Sit down, coffee’s almost done.  I’m brewin’ up some of that good ol’ camp coffee.  Sure is goin’ to be a busy weekend for some.  That’s fine and right, but hope the folk out there don’t forget the reason for the little holiday.  Remember those who sacrificed for this country–those that gave so that we can celebrate this weekend.
    Take time to remember the fallen pard.  It should be a time of celebration, but it should also be a time of solemnity as we remember.  As far as I know I only had two of my relatives die in service to their country.  One was a distant cousin and I’d have to go look up his first name; he was one of the Fansons and he died at Normandy during D-Day.  My Uncle James died in Vietnam back in 1966.  I can remember coming home from school and seein’ the Pastor’s car in front of the house.  Not a real strange sight, as he would make family visits.  But as soon as I walked in the door I could sense somethin’ wasn’t right.  My Uncle Bobby – wasn’t wounded, but he was a corpsman at Port Moresby and went insane.  He spent much of his adult life in the state hospital.
    So don’t take for granted their sacrifice while you’re enjoyin’ family.  They didn’t complain; they had their duty and they went and did it.  Something more people should consider.  This should not be a day of hatred, but a day of remembrance.
Sorry, Pard, not my normal, entertainin’ self.  What say I pour you another cup?
    Live in the freedom that was purchased for you, but always remember.  Just as we should never forget what Jesus did on the cross.  He sacrificed His life so that we could be free from the bondage of sin.  Live in the freedom that He purchased for you, but always remember.
    Go ahead, and get on down the road.  You be safe, y’hear?  By the way, my new book is ready for purchase on Amazon:  The Outlaws of Boulder Canyon.  Grab yurself a copy, treat yurself to some fine readin’ and a good story.  Don’t be in such a rush that yuh forget to check yur cinch.  One of my old pards, fell and that’s what I’m a-thinkin’ he did.

He wrapped his bandana around his hand and reached for the coffeepot, refilling his cup before he spoke.”
              –Ralph Compton (The Goodnight Trail)

You’ve got t’ walk that lonesome valley…  Hey, Pard, good mornin’ to yuh.  What was I doin’?  Why couldn’t yuh tell, I was singin’.  What?  It sounded more like I was callin’ the hogs.  Well, that gets me t’ thinkin’ that I might not serve you some of this, delicious, hot, black, steaming coffee that I just made.  Ha!  That’d fix yur britches.  But you know I’m not that mean.
    Good week–seems like the Lord has them gettin’ gooder an’ gooder.  He sure does bless us, and that’s a fact!  I just can’t figure out why some folk take the notion that He doesn’t exist.  Well, I feel downright pity for some of them.  Why, listen as yuh sip yur coffee.  Out here on the deck, listen to that symphony of birds, along with that one drummer a peckin’ on that tree over yonder.  Say, early in the week, there was a basso-profoundo, joinin’ in with them.  Yep, he was croackin’ right along with the cardinals carryin’ the melody.
    I know we all make mistakes in life, but it’s a downright shame that some people go through life livin’ it as a fool.  Fools are dangerous folk, and right now it’d be foolish of me not to give yuh a refill.  Just read all the things the Bible says about a fool, and then watch or read the news.  I’ll tell yuh right now, that’s downright scary.  There are some of them that are so uppity they just let stuff spew out of their mouth not knowin’ what they’re sayin’.
    I’ll tell yuh pard, as for me, I’m goin’ to trust in a sure thing–the good Lord above.  That song I was a-singin’, that next line says, “yuh’ve got to walk it by yourself.”  Well, that ain’t actually true.  It’s true in the sense that you must make the journey through life alone, no one can work out yur salvation.  But on the other hand; the Lord walks it alongside yuh.  
    Say, Pard, my new book will be at the publisher before we meet again next Saturday.  It’s sure a good-‘un.  Now, that road is a-callin’ yuh, huh?  Well, don’t walk it without the Lord by yur side, and He’ll be remindin’ yuh, just like I do every week to be checkin’ yur cinch!  Say, and don’t forget, today is Armed Forces Day–a day to remember those on active duty serving this blessed country of ours.

