Fireflies and Stars

 July 12, 2021

FireFlies

Last night I turned the lights out in the house where we are living and stood beside the window in the dark and watched the spark of fireflies outside.  Hey were so beautiful and bright and I felt so grateful to Heavenly Father for this creation!  It reminds me of the world we live in.  Sometimes watching the news reports leaves me feeling like our world is getting dark.  I think that like the fireflies, kindness and compassion for our fellow man is like the  sparks in the darkness, and each spark lights up someone who is in need.

We watched a "hallmark" type movie this week and one of the themes was "Home isn't a place, but a feeling".   I've pondered this (especially on my mission) and decided that was probably a true statement.  

The Cat

We have a cat.  No one claims the cat.  I'm pretty sure the cat keeps the mice down out here. Since we arrived, each evening the cat shows up.  The missionaries that were already here gave clear instructions "DON'T FEED THE CAT!"  It wasn't a problem for me, as I am allergic to them.  But they didn't have to listen to it cry in our bedroom window night after night after night.  One night I walked to the window and without even lifting the blinds said, "Kitty, you need to go away.  No one wants you here."  As if understanding my words, the cat left.  I felt haunted by my words.  Do animals understand our words?  The donkey in Numbers 22:28 understood and it complains about Balaam's treatment him.  Joseph Smith himself counseled against treating animal unkindly, so I did the unspeakable and gave the cat some cream.  The cat didn't cry at all.  The cat also seemed lonely.  So I am treating "The Cat" to some milk or cream each evening... and not hearing it cry.  Even bending over to set the bowl down makes my nose itch like there is no tomorrow!  But it feels right to show kindness and we aren't going to sleep to constant crying....

GINORMOUS Mushrooms, Wet shoes, and Humidity

Before I start, I just wanted to thank those of you who take a moment to comment and encourage us!  We so appreciate those sweet notes of love! They lift us us when we are tired.

Above is what my sunrises and sunsets look like.  Though similar, I stand in awe of God's beauty each time!

Below is Sister De Los Reyes and Johnson helping me find graves (people request photos on-line) to upload to Find A Grave.  My feet got soaked (walking through the grass) and smelled like vinegar all day. No one said a word but me.  Its not like I could rush  right home to change shoes, as home is 45 minutes away.  Afterwards we went to Bartlesville and donated quilts at Youth Protection and BirthRight.  They (and we) were received with so much gratitude!  

Pictures below of a sister lunch and a beautiful sunset.

Today  (July 8th) I was in charge of giving the morning devotional.  Afterward we drove into town and worked at Christ's Cupboard (loading food for the hungry with women of other faiths).  Our church also contributes to the food pantry.  It was warm and wonderful and the time went fast!

Ok!  Let's talk about large mushrooms!  The mushroom below (which I found these in the cemetery) were larger than dinner plates!!

The three children below are part of the local branch (church).  There is a ghost story about "Green Eyes" that is talked about in the area, so after church I saw the kids in the parking lot I asked them if they knew about "Green Eyes".  In the cutest southern accents on the planet, I heard, "Oh, yes Mam!"  I asked them to tell me about it and they did.  They delighted me as they related the story in their beautiful accents.  Here is the story if you are interested.  Sister De los Reyes says that driving across that bridge at night scares the 'you know what’ out of her but claims it is beautiful in the day.  She says it reminds her of "Sleepy Hollow".  Even missions can use a good ghost story!  So here is the story.

Pawhuska - Green Eyes The story behind green eyes is unclear nobody really knows what happened but it is rumored that a man went crazy and drove his car that had his 2 children and his wife over the bridge and they drowned. Also, Ive heard an Osage Woman who was a witch was killed in this area of the creek for being evil. If you go over green eyes bridge at midnight and turn off your lights you will see two green eyes and when you turn on your lights to see what it is there is nothing there. Regardless, this is right near the Bird Creek School and the whole area in itself gives off a creepy feeling-daylight OR dark!  

LINK

In the middle of the picture above, Wes stands inside of an airplane hanger which is very close to our home.  It use to house the plane of Frank Phillips (Phillips 66) back in the day.  

Lots of rabbits and turtles... did I say that again.  Well, let me say it one more time... lots of them.

Even though we live in the middle of no where, tonight the neighbors girls brought us over two large slices of the best chocolate cake I think I have ever eaten!  My mouth is still watering!

73% humidity... My skin and nose love it.  My hair-- Let's just say that I could audition as a witch!

What is Elder Himle (Wes) doing?  Hmmmmm.  I have been asking for pictures and I finally got some.  He told me he has been skinning the pig pen and barn.  skinning? I asked.  That means putting the siding on. In the first picture (below) you can see the before and after.

