Right Where We Wanted to Be...

Well the sedum has bloomed and that's always a sign that the end of summer is near. Yes, I know that it actually has officially ended but as long as the temps are relatively nice
I don't really consider it over. The last few nights have been pretty cool and the days have not really been what you would call hot so maybe I should just resign myself to the fact that "fall has fell" and start getting out the long sleeves.
Fall and I have a sort of love-hate relationship. I never want summer to end but I get sooo tired of all those days that are so hot you just can't seem to get the will to get those extra projects done.
I guess that like other areas of my life right now I just need to move forward with the changes and embrace them. Fall is a sort of magical time and we can draw a very close comparison between the seasons and our lives. With the dying off of one phase the beauty of another emerges and before we know it, we're right where we wanted to be all along...

Greener Pastures...

There was a very nice full moon the other night and the field behind the house ( sounds like a scary movie doesn't it?- The Field Behind the House...) anyway, the field was all lit up and the layer of fog had just settled over it. I suppose that that could be sort of scary but to me it was beautiful. I felt like a cat or some other nocturnal animal staring out over the moonlit pasture watching carefully for any kind of movement.
Whenever I take night photos of the field I always get this glow from the city lights. So according to the moon's light I get varying degrees of color in the night sky but it always seems to work well with the scenery. Although, I would prefer a nice dark blue, starry, moonlit sky.
I'm worried that someday this field will be little more than subdivision plots with the glow of streetlights and kitchen windows that never changes no matter how bright the moon is. That, I think, will be the day that the Farabee household packs up and moves to greener pastures- literally...

Getting Refocused...

I can't begin to tell you how busy this summer has been -as I've said countless times before. I'm not looking for pity here it's just that it does seem to be an effective lead-in for some posts. And what I'm leading to here is the fact that I've had little chance to go hiking this summer so I haven't been able to savor the great outdoors as much as I'd like, much less get many good photos from the trail.
My lack of spare time has been a sort of mixed blessing, so to speak. We were notified last spring that our company at which I've been employed for the last 12 years will cease operations at this facility and I'll soon join the ranks of the unemployed. The blessing part is that we have been able to get a lot of hours in for the last 5 months -the mixed part is that I haven't been able to enjoy my favorite past time as much as I'd like.
I'm a firm believer that God puts us where we need to be and I think that if I had more time and space I could back that up with more than one instance from the last 12 years. So we'll just see where he needs me next.
Meanwhile, I don't plan on being unemployed for long ( I have a fall back plan if I have to) but hopefully I can save a spot or two during my time off for some long needed nature communing where I can get "focused" again. Get it? Focused...

Shall We Gather At The River...

Last week I attended an event that I know I'll never forget. I've mentioned once or twice about our attending the Cowboy Church and how we truly think that we've found our place to worship. The people there are probably the most sincere and genuine group of people I've ever met and I knew that the very moment I entered the building. As I've said more than once, I've found myself looking more and more for that "small town" feel - you know, the Mayberry thing and it's definitely there.
I could go on about that but it might take me away from what the big event was or maybe I should say is because it's only the beginning for some.
Last Sunday we had our baptism at the river where there were over 30 people baptized. I can't name names or show other faces because I haven't got their permission to do so (although I can tell you that that's Pastor Scotty on the left there) but one generous soul donated the use of several acres of his land (there were over 400 people in attendance) . Several individuals donated their time to get the areas in shape for company and their time to make sure that the land was left in as good of shape as it was to begin with. I believe we had 3 lines for some of the best home cookin' I've ever had the pleasure to sink my teeth into and our ears were treated to a trio of bluegrass bands that kept the toes tapping even in the chow lines.
My heart was full that day. I can't remember the last time I felt so good about the people I was with or what we were doing.
The 10:30 service we go to (hey, I like to get a chance to sleep in at least once a week!) has an excellent speaker that, along with the announcements, gives us a little food for the soul, so to speak. Each week he has a story that is guaranteed to touch your heart but the part that touches my heart the most is when he says "...you're not just coming to church... you're coming home."
I believe I have...

