Remembering Mama

One year ago today, celebrating her birthday.

I Thank my niece Diane for sending this poem to me. I have read it many times but this year is has more meaning to me. You see my Mom is spending..

Her first Christmas In Heaven.

I see the countless

Christmas trees,

Around the world below

With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,

Reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,

Please wipe away the tear,

For I am spending Christmas with

Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs

that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can't compare

with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you

the joy their voices bring

for it is beyond description

To hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me

I see the pain inside your heart

But I am not so far away,

We really aren't apart

So be happy for me, dear ones

You know I hold you dear,

And I'm glad I'm spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,

from my heavenly home above

I sent you each a memory

of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious

than pure gold.

It was always most important

In the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other

As my Father said to do,

For I can't count the blessing or love,

He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas

And wipe away that tear.

Remember, I am spending Christmas with

Jesus Christ this year.

Happy Birthday to our Beautiful Mom. We do miss you.

Who Will be Home for Christmas?

As I was growning up, it was always expected that we would go to our Grandmothers homes for Christmas. Of course we all lived in the same community and it was a simple thing to do. We would visit with one family for a feast at noon and then go to the other Grandmothers for late afternoon visiting and leftovers. I thought that was the thing to do.

My mothers family was small. She had 4 brothers but one lived far away and one had not married. The other two brothers married late in life and their children were all younger than I was. If there were 15 at Grandma C's house, it was a crowd. This was not true in My Dad's family. Dad was number 7 of 8 children and by the time that I was three, there were great grandchildren in the family. We ate in shifts at Grandma R's. It was not unusual for there to be at least 3 to 4 dozen for a holiday meal. We kids would sit up and down the stairs, and even on the floors in the upstairs rooms. Grandmas never used paper plates either. Maybe that is why we ate in shifts....we had to wait on clean dishes.

The first Christmas after the Rancher and I married, we went to his Grandmothers for dinner. It was so quiet, There were only 8 people there county Me. No noises, You could pass the food around the table where everyone could sit at one time. It was not like any holiday meal I had experienced before. The Rancher was very kind and suggested that we go to Grandma's for supper. He didn't know what he was infor. It was standing room only in her dining and living room. All of the cousins and their families were there. He was as overwhelmed with that experience as I was with having dinner with no one there.

Through the years the program changed, Our grandmothers turned the jobs over to their children to have their own families in their own homes. For several years my own family has came home for the holidays. They don't always come on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day but they come home. It is where they want to be at this time of year. They also like to have a special time with their children in their own homes.

We enjoy our time at home too. We reflect on holidays past and recall the fun times through each generation. We attend services at one of local churches on Christmas eve. We visit with the Ranchers Mother and have a quiet supper or dinner with just 4 or 5 people. It is pleasant and at this age, I enjoy the peacefulness of the season.


We celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. My house has a tiny Christmas tree this year. The bulk of the family won't be here until New Years. Day. A big trea takes a lot of space and my collection of Nativties don't. I sit them out and enjoy them all. My son-in-law brought me one from Kenya this year. It is very primitive and of course the figures are long legged and black in color. I love it. I also have a special one from Uraguay. Jesus was for all people. He is in the hearts of all who have allowed him to be. The style and shape of the manger scene is what is in the eyes of the beholder. I saw one with longhorn steers this week. With this, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope that your home is filled with laughter from your children and grandchildren. If they can't be with you.....listen with your heart and you will hear their voices ring. In it all, let Jesus be present with you.

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband. For 48 years we have shared our lives together. We were just a couple of kids 7 months out of high school when we wed. There was no need to wait. The Rancher always wanted to be a rancher and farmer and I always knew I would be a ranchers wife. After all these years I love him even more than I did then. You know I think young people don't really know what love is until they go through a lot of things in life. Love is what withstands all of the ups and downs, ins and outs, laughter and tears, and the happy times and sad ones. We have been through a lot of these things.

We have had a partnership from the beginning. I learned how to do all of the things that were necessary to be a partner in this operation and he helped me with the kids and house. This wasn't so in the beginning . One day the Rancher complained about never spending time with the kids and I thought that I never had a break from them. He taught me to drive the tractor and I would go to the field while he worked around the shop or spent time with the kids. This was usually for about 4 hours a day. In time, the kids got older and I could just farm all day if I wanted to. That was okay as he had a off farm job by that time and, we were partners.

When we were dating, I thought my sweetie was really in the money, I learned that he had spent it all on me before we were married. We had a short honeymoon at a nearby town and ate shrimp and steak for our meal. I had a conversation with a friend this summer and she mentioned where they had spent their honeymoon and where they ate their first meal and I had to laugh.....We had been to the same place.

If you are reading this my dear husband, Thanks for all the fun. It has been great and if I had to do it all over again, I would do it with you. You know the song,"Livin' on Love". That's us, two old people....Where did the time go?

What Season is This?

What season is this???? It is rightfully the time of year that we as Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a Holy Season and a time of feeling drawn closer to our family and friends.

The real celebration of Christmas has long been lost in the commercialism of our society. It is a time for merchants to make a profit of the sales in their stores. It is a time of supporting trade with China and other countries that have caused our own factories to close. It is a time.......Well, here I go and I suppose that I sound a lot like Scrooge did but that is not my intention.Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for me and my family. It does break my heart to see what it has become. As I shopped yesterday and earlier in the season, I searched for Nativity Sets. It is my custom to give the newlyweds in my family a nice Nativity on their first Christmas. I could not find one in the stores that I visited. I can remember when there was an entire section filled with them. I have several Nativity sets from primitive looking to elegant, but the favorite is one purchased at the local variety store when The Rancher and I were newly weds.

We were married just before Christmas and spent our first anniversary doing our Christmas shopping and going home and decorating our tree. It was and still is a special time for us. I have to start my shopping a little earlier as our family has grown in size and I don't do too well doing it all at once anymore. Back to the beginning and the "Reason for the Season". Isn't the gift that God has given to us more precious than anything that man has made? I love the Christmas story and I think as I grow older it means more to me. God gave His precious Son who in turn gave His all for us. We are so undeserving of such love. We are also so Thankful for this plan that God had for us.

As a child, I remember our own cardboard creche. My sister had gotten it from selling Christmas cards. Maybe she bought it, but anyway, I remember sitting it under the tree and singing "Away in a Manger" on Christmas Eve. Our Dad would read the Christmas story and even as children we knew that it was Jesus who we should be acknowledging. We were kids and Santa was pretty much on our minds too.

The sad truth is this: Today Santa has taken front seat to Jesus and that is what makes me so upset.

Today, I will get out my Nativity sets and place them around the house along with my artificial poinsettas and greenery and holy berries and light some candles and play christmas music to get me in the christmas spirit. Next week, the Rancher and I will get out our 'artificial tree" and decorate it with the ornaments that we have collected and the kids and grandkids have made us through the years. It will be a time of remembering when all of the kids were at home helping us and how much we miss their laughing and talk as we worked on this family project. It will also be a time of thanking our Father in Heaven for providing His Son.

Christmas Morning will be quiet as the kids will be in their own homes making their own memories but we will have them all at home to close the year out and we will probably be thankful for all of the gifts that Santa has provided. Our prayer is that each one is filled with the true spirit of Christmas and the gift of a great love.

The Holiday

We had such a wonderful time this past 5 days. All of our children and grandchildren were here. This is the first time in over 2 years we have all been together. We have even added 2 members since then. One married our oldest granddaughter a year ago and the other isn't in the family just yet. Since he is in the picture, we are keeping him around. Molly and Josh will be married in March. There are 20 of us with the Ranchers Mom and we love everyone of them.

