It's dusk now and the sunset was beautiful. While it looks peaceful, all may not be well. We were ust issued a tornado watch due to the clash of our current warm weather with an impending cold front.  When that happens with a breeze out of the south, the incoming cold weather from the west can cause a spinning of the air.  Hopefully, it will just pass by with a few downbursts of rain.

Things are just as tenuous in Washington.  The Republicans can't seem to get their act together and the Democrats, well, just more spending like there is no tomorrow. If this keeps up, at some point there might not be.  I'm not going to go farther tonight but I just wish our leaders, and sometimes I use that term loosely, would just deal with the big problem, spending out of control, and put everything else back in the hopper for another day.

You folks have a great evening,

I've decided to forego TV with the exception of a few specials, some college sports and the upcoming Super Bowl. I've found it to be a real waste of time and, frankly, I would rather surf the net for news and information.  The net is much more current, you can find plenty of sources for whatever side of an argument you want, and the information is fresh.  I had been noticing that things on the net for at least a week were finally surfacing on TV news, although misreported.  TV news is not journalism, it's sensationalism, and it seems to me it's a contest to find the prettiest woman, or most handsome man, to "read" the news while trying to act like they really know what they are reading about.  If you ask me it's just glitter with no substance.

Here on the farm it was a beautiful weekend.  My lovely wife had to work so I spent lots of time with the horses and all of my four legged critters, plus some two legged ones, too.  Our favorite mare, Hailey, had a small bout with the colic so I had to pay special attention to her--making sure she didn't roll in the field which could cause her "innerds" to knot up, something which requires fast surgery or likely death. Luckily, she bounced back from her "tummy ache" and is now as good as new.

Horses are funny that way, their digestive network kind of floats freely and can therefore easily become entangled. When that happens, blood can be cut off and feed cannot pass into the intestine for waste removal--a blockage or even dead tissue.  Painful and as I mentioned earlier, can be fatal.

Goliath, my Great Dane, and his sidekick, a feisty Jack Russell named Moll,y are a riot.  The little one drives Goliath nuts, biting him on the feet and then circling like an otter around an alligator.  It's like Mutt and Jeff and they are inseparable.  Poor Goliath.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and you're ready to start the grind again.  At least I no longer have to deal with that.  I only have to worry about managing my assets properly so as not to become a burden on my kids someday.  I won't, that's my commitment to them.

So long until next time.

 We've had a brief cold spell for the last several days with another cold night tonight. It broke the record breaking warmth we've been having and some of the trees are obviously confused.  Buds and new growth were starting to show and now they will have to go back to dormancy soon.

For those of you not familiar with North Florida, we do have a winter but not like up north.  A few freezing nights, some frosty mornings, and even car windows needing to be scraped is fairly normal. But it doesn't last long and usually, by February, we look like springtime.  And that doesn't usually last long.  Normally a few weeks and then it starts heating up.  By April we are approaching summer, which lasts until late September.

The weather, despite the cold, has been beautiful with clear, cloudless skies and crisp air.  It is a joy to experience the peace and tranquility of rural life.  Unfortunately for we Americans, I can't say the same about the goings on in DC.

The political scene is a mess and I am really beginning to feel that our system of government is broken so badly that it can't be fixed.  I give two examples which I think show the unmitigated disaster of our political leadership.  First, the debt ceiling and, second, the Benghazi affair. Let me explain.

On the debt ceiling, once again the can has been kicked down the road for three months.  And the Republicans brag about their new toughness, this time concerning the do nothing Senate, which has not had a budget in about three years.  They basically stated that in return for the umpteenth extension, if the Senate does not pass a budget they will freeze Senatorial pay until they do.  And then they must solve the debt problem, WITHIN TEN YEARS.  Boy, I wish I could go in hock and have ten years before straightening it out. And, think about it, most of the Senators are millionaires anyway.  Do you think a short freeze on pay will bring them to action?  Of course not. Plus, the 27th amendment to the Constitution precludes this.

With regard to Benghazi,  Hillary Clinton was questioned by the Senate regarding what happened and why nothing was done to save our citizens.  A couple of Senators, notably Rand Paul (KY) and Ron Johnson (WI) were pretty direct and critical. Of course, they are both Republicans.  But most of rest, save a few others, played softball and didn't press the issue nearly hard enough.  And so, we Americans who pay the bills still know nothing and no one has had to suffer the consequences of this disaster.  I hope each of you will pray for the souls of the four brave men who died and ask God to help us get the justice their families deserve.

