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.
my wonder is why is the grass so brown already there! are they already into their summer? if so egads!!
I’ve often meeting you by chance in some unexpected place. Josh and I get bored easily, too. Or at least I do. I don’t know if he does, but we’ve never been able to afford to travel, so we have to deal with it somehow. I’ll admit to being a tad obsessed. After all, you are the closest thing I’ve had to a mother figure since my mother basically told me as long as I choose to continue following Jesus she’s quite done with me. (Not that she was really with me to begin with, so I guess really you’re the first mother-figure I’ve ever had.) Never knew how much I needed that until I was introduced to your ministry. It brought forth a longing in me I didn’t know I had. I really should have stayed in my isolation with no friends or anything. It probably would have been better. Anyway, my man is going to be getting a promotion in about a year and a half and Angela asked where we want to move with dad’s next promotion. Jeremiah said Spokane, which I looked at him, like he had to be the most boring person on the planet. I mean, it is a possibility, but really, of all places in the world, he’d want to move only 80 miles from where we sit right now? Please! (I think I have itchy feet, too.) So, Angela asked me, and I said without hesitation, “Houston.” She rolled her eyes. Everyone knows you’re the reason I want to move to Houston. I’ve decided to go totally shameless about it and not apologize for how much I love you. Jeremiah said, “Really, mom, do you think that’s even possible.” I said, “Yeah, it’s possible. Honey, it’s the Boy Scouts of America. Anywhere in the United States is possible.” To which he then said, “Oh, well, then, I’m going to have to rethink that answer.” (Phew! He’s not the most boring kid on the planet. He just didn’t realize the possibilities!) And I said, “Wouldn’t you want Dallas. Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars, come on!” I thought that would be like his dream come true. The Dallas Cowboys are his favorite football team (although he’s become quite smitten by the cheerleaders these days, which doesn’t make his mama happy) and the Dallas Stars are his favorite Hockey team if you’re not familiar with them. Anyway, I shamelessly want you to know me, Beth. Sorry about that.
“I’ve often dreamed of meeting you” LOL. I have no idea how I missed typing that all important word “dreamed.” Guess my thoughts were too far ahead of me!
Mama Beth I just love you and I love your rambling stories. Wish I could keep them and make a book or maybe you should do that. Praise God for R&R (rest and relaxation)and someone you love to enjoy it with. Have a Blessed week.
such a fun read! We love so love you, too!
Mama Beth… I read the whole thing but I’m stuck on the spider sack and can’t comment on anything but that!!! Tell me you got rid of that thing before you left! I can’t imagine being able to be relaxed with the knowledge that many baby spiders will crawl inside the house by the next time you return!! (Admittedly I’m afraid of spiders…) You are my new hero.
You keep on rambling, I’ll keep the back porch light on!!!
Girl, I sure do love hearing from you!
Hope you are refreshed and full of His Spirit!
Love to you and yours 🙂
Diana
Love you and your ramblings.
A little time away always does us good, especially in Texas.
KOOCKSVILLE LN……hmmmmmm……I think I live there!!!!
Thank you for sharing with us…felt like I was right there with you and your sweet pups…:)
I seriously just shivered with goose bumps thinking about that spider sack. I’m glad you didn’t work too….you work too hard :)(but I’m glad to get to reap the benefits)!
My husband and I are in the Wichita, Ks area but part of the weekend in Dodge City…Now that place has a memorable smell. My husband says , “now that’s the smell of money”. (We have some small ranchers in the family and it really does have good memories…how weird, huh?)
Thanks for posting!!!!Have a great week!
Wow Beth, you and your family have so much fun together. Blessings to you.
Just wonderin’….did you take your own picture with your I-Phone when you were on your walk?
Yes! Laughing.
I KNEW IT!!!!!!! Laughing so hard, you have no idea how many times I’ve done that same thing!!!!!
Oh Mama Beth,
This Texas girl who lives in Nebraska with her man enjoyed the ambling and rambling. It was so fun to see the places you were. I miss my home state and so this was good for this Texas girl’s heart. So glad you didn’t work but just rested. You need that and God blessed you both. Thanks for sharing with us. We love you so much
Loved this post! So glad you didn’t work and just enjoyed being there! I am looking forward to time like that on the beach in just a few weeks! I know that 5 and 2 year old were glad to see their Bibby!! Oh and Lonesome Dove is one of our favorite movies!!
love you lots,
Martha
What beautiful eyes your sweet dog has!
And how cool about the hummingbirds…I guess I never really thought about them migrating or traveling together…I learned something new today!
