What a week we have had around Ryan in regards to our weather.  We’ve had some really beautiful weather. We’ve had some great days to get outside and work on the yard, or whatever pleasurable things are to get us outside because it was so pleasant.  Well, after Friday afternoon was upon us, all of that changed.  The winds turned around and began blowing from the north, and they were really hard winds.  The kind of winds that, if you were sitting in your home, you could hear the shingles flapping around just a few feet above your head.  If the wind wasn’t enough, then, on Saturday morning, it was 30 degrees until around noon.  There was a bit of precipitation that turned to ice for a little while.  Sunday it was a bit warmer.  It made it up to around 60 degrees.  That was our heat wave for the weekend.  Today, the sun has been shining and it is very pleasant again.  I got on Facebook after I had received a message from a friend and the season we are in is being referred to is now Sprinter.  We don’t know if it is spring or winter, so, this catches whatever the condition is at the time.  We are still going to receive some pretty cool temperatures this coming weekend.  Our mesquite trees are even bearing leaves now, so, they think it is Spring. 

Our high school kids had their junior-senior prom this past weekend.  It was certainly cold that evening. 

We have a few folks in our community that needed to be lifted up in our prayers.  Joe Turner is still in Duncan Regional and is having some more surgery.  Please keep him and Fern in your prayers.  David Wingfield had surgery last week and prayers for him and his family that he will be restored to good health soon. Please remember Carlie Southard in our prayers.  Pat Bussey made it back home last week and she is going to Tulsa to the Cancer Center to get their opinion on what approach she needs to take in regards to the cancer she has.  Prayers for her and her family during this time. 

Terri and Chuck Sheffield will be making a trip to London, England this week.  Terri has been very successful in her insurance business and Farm Bureau is paying for their trip.  Prayers for them that they have safe travels there and back.  They will spend 9 hours on the plane before they get to their destination. 

Kim’s news for this week:

Before I got to the big flashing sign by the bridge, I look over my shoulder cause it sounded like I was getting pulled over. 

In Shelton’s parking lot I ran over my foot with a shopping cart..

Sunday afternoon, it was all I was hoping, me and Ruffy Tuffy turning back at the Cowboy Church roping.

Everyone have a blessed week.  Prayers for rain and for each other.

We finally had a storm to blow in this morning around 3:30am.  Boy, did it blow.  I stayed awake after hearing the wind woke me up.  There’s not anything you can do but just ride it out.  We all made it through the night, anyway.  We thought we were going to get in on some rain Thursday, but that didn’t happen, then again on Saturday evening, but, that didn’t happen either.  I was outside yesterday afternoon behind the store, cutting some branches off of the trees in the alley way.  At about 3:30pm, the wind really began blowing from the north, and boy, it got cooler in a hurry.  I thought that these conditions might bring about some hail, but thank goodness, that didn’t happen.  I was hauling a bunch of branches in the back of my truck, and noticed about half way up the hill, heading north on 81, that I couldn’t see my branches on either side of my truck.  I looked back in the distance, and my pile of limbs were in the northbound lane of the highway.  I hurried up and unloaded what was left in the bed of my truck and got back to where they had blown out and Emilio Cabrera had beat me to them.  He said cars were going around the pile, but, he was getting them off the highway.  He helped me load them back in the bed of my truck and he got in there with them and smashed them down by walking on them.  The second trip, they got where I wanted them to go.  We still need a lot more rain, so, prayerfully our time will come some day.  I’ve seen quite a few grasshoppers now this summer. 

This coming Tuesday will be the evening for the Ryan City Council meeting at 6:00.  More citizens need to attend these meetings.  This past meeting was the most folks I’ve seen attend for a long time. 

This next week, on the 4th of July, a number of our businesses will be closed for the holiday.  Both clinics, the post office, the drug store, the banks, and City Hall, will all be closed that day. 

Next Friday, July 6th, there will be a fireworks display just off the highway behind Jamie and Richard Kimbro’s house.  They had quite an exhibit last year, it was fantastic.  Get your lawn chairs and water bottles and join in their festivities Friday evening as soon as the sun goes down.  I bet they would welcome more fireworks, if folks would like to bring them so that a lot of folks can enjoy them.  It will be a fun time. 

