"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Prov 13:20)
The ranch hand has been blessed for the last two days with six tom turkeys visiting the back pasture deer feeder.
It is a measure of cautious patience to watch them saunter from the adjacent brush. Their every move is enhanced to maximize grazing opportunities while keeping the ever watchful eye/ear for predators.
These magnificent gobblers are obviously in their prime. They are tall, heavy, and long of beard. These facts give witness to the reality that they have survived the onslaught of disease, coyotes, hawks, starvation, and other manner of eradication to live to magnificent maturity.
While it is unique and soul satisfying to see this spectacle of nature, it is at the same time a thought provoking perspective on the secret of a long life.
Appropriate caution in all things, vigilant alertness to opportunity, and never forgetting that that the world may kick your butt when you least expect it.
A lesson from the wise ones.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Manual Labor
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)
The ranch hand reckons man was destined to "work" from the beginning of time?
Grandaddy Granvil worked every day of his life that he was able at various endeavors...Dad worked til he was just sitting on a stump to do what he could?
The ole fat boy been pounding the turf seven days a week since Moby Dick was a minnow and still can't seem to figger out the "relax" theme?
"Relaxin" must be an art that only special people can do??? (Ya listenin' Wayne?).
"Relax" people sleep til after the sun is up...s-l-o-w-l-y (do whatever), and the day evolves in a smooth mode of pleasure with no special exertion of physical (sweating/grunting/effort)...
No clue here as have not figgered that equation out yet?
Dang Dad...how come folks like us have to bust butt every day the sun shines doing "chores" instead of just "veggin"??
The ranch hand reckons man was destined to "work" from the beginning of time?
Grandaddy Granvil worked every day of his life that he was able at various endeavors...Dad worked til he was just sitting on a stump to do what he could?
The ole fat boy been pounding the turf seven days a week since Moby Dick was a minnow and still can't seem to figger out the "relax" theme?
"Relaxin" must be an art that only special people can do??? (Ya listenin' Wayne?).
"Relax" people sleep til after the sun is up...s-l-o-w-l-y (do whatever), and the day evolves in a smooth mode of pleasure with no special exertion of physical (sweating/grunting/effort)...
No clue here as have not figgered that equation out yet?
Dang Dad...how come folks like us have to bust butt every day the sun shines doing "chores" instead of just "veggin"??
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Calf Rope
Root canal is a colloquial term for a dental operation, wherein the pulp is cleaned out, the space disinfected and then filled.
The ole ranch hand climbed into the saddle of one them puppies this morn and damn near yelled "calf rope"?
The foreman of the torture chamber (sublimely name "dentist") proceeded to grind the entire top off of one of the (preciously few real teeth). That saunter in the park was adroitly followed by crammin', jammin', stabbin', jabbin' a round steel file into each of three root chambers (all the while twirlin' and jerking up and down the "tool".
Let us all pray that:
1. The "root canal" serves its intended purpose.
2. The ranch hand's butt unpuckers sometime during the next decade?
The ole ranch hand climbed into the saddle of one them puppies this morn and damn near yelled "calf rope"?
The foreman of the torture chamber (sublimely name "dentist") proceeded to grind the entire top off of one of the (preciously few real teeth). That saunter in the park was adroitly followed by crammin', jammin', stabbin', jabbin' a round steel file into each of three root chambers (all the while twirlin' and jerking up and down the "tool".
Let us all pray that:
1. The "root canal" serves its intended purpose.
2. The ranch hand's butt unpuckers sometime during the next decade?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Cremation And Other Warm Thoughts
Cremation is the process of reducing dead bodies to basic chemical compounds in the form of gases and bone fragments. This is accomplished through burning,high temperatures,vaporization and oxidation.
The process of becoming "Ole Folks" is a progression of thought concerning the prospect of limited life.....Another words...Ya ain't gonna live forever.
It ain't a pretty thought, it aint necessarily eagerly anticipated, but it is a fact.
Regardless, the ranch hand fetched the mail at the box by the road this noon day and found an offering from the "Neptune Society" for "memorialized cremation"?????
The "ad" within extolled the virtues of "minimal impact on the environment", "dignified resting places", and "less expense"????
Is it just the cringing of an ole fat man or is it a trifle urbane to send social security eligible folks a note to say, "Sometimes death happens"...
Well NO SHIT SPORTS FANS....like the ranch hand is going to care what happens thereafter???
The process of becoming "Ole Folks" is a progression of thought concerning the prospect of limited life.....Another words...Ya ain't gonna live forever.
It ain't a pretty thought, it aint necessarily eagerly anticipated, but it is a fact.
Regardless, the ranch hand fetched the mail at the box by the road this noon day and found an offering from the "Neptune Society" for "memorialized cremation"?????
