garyfultz

On My Watch

After 72 wilderness adventures to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, I can say with absolute 50% confidence that I am more aware of potential dangers then on trip #1. The other 50% has to do with the unpredictable nature of the wilderness. This is a picture of such danger

A nice portage and entry into the next lake. Obviously, there is current and a rapids runs between the lakes. The danger: once past the last log, there is a very strong current that can pull a canoe down the deep part of the rapids. The river is deep, roiling and turns a sharp corner against the rocks and tree roots. Stay to the left and it’s safe. Push the canoe out before looking for one’s paddle and the canoe will subtly but swiftly begin to be sucked toward a point of “no return.” One could lose more than their fishing rod going down those rapids.

We watched it happening. A group of teenagers came through with two adults. We held back to give them space to get through the portage. The last canoe to push out beyond the logs did not pick up their paddles. No awareness of the water moving them toward the rapids. Our group expected the adults to take charge quickly. No awareness on the adult part either. I took charge.

“Start paddling or the current will suck you down” I yelled. Puzzled looks came from all the canoes of the teen group. “Paddle on the right side” I yelled and kept yelling. The teen had picked up his paddle as he began to panic but only shifted it back and forth...”paddle right side” I yelled. He did. A couple of hard strokes from both teens and they propelled forward and grounded on an underwater rock but had gone into less current. They somehow made it out of danger.

We took our turn at the portage as it’s a bottleneck portage in the wilderness. Most groups in this particular entry point use this portage to camp in the next huge lake or go through to disperse into the hundreds of lakes nearby. Four of us chose to travel each day for a total of 25 portages and 55 miles.

“Life lesson guys” I said. “We all know people who didn’t intend to be sucked into the point of no return with life stuff. Drugs, having affairs and wrecking marriages, poor friends, gambling and so on. Then there is the spiritual area. Life is dangerous without any awareness, much less any relationship with our creator. This little moving water doesn’t look dangerous. The point of no return is closer than anyone thinks. End of sermon…let’s go”

We talked of other life lessons on our wilderness trip. Later on, as we were meeting friends and family, I said to my 16-year-old grandson Aron…”Hey, tell them a story and the life lesson from our BWCA trip. He did. Proud Grandpa here!

Gary

Wilderness Wander

55 miles and 25 portages in a canoe in the wilderness. Trip #72 for me. I guess I qualify as an old guy carrying a canoe (portaging) or paddling through the rugged wilderness known as the Boundary waters Canoe Area Wilderness. I marked our route taken and took a picture. I did not keep track of all the miles covered looking for campsites that only exist on my very outdated map.

Our little group of 4 experienced challenge, growth, pain, exhilaration, great conversations and life lessons seen in nature. I hope to mull these over for a while and explore how to put some of this into worthwhile telling, seeing and hearing. For now a pre-taste is all I can offer in a few pictures. Enjoy. Click for enlarging and forwarding on slide show. You need to be on the word site to make pictures work.

A physical challenge. Deeply spiritual. Senses overloaded. Relationally priceless. My grandson will remember many life lessons and experiences for his whole life. A part of my life will continue through him long after I am gone. The ripples from one side of life continue to the other shore.

Gary

More to come

Winter Spring Summer

All in 30 days. 3 seasons duked it out. Sub zero temperatures to ninety degrees (f). Now it’s spring again today it was frosty in places as the sun came out to warm the new plants. Click on winter pictures to enlarge and forward. captions should show up as well. Our spring winter storm came with high winds and colored us a deep white.

Spring again for a couple days yielded to extreme heat for northern Minnesota. mosquitoes and wood tics loved the heat. I about died. Thankfully after a few days spring came back from the arctic I assume. Buds, leaves and flowers said “YES” in unison. My camera finally quit shivering and said “lets do it”. Below is a gallery of spring around our place. I spent a couple days in rain and sun taking a few shots whenever the winds would die down...enjoy

Every variety of plant seems to have it’s own shade of green. The creative variety is absolutely astounding. I am peering at specific pieces of nature, framing with my camera and focusing on one of a million objects to pick. I must admit honestly that I am on sacred ground.

Gary

Did you see my only indoor shot of the petunia and the window reflection? How about the moon rolling down the spruce limb? Did you ever wonder why a woodpecker spends time pecking in the lawn? Can you find the 5 kinds of very small spring flowers that grow in the lawn grass? Oh, and I think that tom turkey needs help finding the flock of hens…maybe they ditched him.

Creativity Challenged

Sheets of rain covered the ground. Little rivers began to wander where they shouldn’t. They wandered back and forth in strange directions from my perspective. “Little rivers of creativity” I thought. “I resemble this”. I sit with my computer to write, or slide onto the piano seat with pen and paper to write a song. I hope one of those little rivers of brand-new creativity flows from me straight and true upon my command. Maybe you can relate??

