When the coffee was ready he filled a cup and drank it, black and scalding.”
              –Louis L’Amour (Heller With A Gun)

“There’s a blessed time that’s coming, coming soon,” get in here Pard, and join in–“It may be evening, morning, or at noon,” Yeehaw! “The wedding of the bride, united with the groom, oh yes, we shall see the King when he comes!”  My mercy Pard, it’s a-comin’ soon.  It makes me want to clog in the kitchen or at least shuffle in the halfway dependin’ on how the rheumatize is affectin’ the hips.  What’s that, I sound more like a wounded coyote?  And I suppose yur a meadowlark.
    Whatcha think?  Is Iran gonna join Hamas in their attacks on Israel?  Ha, ha, did yuh see where Israel used the media, American and others to trick Hamas?  Already there is an outcry of “No fair.”  Ha, ha.  No matter what a person says, these are excitin’ times, virus or not.  My I wonder what that heavenly coffee is goin’ to taste like?  I heard that the modern word for manna is donuts, but I’m reckonin’ it’s more like biscuits ‘n’ gravy.
    This is not the time to be fearin’, and lookin’ down at yur empty cup, more like the time to be lookin’ up.  The Master said when we see things begin to happen the end is soon, be a-lookin’ in the sky for His return.  Whooeee, where’s the kitchen, the ol’ feet are rarin’ to go.  Come on, Pard, let’s howl together, “woe the kingdoms of this world shall so before Him fall…”  No matter what is happenin’ in the world, God is in charge and has everything under control.  Even if yuh forget to check yur cinch, He’ll be there when yuh fall out of the saddle.
          Vaya con Dios. 

It was good sitting there in the cool of early morning, with the faint smell of woodsmoke in the air, the smell of frying bacon, the smell of good coffee.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Lonely Men)

Why shore the coffee tastes like mud this mornin’, they were grounds earlier.  Ha, that’s what yuh get for callin’ me older than dirt, why I’m just a youngster yet.  I remember the days though…the day of runnin’ the prairie with ol’ Bill.  No, not Grizz, but Buffalo.  He shore was a grand guy, lots of stories to tell, but say, when a person gets on up in years, well, like me, there are plenty of stories.  Mind you, stories, not lies.  I well remember my Grandpa sayin’ that the only thing different between him and George Washington was that the Father of our Country couldn’t tell a lie.  Grandpa said that he could, but just wouldn’t do it–in fact, the straight of the matter is that the truth often seems more far-fetched than the lies.  
    But what do people want to believe?  Yuh got it, the lies.  Lies and liars, why they seem to be part of the times.  Makes a person wonder where the truth-tellers went.  In fact, if a person stands up today to tell the truth, the liars with their cohorts, the media, brand them a liar.  Go figure…
    Ahhh, the coffee isn’t really all that bad this mornin’.  Tastes mighty good.  The breeze is nice, and, well, Pard, it’s good to be breathin’ that fresh mornin’ air that the Lord has provided.  Some places I’ve been the air ain’t so fresh in the mornin’, nor is the coffee very tasty.  Why I’ve seen some folk drink coffee that yuh can see through.  A facsimile of coffee, sorta like chicken soup.  Ol’ Pappy used to say upon tastin’ some soup that they must have put galoshes on the chicken and had it walk through the broth.  Well, that’s the way some folks’ coffee  is.  Hmmm, now to think of it, that’s the way some folks’ lives are–just barely a taste of livin’.
    One more thought as we finish up the pot this mornin’.  I saw where that old woman, remember the one who ran for President is on the prowl again.  She just can’t keep shut up and stay out of the pie, but she said that the President ought to use the Covid and the vaccine to push as much of his agenda through as he can.  In other words, spread more lies to get what yuh want.
    With that bein’ said, and the coffee bein’ gone, it’s about time for yuh to be mountin’ up and on down the trail.  Hmmm, to think of it, weak coffee is sorta like the guy who didn’t check his cinch.  It won’t keep him in the saddle on the rough trails.
      Vaya con Dios.

