The wonder of a child.. what exactly is in this basket? Do I see a pincher sticking out? 

Could Kaitlyn soon become Miss Oklahoma? 

Madison doesn't want to hear anyone... 

Time to get serious..  

Pictures are worth a thousand words.. can you guess what is being discussed between father and son?  

Paul, Madison, Andrew and Heather... Madison's daddy was getting her good... 

Phil and Tammy and Austyn... Phil had the movie camera going too.. I think..  

then we took a little drive yesterday evening to celebrate early but so we could with our most precious and dearest assets.. our kiddos and their familys... our anniversay. This has become the highlight of our lives each fall... knowing that this one day, we can all get together and enjoy each other without anyone having to spend time in the kitchen.. and this year we did good, we had a feast!! According to the bill, we did GREAT!!!!!! haha... and we enjoyed every precious moment of it!! Thanks kiddos for coming and helping us celebrate... We love each and every one of you, and those yet to arrive...  

And then we drove back to Stillwater and visted with new parents, Craig and Missy Hannan, and their brand new son, Reese Lee... who arrived Friday morning. He is cool... so Grandma and I got in some early practice for Dylan's arrival in a few days... The new parents are doing great. Missy works with Ann and Craig works there as well. They are two very special folks in our world. Guess that needs to become three.. haha... 

The creek below the home that was auctioned off Saturday in Pawnee... can you imagine having this playground next to your home and being young again... and the explorering one might do... catching the rope swing and swinging out into the creek on a hot summer's day... wow... one just has to asked, who walked along these banks ... and when.. and .... 

Looking across the road south of the auction... a wonderful site for sore eyes... the ever waving "ole Glory" was waving at us...  

The family heirs numbered 3... a brother and two sisters, can you tell who was oldest... kind of a sad photo of passing of the times, and an era of time when things were a bit slower, not electronic games, a time when kids played outside and could ride in their communities without the worry of abduction... and one trusted one's neighbors... they lived by a creek too, and I bet they played along it's banks... and swam in it in the warm summer time...  

The wife of the owner.. Missy Pickens, and her husband Gregg own the business now days... 

another shot of Mac.. His cousin used to fly into Stillwater and circle their home there and they knew to drive out to our farm, the old stillwater airport and pick him up... when he landed... kind'a a cool story... 

this young man, Mac Payne, helps with the auction and has for many many years.  

The auctioneer, Gregg Pickens, and his father, Ernie, who started the business.. are life long family friends... and some of the most honorable in the business... 

oh the memories...  

Big boys need big toys... haha... this is my new toy... new to me anyway... and it is a life changing experience, from the big dually to this little scamp!! I think even Grandma Ann likes riding in it...  

with all things, an end comes... I remember the day this piece of equipment arrived on our farm and how proud my Dad was to have it and could not wait to see what it could do. And over the years, it worked and worked and has outlasted it's owner... even with a son who managed to "hook" onto some of the big rocks under the ground and straighten the shanks... Perhaps in this photo I see the strength of the past... and how strong our future looks, and how timeless things can be, that seem to NOT be important at the time....  

Sometimes, what holds us together are the simplest of things, things that were not meant to be, are, and become the things that hold us the most....  

Almost gone... times are passing fast... and years fly by.... 

and no matter how you look.. the photo always seems to show God's wonderful creation... 

even in death... there is beauty.... 

The hay train is coming.... 

Just a shot of some color and the sad sign in the window.....  

Jake's Song "Clarksville"

Jake wrote and recorded "Clarksville" several years ago and it has been on http://www.garageband.com all this time... I looked today and it is Ranked All-time: #184 of 2,604 in Americana and the Best it did was #46 of 838 on 19Sep2003. This puts it in the top 7% of all Americana songs on Garageband.com! Kinda cool... here is link to the song Clarksville, TN by Jake Moffat.