Coffee Percs

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

That’s what I call a sunrise. Look at those colors.’ He had a fire going, coffee almost boiling, and was cutting some bacon strips for their cast iron frying pan.”

                     –Johnny Gunn  (Terror on Flat Top Ridge)
 
Mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  Coffee’s on, ready for yuh to guzzle, or sip, whichever fits yur fancy.  In the midst of this crazy, mixed-up world, some things are just downright enjoyable.  Yep, some things just lift yuh up an’ make yuh smile.  Yuh know what I mean.  From the first glimmer of graylight in the mornin’ to the dazzlin’ colors of a sunrise tellin’ yuh that yur still alive and breathin’.  The aroma of fresh brewed coffee an’ then the taste of that elixir flowin’ down yur gullet to yur gizzard. . . ahhh, delightful.  Or how ’bout the aroma of fresh-baked bread, or pie, then add to that the smell of bacon a-fryin’.  Yep, most of the time the simple things are the good things.
     Why you just showin’ up this mornin’ and sharin’ a bit of yur time with me–well, that’s a lifter.  I’ll share somethin’ with yuh that really made this ol’ fence post feel good.  I got a phone call yesterday from my ol’ pard, Bob.  Just made me feel good that he was a-thinkin’ ’bout me.  We talked a spell, shared some things–why, it was just like ol’ times.  Made not only my gizzard happy, but my heart as well.  We exhorted each other like the Scripture says, to stay in the faith and to guard the truth.  I recall, Pard, the writer of Hebrews says that we are to exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today.”  (3:13)  
     Go ahead, Pard, pour yurself another cup, there’s plenty and if we empty the pot there’s more makin’s.  Read the other day of an ol’ cowman who put the coffee on every mornin’ out of habit, even though his gizzard won’t accept it anymore.  Now, that’s bein’ faithful to friends who may, or may not show up.  The coffee’s there for them, sorta comfortin’ to know that folks think kindly towards one another.  I remember Grandma always had a pot of coffee on the stove in case anyone came by.  She never drank the brew, but it was always there, ready for a guest or friend.
     Yep, Pard, with all the evil around, and all the wicked folk who sit in high places we need each other to encourage us in this evil day.  “Comfort one another”, we are told.  So hope, my few words along with the coffee will give yuh some comfort this Saturday before yuh head out for the day’s duties.  Fact is, I’m comforted knowin’ that yuh checked yur cinch.  Sure does ease the mind.  Yuh be havin’ a good week!
       Vaya con Dios.

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

They enjoyed a last cup of coffee while the dark eased out of the canyons of the mountains way off to their west and slipped over the flat prairies.” 

                    –C. Wayne Winkle  (A Dangerous Beginning)
 
“Ridin’ down the canyon, to watch the sun go down; a picture than no artist e’er could paint.”  Sing along, Pard, for that’s ’bout as close as we can get to a canyon here in East Texas.  Reckon I could go up on the hillside to look out over the pasture land at sundown, that’s a right nice view.  But nestled in our little cottage in the woods we don’t have that view.  “Course the last rays of the sun filter on down through the trees; that’s right nice as well.
     Sorry, was thinkin’ ’bout that view, an’ most forgot yur coffee.  Since yuh don’t want to sing, sit down and I’ll pour yuh a cup.  Ahhh, that delicious brew, now if’n we could only be lookin’ down the canyon.  ‘Course the sun ain’t comin’ down, it’s just a-risin’ tellin’ us that there’s a new day approachin’ and that we need to be doin’ our best for the Lord.
     Did I watch the convention?  Pard!  What’s got into yuh?  Why should I watch a bunch of clowns?  Just watchin’ some of them makes the ol’ gizzard queasy.  Makes me think of the words of our Lord when he said that a group of people just wanted to carry out their father’s desires.  By father, He meant ol’ slewfoot hisself–the devil.  Remember, Jesus said that he, the devil, speaks his native language, for he is a liar, and no truth in him.  Why those folks are just carryin’ out his wishes, and who’ll become the recipients?  Yuh got it, us folk out here.
     Pard, yuh done got me on my soap-box.  Yuh drink yur coffee whilst I go on an’ say somethin’ else.  We’re headin’ down a wicked, evil way, an’ it has to stop or the Lord is goin’ to put a stop to it.  Hmmm, or maybe not, He often allows folks to get what they want; bad thing is other folk suffer right along with them.  But, Pard, unless the Spirit speaks to them they ain’t a-gonna listen.  They don’t belong to God so they ain’t gonna recognize His voice, nor do they want to.  They want to do what they want regardless of the right and wrong of it.
     Whooeee, Pard, yuh hang on to the truth!  Don’t let no woke person who’s really asleep turn yuh aside.  They ain’t got no more sense than God gave a rock.  Yuh right straight an’ true an’ tall in the saddle.  Yuh tighten yur cinch as yuh travel this road of life, enjoy the sunrise, the sunset, and good coffee.
       Vaya con Dios.

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He slouched over the fire and tipped the pot against his mouth, drinking with an acute thirst. Coffee ran down the seams of his jaw. He said, ‘Ah,’ in great relish and sponged the liquid from the tips of his moustache with sidewise motions of his tongue.”