Adding to our days of togetherness were 4 dogs. Mattie, a Border Collie, is the oldest granddog. She rules everyone is 16 and 1/2 years old. Kelsey, the Carolina Dingo is 7, I don't know how old the SweetieGirl is as she came to our son as a stray and is a Lab mixture. The newest member of the canine crew is Chesney. She is almost 4 months and is a Golden Retriever. The Rancher and I don't have a dog. We don't really need one...Sweet Girl lives just down the road and is here as much as she is at home. Every dog is inclined to think they are housedogs. Well, in fact THEY ARE. The Rancher and I never had one of those either but we had 4 over this Thanksgiving holiday. Aren't we blessed?

It is a fact, that the Rancher would never let a dog be in the house, but he wants all of the kids and grandkids to be here so he goes with the flow. I do hope that we don't have anymore additions though or the rule might change. I am not so agile as I once was and making my way through a maze of dogs on the floor can be a challenge.

We had a traditional meal on Thanksgiving day. The hunters never got the longed for deer but we had dove from the freezer and other fowl for our "beast feast". We have grandsons that love to hunt and we proudly fix what they bring in. (as long as it is something edible)

I remember as a child, I went hunting with my cousin. We bagged a squirrel and my Aunt was so delighted. She dressed it and fried it for supper with biscuits and gravy. Now, you know there wasn't much eating on a squirrel but we thought it simply delicious. I haven't had one since so I am not so sure how it would be today.

I wanted one of my blog literate daughters or granddaughters to help me change my blog but time did not provide that. As you can see, when I tried to do it myself, all I succeeded in doing was remove my picture. I decided to quit at that.

My next job is to put my fall decorations away and bring out the Christmas greenery. I am not into it as I once was so I might take a day or two before I really get in that mood. I love the fall colors in my house. I just makes me feel warm and cozy.

Thanksgiving is over and we do have so much to be thankful for. I am first of all thankful for God our Heavenly Father and for the Son that was sent for our Salvation. I am thankful for my family, friends, that I live in this land that I live in. The list goes on and on. We are all so blessed.

Seven Things About Me.

I recently received an assignment from the youngest daughter..The Nurse, to post seven things about me that you might not know. Well, in fact there are probably a lot of things about me that you don't know. There are some things that I don't want you to know. Some things are better left to myself.

I will share some things though, such as the fact that I hate Root Beer and Licorice. I don't know how and why such things could have ever been invented. It is a good thing I don't like them because I can say there is something I don't like. I like most everything edible. Some things are better than others but I am not picky. I guess that would be number 1.

The second thing you might not know is that I am not fond of escalators. I am sure there is a name for that fear. I am afraid I will put my foot on the wrong spot and stumble and make a fool of myself. I have always been that way. My smallest grandchildren delight in them and I cringe as I place my size 11 shoe on the step and take off. Maybe that is the clue.....a size 11.

I also like old movies. Just the other day I was thinking about a movie made in the early 50's called Moonlight Bay starring Doris Day and and Gordon McRae. it was on the TCM network this weekend. I was excited. I loved Doris Day. Whatever happened to her?

The fourth thing you might not know about me is that I procrastinate. Okay so everyone knows that. I just have so many things to do that I just take one day at a time and never get ahead. I always think I will get it done and end up burning the midnight oil once in awhile. A good thing came out of it though....My daughters are all very efficient. Didn't I do good. Maybe I just overextend my own abilities.

I went to school with people who became famous. Jane Jayroe and Jimmy Webb were in High School with me. Jane became Miss America, a news reporter, author, promotes Oklahoma Tourism...the list goes on....and Jimmy Webb. Oh Jimmy he has so much talent . He has written so many songs that are my favorites. He was an accomplished pianist in HS and the unknowing girls quartet that I sang in thought we had to have another girl to play for us. Weren't we stupid. He did play for us as we sang in the student center. He even wrote a song for my friend who I think he must have loved at the time. That would be number 5.

number 6...I am worried that I am getting more like my mother. That is not a bad thing but I just don't want to get out and go shopping anymore. I used to like to shop some but not at Christmas time. I always loved to look through the pages of the catalog and plan what I would order and not be tired from looking in all of the stores. Looking at the screen on a computer and going from one site to another is not the same as flipping pages and turning the corners down.

I love digging in the dirt. I love the smell of freshly turned, moist soil. I loved to drive the tractor when the ground was just right. I like seeing what will grow from a small seed. I marvel at the wonder of God's plan and how one tiny seed can grow into a giant tree. That is 7 and enough said.

What are seven things that I don't know about you????

A Tribute to my Dad

On our recent fishing trips I decided to take a road we had not traveled for several years. This road took us through the town and area that I spent my early childhood. It also took us down the first and last road that my dad worked on during his career in the Oklahoma Department of Highways.

Traveling through Arnett and south on Highway 283 brought back a lot of memories to me but when we came to the South Canadian River and crossed the "Packsaddle " bridge I had a longing to be a child again. This area had fond memories for me and my family. Returning home I found this poem that my dad wrote about "The Bridge". It had always been his dream to be a part of building a new one over the river if the need came. It was his last job before his retirement.

Cuttin' The Ribbon By Pat Richard

This little piece of ribbon maybe ain't so much to see.

Just a shiny scrap of fabric, but it means a heap to me.

Cause to me it signifies the realizin' of a dream.

That someday I'd help to build a bridge

to span this might stream.

For long the South Canadian was a river wild & wide.

And the only way to cross'er was to ford 'er at low tide.

Until there came an Engineer by name of C.V. Word.

To build a bridge, the like of which home folks had only heard.

A majesty of structure built of concrete, steel & wood.

He built it high and handsome and he made it strong & good.

To stand the awesome pressure of the river at high flood

And after fifty some odd years, still straight & proud it stood.

They named the bridge "Packsaddle" for a creek that runs nearby

And many came to cross her and to gaze a wonderin' eye.

But nothing lasts forever, so they say, and it is true.

And the thing that men call progress, done what nature couldn't do.

For though she'd whipped the river and had never known defeat,

The behemoth trucks of modern times have made her obsolete.

So now we have replaced her with a structure wide & new,

And we named it the "Buzz Bradshaw Bridge, Packsaddle Number Two".

She too will stand the test of time, she's solid, sound & true.

And I know she'll do the job just like she was designed to do.

I watched her rise from bottom up, she'll stand for many a year.

And I had a hand in buildin' her, as Resident Engineer.

So as we cut the ribbon maybe you'll forgive my pride.

Cause I think she's mighty pretty reachin' out from side to side.

And I hope she stands a hundred years for all the world to see

Before thy had a need to build, "Packsaddle Number Three."

A friend told me to post some of my Dad's poetry on my blog and I thank him for asking. Dad was a poet in his own right and mostly enjoyed writing "Cowboy Poetry". I will have to share some of that with you at a later time.

It is raining. Isn't that a wonderful way to start the week. As I look out the window at the pines and cedars I can also see the ice crystals starting to form on the higher tips. It is the time of year for colder weather and the TV said it was sleeting in the western part of the Panhandle .

The weather has been so unpredictable the past week. Yesterday there were several tornados in our State and some damage was done in rural areas. Nothing in the towns or cities. If you are the person it hits, it doesn't matter where you are. The destruction done to ones property is a hard blow. High winds in excess of 90mph were also reported.

This past week end the Rancher and I along with part of our children and grandchildren had a good time fishing at a State Park Lake in central Oklahoma. Yesterday that area was hit by a tornado. I am thankful we came home the day before. A camper is no place to be in a storm. We probably experienced the tremble of the earthquakes while we there but we just thought it was the force of the Oklahoma winds blowing down the plains.

Did you see that I mentioned earthquakes? Yes here in Oklahoma, that is getting to be a regular occurance in the central part of the state. Evidently the 5.7 tremor on Sunday morning was felt all the way to Wisconsin. I wonder what will be next. It mentions all of these things in Revelations. I am not going to dwell on that though, as only God knows the time of Jesus return, but I sure am working on being ready to make the return trip with Him.

