MIGHTY NEIGHBORLY...

If you follow a longitudinal line from my home in Nebraska over the North Pole and keep going, it will eventually bisect Sriyani’s native homeland of Sri Lanka. The two places couldn’t be farther apart. It is there, however, we have a little ‘spot in the country’ on this beautiful island outside the craziness of Colombo, the capital city. Since I have been introducing my neighbors, I thought I would share a shot of this Sri Lankan fella, whom I will be seeing shortly. We dodge him almost every day on the road where he herds his water buffalo to pasture near our abode.
He obviously stays cool as a cucumber in his tropical attire and if the weather heats up in Nebraska this summer, I will be introducing Richard (May 11 post) to that practical and sporty look.

…………on the road

Stay Cool,

Tom

SPEAKING OF NEIGHBORS

Meet the Nelson’s… Gary and Jenifer who live on our street are about the finest neighbors a man could ask for. They love God. They love their country and proudly fly the flag. They love each other and they love their dog, Marley. Here they are taking Marley for a drive in Gary’s customized 1957 GMC pickup truck (which is for sale, by the way, if you are interested). They all love to travel together and when the weather is fine they hit the road to customized car shows around the country.

Being homies we enjoy hanging out in the hood and Gary has kindly agreed to water my garden when I’m gone……..Keep an eye on those tomatoes, Gary……

See you soon,

Tom

HOWDY, NEIGHBOR

I like color. I like shooting colorful things. My friend Richard is one of the most colorful people I know. He accommodated me the other day for a little photo shoot/dance  around his house. Though he lives in the heart of the city, he certainly doesn't act like it. Richard is a landscape artist and a master collector of amazing pieces of unusual art...mostly nature crafted. He has a sharp eye for the unique. As you can probably see, stepping into Richard's world is like entering another dimension. Richard is a throwback to simpler days. He is helpful to a fault, always ready to share what he has and willing to lend a hand in any project. He knows all his neighbors, their kids and relatives, and genuinely stays in touch with all his friends. Richard wears no watch, and has never owned a computer nor a cellphone. He burns wood to stay warm in the winter and never shows up empty handed... and, if he sits you down, he'll tell you a thing or two. 

Ahhh, Nebraska....the good life...

Here's to you, Richard......

You go, Boy!!!!!!

Tom

THE WINDY CITY.....

  

Well, it didn't seem so windy while we were there, but it was definitely a whirlwind tour for us! Sriyani was required to make a personal appearance in Chicago with all her necessary paperwork in order to satisfy the French Embassy officials for a temporary tourist visa to Europe. So, we drove 1,000 miles out and back in 3 days, starting in Nebraska, just to hand over the papers to the lady behind the glass window on the 37th floor...hmmmm. Her job was to act officially stern and hassle applicants over some remote detail, apparently hoping to see us grovel a bit.  I'm pretty sure Sri Lankans are in some red flagged category due to their shared crafty nature and recent homeland insecurity. I don't know if Sriyani fits the profile, but she is definitely in the category. 

No worries, though. We had beautiful weather for driving and had a super day on Sunday! The highlight was unexpected. Right next door to our hotel, a major art event was taking place. Nearly 300 booths were occupied by art galleries from around the globe displaying the best of their wares. It was a real treat for those interested in visual arts. Later in the day we trotted on down to Millenium Park. I'd never been there before...really cool!!!  It was great to see everybody out and about with family, friends, and lovers all enjoying the beautiful spring weather together. 

Here are a few more shots of Chicago, from just the other day.......a nice place to visit indeed.......  

.....but, like Dorothy  said, 'There's no place like home!'

more from Lincoln in the next post,

Tom