Hey, Sweet Things!
My man and I are on our way home from cactus land and I thought I’d spend part of it writing to you. And you know what that means: rambling. Any time I just open up my Mac and start writing to you woefully free of all forethought, you can count on a whole lot of words about next to nothing. So, unless you’re bored to oblivion with what you’re doing, you might want to run for your life now and save the headspace.
As I write to you, I’ll keep you posted on where we are. You don’t think you care but, once you hear some of these names, you might feel differently. They’re nearly life changing. For instance, right now we are going through Hext, Texas (I do not know if the area has an ancient history of witchcraft or what. Nor do I know if, once you’ve been hext, you can be un-hext. But I feel like you can.) One good firm turn to the right will take you to London. In just a few hours, you could be in Paris. These are just a few of the reasons why many people here believe that the world ends at the Texas border.
We have now come to Koocksville. This is the street Keith and I may have been born to live on.
It was just across from this very sign that Keith showed me this proud display of dried catfish heads.
On through Mason.
Over Comanche Creek.
It’s Sunday just before noon and we’ve been in Mesquite country since Thursday. The heat index could turn an ox-blooded man to Jesus. It’s too early for this furnace but who am I to say? God is in control of the thermostat and I’ve become convinced He considers the heat an effective evangelism tool. Keith and I have had so much fun. Simple fun. Like long walks in the morning but not without snake boots…
…and long rides in the evening in the old golf cart. The steamy mid part of the day takes us into town to eat at one of two restaurants in the small community. The second day we eat at the one we missed the first day. They are both so incredibly good that we think about them when we’re back home in the food capital of the universe. We’ve made our second home in this land long enough now for some of the locals to talk to us when they see us. Deeply satisfying to two dyed-in-the-wool city souls who long for the country. These folks around here are the salt of the earth sort. They work hard and forego fancy. Impressively, one of the two restaurants has free wifi so, call them small but don’t call them disconnected.
I love being on a road trip with Mr. Ivan Keith Moore, son of Marcell John Moore, the plumbing legend of Houston. My man is a history fiend. He knows where every battle in Texas history was fought and where the cattle were run and who the cowboys were that ran them. I love to hear the story of how the buffalo were taken from the JA Ranch in Palo Duro Canyon (near Amarillo) all the way due north to Wyoming and, every time we’re in that great State and see buffalo, he likes to tell me that those hefty beasts bleed Texas blood. By no means does he disrespect Wyoming. Nay! It is, hands down, his favorite state second only to – put your hand on your heart – the land of his great, great grandfather’s birth.He just somehow thinks that what he loves most about Wyoming is that it reminds him of Texas…but with mountains. Big ones.
While we drive these long roads, Keith tells me stories about men like Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving, cattle ranchers that Keith believes were prototypes of the characters on Lonesome Dove. Loving made Goodnight swear he’d bury him in Texas but wounds from an old fight wouldn’t heal and ended up killing him slowly with gangrene until he gave up the ghost in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. More practical than sentimental, the folks surrounding him when he breathed his last hastened to put his rigid body into the ground before the animals ate him. A man of his word, Charles Goodnight returned from a trip to Colorado, had his friend’s body exhumed and hauled it back to Texas in a pine box packed with charcoal. I don’t suppose you’d want me to also share tales about a man named Shanghai Pierce who went from a stowaway on a ship in New York harbor to owning some million acres in the Lonestar State.
We take these roads to cactus country to get our heads on straight. We go to hear ourselves think. We go to hear what God might say if you shut up and let Him do the talking. We go to see the black night skies light up with ten thousand stars. We go to hear the birds sing and, this time of year, watch dozens of hummingbirds migrate right through our property. I wish I’d been able to capture six of them at once with my i-Phone but they move like lightening.
We go to sleep late…and to sleep good. I planned to work while I was there for four days but I never did. My bones said, “Just sit and smile and rest.” So I did.
Driving now through Llano. Beautiful Llano. We were going to stop at Cooper’s BBQ but the line was literally out the door and down the sidewalk. Sure smelled good.
