Treasures in Our World

This will be my last post for a while. At least until I can find an internet provider. Packing up and going to Oklahoma for a few months. 

While enjoying a drive through the countryside, found this abandoned truck. Looks like it has been there a while.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures


This is a building in Allen, OK. I believe it is slowly becoming a place for artwork. I absolutely love the rusty siding.

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Barns and Birds

I drove by this barely there barn several times. The first time, it was overcast and the horses were nowhere to be seen...

...but the next week, there were grazing in the foreground.

Linking to  The Barn Collective

These pictures were taken in the spring in southern Oklahoma. Anyone know what it is? 

Linking to The Bird D-Pot -

Rusty

We first met Rusty in 2016. He was an orphaned calf rescued and bottle fed by CE, a friend of ours in Oklahoma. She raised him to a full grown steer and too soon it was time to sell him. That's how ranch life is. No matter how much you might like an animal. You can't let your heart keep the ranch from being profitable. 

This is the handsome Rusty.

He didn't know what was going on, but he seemed to know something was up. Look closely at this picture. Is that a tear in his eye?

Rusty didn't cause a fuss. He walked easily into the trailer, ready for his trip to the sale barn. Goodbye Rusty. 

Linking to  Saturday Critters

It's Friday

I'm posting for the meme Friday Hunt for the first time. These are the items to hunt for this week.

1. Starts with U
2. mosaic/collage
3. “I ate this”

U is for Ukulele. I took my granddaughter's senior pictures and since she is an accomplished musician, she posed with all of her musical instruments. Lucky for me, the Ukulele was one of them.

Mosaic/Collage. I didn't have anything readily available for mosaic, but do have a collage of my old pics. Yes, pics of me from age 3 months through 16 years.

I ate this. Well, in actuality I didn't eat all of this, but I certainly sampled everything. Plus the mashed potatoes and noodles which were not ready when this pic was taken. Yes, I was ever so full! It was a fun Thanksgiving day. 

This was a fun meme. Think I'll try it again.


Linking to   Friday Hunt



I asked for direction to a fence meme and received a reply. Tom The Backroads Traveler gave me a link to Fences Around the World, so am linking up. Thanks Tom!

This fence is near Tupelo, OK. It is the fence along the property where we will be spending the winter. 

Linking to Fences Around the World

Thanksgiving Preparations

I'm combining a random post along with Thursday Doors since I won't be on the computer tomorrow. This is my door for this week. It is the side of an old building in Allen, Oklahoma.

Linking to Thursday Doors

Now on to my random post. When asked which food he looks forward to on Thanksgiving, my youngest grandson replied, "Noodles." I agree with him. My mother-in-law made the best noodles. Unfortunately, none of my grandkids ever experienced my mother's and mother-in-law's expertise in the kitchen. My noodles are pretty good, but my mother-in-law's were the best.  

I also love the cobblers my mom used to make. Her cobbler was not like we think of cobblers today. Her cobbler was basically a pie made in a 9 X 13 pan. Both a top and bottom crust. Her crust was the best I've ever tasted. She tried to teach me to make it on more than one occasion, but she didn't measure anything. She kept a large bowl of flour in the cabinet and only uncovered and brought it out when she made pies. She would make a well in the center of the flour, add lard (in later years, Crisco), salt, and water, and then proceed to knead the dough 'until it feels right'. Sadly, I wasn't ever able to figure out when it felt right. No food will ever taste as good as my mom's or my mother-in-law's. Still, every year, I give it the old college try.

Today I made noodles. Daughter is hosting, so she will have the chicken and broth ready. I'll finish them up when I get there.

I also baked a peach cobbler, made from the peaches from the tree in my back yard. And a pie to keep at home for later. In the oven at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.

I forgot to put a tray underneath to catch spills, but it was all good. Only a small puddle and it didn't smoke up the kitchen. Thank goodness! If it had DC would have brought it to my attention. He loves to tease. Below is the finished product.

