BRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!

I don't mind too much a little cold weather, you know, just enough to kill off the ticks and fleas etc but this stuff that just blew in yesturday is NOT for a southern boy like me !! I grew up in South Florida , living for several years on an island in the Florida Keys. Later on, after leaving home at 15 , I made my home in Texas. I never could understand the mentality of winter sports like sking, sledding and such . Give me a warm southern breeze and a cold iced tea any day.

Speaking of winter sports, I am reminded for something from my trucking days. Just a few years back, I was trucking along down the highway one day listening to the old CB radio. I overheard a couple of truckers from up in Minnesota talking about ice fishing. They were quite excited about it, and looking forward to spending some time ice fishing when they returned home. Well, after listening for awhile, I just had to comment. I keyed that microphone and said " Break 19, for the ice fishermen ". Well, one of them said " go ahead" so I gave them my opinion of the sport of ice fishing. I said " I remember one time down in South Texas, we had one of those Alberta Clippers come blowing thru one winter and the temp. dropped down into the teens. Now don't misunderstand, it gets cold in South Texas. But this was an extremely rare thing for it to get THAT cold. It got so cold that our favorite fishing hole froze over solid. Well, an ex - brother in law and I decided we would try our hand at this thing called ice fishing. Neither one of us had ever actually done it before but both thought it would be fun." One of the Minnesota truckers asked if we enjoyed it. I replied ," Nope didn't like it at all ! " Well , he seemed suprised at my answer. He asked, "What didn't you like about it ?" I answered," Well, we went out there on the ice with an axe and started chopping a hole in the ice. After chopping for about 2 hours, we were both exhausted and still didn't have a hole large enough to get the boat in so we gave up and went home. " Still to this day I don't know what those yankee boys were laughing at as they faded out of radio range.

Gotta run, I'm getting old and it's almost my nap time. Via Con Dios,

DM

Too Quiet

Granny just left for work, and the girls are with their mother for the rest of the week. The quiet here is so loud it is almost scary. It is amazing how loud absolutly nothing sounds like. Try it sometime. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I really am just getting old and senile. Or maybe it's just been so very long since our home has been totally empty that all this sudden quiet is hard to comprehend. Well, guess I had best enjoy it while it lasts. It's a good time to finish a book I have been reading, maybe break out the old 6 string and catch up on a little picking time.

Speaking of picking, I have a passion for bluegrass music. My dad and I used to spend a lot of time playing but over the years I have not been faithful to practicing. The yearning has begun to surface again lately. I have always tried to play rhythm guitar mainly because that's how I started. My dad played lead guitar, and I played rhythm for him. But lately, as the urge to take it up again has grown, I have been trying to learn more lead. This would have been a lot easier task years ago before my hands and fingers became so arthritic. Sometimes I can hardly hold down the strings but I am compelled to keep working at it. As with anything else, when we give up, when we accept defeat, we fail. I refuse to concede victory in anything to the enemy called failure.

Well, I have enjoyed all this quiet I can stand. Think I'll just go make some noise.

Via Con Dios DM

Thanksgiving 08 is in the can

Well folks, another Thanksgiving has come, gone, and been survived. Thank GOD for all miracles large and small !! We had a really great Thanksgiving. Son Don W. and grandson Mason came all the way up from South Texas to spend the holiday week with us. We had a good visit and Mason and the girls played almost the whole time. Hurricane Hailey and Mason the Mighty are both like a couple of West Texas tornados. Put them both together in the same house, then throw in Kelsey for a mixer and guaranteed it will never get boring.

Don W. brought his guitar. He is learning to play and thought I could help him with a few things. Hope he wasn't too terribly disappointed. I know just enough to be annoying. I remember years ago went my dad was still alive, holidays back home with my folks was always a time to catch up on the guitar picking. First thing my dad would ask when I came in the door was "Did you bring your guitar ?" We would pick until late into the night, long after everyone else had gone to bed. My dad was one of these men who could play just about any stringed insturment he picked up. He played fiddle, guitar, mandolin,banjo and harmonica. Funny how these memories stick in our minds. The bad times, the arguements, sometimes the "knockdown, drag out " brawls are long forgotten. As well they should be when this much time has passed.

Don and Mason are back in South Texas now, Granny is at work today, and Hurricane Hailey and I are holding down the fort here at Poverty Flats. The weather is beautiful today. The sun is out and the temp is in the upper 50's. This is surely an outside day but with this arthritis getting worse each day I think we will just stay inside and read a good book. We're trying to stay out of the kitchen though. I think I must have gained 10 lbs over the holiday but I'm sure I must be the only one in the world to have done that. HA

H.H. and I have to go pick Kelsey up from the school bus stop so until next time, may GOD continue to bless everyone. And as always, Via Con Dios DM

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Wow !!!! what a beautiful day GOD has made for us to enjoy today ! The temp is supposed to reach 69 today and the sun is shinning with a passion. The wind is blowing from the west- southwest and drying out all the damp ground we have had for the last month or so. This is definately an outdoors kind of day. Hurricane Hailey and I will probably spend most of the day outside catching up on some yard work. The gardens still need to be tilled under so guess we will work on that this morning. It's kinda late in the season for that but has just been too wet up til now.

Don't know what all we will get accomplished today, but whatever it is, we will enjoy the time. I think that is one of the joys of retirement that I value most. After 41 years in the trucking business, having to live by schedules and appointments, always living by someone else's time frame, the thing I enjoy most is doing What I want, When I want, or just not doing at all . This is the way it is with our BBQ business. If I want to go somewhere and sell BBQ I will, and if I don't, I won't. Pretty simple business philosophy. I do what I want, what I enjoy, when I want to do it. How cool is that !!!!

Thanksgiving Day is coming in a hurry ! We will probably have a full house for the holiday. My son Don W. and his family is coming up from South Texas to spend a few days with us. Don't know who else might be here but we will start cooking pies and assorted other goodies about Monday. We will deep-fry a couple of 13 lb turkeys and have lots of dressing and cranberry sauce, home made hot rolls, greenbean casserole, and lots of other good stuff . Oh , and don't forget the Malox and Rolaids.

May the God of Heaven and Earth, the God of all creation, bless you and your's this coming holiday season.
Via Con Dios,
DM - Pitmaster
Texas BBQ & Beans

WE"RE BAAAAACK !!

Been awhile since we have posted on this site. No good reason for it, just lazy I guess . No, that's not it either. Sometimes we just get busy, or otherwise occupied with other things and lose track of time. And it has been a busy time around Poverty Flats lately. Actually, it's ALWAYS busy around here. Don't think I would want it any other way.

