Monday, August 17, 2009

Jacey Dae's 1st Birthday...




Wow! ~ what a difference a year makes! Do we suppose she has an inkling, yet ~ that she's the "gift".


Love, Nunu & Papaw...


Like Engelbert croons..


Pretty ribbon

Tying up a little love

Sending it along to

Someone that I'm thinking of

Someone very special

Pretty ribbon

Open it and you will find

Something that I hope will

Always keep me on your mind

Even though you're far away

One little thought in a present can say

Just how much you mean to me

I hope it makes your day

Pretty ribbon

Hoping that you'll always be

Close to what I send you

Part of what I send is me

Even though you're far away

One little thought in a present can say

Just how much you mean to me
I hope it makes your day

Pretty ribbon

Tying up a little love

Sending it along to

Someone that I'm thinking of

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Happy Birthday ~ from, the Closer's new "STAR"...


Hi Danny... its okay if I call you that isn't it... Well, I just wanted to be the first Closer "Star" to wish you a Happy Birthday. I'm sure that Deputy Chief whats-her-name will be after me for meddling in Departmental Affairs, but... I ask You, did she wish you a HBD?.... tsk tsk...
And YES, I brought my own CARd.
Love and kisses to you, your husband and that adorable little boy Hayden ~ "Bear"...
Your dearest Closer Star,
Raydor

Monday, July 27, 2009

First Fruits




A kind gardening friend of ours has allowed us priveleged access to fresh tomatoes and okra, this our first summer in Fannin county. What a treat!

Last night we sat down to a vegetable dinner; fresh fried okra, slice tomatoes, corn, and green beans. It was our first okra of the season and Top-hand did a tremendous job frying it to perfection {with a dash of B.D. of course}. I was immediately inspired to text a friend of mine just to let him know how {Oh Baby!} great it was. His reply, "save some" ~ my retort... Sorry.

Tonight we fried some of that same okra, a day after being picked and layed out, and... it was very "good", but not... First Fruits. I commented to Top-hand that we likely had enough to share tonight :0) Then, it occured to me...

Genesis 4: 3-5

"So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell."

Ah, so that's what "first fruits" are all about... Are we willing to share our very best?!



Let it Rain!


Well, two months into the process - the house has hit a slow spot. Drywall man is running a couple weeks behind... plus its raining today ~ supposed to rain all week!


One thing we've learned since we have animals to "feed" when the grass don't grow is never, NEVER complain about the rain, so.... Let it rain!


The house will come along in due time.


Friday, July 24, 2009

Queen


Got an interesting email from #2 son today. He's finishing up two weeks animation training in Aberdeen Scotland ~ good ole Caledonia!


"I just saw the Queen of England! The office building I am working in is right next to the airport, so the guys here have a telescope to see when the royals or other important people come in. We just saw the Queen land, her dogs get into a Range Rover and then she came out of the plane and got in another Range Rover. Apparently their vacation castle is near Aberdeen. Not a bad way to end my trip. I will be flying home in the morning."


Life's an adventure ~ breath it in!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Young ~ Impressions

In my mind's eye, Robert was...


A complex and fascinating man, a common man of uncommon talents and wisdom.

Not a Man quick with a smile, but it was warm & sincere when proferred.. anyway you really didn't need to see it to know it was there...

A Friend of the Scroggins and Fannin County Texas...

A Pioneer, an Adventurer, a man who sought after knowledge.

A Man that exuded pure confidence and candor...

A man who could fix anything, indeed could rebuild many things from the ground up.

Bonham ~ though I'd never made it my home, nested there amid the black-land and bois d'arcs, back alleys ~ garages, grocery stores, cafes, nursery home kitchens and old men's haunts {many long gone, some still holding their ground} are many a young boy's memories.

Trading pocket knives at Guy Bryant's station, cokes and peanuts, spending Papa's money on plastic toy wonders at South-side Grocery... the list goes on... and among them stands Robert ...

Among the finest of my memories, a man who made a material, indelible mark in my lifetime's memory bank.

A man of impeccable Work Ethic ~ honest and square dealing.

A Helping-hand to generations. From a young Gertrude whose lunch bucket had fallen in the creek,to farmer Marvin with eggs needing delivery ~ wilting in the heat and a pick-up on the blink.

Cold winter days huddled around the garage's, vent pipe gas furnace, listing to old men's tales ranging from...

rebuilding Willies Jeeps, to

Harley rides into the northwest and beyond...

Grizzly bear hunts recanted by a pot-bellied man dressed in khaki's and a pith helmet, to

Hunting off a pair of pups with a 22, to

Making deals on cars, land, guns'er pick-ups, to

Racing home to Bonham in the pitch dark from Houston, to

Picking apples and walnuts in Washington State...


I remember work scared hands the size of seed shovels... embodying the strength of a vise and the skill of a surgeon ~ guided by simple, practical genius... and command... poetry in motion resulting from years of alert and curious practice ~ of self taught vocation...

Attributes and anecdotes... Accolades!... for a Friend (a larger than life childhood Hero) gone on~ fondly remembered.


{written November 1998}
We were recently welcomed to town by a family friend and restauranteur who shared with us her family history in multi-volume form. It was a wonderful collection of family photographs and memories. It reminded me of this note I'd written to Robert's widow shortly following his death some 10+ years ago...

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Holes in the Ground


Well, they started building our house today. Li'l Miss Top Hand is out of town, and texted me asking "what did they do today", well... its something like this.
They marked off a 24x94 rectangle representing the footprint of our foundation, flagged 35 uniformely engineered locations for piers, drilled 35 x 15' holes in the ground [hit rock and some water in most -- which bodes well for the foundation and future water well prospects]. Inserted rebar, poured in concrete, then covered with dirt...
That's about it for today. Stay tuned...!