I am watching the cardinals, Jays and finches feeding at the feeders. I love bird watching. They all share at the feeder and only when the ring neck dove or grackle come is there trouble. I don't know why they have to be so pushy. I guess the Jay birds are sort of bossy too. The quail are under the cedars eating the milo that The Rancher has scattered for them. I have other birds joining at my feeders lately as the days get shorter and colder, they come in for their handout.

This has been enough of a ramble. Hope that you get a good rain if you need it. We sure did.

Trick or Treat

Again it is the time of year,

To sit the pumpkins by the door,

When witches, on their wispy brooms,

Across the heavens soar.

The night is dark, as legend says,

When spooks and goblins roam,

And motley crews of pirates

Take siege of every home.

There comes a rapping on the door,

A face is peering in

A pumpkin Jack o lantern,

with a leering, toothy grim.

They cry out "Trick or Treat!"

Those rascals at the door

Who come each year on Halloween,

They've all been here before.

There is a gypsy girl, a skeleton,

And Pirates I can see,

A cowboy and Darthvader,

Are looking in on me.

There comes a tramp in disarray,

His knapsack on his back,

A big black cat, his tail a drag,

With an overflowing sack.

We greet them all, who come our way,

And do our best to please,

With popcorn balls and apples

And a sack of favorite sweets.

I didn't have many tonight. Our community doesn't have so many children anymore and they often go the distance to town. We are always happy for them to stop in and see us though and the Rancher and I have fun too.

Sitting on the middle age seat of life has been very humbling. Now some people might think that I am old. I am not! Well, maybe somedays I am old but I don't want to be. My Mother once told me she felt the same as she did at 65 as when she was 21. She then explained...Not physically but , she was still the same person. I was skeptical about that until I reached this time in my life. Guess what? I am the same person only different.

I have different ideals and dreams. Did I really want to be and English Teacher? I did, but I fell in love and married instead. As an adult, I remember that no one really liked their English teachers for all of the research, reading, writing that they had to do. I did like my English teachers though. I had two wonderful ones when I was in High School. One was very young and one was as very old. ( I thought) The younger one taught my children and I was glad that she shared her knowledge with them. They thought she was old. Isn't it funny how things turn around.

Why wasn't I brave enough to venture out a little further into the world? I have lived in three neighboring counties for all of my life. The Rancher has only moved 3 miles from where his parents brought him from the hospital so I guess I was a little more darring than he. In my growing up years, we didn't know there were so many choices. We lived in an area that had been tamed by our grandparents. They were the adventurists. They came in covered wagons from all parts of the Country and many never saw their families again. They started families of their own and made new friends. I thought it was hard to move into a new community and my parents were 45 miles away. How hard was that???? My worst adjustment was the fact that there were hardly any trees. Today I wouldn't change it. I love looking across the country at landmarks many miles away.

At one point in my youth, I thought I might be a missionary. Children always have dreams about different things. I knew that God wanted me to do something special and that was all I could think he wanted of me. My Mom told me that would be a very hard thing and I had to be really sure. (She had thought about beind a preacher herself) Here I post a note to my family who might think I am crazy. This is the truth. She practiced in the pasture and her mother could hear her all the way to the house as she preached God's word. Anyhow, I did grow up to teach children in their Sunday School classes and I know that is what God had planned for me to do.

I also dreamed of living in the mountains. I never even saw one until I was 21 years old. I had seen enough pictures to know how beautiful they were and I never once thought of the cold in the winter. I am thankful that I live where I do but I would like to spend more time in the mountains in the summer and fall months.

I would like to change the appearance of my blog but when I went to the site that I usually go to for new gadgets......I was advised not to go there because of potential virus.

The computer is smarter than I am..I think. There are some things that I wonder about though, such as some of those little unknown words that we type to identify ourselves. What is Unwin? Does that mean that you won but not really, so you have to "unwin". Maybe it is that you didn't even win at all. Today it was stilup. Is that a misspell for "still up"? I could have a lot of fun with these words but you get the picture.

Another thing that bothers me is the spell check. Why doesn't it know what word I mean? Sometimes I spell a real word but it is the wrong word so it doesn't make sense where I use it. Am I suppossed to know everything? That is why I have a computer with spell check.

This generation of young people is the first generation to have access to the answer of almost everything. All they have to do is go to the computer. They can find the answer to it all on wikipedia Of course it might not be quite true, but it someone's idea of how it might be. Kinda scary isn't it. One might go around thinking something is fact when in FACT it is wrong.

We interupt this story for a wonderful announcement. IT IS STARTING TO RAIN. Well, at least it is sprinkling and the air smells good. How is that for a news flash?

The cardinals are at the feeder. I love to watch them as I sit at the computer. I tell myself that is the real reason that I sit at the desk. I am trying to wean myself away and get on this every few days. Really, It robs me of time that I could be doing something useful such as clean, paint wash windows and all of that. I blame not getting anything of value done, on the computer. When I sit down here after lunch it was to look for a good camping site in Oklahoma, somewhere we had not been for awhile. Somewhere to go and enjoy the fall season and fish and just kick back. Maybe we will be joined by friends and I know our children will come when they can. My intentions were good but then I got to surfing...reading blogs...Not daring to go to facebook and seeing what was news. I better get busy before the Rancher comes in. First I have to play a game of free cell and solitaire. See what happens......I am addicted....

Fall and Homecoming

It is finally fall...The early morning temperatures have been in the upper 40's and I have not had the AC on for several days. Oh some people would run it but I just turn on the fans and tell myself it is cool enough. My August electric bill was terrible. We have several water wells that are on electricity and the house and corals. The Rancher has also been watering all of the pine and cedar trees around the homestead as we have worked so hard to get them established. Last year we lost several pines North of the barns as we weren't paying attention.

I love fall, the nights are cooler and the trees are starting to turn a golden color. We really don't have much color in the Panhandle of Oklahoma but the cottonwood trees on the creeks and the sumac and plum thickets put some color in these brown pastures. Brown has been the color this year. If one saw much green, it was a mistake as there just has not been any. A friend in an area southeast of us thought it was dry there until they saw how things looked here. We continue to pray for rain as everyone in this region does.

I have seen several Monarch butterflies in the yard. I read an article in the paper explaining how they were tagging some of them to track their migration route. the tag was a small tab with a number on it, stuck to a wing. Where there is a will there is a way.

Another thing I like about fall is the Friday night football games at the local schools and with them, the gathering of friends. This past Friday night was "Homecoming" in my community. There was a chili supper before the game and I saw a lot of old friends. It is amazing that some of the younger people are getting so old. I also noticed that not so many "old " people were there. Reality hit me in the face when I reallized that most of the old people were my age. When did this happen???? Oh well, I so enjoyed seeing so many people of my past. We are all different but I can tell you this, our home town is the fountain of youth. I know I have said it before but the people that stay close by or come home regularly never change. It is the ones that haven't been back in years that have gotten old. All I can say is they better be showing up more often. Oh, and if you think you haven't changed, get out some pictures and then look in the mirror. We aren't kidding anyone. After 50 years or so, who cares. We all have changed and if we are still around that is a good thing. It was just so good to see everyone. I look forward to seeing you again next year.

The picture is from last fall and I am hoping to see the aspen change again this fall. It is a beautiful sight.

Garage Sale Saturday

Today was "Townwide Garage Sale Day" in a nearby town. It is a town of fair size and one can usually find some really neat things at a bargain. I scanned the paper and found that I could buy all types of appliances big and small, clothing, home decor, fishing equipment, golf equipment, lumber, toys, tires, dishes, books, DVD's and players, a record player, cars and every kind of furniture and even a pet or two.

I did not go. I do not need any more "things". My house is overflowing and I need to do a "cleanup" act of my own. I have no place to put anything else period. I do not have a garage, only a car port. My utility room catches all of the surplus for a year or two and then it goes to the dumpster or resale store. I do not have garage sales. I have nothing of much value to sell. If it is very valuable, I tend to hold on to it until I get sick of looking at it . At this time it becomes worthless and goes to the dumpster.

