Born in the Big Sky Country of Montana and now living in the Buckeye State of Ohio, Richard is the creative mind behind Big Sky Buckeye. Retired after 40 years of teaching, I enjoy writing, photography, traveling, and following a healthy lifestyle.
This photo was taken at the annual Scarlet and Gray Spring Game at Ohio State’s renowned Horseshoe back in 2015. Nearly every seat was filled for what was basically a scrimmage and practice. Go Bucks!
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Nadia Comaneci
I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.
A tautogram is text in which all words start with the same letter. Historically, most tautograms are written in poetic form. The above tautograms are written in the Japanese-inspired style of Haiku.
Under the infinite Big Sky, many bloggers have found their way into my midst. As writers, artists, people of faith, lovers of life, and a nearly unlimited collection, these amazing people share themselves, their craft, and their positive outlook.
Today, I feel grateful in sharing three WordPress bloggers whom I regularly visit. Each is worthy of a large box of Buckeyes (peanut butter balls covered in chocolate) for adding delicious sweetness to others’ lives.
Matt is a devoted teacher who confidently shares his Christian faith. He inspires others with his witness of faith to God’s gift of strength and perseverance.
Daryl follows a regular posting schedule with his poetry. His unique style has produced a bonanza of Christian poems, filled with God’s Word and truth.
Steve hails from Canada, and he writes regularly about the beauty and charm from where he lives. His enjoyment in writing produces stories, life narratives, and poetry, and his photography adds a wonderful look at the flora and fauna of the area.
I think of myself as the “Top Cat” around this house. Mr. and Mrs. Wynter brought me home from a shelter about two years ago. They love skiing up on the big mountain, and they adore their cats even more . . . with one exception.
Me!! Yes, you got it. I always seem to be in trouble around here. My female cousins, Sky and Birdie, are treated like royalty. Can you imagine two cats being treated like a pair of princesses?
Well . . . I want to tell you my side of the story.
My given name is Revel, which isn’t such as bad name. While Sky is sometimes curious and Birdie is shy, I love the adventure of roaming and exploring the house.
A few days ago, I am in the garage with Mr. Wynter. He doesn’t seem to notice me as I glide along the garage door rails high above the floor. I can be quite the acrobat while walking this tightrope.
I enjoy chasing and teasing my cousins, especially Birdie. She is so timid, but she doesn’t seem to mind it when I am pulling a chunk of hair from her back. I have a cool collection of her hair stashed under the bed in the spare bedroom. Mr. and Mrs. Wynter haven’t vacuumed there for months.
Sky likes to pull open drawers in just about any room. I encourage her to open as many as possible. When she’s finished, I move in and pull objects out of the drawer with my mouth. It’s so much fun to leave a mess in every room of the house.
When Mr. and Mrs. Wynter eat dinner, I join them by jumping up on the dining table. They become easily annoyed with me so I have to be quick to jump back down to the floor. It’s sort of like playing “cat and mouse.”
Last week, I helped Mrs. Wynter do some baking. When she would turn her back, I would jump up on the kitchen counter. Have you ever seen a cloud of sifted flour float through the air?
It seems that everyone in the house has grown tired of my adventures. They call it mischief.
Oh my! The life of a “Top Cat” needs to be an exciting venture.
Last night, I climbed up on a bookshelf high above the master bedroom floor. There was a pot with a houseplant in it. I just couldn’t help myself. I pulled and pulled with my teeth and claws until most of the plant and dirt flew out and landed on the bed.
I guess I may have gone a bit too far this time. Mr. and Mrs. Wynter have been dressing me today in a prison outfit, complete with black and white stripes. I look more like a convict instead of a “Top Cat.”
Snickering at my unfortunate circumstances, Sky and Birdie now call me Rebel.
Hey, I am innocent until proven guilty! P.S. My name isn’t Rebel . . . It’s Revel!
My youngest daughter and her husband provide a home for three rescued kittens (now full-grown cats). Revel, Sky, and Birdie enjoy their new home. And yes, Revel does have his moments. The photos of Revel were taken by my daughter.
Are you debating whether to take a step in faith in Jesus or to wait until you can see how to do the thing yourself? Obey Him with glad reckless joy.
From John 11:7-9: “Then after this He said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to Him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.'”
The inspiration for this poem comes from an essay written by William E. Farr, “Troubled Bundles, Troubled Blackfeet: The Travail of Cultural and Religious Renewal.” This essay is part of a larger collection of writings that link Montana’s past with its future in the book, MONTANA LEGACY.
Courtesy of Pinterest.
Facing an uncertain world
Life asking questions of “when”
Intertribal wars threaten
Hostile danger setting in
Preserving Blackfeet culture
Each passing generation
Saving sacred heritage
Hold for next generation
Ritual artifacts cache
Spiritual lives won’t rest
Supernatural visions
Medicine dreams will attest
Honoring warrior life
Holy treasures speaking out
Collected and safeguarded
Sacred bundles carry clout
Filling with key elements
Common and natural sought
Feathers, hides, shells, horns added
Teeth, wood, bones . . . each with a thought
Passing on these rituals
Mother Earth, Creative Sun
Guarding life’s sacred relics
Legacy, father to son
Sample of a bundle’s contents (courtesy of Pinterest).
Success is a result of consistent practice of winning skills and actions. There is nothing miraculous about the process.
The only important statistic is the final score.
Bill Russell played professional basketball for the Boston Celtics in the 1950s and 1960s. He was the consummate team player, but his leadership helped his teams earn championships in the Olympics, NCAA (twice), and NBA (11 titles). He became the first African-American coach in NBA history, and as player-coach, he led his beloved Celtics to two more championships.
Big Sky Buckeye 