The water was boiling in the coffee pot, so I dumped a handful of coffee in it and let her cook up real good.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Hickory Jack)
Hot ‘nough for yuh, Pard? Why I thought I’d put the pot on the rocks and see if’n they were hot enough to boil the coffee. Ha, that was a joke, Pard; don’t be squintin’ like that at me or those furrows on your forehead will be gettin’ deeper. Supposed to hit triple digits every day next week, say, an’ yuh realize that this is only June. But on the other hand, we sure did have a nice Spring.
I saw the other day where a person was speakin’ of coffee and some kind of fancy dessert. I looked at the photo, an’ sent a message back sayin’ that I didn’t see any coffee. The reply I received said that it was ice coffee and that it was too hot for hot coffee. My land, that’s absurd! Cold coffee taints the taste buds, it numbs the gullet, and the gizzard near goes into shock. Rain or shine, cold or hot, storm or calm, boil me up some real-to-goodness coffee.
Pard, go ahead, there’s no ice in that cup, just the true and honest brew of the bean that delights the innards. Sayin’ that coffee is too hot for the weather is like sayin’ give me a cold steak or not botherin’ to fix supper because of the heat and get a bowl of that breakfast food instead. Why, I’ve got a hankerin’ for some good ol’ chili right now. Think I’ll make a pot next week.
Since I’m a historian, I always think about those pioneers of yesteryear. Whooeee, they worked right out in the heat. They didn’t have all the technology or scientific advice, they just knew that the job had to be done. I”m familiar with the heat. I had a great grandfather who died of sunstroke workin’ in the wheat fields of Kansas. Once I had a dose of heat exhaustion–not a fun thing. This past week, the little one–Julee–had a touch of heat exhaustion. But think of the cowboy working in the heat, the farmer out plowin’, the townsfolk going about their business with no air conditioner, oh, and by the way, that’s one piece of technology I’m in favor of. The work had to be done, the chickens had to be fed…well, yuh get the picture.
Ahh, mighty tasty this mornin’. But let me tell yuh one other thing. I’m a sorta theologian, or at least I study the Bible. Think of the fires of Hades. Think of the heat of the fiery furnace and the four men walkin’ in it. There’s comin’ a day when those who don’t know the Lord Jesus will face the fires that are not quenched in the Lake of Fire.
Sorry Pard, didn’t mean to get so somber, but that’s something we should be concerned about–makin’ sure our loved ones are ready for the comin’ of the Lord, just like you should be checkin’ yur cinch when yuh mount. Yuh take care this week, stay out of the sun and heat as much as possible–the plan is for the coffee to be ready when yuh come ’round next week.
Vaya con Dios.