Don't Throw Rocks At The Swans

"No throwing rocks at the swans!" That is what the park ranger in Yellowstone told Ron and his brother-in-law Mike. Not that they were actually throwing rocks at the swans. Well, not really rocks and not really throwing. These 2 photography buffs were simply tossing tiny pebbles into the pond near the graceful, sleeping swan and her sweet cygents. The goal was to get them to lift their heads for the perfect camera shot. With their 7 children watching, they would not throw rocks at the swans. What am I saying, they would never even consider throwing rocks at those beautiful swans. But that did not stop Ranger Rick from giving them a firm talking to about their behavior.

"Don't step on the living dirt!" That is what a New York tree hugger told Ron when we were in Arches National Monument. Living dirt? I thought dirt was dirt. Maybe there were some itty bitty critters living in the dirt. Our family of 6 was walking up the trail to the magnificent arches in Utah. What an incredible sight! Ron stepped 1 foot off the asphalt path to get a better angle for a picture with arches in background and 4 wiggly kids in the foreground. OOPS! "Don't step on the living dirt!" I thought the guy was going to punch Ron out. Amazing!

It is sometimes embarrassing when we get reprimanded as adults, especially in full view of our own kids. No one ever wants to get stopped by a police officer with kids in the backseat. These 2 incidents ended up being quite amusing. Ron respectfully apologized to the park ranger and refrained from clobbering the New Yorker.

I am not sure how he will feel about me sharing his embarrassing moments. But you know, he is the guy who video taped me getting a speeding ticket. Guess that makes him fair game!

In Him,
Joyful
3-25-2010