Summer in the South

Summer in the south is hard. High heat. high humidity. Snakes and poison everything are alive and thriving. However, the summer brings thunderstorms. There is nothing better than the wind through the trees and rain falling through the leaves. Thunder as if One Thousand cannons fire a salute, preceded by lightning so sharp you could slice a tomato. Following these storms there is a respite from the heat for a brief moment of comfort. Here is to summer in the south, for all of it’s suffering it gives a gift of natural beauty incomparable to anywhere else in the world.

Cowboys

I was raised on John Wayne and Wyatt Earp. Good will overcome evil, a man’s word is his bond and a good days work was reward enough. Cowboys were my heroes. Justice was dealt at the end of a pistol and honor prevailed. There is a song by Jamey Johnson When the Last Cowboys Gone. It speaks of the demise of the character that made the cowboy. There is a line that goes: “Whose gonna ride us away Whose gonna do it that way Why does everything good have to change When the last cowboys gone.” Well folks it may be to late. No man can stand against the evil of the world. If Wyatt Earp were alive today he would be in prison. Standing for justice and defending the weak is now a negative character trait. Being a victim is now the norm. What would John Wayne do today. No more being a man, defending the weak and upholding the law. No more defending your honor, land and name. The cowboy way of hard work and honor have died. No one wants a hero! Now society lifts up perceived victims of real men and their beliefs. The hero is the morally corrupt and perverse. The villain is the just and upright. Time to bring back some cowboy. Stand for your honor, land and name. Ensure that justice is executed and the law is preserved. My hero’s were cowboys and the code they lived by was how I was raised. Let’s bring back the cowboy! America needs a hero!

Thanksgiving

As we end a day of thankfulness and appreciation for our fellow man, let us not forget that tomorrow people will fight each other for a random object. We as a nation have allowed ourselves to decline to a state of want versus need. As the supply chain continues to decline with the onset of winter weather and deteriorating road conditions, we will see the decline of civility. Take a moment and decide now what you need is what you are getting. Focus on the basics and not extravagant superfluous desires. As the economy worsens and prices increase ask yourself, will I be thankful for this item next year. Take the time to ensure your own needs as the resources continue to dwindle. Be thankful for the necessities and continue to be thankful another year.

Wild Men

What will happen when the wild men have gone? When the pathfinder and adventurer have been tamed? What will happen when the free independent thinker has been silenced? The men who venture forth into wild places are slowly fading into antiquity. We now find pleasure, not in the hinterland but in the screen of our electronic world. We seek our challenges and adventures in the safe confines of our electronics. Why go forth and live amongst the trees? They can be seen on the screen. The skills and attributes of the wild men were developed through trial and error. These men rely on their skill and knowledge to overcome the adversity of the wild. Learning as they go to problem solve and learn. Failure, at times is perilous, other times merely an inconvenience. These skills and traits are important to society. They build character and acceptance to adversity. The will to succeed no matter the sacrifice. What will we be when the wild men are gone? We will be a lesser race void of appreciation for the wonder and harshness of nature. We will be without passion or realization of accomplishment. We will be without free will!

The Coming of Fall

As we begin the slow decent into fall, it becomes a time of reflection and joy. The best memories of my life were always in the fall. Harvesting the final crop from a bean field, watching the bird dogs becoming more eager as the weather cooled. Times in the field ahead of a pack of walkers waiting for the elusive white tailed deer. Walking amongst the beagles as we all, man and dog alike, relished the chase of the cotton tail. Walking far and wide at the back of a pair of pointers waiting for the bell to stop ringing and the whir of Bob White Quail. These were the days of my youth, a time when more time was available for family. Shorter days and longer nights meant less work and more time listening to stories of who we were and the suffering that gave us what we had. Meals were heartier and warmed the bones of young and old alike. I relish the fall for it brings quiet and calm to a chaotic world. The land and men rest in preparation for the spring. The winter provisions of food and wood prepared in the heat of the summer to provide warmth and sustenance are waiting to be put to work. The Thanksgiving meals were planned and executed with care and the joy of seeing family at the table of our grandfathers was always a happy time. Welcome fall with your cold wind and dropping leaves. Welcome calm and quiet, as we rest in preparation for winters chill and springs rebirth.