FRANTIC FRIDAY....FIRES!

Texas is such a tinderbox... I can't remember when we had our last rains, and everything is so amazingly dry and vulnerable! I'm sure you've heard on the national news about how fierce the Texas wildfires are...it's crazy and so scary! Praise God, we don't have any in our immediate area...most are south of Vernon or north into Oklahoma. Dyke helped evacuate homes and fight fires down south of Electra at Lake Diversion, all day on Friday. Manditory law requires him to wear his Kevlar bulletproof vest everyday and even on a "regular day" they're so hot to wear...fighting the fires, pulling waterlines and evacuating people was almost completely unbearable. He was operating on pure adrenalin at that point! Boatdocks were in flames and he witnessed first-hand, how the fires just swept through the place eating up everything and anything in its path. He was remembering stories from last year's fires up in the panhandle of Texas... the livestock (cattle in particular)were pushed up against the furthest fencelines...in desperation to escape. Many of them didn't make it and their bodies lay everywhere, including calves that tried to chew through the fencewires, only to have their lips scorched and "branded" by the hot metal. He said it was horrific....I can't imagine...

Even the local cowboys from the various nearby ranches were called in to help quell the fires!

While Dyke was out on the front lines, I (we) were having our annual Famous Texan Day, where each 2nd grader chose, researched, and made a doll (out of recycled materials) to look like their Famous Texan. They also had to give an oral report, to the class, on their Famous Texan. Some of them even dressed up like their Famous Texan! One student across the hall chose his dad as his famous Texan...his dad is Jeff Bryant - the drummer and vocalist for the band Ricochet...you'd know their songs...one famous one is "Daddy's Money"...It was so cool! Jeff came up to school (after hours) and talked to some of the teachers about life on the road, the music business and living "the Nashville Dream"...his wife said it wasn't all fun and games for her. He has realized how much he missed by being gone on the road. It was very interesting to hear that side of "life". He told us about all of the famous musicians he played with, partied with and knew! George...Garth...Kenny...the Judds...etc... He comes from a very musical family - his dad played/traveled with Roy Orbison and some of the other GOLDEN OLDIES! Here's a picture of his band...he's in the back row - the 4th guy (long hair). He's an aide at the other elementary school here in Vernon. REALLY COOL TO TALK TO!

Of course the winds are a constant out here. A week ago, during the biggest fire outbreaks, it gusted to 60 mph! CRAZY! The cows have been out since then, so Ed and I checked fence the other day...several places were damaged....hopefully they'll stay in now. The green wheat on the other side of the fence is definitely a distraction to them...but in about a month, the "wheaties" will roll into town from Canada, and sweep through this area, harvesting thousands of pounds of wheat. I hope the prices are good...

Well, better run for now. Pray for the fires and for some desperately needed rain...it's so dry and with summer on the doorstep, if we don't get rain, it will be a tremendously destitute situation. God Bless!

OOOOHHHHH-WEEEEE, IT'S BEEN A WHILE!

Mama Kitty snoozin' in an old tractor seat!

Goodness, it's been a long time! Sorry! Don't know where the time went, but it has surely been hectic, busy and the days have just blurred together! Took a few shots from around the farm for this posting.

An old petroleum sign that the boys dug up several years ago...I played around with the filters and special effects and came out with this cool turquoise color! (The sign is red in "real life".) This is the "crazy kitty" hiding up in the top of the barn wall...I'm not exactly sure what went wrong during this one's birth, but she's cross-eyed and acts "bi-polar"...one minute she's ok while you're petting her and the next minute she darts off and hides!......wierd!When I was feeding the other afternoon, I noticed how beautiful the light was in the haybarn, so I converted the photo to black and white, played with the hues and this is what I got...

SWEET ED! (The wheat's been growing, but is is soooo dry here...we need rain!)

I know it's strange...but I have some kind of funky attraction to people's hands...these are mine...I wanted to post a variety of people's hands, but I figured that they would think I was wacko when I asked if I could photograph their hands, so I didn't persue that idea...maybe soon though...I really like hands for some reason and I notice people's hands instantly and all the time!

Last Saturday, a bunch of us went out to my pastor's place and we had a "play day" cuttin' cattle. It was a lot of fun! It was a gorgeous day!! At lunchtime, we all went into his leather/saddle/boot shop, made a sandwich and relaxed in the airconditioning before heading out for an afternoon round of cuttin'.

This is my Pastor, David...he could smoke his pipe and cut at the same time! What a character!

This boy's name is Kutter!

A couple weekends ago, Zack and two friends decided that they wanted to camp out in the pasture. They used the tractor to haul their equipment, but didn't want their picture taken! We're in a burn ban, because it's so dry, so they couldn't cook over a fire and had to take the propane cooker! HA! They cooked steaks for supper and homemade frenchfries! ALL BY THEMSELVES! Breakfast was eggs, bacon, sausage and homemade tortillas from one of the boy's grandmothers!

We have 5 calves on the ground so far...all bulls!!!