Reflection……
It is now the second day of December, and I thought a blog might be appropriate during our first significant snowstorm of the year. I’m not a “snow” lover but I would prefer it over a day of freezing rain and ice. This snow is a good protector for the greens. The rain can start again in March.
As I read back over my past December blogs, it was a great motivator to get these monthly “thoughts” back on track. Basically, the last three years of December blogs can be summarized as “Helping, Time and Gone but not forgotten.” It is going to be tough to beat last year’s tribute to all the special people that impacted my life but here we go.
A quick update of the projects that we are working on at LKCC. The driving range is cleared out for the giant tee box, parking area and golf ball dispenser shack. The electrician is working with CMP to get us power to the site. We have expanded the 8th tee box, doubled the size of the 3rd tee box and working on expanding the 2nd tee box. This 2nd tee box expansion is a big project. You will probably see the work being completed in the spring. We have always sprayed our greens and tees with a “snow mold” fungicide but this year we decided to spend funds to spray the whole course. It will be interesting to find out if it gives our fairways a jump start in the spring.
As far as I can tell, the best thing about getting old is the ability to reflect back over your life and everything that people have taught you. My father and grandfather (Bob Littlefield) were certainly the most influential people in my life. Events in people’s lives are what shape them for life. The fishing, hunting, “having a catch” in the back yard, traveling to Boston for a Bruins game, weekly family dinner at The Howard Johnson’s and all the life lessons taught with endless conversation. My father was the greatest hunter that I have ever known. He never owned a tree stand, a game camera, buck lure, a rattle call or a grunt call. He hunted by walking in the woods. There was never a year that he did not harvest a deer and the only days off to hunt were Thanksgiving and Saturdays. It is certainly a lost art.
As one reflects on time that has passed, it is easy to find many things that have changed over time. People say, “inflation is inevitable” and all things will go up in price. Have you bought a television lately? They keep going down in price. Who knew? I vividly remember bringing a bottle of water to my grandfather’s house after school one day. He was beside himself that I had a bottle of water. “No one in their right mind would ever pay money for a plastic bottle with water in it” he stated. I’m not going to say that Grampa was wrong but I’m quite sure that we sold about 12,000 bottles at LKCC this year.
I can remember when I was a kid always hearing from my father about flood plains, protected wetlands and swamps that were great for hunting but not for building or developing. I can remember 25 years ago driving with my father-in-law to Scarborough Downs to watch some horse races. As we drove in the entrance road he would always explain: “All this land is swamp land and can never be developed. That will always keep the racetrack by itself and that is good.” I would look out the window and see all the standing water in the swamp and believe every word he said. If you have a chance to drive in the old entrance road to the Downs, I would recommend it. You will see a small city and a Costco where the swamp used to be. Things sure do change over time.
My father was the oldest of 5 children. My grandparents had him and Aunt Phyliss in the late 1930s. My grandmother was pregnant again and in those days, I guess you just dropped the women off at the hospital and waited for a call. They had just lived through The Great Depression and times were very tough. The phone rang and grampa answered it. The doctor told him that he had another healthy baby boy. My grandfather, father and aunt were very pleased. In about 10 minutes the phone rang again but my father answered. My grandfather asked him who it was. My father said, “It is the doctor, and you have another son (twins)!” My grandfather looked at my father with that dry sense of humor and said “Azel tell the doctor not to call back again!”
I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. Be thankful for all you have and rejoice in the memories of family and friends that are no longer with us. God Bless you All!
Yours in Golf,
Brad