Yes, my water stream froze overnight…like my creativity sometimes

Awhile back I published a piece that stutter-started and flowed here and there out of my inner being. Just the words of a song. The music flowed. Most of the words came together. I was excited because I had always wanted to just hit a strong chord that demanded immediate resolve and start singing.

I wanted a piano interlude that challenged my poor stubby fingers (from an accident when young). I wanted deep meaning words from a simple concept title. I wanted three different musical types that would fit together as well as make the musician be inspired enough to repeat parts that seemed meaningful as the audience participated (I hoped they would as a natural response). I wanted a lot.

Don’t we all want a lot? We want to connect those big and little rivers of creativity with others. We want to make a difference. We all have our own list of outcome ingredients. Me? I want to be what the song suggests…in a good enough place to sing for my creator. I’m just thankful when my little rivers on earthy mind come together into a semblance of song…hope you enjoy this trickle of music, your style or not. A simple YouTube recording. I put a mic on the camera … Anytime Anywhere

Gary

I had had published the words on my Gods Ways Are Different Blog…this is a follow up with the music.

Seasonal War

Most of our snow is melted. Lakes are still frozen. The apple, birch and maple buds are bulging. Maple trees are starting to be tapped for the second time. It’s spring on the Calendar. Winter will still say “not so fast bucko” and storm away a couple more snowfalls (weather app proves me right…yep don’t go there).

Meanwhile, most things look dead. A walk in the woods confirmed that I would not get much for exciting spring photo shots, but there’s hope. Hey, people like hope. We were created with hope downloaded for all that wars the mind, soul and body.

I took a few shots of the dead, dying and hope. just click to enlarge and scroll.

I don’t know why some maples grow with black and white bark. I wonder why the trumpeter swans come north to lakes with solid ice. I don’t know how totally hollow ash trees can still be alive and thrive for decades or why some grass stays green all winter. I look at a spring sunrise glowing through the balsam boughs and see that the ice puddles have lost their water underneath to soak into the ground. I know that spring is coming. It’s a “sure hope” based on little evidences everywhere. Even if it snows again and again, it will melt, and the maple sap will run, and the buds will bloom or leaf out. I know.

The trumpeter swans know that the ice one night will turn into a liquid by morning. The deer will drop their fawns soon, the leaf growth will turn the woods green and the forest floor will grow green and turn all autumn leftovers into humus. Every year the war is fought and won by spring. Winter can only beat fall.

Every spring I take my walks into this seeming dead zone and think of the template of our physical and spiritual struggles. Natures template with sure outcomes. God’s Easter template with a sure outcome. I would love to bring you along sometime. These kinds of discussions work well around the campfire or just over coffee.

The Easter war. The death. The resurrection. A sure victory. The deception war over Jesus resurrection, Still raging. Like where I live in the Northwoods, winter and spring still raging. Spring wins. God wins, a sure hope. I know.

Gary

Afterthought: I cannot take a picture of God, neither can I take a picture of wind. Then again…maybe I have.

Appearances

Looks cold. Looks windy. It was. I opened both house doors to get outside and hung on. Our little dog Buddy whined and then said in perfect dog English “can I just use your bathroom?” We walked sideways for two miles down the 300-yard-long drive to the mailbox. Well, I walked while Buddy did one mile in his slippery booties on the hardpack icy driveway. The other mile Buddy chased a rabbit that sat under the sawmill while watching this little white dog run in place at the end of his leash. I cheered Buddy on and pulled the leash toward the mailbox in the -60 (f) crosswind.

I stood in front of the mailbox mumbling “neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet…” The mail slogan must have changed or maybe a two-day holiday I don’t know about. Maybe they are trying to work from home? When I raced Buddy home he cheated by leaving a slipper at the mailbox. I retrieved it while he watched from the picture window. I am quite sure I made him feel bad as I also picked up several sticks from the snowbanks that he refused to bring back to me over the last cold week. Buddy is the only dog I know that grins when he feels bad.

Sigh…There are so many things in this world that are not what appears to be. So many people…I had the oddest thought while buddy was running in place at the end of the leash “don’t judge me by my dog”. I suppose that goes for parents and kids, teachers and students, and yes… Jesus and his followers. I’m one of them. Sometimes I run in place and get nowhere thinking I’m somebody. Of course, none of us really mean to be who we are when we are not being nice

I did become more vulnerable as I accepted an invitation to Matt Kohrell’s podcast…The question is “do I appear competent? Do I really mean what I say? Do I? You can peek and judge here at https://jesusluvsall.org/2025/02/22/interview-with-gary-fultz-of-garyfultz-com/

I did talk fishing a bit on Matt’s podcast as it is getting warmer. I celebrated by going fishing through 33″ of ice on the lake. I even caught supper…yes, I have pictures.

