Comments on: Simple Pleasure: Where Do You Find It?

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 29 Oct 2016 05:55:53 +0000

In reply to Arthur. I think Pennsylvania is still a long ways off from being a grow state. But like you say -- who can tell.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 00:37:27 +0000

The way things are going, they may just start growing, grass. Maybe even in PA, who can tell.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 00:41:34 +0000

In reply to Bryce Lee. I try to accept whatever comes along and avoid the "just so" stuff. I end up disappointed if I expect things to work out a certain way. Can't always get my head to that place but it remains a worthwhile goal for me.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 00:36:48 +0000

In reply to Mike. I love riding and noticing the different smells. Cut grass, hay, trees and flowers in bloom. Just amazing. Never notice that stuff while I'm driving a car. Riding is, as you say, an amazing respite...

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 00:35:16 +0000

In reply to maestro. We had the same milkbox on our front store when I was growing up. I remember the sheer joy of stopping the milk truck and buying a quart of chocolate milk! That was living large for a kid.

By: Bryce Lee

Bryce Lee — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 14:11:57 +0000

Clean living and simple pure thoughts?
Yep, maybe, perhaps.
Thing is, “they” all have to come together “just so!”

Otherwise all for naught.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 23:29:06 +0000

Well put Steve and great photos! My simple pleasure today was a short ride of maybe 30 minutes. Just some back roads near my house, houses quietly going by in a blur. Once in awhile I would ride past a lawn just mowed and the smell just filled my helmet and heart. An amazing respite from the chores of a Saturday.

By: maestro

maestro — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 23:27:13 +0000

Your photo of the glass milk bottle reminded me of my childhood in the 1960s, when there was a milkbox on our front porch and the milkman drove into the yard every couple of days and filled it with glass bottles of milk, sealed with little paper caps. It was always a race to get the milk out of the box in the middle of a Maine winter, before it could freeze — although my little brother and I always enjoyed crunching up the milk ice if we got to it a bit too late! Thanks for the great memories, and glad to hear that your back is on the mend!

By: Bill+H.

Bill+H. — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 16:47:11 +0000

Hi Steve: I’m glad that you are back in the saddle. If there is anything good to be gained from adversity, it reminds us that there are many simple pleasures we take for granted when things are good.

By: David Eakin

David Eakin — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 15:39:43 +0000

“it’s a simple pleasure that requires only an investment of time on my part. Time that, in almost every case, returns far more value than the cost of admission.”
As I’ve grown older, this simple statement has become much more relevant. It has been far too easy in my past to get tied up with projects, career, etc. that “requires only and investment of my time” but became much more an anchor that prevents me from doing something else that “returns far more value”. Case-in-point: I need to continue work on a bedroom renovation (complete gut/rehab) rather than go to a local art festival because 36 years ago we bought a 1930’s house that “just needed a little work”. Years ago I had a conversation with a friend who was involved with wholesale plumbing contracting. He told me that there was tremendous residential building going on in the Reading, PA area. I asked, “What’s going on in Reading that is drawing people to that area?” He said, “People were moving there from Northern New Jersey to build grand country homes for their families. They would drive back to New Jersey, take the train into New York and return every weekday – about 4 or more hours commute each way.” So my advice for all the young professionals in my live is – value your time. You can’t save it or give it to someone else. And you will do something with it regardless – make sure it returns value.