Riggs Christmas 2012

Christmas dinner at my brother Ralph's house this week.  We had a wonderful traditional meal of ham and turkey with all the trimmings.  We had drawn names this year (a first) and had a good time exchanging gifts.  Then we played games until midnight!  Wow!  There's no time like family time! L to R  Stephanie, Regan, Ryan, Shayla, Ralph, Ray, Lisa, Tami, Tabitha, Clarie and Anson

Yes Virginia- There Is A Wacky Cake!

Francis Pharcellus Church may have addressed the philosophical question of the existence of Santa Claus but the Wacky Cake I am holding in my hands is not philosophical or otherwise!  It does pay to labor in the church Sunday School department!  Thanks to Sister Dalia Von Allmen for the cake and to the other students for the gift cards and "Pots of Gold"!

Hoot Owls (and other noisy creatures)

I went out deer hunting this morning and my thermometer read 20° and the thermometer on my truck read 18° so if you average them...well....you can do the math.  I had coffee in my beat-up, 30 year-old Aladdin Thermos and after I had a cup the dregs froze in the bottom of the cup.  Wowzer!  Didn't see any deer but a flock of turkeys passed through behind my stand...and then there was the (stupid) squirrels...always the squirrels! 

I'm pretty sure I have held forth on this before but...whoever says that the forest is quiet and serene has never sat on a deer stand.  Just this morning I heard crows, blue jays, titmouses, nuthatches, woodpeckers, squirrels and sundry other varmints I couldn't identify!

It was before daylight when I got on my stand and an ole Screech Owl was a'going-ta-town!  They can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and take notice!  After he (or she) got finished it was time for the Hoot Owls.  There was two of them calling to each other and finally they must have hooked up because they were both "hooting" from the same general direction.  I took a short video so I could get the sound but you may have to turn your speakers way up to hear.

A Visit From Our Grandniece!

We had a cute little visitor last night at our house!  Cheyanne Lathe Bean told her Mom and Dad (Martin and Britney) that she wanted to spend some time with Uncle Ray and Aunt Tami.  We were only too glad to do it...cause it give us some practice for Grandkids!!!

Speed King!

I know it is very hard to believe, but I have been driving since I was one year old.  The proof is in the picture...and we all know that pictures don't lie.

Yesterday was my birthday and I am hanging on to the 40's by a thread...364 days to be exact!  This picture was taken when I was one year old at the farmhouse at county line, which my Dad built in 1962 (or there-abouts).  We had hardwood floors and as you can see, Mom kept them waxed to a fare-thee-well! (And there is a good story about someone sliding on them too...)

Back to my driving...
I had lots of experience driving before my sixteenth birthday. (which is ANOTHER story all in it'self) On my sixteenth birthday I was going to take my driver's test at the Armory.  My birthday fell on a Wednesday which was very fortunate since they only gave the test on Wednesdays in West Plains.  Dad was going to take me into town, I'd take the test, hopefully pass, take me to the license office to get my license and be back by breakfast!  However...When I got ready to go Dad says to me "Ray, I can't take you in (I can't remember why) so you just take the car and drive on in to take your test"   Hmmmmm...now my Dad didn't brook no arguments but I think I did say "Do you really think I should since I don't have my license?"  His reply?  "You'll be OK, just drive careful and it'll be alright"  So...I drove myself (in our 72 Oldsmobile) to the Armory, passed the written and driving test and was fixin' to take off to the license office...When the State Trooper said to me "Son, you can't drive downtown, someone will have to drive you down there".  You gotta remember, the was BC era (Before Cellphones) and I had no way to call my Dad!  So I just waited around until he came to check on me, got my license, and drove home!

What's The Difference?

I do not doubt the grief our president exhibited when he was talking about the great tragedy at the Sandy Hook school.  I am not so cynical that I see ulterior motives in everything Mr. Obama does or says.   He, as well as the entire country, were horrified with the senseless slaughter of young lives at Sandy Hook.

Here is the puzzling thing.  What difference does seven, eight or nine years make?  If six-year-old victim, Noah Pozner, had been killed six years and five months ago, Mr. Obama would not have shed a tear.  He would have applauded the woman's right to "control" her own body.  However, Noah was just as alive in the womb as he was when he was gunned down by a psycho.  There is not one person that can dispute that abortion stops a beating heart.  I do not minimize the grief of the loved ones affected in the Connecticut shooting...but who is grieving and crying over the thousands of little "Noah's" that are killed every day?


God heard the cry of Abel's blood from the ground.....and he will not turn a deaf ear to the blood of the innocents...

Why Did Ray Cross The Road?

He didn't because he was chicken!  Chris is taking the picture and as you can see...HE is standing in the road and not me!  I'm bundled up because of the cold and the pads are for my arthritic knees.

This photo was taken in Sparta Missouri looking east along Highway 14 at Crystal Street.  The company we are working for requires photos of all angles of the surveyed property ...so...Chris is taking the pictures and I am recording the position they were taken from, for a photo key.

The photo below shows Chris a couple of minutes later........

Muzzleloader Deer Season

The Muzzleloader deer season began this morning (or "alternative weapons" for all the CHEATERS out there).  The wind is gusting, the cedar tree above me is dripping rain from last night, not seeing any deer...but I have my coffee so all is right with the world!