What ever happened to masculine rites of passage?

The Lion Hunt Masai Warrior by David Russell

Though rites of passage have been around since the dawning of time, as a general theory of socialization the concept (and the term) was first formally coined by the French social scientist and anthropologist Arnold van Gennep.

In his book Les rites de passage, Arny (as I’ve taken the liberty to call him) used the phrase to denote rituals marking the transitional phase between childhood and full inclusion into a tribe or social group. Having not read the book myself, I will have to rely on my trusty internet information steed, Continue reading What ever happened to masculine rites of passage?

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My Little Victory Garden, Entry 12: Cleaning Out…Everything

These markers represent some of what is now planted in my summer garden.

Cleaning out the garden, the refrigerator, the cabinet, my neighbor’s garden…that’s what My Little Victory Garden life has been like for the past week.  I’m starting to use up the cabbage in my garden which leaves space for…peppers, Cucuzzi squash and cucumbers.  I’m starting to pull up and use my mature lettuce heads which will leave space for, well, more lettuce. And some late okra.  And we finished the summer garden bed so I can clean out the plants in my garage that have been waiting for a nice home.  I just need to hire an eco-friendly skip bin rental Adelaide for green waste removal services.

I’m incredibly pumped about the beautiful heirloom varieties I purchased in Guthrie.  I’ve been waiting for a good time to swing by Terra Cotta Garden Center on Division (I can’t even find a phone number for them!) because they carry a nice variety of Red Dirt Plants.  They’re large, strong and healthy and help me catch up on the growing time I missed.

Everyone goes through “cleaning out” periods in their kitchen’s, homes or gardens…so here’s what mine looked like on Sunday night when I started writing this post: 1) Hmmm, I think I’ve had that box of Green Chili Stew Mix since Christmas…2009; Continue reading My Little Victory Garden, Entry 12: Cleaning Out…Everything

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Meanwhile, Back at The Ranch: The Mother of All Garden Tools

Garden Tool
This little tool saves hours in the garden, so I can spend hours away from it.

It’s been said that the right tool makes every job easier.  I say, that, my friend, is a fact.

I spent many hours on Mother’s Day relocating my last year’s garden.  I discovered that mowing around it was a problem, so this year we decided to make a few adjustments.  Creating a new garden is easy enough, however, filling in the former garden spot with grass (not weeds) can be tough.  I had been working diligently relocating Bermuda grass when I remembered a garden tool I bought a couple of summers ago.

My husband calls this the “Weed Twister.”  It was purchased  because I refused to use weed killer in my yard.  We had finally begun to see some grass growing on our property, but it was accompanied by a monster weed that was virtually impossible to dig up.  I was spending ten or fifteen minutes digging up each weed.  I was not getting very far.  This tool helps get the job done.  The key is the claw at the bottom.  The claw is attached to a long pole so the gardener does not have to continuously bend over.  Simply stand over the weed, pound the tool into the ground over the weed, and twist. Do it again.  That should loosen it enough to get even the toughest weed out of the ground. Continue reading Meanwhile, Back at The Ranch: The Mother of All Garden Tools

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Silent Sunday: Mother’s Day, 2011

 

This wide angle shot is of my mother, my brother and I working in what appears to be a flower bed on the west side of our home, circa late 60s. Days like this probably encouraged me to like flowers. Thanks, mom. I do indeed like flowers.
This is my first born when she was four or five years old. When she was born (May 3, 1987), her bilirubin tests were showing very high results so we had to take her back to the hospital every day to get a blood test. I felt helpless as I held her screaming little body while they drew blood from her tiny foot. The first day we DIDN’T have to go to the hospital? Mother’s Day of that year. What a gift! I chose this photo because my eldest listens and watches everything, and when I look at this shot it encapsulates those observational and analytical qualities she has.

Continue reading Silent Sunday: Mother’s Day, 2011

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Coaching IS Worth It

My team and the people I'm most proud of.

A few months back, I wrote an article detailing all the reasons why people shouldn’t go into coaching.  You can read here about all the stresses and frustrations coaches have to put up with.  The pressure to win is overwhelming, rarely is anyone satisfied, and at almost every level of coaching you have someone telling you how to do your job.

Well, call me a flip-flopper if you want, but I have to disagree with my past self.  I think I was letting off some steam when I wrote that piece.  In fact, I know that was the case.  Truth is coaching has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life.

Why the sudden change of heart? Our high school tennis team had its year end banquet the other night and I always give a little speech about each one of my players.  As I was writing my remarks, I found myself smiling at all the stories, the inside jokes, and the closeness of our team.  I’m not going to remember our record, or where we finished in the conference standings.   Laughing with those guys on the bus rides and poking fun at each other on the practice court, those are the irreplaceable memories that take the work right out of the job.

How can I forget one of my sophomores asking, “Coach, will you take us to eat at Hooters? I promise we won’t tell anyone.”  How can I possibly describe the satisfaction of talking to one of my volatile freshman about maturity and character, then having him be the one to ask if he can stay after practice and if he could organize off-season workouts?  Of course, parents complained and sometimes the effort level in our practices wasn’t what it should have been.  There were several difficult days.  The kind of days when I lost my cool and I wondered if I was really having any kind of impact at all. Then there was the day when my lone senior told me how he hated tennis his first two years, how he thought about quitting because the team had no chemistry.  He said, “I’m so glad I didn’t Coach Loeber.  In these last two seasons, I’ve had more fun than at any other time in school.  I love this team, and I’m gonna miss you guys.”

And that’s when it hit me.  This is all worth it. Who cares about backhand technique or doubles strategy? In the end what matters are the friendships, and that’s why being a coach is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done.  I have a connection with a group of guys that will last forever, and they’ve made me a better man along the way.  The best part for me is watching them become young men with drive, passion, and integrity.

So I guess I get it now.  I understand why coaches go gray and lose their hair, Continue reading Coaching IS Worth It

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Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.