Clean Slate

   I am the plan man. It is both a self-designated title and one also agreed upon by my family. I am always on the lookout for a new place to see, thing to do or route to take. Though not a traveling gypsy, I was raised on the road. My Mom was a school teacher which gave her lots of vacation time that obviously neatly coincided with the schedule of both me and my sister. I got used to driving the 12 hours one way to and from Milan, Tennessee and my hometown of Hartsville, South Carolina at least once a year if not twice. Then the 8-10 hour treks to Zephyrhills, Florida were also regular occurrences. I would initially fight my sister for the front seat and she would always win the battle. I never really wanted the front seat. I preferred the vast expanses of my Mom's Ford LTD backseat to the front seat but when a chance was presented to antagonize my sister, I jumped at it.   I have never been one to get car sick. I can ride, drive, sleep, eat, read and be fine in the Appalachians

Jesus Saves. Simple and true. Two words that can change an eternal life. Two words that when accepted, believed, trusted and obeyed have the power to change today, tomorrow and beyond.    Spurred by the insight and humor of my hometown friend's blog, http://redneckineurope.blogspot.com/ , I have finally decided to activate and use this blog. I named it back in my days as a wine and spirits salesman. Clean Slate Riesling was a personal favorite of mine. A fine and affordable example of what quality Riesling can be. My wife enjoyed it too. I will still use the title because it can certainly lend itself to other thoughts. The wine was clean and crisp and the grapes ripened on slate-covered hills with the sun reflecting off of the stones and the stones themselves making sure that the growth of the vines was not as simple as growing vines in the sun-drenched California soil.    The vines have to struggle. They can't just grow like gangbusters and produce copious amounts of fruit