Well, since we last posted, America has elected a new president. A new BLACK president, so they say. I guess I am just a little confused about it though. As I understand it, he had a black father, but also had a white mother. And he was born in Hawaii. Now, here is where I start getting confused. Is he really a black man, who just happened to have been birthed by a white mother ? Or is he a white man who just happened to be fathered by a black man ? Or is he really just a native Hawaiian ? If I understand anything about genetics, he is just as much white as he is black, but nothing is being said about that. Personally, I don't particularly care if he is purple with pink and green polkadots. What I DO care about is that he firmly supports the practice of killing unborn babies and has publicly stated his opposition to private ownership of firearms. I care about the fact that he is one of the most liberal persons in US government. I seriously think America is going to wake up one day and realize the wrong man has been elected. May GOD have mercy on our nation in this time of tribulation!! !!!!!!! Having said that, I will move on to other things.

We have just finished construction of a new deck on the front of our home . It sure looks different out front now. Granny has our two rocking chairs out there, but the granddaughters are in them most of the time. That's OK though, I'm not quite ready for the rocking chair thing yet. I'm just glad to get the deck finished. I have been working on it for about three weeks. But then, I work a lot slower than I used to. On second thought, maybe I'm getting closer to that rocking chair than I realized......

The 10:00 weatherman is calling for rain tomorrow and quire a bit colder so maybe Granny and I will just stay in and bake cookies or something like that.

Speaking of Granny, I think she just went to sleep watching the 10:00 news and weather so I guess that is my signal to sign off.....
Via Con Dios DM

Brrrrrrr !!!!!!

Seems like I recall a time or two back in July and August that I wished for some cooler weather. You know what I'm saying, back when the sweat was running down and the ticks were climbing up to see where it was coming from. Well, I knew then that I would regret that thought sooner or later. The temp. has not gotten up to 50 yet and it is 2pm. And this is only the beginning.
The weatherman is predicting our first hard freeze of the year by the first of the week. But of course there is always a brighter side to everything that comes our way. I can think of a couple of things like, no more grass to mow, and no more ticks. No more garden to tend, no more yellow jackets hiding in the bushes. I could go on and on but that gives the general idea. All we have to do now is wait for the inevitable ice and snow to start. I can hardly wait for the freezing to start so I can break out the tank heater for the stock tank, dig out the snow shovels, winterize the vehicles and all that other fun stuff that goes with it. By the time we get all that done, I will no doubt be saying "I sure would like to see some warmer weather", and the whole thing starts all over again.
I guess we should just learn to do as the apostle Paul said, and be content with whatever situation we find ourselves in. That is a great idea, and I know the Bible is right, but, sometimes it sure is hard to do. If mankind had grasped that concept from the beginning, we'd all still be living in the Garden of Eden. I heard a preacher say once that we should learn to be humbly grateful instead of grumbly hateful. Makes sense to me !

Via Con Dios DM

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord,
So far today, Lord, I've done alright. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or overindulgent. I'm really glad about that, Lord !
BUT..... in a few minutes, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on, I'm probably going to need a lot more help.
Thank you, In Jesus Name,
AMEN

Things are kinda slow around Poverty Flats this week. We have been so busy with the BBQ business since last Spring that we have about forgotten how to slow down. It's not like there is nothing to do here, It's just that doing absolutely nothing feels good for a change.
Well, to be completely honest, we havn't been totally idle. Construction has began on our new front deck. I promised Granny that I would start it as soon as we had a week off from selling BBQ so the work started this week. It will probably take a week or two working by myself to complete. It is going to make a big change in the front of our home. Wish we could post some before and after photos, but Granny or I neither one know how to post them.
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT THIS WEEK !!! We have a couple of younger horses that came from a rescue situation last year. That would be Star, and Blaze . They had not been worked with much when we bought them, and they had originally come from open range in N. Dakota near the Canadian border. On top of all that, with the abuse they had been through, they did not trust anyone. Well, I have been trying patiently for over a year to get a halter on Star. I could have just roped her and forced it on her, but would have destroyed the trust we have been working to build. Then, yesturday, I tried once more to slip it on and all of a sudden I'm standing there looking at her with a pretty pink halter on her head. WOW !! I thought it was just luck so today I went out and took it off her. Then she stood there and let me put it back on. Like I said, major accomplishment.
OK , Granny is looking over my shoulder saying, "Haven't you gotten that thing updated yet ?"
I think that is my que to go eat some ice cream so I'm out of here.

Via Con Dios DM

Another cool night

We have another cool night in store for us here at Poverty Flats. The temp. dropped to 42 last night. I was ouside cooking BBQ all night and it was pretty cool. I don't particularly like really cold weather, but after a really hot summer the cooldown feels pretty good. Guess we had better enjoy it while we can because as we all know, it is going to get a lot colder in the near future. I can just picture myself wadding through snow up to my beltbuckle to light a fire in the smoker to cook BBQ. South Texas was never like that !! Down there, when it gets too cold to go skinny-dipping in the Gulf, it's wintertime.
Well, the weatherman on the local TV station says it is going to start warming back up tomorrow. Hope he is right for a change. We have a big festival over at Girard KS this Saturday that will run from 9am until 10 or 11pm. The weather is supposed to be great with temp in the low 80's and sunny all day. We are expecting to do really well at this event. It will be our first time to sell BBQ in Kansas. Those folks just don't know what they have been missing.
We have had an unbelievably great festival season this year. The response to our BBQ has been far and away beyond anything we could have imagined. We have had the opportunuty to meet a lot of new people, we've had a great time doing what we do, and made a pile of money in the process. You just can't get much better than that !!!!!
We are still looking at landing a spot locally to set up and sell BBQ weekly thru the winter months. I just have to get back to the owner of the property and tie up the deal. We have gotten a lot of local name recognition this year and a lot of folks keep asking when our BBQ will be available locally. We are already doing some local catering and I think we will do well with the spot.
We have already added some new equipment to the BBQ truck and we will soon be adding to the menu as well. Soon we will be adding potato salad and cole slaw to accompany our already popular BBQ ranch-style beans. AND, as soon as we can get everything approved with the health dept., we will begin to bottle and sell our BBQ sauce. We still have to get our label designed, and still have to decide on a name for it. So far, we just call it 'our sauce '. Granny says we need to have a contest to find a good name for the sauce. Don't know. Maybe .
This has all just snowballed beyond the original plan of just once or twice a month to suppliment our retirement income. I guess it goes to show again that GOD's word is true. Jeremiah 33:3 says " Call on me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not ".
It's late, I'm tired, and a warm bed is waiting. Via Con Dios to all .
DM Pitmaster
Texas BBQ & Beans

Just Rambling

I'm quite sure that if I tried real hard I could come up with something really really witty to write about. But tonight, my brain is like a train on a siding idling. Lots of steam built up, lots of power, just itching to go, but just waiting for the light to change. Some days are like that. I think sometimes GOD allows us to have days like this to keep us humble. Life is not always fair, and either is most of the human race. It's kinda like climbing to the top of a tall, tall tree ( remember that thrill when we were kids ? ) and just about the time you reach the topmost branches you realize some idiot is down on the ground below with a chainsaw. Oh well, onward and upward !!!