“We’re a third of the way home, ‘Lizbeth.”
Keith always keeps me up on the progress. To my man, a road is not something you take. It’s something you conquer.
Lunch here in Burnet, Texas.
Got to meet a darling young couple that serve at a church in Liberty Hill and their six and a half year-old Savannah who was missing one tooth. I do love me a six year-old girl child about more than anything on this earth. Except a certain five year-old boy and two year-old girl that I am particularly partial to. Can’t wait to get home to them.
Keith can’t get a good country western station to come in right now so he just turned up “Staying Alive” by the BeeGees. Out of the corner of my eye, I’m seeing that college boy I danced with under the disco ball 33 years ago. Just when I think I’ve got the man figured out, he goes 70’s on me. We’ve gotten to the part of the song where Keith doubts the singer’s manhood. “Ahhhhhh-oooooohhhh, I’m going nowhere. Somebody help me…”
Well, my man and I are not going nowhere. We’re going home. No place like home. The best part of going on a road trip. And, lucky for you, I’m almost out of battery. All this rambling means nothing if you don’t have Jesus. He’s life to me whether I’m in the city or the country, in plenty or in want, in pain or so tickled I can’t sit up straight. He’s kept Keith and I ring-fingered for 32 years. He keeps life adventurous for two souls that get bored easy. He keeps our boots on tight and our tires rolling. I love Him so much.
Just a few last shots for anyone who’s hung in here by a thread:
Don’t worry, Keith saved it from becoming Dog Dinner. Me on a long walk. A rancher saw me from afar and hopped in his truck to go tell Keith that my car must be broken down and he’d better go fetch me. He couldn’t fathom that a woman with any sense would just be strolling around out there.
A peek at the gorgeous, grass-green San Saba River really close to our place. Keith and I float on inner tubes in this spot in the summer.
Cucumber Cactus. So shockingly gorgeous amid all the gray and green.
A spider sack attached to our porch screen. More spider babies than you can count will start crawling out of that thing in a few days. Most of them will probably crawl into the house but I’ll deal with that next time we come.
Gentle evenings and maybe the number one reason why we come.
You guys are such great sports. I’m crazy about you. Thanks for chatting me home. I wish every single one of you were in this blue Ford truck with my man, our two hounds, and me. We’d try to show you a good Texas time.
No time to proofread! My laptop is sho-nuff shutting down! Talk to you soon.
I guess you know you’re in the boondocks somewhere when you drive past a proud display of catfish heads, huh? 🙂 So glad you got to enjoy a few days away. Blessings to you, Beth!
Mrs. Beth,
This is exactly what I needed. For a minute, Berry College turned into Texas. I needed that escape from my mounds of papers and projects for just a moment.
So glad you had a wonderful time with Keith!
Well, that was sure enjoyable! Glad you got away to just “sit and rest” with your man and hounds. My sister has a place a LaGrange, just down the road from Llano and we live on the edge of part of that Palo Duro Canyon so this was right up my alley! Nothing like Texas and her history…..wish I could have been in the back seat to hear all those stories 🙂
Umm…what is that thing that Keith saved from being dog dinner?
I think it’s an armadillo
p.s. – it was still alive. Not sure what he did with it tho
Wouldn’t surprise me, if that armadillo followed them home and got up on the back porch to see if he could find something good to eat.
🙂 spring is beautiful no matter where. we ALMOST have green! thanks for the fun post.
okay. this is too weird. i wrote a comment, and after i wrote it i saw that i had posted as someone named stephanie instead of my actual name, kendal. and lo and behold, someone else’s information was in the “leave a reply” section on my own computer. and i can’t delete teh other one….freaky. so here’s my comment. (and yes, i spent more time on this explanation than the original, non-profound comment!)
🙂 spring is beautiful no matter where. we ALMOST have green! thanks for the fun post.
Kendal…That happened to me too just now with a different name signed in in the reply box! Wierd!!
That happened to me too once! So weird.
It happened to me the other day as well!!!