Jeff didn't post last night. He's been too busy. That's not an excuse, just the truth of the matter. I decided (his wife) to post this to/for him. Brendon is playing his last year of Mighty Mites football. Jeff has assumed the role of head coach instead of just assisting, so we're even busier than usual. In the fall, we get so busy with games and practice. Then we try to fit in watching all the Chief's games and actually making it to a couple home games each season. It seems like a whirlwind time for us every year. This picture is one Jeff took of him and Brendon. Arrowhead used to have an annual open practice so fans could go and be part of the fun. The guys in Jeff's family would make it a big event with tailgating, parking lot games, autographs, etc. They looked forward to it each year. Brendon was so proud just to be there and be a part of it all. He loved it as much as being at a real game. I guess I say all this to let you see a little of what kind of guy Jeff is. He believes in keeping the traditions alive. I never knew Jeff's dad. I only know stories. If there is anything I've learned that he wanted to pass down to his sons, it was the love of family and football.....

A Sense of Curiosity...

The other day my son Brendon and I were taking a drive somewhere or maybe we were coming back from somewhere (sometimes I don't know if I'm coming or going) and as is often the case here in the Ozarks we were treated with a beautiful view of the hills that make up our part of the Ozark Mountains. Now I'm not generally a very good judge of distance when looking out over the landscape but I do know that generally speaking, we can often see "for miles".
I enjoy this part of living in the Ozarks almost as much as anything else. So as we were driving along I did my best to check out the scenery as best I could without diverting too much attention away from the road.
"Brendon," I asked."Do you ever look out across the forest and pick a spot and wonder what's at that exact spot in the woods?"
"No."
"No?!" I guess it took me off guard because I really thought that everyone did this.
"No, not really."
So I began to try and explain to him how I feel about being in the woods and how the unknown excites me. So much that I feel like I have to know what's there. What's around that next bend or in that wooded area up ahead.(especially the wooded areas!) I told him about how, as kids, my brothers and I (and our neighborhood buddies) would hike and explore all summer long, no matter how many times we had explored it before. We actually camped down on the creek on spots that were 3 or 4 miles from home when we were just kids! We were probably Indians in a war party or maybe cave men hunting a very dangerous T-Rex! And sometimes, maybe more often than not, we made the trek back home somewhere around dusk and still felt like we were explorers.
Times have changed, though and what was once normal behavior for kids has become probably a little too chancy to attempt. So as much as would like Brendon to have a little more explorer in him maybe it's just as well that he doesn't- for now, anyway.
Don't think for a minute though, that I won't continue to try and encourage his a sense of curiosity about places and people and things because once we quit being curious we become nothing more that just sediment at the bottom of the puddle...

Ethereal

Ethereal (ih-theer-ee-uhl)
-adjective
1.light, airy or tenuous: an ethereal world created through the poetic imagination.
2.extremely delicate or refined: ethereal beauty.
3.heavenly or celestial: gone to his ethereal home.

The word ethereal immediately came to mind when I was finished with this picture. After looking it up and reading the various definitions I feel like it is a proper description. So let it be your word for the day. Say it a few times to yourself, get the feel of it rolling off of your tongue and see how it makes you feel to say it. Ethereal-I like the way it sounds, I think. Or maybe I should say methinks...

You Say Tomato...

We don't really have the time to plant any kind of real garden but we do manage to get out some tomatoes each year. This year we planted Romas and boy have they been deeelicious! We did get them out a little late so some, like these, have had to ripen on the back porch. This batch not only got the appropriate sunlight but the rain storms that passed through washed them down and gave them that "take me now" look!
I'm of Scotch-Irish descent but when I was a kid my grandpa used to always tell me that there must be some Italian blood in me somewhere (he always pronounced it I-talian) because of my love for pasta - especially pasta with tomato sauce. "If it ain't the spaghetti kid," he'd say and I know that I'd puff out my little chest, proud as I could be with my title. Well, these days I have to fight back the urge to see just how much spaghetti my belly will hold (I'm sure that it would be way more than it should) and some of these tomatoes even went on a couple of very tasty salads. But for the most part, when you say tomato, I say...spaghetti sauce!
By the way, sorry for missing my mid-week post all together this last week but the aforementioned rain storms came with some pretty heavy lightening so for two nights in a row the computer was off. I've posted a two-fer tonight and I hope that, if nothing else, these photos will make you plan your next meal to include something tomato-y...