He got up and crossed to the fire, filling his cup at the pot.  The coffee was strong enough to stiffen the hair on a man’s neck, and hot enough to scald.  He tasted it, then put the cup down.”
              –Louis L’Amour (Matagorda)

Come in, Pard, coffee’s sure hot, watch it so it don’t burn the hair off’n yur tongue.  One thing I hate is a scalded tongue.  I remember once, up on Sugarloaf Mountain in the Front Range getting a Christmas tree that I scalded my tongue.  Thing is, if yur in the high country, if yuh let it set too long then it’ll get cold on yuh, and there’s nothing worse than cold coffee, unless it’s no coffee.
    Pard, yuh better cinch up tight.  Things are goin’ to start to buck with the way the bureaucrats at doin’ things.  It’s really hard to imagine the stupidity that is happenin’ right now.  No more Mr. Potato Head.  No more girls and boys sections of clothes in the stores.  Pard, yuh better be teachin’ yur younguns right or they’re goin’ to face a lot of confusion.  Persecution from idiots is preferred to confusion of the soul.
    I mean, Pard, some of the things they are sayin’ and doin’ are beyond absurd.  Think I’ll go out and buy some more shotgun shells and ca’tridges for the .44.  Evil times are not a-comin’ they are here.  Watch yur step out there for the snakes are everywhere ready to strike and fill yuh with their deadly poison.  I’ve never been a preservationist, always thought myself more of a conservationist, but now I reckon I’m a protectorvationist.  “Even so, Lord Jesus, come.”
    And, Pard, if’n He don’t come before yuh finish yur coffee and mount up, don’t be forgettin’ to check yur cinch.
    Vaya con Dios.

The campfire felt good.  Even with their coats and gloves, it was cold.  They cooked a meal and ate, then cooked a second pot of coffee.”
              –R.O. Nash (Will Fain)

Don’t stand out there in the cold, get in this kitchen.  Yuh’ve been waitin’ for me?  Well, right sorry about that.  I was somewhat lazy, and felt good in the blankets.  My mercy, this has been a week for the books.  Can’t say I’ve had a week quite like this one before, and Pard, I don’t care for another.
    I remember growing up in cold weather, colder than what I’ve seen this week, but I was younger then, more spry.  And in Colorado we were prepared for such weather.  But now that I’m on the oldward trend, the bones ache some, and I prefer to stay warm.  Yep, time and Texas has spoiled this ol’ fence post,
    I won’t go into our troubles, for there are many out there worse off than the missus and me.  At least we have a place to stay, my youngest daughter and her family took us in.  We are waiting for the insurance adjuster to check out the water damage in the house, so we can put in a new floor, etc, and move back home.
    Pard, with the power out I couldn’t even keep the coffee going.  I thought about building a large fire and makin’ some, but reckoned that I’d get even colder sitting outside.  I’ve done that plenty of times.  Side by the fire is hot and the backside is freezin’.  I know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, but my mercy, nothing is mentioned ’bout the cold.  We had several people from our church come an’ help strip the floors; sure is nice to have folks to count on.
    How’s the coffee this mornin’?  Daughter made it, she and my wife are out finding a laundry to wash, since some of the water is out at her house.  I think I’ve taught her well, she makes a pretty good cup of coffee.  As I was sayin’, the folk from the church sure helped out.  That’s the way the Lord meant it to be, takin’ care of each other when needed.
    Listen Pard, I’m goin’ to try to stay warm, and I hope to be seein’ yuh soon.  Now listen, jist because it’s cold don’t mean that yuh shouldn’t check yur cinch, don’t be in too big a hurry to neglect that.
     Vaya con Dios.