                      –Ernest Haycox  (Saddle and Ride)
 
Come on in, Pard, sit yurself down, I’ve just been ponderin’ whilst sippin’ my coffee.  Been awhile since I’ve drank straight from the pot or pan; guess I’m what yu’d call sophisticated now.  Big word for such a simple fella.  
     I quoted from that ol’ puncher Lou Bradshaw the other day ’bout the monsters bein’ set loose.  I haven’t heard anything ’bout him in the last couple of years.  Wonder if one of those monsters got him, or he succumbed to a pestilence or the elements.  Most likely he’s crossed over the Great Divide.  Sure hope he went peaceful; I’d hate if one of those monsters came ’round to snatch him.
     Don’t be a-doubtin’ me, Pard.  Those monsters are real.  Why even ol’ Peter hisself spoke of them, saying the devil was like a lion seekin’ someone to devour.  Pard, just hold yur cup for a minute and think, if’n that’s possible for yuh.  How many have you known that some monster has grabbed an’ sent them down to perdition?  Good folks, who at one time were doin’ the Lord’s work and they up an’ give in to the monsters that were chasin’ them.  I read of Hugh Glass bein’ chawed on by that monster grizzly.  That ol’ boy survived an ordeal like few others have been through, and yet, sad to say, some get a kitty scratch and go into fits like they had the hydrophoby.
     Ahhh, good coffee, helps bring the memories back of days gone before.  Pard, don’t get me wrong ’bout that kitty scratch.  I reckon I know it could get infected and the lockjaw could set in, but mercies’ sake sometimes we are so feeble-kneed and whiny that a person would wonder.  I have had the mountains on my mind a time or two, but I wouldn’t succumb to the jaws of the monster.  Yep, back in the summer of ’15, the ol’ heart was smacked by a monster, but my faith was in the Lord, an’ He took care of me and has continued to do so.
     Don’t get me goin’, Pard.  I know that we all got to face that last enemy–Death.  Why he stalks us all the time, and his cohort the devil are always lookin’ for ways to bring us down.  He’s an outlaw for shore, but we know that Death has been defeated by the Lord Jesus Christ.  How we come to face that outlaw, we don’t know.  It may be a monster after us, or a storm, or pestilence, or a battle, or just plain wearin’ out, but one thing we do know is that the Lord is with us.  Yuh need to lay hold of that for a fact!
     Sorry, if I seem a little melancholy, but Pard we got to face those evil monsters out there.  Some are after our family an’ it might be time to tote out the ol’ .44.  Sayin’ that it’ll be a shame if yuh met yur demise by failin’ to check yur cinch.  Yep, sometimes it ain’t the monsters that get us, but those little imps.  Yuh, be careful this week, have yur weapons ready in case yur attacked–hang on to the faith!
      Vaya con Dios.

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He then turned more snow into boiling water for his coffee. Coffee was what he needed, coffee so strong he’d bet a spoon would stand up in the middle of the cup, otherwise unsupported.”

                      –G. Wayne Tilman  (The Marshal of Jerome)
 
Ha, just had to use this quotation this mornin’ for the Perc.  Wouldn’t it be nice down here in warm Texas to use snow as the water for coffee?  Mid-90s all week, but what should we expect, it’s summer.  Pard, yuh don’t mind the heat, do yuh?  My ol’ college pard said that it had to be in the 90s before yuh could have a decent baseball game and he was a catcher.  He wanted that heat.  People whine and complain ’bout the weather and I don’t know why, there’s not a thing they can do about it except possibly move.  The rain falls on the just and the unjust, and as does the rays of the sun.  Get over it creampuff and face the day.
     Some say it’s too hot for coffee.  Well, they don’t know the joy of the wonderful elixir, or they run to buy one of those ice cinos.  Silly goofs.  Ahhh, smell the aroma, Pard, let the brew slide down yur gullet to make the ol’ gizzard smile.
     Pard, I didn’t watch much of the Olympics, only a highlight here and there, but some folks are just plain fools.  If yuh followed, Noah Lyles didn’t win the 200, and he did the right thing by immediately congratulatin’ the winner.  There came an outcry from people, primarily the media I’m supposin’ that he should be arrested; that he doesn’t care about the plight of humanity.  See, he gave a slight hug to the gold medal winner when it seems that he ran with COVID.  If he didn’t congratulate the winner the pundits would be shoutin’ that he’s a spoiled sport.   All I can do is shake my head.  ‘Course I know there are whiners and murmurers and complainers no matter what  . . . just ask ol’ Moses ’bout that.
     Been busy, the grandson came home with us and spent most of his time with the cousins.  Momma came to bring him home and they left yesterday afternoon.  We celebrated the eldest granddaughter’s birthday as she will be on a missions trip on the actual date of her birthday.  Sure does this ol’ fence post good to see her servin’ the Lord that way.  The others will all start school next week.  Boy don’t they need the Lord with all the junk they throw at the kids’ minds these days.
     Pard, we need to be constantly on guard–guardin’ the truth of God’s Word, makin’ sure that our children and grandchildren know the right trail that’ll lead onto glory.  We need to be teachin’ them to keep their weapons clean and ready for use.  We need to be makin’ sure they know that they don’t just mount up, but that they check their cinch before doin’ so.  There are so many basic, simple things that are vital to practice and also be ready to use in this crazy, evil world.
       Vaya con Dios.