Later this afternoon, I did see that I missed a great buy on a 1963 chevy pickup. When the Rancher and I were dating, we often went out in a 1963 chevy truck. It belonged to the Ranchers dad and was his farm truck. It was blue though. I have thought about this red truck many times and do wish I had the money to own something just for fun. What I need is something a little more energy effeciant though. My suburban is only 9 years old and has only 159.000 miles on it so I think it is good for at least another 40,000 miles or more. Remember I live 30 miles from nowhere and it won't take long.

Any now, back to the garage sale idea....I am getting ready to do some remodeling and I think I just deserve something new. I will probably just pitch what I don't want unless some of the kids or grandkids want to come and clean it out and I don't think they want it either.

The real fun of garage sales is just driving around seeing people and examining all of their treasures. It is really special if you can do it with a friend. I hope all of my kids and sister-in-law had a good day because I bet they were hitting the sales bright and early in the day. I bet they found some good bargains too.

Let the Rains Come

The weatherman out of Oklahoma City said we "could" have rain for the next several days. I am going to think positive about this. It has been so long since we have had a good rain. While the Rancher and I had devotion on Saturday it showered enough to connect all of the rain drops on the sidewalk. We were excited, we called it a rain. It was a lovely shower and made everything smell better for a short time.

Our land is so parched and we cry out for rain in our prayers. We don't understand why one area has flooding and we have nothingl They are wondering the same thing and pray for God to hear our prayers and send the moisture to us.

God is in control though and He does not forsake us. When the time is right, we will have rain. My patience is short though and I hope the time is tomorrow.

I read in the paper where the southwest part of the state has had over 100 days of 100+ temperatures. I can tell you this much....Yesterday when it cooled down to 92 degrees, I though it was cool. That was still pretty hot. I am anxious to see if it will be a high of 60 degrees on Thursday in our area. That is what one computer model says. How do they know all of this anyhow?

My dad had a plain old rock that he used to check on the weather. It was suspended on a leather strap in a tripod.

If it was moving....it was windy.

If it was wet...........it was raining.

If it was white........it was snowing.

I am sure there was some more thoughts connected with that rock but let me say this....It might have been just as accurate as the computers that they use today. At least it didn't cost anything.

With all of that said.....We do need rain. The folks on the East coast do not. People in Texas where there are so many fires need rain. The folks further east in the trail of Hurricane Lee, do not. Continue to pray for Rain. God wants to hear from us.

The Internet

The internet is a wonderful thing. It has provided a way for us to communicate with people thousands of miles away in just a few seconds. We can share our hopes dreams, funny stories, sorrows and everything else that we have a desire. We can also reconnect with long lost friends.

This is actually nothing new. God has provided this same way of communicating for thousands of years. It is called....PRAYER. Try it.

The Vacation

I have been a bum for the past 3 weeks. The first week I was in the hospital so maybe that doesn't count. Let me tell you the life of liesure isn't what I want. What was to be a surgury that my GYN has done thousands of times, didn't quite work on me. I am a person who does not have to be like everyone else but this time it would have been okay.

The Rancher is terrific. He has been a wonderful nurse and went way beyond what I ever dreamed. He has been my strength, encouragement, and prayer warrior. I also have a wonderful family and great neighbors that have stepped in but let me tell you this....I would much rather be on the giving end than this.

I have watched the Waltons, old movies, the weather channel, news, the Waltons ( this is Walton Marathon weekend on the INSP network) , John Wayne, Tom Sellack, I have even watched some old Roy Rogers and from the 40's and 50's. I have watched HGTV, Nathional Geographic, Antique Roadshow, and did I mention The Waltons. In it all I have also had a lot of naps. I take short walks around the yard and circle drive, check out the grandkids feeding bottle calves and read and worked more suduko and crossword than I ever dreamed possible and I am getting pretty bored. Never, never will I wish for more liesure time again.

The order for 3 weeks was to rest and drink lots of fluids. I can't sit at the sewing maching as I must sit in a slight recline. I have been able to stand and wash the few dished that won't fit into the dishwasher,(plastic) and fold clothes if the Rancher puts them on the bed for me. Wednesday, I will go back to see one of my Dr.'s and see if all is going well. Maybe I can get some of this extra junk that I am wearing, removed and at least sit comfortably. Oh well, this has been a humbling experience for me and it has made me know beyond anything else that GOD is in control. I praise Him for putting all of these people in my life that have taken care of me. I also know that I am to take more time out for Him. That I can do, as I sit in my recliner and watch everyone else do my work.

September

This morning is beautiful. There is a gentle south breeze blowing and as the Rancher and I had our coffee and devotion on the porch, we enjoyed a shower. We called it a rain as it is the nearest thing we have had for a long time. Our part of the country is so dry!!! The temperatures in the months of July and August were in the triple digets nearly every day. I don't remember a year like this. Now it is September. Hope for cooler days and nights .

I have enjoyed the changing of the seasons and what each change brought. I didn't enjoy this Summer. It was not kind to us. It did not bring rain and the heat was unbearable in the afternoon of the day. I felt sorry for all of the creatures that had to be out in it. Maybe in my older age I am spoiled but I am glad for the air conditioner in the house and the vehichles that we travel and work in. The Rancher has made it a point to get up early each day and get the work done before it was too hot. He enjoys the comfort of the house in the afternoon too.

I have watched the birds gather to get ready for their annual trip south and I pray that the cardinals and robins will stay and entertain me for awhile. They were here all last winter so maybe this is now home. We keep the sprinkler going somewhere in the yard of shelter belt to provide water for them and the little animals that would otherwise be without water. This week we had an abundance of monarch butterflies in our yard. Not so many as in the past, so maybe this is just the local ones gathering. I have seen them as thick as the orange leaves of fall when they stopped for a day or two of rest as the migrate south. Our yard is protected and we have been blessed to see them on their journey.

It will be a hard winter for the birds that stay here as there is not any weed seeds. Isn't that funny??? We fight the weeds but when there are none, we know that the quail and other wild birds will have a struggle. We will have to put out extra seed for them. This can be a blessing for us if the barn cats stay where they belong.

Maybe I will be more inspired to write. This summer has not left much to write about except heat, drought and fires. You can learn all about it in the news. This morning with a gentle shower gave me hope that the days ahead will be cooler and wetter. September.....the beginning of a new season.

Reminiscing

One of my friends gave me a stack of magazines to read. We trade things like that as they are perfectly good and we don't all take the same ones. I was reading one about the good old days and things that happened "Way back When,"when I realized that those were my days and it wasn't very long ago.

When I think about the changes that have taken place through the years, it was a long time ago by the standards of my grandchildren. But this is how it was......

When I was a girl:

We didn't know that we were poor, everybody had the same thing which wasn't much.

We walked where we wanted to go as we didn't always have a car and if we did, we might not have money for gas. No one drove to school, the kids in the country rode the bus.

We pulled a wagon full of sheets to the "Help Yourself Laundry" which had the old wringer style washers and brought them home to hang on the line. (My mother operated a rooming house.)

We didn't have a TV. If we did, we couldn't see a picture on, it as the nearest station was 150 miles away. We did have a radio in the living room that I thought was very old. I recently saw one in an antique store like it for $375. When I was in high school, I bought my own little radio.

We didn't have airconditioning. We sit outside in the shade of a tree, or had a fan in the house. I loved to go to the ice cream parlor and sit where the ceiling fan would blow on me. Before I left home my family had a water cooler.

Fast food was a bologna or peanut butter sandwich. We never ate out as that was a luxury. Even when we went to Woodward, mom packed a lunch that we ate in the park. We thought that was a real treat.

We had one phone that worked by calling the operator and we kids weren't allowed to use it unless it was an emergency.

