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.