The Glass Mountains

              On a Monday, we had a field trip day. We went to the salt plains were you can dig the salt crystals. Us kids were really wanting to dig, but we were on our way to the Glass Mount. and it had just rained, so it was really muddy. You know how moms are when you show up in town covered with mud.

                  The salt on top of the ground was really cool. The Dig Area was roped off and ever so often, they would move it so that the salt crystals would have time to form.

                    We was at least able to get out and walk around. The wind so blowing pretty hard...

...and it was pretty cold.

                 The boys loaded up their bikes in the back of the truck. They had fun wheelin' around on the salt plain.
                 

           

                 We finally got our first look at the famous Glass Mountains.

And for being in the middle of 'flat no-where', they were really impressive.

The colors of the res dirt and the dark green of the cedar

trees were an interesting contrast. I tried painting it, but it look more like a volcano. Impressionist painting. It was the way my mind saw it and the way it told my hand to put it on canvas. The jagged lines appealed to my eye differently than the more smooth lines, rolling hills, do here at home. The horizon the same height of the mount. itself made it had to tell distance in my painting also.   

This crooked one was the model for my painting. I took it specially for a painting. 

The view was like this all the way around. It was beautiful.

                                                                                                                                                         

Again, I am missing from the pics. I have a way of get the 

camera and keeping it, leaving myself unobserved.

Sydney will probably hate me for this pic, and putting it 

on here, but I love it!

(I'm still trying to find out how to turn pics right side up.)

This is the flowering plant life up on the Glass Mount. You should have seen me trying to get the camera to focus right, keep the flowers still with the wind blowing, keeping my hair out of the pic, etc. It was hilarious. I really liked the white ones with the yellow centers. They were so elegant and perfect.

Why do boys find it so fun to climb the dirt pile, then run and jump? (Though I'll admit, I still climb the dirt piles:)) Just like baby calves. Daddy pushes up all the manure out from around the hay rings when it gets about knee deep and as soon as it dries a little, you'll walk down there and all the baby calves are up on that dirt pile.

                                                     Bethany

Welcome to Grant County

                   
               We went to Grant County to work in unassigned territory of May 2012. And did we have fun or what!!!!. This is the lovely scenery we saw for two weeks. It made me feel free, on top of world; but also made me feel 'watched' all the time. I felt I had to watch my back. I was glad to get back in my mountains and feel 'safe' again. I had my privacy again. Anyway, why run away with my feelings. I'm here to show you what we did in Grant County.

                 An eye level look at the wheat and a cloudy sky. It makes an interesting pic. (Don't ask me why, but I was so hoping for a storm to come sweeping across those blue skies.)

                                   
                 This was our first lunch on our first day of service. Peanut butter and jelly, the best! There was 17 in our group, made up of friends and family. Here in this pic, from left to right, is : Ethan, Misty, Rebekah(behind Misty,you can just see her head), Morgan, Sydney, Caleb, Mama (Kasha), and Jonathan. Daddy, or Darren, is looking over maps in the truck, and I, of course, am taking the picture. So convenient for me:) 

               Here is Daddy, telling us where to go to knock on doors, explaining the boundaries.

                 Of course we had to pick the flowers! They were beautiful! I wish Bachelor Buttons grew here at home. Blue, pink, purple, pink-and-white flowers covered the roadsides.

                  We stayed at the Great Salt Lake. After going out all day stuffed in the truck like sardines with 100 degree + heat outside, not to mention if you were smashed against the window in those 'beautiful' sun rays; we decided to go swimming.

                
                     The cool thing about this lake is that it seemed to never get deep. See those dots in the middle of the lake? Yep, that's us. Don't panic! It's not even up to my shoulders, and I'm only 5'. It was weird to walk way out there and turn around and see how far away shore was. Poor Caleb wanted to be out there, too.

                      But as you can see, he found something to do.

                
                      This is the dam. Our campsite is just on the other side.

This is a good overview of the lake from up on the dam.

                  The top of the dam is colored with bight flowers.

                  Not only did we find pretty flowers, but life waiting to hatch and see the world.

                      Another day in service and look at what we found!

                      The poor truck driver had evidently miss judged the road or the ability of his loaded semi. Misty and Sydney went to see if there was anyone around to preach to, but the area was vacant.

   

               In the town of Pond Creek, we seen a gorgeous sight, a garden of Lupines(if I remember correctly).  The man was very nice and generous, for when Sydney complimented him on his flowers, he said to give him her address and he would send her seeds when they went to seed. And surprise, he sent her a ton of them! She was also very kind and gave some to me. She is a very, very, very good friend. I can't wait to plant my little seeds and see what grows!