The "ad" within extolled the virtues of "minimal impact on the environment", "dignified resting places", and "less expense"????
Is it just the cringing of an ole fat man or is it a trifle urbane to send social security eligible folks a note to say, "Sometimes death happens"...
Well NO SHIT SPORTS FANS....like the ranch hand is going to care what happens thereafter???
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Water
In the Book of Genesis, we read that creation began when the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters. (Gen. 1:2)
The ranch hand choose this opening day of Texas dove season to check out the movement of migratory winged creatures over the face of the resident pond.
The highlight of the day included a visit by a large screech owl who solemnly landed on a limb to study the would be hunter at length? Shortly thereafter a doe and small fawn tiptoed to the water's edge to thirstily imbibe of liquid sustenance.
And almost as an after thought, the ole fat boy managed to bag a few dove for the skillet.
Life is good.
The ranch hand choose this opening day of Texas dove season to check out the movement of migratory winged creatures over the face of the resident pond.
The highlight of the day included a visit by a large screech owl who solemnly landed on a limb to study the would be hunter at length? Shortly thereafter a doe and small fawn tiptoed to the water's edge to thirstily imbibe of liquid sustenance.
And almost as an after thought, the ole fat boy managed to bag a few dove for the skillet.
Life is good.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Season of Life
To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven....Ecclesiastes 3-1
Today marks the end of the the humble ranch hand's professional race....41 years as a peace keeper is enough by any man's standard....ya tote the badge and pistol long enuff....ya do what you need to do to take care of folks in need.... an finally comes a time when the "season" is done.
Pulling off the badge is simply closing one door and opening another...the coming of a new season....life is good and God is great in all things.
I pray O' Lord for calm, confidence, and competence at living life to its fullest as my dotage encroaches...
You are my Savior and my Light in all things...
Today marks the end of the the humble ranch hand's professional race....41 years as a peace keeper is enough by any man's standard....ya tote the badge and pistol long enuff....ya do what you need to do to take care of folks in need.... an finally comes a time when the "season" is done.
Pulling off the badge is simply closing one door and opening another...the coming of a new season....life is good and God is great in all things.
I pray O' Lord for calm, confidence, and competence at living life to its fullest as my dotage encroaches...
You are my Savior and my Light in all things...
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Vacation Fun
The ranch hand and his beautiful bride recently inaugurated international travel across the "pond".
It didn't figger to be no step for a tall dawg...just book the flights and hotels, join a tour group, and see the sights of Espana.
Jumped out of the rack friday last, took a leisurely hour's drive to the airport...eased thru airport security (four times due to continuously setting off the metal detector)while eagerly anticipating the coming adventure.
No problem to Dallas/Ft Worth (except forgot a pair of $525 prescription sunglasses at the Austin security station after finally getting clearance to enter???)
The connecting flight to Madrid was 1 1/2 hours late coming in....no problem as had a couple of hours layover in Madrid to catch the next leg.
Ten l-o-n-g hours to Madrid followed by more sitting on the tarmac near the terminal (the locals acted surprised to see a plane and didn't know what to do with it??). The pilot guy finally announced the Spaniards had decided they would bring stairs to the plane and load us on a bus. More sitting on the tarmac.....finally the jet jockey announced they had decided to tow the plane up to a jetway for off-loading....all well and good....but the clock was ticking on the next flight.
Eventually got in the Madrid airport and ask the first airline employee encountered concerning how to get to the next flight gate. NO ENGLISH SPOKEN HERE.
Stirred around a bit until ended up in Spanish Customs...stood in a long line, got asked some questions in Spanish that was not understood and was turned loose to ?????
Outside customs the ole fat boy ran slap dab into a subway system to take us to ?????...finally just got on the first door that opened and exited the next time it stopped (finely tuned woodsman training no doubt?)...went thru a maze of stairways/hallways and found a board announcing the gate location of flights....RAN like gazelles (a chubby guy in his dotage) to the distant gate only to see the plane being pushed back for it's flight.
Immediately asked the non-English speaking airline employee how to book the next flight and was pointed to the opposite end of the terminal for (execution, help, the trip home???). Started walking and found a long line at a counter that appeared to be "customer service". Stood in said line for one hour while the "customer service" reps and the "customers" YELLED at each other in spanish like a mass murder was about to occur.
Finally got up to the counter (after an hour of sincere prayer for a miracle) and found an airline employer who spoke just enough English to tell us we were screwed. The next two flights were booked full. Begged, pleaded, did that sad puppy dawg eyes crap and the agent agreed to put us on stand-by for the flight that was scheduled to leave TWELVE HOURS LATER...bottom line....God heard our prayers and we got on that plane to Sevilla (after some idjit stole our carry-on bag with our prescription meds, digital camera, and other "stuff").
