Last call...

.

 

One day I shall write the meaning of this photo ... Not today, it's been a long road. I think though, there's a song that can summarize much better my feelings. For The Good Times

 

(Thanks to Romeo for taking this photo)

 

 

Don't look so sad

I know it's over

But life goes on

And this old world

Will keep on turning

Let's just be glad

We had some time to spend together

There's no need to watch the bridges

That we're burning

 

Lay your head,

Upon my pillow

Hold your warm and tender body

Close to mine

Hear the whisper of the raindrops

Blowing soft, against the window

And make believe you love me,

One more time,

For the good times

 

I'll get along

You'll find another

And I'll be here

If you should find,

You ever need me

Don't say a word

About tomorrow, or forever

There'll be time enough for sadness

When you leave me

 

Lay your head

Upon my pillow

Hold your warm and tender body

Close to mine

Hear the whisper of the raindrops

Blowing soft against the window

And make believe you love me

One more time

For the good times

 

.

 

Dec 1-2011

This is the narrative leading up to the day when the photo was taken...

 

Is not easy to accept changes late in life; resilience don't come easy when one's life has played out a full deck of cards! I thought for a while about changes coming our way due to a severe drought and lack of water. Does it make sense to continue ranching? Does it make sense to fight what seems to be over & done? It was not an easy decision to make; nor one I care to think about very long...

 

 

The final outcome ... It is the end of the road for our family ranching.

One morning in the late part of the month of August I called some friends; along with my brother Ricky, Scot, Sergei and a couple of other family members. We assign each one an area easily covered by horse of about two hours...The task, to look, find and move out every head of cattle and get 'em ready for haulin to the stockyard about 80 miles away. We did, in a matter of a couple of days the task was completed. It was now time to move 'em out and head out to the stockyards. The drive was quiet...Not much was said by any of us; an occasional comment cut right through our insides not in the mood for much conversation! Finally arrived and unloading was done quickly after verifying all paperwork; we were set ... I wander around the place, checking other cattle being sold for one reason or another ... The sight of seeing the last few head being auctioned off was a bit too much ... I stood mesmerized for quite a while; thinking about my dad and his dad ... wonderin' what would they think or have to say if anythin' under the circumstances. I heard the voice of my wife in the background talking to other rancher's wives ... We all were thinking the same!! We weren't the only ones in such situation. Nothing was said, no words exchanged...Just the notion of what was happening laid over our shoulders like a heavy winter blanket! Unwilling to accept yet realizing it was the only solution to keep going in the heat of our West Texas sun baked land.

 

 

It was time to go home...And so we did! As we drove back to our house we looked across; left and right watching the dry land; empty in most cases of any stock...bare, no grass or notion of life...It is not a sight for the weak or faint! But, it is what it is...

We call it life in West Texas!

 

 

E

 

 

.

Done