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.