Well, here we are, Pard, on the downward slope of the season.  Yep, I know summer’s just begun, but with that, the days will be gettin’ shorter.  For a while, shorter and hotter.  So far not so bad here, a couple of days in the lower nineties.  Go ‘head, grab yur cup, the coffee’s comin’ right up.  What’s the Good Book say, As long as the earth endures the seasons will come and go as will night and day, uh, that’s a little paraphrase, if’n yuh want to go look it up it’s in Genesis right after the flood.

     Ahhh, that coffee sure fits the bill this mornin’.  Plum tickles the ol’ gizzard, sure ‘nough good way to start the day.  Pard, I heard somethin’ that sorta frightened me.  Nah, not scared me as to want to pull out my gun, but it brought new light to this feeble ol’ fence post of a mind of mine.  I was on social media, when somethin’ popped up.  Now, I usually don’t pay no ‘ttention to such things, but this one just caught my eye.  A woman was a talkin’, “Just leave us alone.  That’s all we want to be left alone and go to hell.  That’s where I wanna go anyway…”  My, my, all I could do was shake my head.  That poor gal don’t know what she’s a-talkin’ about.

     Now, in my days, I’ve heard smart remarks, most said in foolishness and jest, such as, “I want to go to hell, that’s where all my friends are,” or “we’ll have a grand ol’ time partyin’ down there.”  The Lord tells us that if we have ears, then listen:  it ain’t gonna be no party.  Yuh don’t want to be settin’ yur sights on goin’ there.  It’s a place of torment where the worm dieth not.  It’s darkness and gnashing of teeth.  Why, Pard, it’s darker than that there coffee yura drinkin’.  

     Ol’ slewfoot has sure deceived that woman.  She’s done exchanged the truth of God for a lie.  Now I don’t know if she’s at the point where she believes the lie.  I read that durin’ the Tribulation, the Lord will send a powerful delusion so that people will believe the lie, but not sure if that’s for today or not.  Either way, the woman has indeed believed Satan and is not in her right mind.  If’n she was she would be seekin’ grace and mercy from the Lord, not flauntin’ her lifestyle at Him.

     My mercy, Pard, the pot’s empty.  Where has the time gone?  Seems like it gets shorter and shorter, or perhaps I’m just noticin’ it more.  Summer is upon us, the days should be long and lingerin’, but it seems they pass more quickly now.  We seem to empty the pot faster than before.  Well, the Lord willin’ and yuh don’t forget to check yur cinch and fall on yur noggin’ I’ll see yuh next week.  Sit tall in the saddle, keep yur weapons near yuh and be diligent as yuh travel through this world in the comin’ week.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –A.K. Vyas  (Dodge City)

 

Mornin’, Pard.  Yuh know if’n it ain’t one thing it’s the other.  Least wise my coffee ain’t horrid; it’s more delectable.  Makes yur taste buds howl in delight an’ yur ol’ gizzard starts to growl.  Hope yur doin’ well this Saturday.  

     Ahhh, this is good.  Finished the first rounds of appointments with the sawbones.  Round one went well.  My mercy, it seems that I almost find myself comin’ and goin’ to the doc’s office.  Least, I’m able to come and go, better than some folks I know.  I reckon I’m in pretty good shape for the shape I’m in, and that’s a fact.

     Gonna be celebratin’ Fathers’ Day today.  Some roastin’ ears, throw some steaks on the grill, an’ I think that Annie is makin’ a coconut cream pie.  Now, yuh put the three together and that’s a reason to be shoutin’ over.  I didn’t mention greens, but most likely some will show up.  Whooeee, I remember that day well, back in April of ’74 when I became a father.  The thought process changed for sure.  It became a solemn obligation before the Lord to raise her up right.  Now that, Pard, is a real responsibility.

     With the Lord’s help and plenty from my wife, both the girls have grown up to be stalwart in their walk with the Lord.  That’s always the main thing!  This day, there is so much evil around seekin’ to devour the souls of the younguns.  A father and mother have to constantly guard, and not get wearisome in their doin’ so the minds and actions of their kids.  Why Pard, an’ take a deep swaller ‘fore I tell yuh this.  Ready?  This is a quotation, “Disney’s latest Star Wars show ‘The Acolyte! features black lesbian space witches creating babies using the Force.”  Sick, depraved–yuh add that along with the drag queens readin’ to kids in schools and libraries–well, Pard, just how much will the Lord stand for?

     I’ll be lettin’ yuh go Pard.  I’ve got to get the wood ready, an’ then the fire started.  Always like to use a wood fire to cook steaks over if possible.  I like that edge seared and the steak medium rare.  Say, I ought to be a-closin’ with that poem on steaks, by Vance Wampler.

               Here’s to that steak

               Thick and juicy and sizzlin’

               Cooked in the camp tent

               When the weather was drizzlin’

               With scaldin’ black coffee

               Ate that steak with my knife.

               Now…what’s better in life?

Dad’s yuh be havin’ a good day.  An’ don’t forget the advice from this ol’ fence post–check yur cinch.  That’s includes raisin’ yur kids right–cinch them up.

          Vaya con Dios.