Row two is in Ponca, Oklahoma where we went for groceries.  It's a huge statue called Pioneer woman.  The house is a picture I took.  It was listed for $199,000.  Wow.  Next is Wes in his happy place (eating Braun ice-cream).  Bottom left is what looks like a potato bug levitating.

Family of skunks in the field next to us.  The Reindeer tree we see on the way to town.  After Church we did a pot luck at the ranch office in Pawhuska.  To its right was a huge spider that was on the brick outside our door.  The other sister was in the process of taking her shoe off, when I said "Hold on!"  I got a stick and removed it and through it into the grass.  Bottom left is the Arkansas River which look more like a lake than a river!

Below is a larger picture of the people at the pot luck.  We had homemade tamales, Italian chicken over rice, Flam, eclair dish, rice, etc.   The couple on the left was included as they live way out here like we do.  The one on the right is the ranch manager whose wife is out of town.  She is traveling from place to place barrel racing and I believe has just beat the world record.  He name is Wenda Johnson.  She is also the branch Relief Society President.

Tomorrow morning around 4:30am, eleven semi trucks should be rolling in her to pickup cattle.  It's going to get noisy!

I heard coyotes the other night!  Down pours aren't uncommon and we LOVE the rain!!

Today we looked at the window and argued about where that was a cow pie or a turtle in the road in front of our house.  Elder Himle went out... it was a turtle! A snapping turtle.

The Smallest Parade Ever

 We went into Pawhuska and walked through the Pioneer Woman Store yesterday.  It was packed with people who had come there just for that!  It is a beautiful store/restaurant that has been updated, yet still fits in the old style town.  A small parade made itself down the street and lasted about 5 minutes.  Charming, but small!

Afterwards we went and took photos of the movie set (They are filming the Killers of the Flower Moon). Then over to the Chamber of Commerce for a delicious hot dog and the best home-made apple pie I believe I have ever eaten!  I am living in Foraker and if you look at the map, you will see where it is in relation to Pawhuska.

I spent time with Sister Barbara Johnson indexing a grave yard to send to find a grave this week. Wild, White mushrooms grew nearby.  We are seeing turtles on the road constantly.  I found a mouse in the laundry room and disposed of it (Not a problem... my mission to Hawaii made this a piece of cake). We are following another missionary couple through a low water bridge and I am wondering if this is such a good idea!

Later on Saturday we visited the TallGrass Prairie Preserve (not far from our home). Those bison looked fat and well fed!  The prairie grass reminds me of a meadow in the tall Uinta's.  It is definitely not the grass the cattle feed on.  The grass along the roads was very tall.

We are enjoying our mission and serving with such amazing elders and sisters! So fun.  Time to get ready for church (it is a 45 minute drive).

Bats, Calves and Tepee rings

 It was Sunday afternoon.  We were beat as we had put in some long hours trying to finish up all the projects, which continued to grow.  We went upstairs to take a nap.  Wes fell asleep immediately, but I couldn't sleep.  I could hear this gnawing sound.  "What were the dogs chewing on?"  Still the sound continued and I couldn't fall asleep.  I lay there, while Wes napped, and about 45 minutes later he woke and said, "Did you get some sleep?"  

I explained that the sound of the gnawing kept me from it, and got up and went downstairs and opened the door to see what they were gnawing on.  Strange,  I thought.  The dogs aren't even out here?!

I went back upstairs and reported what I hadn't seen.  Wes reported that while I was downstairs the sound never stopped.  He is laying on his side with his back to the window air conditioner.  Suddenly, I caught motion behind him.

"A mouse-- no wait!" I stuttered.  Wings! I  realized.  "It's a bat!"  I dump my dirty clothes bag onto the floor and go to capture it.  "Wait!  No one is going to believe this." I say as the bat, begins climbing over Wes's glasses on the nightstand.  I grab my phone, capture the creature (phone and glasses as well), and run outside and dump it all on the porch, and then retrieve my companions glasses and phone.  A short time later, a bird swoops down and takes the bat (which I believe was injured in the air conditioner).  Another adventure in living!

Before we left, Kinsie Parkhurst and Becka Jacobson invited us see the tepee rings on the ranch.  We were excited!  Below are ancient rings where tepee once stood.

It's hard to see- but you can make it out if you try

The tepee rings overlook a lush valley with water that runs through it and the wind makes it hard to stand up.  Below, a single rose in the middle of a pretty dried out ridge.

Feeding the Baby Calves

Before we left Kinsie let us help feed the baby calves.  They are so adorable and the experience was so awesome!

Baby calves tug hungrily on the bottle

Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping' down the plain

Enroute to our next location near Pawhuska Oklahoma, we crossed many of the places I frequented in my childhood.  It was 46 degrees and I opted for a sweater and long pants.  Yep... lots of snow.  A couple of nights at hotels along the way, and miles and miles of beautiful green fields in Colorado and Kansas.

