–Louis L’Amour  (Borden Chantry)

 

Good mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  My, my what a pretty mornin’ an’ yuh look all chipper this mornin’.  Pie?  None around this house, has been, might be some more later.  There is a mini-pie in the freezer, apricot, but it wouldn’t come close to satisfyin’ yur tonsils.  I will tell yuh that I had an apple pie instead of cake for my birthday, along with a chocolate pie.  It sure made the ol’ gizzard happy, with plenty of coffee to help it settle.  

     Sure had loads of thoughts flittin’ through my ol’ noggin this past week an’ reckon they all done flitted out my ears or somethin’.  Sure can’t think of them now.  Pard, goin’ to have to start writin’ them down, but usually they come to me while I’m ridin’ or tryin’ to sleep.  Say, how’s that coffee?  One of my presents from the wife from New Guinea.  Sure does hit the spot.

     Speakin’ of the wife, I recall the words of that ol’ puncher from the Wild Horse Desert, Bobby Cavazos.  He sure hit Annie right on the spot, “She’s a remarkable woman like my grandmother. They’re made of something that no modern woman has—steel.”  Too many women out there today do more than the thoughts in my brain, they flit from one place to another, wantin’ this an’ that.  My gal, knows how to make a good life for her family.  She can keep a smile on my face.  Apple pie, why sure ‘nough, there’s none to compare to hers!

     What!  I don’t smile.  Why, Pard, I’m smilin’ all the time.  Just look into the eyes an’ if’n yuh can’t see a smile yur blind.  Plus the wife and the Lord puts the joy down in my heart and soul.  Listen, if’n I’m anything in this life it’s ’cause of the two of them workin’ on me.  The Lord sure fixed me up right when he allowed me to rope that gal!  She makes sure my cinch is tight.

     So, Pard, if’n yuh have a mind to, wear a white carnation tomorrow.  That is if’n yuh happen to have one.  My Mom and the rest of those who helped raised me are gone on up to be with the Lord, but I’ll sure be flittin’ several memories of them through my mind.  Yuh be havin’ a wonderful day and week.

      Vaya con Dios.

                    –Gary Church  (Fate Rides a Tall Horse)

 

Mornin’ Pard.  It isn’t evening, and it ain’t supper, but I’m sittin’ in my rocker, watching graylight approach and sippin’ my coffee.  Doin’ some relectin’, but not deep enough for contemplatin’ as of yet as I don’t have time.  My daughter is makin’ breakfast for us, so we have to be climbin’ aboard the steel mount and headin’ out.  Coffee’s on the stove if’n yuh don’t make it over on time.

     A thought came to me of the many places I’ve been.  I decided to reflect on some of them like fishin’ an’ campin’ at Lake San Cristobal.  The girls were little and the little one was sittin’ underneath the table playin’ in the dirt.  I think about one of our favorite places up in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.  Then the thought comes to me of the time we got drenched hiking in Lost Maples and the time ridin’ Maid of the Midst.  The campfires are too many to count, but I can relate to the peace that comes from sittin’ ’round one and drinkin’ coffee.

     Where is that special place for you, Pard?  Is it still there, or only in yur memory.  Yep, memories run through my mind of favorite places.  I read somethin’ from an ol’ boy who lived many years ago, “That spot has much charm, it greatly soothes weary minds, relieves anxieties and cares, helps souls who seek the Lord greatly to devotion, and recalls to them the thought of the heavenly sweetness towards which they aspire.” Pard, there’s more to what ol’ Bernard was a-sayin’ but there are those places in our minds, those inspirin’ experiences that bring us closer to the Lord.

     Pard, reckon that right now, my special place is in the mornin’ with my daily routine of studyin’ and readin’ and writin’ watchin’ the sun appear through the trees while drinkin’ my coffee.  Once in a while, I’ll admit more often than not, there’ll be a cookie that Annie has made me sittin’ nearby so I can take a bite whenever I please.  

     Time to be headin’ out.  Yuh take care of yurself, stay alert, and don’t yuh be a-frettin’ I’ll check my cinch before I mount.

     Vaya con Dios.

                    –Grady Bryant  (Preacher and the Bounty Hunter)

 

Come on in Pard, yuh do realize that this is the last Saturday in April.  My mercy, one third of the year has already gone past.  Whoopee, and what is there to show for it?  That’s why I like readin’ Ecclesiastes for it tells the truth ’bout life.  Pard, I was thinkin’ some, not much, the ol’ graymatter don’t work in deep thoughts much any more, but here’s what I had on my mind.  Yuh know how I always teasin’ly remind you to check yur cinch.  Well, it’s in fun, but there is some truth there.  We just don’t know what might be come our way or what might be on the trail a-waitin’ for us.  Pard, yuh come be drivin’ along one of these asphalt roads and from four lanes away some fool takes off and runs right into yuh.  Why it almost happened to me the other night.  The missus and I were drivin’ home from the daughter’s and this truck came from nowhere, in the midst of traffic, goin’ close to a hundred and almost clipped me.  I had to haul up on the ol’ steel mount or he most likely would have got me.