Texas BBQ & Beans had a fairly good weekend. The weather was ideal for a festival. The town was small so the turnout wasn't all that great but we try to take them all regardless of size. This next weekend should be better. We will be at the Carl Jct MO Bluegrass and Craft Festival. This should be a lot of fun with Bluegrass bands playing almost nonstop from about 9 am until late evening.

Following that the following weekend Oct. 4th we will be back at Lamar MO for the Apple Festival. We were there last year and did very well.

We just booked a new date today. Looks like we will be going to Kansas for the next one. Girard KS is having their Fall Festival Oct. 11th. We havn't been there before so am not sure what we might expect but I feel pretty good about it . We havn't gotten into Kansas much yet but there are sure a lot of events going on over there. Their health dept. permit is kinda steep though. They allow you 9 free days a year and after that it is $400.00 per year. That sounds like a lot but when you consider that a good event will net you $ 1000. - $ 1500. per day, it's not all that bad.

Well, I'm running out of wit... As the old country song says," I'd A Wrote You A letter, But I Couldn't Spell Phtttttttttttt !!!!!! And That's All I've Got To Say".. And that's all I got to say for now.
Via Con Dios, DM

PS Jesus said to love them who say all manner of evil against you. I don't wanta, but He said it and I gotta.

Our big beautiful babies

Well here we are at Poverty Flats out taking care of the big babies in the pasture. Those horses just want LOTS of attention and love. They manage to get it too. They have been talking to me while I fed them this evening. Well Tx. B-B-Q and Beans is getting ready to do another day tomorrow. This is just a one day festival and not near the large money maker the last ones have been but still lots of fun and profitable none the less. The truck will leave at 5:00 in the morning to get there and fire up the smoker so things will be ready and hot for all the hungry folks. Am I going with the truck at that ungodly hour of the morning?? NO I am not. But will go a little later when the Pit Master really needs help. I really enjoy the smaller ones best cause that gives us a chance to talk to people and get to know more about the area. Well guess must go and help with dinner will post and let you know how things went tomorrow. God Bless all of you, from us at Poverty Flats.

Busy Week

It has been a really busy week here at Poverty Flats USA. We started out having to replace the garbage disposal just before leaving town to visit Granny's family. And of course, as always with a plumbing repair, it just kept snowballing. It started out as a stopped up drain in the kitchen sink. Granny came outside where I was working and said the drain was stopped up and that if I knew what was good for me I better come right now and fix it !!! Well, being the somewhat less than master plumber that I am, I did what any fix-it expert would do. I poured a qt. bottle of Liquid Lightening (sulfuric acid, for the uninformed) down the drain and waited. Didn't work!!!
So, I poured yet another qt. bottle down the drain. Well, the drain still didn't open up, but the garbage disposal sure did!!!!! That stuff ate holes in the disposal !! I had sulfuric acid all over the kitchen floor. Good thing we have clay tile floors. Granny got some on her jeans and had to throw them away. I told her to keep them because with all the holes, they were in style. Granny didn't see the humor in it that I did. Well, we finally got the drain open. And, we really needed a new disposal anyway, so I guess it wasn't all bad. I'm thinking seriously about giving up shadetree plumbing. It's really a dangerous vocation anyway. First the exploding toliet, then this. Oh, I forget to tell you about the toliet. But we'll save that for another time. I think there are still pieces of porcelin scrapnel stuck in the bathroom walls.
Have a great week. Via Con Dios DM

LABOR DAY AT LAST !!!!!!

Well, labor Day weekend has come at last. Those of us who really don't care for hot weather look forward to this weekend all summer. Can't say I particularly like cold weather any better, but Fall is a nice time of year. I like it best when we have to wear long sleeve shirts or light jackets. And the ticks we have down here in Poverty Flats carry switch-blade knives. I sure won't miss them !!
We have had a really great Labor Day weekend for Texas BBQ & Beans. We were out at MOKAN Dragway last weekend for a 1 day race, then this week, it was the big NAPA Labor Day Race that is quite a large event in this area. We sold out last weekend, and came very close to it again this week. Profit wise, we did exceptionally well. But, we also made a lot of new contacts for future business.
Our schedule looks pretty busy for the near future.We will take next weekend off,( gotta go fishing ) then back to cooking BBQ. We will be at Diamond MO Sept. 12-13 for the GEM CITY DAYS; Liberal MO on Saturday, Sept. 20th for PRARIE DAYS ; Carl Jct MO Saturday Sept. 27th for the BLUEGRASS & CRAFT FESTIVAL ; and Lamar MO on Saturday OCT. 4th for the APPLE DAYS FESTIVAL. WE will try to keep this updated a little better in the future. We've had a great season so far and are already looking toward next year with bigger and better things at Texas BBQ & Beans.
OK , LABOR DAY is supposed to be a holiday, and my plans for the remainder of it is to LOAF..... ABSOLUTELY DO NOTHING BUT LOAF, and when it is over, I'm going fishing!!!!
Anyone care to join me ??? NO???? OK, see you when I get back.
Via Con Dios, DM
Pit-Master, Texas BBQ & Beans

Quiet on the home front

Not much happening here at Poverty Flats USA. Took Granny to her doctor for a follow up today and went by the clinic to pick up my med refills. Doc said Granny could go back to work anytime she feels like it. She says she don't feel like it and that's all we are going to say about that !!@ After we got back from town, things really got exciting. I sat out in the garden and watched my beans sprout. Then I watched the dust settle on my pickup. Believe it or not, there are times when things aren't near this exciting around here. Occasionally, it gets downright boring. Oh well, onward and upward.

