Questions

I ask lots of questions.  I always have.  Often, people take my questions in the wrong way.

I question because I want to learn.  People sometimes take my questions to mean that I doubt what they are saying.  I really just want to understand.

My kids hated it when they were young because they were questioned about their day, about school, about other kids.  They thought I was prying into their lives.  The reality is that I was just curious.  To me knowledge is the key to doors that lead to better places.

It's not just questions.  I read a wide variety of material.  Certainly, I enjoy fiction, but I read a lot of non-fiction too.  Even fiction is a source of knowledge.  Creativity is stimulated by reality.  Science fiction is a great example.  Many things have appeared first in science fiction long before science was able to produce them -- rockets for one.  Concepts based on fragmentary knowledge often leads to creative linkages that lead discovery.

New discoveries begin with questions.  They begin with "what if" and "I wonder" and similar thoughts.

It doesn't just apply to science.  It applies to virtually everything.  We should be asking questions like, "What if the Peace with Iran fails?"  "How will policy change after the next election?"  "How will the New World Screwworm affect the cattle markets?"  "How can I help my grandchildren that will prepare them for the future?" and the list goes on.

I wish that everyone asked more questions.  Instead, it seems that our children are taught "not to question" but to simply obey.  As a parent I understand that.  For the military I understand that.  In society in general I believe it is a mistake.  We should respectfully question "authority" and others who wield power.  Far too many are manipulated by those who wield the power -- both economically and politically.  We need to be questioning them.

The flower below is a Crepe Myrtle.  It has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of this post, but I like it.  We have many growing on our place, but the photograph was taken yesterday about an hour away from here as we were traveling.  Now the obvious question is "Why were you traveling?"  The answer is curiosity.  We wanted to see what was out there.

 Things That Make You Go, "Hmmm...."

This morning I spied a duck on our pond.  It is a good way down to the pond and it was impossible for me to make out any detail -- even with the aid of binoculars.  It didn't look like any duck that I was familiar with.

We did a little quick research on the computer, and I still was unsure of what it might have been.  I suppose it will go in my "Hmm..." category for the day.  It was interesting, made me stop and think, but it remains in the unknown category for me.

I find that in a lot of things.  The Internet has made researching the unknown much easier than it once was.  I look up things frequently and often find that my preconceptions needed adjustment.  One of the keys to learning is to realize that what we know may not be accurate and must be refined as additional knowledge is accumulated.  With the duck in question, I can only hope that he returns to give me a better look at some point in the future.

They say that curiosity killed the cat, but I find curiosity to be the fire that kindles learning.  You likely will note in the things I write that I am curious about many subjects.  Sometimes my travels down the trails of trivia border on the ridiculous, but even those things can provide some minor enjoyment.

Yesterday I continued on my current task of cleaning up dead and fallen tree limbs and brush on our place.  The neglect of years created the opportunity for us to acquire this piece of land but also came with the added price of the work necessary to bring it up to our expectations.  Since we are currently not under a burn ban, I am trying to burn as much of the gathered debris as possible.

The photo below is the last of a pile of limbs that were present when we purchased the place.  We have only been out of the burn ban a short time which delayed me in disposing of them.  I took a photo of the fire late yesterday as I sat enjoying gazing into it.  I don't know what it is about a campfire, but most people enjoy gazing into the flames.  This morning as I looked at the photo before posting it here, I noticed that one of the stones bordering it is unique.  I don't know where it came from, but it appears to be a broken piece of statuary.  It's just one of those things that make me go, "Hmmm...."