     I tell yuh straight out, Pard, the wife and I sure were thankin’ the Lord.  Whooeee, it was a close one.  Gave me somethin’ to chew on for the rest of the way home.  What if the Lord hadn’t sent an angel to help me gather in the ol’ steel strawberry roan?  What if’n He decided it was time to go on up to that heavenly ranch in the sky?  Pard, we just don’t be a-knowin’, we do our best, and that’s all we can be doin’.  Why, I’ve come to realize that not all days are sunshine and waterin’ holes; Pard, let me tell yuh, there are those days that are mud, sweat, and blood.  The broncs yuh ride, well, Pard, some of them have a mind of their own, an’ yuh can get left high in the saddle and plunk down on the earth.  Why I heard one ol’ boy a tellin’ someone that he’d never been throw’d, but had himself some fanciful dismounts in his time.

     Now let me tell yuh one more thing whilst yur sippin’ on that coffee.  Good, some of that Black Gold.  Yuh do know that Folgers was the first major coffee company out in California to take care of those Forty-Niners?  But that’s another story for another Saturday.  Pard, the truth of the matter is like that ol’ bronc-buster who had the delightful dismounts; it’s all in the way yuh look at things.  Why that ol’ boy who wrote that the coffee was so bad he had to spit it out had an issue.  Was it bad coffee ’cause it was too weak, or too strong?  Maybe it was a cino, or full of cow juice, or bee’s fixin’s.  See Pard, I’ve learnt up to a point, still workin’ on it, that God is in control and He has everythin’ under control, even when yuh don’t check yur cinch.  So much of what we do, how we feel, and how we go about the day depends on how we deal with the obstacles or the wrecks or the hostiles that may come our way durin’ the day.  One thing we must never forget Pard, God don’t make no weak coffee; He’s there to make all things possible if’n we keep trustin’ in Him.

     Yuh needs to be on yur way, I know.  I notice yuh didn’t spit out none of my coffee.  Ahhhh, smile, drink it with the right attitude, and just because the good Lord is lookin’ out for yuh is not reason not to be a-checkin’ yur cinch.

      Vaya con Dios.

                    –C. Wayne Winkle  (Down the Long Trail)

 

Mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  I often think of this day, yuh know the one that took place the Saturday after the crucifixion.  I reckon the disciples thought that truly the light fell from their sky.  The Lord was dead, in the tomb, and they were runnin’ feared.

     It was a dark day in their minds, not knowing what was takin’ place in the spiritual realm.  It was quiet, perhaps some thought deathly quiet, but in the spiritual realm there was commotion, unrest, and triumph.  What the devil and demons thought to be a victory celebration quickly had turned into havoc for them.  Jesus was taking captivity captive, and Pard there’s plenty there to be contemplatin’.  

     Was Jesus preachin’?  Did He speak to Abraham tellin’ him it was time to finally reach that land where he was searchin’?  Did He go to Moses to point him in the direction of the Promised Land?  So much was goin’ on.  What about all those in the place of the dead who had never heard of the Savior, or Israel, or the Torah, the Law, and the Prophets?  Was Jesus speakin’ to them?”  Yep, the spiritual world was in commotion for sure.  The chains were ready to be broken, and He was ready to get out of that tomb.  So much mystery Pard, so much we don’t understand, nor do we need to.

     Understand this though, that coffee is sure tasty this mornin’.  Too bad ol’ James and John, with Thomas couldn’t have had a cup to help soothe their souls that Saturday long ago.  Things on earth were not quite the same.  Peter was grieving his betrayal, while Judas took matters into his own hands as he did in the garden, and committed suicide because of his betrayal.  Each betrayed the Lord, Pard, both were grieving, but there must have been some faith in ol’ Pete.

     The women no doubt were weepin’, the other disciples were fearful, some in hidin’.  I wonder if there were any of them together, or if they were facin’ this day alone?  Did Peter still have the dagger that was bloodstained from his episode in the garden?  It was wrong for him to slice off that ear, but another inch and Jesus would have had to raise the soldier from the dead.  But what of the other sword.  Who had it?  What happened to it?  Why didn’t that disciple, whoever he was, take action when Peter did?  So many questions…

     Sip that coffee and ponder, Pard.  This is the day for it.  The work was finished on Friday, Sunday, the day of the resurrection was still a few hours away.  Pard, sip is slowly and think of all that took place for you and me, an’ the rest of the world.  Maybe some of them, those more attuned to what was takin’ place, felt and heard the footsteps of a triumphant march down in the underworld.  Jesus for sure was causin’ a stir down there.  

     Mercy, almost gives me goosebumps thinkin’ of all that was possibly transpirin’.  Pard, think of it, our souls were redeemed!  Now, don’t lose yur focus so much that yuh forget to check yur cinch.  That coconut where yuh place yur hat can’t be takin’ too much more abuse.  Say, Pard, as yuh mount up, remember–Sunday’s comin’!

      Vaya con Dios.