Blessings,
michelle in VT
thank you for sharing…so blessed and love the pics…so glad you got some time off with your man and away from work. blessings
My “man” and I and his brother and sister-in-law spent some time in Llano last weekend.Cooper’s was very good. Enought meat to feed a bunch. Went to see blue bonnets. But there were not very many this year. The land was so dry. Had a very restful time. Great company!
I’m sitting on the couch with my laptop and about rolled off laughing reading your comment about “Kooksville Ln” — thanks for taking the time to share your life with us. Thanks for being so authentic and for the LAUGHS. You help me often to remember not to take life so seriously.
Love you Momma Beth!!!
just makes me want to go to your event this weekend even more!!! thanks for sharing and i sure would love to see you this weekend in arkansas. i’m going to be checking everyday for some siesta tickets to little rock.
love the Jesus in you beth!
I hope u DO go, Karen.
I just went to Fresno last weekend and God shook things up and it was incredible!!!
Love you Beth Moore.. Blessings <3
By the way, did you get new dogs?? tell us what their names are etc..
I love your ramblings! Don’t know how you could not “move” that spider web. YIKES!!! And then you have to have one brave man to be holding whatever that is he’s holding.
So glad that you got to get away and have some rest and relaxation! My husband just spent the day in his very LAST doctoral class. He graduates on May 7 and we are sooooooo looking forward to getting away sometime after that. I pray it’s just like the weekend you’ve had with lots of sitting and resting. We’d thought about doing Disney but we all agreed that we needed a whole lot of time doing a whole lot of nothing. Disney would take too much energy. ;o)
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Love you so much, Beth!
Kimberly
That was a fun post to read! Considering I ramble in a majority of my conversations, it was good to practice the art of “listening.” I’m glad to hear that the days away were refreshing to you – both in your soul and with your man.
And as for the spider sack…I’m with the others. YOU LEFT IT THERE?????
Such fun great pics, what a nice time!
You crack me up. I can even hear that Texas accent. Though I have no thoughts of Charles Goodnight and I’m going to have to google what “dyed-in-the-wool” means.
I know you are encouraged in our great Lord tonight. Blessings.
Please tell your Texas loving man that my 6x Great Uncle is the great Sam Houston. So this gal, who has only been to Texas a handful of times in her life and has never lived there, has a little bit of Texas blood in her. Maybe one day I’ll live there – kind of returning home. 🙂
Love you so much! So glad you had a wonderful time in Cactus Country!
-Robyn
We must have been born on the same street.
My restaurants name is: Kooky Mookys….How fun!
🙂
Hey Beth!
Thanks for the scenic tour of your trip through the Texas Countryside. My momma’s family hales from San Saba County way back when. I have roots there! 🙂
I heard something exciting this week. Really EXCITING –
YOU WILL BE PINK IN April 2012! OH YES. There is at least one other Gateway Siesta I know who must have been thrilled out of her socks like me to hear that our Siesta Matriarch is coming to our very own house next Spring. (Yes, Nicole – I mean you.)
Let me tell you how I found out Nicole is a Siesta. She called in to get an appointment with one of the pastors I serve at Gateway. When I said my name it must have rung a bell because by the end of the call she said, “Are you a Siesta?” It took me back for a minute but then we had such a sweet conversation.
Well, I can’t wait. Maybe we could fancy a Siesta howdy while you’re here. If not, we’ll meet next January. I am still memorizing Scripture and now that my computer is lively again, I’ll get to catching up on posting my Scriptures. I’m sorry this is so long, but I just wanted to say — The Women Of GATEWAY CHURCH Are So Excited You Are Coming To Bring Us A Word And Visit. 🙂 I have actually been excited for a few months. I met with my friend, Pastor Jan, from over in Pink and she told me the news while we were reminiscing about a certain conversation we had about you when I was new to Gateway. You are a blessings, Siesta Mama Friend. 🙂
Love you, Beth.
Blessings,
Michelle
I so love your updates! Thanks for sharing with us all. Brings smiles and joy to me!
I love you so much, Beth. You are so fun to know and bring me joy!
What an absolutely precious bedtime story. It was like visiting with a friend and sharing in her day. Special moments and treasures of the heart.
Thanks for sharing life with us,
Blessings,
Joy
Thank you for that trip. After the day I’ve had it is beautiful! Can’t wait to get down there and enjoy some real Texas.
Hi Bethie!
