Feel the Burn

Tumbleweeds! The bane of the Southwest and it's not even a native plant. It came from Russia. Once the tumbleweed dies in the Winter, it dries up and, because of its shallow root, comes loose from the ground in the first good wind which is pretty often around here.

So, each Winter I start collecting dried Tumbleweeds and other plant trash into a pile behind our horse trailer. It's out of sight of our neighbors and the trailer blocks the wind to keep it from blowing around.

In the summer, we wait for a 'burn day' when it's safe and legal to burn and we sacrifice all this dried refuse to the fire gods (just kidding, there's only one God).

Here are pictures from this years 'burn.'

Tossing another pile onto the fire. We have to keep the fire size small or the fire department will not be happy.

The fire pit with Morgunn and Sugar looking on.

Close up. The pit is about 4 feet long by 2 1/2 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. This keeps any burning pieces from blowing away and, when I'm done, I can cover it up with clean dirt so you don't know we ever burned in that spot.

Morgunn and Sugar were curious for awhile. Eventually Sugar was bored and left.

Yours truly watching the fire. We keep a shovel, rake and charged hose close at hand just in case.


It's a small fire, but it is really hot.

Monday Video - Marriage Proposal

A couple of weeks ago we showed a video of a wonderful bride and groom dance. Today we're going to the other end of the process and show a very creative marriage proposal.

Yes, it is for real.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflections - Growth

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, ... (Hebrews 6:1)

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:2-3)

I ran across a simple explanation for what it means to grow in our faith -- to grow in Christ -- intimacy, dependence, obedience.

Our first stage in our life with Christ is one of intimacy -- knowing and being known. It is the same intimacy with which a husband and wife know each other.

This is a wonderful, early stage when it's all new and incredible. However, if we stay in this stage then we're like newborn babies when God wants us to mature and in our maturity be of more use to Him.

The second growth stage is dependence -- learning to depend upon Christ for all that we are and all that we have. Our very being comes from our relationship with Jesus and we learn that all things belong to God. We are only stewards. This stage is similar to us becoming teenagers in our relationship with God.

Our maturity comes from the third stage -- obedience. Once we have an intimate relationship with Christ and we learn to depend on him for all things, God leads us into this stage of our spiritual life where we begin to obey his callings upon our life. If he says go, we go. If he says stay, we stay. Now we are useful to him and this is where He has been leading us all the days of our life.

As we grow from one stage to the next, we don't lose or leave the prior stage(s). Obedience is built upon dependence and they both need the foundation of intimacy.

Intimacy, dependence, obedience. We are to be fruit -- like a peach. At first we are just a bud, still intimate with the tree, but of no use yet. Then we are dependent upon the tree as we grow into a full-bodied peach. However, to fulfill our potential as a peach we must obey the calling to be picked at the fullness of our ripeness so we can provide sweetness and sustenance to someone else.

Saturday Voice - Independence

On the eve of the 4th of July, 1776, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, detailing his thoughts about the upcoming Declaration of Independence.

This is just a part of that letter:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

"I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support an defend these States."

The founders of our country wanted and laid out plans for a federal government with limited powers with all remaining rights and powers belonging to the States and to individuals. They had seen and endured what havoc a 'supreme' government could cause through central control of their lives.

233 years later it still requires toil and blood and treasure to maintain this Declaration... and part of the battle is to keep our freedoms safe from foreign oppression, but also from some within our own country and government who would try to take over control of our lives, little by little.

We no longer have a federal government with limited powers, but there is still time to preserve what rights the States still have and we as individuals still have if we are willing to give our toil, blood and treasure to maintain that "...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."

We have a choice -- independence as free people or dependence as wards of the state. I choose the former and I will share my toil, blood and treasure to maintain that Declaration. As the Declaration says in its last words, just above the signatures of those brave men who risked everything...

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Have a safe and happy 4th of July and remember to say a prayer for all of our men and women who serve to protect our freedom.

Day at the Beach

We love living in New Mexico. The only thing missing that would make it even better is no beach - no connection to the ocean. It would be nice to be able to drive to a beach where you could swim on a hot summer day.

Our two resident Rock Doves, known as Pigeons in the city, have figured out that they can have their own day at the 'beach' on a hot day.

"Ahhhh, this looks like a good place."

"Now we can settle down for a nice afternoon in the water at the beach. Did you remember the soda pop?"

"I think I'll just splash around a little to get the dust off my wings."

"Now if I can just put all my feathers back into place. You always gotta look your best when you're at the beach."

"Hey, I think I see someone coming."

"Sure enough. We find a nice secluded spot on the beach and someone else has to intrude into our space."

"Hey, how ya' doing? Do ya' think we can join ya, huh? It's just me and the missus."

"I don't think so. Now scram! We got here first."

"Gee, you don't have to be so rude. We're leavin.' You can have this crummy spot all to yourselves."

"Good. Now we can settle down again and just enjoy this stretch of beach all by ourselves."

And, another day at the beach comes to an end.

Sunflower Seeds and Sunsets

One of the fun things we've unfortunately trained Morgunn and Sugar to expect is that they can have a treat whenever we go out to refill the sunflower seed feeders in our courtyard. When we do this in the evening after they have finished their dinner, they come running to the courtyard wall with these expectant, plaintive looks on their horsey faces -- feed me, feed me.

I give Morgunn a couple of hands full of sunflower seeds...

... and Betty does the same for Sugar.

Probably not a good thing to encourage, but it's fun when we do it and they sure seem to enjoy it.

Finally, we had a beautiful sunset a couple of days ago.

Happy Anniversary - 42 Years!

After 6 years of going together through our last two years in high school and all through college, on July 1, 1967, we were married at St. Bartholomews Episcopal Church in Brentwood, Tennessee.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, after the ceremony we had our reception down stairs in the parish hall with a wedding cake, peanuts and mints - which was traditional for that time.

After the reception we hopped into my VW Beetle and drove to Atlanta, Georgia for our wedding night. The next day we drove down to Jekyll Island, Georgia for a really great honeymoon on the beach - well actually we stayed in a motel, but you know what I mean.

If you had told us then what we would be doing and where we would be living 42 years later, we would have laughed you off the stage.

Now we have a nice home in Corrales, NM, two great sons and daughters-in-law, two great grandchildren, two great horses, and a great church where we volunteer - plus many wonderful friends.

It's off to the Range Cafe in Bernallilo for dinner tonight to celebrate our 42 years together.