Looks like we are going to have a full house for Labor Day weekend. Linda is coming up from Arkansas, and Don W. and family is coming up from South Texas. Looks to be a great holiday.

We will be taking Texas BBQ & Beans to MOKAN Dragway Labor Day weekend also. We are scheduled there Saturday and Sunday , the 30th and 31st. This promises to be a really big event and we will have plenty of world class BBQ on hand including Pulled Pork, BBQ Beef, Smoked Sausage and of course our now famous Ranch style BBQ Beans. WOW, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Next year, we are planning to add a large commercial cooler to our BBQ van so we can carry and serve cole slaw and potato salad. Granny's recipes for these two dishes are second to none !!!!!!! But, we don't currently have the cooler space to carry them. Slowly but surely, we are growing.

Well, it's time for supper, Granny's ringing the cow bell. From us to you, Via Con Dios DM

Granny says I better update

Guess I better get to hunting and pecking, Granny says we need an update. I was just sitting here wasting all this intellect anyway so why not ? Some days I just amaze myself with my wit and wisdom and other days I'm about as witty as a bug on the windshield of an 80 mph Peterbilt. I think maybe the humidity has something to do with it. I'm sure most of us have days like that .
We have been getting ready for a garage sale tomorrow. It should be a good day for it since the rain has been taken out of the forecast. Granny and I are garage sale addicts. We go to these sales, buy a bunch of junk that we will probably never use, then have to have a garage sale to make room for more junk. But, we have fun and meet a lot of people so it's not a total waste.
Labor Day is coming up fast, and we at Texas BBQ & Beans are about to get as busy as a long tailed tomcat in a room full of rocking chairs. After this weekend , we have only one weekend free until sometime in November.
Until next time........ Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster at Texas BBQ & Beans

Not much going on

Pretty quiet around Poverty Flats today. The weather is sure a lot more pleasant than it has been. I think it is only about 80 outside right now. It will get hot again no doubt, but it won't last long. We're starting to see a few leaves turning red in the Dogwood trees and the Blueberry bushes. They are usually some of the first to start changing. Fall will be here next month. WOW !!!!! where has the Summer gone ? It's amazing how fast the seasons come and go as we get older. Remember when you were a kid, and Summer lasted for a whole year ?? At least it seemed the long. But of course, when I was a kid, I lived in Key Largo Florida and Summer really did last all year.



Granny is starting to get around much better now although she is still sore. She's talking about going back to work in a week or two. Don't know if she will go back to the same type of work or not. Whatever she decides will be ok.



We have been canning tomatoes today. Sure is a lot of work to get all those things in the jars but it is certainly worth it when you are through. We have canned green beans, pickled beets, jalapeno peppers, salsa, blackberry jam, yellow pear tomato preserves, and strawberry preserves as well. Sometime later in the season we will make and can some green tomato pickles. Those sure go good with fried catfish, pinto beans, and hot cornbread. I'm making myself awfully hungry. Think I'll go help Granny fix supper.



Via Con Dios, DM

Relief at last

Finally, a little relief from the heat !! We had a cool front move thru today and broke the heat wave we have been suffering under for the last couple of weeks. It sure feels better outside tonight.
Granny is feeling much better too. She is still really sore, but she is on the phone so that is a good sign. Anytime she feels too bad to talk on the phone, she REALLY feels bad. She's already talking about going back to work. HA. She won't be ready for that for at least 2 weeks.

Well, Texas BBQ & Beans is going back to Noel MO this weekend and probably next weekend as well. After that it is 2 weekends at MOKAN Dragway, the last of which will be Labor Day weekend. Then, in Sept. we are booked for 3 or 4 weekend festivals. Most of October and the first part of November is booked also. After that, most of the festivals will be over until next Spring. We are working on a local spot to sell BBQ thru the winter so we will be very busy for a while.

I think, when the festival season ends in November, I will travel to my old home town down in the Smokey Mountains of East Tennessee. Erwin Tennessee is a little town that is located in Unicoi County. Unicoi is an Indian word that means "The Beautiful Valley". The town itself sets in a valley that is surrounded by mountains on all sides. It borders North Carolina, divided by the Appalachia Trail.
I have a lot of relatives in that part of the country, some I would like to see once more, and some I wouldn't. I have an uncle, Alvin Miller , who I have stayed really close to over the years. Also have an aunt, Thelma Querry, who I will visit while I am there. My uncle Alvin turned 85 on his last birthday, July 4th. He called me to tell me he had gotten a brand new wife for his birthday!!!! Boy, was he happy .... I think that was his 9th one !! I don't know if the's the women he likes , or if he just enjoys the ceremonies.

Well, think I'll quit for the night, my fingers are tired. As always, from me to you......
Via Con Dios DM

Granny's all patched up !!!

Well, we took Granny down to the big city hospital today, where she had surgery to remove her gall bladder. Beat's me why GOD ever put something in us that we can live without and often are better off without ! ! Don't know , but that's going on my list of things to ask about when I graduate to Glory. Anyway, she is doing very well , all things considered. She is still pretty groggy tonight and no doubt will be really sore tomorrow but she did get to come home this evening and is in bed asleep. Doctor said she will be fine in a few days but for now she needs lots of rest. Life around Poverty Flats is not always very restful but for now it will have to be.

We just wrapped up the big Emancipation Day festival in Joplin MO yesturday. Can't say a whole lot about it except it was NOT what we were led to believe it was going to be. It turned out to be more of a Democrat Party rally and fund raiser for the black community. I can assure you that many of the black people are a lot more prejudice toward white people than we are toward them. Don't believe that ???? Think about this... A black man, in a crowd of whites will usually be accepted with little or no problem... Most white folks don't want to be thought of as racist. BUT....... a white man in a crowd of blacks, especially at a place that is considered to be a black event, is very often made to feel like an intruder. I believe that GOD loves us all regardless of our skin color, and if a person's heart is right with GOD there is no place for racial prejudice.
Not sure how I got off on that, but there it is.

