Friday, January 18, 2013

Dust and Ashes

"Let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes."
(Genesis 18:27)

The ole ranch was blessed with acquisition of the Tin Star Ranch more than 8 years ago.

The days since have included the sinuous joy of laboriously clearing the land using a weak mind and a semi-strong back.

An altar of honor at the edge of the back "40" (pasture).... at the head of the dry creek bed, has served as host to countless stacks of dry brush.

The dry brush, being an open invitation to bonfire, has traversed the chemical/mystical path from vegetation to "dust and ashes" more times than an old fat man can count.

Course, three years of drought has at times made the frequency of the "burn" unpredictable. But sure as death and taxes....that puppy has taken an ash "nap" many a time.

Today marked the most recent celebration of return to nature. Recent rains anoited the earth with moisture and thus the ranch hand did anoint that brush with fire.

And so begins the cycle anew of cutting and stacking...followed inexorably by return to ashes.

It is a self renewing exercise that will never cease in my life time...and I love it.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Yellow Snow

Well I turned around and I said oh, oh oh
Well I turned around and I said oh, oh oh
Well I turned around and I said ho, ho
And the northern lights commenced to glow
And she said, with a tear in her eye
Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow
Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that yellow snow.
(Frank Zappa, "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow", 1971)

It snowed on the Tin Star Ranch this fine morn.....No big deal...except it ain't never done that in the tenure of the ranch hand?

Reminded the ole fat boy of his days as a yonker in Wright City and those rare snow days that Texas renders.

For those that live in snow from can til can't...snow is just more BS...

For those that rarely see grits spittin' from above...it is a wonderment.

A memory is of Mom having us rake some of the white frosting off the ground and her adding canned condensed milk and sugar to make snow "ice cream"!

Mom would always admonish, "Don't bring in no yellow snow".

Kids being kids, we didn't quite cabbage onto the wisdom of that advice til later years....but Mom...if ya are up there watchin'...your onliest son did NOT eat no yellow snow today!