Sorry for being long winded but I think these things are important and critical to the future of our Republic.  But I am thankful that all is well on my little farm, and I can always put my mind at peace by taking care of the animals.  After all, they love unconditionally.  Until next time. be happy and be thankful for the many blessings that we are still blessed with.

Saturday night was very active outside.  Farm dogs from an adjacent farm were going crazy. The horses were edgy and most of the barn cats remained either unseen in the garage or in the rafters of the barn.  After the tragedy a few days ago they sensed something.

Around midnight my trusty Great Dane began barking from his sleeping cage so I let him out to patrol.  His little sidekick, a feisty terrier, a recent addition to my animal family was breside him.  That little dog has an exceptional alertness that works weel with the big fellow.  Molly, the terrier, acts as the spotter for exactly where something is suspicious and Goliath, the giant, charges behind her.

As Molly ran into the garage barking loudly, a large raccoon scurried out the door with Goliath right behind. She had been looking for dog food or something to eat; there was none since I had secured it.  Didn't see her again after that.

Things went quiet for an hour or so and then Goliath went to the opposite side fence and was barking ferociously.  This is the area where my little Blackie had been found dead the other day.  There is some kind of fairly large predator out there. I had assumed it was a coyote, but maybe not.  My closest neighbor said that a rare Florida panther had been seen in the area so that is another possibility.  It could have even been a black bear, as our green belt neighborhood is on the direct migratory path between two large national forests where the bears are in abundance.

In any event, I am very blessed to have these smart dogs and also to have the right to bear arms.  Speaking of which, I was glad to see the large turnouts for so many rallies in support of the second amendment.  This is a very important constitutional right, part of our God given rights, and no government has the authority to take it away.  Law abiding citizens are the only ones who will suffer if it is lost; criminals will always find guns.

Well, off to the the barn to see if everyone is ok this morning.  I pray for all of my blessed creatures daily.  After all, they are a big part of my extended family, too.

I wish each of you a blessed Sunday.  Enjoy the free time that you hopefully have today and take the time to smell the roses outdoors. Despite our many problems and issues, this is still a wonderful world.  Live your life enjoying it.

God bless.

We had a cold front come through with a couple of gray and chilly days but now it's crisp and clear.  The gloom of the last few days added to the gloom in my heart.  Despite being sometimes gruff on the exterior, I have a very tender heart which also opens to my animals.

The last several days I coudn't find one of my barn cats, one that was special to me. You see, little Blackie was born approximately eight years ago in the closet of our RV.  We were temporarily residing there while our home was being finished.  We had one cat in residence, Penelope, but the other cats were, well, barn cats. 

One Sunday morning at 5 am I heard a very meek "meow" coming from the closet where Penelope had a sleeping box.  I complained about the noise and rolled over to go back to sleep. My wife, however, got up and checked and I heard her laugh.  Rolling over, I found that my love had found a freshly born kitten, Blackie, with more on the way.  We ended up with a total of four.

To this day I don't know how a tom got in the RV, but I assure you this wasn't the "immaculate conception."  And from the coloring we knew that the father was Brother, one of our toughest, most determined cats. 

And that brings the story back to missing Blackie.  She always was waiting in the barn for me at morning breakfast time.  The first thing I always did was to feed the cats before getting the horse feed ready. I repeated the same routine action in late afternoon, and still no Blackie.  In all eight years that had never happened.

My wife started walking around the farm property calling and looking, as I had done earlier.  Suddenly, I heard her let out a cry and she came walking up cradling Blackie in her arms.  Blackie's body was stiff with rigor; she had been dead probably since the night before.

There were no bite marks, no blood, so it appeared that she had been crushed. I guess that it was a coyote from the woods next door, and that Blackie had escaped from his jaws and had enough strength to make it back to the safety of our farm.  Cats usually try to get back home when they know they are about to die.

As I dug a grave for her next to the graves of other past deceased four legged family, I shed a tear for my good and dear little friend.  She had always been loyal, did a great job of keeping pests and rodents away, and requested little in return, just some food and a little love.