Must go, my beauty rest calls........ Via Con Dios DM

Heard a preacher one time say, "Be very careful what you pray for because when GOD starts answering your prayer HE will, according to scripture, open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings you will not be able to hold. Well, we here at Poverty Flats USA felt it was time to pray for a little bit of rain for our gardens. We prayed real hard, two or three times. Even prayed with our eyes closed !! Well, today about 5:00 pm, GOD opened the windows, AND the doors and dumped almost 3 inches of rain in 90 minutes !!!! We're not going to pray that hard again for a while !!!!!!
Seriously, GOD really does hear and answer our prayers. Not always the way we expect, but HE does answer. If you need HIM, HE is always there. GOD's phone # is found in the Old Testament, Jeremiah 33:3 where he says " Call on ME and I will answer thee, and show you great and mighty things which thou knowest not. "
It's BBQ time again. This weekend we will be close to home in Joplin MO. We will be at an event called Emancipation Days. It will run Aug. 1-3. Hope to meet a lot of new people there. One of the side benefits to our business is that we get to meet so many new people and visit with them.

Well , as happens each day about this time, we come to the close of another day. I remember a prayer we recited as children long ago, " If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. " I'm going to sleep knowing that no matter what happens between now and morning, GOD is still in control of my destiny.

Until next time, from me to you, Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster Texas BBQ & Beans

Getting Hot

It's finally starting to get hot around Poverty Flats. Temperature has been in the 90's every day for the last couple of weeks. Going to get a lot hotter before the summer is over so guess we better not complain yet. There is plenty of outside work to be done around here but my will to do it weakens as the mercury rises. Anyone remember what life was like before air conditioning was in every home ? I do, but it gives me a headache to think back that far. Besides, I have a theory, I think as we get older we feel the temperature extremes more than when we are younger. Don't have any hard evidence , but it sure seems that way.

Well it's getting about time to start cooking BBQ for the next festival. We have an event coming up soon that will keep us stepping . This is an annual event in Joplin MO called the Emmancipation Days Celebration. This is a 3 day event that runs August 1-3. It is a large event that will see a very large attendance. After that, we will do a couple more in August then in Sept. we will be at festivals almostevery weekend thru the end of Oct. We are also waiting for word on a site we are hoping to get in Webb City MO on a regular weekly basis. This will keep us busy with BBQ year round. Well, there goes retirement !!
One quick update on the BBQ, we added BBQ beef to our menu along with the pulled pork and it is in high demand. At the last event, in Noel MO, we sold out of BBQ beef by the second day.
We also make our own BBQ sauce that is as good as it gets. We always offer our own sauce, along with KC Masterpiece to give folks a choice. We are using 2 bottles of our's to 1 of KC. Don't mean to brag, but it's just good !! One man, down at Noel, said " those folks at KC Masterpiece are going to have to go some to beat your's." We still don't have a name for our sauce yet. Maybe someone has some ideas ??

Well, I guess I have rambled on long enough. Think I will go and smell the flowers for awhile. Until next time, Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster Texas BBQ & Beans

Grannys Home

Well, we brought Granny home from the hospital this evening. Things weren't quite as bad as we feared. The heart doctor said there were no blockages, but she does have a weak muscle in the front part of her heart. She will have to take it easy for a while. Which probably means we will have to use leg shackles and handcuffs. Granny is an extremely strong-willed person and doesn't take well to being reduced to an idle. She'll just have to get used to it because my job is to see that she does! !! At least this was found early enough, before any real serious damage could be done.
I guess when we get to be old folks we just have to make some ajustments in our lifestyles. It's not always easy to accept these things but there is very little we can do but go with the flow. I have known people over the years who are terrified of getting old. But when we really think about it , it's just a natural part of life. The thing most folks are afraid of is the unknown factor. But , when we know the ultimate future, know what is waiting beyond this life, that fear of the unknown quickly fades away.
Until next time, as always , Via Con Dios DM

Great 4th of July weekend

WOW !!!!! What a weekend we had at Noel Missouri this year !!! We were at the local grocery store in their parking lot, about 1 block from the Elk River. We sat up operations there about 9am Thursday morning and were there until 9pm Saturday night.
There sure was a lot of people there. A lot of people who was hungry for BBQ. Thursday was not really that busy, Friday got a lot better, then Saturday we got slammed. There was so many people , Granny and I would never have been able to keep up with it. But, our daughter Linda came up from Arkansas to help, and the three of us held our own against the hungry multitudes.
Linda said she was working to pay for the BBQ she ate. WOW!!! I didn't know a skinny little white girl could eat that much !!!! ( Just joking Linda ) Really , her and Granny both did a great job.
All said and done, we sold a lot of BBQ and made a little money too. But more than that we met a lot of new people, and had a great time.
Wer have a couple of weeks slack time to get things caught up around Poverty Flats USA then it will start getting very busy almost every weekend right up until the first of November. After that who knows ??
Well, today is Granny's birthday and I promised to take her out for dinner. Gotta run.....
Until next time, as always , Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster at Texas BBQ & Beans

Quiet on the home front

Pretty quiet around Poverty Flats this morning . The girls, Kelsey and Hurricane Hailey, are still asleep and Granny is way off up north near the Arctic Circle in a place called Fairfax MO. About all that can be heard is the sound of thunder and rain. (of course, what else ?)

I began this day early (5 AM) by firing up the smoker and starting to cook the BBQ that Texas BBQ and Beans is so very good at. Today we are doing 10 pork butts and 2 beef shoulder clods. That is about 110 lbs. of meat. Not a particularly big order but enough to keep me busy. When we get really busy, and load it heavy we can do around 400 lbs. We really need to think about adding a much bigger smoke, I guess.

I can hardly wait until the shoulder clod is done. You would think that cooking it all the time, a person would get tired of BBQ, but folks, it just ain't so !!!!!! Imagine if you will, the great flavor of a BBQ 'd brisket, then add the flavor and juciness of a chuck roast. Combine that with the tenderness of prime rib, and you are getting close. I guess , if you have never had the joy of tasting beef shoulder, BBQ'd as it is done South Texas style you will just have to try it at the first opportunity.

