He stepped down and walked to the chow wagon and grabbed a plate and spoon along with a tin cup for his coffee.”
–C.J. Petit (Gus)

Morning to yuh, pard. Come on in an sit yurself down an’ I’ll be bringin’ yuh a cup. Ahhhh, hot and black, that’s the way I like it. How was yur week? I was asked the other day, when I thought the wife and I would be movin’ into our new house. Reckon by Christmas, was my reply. The shape I’m in I hope I make it. But come to think about it, I’m in pretty good shape, for the shape I’m in.
My ol’ gizzard sure does feel better since I stopped listenin’ to all the lies and hatred bein’ spewed out on tv. I always thought I should keep up with the news, but decided the first of the year I’d just read a headline and if I wanted more, well then I could read more that way I don’t have to listen to those paid liars.
Ahhh, that hot coffee sure hits the spot this mornin’. Pard, do you know that some folk actually go out and buy cold coffee? Can’t figure that one out, but I reckon cold coffee is better than no coffee. I’ll need to ponder that some, for I’m not one to be a-drinkin’ cold coffee.
Say, do yuh ever ponder the tiny, little coffee bean? That little bean is picked, then put in the fire and roasted ’til it’s just right for flavor. Plop that bean in yur mouth and yuh still don’t have much flavor. That roasted bean has to be crushed, really ground up good, but still not right. Now it has to be boiled, or some would say just below boilin’ temperature–there’s the heat again. Then, finally it’s ready–take a deep drink an’ think of that little bean. Ahhhh, let’s have another cup.
Thing is, that bean is just like a Christian. The Holy Spirit picks them, then puts them in the fire or they’re no good. The person may holler, “I want to serve the Lord,” then he is crushed so he can be used. Then here comes the hot water, whooeee, but the aroma and flavor that comes. But one bean can’t do it; it’s only when the bunch of beans are put to the boil (hmmm, the Church) that real flavor can come. So, with all that pickin’, roastin’, crushin’, and a-boilin’ I figure I’m in pretty good shape.
“With a smile on my face and a peace within,
I’m in pretty good shape for the shape I’m in.”
Sorry pard, the legs ache too much to be a cloggin’ but I just had to break out in song. One of our pards, Clifton Jansky came up with that powerful tune.
Yuh have yurself a profitable week! Maybe a storm brewin’ so be sure an’ check yur cinch when yuh mount up.

He drank his coffee black. The heat of it jolted him a little, it pulled him out of a deep hole.”
–Ernest Haycox

Drag yourself in here pard, sit yourself down an’ I’ll get your cup. Here yuh go, it’ll get yuh out of a dark mood, guaranteed. It was about two thousand years ago, on this day, that the disciples were sure in a dark hole. I’m a thinkin’ that’s where that classic song was first introduced–“gloom, despair, agony on me; deep dark depression excessive misery…”
Don’t know about you, but I’ve often thought about that day. Friday was frightful and terrible, but it was tangible. Now hiding, they wondered. They went from hope to despair. Jesus often asked them when He walked the trails with them, “Where is your faith?” Now, He is in the tomb, no hope and certainly no faith.
Ahhhh, coffee is hot, feeds the innards. Goodness, pard, you sure didn’t sip that cup; guzzled it right down you did. Back to my thinkin’. The Lord lay in a tomb; He went away. I’m a-wonderin’ if that isn’t where many in the church are today. I don’t know if there’s a lack of hope or not, but the Lord has left and many are involved in the world. Kinda like those ten who fell asleep waitin’ for the weddin’ celebration. Caught unawares they were, and then for sure there was no hope.
Sorry, pard, another cup, sure thing; I got off my thinkin’. Imagine the gloom. What was Peter thinkin’? How about ol’ Bart and his pard, Levi? What was goin’ through their minds?
In the midst of it all the spirit realm was in turmoil. We can’t know, we can’t understand it all pard, but there was somethin’ for sure goin’ on. Very little of it mentioned only that Jesus took captivity captive. The disciples thought it was a day of despair, but they couldn’t see all of what was happenin’. Whoooeee! The spirit world was a-shakin’ and soon–Sunday would be here!
My pard, that sends the shivers up and down an’ makes the hairs stand up an’ quiver. Yeehaw! On Sunday even nature would tremble and the Lord would rise in victory over the grave and the devil!
Glad yur leavin’ with a smile; get over that doom and gloom. Don’t be so giddy that you forget to check yur cinch!