I loved reading your post and this is one of my favorite kinds of posts! Mesquite country sounds uniquely splendid.
sounds like an awesome, well deserved rest. My husband of 24 years would only add one ingredient to your winning recipe of rest – texture. Texture are those moments of excitement that get your adrenaline going. For example, being at anchor at a dock and battening down the hatches from the on coming hurricane or opening up the door of a cabin and finding a raccoon inside. Ah texture. I am more a smooth sort of a person, but having someone who likes texture gives diversity.
Hope you get many more times of wondrous rest and relaxation with your man.
Heather
Was so glad to hear you were out having a great, relaxing time. My daughter was in Fresno last week. She said it was great (I knew it would be) but that you were a little under the weather. I have prayed for your healing and renewal…and sure enough you were getting both!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, Mama Beth. Being a rambler, I appreciate those who ramble well and listen to the Bee Gees. 🙂 Love the pics. I have never been to Texas. I should add that to my bucket list. 🙂 God Bless you and Keith. I love you too. 🙂
Dee, Zeeland, MI
Thank you sweet Beth for taking me on your road trip with you. After my weekend of my baby’s senior prom and then moving on to the planning of my first born’s college graduation and my baby’s high school graduation which will be 6 days apart, it was nice to sit for a minute and imagine the quiet of the prairie of this great state of ours!
Beth,
You are dear to my heart and just like part of my family. Love catfish… enjoyed those photos. I’ve been through some towns with strange names too, like Hot Coffee, Mississippi. I love to travel and visit different places and yes, it is always good to be back home.
Our church ladies had a brunch this week-end. We had such a wonderful time and 97 ladies from different church in the area all came together. “Art as an Illustration for Life” was our theme. Our guest speaker spoke on the Bible and art. We also had special music and at the end of our ordeal, a lady from our church sang “We Shall Behold Him” and used sign language as she sang. It was beautiful and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place. I was so pleased when this elderly lady came up to me and said, “The presence of God was here today.” I just said, “Thank you, Lord, thank you.”
My husband cut boards for me to paint on. I painted for months pictures with flowers, butterflies etc. on the boards he cut and gave as gifts for guests. I saved the best for last…our guest speaker used to go to our church she is a pastor’s wife and I gave her a painting I did of our church which she just loved and we love her too. We had a wonderful, blessed day. I just had to share the goodness of the Lord! in Christ
Hi Joyce!
My father and I once went on a pilgrimage (of sorts)to Hot Coffee, MS many years ago–just to say we’d been there!
Beth,
Thanks for the breath of fresh air…just what I needed!
What a lovely surprise on a beautiful Sunday afternoon-and yes–I read through till the end. Thank you for sharing your journey with us–what a great opportunity to get away and just think and yes….listen. I’ve realized that when you step out of the chaos of life, God does speak, we must take the time to listen. I am so thankful today for the warm, beautiful sunshine I am experiencing in Indiana. The Lord knows exactly what I need and He always provides! Thank you again for sharing moma Beth–it was a pleasure.
Hi Beth!
I’m so happy to hear from you! I was loving your travel stories until I saw that spider sack. You vacation in a place where spiders build SACKS! And you left a sack there to bear babies. Oy. My heart is pounding just thinking of it.
My two best buddies and I were going to travel a whopping 15 miles and camp out at a hotel to go to your conference in Eden Prairie, MN next month, only to learn it sold out. How can you be here and we not see you?! So we want to treat you to lunch at our best MN Mexican restaurant when the conference is over, followed by a dash to Starbucks afterward. Wanna?! 🙂
I’m afraid to ask what temperature you’re suffering through right now. We have a HUGE heatwave in Minnesota today – a high of 76. Our golden retriever is panting on the floor like she just ran 10 miles. And yet there are still piles of snow scattered about from a particularly cold, snowy winter. …But we are thankful. It makes spring so incredibly sweet.