Speaking of opportunity, we will be a Noel MO. for the 4th of July holiday. We will be set up in the Harp's grocery store parking lot July 3rd - 4th- 5th. This is about 1 block from the Elk River . Canoeing and floating the river sure works up an appetite ( for BBQ ) We will serve our own Pulled Pork, BBQ Beef and of course the Ranch Beans that are a full meal in a bowl. WOW !!!! You just can't beat that !!
Well, I've done gone and made myself hungry so I'm going to go have breakfast. I think the girls are awake now anyway.
Until next timeas always , Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster at Texas BBQ and Beans

Just Rambling

Sitting here in the early morning quiet, hot coffee in hand, my thoughts again begin to ramble.
In a time far removed, this great land we live in and call home was vast and uncivilized. Or at least as we know it today. It was populated by many different "tribes" of people who by today's standards were savage, heathen, uncivilized , etc.
For the most part, they had no organized form of government as we know it. Therefore there was no taxes, there was no government bureaucracy, and certainly no election campaigning every couple of years to fill the TV time. In fact, there were no TV's, so no commercials with all their mindless drivel to tell us and our children what we just can't live without. Believe it or not, the children actually survived, without it !!!! And HEY, folks, there were no soap operas, and no bare butts for all to see on the screen. And guess what ??? No divorce court, no people's court, there weren't even any lawyers !! Can you imagine that !! A day without Judge Judy ??
There was no known so-called 'social diseases', no abortions , or medical malpractice. No water and air polution. And I'm fairly certain they had no traffic jams and no one to run stoplights.
No light bills to pay , and no gas shortages.
Then, the great wave of people, the civilized world , began to discover this great land and began to come by the multitudes. They landed, took a look around, and said " We will make this a better place !!!!" And the rest is history !
I for one, am proud , as is my wife, to be descended from these people who first inhabited this great land , these "savage heathen people" who have contributed so much to America.

Well, enough of that. See what happens when Granny allows me to play with the computer all by myself ? Have a great day !! Via Con Dios DM - pitmaster , Texas BBQ & Beans

How time flys

I've heard it said that time flys when we are having fun. I guess that is so in most instances . For example, here we are at the end of another long week of holding things together. The Wolf is knocking at the front door, the Banker is at the back door, and the IRS is watching all the windows. The rabbits have ate most of our bean patch and the birds, after visiting the mulberry tree, are leaving purple patches all over our car and pick-up. The grass is growing so fast that it has to be mowed every week . My yard tractor is old and crotchity and burns about $10.00 in gas everytime I mow. We got a thank you letter from IRS telling us our Economic Stimulus check just about covered last years taxes. Our roof has a leak, our floor has a crack, and the bathroom sink is not draining very well. My arthritic back is killing me, and my dog has fleas. BUT...............!!!!!!! time sure is going fast so we MUST be having fun.
Soon we will get back to talking about BBQ but til then we'll just keep on having fun. Via Con Dios DM Pitmaster - Texas BBQ & Beans

Diamonds in the rough

I'm reminded for some odd reason, of a song the late John Denver sang. "Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. Sometime the hard times just won't leave me alone." Some days really are like that I guess. I think maybe that the bad days are really good in a way, because they teach us to toughen up. If everyday was "Diamonds" we would get so used to it that when a bad one came along,( and they most certainly will ) we would be grossly unprepared to handle it. I would love to wake up every morning and start my day by saying " Good morning, LORD !! " But in fact, lots of mornings it is rather," Good lord, morning ??" I think maybe if we can just manage to keep the two of then balanced, enough bad to keep us humble and enough good to keep us going, we can get through this life in pretty good shape. GOD created this world we live in and has given each of us the privilege of living in it. I guess we can at least give it our best shot. I think that as this day finally draws to a close, I will lay all my burdens and cares, problems and pain at the foot of the cross, trust it all to the Savior's hands, and go to bed. Tomorrow promises to be DIAMONDS.
And you probibly thought I was just going to talk about BBQ tonight. Oh well, you've been wrong before.
Via Con Dios DM

GREAT FATHERS DAY

Fathers Day has come and gone at Poverytflats. All and all it was a great day. Got lots of cards , phone call, gifts and Lots of little girl hugs from grand daughters. This is what happens when you have lots of kids. Some like you , some don't but the trick is to have enough to ballance it all out.
Things are still busy at Povertyflats ! This never changes EVER!! When things slow down around here it gets scary. I guess being busy is better than being bored tho. The weather around here is not boring tho it will change with every hour it seems. It has rained it seems forever and the yard is so soggy it is like walking on a giant sponge.
The up side to all this is the garden is growing great if you can keep the bunnies out of the beans. That is a real chore unless you enjoy eating bunny. Have already harvested onions, squash, strawberries and raspberies. Beans are almost ready to pick a and tomato's are coming on strong. Will start picking them within 2 weeks.
We have had one weekend off from B-B-Qing but will begin again next week and will stay busy with that the rest of the summer and fall. More news on that later.
Till next time as always Via Con Dios DM

Same Old Stuff

Well, not much new here at Poverty Flats this week. More rain, and then more rain. The sun is shinning bright today, but the forcast for tomorrow is , of course, more rain. I don't think it will ever dry out around here.
This is the first weekend in over a month that we have not been somewhere selling BBQ. We like to do BBQ but a weekend of rest is needed ever so often. But, never fear, we will be busy again starting next weekend.
We will have to start cooking again the later part of this week. Will probably add some brisket to the menu this time. We have been featuring pulled pork at most of the events so far, but are starting to get more calls for brisket now so will do our best to supply the demand.
Our BBQ brisket, like our pulled pork, is second to none. It is dry rubbed with our own rub recipe then marinated overnight in refrigeration. After that, it goes into the smoker for about 18 hr. of slow steady wood smoke. When it comes out, it can literally be cut with a paper knife !! Tender, juicy, spicy, and oh so good !!!!! Makes me hungry just talking about it.
Another planned addition to the menu is an item I picked up from down in the South Texas area years ago. I used to stop and visit with an old fellow who sold some of the world's best BBQ from a little mobile stand on the outskirts of Houston. Beef clod, or shoulder clod, is the entire beef shoulder. This is the area from which we get chuck steaks, chuck roast, ground chuck, etc.
The whole shouler is placed in the smoker, and when it comes out, is nothing short of world-class BBQ. It yields both sliced and chopped BBQ , depending on personal preference.
Well, I have some serious loafing to get done today so better get started so I can try to get it all done. May GOD bless you real good today. VIA CON DIOS DM Pitmaster at Texas BBQ and Beans