In the short days he woke in the dark at exactly half-past four. He started a fire in the bunkhouse stove, and set coffee on.”
–Alan Lemay (The Searchers)

Get in here an’ set yourself at the table, pard. Cup’s already there waitin’ for you and I’ll have the coffee before your set down. Don’t be frettin’, no more of that grog, but I have the genuine article–Arbuckles Ariosa coffee from way over in Tucson, Arizona. That should make your gizzard smile.
Speaking of smilin’ gizzards, mind sure is doin’ better since I let go of gettin’ all frizzled up over the news. This poll, that poll, and which is the truth? Who and where do they poll? More and more I can see the “father of lies” at work. An’ the lies! They’re gettin’ bigger and bigger and more people are believin’ them. Yep, a day of deception is at hand, and I’m not talkin’ political parties.
Ahhh, now that’s good coffee! To tell the truth, pard, I had trouble drinkin’ that Hawaiian with the coconut. Drank only one cup rather than half the pot. Read about an ol’ camp cook; he used to ride up the trails. Today his name wouldn’t be politically correct, but it was “Sambo”. Sambo always used Arbuckles. He would use half a pound can for a pot of coffee. One cowboy mentioned to him, “You made that coffee strong just for us.” Sambo shook his head “no.” The cowboy then asked, “Well why do you make it that way?” To which Sambo replied, “I use a half can because it’s easier to figure.”
Next week pard, is the week of the passion. Take time every day to think of that period in the life of Jesus an’ what He went an’ did for us. None of us is goin’ to make it out of this world alive, ‘ceptin’ the Rapture, an’ the older I get the more I realize that to stand in front of that Judgment Seat, I have to depend upon the grace of Christ.
You know, from what I read of those days, the Lord surely did tighten His cinch–don’t you forget to do the same.

I smell the hot coffee;
It floats on the wind.”
–Red Steagall

Don’t you be a-tellin’ me, pard. I know it ’cause I did it. Once in a while, in fact many times, a person has to show some appreciation to their life travelin’ pard. So this mornin’ I took the liberty of makin’ coffee that would please her. Annie is fond of coconut, so I purchased some coffee, called Hawaiian Grog, that is coffee and coconut. I ground it all up and that’s what’s on the table pardner.
She and I have enjoyed the aroma of coffee on many occasions together since we met a few years ago (48). Sometimes at home, sometimes around a campfire, sometimes from an old thermos, and I could go on. Today, is her birthday! Yep, hard to believe, but it does come ’round once a year. Now, she ain’t the type to worry over the years, but still, I think I’ll keep her age to myself. No, I haven’t forgotten how old she is! Let me give you a hint. As of today, she is two years older than me. That’s right; hard to believe ain’t it?
Hmmm, my ol’ gizzard just can’t bring itself to say “ahhhh” but the coffee’s tolerable. At least it ain’t weak. Yur cup’s empty, so mustn’t be any displeasure in yur mind. Let me tell you a story about the first birthday I can remember with Annie. Yep, it was a few years back. Her Dad must have been part prophet for he sent her money for her birthday tellin’ her to take me out for supper. He knew I was most likely a good find (sure hope she still thinks so). Also, we had been datin’ steady for ’bout six weeks and she mentioned that we ought to slow down and not date. Well, I was asked by her roommate to get her over to the Student Union for a surprise party. I thought she might turn me down as I was tryin’ to lasso her, an’ tie that knot tight so she couldn’t get away, but I managed to talk her into goin’ with me. She was certainly shocked.
Ahhhh, that’s not for the coffee, that’s for the good memories. Thanks for stoppin’ by and listenin’ to an’ ol’ fellow talk about his sweetie. Fact is, after you move on down the trail, she an’ I are goin’ have some coffee.
By the way, check yur cinch. That’s one thing that she an’ I learned a long time ago. Don’t go out a-ridin’ anywhere without checkin’ our cinch.