                    –Elmer Kelton  (Six-Bits A Day)

 

“From this valley they say…” come in this kitchen, Pard, I was just hummin’ up a mournful tune ’bout a gal leavin’ the country.  Those ol’ cowpokes sure had a lonely life out there herdin’ them bovines.  ‘Course, loneliness comes in all sorts of ways.  Why I’ve known folk to be lonely in New York City with all them people a movin’ ’bout.  “Course yuh can’t talk to none of them, they might think yuh were gonna rob them or at the least harass them.  Hmpf, some of them need some harassin’ that’s for plumb sure.

     Here yuh go, Pard.  I know that’s why yuh came by for this cup of pure deeelight.  Watch it for it’s mighty hot, but blow on it a bit and when yuh go to swaller it yur ol’ gizzard will be plumb tickled.  It’ll help yuh see yur way through all the foolishness that’s a-goin’ on ’round us.  Why, listen to this that happened just a week ago.  A police chaplain ended his prayer “in Jesus’ name.”  Quite fittin’ for a preacher don’t yuh think?  

     Well, the powers that be, wrote the chaplain a letter rebukin’ him, an’ tellin’ him to never do that again.  Here we have a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ bein’ warned not to use the name of Jesus in his prayers.  Now is that absurd or not?  Take a deep lingerin’ sip for what comes next we’ll get yuh riles if’n yur not prepared.  This here chaplain was informed that utterin’ the name of Jesus was, an’ I’m goin’ quote direct, so hold on.  It would be “considered harassment, created a hostile work environment, and lifted one religion above another.”  Now how ’bout them apples?  They were told they could pray using any other name for God, but the “specific use of ‘Jesus’ would not be permitted going forward.”

     If’n that don’t cause the gall to rise up in yur stomach!  In the name of Allah would be alright, or in the name of Buddha, or in the name of Hoo-Doo, but oh no, not in the name above all names–Jesus!  Took place in, yuh guessed it, California.  But it could happen most anywheres.  Folks ain’t fearin’ the Lord no more.  An’ I’m talkin’ ’bout a healthy fear, not no shakin’ fear, but that’s probably what’s needs to happen.  The Lord just grabbin’ them by the scruff of the neck and givin’ them a good shake tellin’ them to now listen here…

     Haven’t hear nothin’ else ’bout the matter, but it sure is something to be sure.  Pard, I think that ol’ city manager has done fell on his noggin’ too many times.  There ain’t a lick of sense left.  Let’s finish this pot, for there’s plenty to be done the rest of the day.  Glad yuh stopped by…an’ I know I don’t have to be a-tellin’ yuh–check yur cinch or yuh might end up with nothin’ left in yur noggin’ like that feller.

       Vaya con Dios.

                      –Ernest Haycox  (Wipe Out the Brierlys)

 

Mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  Still got yur galoshes on I see.  Mercy, is this rain ever gonna let up!  Now, Pard, I didn’t stay stop, but let it rain a little here, an’ a little there, especially come August.  But then again, Pard, we don’t want none of them herrycanes that bring wind and rain.  

     Go ‘head, take off yur slicker an’ I’ll pour yuh some coffee.  Pure delight!  That’s yur joinin’ me this mornin’, an’ when yuh taste this brew yu’ll think the same.  Ahhh, good, hot, and black.  Don’t go mixin’ it none like them shysters who did that with the law.  That trial up there in New York was a sham.  Talk about twistin’ an’ twirlin’ the law and makin’ it for their own good.  Pard, there’s comin’ a day, not just for them, but for all of us.  “There’s a great day comin!…”  Sorry Pard, I didn’t mean for my singin’ to cause yuh to spurt out yur coffee.

     Pard, I was glancin’ at some things in the Good Book.  ‘Course those in that court don’t care much for it, but one day they’ll be wishin’ they had.  Go ahead, I’m not gonna sing, slurp down yur coffee.  But as I was sayin’, I was readin’ those Prophets, Micah and others, and my mercy, one of the reasons judgment was comin’ was the perversion of justice.  Why to do justly is one of the simple requirements the Lord done give us, not to use it for our own whims and agendas.  An’ that ol’ wise man, Solomon tolt us that it’s a joy to do justice, but those who do iniquity just better be watchin’ out.  See this issue ain’t about President Trump; it’s about the law, justice, an’ the American way.  The perversion of justice, well, it just paves the way for that “man of lawlessness” that is gonna bring havoc to this ol’ earth.

     But on the brighter side, we’ll enjoy our coffee this mornin’ and we’re a-knowin’ that behind it all the Lord is in control.  All the shenanigans by the judges and those behind the scenes ain’t got a fix on Him.  So we just keep right on goin’ our way, doin’ justly, lovin’ mercy, an’ walkin’ humbly with the Lord.  That’s all we can do, cayn’t do nothin’ else.  Trustin’ in the Lord is what we’ve got to be doin’ each and every minute of the day.  That goes for you too, when yuh go to mount, yuh do yur part by checkin’ yur cinch, then the Lord will help yuh stay in the saddle.

     Yeehaw, yuh be havin’ yurself a bustin’ good week!  Hang in there, an’ if’n yuh need to, hunker down durin’ the storm.

      Vaya con Dios.