Great BBQ Weekend

Well, we survived the weekend festival at Greenfield, MO in pretty good shape.
It started out as an almost disaster. I left home about 5:30 am on Friday morning going to Greenfield, and about 10 mi from home blew a steering tire on the truck.
With the smoker trailer on behind, it was quite a ride. The skid marks indicate that it took 2 lanes of highway to get it under control and on to the shoulder of the road. There I sat with the smoker full of meat, the coolers full of soda pop, loaded to the max with supplies, AND NO SPARE TIRE !!!
Well, I called home and said " send the calvary". Needless to say, my family did as they always do in a crisis. They scrambled, and put together a rescue effort that saved the day. My daughter-in-law Danielle, and my grandson's wife Katrina brought my pickup, the tent and some tables. We transfered everything on the side of the road, left the mobile kitchen setting, and went on to Greenfield. I arrived there by 8:00am. Just in time to set up and get ready for the festival to begin.
Friday was a pretty fair day for sales but nothing to brag about. Then on Saturday morning at 6:15am a severe thunderstorm blew in and knocked down about half of the booths. Ours was intact but everything was wet.
The fire dept., which was supposed to have their annual BBQ chicken dinner at 11:00 decided to cancel due to the late start from the storm. Needless to say, this left a lot of people in town hungry for BBQ, and only one place to find good BBQ, that being none other than Texas BBQ and Beans. Well, we sold BBQ and beans until our arms were about to drop off. We sold out of beans, cooked more, and sold out again. I had taken 3 cases of buns for sandwiches, sold out of them. Frances brought 2 more cases fron Joplin when she came up that morning and we came close to selling out of them. All in all, we sold a lot of BBQ !!!!!!
Have to get ready for the event at Kellogg Lake in Carthage MO. this next weekend. This will be a little different type of event. It is an event to promote clean water in the Ozarks. There will be a lot of display booths and we have been invited to supply the food concession so it will be interesting to see how itcomes out.
Well, I have to go, it's past time to feed the horses so I have to go be busy for a while. Take care, God Bless, Via Con Dios DM

It's Friday, But Sunday's Coming

Yes, it's Friday, end of another busy week at Poverty Flats USA. We have been super busy putting the final touches on the mobile kitchen . Everything on the inside is pretty much finished as of today. We can hardly wait to put it to work next weekend at the Greenfield MO "BUFFALO DAYS" festival. We will be there for two days. Should be a really busy time if the weather is good. That, of course, will be a matter of prayer for us this week. You can pray too if you want. We need the prayers and most folks can use the practice !!
Things are starting to look pretty good for our BBQ business thus far. We have a good chance to start setting up in the Walmart parking lot one day a week if we want. Don't know if we will or not. Our original plan was to do only festivals and events. However, the demand for our BBQ has become greater than we had ever hoped to imagine.
Well, there IS other things in our lives besides BBQ. The horses, Shasta,Amy, Star and Blaze are looking really good now that they have lost their winter coats. Shasta, at 16 hands, and about 1100 lbs is the undisputed head mare. She's the boss and everyone else knows it. She's an 8 yr old Tennessee Walker, and quite possibly the most magnificent animal in the world. Yet she is so gentle our 5 yr old granddaughter can ride her.
Amy is almost 5yrs old , a beautiful breeding stock Paint. She is just a big baby who loves to be petted , and thrives on attention
Star and Blaze are both almost 2 yrs old. Both are Quarter Horses but Blaze looks to have some Mustang blood in her. Both of them are rescue animals. They were about 15 mo old when we bought them, and they were a pretty sorry looking sight. In fact, they both looked so bad we almost left them. They were literally skin and bones, covered with sores and have been ran through barbed wire and had some very bad cuts. But, they touched our hearts, and we bought them for $40.00 each. Good nutrition, love, and time have worked wonders on both of them. So there is a look at that part of our lives.
It's late, Granny just left for work, the granddaughters are in bed , so guess it's time for me to go check out the ice cream options. I'm getting old and need my ice cream everynight.
Goodnight, Via Con Dios DM

Time flys when we're having fun

WOW, can't believe a week since the last post !! We have been busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest !!
We have finally just about finished with the mobile kitchen. Just a little more inside work. Sure will be nice to be able to work with it. We just got home from Lamar MO about an hour ago where we worked a festival today. Had to use the old tent and tables, and it rained just about all day. BUT, we sold a boatload of BBQ. We sold out of just about everything. Can't imagine what it would have been like if the weather had been better. As it was, we had people standing 6-8 in line to be served IN A THUNDERSTORM YET !!
Well, we have 2 weeks until the next event in Greenfield MO. Which is located on the south end of Stockton Lake. And that will be Memorial Day weekend. Guess I had better start cooking tomorrow.
But for tonight, it's boots off, big feet up and a much needed rest.
Til next time, Happy Trails DM Pit Master

It's Sunday !! Time To Rest

It's been a really busy week here at Poverty Flats USA. God gave us 6 days to work and 1 to loaf. Well I don't think HE said it quite like that but you get the idea. I havn't even breathed hard yet today. Good time to take a rest because next week promises to be even busier .
The mobile kitchen will be mostly finished this week and we will fire up the big smoker about mid-week. We usually start cooking a couple of days before a festival or event. It takes 1 day to apply the rub and let it marinate the meat, about 24-26 hours to cook, and another day to cut,chop, and wrap the finished product. So, it takes about 2-3 days of preparation for a 1 day event. I'm quite certain there are faster ways to prepare and cook the meat, BUT, there is NONE, I repeat, NONE BETTER. We at Texas BBQ and Beans cook the best BBQ in this area. The only place I know of that possibly does a better job of BBQing is a place called Heinz BBQ way down in South Texas in Wharton, TX. It sets on US hwy 59 about an hours drive southwest of Houston. And on a good day you can smell the BBQ smoke all the way to Dallas. We cook Texas-style BBQ in much the same way it is cooked in South Texas which is where I learned a lot of the basics.
If you are ever in the area and looking for really great BBQ pulled -pork, brisket, and hands down bet BBQ beans on earth, look us up and be ready for a trip to BBQ heaven.
Well, enough tooting my own horn, Granny is out brushing the horses and I promised to be right behind her. Just don't think I told her how far behind her I would be. Gotta go, happy trails, via con dios DM

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It sure has been a nice day here at Poverty Flats today . Granny and I planted a flowerbed today. She had a bunch of stuff she wanted planted and I had some too so we decided this would be a great time to Getter Done. We planted some gladolias, dalias, cosmos and zinnias. Don't know how we would have gotten it all done if Hurricane Hailey hadn't been there to help!! She has to be in the middle of everything that's going on, no matter what it is.
Work is progressing well on the mobile kitchen. The counters are in and finished as of today. We got a good start on the sinks and will probably finish that tomorrow. After that we'll finish the electrical system and it will be just about finished on the inside.
We're gearing up for the upcoming festival season starts a week from Saturday at Lamar MO. That will be the Trunan Days Arts and Crafts festival. Lamar is the birthplace of Harry Truman thus the name.
After that, we have two more festivals booked for later in May also. Next is the Buffalo Days at Greenfield MO on the 23rd and 24th , then a new event at Kellogg Lake in Carthage MO on the 31st. WOW, this was supposed to be a retirement venture !!!! Well, at least we're off to a good start this year. We have bookings throughout the summer which will be posted at a later date.
Well Granny is threatening me with a bowl of ice cream ( low- carb, but good ) so guess I better land this thing right about here.
Good night and may God Bless !!!!! DM