Kids were expected to get a job to buy the extra things they wanted. We thought it a priviledge to earn our own money. I thought I was rich when I started earning $15 a week. I bought all of my school clothes and supplies, and even took a trip with some realtives that summer when I was 17.

When I was a girl:

My parents were always right....I was not to sass or question their authority.

With 5 children in the family, we each had chores and responsibilities and we "better take care of business" before playing around.

I never went very far from home until I was 17. I had not even been 50 miles from home until I was about 11 years old. Today my grandchildren go on cruises, mission trips in foreign lands and fly from one end of the country to the other and think nothing about it.

On the other hand.....When I was a girl........

We could freely roam the streets in our little town, day and night and not worry about any danger.

Play up and down the river from morning until we got hungry and went home. There were always a group and our mothers knew we took care of each other.

Start walking to a friends house that lived 3 miles out in the country and know that someone would give us a ride and we would know them.

Walk around holding hands and giggling with our best friend and not think it strange.

And last of all, When I was a girl:

N0 ONE HAD A TATOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reunions

Summer is the time for Family Reunions. My family, on my fathers side, gets together every two years and share a day together. This year is the first year that I was of the older generation. There are no longer any aunts and uncles, just cousins and more cousins. When do we cease being cousins? Are we still related if we are 6 times removed from the founding grandparents? You bet we are!!! We are family.

Yesterday, I met with my many cousins in a little community that my grandparents homesteaded in. The church we meet in is actually on the land that Grandad settled in 1901. One hundred and ten years brought back a lot of people to honor this special couple. The old homestead is much different now, it is overgrown with trees and this Spring, a wildfire sweeping through the country burned the big Dutch barn that had stood for almost 100 years. True, the old barn was not much too look at but it was packed full of memories. the loft was a haven for 22 grandchildren to play in through the years. When the weather was cold and snow was on the ground, we spent our time there swinging on the rope in the rafters and hiding ourselves in the hay bundles that granddad had stored in the big loft. The old two story house still stands as does the large chicken house and grainerys.

Yesterday, we reminesced over all of the good times and caught up on the news of today. I missed those that could not come. The meal was catered by a local family that fed us too much and we enjoyed the tales and songs of cowboy poet, J.W. Beeson. He kept up laughing and almost crying with his talents. It was a good time.

As the Rancher and I headed for home later in the evening, we stopped in a nearby community to get a cold drink for the road home. This is the same town I lived in as a child. By chance, there were two men inside who were also having a drink for the road. These were former classmates who I have not visited with in many, many years. It was by accident they were there as one of them was traveling through town, but the other one lived there. It just goes to show that even though many years have gone by and we are now older, or shall I say, just plain OLD, we still recognized each other after all these years. It was a good day for me.

It is Raining

What more can I say, but Thank you Lord for answering our prayers.

My Home Town Part three

It is time again to brag about the little town that I call home. As I look back through the years, this community has served the people who lived here. It has changed a lot through the years. It went from a sleepy little town that served the farmers in this area to "Boom Town" in the 1950's and '60's. The MKT railroad built it's track through NW Oklahoma in the early 1900's and the train was kept busy hauling loads of grain, broom corn, Silica, Cattle and freight up and down the line.

The Rancher's dad tells about riding to Kansas City on the train with a load of cattle. Today, the trucks come to the ranch and haul them over the miles of highway to whatever destination is requested. There came a time, after the big trucks came about that the spur of the MKT that came through our area was no longer needed. It was the end of an era. I still enjoy watching the trains going down the tracks on the Santa Fe Line to the South of us. I recently enjoyed a trip on the Silver Flyer from Ok City to Fort Worth. The local train depot is used as a headquarters for a drilling mud company and a car wash across the street is proudly named "Katy Kar Wash".

In the 1950's, the oil and natural gas field was discovered and brought many changes to town. Trucking companies moved in as well as roust about companies. Refineries were built in the area and pipelines were laid across the land. A lot of new faces came in with these changes. More businesses were built, houses had to be built and the school outgrew itself. It was time for new school buildings. We were so proud to move into a new High School during my sophomore year. We still had to use the old building for the overflow of the grade school but a time would come when it too would be replaced. A hospital was built and a golf course. Our town was growing up. We were proud. Sadly, progress does not last forever. The town that we once thought was on it's way to becoming a City started to slowly dwindle out. The Oil had played out or it was not practical at that time to explore different zones.

Not everyone moved on. The natives stayed and many of those that moved in liked our little community and stayed on too. We have faced slow times but have survived. Our little town is still a place full of friendly people. I enjoy the businesses that we have. Many have closed in recent years but those that are here still serve us well. I would not want to drive 55 miles to buy groceries so I am especially thankful for the grocery store that has weekly specials and the druggist knows my name. There are convenience stores, a Farmers co-op, cafes, motel, library, hair styliest, post office, machine shops, lumber yard, glass and radiator shop, auto repair, flower and gift shops, a weekly paper, realator, tag office, insurance offices, bank, wonderful churches and schools, health clinic, dentist, phone companies, oil field supply and many more that I am sure I have forgetten.

There is also an office for Murphey Brown Inc. which is headquarters for the hog farms in the area. So as we have lost many businesses, and the population has dwindled over the years, the town remains the same. Things just change in time. I feel safe in saying this though, " The People Who Live Here" never do. This is our home and we are proud.

I am Lazy

I haven't been worth a hoot this week. I had a great long week-end camping with my family and I haven't got my energy back. What has happened to me, the gal that would get going early every morning and do yard work, clean house, work in the garden and cook dinner for a harvest crew in the summer?. Where has that person gone? I know that I am not that old so that can't be the reason. I guess that I am just lazy, or maybe I have changed my priorities.

For all of my life, I have been a hop out of bed at 5 a.m. person. I would read my devotion, get a big breakfast for the family and then hit the ground running. This year, I have decided that sleeping until 7 a.m. is okay and sometimes it is okay to sleep later. The Rancher is okay with this too. He sleeps later, gets up makes the coffee and reads or goes outside, depending on the season. We eat oatmeal and toast. We have a devotion together, We visit for awhile and then see what needs to be done.

No garden this year. We plan to travel and camp when we can. This is the Ranchers idea. No rain..so not much yard work and lots of watering in the shelter belt to keep the trees alive. The buffalo grass in the yard is hearty so it will survive on little watering.

No one to cook for but me and the Rancher and Son sometimes. We eat a lot different than we used to. More vegetables and very few desserts. I should make the Rancher a pie but he would eat one piece and would be satisfied. I would be tempted to eat the rest if I don't put it in the freezer. Can you believe that I have thrown out pie that we let get old??? I never thought that would happen at this house.

I could sew but, I can't get into that room. Things from my mothers house haunt me each time I go in there and I still don't know what to do with it. Why did I want my grandmothers old dresser? I always wanted it but where can I put it. My house is full of my own junk.

So now you must know, not only am I lazy but I guess I am a hoarder too. I need a good swift kick in the posterier to get me going. Anyone want a job?

I am a Bird Watcher!

I am blessed to live in the country. I often think about moving into town as we get older but I have a hard time looking over rooftops when visiting at my daughters and I know that I would have to live where I could enjoy the outdoors.

This morning as I drank my coffee out on the porch I enjoyed so many birds. I have to keep the water going on a regular basis to water our many trees and the grass. We have worked for years to get trees to grow on this hill and they are filled with my bird friends.

I watched the oriels, finches, robins, cardinals, doves, flycatchers and swallows as they watered and flew through the yard catching insects. I listened to the mocking birds sing. I saw a humming bird drinking nectar from my flowers in the front yard and put out a feeder. I don't know if it is still around but I guess if the feeder empties, I will know. Yesterday, I had some blue buntings. That was a first. I also enjoy the scissor tails, meadow larks, painted finches, blue jays, and flickers and brown thrashers. I can identify these birds with the book about birds of Oklahoma that my daughter gave to me. It has been a help when we are camping. When we are at the lake we enjoy listening to the whippoorwill as they call out in the late evening.