Ryan will be having another sidewalk sale on Friday, July the 6th.  We will have our merchandise out around 7:00am if folks want to get out and shop early before it gets too hot.  Our 3 local businesses will all have merchandise set outside on our sidewalks.  We also welcome folks from the community to set up someplace on our sidewalks, if others would like to get in on it, too. 

Some of our local kids and parents are gone to church camps this week.  Prayers to all of them that they have a safe trip and a good time together.

Kim’s news for this week:

I want to thank Shelton’s & Dustan with all my heart, for the delivery of the shopping cart. 

Saturday, Foxy didn’t even know she was the star of the Cowboy Church house show, riding with Jessie on Shaddow in her straw hat, being a show-off dog is where it’s at.

Everyone have a blessed week and a safe 4th of July.  Please pray for rain and for each other.

Praise the Lord! We received some measurable rain Sunday afternoon.  The pavement is still wet and conditions are cloudy.  I haven’t mowed in 3 weeks now.  There is nothing to mow.  Our grass is laying dormant on the ground.  Plants have had to be watered from the water hoses. God’s blessings of rain far surpass any garden hoses.  He just hasn’t seen fit to send much our way yet.  Our temperature was 94 degrees around 3:00 pm yesterday and when the front blew in, it was 74 degrees. The temperature stayed there all night.  I got out and watered the plants this morning, anyway.  We desperately need rain around Ryan.  The grasshoppers have really begun to move into town again. 

 I went over to see Mom Saturday afternoon after going to Wichita Falls.  I spent some time with her and was on my way back to Ryan on Highway 81 just north of Ringgold and I could see an animal beginning to cross the highway.  It’s body was slim and low to the ground, and I assumed it was a coyote.  I was getting closer to the animal and it was slowing down and so was I when we met, face to face, on the highway.  It was a tiny baby deer, and I saw no sign of its’ mother.  It just stood there looking at me.  My car was dead still, and I honked at the baby deer, it didn’t even move at first, then I honked again, and it began running back from the direction it had originally started crossing.  Its’ little feet were slipping on the pavement of the highway as it was trying to move quickly to get away from this foreign object that it was facing.  I know there are an abundance of deer around our area, but, my heart went out for this little guy or gal.  I hope it found a safe place and still has its’ mother to care for it somewhere out there.

Kim’s news for this week:

Yes, it is true Ruffy Tuffy got a straw hat, too.

Every morning I go ride with Foxy by my side.

Then Foxy and I go to the ball park, where she can play ball and bark.

Everyone have a blessed week, a safe 4th of July and please remember to keep praying for rain and for each other.

What a beautiful morning it was to get up and feel the cool breeze instead of the heat for a change.  I know the forecasters say that we are going to be headed toward 100 on Wednesday, but, it certainly is nice for now, anyway. Sunday morning we had enough precipitation to get the pavement wet. That’s okay, it’s better than nothing.  Our lawns are finally green and it soon will be time to mow again.  I won’t make it 4 weeks between mowing this time.   

There is a baby shower for Rachel (Pollan) and Brandon Sain at the Terral Community Center on August 26th at 3:00pm.  They are expecting a baby boy.  The couple is registered at Walmart and Amazon if people wish to go to the stores or online to purchase gifts. The Ryan Drug Store has a hostess box for them if anyone would like to put their name in as well. 

I stand corrected on the Mayor of our town not rerunning for his seat in the next election.  Terry Grantham is seeking reelection and I do apologize for the miscommunication in last weeks paper. 

Taylor Street is in quite a mess as the city workers are working to repair water lines behind the First Baptist Church. 

Our local merchants are planning another sidewalk sale on Friday, September 7th.  I’m hopeful that our weather will be a bit cooler and more tolerable by that time. 

As I got online this morning to start up my email to begin my article, I am quickly made aware that Google mail has now upgraded their site.  I am a creature of habit and I had to hunt for the compose prompt that was always down in the bottom right corner of the screen.  That is what life is all about–change.  Nothing ever remains constant. 

Kim and her four legged children are well, but, she didn’t provide me with an article this week. 

Everyone have a blessed week.  Pray for rain and each other.