live music). My nephew Garret hosts quite an assortment of visitors. My brother Rodney has had to work most mornings, he books out early every day. Of course my mother Edna Williams, she’s been coming here since the summer they opened in 1982. We stayed at Many Islands till around then. I’d say 68 to 82. Also Tammy and her daughter Chelsea.

            We should put an exclamation point on the holiday with a sweet trip tomorrow. And then you know what? That’s right, strap the boots back on. I checked on Geezer, he’s still alive, a little grumpy.

Avaricious and Envious

  Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant
their hearts' desire.  Now the one was full of avarice, and the
other eaten up with envy.  So to punish them both, Jupiter granted
that each might have whatever he wished for himself, but only on
condition that his neighbour had twice as much.  The Avaricious
man prayed to have a room full of gold.  No sooner said than done;
but all his joy was turned to grief when he found that his
neighbour had two rooms full of the precious metal.  Then came the
turn of the Envious man, who could not bear to think that his
neighbour had any joy at all.  So he prayed that he might have one
of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion would become
totally blind.
Vices are their own punishment.

To serve others, to be of some use to family, community, nation, and the world is one of the main purposes for which human beings have been created. Do not fill yourself with your own affairs and forget your most important talks. True happiness comes only to those who dedicate their lives to the service of others.

July 2, 2006

Incredible two days on Spring River. Mom’s birthday dinner sitting so well as I chew. We have this dish called hamburger cornbake that I named Junk long ago. Howard fed us awesome ribs at the Hard Rock. EROSION  did a set yesterday and today, feedback metal and blues. People seemed to dig it.

            I have three trout on the stringer, I’ll be icing them down shortly.(rebelriveradventures—fishing statement. Wish Geezer were here. Speaking of Geezer, I need to feed him. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. Always give kids those glow in the dark thingies. Tommorow its here to the low water bridge north of Hardy. I hope to impress the locals with a stringer of rainbow trout, they can’t be caught in Hardy. We’ve got a lively group playing mafia tonight. Spring River—a good place.

The Astronomer
  AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars.  One
evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole
attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep
well.  While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and
cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning
what had happened said:  "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to
pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on
earth?' 
 

All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected

July 1, 2006

Just after midnight at Spring River Oaks. The kids are down, hell raisers winding down reluctantly. Morning hours will bring trout fishermen and wandering fire kickers. Trout and bass setting well, families snuffing lights, I hear one generator running incessantly, over in the national forests it is frowned upon, I think a general rule is in order—no generators. I remember Many Islands back in the seventies; even a tire inflator seemed to stab the serenity. Then Roman coliseum type roars would punctuate the night. I think families need to take back the night, waking the kids up to play noisy and irritatingly just when the hell raisers fade.

            We have quite a gathering for our family reunion: four large campers and various tents and vehicles including my twenty passenger van and ten purple canoes. We play a game called mafia, where we sit in a circle with a moderator, drawing cards to see if you are mafia, sheriff, or townspeople. It keeps us all together, kinda cool game.

            MIKE GRAY plays a special deal at the Pocahontas legion tomorrow, we might all make a run, it’s his birthday bash,  Mom’s is tomorrow, his is Monday. This would be after a canoe run from Dam three to here. Then Sunday, the same, I hope EROSION makes a set at Howard’s Hard Rock. Then Monday it’s here to Kerry’s. James and Jack and the folks should have a spread of killer chow.

            All is well on Spring River. It’s what I know.

The Ass's Brains

  The Lion and the Fox went hunting together.  The Lion, on the

advice of the Fox, sent a message to the Ass, proposing to make an

alliance between their two families.  The Ass came to the place of

meeting, overjoyed at the prospect of a royal alliance.  But when

he came there the Lion simply pounced on the Ass, and said to the

Fox: "Here is our dinner for to-day.  Watch you here while I go

and have a nap.  Woe betide you if you touch my prey."  The Lion

went away and the Fox waited; but finding that his master did not

return, ventured to take out the brains of the Ass and ate them

up.  When the Lion came back he soon noticed the absence of the

brains, and asked the Fox in a terrible voice: "What have you done

with the brains?"

  "Brains, your Majesty! it had none, or it would never have

fallen into your trap."