Not all that pretty, but maybe tasty. Hope your holiday cooking is perfection. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Outside Looking In

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures

Near Tupelo, OK, down an old gravel road, we passed this old abandoned ranch house.

The view from top of this hill is amazing.

This is the road in front of the house. Beautiful country.

And this is the view to the north. I wanted to drive down to look at this graveyard, but didn't get to. Next time.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures and Our World Tuesday

Ole Red Tishomingo

If you are a Blake Shelton fan, you probably already know he grew up in Ada, Oklahoma and still has a home in the area. He was and still is an avid hunter/fisherman in the Tishomingo area, so claims it as home.

Tishomingo, approximately 35 miles south of Ada, is the largest city (I use the term loosely) in Johnston County, Oklahoma. It has a population of 3,034. A small town in middle-of-nowhere.

When he was approached about opening a restaurant, he agreed if the first could be located in Tish. He wanted to help the town by attracting tourists to a depressed area. His idea was to provide a music venue, a burger, and a drink where visitors could have a good time. I was excited to learn they have live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The perk, it will give Blake a place to play country music any time he feels like playing. 

The stage area has been left as it was in his music video for 'She's Got a Way With Words'.

The restaurant/bar is called Ole Red after a track, Ol' Red, on his debut album. In case you haven't heard it, Ol' Red is a dog. I'm adding a link which I hope works. If not YouTube it.

https://youtu.be/asxrMSVrJ08

Ol' Red is depicted in the large mural inside Ole Red.

While visiting Oklahoma recently, we ate there twice. I had a salad the first time and a burger the next. I found the food to be very good.

And, of course, there is a gift shop.

Plus, around the corner in the back of a building is a store called Junk Stars.

It is a unique store which sells everything from jewelry, artwork, and home decor items. Even a pair of Dorothy's boots, which were only worn on stage, was available for purchase. Each item is one-of-a-kind and all of the art is made from recycled/re-purposed material. The store is owned by Dorothy Shackleford (Blake's mother) and her business partner Kimberly Taylor. 

And if you decide to put Tishomingo on your vacation list, there are also several other unique shops to browse.

Well worth a visit!

Linking to Monday Mural 

A Bird or Two

I wasn't as lucky with birds on this trip to Oklahoma as I found in the spring.

Below is a Mockingbird. I'm pretty sure he is the same one from earlier this year. He doesn't mind posing.

I apologize for the graphic content of the following pictures. Turn away if you are easily sickened by blood. I would love some help on identifying this hawk, though. I scoured the bird books, but couldn't decide. 

Someone crushed this raccoon on the road. We were coming back from Ada and had to swerve around him. It seems Mr. Hawk would rather get hit by a truck than give up his prize to the buzzard circling above. DC stopped so I could jump out and get some pics. He looked up and then put his wings out as if blocking Mr. Buzzard's view.

Another car was approaching, but still he didn't fly away. 

Hopefully someone can tell me what kind of hawk this is.

Linking to The Bird D-Pot 

The Barn Collective

It seems to be a requirement for everyone in the state of Oklahoma to have an entry gate. This ranch is now for sale. 

The house isn't visible from the road, but this barn is.

There are several horses, but this is the only one out and about the day I stopped to take pictures.

Linking to The Barn Collective

I'm B-a-a-ck!

It's good to be home even if it is for a short time. We have been in Oklahoma since September 21st. We really like the area, so we have decided to come home and pack up a few things so we can spend the next few months in a warmer climate. We won't be in the balmy Florida sun, but it will be better weather than Illinois, I hope. 

While we were there, a mule train went by our friend's ranch. I grabbed my trusty camera and snapped a few shots. I missed the beginning. It would have been nice to present a picture of the first wagon. It pulled a port-a-potty. A must have modern convenience.

 These are my favorite mules.

 Bringing up the rear.

 One last look.

Linking to Saturday Critters