Oklahoma

We arrived in Oklahoma yesterday!  All the way through Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma lay fields of green.  Some corn was over 5 foot high.  The air was clean and fragrant with the sounds of birds (many beautiful melodies unfamiliar to me).  The humidity climbed making my nose and lips especially happy!

As we traveled, soggy fields with standing water, surprised us.  The news on Tuesday night spoke about one location getting seven inches of rain the previous day.  Wes took the opportunity to remind me that this wasn't Utah and pulling on to the side of the road might get me good and stuck.  About an hour later as we made our final approach to the ranch on a narrow dirt road,  two semi's were heading in our direction.  Wes carefully selected a wide area on the dirt road to pull over on and even at that--we flipped mud everywhere when we pulled back on.

The house we are staying in is also called the bunk house, but is all on one level.  It is very spacious compared to the last place we stayed in Montana.  It has central air and the exterminators had been here on a regular visit just hours earlier!  (Yay!)

The missionaries (already serving here) decided that someone needed to be here to meet us, so one sister stayed behind to wait for us.  She and another sister had purchased eggs, milk, a case of water, bread, peanut butter and jam (in case we didn't bring food).  The sister washed our sheets and blankets to freshen them up and made sure things were tidy.  They are the Johnson's from Ogden.  The kindnesses were so appreciated.  She made a spagetti  dinner with homemade sauce.  I provided a salad and another couple (from Alaska) came from the Kansas side of the ranch with dessert to welcome us.  It was so fun.

While we ate, clouds continued to build and then it poured!  Thunder shook the ground as rain pounded against the windows.  I have to tell you, I had a hard time concentrating on dinner with all that going on!

Country roads like this forever.  

Our GPS was like:  Turn right, turn left, drive 3 miles turn right, then right again...

Views of the bunkhouse and sunset

For those who bring their RV's to this mission, the ranch supplies hookups and this little house (they call it the bath house).  Inside is a full bathroom, laundry, fridge and freezer.

I am always amazed at the western decor.  Remember this old light fixtures?  Well, maybe not-- but remember the ones without the square dancers?  Our bed was super comfortable!!  

First Day 

Today we started the day with a missionary devotional which was given by one of the couples serving here.  They talked about patience and quotes scriptures from Romans and Alma.  We went over and helped one of the ranch sisters prepare lunch for the cowboys (who are busy getting cows ready to ship).  She had cooked up bison meat and together we rolled it into burritos with green Chile sauce.  YUM

Afterwards we saw the quilts that several are working on for several organizations.  They were beautiful works of art. 

We headed to the library at a nearby town next.  They had a pig, two goats, and chickens for the children to see.  Then a member and his wife came in from Pawhuska with a lot of different animal mounts, bison hides, coyote hides, raccoon, and many Indian artifacts.  He let the children talk about them and touch them and even try them on.  They loved it.  He said that the first Boy Scout Troop began in Pawhuska, Oklahoma .

Oh... did I mention that when it rains, it pours here?  Here is what the truck looked like after I drove it! Wes didn't complain, just washed a layer off. These are pictures of me making lunch with the other missionaries, and the beautiful docile cows.

Saying goodbye to the good folks of Harlowton

 June 20, 2021

Today will be our last day to gather with our new friends in the Harlowton branch, as we leave on Friday. We will stop home and swap out some tools and things and then head for Pawhuska on Monday. We have grown to love it here so goodbyes swill be bittersweet.  

<------We are sad that we will miss the rodeo here, and especially the TESTICAL FESTIVAL!!  This is typically held in June (there are many of these across the US).  First time I have heard of such a thing!

This week was another especially hard work week as we were trying to get everything done before we leave.  We left for Billings (for supplies) in the 5-o'clock hour one day, then returned and went to work. 

Projects include light fixtures (where only bulbs hung), shiplap in a bathroom, tile in two kitchens and one bathroom, painting, fixing broken vinyl flooring, and porch railing, and installing baseboards. 

Wes's brother Dave and his wife Vickie stopped by late afternoon on their way to a reunion, so we were able to spend some time with them.  They stayed in town, but then returned the next morning in their work clothes and helped us with painting, tiling, etc.  They were invited to attend the branding with us afterwards, and then they hit the road.

We stopped by the  the Wind Generator location at Judith Gap and took a picture next to one of the massive propellers.

Elder Himle stands at the end of the wind generator tip.

And of course we had to take the drive to Moore for delicious ice cream!!

Dave and Vickie at the branding

So innocent (as a calf and two year old check each other out).

I won't be lying if I say I hope Oklahoma has some beautiful sunsets waiting for me.  I'll miss the calls of the sand hill cranes,  Goodbye Harlowton... Hello Pawhuska