            Wit has always an answer ready

Receive strangers and outsiders with a loving heart and as members of the human family

June 29, 2006 

Whew. Done for the week. Just in time, the temps are crawling back up into the mid nineties this afternoon. I climbed and trimmed oh, five red oaks, a hickory, a post oak, and a white pine. The hill up off of Lake Thunderbird to the street was a killer, but I’m getting good effort. Nice view for the folks now. And it is time for me to hit the river. Get in the rapids and chill. Geezer gets to go today, but tomorrow it’s Spring River Oaks. No pets. I’m in a good place. Now remember, he who go goes forth with a fifth on the fourth, doesn’t go forth on the fifth. Say that six times. Chaio baby. All you peace dogs, and stormy little world shakers, all you love removal machines, sun kings and fire women. It’s the last train to the Bangkok rain. Hollow man in the rain. I love the rain. Here comes the rain, here she comes again. As the desert sun it burns my skin. Hey Nicole, be strong now…end.end.end.end.end.e.d.dnenednendnendnenenendndendnendnendnnendnene. Nothing can go wronkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.

The hurt of one is the hurt of all, the honor of one is the honor of all

June 28, 2006 

Back to the crib. Bring my show to the hay-ouse. Geezer says yowza, baby, hey. Clearance work today, a service line to a home in Cherokee Village was overrun and overgrown. The new Entergy guy dropped a line, and Rebel Tree Care went to work. I trimmed a big elm, and skinny hickory, mulberry, walnut, post oak, removing hickory and cedar. Then it was Ruebens and broccoli soup at Carol’s Lakeview, but I don’t know, Carols Rueben are losing their mojo for me. I may go with the Maryland Fried Chicken next time. At least it ain’t Kentucky. Thank God for Mississippi.

             Then it was landscaping on the banks of Spring River. Erosion control. So very important for stream banks. Ignored. Unfortunately aesthetics and convenience are primary factors on stream bank management. Can’t see the forest for the trees. Whatever. If a cow farted in a field, would anyone hear it? I need a good Steven Wright quote here.

            I swam with the otters today, and watched a mature peregrine falcon soar. A chipmunk played at my feet, cottontail rabbits scamper around my house. Nature rocks, get some. Can’t cage it, can’t put it in a neatly packaged and labeled box. It’s wild. But there is an expiration date.

The Ass, the Cock, and the Lion

  AN ASS and a Cock were in a straw-yard together when a Lion,

desperate from hunger, approached the spot.  He was about to

spring upon the Ass, when the Cock (to the sound of whose voice

the Lion, it is said, has a singular aversion) crowed loudly, and

the Lion fled away as fast as he could.  The Ass, observing his

trepidation at the mere crowing of a Cock summoned courage to

attack him, and galloped after him for that purpose.  He had run

no long distance, when the Lion, turning about, seized him and

tore him to pieces. 

            False confidence often leads into danger.

Always treat your guests with honor and consideration. Give of your best food, your best blankets, the best part of your house, and your best service to your guests

June 27, 2006 

Hidey ho, neighbors. Getting’ er dun on Southfork River. Big post oak over a townhouse, storm damaged maple on a parking stall, Bradford pear spreading wide and tall, and a medium hickory over two townhouses. Nice cool morning in Cherokee village. Then I spanked my nephew Slade in one on one basketball. He’s twelve, it’s time I started swatting a few of his lazy set shots. Plus I have to follow my shot more as he get’s older, but I do, and I’ve about decided to never let him win again. I’ll make his ass earn it. Make his ass do it the old fashioned way. Hustle. Flow. Practice. Peace.

Be truthful at all times, and under all conditions,

June 26, 2006 

Howdy. Cool morning in Horseshoe Bend. We removed a rotten white oak, scrub cedar and elm, buckeye and hackberry. Also some trimming of white oak(3), post oak, sycamore, persimmon, elm, maybe more. Cool winds whipped off Crown lake, hitting that south shore with thousands of tiny white caps. Nice morning. Full week shaping up. We have the Cherokee Village Townhouses, and different jobs on Lake Thunderbird. Git’er dun Ya’ll. Rebelriver.com—a good place.