But as the cycle of life goes on, we have several new young  barn cats and there is one little fellow who seems destined to take her place.  Recon has already started paying special attention to me as if he knows he has a new and important job.  Only time will tell.

Why do I write about this?  Certainly not to bore you, but to give living evidence of the way life works.  We live until we die, and we never know when that will be.  And of particular importance to we humans is to know that we must live every day like it is the last one.  Enjoy the miracle of life and the many blessing that God has given us, and always remember that He is responsible.  Love those around you and do what is right, because you live on in others based upon the memories you leave behind.  And if you also believe, as I do, that Christ Jesus died for me (and you), you never have to worry about death.

Some people don't think that animals go to heaven because they don't have a soul.  I don't know about the mechanics of the argument, but I do believe that I will see these dear friends again just like I will see my human family and friends, and it will be a joyous and wonderful occasion at the side of the Father.

And little Blackie, know that you will not be forgotten.

You would never know it's January and not July in North Florida right now.  Even the trees are already budding, something that normally takes place about a month from now.  And if we get a cold front soon, as is likely, it will kill off this early growth and put renewal back in dormancy for a while.

It kind of reminds of what our government is doing to our economy.  If all the politicians and tinkerers would let things take their natural course, I think the self-correction, while difficult, would be a lot easier and quicker than what is coming soon.  The laws of economics are very similar to the laws of nature; if you just let them operate as they are going to anyway, we'd all be better off.  This is just another case of the medicine hiding the problem rather than fixing it.

Hunting season will be over soon and I'm looking forward to it.  While I am an avid supporter of hunting, I myself am not one.  I enjoy watching nature unfold around me and when the hunters are out the wildlife naturally tries to hide.  So when the hunting stops, the deer and turkey will again show themselves in abundance.

God certainly knew what he was doing when he created all of His creatures, each one designed to use its particular makeup to effectively deal with the ongoing challenges of remaining alive.  And it makes me  realize that these beautiful animals, with their sharp instincts, are often better at it than we humans.

Modern man has become soft and weak, no longer in tune with the environment in which he lives, and often incapable of dealing with the issues he must face. As a result, far too many look to someone else, a "big brother", to solve his problems, and when he does this he usually finds that it really doesn't work.

Hey, I have an idea.  Why not try God instead. For God loves you, listens to you, and will help you.  He gave you a brain and a physical body capable of doing great things. Take the time to learn what you can do and try it for yourself. You'll be happier and better for it.  And you will be doing what your God expects.

Another week opens and, as it has been for the last several days, it's unseasonably warm but dry as is normal for this time of year.  Mid 80's today, reminds more of July than January; farm chores are made more difficult by the heat and humidity.  But we get used to that as a way of life in Florida.  We just don't expect it to be this way right after Christmas.

This morning when I walked into the barn I was greeted by an assortment of my barn cats standing over the horse feed box begging for their breakfast.  While I see this every day, today it made me think about how easy it is to please these wonderful animals.  All you need to do is feed and water them regularly, and take the time on occasion to show them some love, and they love you back unconditionally.  Wouldn't it be nice if we humans were so easy to get along with and not so selfish and demanding?

And it also reminded me of our relationship with God the Father.  While we often do things that he doesn't approve of, and are sure to sin over and over again, He still loves us unconditionally.  And to prove this He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the human form and ultimately die a horrible death as a human on the Cross of Calvary.  He could have escaped the Cross, but he knew following through would afford us the opportunity to be saved.

But remember, since Jesus knows that we are sinners, and that He is the only Man to walk the earth sinless, he forgives us.  He only asks that we believe in Him and make our commitment to Him.  What grace. And the reward: Eternal Life.

Have a wonderful day; I'll speak with you again later.

It's feeling like July in January.  Hot days (up to mid 80s) and warm nights with the flowers and trees budding and grass starting to grow.  I had hoped I wouldn't need to pull out my tractor for at least two months but not sure now.

I witnessed a bald eagle teaching an eaglet to fly yesterday. They were perched way up at the top of a pine tree, and the daddy would fly off and return to coax junior to try it. Several times the little bird started flapping but just as it looked like he was ready, he would "chicken" out.

But daddy bird kept working on him and finally, he launched.  At first he was slowly losing altitude but then, he got his air wings and was off. The two birds circled around the area for awhile and then were gone..