Arrived in Sevilla on Sunday morning, 38 hours after getting up Friday morning. No sleep, little food (the rotten/sticky "ham" sandwich in airport smelled like a skunk....and there is not one American beer in all of Spain?). Was totally conflicted between being pissed off and being glad to be alive at our chosen destination.
Then came the most terrifying taxi ride in the history of modern man (with the bride hollering, "Muy poco, muy poco"...that don't mean "slow down" but her voice inflection was pretty plain...Yet the cab driver did not "poco down")
Three days in Sevilla was awesome...incredible architecture, beautiful culture, interesting foods, flamenco dancing, NO ENGLISH SPOKEN.
Sprang from the bed Wednesday morn and took another thrilling taxi ride to the bus station for our journey to Toledo and points in between. Loaded up two buses for the tour (and one bus crapped out in the driveway). Now imagine loading two bus fulls of luggage and people into one bus for an all day ride?
Traveled to a mountain top castle built in the 1400's by the Knights Templar and then on to Toledo.
Had an interesting day meandering thru the maze of narrow cobble stone lined streets (with the careening cars always up close and personal) viewing the magnificent scenery, bountiful shops, and experiencing the culture first-hand)(Oh yeah, got asked to leave the Greco art museum...as best can tell, us redneck rubes were unwittingly taking the tour bass-ackwards and screwing up the pedestrian flow?)
Traveled to Madrid and found the hotel room A/C was "muy poco" as well...bar-b-qued the first night, but managed to "habla" enough to get it fixed for the rest of the stay? Walked thru the Prado Museum and saw enough oil paint smeared on canvas to paint Grandaddy's barn 40 times over? Saw more castles, cathedrals, and statues than a soul can imagine...and chowed down on some truly unusual grub?
Last day in Europe started with a 70 Euro ($105) cab ride to the airport. Made a short hop to London Heathrow airport where yours truly was "profiled" by security and had a long interview with a local gendarme about my terrorist tendencies (as a cop for four decades???). Then followed another ten hour flight to Dallas with a short hop to Austin.
Got back to the ranch (after a 24 hour journey) to find that the battery on the ranch gate opener had died and the gate would not open?????
Ain't "vacations" fun?
It didn't figger to be no step for a tall dawg...just book the flights and hotels, join a tour group, and see the sights of Espana.
Jumped out of the rack friday last, took a leisurely hour's drive to the airport...eased thru airport security (four times due to continuously setting off the metal detector)while eagerly anticipating the coming adventure.
No problem to Dallas/Ft Worth (except forgot a pair of $525 prescription sunglasses at the Austin security station after finally getting clearance to enter???)
The connecting flight to Madrid was 1 1/2 hours late coming in....no problem as had a couple of hours layover in Madrid to catch the next leg.
Ten l-o-n-g hours to Madrid followed by more sitting on the tarmac near the terminal (the locals acted surprised to see a plane and didn't know what to do with it??). The pilot guy finally announced the Spaniards had decided they would bring stairs to the plane and load us on a bus. More sitting on the tarmac.....finally the jet jockey announced they had decided to tow the plane up to a jetway for off-loading....all well and good....but the clock was ticking on the next flight.
Eventually got in the Madrid airport and ask the first airline employee encountered concerning how to get to the next flight gate. NO ENGLISH SPOKEN HERE.
Stirred around a bit until ended up in Spanish Customs...stood in a long line, got asked some questions in Spanish that was not understood and was turned loose to ?????
Outside customs the ole fat boy ran slap dab into a subway system to take us to ?????...finally just got on the first door that opened and exited the next time it stopped (finely tuned woodsman training no doubt?)...went thru a maze of stairways/hallways and found a board announcing the gate location of flights....RAN like gazelles (a chubby guy in his dotage) to the distant gate only to see the plane being pushed back for it's flight.
Immediately asked the non-English speaking airline employee how to book the next flight and was pointed to the opposite end of the terminal for (execution, help, the trip home???). Started walking and found a long line at a counter that appeared to be "customer service". Stood in said line for one hour while the "customer service" reps and the "customers" YELLED at each other in spanish like a mass murder was about to occur.
Finally got up to the counter (after an hour of sincere prayer for a miracle) and found an airline employer who spoke just enough English to tell us we were screwed. The next two flights were booked full. Begged, pleaded, did that sad puppy dawg eyes crap and the agent agreed to put us on stand-by for the flight that was scheduled to leave TWELVE HOURS LATER...bottom line....God heard our prayers and we got on that plane to Sevilla (after some idjit stole our carry-on bag with our prescription meds, digital camera, and other "stuff").