There are also birds in my yard that annoy me. We have so many ring necked doves. They are larger than a mourning dove and smaller than a pigeon and have a raspy call. They also fight with the other birds. They are not listed in my book as they are new comer's The grackle is another bird that is on the ornery side. I do enjoy watching them strut around in the sprinkler with their head in the air though. What a snooty, proud thing they are. There is also a pair of crows nesting north of the corrals. They are quite curious and..... thieves. They will pick up anything shiny left laying in the driveway that is easy to carry.

I have to tell the guys that the quail that come into my yard are my quail and off limits when hunting season comes around. They agree at the moment, but I know if these little birds get past the shelter belt, they are in free range. That is life though. The old cock pheasant doesn't come into the yard but he sits across the road and shows his colors. I enjoy listening to his call too.

I need to get ready to go spend time with my siblings and families for a few days .We enjoy a nearby park where there are a lot of birds. If I get lucky I might even see a painted bunting or something else that I have not marked in my book yet. Get out your binnoculars, a good bird book and enjoy yourself. It is a wonderful hobby.

Rambling

Have you ever swung through the air on a trapeze? Me neither, but I have flipped over on the monkey bars in the park with the greatest of ease and missed and landed below with a broken arm. This ended my desire to be a circus performer.

Have you ever been able to do a flip off the high dive board or a double jack knife? Me neither, but I have went off the high dive and nearly lost my bathing suit top when the force of the water unfastened the strap. After that I only wore one piece suits. Do they still have a high board at the Gage Beach? That is where I learned to swim.

Have you ever went surfing in the ocean and thrilled at the giant waves coming in. Me neither, but I have water skied at the lake and loved to go faster and faster until I got older and older.

Have you ever went skinny dipping? Me neither. I don't think girls do that but the boys do and they can really jump in the water when they are accidentally discovered by someone hiking down the river.

Have you ever wanted to go up in a space ship and look at the earth from the heavens? Me neither, but I have laid in the darkness of the night and watched the satellites move across the sky and the meteors as they charged against the sky.

Have you ever eaten a foot long on Coney Island and been a part of the crowd ? Me neither but I have ate many hot dogs and marshmallows roasted on the open fire with my kids and grandkids. I was thankful for the fun we were having and listening to the laughter of each one.

Have you ever shopped at Sac's on 5th Avenue? Me neither but I have shopped the thrift stores and bargain centers and was excited when I found something with a label from there that was my size.

Have you ever ran out of anything to post about and been at a loss for something interesting to write. Me too!! And that is why you are reading this post.

My Home Town Part 2

I have had such a wonderful response to the first post on My Home Town, I will continue with it. Small towns in the 50's and 60's were much different than today. They were still thriving communities. People didn't think of driving down the road to shop unless they couldn't find it at home. There were three grocery stores and four clothing stores in our little town. The clothing stores had the latest styles. One of the clothing stores that I refer to was also a shoe repair store. The owner mended a broken strap on a sandal, resoled boots and patched the toes. We lived in a fix it up time and made things last. We couldn't afford to go buy new things all of the time anyway. Mr. Anderson also sold men's work clothes and western shirts and Levies.

One store catered to the lady of the house and sold the very latest in fashion. I could shop there when they had a sale but our family had 5 children and even when I had a job, I knew that I could buy more outfits for my money at the Globe.

The Globe and Weibert's had something for everyone in the family. They also carried things besides clothing as luggage, towels, jewelry, etc. I loved to shop at the Globe. The Globe was famous for it's semi- annual sales. Each season, everything was marked half off. I mean everything. Nothing was shipped in or brought in from the back to get rid of, they literally cleaned everything out to get ready for the new season.

On these days, crowds came from all over the area and stood in line on the sidewalks until the doors were open. It was like Wal-Mart on Red Friday. We knew where everything was though and headed for that area. It was a mass wave of people, and I loved being a part of it. After I had children, they had to stay with their dad, or be lost in the crowd. We stocked up on jeans, shirts, shoes and dresses, I don't know if they ever put the men's suits on sale, because The Rancher never wore them. After you selected something, Hang on to it. If you laid anything down someone might grab it up. I know one lady who lost the shoes she wore in as she took them off to try on another pair. The people who owned the Globe were wonderful people and had a great staff. My friends mother worked there and I am sure she didn't enjoy those days as much as we did.

Today, If you want to buy clothing in my home town, you would need to go to the thrift store. Oh, there is a place to buy children's clothing and some men's work wear can be bought at one of the oil supply stores, but the others are gone. I miss them and the things that they represented. They served our family and the community. It was in a time to remember.

My Home Town Part one

When I was 9 years old my parents moved to a farm near the town that I still call "My Home Town". It was a bustling little community with all of the stores that we needed.

On Saturdays and usually once during the week my Mom would drive us the 9 miles to town. We had to go during the week to take the cream and eggs to the produce to sell. Saturdays was a family time, we went in the afternoon and spent the evening. We kids would go to the Matinee at the theater and watch our cowboy hero do his thing. This was in the day of Gene, Roy, Smiley Burnett, Gabby Hayes, Lash LaRue and Sometimes a really good cowboy like John Wayne or Randolph Scott would be on. We each got a quarter and could pay our way in, get a coke and share a box of popcorn. If we worked it right and weren't hungry, we could go to Dauber's and buy something afterwards.

Dauber's was the name of the Variety story that had something for everyone. In my time, I think it was better than Wal-Mart is today. There was a personal style about the store and Mr. and Mrs. Dauber were always glad to see us. (MAYBE) They helped us find something that we had always wanted for a dime. It might be a book of paper dolls, a toy truck, game of jacks, fingernail polish, a tiny bottle of apple blossom perfume. The list could go on and on. The Rancher always bought animals or army guys. This was his hometown too.

We could also buy penny candy. Does the younger generation know what penny candy is? There were all different kinds in boxes and jars. It was a hard choice to pick, as you wanted it to last all week and wanted something that you liked and your brother didn't. My brother must have liked everything though. He would always find my candy unless I had Mom hide it or carried it with me. Mr. Dauber would put it in a sack and tell us we had bought the very best that he had that day. He was such a happy man.

Just down the street was the Bakery. The smell coming from it was simple heaven. Do little towns have bakeries anymore? Milligans made the best donuts and cookies. I know their bread was wonderful but the donuts and rolls and cookies were what appealed to us. We could buy donuts for a nickle each or 6 for a quarter. That was when we would pool our pennies and try to get a whole quarters worth. What a bargain!

While we ran around the town, Our parents were most likely visiting with everyone they knew at the cafe or doing their own shopping. The stores were opened until everyone was through shopping. The main street was a busy place. Not only were the sidewalks lined with cars, but we parked in the middle of the street. You better drive slow as people were darting in and out of the cars putting their purchases away. No bother to lock them as everyone in town did the same and respected each others property. Sometimes we didn't leave town until 10 o'clock, and stores were still open.

There are many more stories to tell about "My Home Town" but I won't make this post too long and will continue later. I will say one thing: It has changed today with the times. There is no longer a produce store, a theater , Daubers or a Bakery. Those things are long gone and there are blank places where some of the buildings once stood. Should you go to town on Saturday afternoon, the only thing you would find open would be the Grocery Store (there were three), the quick stops (2) and the Western Auto. Everyone (even the local business people) have gone to the Superstore in the town down the road. How sad for small town America.

Things I Learned From My Children

You know the old saying: " The older you get, The smarter your parents get."

I know this saying is true as I am the parent that is getting smarter. Not in a way that you might think but I am learning more each day about the antics that my now adult children pulled when they were young.

I recently learned that the family car we owned at one time was the hottest car in town. It could out drag and outrun all the cars and trucks of the guys in town. I learned this from my youngest daughter, not my son, who I knew was a hotrodder. She delighted in a good race and never wanted to lose at anything.

