Sunday walk around the yard and garden. Started out as a grey day, but the sun came out and the first signs of spring are showing up.

Nicest weekend we’ve had in a spell, so I finally get to drag out the dutch ovens. Nothing like a pot of venison chili slow cooked over an open fire. Cold beer, warm fire, good music, and the woman I love beside me. Life is good.

“And finally Winter, with its bitin', whinin' wind, and all the land will be mantled with snow.” Roy Bean Well, that’s enough of that, looks like we got some decent weather coming. Random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma.

“But in real life, most all of the extraordinary things happen with no more loudness than a whisper.” Silas House Hope y’all are staying warm out there. Random pictures of the week, from before the snow.

Snow day pics. The dogs are loving it much more than me, but I did shovel a path to the propane grill to cook some teriyaki chicken and Ranch Styles. More coming, y’all stay safe out there.

My traditional birthday in a tree picture on my 64th. Y’all stay warm out there.

“O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?” Percy Bysshe Shelley Chilling back down , yall stay warm. Random pictures of the week (and a couple from last week) from eastern Oklahoma.

Got around to making a few things that have been in the back of my mind for a while.

Nothing I love better than dragging out the dutch ovens and and cooking my black-eyed peas over an open fire. Especially when a good friend stops by to shoot the breeze while they cook. Serrano/cheddar cornbread turned out well. All in all, a great start to the new year.

Started the year by hitting the trails at Brushy Lake with the Bear-Dog. Beautiful morning for it.

Looks like this might be the last day of the warm weather, so decided to get outside for a bit. Walking the trails at Vian Lake always helps us recharge.

Self medicating, I’ve had a bit of a cough/chest congestion for a few days now and just remembered I had some dried mullein leaf stuck back. And enough bourbon for one hot toddy. Feeling better already.

Christmas on the grill. It’s been an unusually warm holiday season here in Oklahoma, but not bad for a cookout. Pork loin chops with a Chinese marinade, skewered peppers and onions, and of course the Ranch Style Beans. Cold drinks, good tunes, and the woman I love beside me. Happy Holidays y’all.

I’ve always been a big fan of the written word. Books have entertained me, taught me, opened up new worlds, and gotten me through some tough times. A lot of my reading nowadays is audiobooks while I’m driving, but I usually have a couple of books and ebooks going. www.goodreads.com/user/year_in...

And the tradition continues. “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Getting ready for the holidays in my own way. Wishing peace and happiness to y’all.

Using up some vacation time before I lose it, and got in a little backyard time. Been wanting to try a cutlery bird for a while now and I’m not unhappy with the results. My first attempt at a honeysuckle basket with vines from my yard. And a stone face that surprisingly doesn’t look like me.

Lunch on the grill! Was given a few plantains last week. Been quite a while since I’ve had any, so grilled one up along with some venison sausage. Nice little meal eaten under a shade tree.

Harvesting some mistletoe on this shortest of days. Wishing y’all a blessed hibernal solstice.

What better way to celebrate the solstice (or technically the day before) than walking the Spiro Mounds. Beautiful day, fascinating history, and very informative commentary by the resident anthropologist.

Fun with scrap. A faucet handle flower and the old horseshoe and ring puzzle. Just messing around.

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” Dale Carnegie Random pictures of the week.

Messing around with some rock this afternoon. All local stone that I have picked up here and there.

Shoutout to my mom on her 88th birthday!

Finally smoked a picnic roast in the smoker I rebuilt. Had some ‘Pooled pork’ as my daughter named it. Good food, good tunes, cold beer, and the woman I love beside me. Life is good.

A new flower bloomed in our yard! Was gifted some horseshoes last night, and had to start messing with them.

“I have seen the movement of the sinews of the sky, And the blood coursing in the veins of the moon.” Muhammad Iqbal A few random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma. Y’all stay warm out there.

One of our favorite traditions for the day after Thanksgiving is a nice walk in a local park. Nothing fancy, just a time to stretch the legs, breathe some fresh air, and walk off a bit of the grub from yesterday.

My contribution to the holiday feast. My world-famous sweet potato pie.

Local library had an after hours basket making class, so had to give it a try. Not too shabby if I say so myself.

“I saw old Autumn in the misty morn stand shadowless like silence, listening to silence.” Thomas Hood Feeling more like Fall, some days. Random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma.

Messing around with stone and steel this weekend.

Sunday morning walk around the yard and garden. Marigolds, oysters, goldenrod, and oak leaves.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” Albert Camus A chilly start to the week, but back in the 80’s now. Makes it hard to acclimate. Random pictures from my neck of the woods.

Mild November evening, great time for a cookout. Pork and chicken with a Korean sauce, of course the Ranch Style Beans, and a few poblanos I picked before the last frost. Some Pan de Campo in the Dutch oven. Cold drinks, good tunes, and the woman I love beside me. Life is good.

Hit the trails at Brushy Lake with the Bear-Dog this morning. Beautiful day, a little on the warm side if anything. “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” John Muir

Beautiful morning, so took a walk in the woods at the Cherokee Nation Park. The Bear-Dog enjoyed himself for sure.

The Foxy Girl checking out the fox crosswalk. We told her that it was in her honor.

All set up at the Red Autumn Art Festival ! Artists from all over, y’all need to come check this out!

Rain let off today, so I got a little bit of ornithological welding in.

“ On the highway of life, always take the scenic route.” Anonymous Another wet weekend. Random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma, with a little bit of Arkansas and Missouri thrown in.

Laura has been experimenting with growing crystals on skulls. Wish my pictures showed the details better. Deer and iguana

“The artist and the photographer seek the mysteries and the adventure of experience in nature.” ~ Ansel Adams Got a little rain here yesterday, and things are beginning to cool down a bit. Random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas, and SW Missouri.

Leaning more towards purplish today. Sunday walk around the yard and garden.

“It isn’t much good having anything exciting, if you can’t share it with somebody.” —Winnie the Pooh Random pictures of the week from eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.

Working on a scrap metal vulture. Now to figure out a roost for him.

Yellow seems to be the color for the day. Walk around the yard and garden.

Evening y’all. Full moon clawing its way through the clouds.

Been playing around with this scrap metal guy for a while now, figuring out how he will go. Getting closer.

If you can look up at the full moon through the oak leaves and not be moved to poetry there is something wrong with you. That’s it, I don’t have a poem.