Arrived in Sevilla on Sunday morning, 38 hours after getting up Friday morning. No sleep, little food (the rotten/sticky "ham" sandwich in airport smelled like a skunk....and there is not one American beer in all of Spain?). Was totally conflicted between being pissed off and being glad to be alive at our chosen destination.
Then came the most terrifying taxi ride in the history of modern man (with the bride hollering, "Muy poco, muy poco"...that don't mean "slow down" but her voice inflection was pretty plain...Yet the cab driver did not "poco down")
Three days in Sevilla was awesome...incredible architecture, beautiful culture, interesting foods, flamenco dancing, NO ENGLISH SPOKEN.
Sprang from the bed Wednesday morn and took another thrilling taxi ride to the bus station for our journey to Toledo and points in between. Loaded up two buses for the tour (and one bus crapped out in the driveway). Now imagine loading two bus fulls of luggage and people into one bus for an all day ride?
Traveled to a mountain top castle built in the 1400's by the Knights Templar and then on to Toledo.
Had an interesting day meandering thru the maze of narrow cobble stone lined streets (with the careening cars always up close and personal) viewing the magnificent scenery, bountiful shops, and experiencing the culture first-hand)(Oh yeah, got asked to leave the Greco art museum...as best can tell, us redneck rubes were unwittingly taking the tour bass-ackwards and screwing up the pedestrian flow?)
Traveled to Madrid and found the hotel room A/C was "muy poco" as well...bar-b-qued the first night, but managed to "habla" enough to get it fixed for the rest of the stay? Walked thru the Prado Museum and saw enough oil paint smeared on canvas to paint Grandaddy's barn 40 times over? Saw more castles, cathedrals, and statues than a soul can imagine...and chowed down on some truly unusual grub?
Last day in Europe started with a 70 Euro ($105) cab ride to the airport. Made a short hop to London Heathrow airport where yours truly was "profiled" by security and had a long interview with a local gendarme about my terrorist tendencies (as a cop for four decades???). Then followed another ten hour flight to Dallas with a short hop to Austin.
Got back to the ranch (after a 24 hour journey) to find that the battery on the ranch gate opener had died and the gate would not open?????
Ain't "vacations" fun?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
RAIN
Soft sweet rain fell on the ranch this morn.
Likely not an event that will spark world news reports, but an occurrence of such gravity as to give lift to the spirit of at least one man.
The ranch world of late has been one of browned crispness as the forest ruminants struggle for sustenance and the pond ever diminishes from its spring overflow to a state of puddle.
Oh Lord, may we never take for granted the bounty of Thy glory or the blessing You so generously provide in the form of cloud precipitation.
Likely not an event that will spark world news reports, but an occurrence of such gravity as to give lift to the spirit of at least one man.
The ranch world of late has been one of browned crispness as the forest ruminants struggle for sustenance and the pond ever diminishes from its spring overflow to a state of puddle.
Oh Lord, may we never take for granted the bounty of Thy glory or the blessing You so generously provide in the form of cloud precipitation.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Aint' "blogged" in a while....
Likely had the "priorities" outa whack?
Life is good...the ranch is a blessing extraordinaire...
Always drift back to Dad's perspective....."It is what it is"...family, friends, food.....what the hell else we need??
All ya'll know the one's that is loved is loved....and the ole fat boy will be back with his elementary humble "blogging" a'gonin' full blast a'for long...just gotta shuck the last vestiges of the "last" JOB......and SOON!
Peace and out
Likely had the "priorities" outa whack?
Life is good...the ranch is a blessing extraordinaire...
Always drift back to Dad's perspective....."It is what it is"...family, friends, food.....what the hell else we need??
All ya'll know the one's that is loved is loved....and the ole fat boy will be back with his elementary humble "blogging" a'gonin' full blast a'for long...just gotta shuck the last vestiges of the "last" JOB......and SOON!
Peace and out
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Workin'
Dad worked hard his whole life.
Didn't matter the chore, he gave it all he had and did it the right way for the right reasons at the right time.
Reckon the ranch hand inherited some part of that DNA.
Can't seem to rest on a purty day as always have any number of "chores" in mind to get accomplished for whatever reason?
Enjoy the pleasure of just "doing it" and like to sit back and see the result.
Probably America was built on folks that had the "workin'" ethic??
Didn't matter the chore, he gave it all he had and did it the right way for the right reasons at the right time.
Reckon the ranch hand inherited some part of that DNA.
Can't seem to rest on a purty day as always have any number of "chores" in mind to get accomplished for whatever reason?
Enjoy the pleasure of just "doing it" and like to sit back and see the result.
Probably America was built on folks that had the "workin'" ethic??
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