I realize I’ve officially hit rambling, but it seems so long since I chatted with you – and I’ve missed you. So before I close, I just have to say 1)I’m behind on Scripture memorizing, but am going to catch up; it’s made me sad to have lapsed; but I have been in the Word, and I have my verses ready to commit to heart; 2) you offered me a verse through this blog at a very low life point in December and God has since been blowing me away with beams of light breaking in through the darkness here, there, and everywhere – grace upon grace! I stand in awe of Him all over again. Life after death. Spring after a very long winter. Amazing; 3) we just finished “David” at church – it was so wonderful to study with you. I miss it already. My spirit is so addicted to Bible study, so I restarted Kelly Minter’s “Ruth” study this morning. It blessed my heart more than words can say last summer. Thank you so much for introducing us to Kelly and her studies; 4) I continue to thank God for you and your heart for Him – a love and passion for and from Jesus that spills over to bless and teach and befriend us. We love you so.
Linda
I just loved that post seating here on a Sunday afternoon reflecting on my day at worship this a.m.
Mama Beth thank you for sharin your time with us siesta’s it made me feel like I am on that road trip back home with you and your man and your dogs even if you said you were rambling it was an awesome post. I loved the pictures and how you describe each one. Also loved the part where you said all this ramblin means nothing if you don’t have Jesus and that He is life to you I am so thankful for you being faithful to the call Jesus has on your life, because this siesta life has been changed thru and thru for you pointing me to Jesus and keeping me faithful thru scripture memorization and keeping me faithful to that. Because His word is life to me and it has changed my heart and has washed my mind and has changed my thought pattern (Thank you siesta mama and Thank you Jesus for putting Your word in my heart and helping me to memorize because without You Jesus I am toast so thank You Lord for changing me.
Carol
Your ambling and rambling blesses my soul on this Sunday afternoon. Well, actually any time. Thank you for chatting!!
You just don’t know how much I admire you and Keith and how you have learned to do life with JESUS! Thank you for letting us share.
And what a hoot it is that at lunch today with my Man, his Mother and Sister, portions of conversation was about dogs and my contribution was a story about you and Star and then I came home and opened your blog and see you and … but that’s not Star — oh well — I got a kick out of it!
Welcome home — love and holy hugs,
Kathie
I dig this post. That cactus is SO pretty. Every time I see cactus flowers I think of my mom’s friend, Dianne, who passed away several years ago. Dianne adored cactus. I always thought that fit her personality. Whether people were prickly or pretty, or both, she loved them so easily. Thank you for sharing your pictures! (I’m a dog lover too, so that first pic made me squeal 🙂
Thanks for the rambling…I loved every last morsel!
Prayers and blessings,
Rebecca
Hi Beth,
I enjoyed your post! Seeing your picture of your hummingbird feeder reminded me to get mine out soon. Those little buggers will be showing up here in Missouri any day now, wanting their food. I love feeding them all summer.
Thanks for sharing your days off with us!
Love the Texas tales and pictures of critters both big and small. Yikes to the spider babies!! Thanks for including us in your regular life. It means so much.
Happy week to you, J
Yes the spider sack creeped me out too. I would have been getting rid of that or at least relocating it far away from the house! eek!
Me, too! Better to deal with it now than deal with it when they’re all running around everywhere! Yikes!
My brother was born in Paris texas! He had a diffrent dad than I and we stopped there to see an older couple when I was 14 or so. I saw the book of revelation for the first time there, and surely got the heebie jeebies!!! Nostradamus was introduced there, which was wierd, but those early events helped to form my wacky self now and my notion of not thinking like everyone else. These people were preppers too…so they had a place in the country where they could can their produce and such things and a root cellar to boot! Definite country folk in that neck of the woods. Mom had some friend of this couple come and touch and heal her ankle. They called him a faith healer. um….ok…amazing memory to have so young huh?
And I would love to be there riding along in your truck! Somehow when you say things like that, Miss Beth, it always brings me to tears. Guess because it seems true and touches a tender place in me. You are the sweetest thing! Thanks for sharing your ramblings with us. Blessings to you!