Shivering in the cold, they surrounded the fire to kill the morning chill . . . sitting skillets to heating and coffee pots on handy rocks next to the fire.”  
              –Rod Collins (Bitter’s Run)

Brrr, come in this kitchen.  Gettin’ cold, and from what those ‘perts at the weather station says it’s supposed to be gettin’ colder.  ‘Course the weather casters are about as reliable as a liberal politician or lawyer.  But take a sip, careful, it’s hot, but it’s also strong and black–just what yur gizzard ordered.  It’ll warm yuh from inside out.
    I was sittin’ ’round the stove doin’ something when I overheard the missus say, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”  Well, Pard, I scratched my ear a bit, pulled on the end of my moustache ’cause it got me to wonderin, What is a blank mind?
Noooo, don’t be untolerant or silly–it’s not a liberal politicians brain.  Hmmm, now yuh got me wonderin’.  Perhaps it is, either his brain or the devil’s warehouse or maybe playground.  
    Yuh know those eastern religions and them that spout New Age say we should meditate and empty our minds.  Now, now, I know they already act like they have empty minds, but be serious.  They say empty our minds, but if that happens all sorts or scary, evil things could enter.  Garbage of the vilest kind, and again yur right Pard, maybe that’s what happened.  However, one of the lost practices in Christianity is that of meditation.  Yep, that’s fer sure.  Reason folks don’t meditate is that they don’t know the Scriptures.  See, instead of emptying our minds, when we meditate we are to fill it with the Word of God.  Plus that there meditating means yuh have to find some solitude, get quiet, be still, and not runnin’ hither and thither.
    Try it Pard.  Yuh can even have a cup of coffee sittin’ there beside yuh.  Start slow, may only ten minutes, but read a portion of the Bible, then take a sip, then contemplate those verses.  Ahhh, yuh talk ’bout refreshin’ the soul.  Maybe have one or two verses that yuh concentrate on through the whole week.  Sure better than listenin’ to those bureaucrats squabble over stupidity!
    Pard, yuh be stayin’ warm.  Yuh still have to do what?  Pard, yuh better get a move on, those flowers will freeze in this cold.  Check that cinch if’n yuh have to be out ridin’ in the cold.  An’ try contemplatin’ on the Word of God this week.
     Vaya con Dios.

I was sittin’ in the cafe eatin’ breakfast, and tryin’ to decide if I liked their fresh coffee as good as I liked my own . . . fresh or otherwise.  Their coffee was flavorful, but it didn’t have much of a punch.  But I reckoned it didn’t matter much, since they were both a site better than ladies tea.  I was on the verge of decidin’ I’d drink cafe coffee when I was in one and my own when I wasn’t.  I like things good and simple.”
              –Lou Bradshaw  (and Cain Smiled)

“Ride away, ride awaaaay…  A man may search his heart and soul…” Well, I was just singin’ along this mornin’ waitin’ for yuh to show up.  Coffee’s ready and it is fit for a king, that is if he has a stout heart.  I’m like that ol’ boy, Cain, who was a mite concerned over restaurant coffee.  Yuh never can tell what yuh might be gettin’.  ‘Course now, few are visitin’ the restaurants.  And yuh know my view toward Starbucks–I won’t buy their product.
    Since tea was mentioned, I might give my view.  Tea is fine; folks who drink tea are among my favorite people.  Why, Grandma always drank tea, she wouldn’t touch coffee.  That bein’ said, she always had a pot on the stove ready for anyone who might come by.  That’s a sign of a good woman (or man, or any person) having the coffee on the stove, juat a-waitin’.  I’ve been drinkin’ a cup of tea late at night.  Coffee may help the gizzard, but once in a while, if I’m thinkin’ the combination keeps me awake.  Tea, I reckon is good for the liver.  Now, don’t even mention it–yuh don’t mix the two together.  That might cause an uproar in the system.
    Speakin’ of uproars–well maybe I shouldn’t–but the bureaucrats haven’t a clue as to what they’re doin’.  Or at least I hope that’s the situation ’cause if they do, then they plan to destroy the character of America.  Sure glad I serve and walk with the Lord.  There may be obstacles along the trail, but He knows how to surmount them, and if even be remove them.  If I stub my toe, stumble, take a fall, or even drink bad coffee, He is there with me, to lift me up, hold me up, and get me movin’ back up the trail.
    Pard, I notice the pot’s empty.  My, and I haven’t even got to the accusations against our Texan that he tried to murder her.  In the old days, Pard, she’d be called to answer for that.  But the liberal agenda speaks louder than truth these days.  Well, Pard, time for yuh to ride away until next time.  Be checkin’ yur cinch; I’d sure hate to see yuh lyin’ there is the dust.
     Vaya con Dios.