I also learned that the local cop did not know how to spell. When she was pulled over for failing to yield, she had to help spell the word Yield and approaching. She also was on a first name basis with the local Highway Patrol. I learned this one day while visiting with one in the local quick stop.

Seems he knew three of them by name along with the Rancher. They didn't get that thrill of driving fast from me. I drove a school bus for too many years. In reality, I was probably just lucky. The little dear never got a ticket though until she was stopped by a local lady cop in a nearby town. Seems like the charm didn't appeal to her.

And did you know that you can put your makeup on as you are driving to school or to your job. I learned this from my second daughter, when I met her one day. I have never tried it but putting on mascara while you are driving 65 miles an hour down the road is probably right up there with texting. I haven't done that either.

You also get to be on a first name basis with the people in the emergency room at the county hospital. I learned this about the 4th time of the 7 that we visited one summer. It was a summer of learning to be Evel Knevil and some was actually from helping dad.

I also learned that the oldest daughter put up with a lot of things while I was working. Sometimes she got a little perturbed and got even with them. it seems one of the younger ones got a bowl of mashed potatoes in the face for being such a brat.

My house can actually be cleaned in 30 minutes. I would leave instruction of the jobs I wanted done and about 30 minutes before I was due home, the dust would fly. I wonder why it takes me so long.

There are a lot of things I have learned, some they don't even know that I know, but someday I will tell their children in secret and get even. By the way, there were a lot of things my parents didn't know either.

A Little Country School

Today as I opened my facebook page I was happy to see a group of young ladies that I knew many years ago. The picture showed 6 young ladies at their 8th grade graduation in 1960. I know them today as friends and grandmothers.
Where has the time gone and when did we become the older generation. I still have my mother-in-law living in the wonderful Panhandle community but for the most part that generation is gone.

When I moved to this area many years ago as a young bride, we had a lot of neighbors. There were houses on every section and there were still 4 country schools in the area. These schools were mostly 2 room schools and served this rural area. The year before my oldest started to school, the smaller ones closed and my children went to a country school that was 13 miles from our home. Dawn started to first grade there but the next year, they added kindergarten. It had K-8 and had around 60 students most of the time. Some classes had as many as 13 students and some as little as 4.

It was a wonderful little school on the highway and educated my children well. They lacked nothing in education and had band, vocal, sports, and some of the best teachers around. They were challenged to do their best and today I can say that some of the people who passed through have made a difference where they live. There are teachers, college professors, doctors, nurses, meteorologists, geologists, ministers, farmers, ranchers, secretaries, firemen, mechanics, pharmacists, and some are dads, moms and grandparents. I am sure there are a lot of professions that I don't know about but they are people who have made it and they all started at a little country school.

Today, these schools are all empty. Some have been forgotten and sit in disrepair in a sparsely populated land. Some have been revived into community centers and some are used for church functions as well. Where they stand, they are a reminder of what once was. If you look and listen, you can imagine children laughing and playing on the swings out behind and hear the teachers as they start the day with the Pledge of Allegiance and a morning prayer. Wasn't it a grand time?

Spring, Spring, Spring, The Birds are Singing...........

Today was the day that I knew I had to get busy and do some yard work. This Spring has been so discouraging to me. It is dry, the wind is blowing and it is winter one day and summer the next. Where is Spring? Today was a wonderful SPRING day. A light breeze, not too hot and it is time to set out the plants that have been withering at my back door for a week.

I asked the Rancher to buy me some potting mix at the local hardware a few days ago and he obliged. Well, seems that he didn't read the bag as he brought home "In Ground Mixture" which says all of the package...DO NOT USE IN CONTAINERS. We had to make the 30 mile trip to town this morning for other things, so I bought the right stuff.

This afternoon, I got many of my containers planted and I did use the mixture that he bought and worked the ground around my Hosta bed. I still have more but I figure I can use it. I also decided I needed to move some of the rocks from another place to protect my beautiful Hostas. You see the Son has a dog that enjoys bedding down anywhere there is something damp or soft. I also have two cats that have decided that the back porch is their new home. (the youngest granddaughter loves that)

Let me tell you....Those large rocks grew over the winter. through the years I am moved them from one spot to another with no trouble at all. Not this time. I would carry one, puff and pant, and rest before tackling another one. Those babies are huge.

When the Rancher and Son came in for supper, I was not finished with my job outside. I fixed them some chicken salad sandwiches and fresh veggies to munch on. (ranchers like chicken too.) We always play some game right after supper as TV really has nothing to offer. I commented that I had to finish my job outside before it got dark. The guys followed me out and after watching me struggle with one boulder, they finished my job. I should have waited on them in the first place. All they were doing was moving cattle around. I know my job was much more important.

In reality, I did realize that each spring for the past few years, I have to really work at getting yard work done like I used to. Riding the mower and picking up the broken limbs is not a problem but lifting and digging or welding the hoe is something else. I guess that my get up and go has finally got up and went. If you find it would you please send it home!!!!!!!

Something to Think About!

Do you think that God laughs at us for digging up all the beautiful flowers that he has scattered all over the yard? A yard that is all purple and yellow with chickweed and dandelions is colorful.

Read This Book

I enjoy reading. My favorite books are historical novels. Several years ago I started reading Chritian historical novels. I love them. My daughter who is a librarian suggested that I sign up to review books for Bethany House. I received my first novel last week, It is by Kim Vogel Sawyer, who is a retired school teacher turned author. The book is titled Courting Miss Amsel,

This is the story of a young women who followed her dream to be a school teacher in the late 19th century. As the oldest child in the family she had been the one to raise her younger siblings. Her father was against her ambition and never encouraged her in anything.

When Edythe was finally able to persue her dream she was hired to teach in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. She followed a teacher who was stern and did not believe in sparing the rod. Her method of teaching was a delight to the children but questionable to some of the parents who thought the children were spending too much time on learning foolishness.

When Edythe arrived in Walnut Hill, she was seeking a new way of life and left behind the obligations of raising a family. What she found was a new family to love. Joel Townsend, a young bachelor who was raising his young nephews, had his eye on Edythe from the first time he met her. The most important thing that Edythe found was a relationship with Jesus. Edythe boarded with a wonderful christian woman named Mrs. Kinsley. As Edythe went through her many trials of teaching in her liberated way, and worrying about the sister who showed up in Walnut Hill, Mrs. Kinsley, assured her that Jesus was where she needed to take all of her burdens.

To quote a scripture at the beginning of the book.."In the day when I cried thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul." Psalm 138:3.

As this book shows, God knows what is best for us and our plan is not always the one that He has for us. We are to listen to His calling, sometimes it is in a whisper.

Thanks Dawn for recommending this, it made my stay at the lake in the windy weather a joy.

What was That Word?

OMG! Did you see where this is now an official word in the Oxford Dictionary? I sometimes have trouble understanding what all of the abbreviations and symbols used by the younger generation mean. I am glad to know that I will soon be able to look them up in the good old dictionary and it will be explained to me. A lot of them I don't even want to know.

Learning that bit of trivia was something you needed to know wasn't it. I got me to thinking about a lot of the other words or terms that we use. The term RED NECK has always amused me. I guess I had my head in the sand but I don't remember it much until Mr. Foxworthy started using it so much. Some of his ideas for a "redneck" are funny but in reality, some of them have a lot of truth to them. I wonder if Mr. Foxworthy knows where the word really origionated.

1. In the 1930's a group of miners in WV who wore red bandanas on their necks pressured the mine owners into letting them become unionized. That was one of the definitions that I came up with.

2. In the 1800's sharecroppers in Georgia and Alabama with sunburned necks were also called 'rednecks".

3. The term also used by the Scottish to refer to supporters from lower Scotland who fled to upper Ireland. These were called Lowland Presbyterians. They fled to Ireland during the persecution by the British Crown. they signed their names on documents using their own blood, and wore red cloth on their neck. They did not want Scotland to accept the rule of the Church of England but be under a Presbyterian form of Government. This earned them the name of "redneck".