Thanks, Beth, for the drive and the chat! You saved us all taking it and enduring the heat. My eleven year old daughter happened to mosey by while I was reading and she saw a couple of the pictures. “Where is she? Africa?” was her first comment – then she saw the pic of Keith holding up that —— (what was that thing?) — and she said, with a bit of disdain, “What is THAT? A rat or a hen or something?”
Must be something.
Laughing about how an Alaskan child thinks rats and hens are the same size in Texas. And laughing over Hext. What’s next?
Tell your daughter, things grow bigger in Texas, but not that big…that is a pretty funny story. Although, I think I have seen rats that are really big on tv.
i really enjoy being out on the open road. my daddy tried to get through every COUNTY in the us, so i grew up taking oodles of road trips. we had a tiny, single-cab red nissan with a topper on the back. i slept and played in the back on a mattress with the tent & luggage 🙂
i’ve traveled a lot in the past 6 years, but have recently found my life a little more settled and rooted back in my hometown. my feet are itching to be on the move again, but God has me here and now for a reason.
thanks for the taste–satisfied my wanderlust for a few days!
LOVE when you share real life with us, Mama B!
So glad you and your man had a chance to get away and be peaceful for a few days.
“Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside…” 🙂
Love you!
Loved ambling down the Texas road with you. Wish I was there but thanks for making me feel like I was! I can totally see why you love your property. It’s beautiful and serene.
Blessings! xo
I love you Beth. Thank you for sharing your heart…your life…your loves with us. You have made a huge difference in my life.
See, this is the kind of thing that makes us all feel like you’re a friend…the random chats and catch-ups and talk about everything and nothing. I love it when you share your life with us! Thanks, ‘Lizbeth!
Beth,
So glad you could take some time and get some rest. My friends and I along with my daughter-in-law and step-daughter sure enjoyed our time in Fresno. You brought such a wonderful word that it spoke to all of us. Travis and his team were over the top in worship. Thanks for all that you do. You have blessed our lives immeasurably. My daughter-in-law and I keep talking about the weekend. It has really made our relationship so sweet.
I’m praying that you keep writing those Bible studies and keep sharing the Word! Much love to you and your family,
Rhonda
Aptos, CA
What a delight to get to read this as I am winding up my weekend before heading back to work tomorrow. I LOVE rambling…another delight this weekend was being off Friday and going to see SOUL SURVIVOR with my husband. The movie is incredible and over and over gives Glory to Jesus. Wish we had more movies like this. Make sure you see it Siestas. Love to you Beth and all who reside in Siestaville.
Love, Linda
The movie is SOUL SURFER not survivor. Please change it before publishing. Thanks.
Love road trips!! They are an absolute BLAST!!
Just a side note….somehow all of ULCARDSFAN info showed up in my name/email/website box on my computer….not sure how that happened!!! It also says that her comment is awaiting moderation as if it is me????
West Yorkshire, England.
It was a sweet revelation to read the personal diary of the woman behind the woman I only know from her inspiring DVD teaching, and it just so helps to connect with you this way, as I have only just found your blog. I was actually looking online to buy your teaching materials when I came across it!
I feel like your friend despite the fact that not only do I not know a thing about the places you describe, I have never met you in person either. How about those ‘decadent desserts’ at The Highlander..were you tempted? I just love your enthusiasm for all the wonders of God’s creation however creepy they might be! I would have to be a little envious (but perhaps better not be) at your being ‘ring-fingered’ (How quaint is that term?) to Keith for all those years. I didn’t make it beyond eight sadly…but I have learned so much on the way since then.
Here in the north of England we have had almost a week of perfect spring weather. The bulbs I planted are pushing through the soil, the blossom is out in almost bridal array and the birds are busy collecting moss and nest building. God’s promise in all its glory!
Never boring Beth…no matter whether you’re rambling on your road trip or firing up the crowd up with the word of God…an amazing woman and an inspiration. Thank you for brightening my day. June xxx
No proofreading necessary! We got it!
Love it! Oh, to go back to the days that we all just sat on the porch and talked (or counted spider babies!) – without TV, radio and noise from all our technology. Thanks for sharing with us! Hugs!
just for the record, i read and loved every word. you’re welcome.
