Winter’s grip opens a lot of memories
Coffee’s hot, as we sit here on the back porch, watching the birds and the squirrels make a living. That ol’ thermometer dipped down into the lower 20s toward the end of January and with that breeze, it will make you hunker up!
Our back porch fire is mighty welcome this morning, as it usually is this time of year.
I guess, if we have to have winter, and we do; this year has been as nice a winter as you could ask for. In fact, almost hot on some days. But there have been some cold and disagreeable times too.
I am sure you can look back on some that were plenty tough, I know I can. Especially when we were just a bunch of young’uns wishing it would snow and cover the world in white. That would open a lot of opportunities, such as no school, snowmen, snowball fights, snow angels and forts, did I mention no school, and then there was snow ice cream!
Our thoughts stayed away from the hardship it put on the old folks and of course the livestock. The real blessing was that spring was just around the corner and soon school would be out for the summer!
But then, your thinking brings you back to the real world and the dreaming would stop and cold reality would set in when we heard that ol’ screen door slam against the wall and my Ol’ Daddy come stomping into the bunk house just before dawn. He would let us boys know that we’d best hit the floor a running and just what we could expect if we hunkered back down into our soogans.
He’d say, “Rise an’ shine or get a bath afore Sattidy!” We knew that a dipper of water from that cold water bucket would not be far behind! And folks, that was good motivation!
A lot of cowboy poetry is written about bad weather and its effect on cowboys and cowgirls, horses, dogs, and cattle. I wrote the following poem based on an accumulation of experiences from my own life from a younger day and stories I listened to from Papa Hop. Every bit as good as you could hear around the brandin’ fire an’ the coffee pot. Truth is, those memories pile up and beg for a chance to be remembered.
WINTER’S GRIP
Fall drive complete an’ cattle shipped.
Wagon is back at home.
Tales are told ‘round coffee pot,
an’ stokes the urge to roam.
New season starts to make its mark,
but first a holiday.
We celebrate the birth of Christ.
All is happy and gay.
Grey clouds gather an’ then turn dark,
light of day quickly gone.
Icy fingers unrelenting,
grips and chills to the bone.
Then cold hard weather takes its toll,
as blizzard makes a stand.
An’ covers all with blanket of white,
both forest an’ rangeland.
So punchers do the mundane chores,
that often takes back seat,
to feedin’ stock, an’ choppin’ wood,
that’s used for bunkhouse heat.
Tack is mended, old clothes are patched,
saddle gets a new look,
Time to write a letter or poem.
Or maybe read a book.
You need to go an’ check them cows,
their drifting will not end.
Jest push ‘em back to sheltered breaks
an’ draws that stop the wind.
‘Cuz this is where the grass will be
an’ snow don’t get too thick.
Them cows will know jest what to do.
This feed will help them stick,
thru winter’s cold demanding ways.
Tho times will shore be rough.
These critters are from hardy stock
…will call ol’ winters bluff.
The water holes will all be froze.
But you know what to do,
an’ where to look to open spots
to bring the water through.
As daylight ends, an’ job is done,
you head back to the camp.
First, feed the hosses an’ rub ‘em dry.
Yer partner lights the lamp.
Now in to chuck an’ coffee hot,
an’ spurn the winter chill.
‘Til northbound geese bring spring thaw,
an’ come… it surely will!
© Ol’ Jim Cathey
Join us at First Baptist Church Marlin for a cup of hot coffee and some good preachin’
God bless each of you and God Bless America!