"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." -- John Muir
In the beginning there was a young rancher. He married a country girl. They raised two great children, a lot of cattle, a bunch of dogs, a cat or two, a little hell, and assorted other things. Life was an adventure with much to learn along the way. Years passed, the kids had kids, the rancher and the country girl grew older. Life was still an adventure but not in ways the country girl could understand. After a time she left the rancher. It was difficult, they had grown up together the rancher and the country girl, over forty three years of marriage. They parted as friends she wanted to think, but who really knows.
The rancher passed away last Sunday. He left a brief note about the disposition of his ashes, and chaos behind him. There remains a daughter shaking with sorrow, a son taking charge of a thousand things, bewildered grandkids, and a country girl caught between madness and sadness.
I keep calling myself an old lady, but I just figured out that I am not old. I am experienced beyond belief.
A fellow blogger (AR Patti) posted a link to Doris's post of Dr Kikta's first hand account of the tornado's impact on St John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin MO. Tornado damage, but more importantly human grace is in this story:
http://doris-socialworker.blogspot.com/
Please give as much help, in what ever form you can to those in need.
Went to an antiques market show last weekend. What beautiful things, I drooled a lot. Way beyond my limited budget, but the looking was free. It was held in the garden and barn of a couple who live in my old home town. 
In one outdoor stall, the one with the vintage clothing, a little gopher popped his head up. He continued to eat from the edges of the grass as if there wasn't a multitude of ol ladies wandering about. Out came the camera phones, big cameras, little cameras, for a gopher.
Interesting to see things that would have been tossed in days gone bye displayed in such clever ways. The boneyard here on the farm is full of these rusty, dusty, bent, and twisted pieces of art. It's a treasure trove out there. I go scouting often to redo my displays. I'm not above putting a small roll of barbwire up as a wreath, using disk blades as planters, bird feeders, or table centerpieces. A seed bag pillow case. Bed spring candle holders, vases, and plant hangers. Spindles and cogs, horseshoes & deer horns are displayed around the ol bunkhouse. Years ago my dad cut and slag welded three disk blades together as a vase for my mom, it is the one thing I hope to inherit. I've been doing this type of decorating for years, simply because I like the repurposing, the seeing things with new eyes.