More than once he was caught kneeling there, cup in hand, motionless, his thoughts far from the moment.”
              –Zane Grey  (The Trail Driver)

Don’t be a-mindin’ me, coffee’s on the stove.  I’ve jist been sittin’ here, ponderin’ and contemplatin’ like that ol’ boy in the quotation.  Reckon what he had on his mind, Pard?  Me, my mind is skitterin’ ’round all over the place.
    Why, Pard, do you realize another month has gone by?  What in the world have we done with the time?  Sure hope that too much of it wasn’t wasted.  Then, I pondered the storms, my haven’t we had some storms this spring?  They bring to mind some other storms I’ve seen through life, whoooeee some of them were ring-tailed roarers.
    Then I think of those bureaucrats and their audacity to tell lies.  My land, some of them are real whoppers!  Then I ponder if they really believe what they’re sayin’ or jist filling the atmosphere with their hot air.  Talk about gettin’ rid of the beeves, if’n some of them would quit spoutin’ off their lies that in itself would stop the climate change.
    I like to sit at greylight and jist before, ponderin’ the comin’ day as I do my mornin’ readin’.  By the way, hope yuh enjoy the coffee this mornin’.  I’m sure plum delighted that yuh take the time to enjoy a cup with me now and then.  Good times, ahhhh, good tastin’ too.
    Sometimes I ponder on the past, now let me tell yuh, I don’t dwell there.  But I’ve been thinkin’ lately when was my favorite time of life.  That’s what I was thinkin’ on when yuh rode up this mornin’.  I sure wouldn’t mind havin’ my strength back, and energy back, an’ gettin’ rid of these ol’ aches and bum heart.  But then I think of my days of playin’ baseball, my there was some good times.  I enjoyed the Air Force an’ servin’ my country.  Hmmm, but I’m sure enjoyin’ the time now, sittin’ here, drinkin’ coffee, enjoyin’ the company of my wife of almost fifty years.  Good times!  
    My land, the pot’s almost empty and I’m not done with my ponderin’ yet.  I’ll give yuh one more thought and then let yuh get on down the trail.  I spend quite a bit of time ponderin’ the Lord, His goodness, and just who He is.
    Now don’t yuh be daydreamin’ while in the saddle.  Keep yur eyes focused on the horizon and peek a time or two at what’s in front of yuh.  Be havin’ yurself a good week, and check that cinch, there’s nothin’ to ponder about that.
     Vaya con Dios.

Going back in I picked up the coffeepot; reckoned I might as well make a fresh pot.”
              –D.C. Adkisson  (Redemption)

Greetings Pard, come in I’ve got some Kona blend brewing.  Yuh know, I figured out what they mean when they say “Kona blend”; it means there is at least one Kona bean in the bag.  There may be more, but guarantee of one.  But gives it a taste–not bad.
    Pard, I know the world is in a dither.  Things that were once true, the “woke folk” say that it is no longer true.  Why just the other day I saw where soap dispensers are now racist.  Is it just confusion, or plain stupidity, or is there somethin’ more sinister going on?  Some of it is so ridiculous you want to laugh and then realize that the “woke folk” mean what they’re sayin’.  We need more like ol’ Phil.  He said somethin’ the other day that this country should take to heart, “What in the world happened to America’s manhood and its boldness?  Can’t even stand a black cup of coffee these days.  Now, ain’t that the truth–them “woke folk” want that frothy, sweet stuff.
    Now, that’s a fresh pot of coffee, I want yuh to know.  I remember Grandma would keep a pot goin’ on the stove in case visitors came by, but often she’d say, “let me make a fresh pot.”  So I got to figurin’ that whenever possible I’ll put a fresh pot on when company comes an’ that includes you, Pard.
    I was a-readin’ the other day about those that do not obey the Lord.  There are many things found in Deuteronomy 28, but one verse stuck in my mind since we are livin’ in such chaotic and confusin’ times.  Ponder this for a while, “The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.” (Deuteronomy 28:28, NKJV)  In fact, it would be good to ponder the whole chapter; say, make that yur weekly project.
    Pard, let me tell yuh that “they” are after yuh, so yuh ride wary and alert.  Keep yur weapons handy, that Bible and yur .45.  Yuh notice that I carry a Greener with me when departin’ the home place.  Evil is out there just a-lurkin’ to snatch you.
    Yuh’ve been checkin’ that cinch haven’t yuh.  Guess so, since there’s no new lumps on yur head.
      Vaya con Dios.