Beth,
For this girl whose blood is Greek but her heart very American, these road trips are not only fun to read but they are very educational. We lived in Irving for a couple of years so Texas holds good memories for me. Glad you had a restful time with your man and the Lord.
Quite possible my favorite blog. . . EVER! Oh Beth I love your ramblings! And thank you so much for allowing us
stalkersgirls to see so much of your life! We love you!you said it April!!
Ahhh! I loved reading your randomness!!
Thank for stopping, being still and listening and picking up your work for another day. It is a good reminder for me who often feels driven!
Love, Love, Love it when you ramble Mama Beth.
Being a gal from Texas and having experienced a lot of the part you described and shared pictures of I totally enjoyed the memory lane sharing. Except, the spider sack was that necessary? Ulk. I love that you write then attach a photo so one has to scroll down to “see” the story…ulk big spider sack…I’m praying for your safe trip the rest of the way home, a beautiful Texas sunset to end your day, and sweet dreams.
This is adorable in every way. I just took a similar style roadtrip with my younger sister and cousin from Coeur D’Alene, Idaho to Seattle, WA. Life is beautiful.
Thanks for Sharing 🙂
Beth, I have listened to you for years, along with my precious Sunday School class!
Now I’ve stumbled across your blog. Blogging is something I’ve done since 2003 faithfully. We have a big group out there. I mention you and your work, often! You have made a difference in my life and so many others! And now your blog is just awesome and I know I will enjoy it!
God is good. Glad you are getting some down time.
haha, love your stories, You crack me up! 🙂
I think the Lord uses the thermostat here in Wyoming as an evangelism tool too. We spent the weekend in the mountains to “get away from it all” and the temps were in the 30’s during the day and teens at night. A coating of fresh snow was on the ground this morning. God is faithful and summer eventually comes even if it’s short and sweet. Glad you had a good break. We did too.
Oh I wish I was in that truck with y’all! I’d sit in the back with the puppies. How do you protect them from snakes out there?
Beth I am so glad that you just took a few days off without working. We so appreciate all you do and don’t want you to get burned out.
Thanks for sharing! Love to you in Christ! 🙂
What a hoot! Ambling and Rambling on a Texas Hwy…just this last fall we got to go to Palo Duro Canyon and see the famous long horn Texas cattle at the JA Ranch, and then at the gift shop on top of the Canyon (the best kept secret in Texas, me and my hubs decided) I found me the most beautiful Eagle in flight copper bronze statue I’ve ever seen. I begged hubs for the statue and I got it, my Christmas present! After doing the “Get Out of the Pit” Study, I decided the fastest way out was holding up my hands in praise and worship and allowing the Eagle and the wind of the Spirit to lift me out! PTL He did! Thanks for the minute vacation…what a fun read. So happy you’ve had such a great relaxing time with your man, and takin the time to share all the great pics…and word pictures too!
Well for me Lizbeth, I felt like you let me ride home in that blue ford truck right beside you, so, many thanks!! What a road-trip, that was truly the “ride of my life” (hee!hee!), now wouldn’t you feel so sorry for me if that were really the truth!! Talk about your “ramblin’ man”…they got nothin’ on you!!! Your narrative made me grin:) all the way through it!!!! Thanks for entertaining me this afternoon!!! Looking forward to our next road-trip!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tippin’ my big texas hat to you….speaking of hats, love your Fedora, so cute you are!! But where was your cowboy hat?? Come to think of it, I don’t see Keith in one to often either, usually just his baseball hat. Does he even wear a cowboy hat???? Oh please say he does, I don’t want you to mar my image of that big tall texas man!! You know we think he’s “larger than life” based on your descriptive narrative of him. One might refer to him as “a tall drink of water”!! That’s how me and my sister’s always refer to our men !! And oh’ how their ego’s love that!! LOL!! Okay, now I’m ramblin’!! Gotta go, love U girlfriend and thanks again for sharing the ride!!!!!!!!!!!
Yay, I miss these rambles with you Beth. I know you’re working hard, but still I miss them. This was a nice treat.