The Ass and the Wolf

  AN ASS feeding in a meadow saw a Wolf approaching to seize him,

and immediately pretended to be lame.  The Wolf, coming up,

inquired the cause of his lameness.  The Ass replied that passing

through a hedge he had trod with his foot upon a sharp thorn.  He

requested that the Wolf pull it out, lest when he ate him it

should injure his throat.  The Wolf consented and lifted up the

foot, and was giving his whole mind to the discovery of the

thorn, when the Ass, with his heels, kicked his teeth into his

mouth and galloped away.  The Wolf, being thus fearfully mauled,

said, "I am rightly served, for why did I attempt the art of

healing, when my father only taught me the trade of a butcher?

Once a council has decided something in unity, respect demands that no one speak secretly against what has been decided. If the council has made an error, that error will become apparent to everyone in its own time. 

June 24, 2006 

Rain falls in Highland. Soft and pattering, the crescendo slowly increases. Haven’t checked the radar so I don’t have an idea what’s developing. And I don’t listen to the radio much or watch tv. I hate commercials. If I ever go commercial, slap me. I’ve never been a poser, never felt right in a corporate mold, and I guess I’m unapologetic for radical choices. I mean I’m all don’t let the cattle farms ruin our rivers and huge yards say rich fool. But I work for cattle farmers and in huge yards all the time. I don’t like aspects of the republican party, but no way would I hold a personal thing against another person just because they were republican.

            Now the rain picks up a little, wavering little in steady soft downpour. I think mountain bikes are important for the future. China is blowing it. The whole generation of trying to be like Americans is blowing it. They were still on bikes a few years ago, if they still were, they could be cleaner and healthier than US. But they are abandoning bike travel, I guess it’s not cool. Too bad. They could have been the ones we were copying in a few years. Healthy and clean, I personally think are cool.

            I saw where there is no polar ice cap or something. Did you see where the Republicans stopped an increase in the minimum wage again? I heard it was the ninth time in like twelve years they have defeated a minimum wage increase, and it’s always party lines, the democrats for, the republicans against. It’s Bill Clinton’s fault.

            I try not to get political, but I just read a letter to the local paper by these two ladies who are trying to get more local power over the watershed. What they fail to mention is the way cattle farms and farmers are letting the riverbank erode by not establishing riparian zones. This should be the priority. The water itself should take precedent over the rights of landowners. The landowners are not demonstrating a tendency to change. Cattle farm owners could do much to stabilize and clean the river. But they don’t. A canoe trip down any river not in a national forest gives quick confirmation.

            The rain stops, infrequent drippings slow and stop. Now a mugginess

The Ass and the Old Shepherd

  A SHEPHERD, watching his Ass feeding in a meadow, was alarmed all

of a sudden by the cries of the enemy.  He appealed to the Ass to

fly with him, lest they should both be captured, but the animal

lazily replied, "Why should I, pray? Do you think it likely the

conqueror will place on me two sets of panniers?'  "No," rejoined

the Shepherd.  "Then," said the Ass, "as long as I carry the

panniers, what matters it to me whom I serve?' 

        In a change of government the poor change nothing beyond the name of their master

Indeed you should freely support the ideas of others if they are true and good, even if those ideas are quite different from the ones you have contributed. The clash of ideas brings forth the Spark of Truth.

June 22, 2006 

Hot morning on Spring River in Hardy. We trimmed redbud, hackberry, elm, hornbeam, oak and ash. Also removals of many of the same. We got out while it was still reasonably cool. A deep ravine by the river, shady and steep. Maintenance rules now, we must stay on top of the details, falling to repair with vehement expedience. Geezer’s face is dusty like a water buffalo in rut. I dropped a log on Lucy Lu.

            Tomorrow is Fayetteville, Panadox will shoot the final scenes for the documentary SPIRIT OF SEVENTY SIX. River adventures, armed with a new fishing pole, I plan to go after some trout at some point. Rebel Tree Care—work on tap for next week, Memphis trip brewing. EROSION—I need to jam, the last time I did it really sounded good. Rebel Word—attacking polluters and hypocrites with acid wit.

Respect the wisdom of the people in council. Once you give an idea to a council meeting it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the people. Respect demands that you listen intently to the ideas of others in council and that you do not insist that your idea prevail.

Had enough? Goto FALL 2006

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