                  That day, we had some sisters from the Enid Cong. join us. Very sweet sisters.  The night before we left, in fact, we went to dinner at Kim's house(the sis in the bright blue shirt). Every year, she gathers together single sisters to go on unassigned territory in states such as Montana. Married sisters are strictly not allowed. I hope very much to go some day.
                   Another experience when I myself was present, was also in Pond Creek. An elderly woman had invited Misty and me into her house. She told us about everything, along with her life story, which was hilarious. Poor woman, she had 8 boys. She had an affectionate tom cat, who apparently did not know what his litter box was for. When Misty was finally able to talk and give the woman a 'Bible Teach' book, she was so appreciative. She had us both write our names in the book and had Misty write her address. A few weeks later, Misty received a card from her expressing her thanks. It was great.

                  
                    This is a Round Barn, literally. I was told that the farmer leases it out for free, and sometimes the Witness's get together a barn dance. Sounds fun!

            A view from the front, taken from inside the suburban looking through our dirty windshield. 

                       There were wind mills everywhere up there. I loved it. Another thing I loved was all the old barns. Everywhere there would be a spectacular barn. I've been wanting a barn for a long time now, and it just made so sad to see that half of them was about fall for lack of repair. But then, that almost added to the serene air about them. 

                    There was a huge rosebush out at the campground that was covered in these precious light pink roses. We weren't the only ones who liked them, the bees I think was the biggest fans.

             I think out of all the pics I took, these are some of favorite. This Baltimore Oriole(I think it is anyway) was in the bush-OK fine! He was in the tree next to our camper. He was gathering up sticks, grass, anything that building material. I don't know if he really was building a nest, but he was definitely eye catching. 

              Well, I'm going to get off of here, but next time I'll show you the Glass Mountains. They were pretty cool.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                             Bethany   

Rain!

     That is all! Just rain everywhere. In the pastures you see puddles the size of small ponds, and mud! There is no end to the mud. Mom just made some Ranger Joe Cookies. They are cookies with no sugar, only sweetened with honey and their really good.                Rebekah

Part 3-The Way the West was Built

                                                                   Part 3-Lassiter

The dust swirled as he reined the black in,

They stood before a town,

An old western town.

Dusty manure-filled stables,

A General store stored with tobacco,

Rowdy saloons with no empty tables.

The black urged forward to the waterin' trough,

The cowboy there threw himself in,

Feeling the cool water upon his burning skin.

Upon the cuts and the bruises that came from the outlaws fist. 

Rolling himself out he heard a gruff voice,

"Howdy cowboy, looks like ya came a long way."

The cowboys swollen lip kept him silent,

But he nodded in agreement,

Full agreement.

"Come on in here an git yerself a drink."

The cowboy strode sullenly into the saloon,

His eyes slowly adjusting to the gloom.

He saw before him cowboys,

Rough and unmannerly,

Gambling and drinking.

The sat with a drink in his hand,

Savoring the slow burn of the whiskey,

Warming his worn out body.

As sat he thought ,

He thought about the dusty trail behind.

Suddenly the bar went quiet,

A man strode in,

Not the cowboy kind,

The cowboy thought: "Desperado"

The man big and tall, 

Spurs two inches,

He looked solid as a wall.

He was known as "Lassiter"

All this did not come to the cowboy's immediate attention.

NO!

No, but the gun leveled at his head did.

With slurred speech,

Ungracious and gruff,

Lassiter demanded:

"Who rode the black in?"

Silence,

Lassiter's black eyes pierced in everybody,

They met with the cowboys,

He strode forward,

"Did YOU?"

"What if I did?"Was the ungracious reply.

"What'd ya do with my Pardner?"

"He's down in the desert with his face full of sand 'n' burrs in his britches"

Lassiter's trigger finger quivered.

Yet all that he said was:

"I'll reckon i'll be seein' more of ya later"

That was the way the west was built.

By Rebekah

Part 2- The Way the West was Built

  A Grueling Death 

Farther and farther the race went in,

The sun burning upon their wrinkled old Stetsons.

Their horses snorting for a breath.

Suddenly the fiery red mustang stumbled,

Flying went the cowboy,

Landing viciously upon the sizzling sand.

From outlaw to cowboy an evil grin was sent.

Fist to jaw,

Knee to groin,

They went rolling in the sand.

Groans escaped,

Blood escaped.

The cowboy gasped for breath as he stood,

Hate beaming in his already swollen eyes.

The outlaw stirred,

Yet never again would he rise.

The cowboy strode to his fiery red mustang,

Only to find that his loyal companion had run his race.

With one last glare of disdain,

Toward the heap of the outlaws body,

And the cowboy mounted upon the outlaws black,

And rode away, 

Into the burning sunset he disappeared.

This was the way the west was built.

By Rebekah