She inhaled the aromas as if it were roses.  It seemed that most elderly people she knew drew the breath of life itself from coffee.”
                  –Elmer Kelton

Welcome, Pard.  What?  You’ve been waitin’?  Sorry, I was just lazin’ in the bed, watchin’ graylight come up.  But the sun’s not up yet, or so you’d notice with all the rain clouds.
    I was thinkin’ some ’bout Mother’s Day.  Yuh do have a mother, don’t yuh, pard?  As cantankerous as you get at times, I wonder.  Well, I tell you it took three mothers to wrangle me when I was a young’un.  Yep, there was my Mom, and my Grandma Adkisson, and my Aunt Bern.  Why, goodness, a person couldn’t have asked fer more.
    Mercy, pard, yuh sure went through that cup in a hurry.  Don’t yuh be worryin’, I’ve got a whole pot full for us to be a-swallowin’.  Oh, Jim Folger knew what he was doin’ when he formed his company back in San Francisco in 1852.  I reckon this Black Gold coffee is a salute to him.
    Yep, mom’s are good to have around.  Why without them a person just can’t be born.  And another thing, without them a person just can’t be nurtured and brought up right.  With all the whoopin’ and hollerin’ goin’ on out there makes me wonder if any of them whimperin’ fools had a mother.  Why the way they carry on at times, well, it sure makes me wonder.
    Maybe here in the future, I’ll have some of that Arbuckles coffee.  Originally, it came from Pittsburgh, yep, a couple of brothers John and Charles Arbuckle started it.  For some reason the original company went under, but now it’s bein’ roasted again by some folk in Tucson.
    Well, all the moms that raised me have been gone a spell.  Still have the best one around though.  My gal, Annie, she and I have shared many a cup of coffee together.  The good Lord knew what He was a-doin’ by bringin’ us together.  She shore did a super job raisin’ our two girls, and now they have followed her teachin’ and way and are raisin’ up a crew of God-fearin’ young’uns.
    What?  Yuh can’t linger this mornin’?  Still have to get yur mom a gift.  Well, yuh best be gettin’ on down the road, for the stores will be gettin’ busy.  Now you be careful out there; the creeks are risin’ and there’s storms still on the way.  If yur ridin’ through some of that high water, I sure hope you done already checked yur cinch.

I poured a full cup from the soot-covered coffeepot.  Blew on and sipped at the kind of belly wash that’s grow hair on a saddle.”
                 –J. Lee Butts (Ambushed)

Sit yurself Pard.  That ol’ codger J. Lee makes some strong coffee.  I’ve been told that mine is strong, but don’t think it’s ever been compared to Miracle-Gro or any other type of fertilizer.  Hmmm, might try it though as I need to be gettin’ some grass growin’ in the yard.  Say, wonder if yuh rubbed on yur scalp it’d help some of those folks with thin hair.  ‘Course the way some are, they couldn’t get any growin’ up on top for grass sure ‘nough won’t grow thro’ the concrete.  You go ahead an’ take a sip; made some of that Black Gold.
    That makes me think, an’ that’s a chore sometimes.  When I glance at the news, which is rare, or go traipsin’ out I find that there are plenty of hard-headed folk out there.  Yuh couldn’t get common sense blasted in their noggin’ with a stick of dinymite.  But, on the other hand, there’s sure plenty of the other kind as well–those with empty heads; why yuh can hear the nuts an’ bolts just rattlin’ ’round.  My Mom, bless her heart, used to park in downtown Boulder.  I’d ask her what she was doin’ and she would just say, watchin’ people.  Maybe that’s what she was tryin’ to figure out–which ones were hard-headed and which ones were empty-headed.
    How does that coffee suit yuh?  I was tempted to make it the way the ol’ coosie taught me, but then instead of growin’ hair, if’n yuh spilt it on the table it might take off the varnish.  Hate to see, if it would remove hair.  Say, just saw a glance where the new Jeopardy champ said that he didn’t think he could handle a 9-5 job.  Sure would hate to have him out on range with us back in the day.
    Ha, back in the day; now ain’t that the truth.  Lots of changes, and for the most part the majority of them ain’t so good than they were back in the day.  Joints ache too, well, back in the day that didn’t happen.  We sure ‘nough need to check our backtrail now an’ then, but it don’t do us no good to sit and stare.
    Hope the coffee was to yur satisfaction this mornin’.  Me an’ the missus are fixin’ to head out to see the daughter.  She’s havin’ one of them garage sales.  You have to walk carefully ’round those things; yuh know that’s where they discard old things.  Ha, not to say yur old Pard, but if’n yuh don’t check yur cinch when yur out ridin’ all sorts of things might happen.