What a joy to watch nature (a living evidence of the existence of God) in action.

It also reminded me of how devoted the parent bird is to his young until he is ready to fly away. Then, daddy bird helps him find his way out the door.

It makes me  realize how much we humans could learn from this.  Devotion to our children when young and good training also prepares them to "fly the nest".  So many of our children grow up unprepared for life and ill informed that they instead never want to leave the nest.  How sad!

Two things cleared up.  The weather after a gray and dreary Sunday and my twitter account. Someone tried to hack me but I got it taken care of. If any of my readers also follow me on twitter and you ever see my account suspended, kindly pass the word to your followers, mahy of whom may I also be mine since we share viewpoints.

On that note, I find it sad that people who have diametrically opposed views to your so often want to hate. Why not just have an honest debate? We both might learn something. But, no, they would rather take the cowardly way out.  Maybe it's because they don't have any principles to guide them.  All lI can say about that is I will speak up, honestly and openly, but you never have to agree with me, just respect my rights. I in turn will respect yours and help to insure that you have the God-given right to free speech, as you should mine.

Here on the farm it is peaceful and serene today, not like the turmoil the country is facing.  Stand strong, Americans and all believers in God, He will help us solve our problems if we only ask Him for help.

As Americans, may I suggest you put your priorities in the following order: 1. God, 2. Family, including wife, kids, extended family, etc. 3. Country (which includes our beloved Constitution), 4. Property, 5. Friends of all kinds (including non-human creatures that make life so interesting, 6. Anything else that is important to you.

Why do I use this order?  I think the following will show you how I think:

 1. God has to come first. If you put Him first and try to live up to what he expects of you He will cast His love on all other priorities with you.  And remember, if you love God you must also love your enemies, a really tough thing to do.  But in loving them, you don't have to love what they do; in fact, you may despise what they do, but you must love the sinner but not the sin. 

2. Family. After God, you have to take care of your loved ones first. This means protecting them, caring and nurturing them, and helping them to lead a sound, moral life that is pleasing to Hiim.
 
3. Country.  We are fortunate to be blessed with the most wonderful nation in the history of the world, but we must always be vigilant about threats. These can consist of both external and internal forces.  Support of country means the constitution and what it stands for and being willing to defend her. It does not mean that you have to blindly follow any elected leaders. In fact, the Founders said you should not do that. Blind following can easily lead to tyranny. To insure we remain free, the God-given rights as discussed in the Constitution are just that, God-given. No government has the right to take those from us.

4.  Your property is yours. It does not belong to the government, nor does the government have the right to take it.

5. By friends I mean human and the creatures of nature that God gave us dominion over.  If you love your friends and these creatures, God gives you the responsibility to treat them kindly and fairly. The Golden Rule applies. Now I don't mean that you can't eat meat or anything like that, but I do mean whatever is living should be treated humanely and not be deliberately made to suffer. And, further, friends shoud also mean all living people.  god tells us to love everyone. This is hard to do sometimes when speaking of enemies, but you can love without accepting what they do. In fact, you may hate what they do. But you should be able to forgive if they change their ways.

6. This one is open to anything else.  Each of us is different, but most things are properly included in the categories above.

Today has been an interesting day.  I didn't blog the last several days because I have been too busy but today has been easier.

I found the world of Twitter recently and have found it to be a lot of fun. I enjoy the interchange with others, particularly other Christian conservatives and people who enjoy the rural lifestyle.  But then, something happend which I still don't understand.  Somehow I was suspended by Twitter for something I supposedly have done which is unknown to me. Yesterday I had to change my password as someone had somehow used my name to spread misinformation, about which I have no idea.

Anyway, the reason I mention this is that some of you do look at my blog from time to time and if you wonder why I disappeared from Twitter this is the reason.  If any of you know a reason I would love to find out. If I have inadvertently done something wrong, as a Christian I certainly don't want to cause problems.  I do, however, vigorously defend my right to voice my conservative opinions. I only hope that I was not suspended due to my conservatism, but I guess I will find out when Twitter responds.

Other than that, I am a blessed man. Living out in the country is wonderful, and my assortment of animals is quite a blessing to me and my wife. I hope your lifestyle makes you just as happy.  Until my next post, God bless.

PS.  I would love to hear from any of my friends about anything they think would be appropriate.