This video needs no introduction…

The entire meteor episode only lasted for a second or two, but it was remarkable nonetheless. I hope somebody somewhere just happened to have a video camera running at the time because it sure would make a terrific news story!

The “Shot Heard ‘Round The World” catapulted Thomson’s image as a good, solid power hitter into that of a veritable baseball legend. Today, few baseball fans even remember the ensuing World Series (which the Yankees won in six games), but every true fan of America’s Pastime is familiar with that one giant swing of the bat that sent the Dodgers packing and the Giants on to the 1951 Fall Classic.

Bobby Thomson passed away last night at his Georgia home. He was 86.

The makers of “Gorilla Glue” advertise it as being the best super glue on the market so I decided to give it a try on a pair of shoes that had literally come apart at the seams. I purchased a bottle, then read the directions and followed them caredully as I glued the shoes back together. And after 6 weeks they are still together even though I do a lot of walking on a daily basis.

I’ve used Gorilla Glue on several other items as well, and the results have been spectacular. If it keeps performing as well as it has so far, Gorilla Glue will always be the only glue in my workshop even though it costs approximately double the price of most other brands.

The good Lord blessed us with a wonderfully refreshing shower this afternoon, and the result is a current temperature of 76 degrees instead of the 90′s that had made it so uncomfortable earlier in the day. What a great way to end the day!

Of course rain showers and thunderstorms can bring a sudden halt to backyard cookouts, ball games and other outdoor activities, but the good they bring certainly outweighs the bad. May we always strive to count our blessings when it rains instead of griping about such a wonderful gift.

The last few nights have been lit up by an amazing number of lightnin’ bugs. In fact, I believe there are more of the luminescent little critters than ever out and about  this summer. Last night the scene looked a lot like an open-air concert with thousands of flash bulbs going off simultaneously in a packed stadium.

I have always heard that a cold winter will result in fewer insects the following spring and summer, and we had a cold one here indeed. But it sure doesn’t seem to have hurt the lightnin’ bug population. And in my opinion that’s a wonderful thing.

Regardless of where we lived, we always had a fruit tree or two growing on our property, and at one point in time dad even had a small orchard growing on a hill behind our house “up in the holler” in Widener Valley, Virginia. He had apple trees, pear trees, peach trees, cherry trees, apricot trees…if it was a fruit tree he probably had it growing somewhere in that little orchard.

Weather permitting, most every morning he would walk among his beloved trees and inspect the blossoms and fruits hanging from the branches. He would carefully pinch off the ones that appeared to be damaged in some way, ensuring that the ones that remained would mature into large, healthy fruits for mom to “can” and for us to enjoy at the dining room table.

Dad’s favorite time of the year was spring, that wonderful season of renewal when the trees he had so lovingly planted and nurtured over the years awoke from their winter slumber and blossomed in all their colorful glory, promising a delightful harvest just a few short months down the road. He tended those blossoms as if they were babies, even going so far as to stay up all night and keep a fire burning in a “smudge-pot” to keep the tender buds on his peach trees from freezing on frosty spring nights. Although his efforts with the fires rarely paid off, he never gave up. After all, those peach blossoms were just as special to dad as the air he breathed.

My dad went to be with the Lord a decade ago, but his enduring love for fruit trees remains just as strong in my treasured memories as they have ever been. This morning as I took Houdini for his first walk, I noticed that the cherry, apple and pear trees that reside in my own back yard were putting on quite a remarkable show of their own. I’m sure dad was looking down from his home above enjoying the show right along with us.

If you have ever seen the incomparable Lightnin’ Charlie perform, you know what an incredible talent and all around great guy he is. If you haven’t, you simply don’t know what you’re missing.

Lightnin’ Charlie Dolinger has been delighting audiences with his unique style of singing and guitar work for decades. With an amazing ability to transition right from Marty Robbins to Fats Domino to Bill Monroe to Squire Parsons in an instant, you never know exactly what you’re going to hear next whenever Lightnin’ is on a stage, but you can rest assured that whatever it is will be simply outstanding!

Charlie’s latest release is the wonderful CD “Trust In God“, and in that grand Lightnin’ Charlie tradition he and his equally-talented wife Beth bring to life 13 of the greatest hymns and inspirational America song ever recorded. “Walk Dem Golden Stairs“, “I Saw The Light“, “America The Beautiful“, “How Great Thou Art” and nine other inspirational classics are delivered in the way that only the great Lightnin’ Charlie can deliver them.

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who love Lightnin’ Charlie, and those who haven’t had the good fortune to hear him yet. If you fall in the second group, you can take care of that right now by ordering “Trust In God“. Click here to visit Lightnin’ Charlie’s website and sample a few tracks from the CD!