4. Many of the settlers in the Southern States were Presbyterian so the term applied to them and there descendants. Maybe as the Comedians are always referring to these "Redneck Good ole' boys from ther South", they may have known the true answer all of the time.

Remember when Archie Bunker called Mike, his son-in-law, Meatheat. Do you know what this means? Me either, so I looked it up and learned a meathead is "dead from the neck up.".

I always wondered where the word Hoity-toity came from. I remember it in the movies when I was a girl, I thought it was a fun word. It actually is someone on a high horse, conceieted, know it all. Hey, it is also the name of a nail polish. You can learn something everyday.

In an E-mail; about Ponderings, I learned a few things too.

1. Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

2. I used to eat a lot of natural foods before I learned most people die of natural causes.

3. Finally: I am a nobody and Nobody is perfect...... Am I Perfect? What else must I say?

Have a good day and do your research.

A Sentimental Journey

Sorting through my Mother's things this week has been quite a learning experience for me. I have learned many things about my family that I never knew before. Nothing secret, mind you, just facts that were not passed on to me. But now I know, and I have laughed, cried, and been excited that I have found these things of family history past.

My intention this morning was to go through all of those boxes of pictures that Mom had kept. My sister took half of them and I know it will take us forever to complete this task. Going througth the pictures taught me a good lesson. Never, never take pictures that you don't identify. People are easy, if you know them, and a lot of them were unknown to me. Oh, I did know they were relatives, but who and what side of the family??? The real kicker was the hundreds of pictures of scenery in every state my parents had visited. We have no idea where they are and they mean nothing to us without a person in them or some sort of identification. They were precious to Mom though as she could look at them and remember.

I divided pictures into 5 folders for myself and my siblings and divided them according to family or just makeing piles at random so I wouldn't show favoritism.
Dividing pictures that way was easy, but wait....What are all of these letters?
And what is in this shoe box of old papers.

I have found a treasure. I spent a lot of time reading and crying and getting to know a grandfather that I never got to know. He was very ill as he wrote the letters to his sons who were overseas during WWII. He told of his health issues and the conditions on the farm. He advised them of what kind of men to be: Be kind, always pay attention to the other fellow, treat people fairly, Look to God in heaven to give you strength and help your through the trying times. spend time in prayer each day. Grandad, who was my mothers father, passed away 5 months before I was born. I always knew that he was a gentle man because of the family that he had. I am glad that I was able to read those letters written in pencil on a tablet. Every inch of the page was used. There were also letters from my grandmother and letters from the uncles who were serving our Country. Grandad told them to be proud of what they were doing.

In another box were treasures from my other side of the family.My great grandad R. was a school teacher. In this box were copies of all his teaching certificates, dating back to 1882. There were also many letters of recommendation from people that he taught and the parents of the children that he had taught. The script of the peoples writing was so beautful. They took great pride in neatness and the beauty. No typewritten words or computers for them. It was all long hand and perfect.

I found many poems that had been written by family members. My family had quite a talent for writing. I found all about my paternal grandmothers school days in Indian Territory at the Coulter School near Gutherie. Pictures of early day I.T. and a great parade celebrating 50 Year since the Land Run of 1889.

I can't wait to get into the other boxes tomorrow. I have a lot of copies to make for all of my siblings. There are so many pictures that now have meaning and I think they all need copies of these family documents, don't you?

The next job will be starting on my own treasures. I am not sure that my kids will take too kindly to some of the things that I have kept. One thing for sure, I don't have any of my early childhood things. My family moved and pitched what we didn't need. Thank goodness they kept the history.

And a Top O' The Morning to You!!!

Tomorrow is the 17th of March, St. Patricks Day. Legend says that St. Patrick, who was the Patron Saint of Ireland, used the Shamrock to explain the meaning of the Trinity to the pagans who worshiped idols. It is also said that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. Snakes were thought to be a part of this heathen way of worship. Truth is, there were probably never any snakes in Ireland. How would I know though, Saint Patrick died on March 17, 460 A.D. or sometime near that. That was way before my time.

Through the ages St. Patricks Day has expanded to mean many things in many cultures. To the Irish, it is a religious holiday. The day is spent at Mass and in prayer. All of the businesses, except for the pubs and cafes, are closed. It is a day for Spiritual Renewal. I am wondering about the Pubs being open though. I guess that is for the "Spirits".

March 17th is also celebrated by doing anything that is Irish or that connects with Ireland. Wear green, gold, shamrocks, and have "Good Luck". In America, Irish communities also have parades, festive music eat lots of Irish food and play games.
There is also the idea that if you don't wear green, you will be pinched. I don't know if that is an Irish tradition or not. I always worried that I would not have anything green to wear until I bought a green pin that had a little leprichan sitting on a pot of gold, holding a shamrock. That covered all of the bases.

On of our favorite things to eat is Blarney Stones. If you haven't had this, you are really missing out. My daughters family makes the best ones. I have made them only once and that was enough for me. They are time consuming so I just get one from her to eat. It is a lot less fattening to do it that way too.

My mother always fixed corned beef, irish potatoes, and whatever else she could think of to celebrate the day. She also fixed green jello. She was good to think about celebrating the day. My dad, was called "Pat". That was not his given name but he earned that name as a very small child. His home was near a new highway that was being built through the country in the 1920's. A big part of the workers were Irish. Dad developed quite and Irish brogue and was therefore called "little Irish Paddy". The name was later shortened to Pat and most people thought that was his name. Two of his great grandsons are named Patrick to honor him.

Tomorrow, I will get out my green shirt and find my Irish Pin and see what a good Irish meal I can fix for the Rancher. If you make some Blarney Stones, eat one for me, as I probably will miss out this year unless I get really ambitious.

Have a Happy St. Patricks Day and may the Luck of the Irish be with You. (whatever that is)

TRASH OR TREASURE

The past few weeks have been hard for my siblings and myself as we recently lost our precious Mother. Last weekend, we started going through Mom's house to see what to do with all of her treasures.

It has been an adventure to say the least. We have had laughter, cried and been completely surprised at some of the things that our Mom had collected through the years. My parents both loved to go the "auctions" or sales. We are sure a lot of the collectible dishes and old books came from their great buys, but we know that some of them were also from our grandmothers and older aunts. We do remember some things that belonged to family members, but other pieces are just dishes. I know they all must have had a special meaning to Mom.

Mom also kept every card that special people sent to her. Some of them are treasures, but others we have no knowledge of and they are just cards to us. To find a letter that was written by a long gone realtive has a special meaning though, and I am glad that she did keep such things. It will be an adventure going through each one. It will also take time but it will be a time spent with something that was close to Mom.

Mom grew up in hard times and lived through the depression, war rationing and out of necessity, she had to be a very frugal person. She used and re-used and saved. She saved a lot of things that have gone past their time of usefulness. Some of them are Antiques. Some of them, we just laugh and say "Why did Mom have 3 toasters?" They don't all work but she thought someone could fix them. Today in our throw away world, it costs more to fix a toaster than buy a new one.

I had a good laugh and was excited when I found a white brocade dress that I made while I was still in High School. I know the size it was and today that same size is completely different. I could not believe that I was once that small as my (I'm on medicare) body is old and way out of shape today. I saved the dress to show my daughters and granddaughters.

I hope that I have learned a lesson this week. I need to start distributing things that I don't need to those who do. I have too much junk. Most of has been given to me and has a special meaning. I think about the person everytime I use things they have given me and it makes my heart glad.

Maybe I am too much like my Mother and someday my children will laugh, cry and get totally frustrated when they start to clean out my treasures. That will be okay, it is part of the healing process over the loss. Today, I thank my Mom for all of the wonderful memories she has provided for us this week. I would like to be sharing them with her.