Gary

By the way, fried up northern pike fish eggs this time of year are great (depends on who you ask). I caught this pike on a spoon hook with 30 lb test line tied to a stick I cut from the woods…It works…click on the fish picture to enlarge

Expression

My thoughts through a camera lens as family opened gifts.

A creation word. Expression. Facial art in a smile, frown or other muscle configuration. Frost, snow, rain, rays of sun on landscapes and filtering through grasses or dense forests. Genesis. “In the beginning God created” it all. Wow…our kids express this…Love, Joy, Peace and sometimes patience is a real thing in this family. I wish I could take the DNA credit. Only God can do that. Evidence in expression.

I put together a slide show of a week of the expressive in my life here in northern Minnesota. I came away feeling blessed with family, beauty and an appreciation for good winter wear. Click on any picture to enlarge. hit the side arrows to advance.

Caught unaware, we and all of creation seems to be expressing the moment. Looking over a couple hundred pictures, I was deeply moved to see the love and laughter, with the banter, our kids and grandkids have for one another. They reflect God’s love and care in everyday expression.

A good start for 2025. I think there are hints of God’s character in natures expressions. I’m hoping there is in mine.

Gary

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good….” Genesis 1:31

When Life Is Cold

I am reminded how cold life can get. Four recent funerals came and went between friends and family and a couple more will come soon. We all die, and I ask myself how much I have really lived. How much am I really living now?? Maybe that’s not even a good question. How warm are my relationships with family, friends and God? This might be a better question.

I thought the question was worth a post with some cold pictures weather wise. One should have a warm heart otherwise. What or who makes your heart warm? Will that warmth last forever? We were created for that forever kind of warmth. Something way beyond our imagination (my thoughts as I sit with a grieving friend).

Currently the lakes are frozen, and the migrating birds are gone. For us it’s winter. Our snow might last somewhere between mid-march… to almost May 2025. Occasionally we get a January thaw as a teaser for a couple weeks to lure the retired folks back from a beach somewhere.

I took a few pictures to share in case you might want a winter vacation this way. I think we have a great place to enjoy as long as you bring some warm clothes and love some crisp air…click on one to enlarge into slide show.

“I’m missing my wife’s presence” said my friend as we shared coffee in his house. “Thanks for the firewood. I had no time to get ready for winter while caring for her.”

We just sat and warmed up after unloading firewood. “I don’t know how people make it through hard times in life without God” said my friend. “Life can be cold”…I agreed. “She just changed clothes. She exchanged her mortal for the immortal model….sigh”

Gary

Meandering Through Autumn

To meander is anticultural. Think about being in the grocery store or on the freeway. These people grate on society. Bill yourself as a “meandering comedian” and you will be hustled off stage by a “handler.” Stop to take pictures of a flower on a state park walking trail and you will soon hear “out of my way, coming through,” as a 90 -old-skinny granny with two walking sticks glares by. “What part of walking trail do people not understand?” she loudly mutters.

Stories like this keep me off the beaten path. I meander like most of nature does. “Rabbit trails” are a bad thing in public speaking. Real rabbits can travel a mile and only go 40 yards. Deer zig zag as they forage through the woods. It seems only predators in the woods cover ground like us humans. I think I have only learned how to meander when I have a camera in hand, thus I can show you a gallery of pictures (click any one for enlarging to a slide show). Come meander with me. Maybe you would change some of the captions (seen in the slide show).

Take time to meander. Explore the depths of our culture’s thoughts beyond the sound bytes. Relationships need meandering time. This year has blown by like our hiking granny. Be mesmerized by God’s creation around us…trust meandering to allow you into the depths of life and your purpose for being here.

My wife and I are going to meander through the woods today for a few hours. Have an adventure. Talk. Build our relationship. Fun times.

Gary

SEASONED

Wilderness canoe expedition #70 for me. The visible part of me made it back to civilization. Reflections from one’s memories shimmer and dissipate quickly unless held onto by my minds pondering hands.

I still see the first light stealthily through the thick fog. I replay the invisible swan honks, haunting loons, beaver slaps, eagles chirping, fish splash and otter chatter in surround sound. Very wild. A part of me will never leave.

The imagination memory reflections are as real as the landscape refracted on the still waters. Be still my soul….

Gary

more to come when I process about 300 pictures and gather some memories and thoughts as I unpack. I sure hope I don’t find a stowaway chipmunk in one of my packs…I’ll post more free downloadable pictures on my unsplash site