I love when you ramble. So glad to hear that you and Keith had a wonderfully relaxing time in your cactus country spot. Just last weekend you were with us here in Central Ca. How we miss you Siesta Mama! Thank you so much for coming and bringing a Word from the Lord to us! I wonder what His word was to you? I presume that you had some sweet time with Him on your walks and restful moments. Those times with the Lord are the ones that I cherish the most.
I’ll be putting a call in to LPM tomorrow. I called about 7 months ago asking for prayer in regards to some really tough stuff going on in my life. I don’t remember who I spoke with but she said for me to call back when God restored that which was taken from me. Well, He has and He’s been so gracious to me! I just have to share with you and your gals at LPM and give God some glory!
You’re just cute, Miss Beth…and then next time you’ll turn around and say some profound thing. That’s a great combo 😉
Oh forgot to tell you…that spider sack seriously creeps me out. I have a little teeny problem with fear and the looks of that on your screen door immediately ignites that flame that often wants to roar! Seriously creeped out Siesta Mama! I could not even click on it, so creeped out!!!
Thank you for ‘taking us with you’ and introducing us to Texas in a deeper way, and letting us share your lovely day! It’s fun being your friend, even from afar! Camera ready iphones make it that much more fun! Have a blessed week, Beth!
Oh, Beth! Your rambling just makes me smile! Funny, too, that you mentioned Lonesome Dove. Since my hubby and I were too young to watch it when it originally aired on TV, just last night we caught the first part of it on Netflix. Texas history is nothing short of fascinating. Blessings on your week ahead!
Diana in Minnesota
This is great :). Thanks for sharing!! I love that you tried to get pics of the hummingbirds. I tried that last year at my grandparents’ house and got some little 30 second videos with my iPhone! One even came very close spotting the red video light! If I knew how to get it off my iPhone… I’d find a way to share it… But I’m still new to this thing :). So glad you got a chance to rest and reconnect with your man.
I forgot to mention that they had 10-15 hummingbirds at one feeder at times. It is amazing! I even picked up their chatter!:)
I burst into tears with the line “He’s life to me whether in the city or the country, in plenty or in want…” thank you for that simple reminder!
Great reading, yes everyone remember to take time to go spend time with your man. Our being with them is what they need.
LOVED this, Beth! as a native Texan – “born & raised” – i promise i put my hand over my heart on learning of Keith’s ancestry. it was only fitting!
i’ve been in arkansas 22 years now & it’s beautiful here but i do miss a big Texas sky!
so ready to see you in Little Rock next weekend!!!
Thanks for sharing! My two cents…I finally got a job…and am a working momma now! Tough adjustment for me and the kiddos and hubby but we’re doing it! The job is good and I know from God…it is good! I put my scripture memory on my desk every morning and look at it all through the day! This weekend was playtime with my boys, laundry time, paperwork for hubby’s business time and a bit of grocery shopping! Wishing I could road trip somewhere fun like you…soon maybe! We did enjoy some nice dinners in our screened in porch…the stars came out tonight like crazy tonight and it was 70! The storms are supposed to come in tomorrow…but today was a gem!
Hugs and love!
Donna (the mom of twin boys)
So glad you and Keith had a nice weekend away just sitting and smiling. Too funny about your neighbor letting Keith know that you might be lost. It’s lovely that he cared – that’s not something that happens in the city too often (maybe just in my city?). And can I just say your GSP (Is it Geli?) is so cute – I want to kiss her nose! 🙂
Blessings to you!
That was a fun rambling ride Thanks for taking us along. Loved it… Glad you didn’t work either but rested and smiled. Love ya
Pam
I loved every word and picture in this post!
Thanks Beth. For lack of a cactus place to be, Muffin and I laid out under the stars in our back yard on yoga mats this weekend. Same TX sky, farther north and east than where you were, but the sky was great. And we love Jesus the mostest!
Sounds like the perfect day!! We had the perfect day here too!!
Loved the pictures and the rambling!!!
God is so good!!! 🙂
All your fun pictures make me miss west Texas! I was born in east Texas and love the Pineywoods, but spent every summer in Kerrville and Rocksprings with my dad’s family. It was like a different world. We were used to pine trees, creeks, and green everywhere and we were surrounded by tumbleweeds, stock ponds, and rattlesnakes.
Thanks for taking us along for your journey home. Sure hope you and your man had a safe trip back to Houston and are enjoying time with your family!
~Kate
PS – Why, oh why, did you leave the spider egg sack on your porch screen?!?
Thanks for sharing with some of us who love to wander but are currently tied down! Such beautiful real pictures with equally beautiful word pictures!
A blessing for a long day.
Midge