Fixin Fence

Well it finally happened the light gage wire that was up when we bought poverty flats got broken what with the horses trying to reach the grass on the other side of the fence. They didn't get out tho thank goodness. We live about a block and half from a very busy street. So Don and Josh was off to fix the thing and now we will have to replace the llight wire with some heavier gauge wire. Knew we would have to just hadn't gotten around to it yet. We will have to get in gear now tho can see that. I didn't have to go help this time tho cause son Josh was home this time.
Well the weather is great here today tho just a little cool but still very nice. No coat needed today just long sleeves. The horses are just loving this weather and so am I. It was pretty cold last night tho 38 degrees but guess didn't frost and kill the tomato plants and peppers nor any of the other flowers or veggies. At least don't look like it yet and it is noon here now . Well guess i will get off here and help around here for now. The fence is fixed and Don is mowing So i can rake grass for the horses now. Walk with God and enjoy life. More from Poverty Flats Later.FM

End of another busy day

Sure has been busy around Poverty Flats today. 'Course that ain't nothing unusual for here. With the horses, dogs, rabbits and two granddaughters( Hurricane Hailey, and her sister Kelsey), plus the BBQ business, spare time is a valuable commodity. I thought about asking GOD to grant me a little more time to rest, but I'm afraid HE would put me flat of my back again !!! No thank you !! I'd just as soon stay busy.
The work on the mobile kitchen is coming along pretty good right now. After finishing the floor, things started moving well. The two 8 foot counters are in and painted with a primer coat. Tomorrow, they get top coated with acrylic enamel, a sprinkle of silver glitter, then topped off with a clear coat of acrylic. Then, when all that is cured, the sinks will go in. After that the plumbing, and electrical system. Hope to have it all finished in a couple more weeks. That will be just in time for the festival season around here.
We had originally planned to only go to 1 or 2 events a month( you know, enjoy our retirement years ? ) but it's beginning to look more like a full time thing. We will be down at Noel MO for 4th of July weekend this year, and have been given an OK to set up there most holiday weekends. This is a really busy local tourist spot in the summer months, so should be really good for us. Also, we will probably be in Arkansas again this year for the "Bargains Galore on 64" event This is the home of the 150 mile long yard sale.
Well it's late, I'm in desperate need of beauty rest, so it's of to bed for this old fossil. Just remember, if you're not the lead horse on the trail, the scenery never changes. DM

Beautiful day here today

Hi there from Poverty Flats and it is a wonderful day too. Had to go to Sam's club and get some things for Texas B-B-Q Beans and of course we couldn't seem to get out of there without buying things for the house too. Trips to Sam's club can get expensive. Well the horses are really enjoying the weather and love the attention they get too. Josh went to have a tooth pulled (oooh no fun) and will be home in a bit. The rest of the bunch are playing out with the horses and I am trying to hide out least they find something else for me to do. I do hear it thundering tho now so I guess the sunny day is coming to an end soon. That was a sudden thing I hope it don't bring any surprise storms with it. Well will post more later maybe Don will get on here and let you know how the truck is coming along. FM

Beautiful day here at Poverty Flats

Well it has been one beautiful day here in our part of Missouri. Spent the day just working around here in the yard, playing with the horses and don mowed the yard. I raked up some of the grass too. Then it was on to working on the truck for the B-B-Q business. It is really starting to take shape now and is going pretty fast now. Don has planted garden and things are doing good so far. I have some flowers to plant also, some cannas and other things. Will try to get some pictures to post as things go along. It is so much fun to watch things take shape in the spring. Well am going to sign off and get some rest tonight will post more later. FM

Great Day to be Alive

This seems like a good time to update this site. It has been raining most of the night and everything is pretty soggy outside this morning. Can't really complain about that because it waited until we got the tomatoes and peppers planted yesturday. We planted 32 tomatoes, 4 bell peppers, and some beets. Still have to plant some hot peppers and a few other things later. So far we have planted beans,yellow squash, patty-pan squash, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, potatoes,and Texas 1015y onions. We put 12 wheelbarrows full of horse barn compost on both gardens so if something don,t grow, I quit !!!
So much for the dirt work. I'm getting tired again just thinking about it. Gardening is a lot of enjoyment but a lot of hard work too. Granny came out yesturday and watched me work for about 15 minutes and had to go in and rest for a while. Yep, that watching will wear you out real quick. You want to watch and not do too much of it.
Speaking of work, things are coming along pretty good on the BBQ truck. The red and white tile floor is in, and we are working on the countertops now. With any luck, in another week or so we will have them finished with the sinks in and the water tanks in place. Also working on the wiring system. I,m certainly NOT an electrician so every step of the process it's back to the manual to see where to go next.It's an exciting and fun project but I will sure be glad when it is done. We have other important things to get on with, like fishing and garage sale shopping and etc.
Well, breakfast is calling ! Guess we will just have a simple little breakfast of sausage links ,fried potatoes, biscuits and gravy, eggs orange juice,coffee. Just a few of the things that drive my doctor crazy. Wish you could be here, but since you can't we'll think of you while we eat.
Have a really great day and keep watch, soon the trumpet will sound. DM

Quiet night on the home front

It sure is quiet sitting here in front of the keyboard. Granny has gone to work, Kelsey and Hurricane Hailey have gone to bed , Josh is at work and Danielle just left for her job at Walmart. WOW!!!! This kind of quiet doesn't happen very often around here. Kinda spooky !! Oh well, morning will come soon enough and the girls will be rested and ready to rumble.
All in all, it's been a good day. We got a little work done on the truck in spite of the cold and wind. Got about half of the floor tile installed and it is starting to look pretty good. Soon as I figure out how to put a photo on here we'll post a few to show the progress.
Granny is feeling a little better but I think she will have to go back to the Doctor for more antibiotics before she is through with it. She is just really stubborn about going to the doctor when she gets sick She will just keep going until she can't go any more. Now I have told on her and everyone will know !!
It's supposed to get back in the 70's this week so maybe we will find some more mushrooms. Found about 20 day before yesturday. Need to get my tomatoes and peppers in the ground too. They should have been planted last week but it has been too wet.
Well I'm going to quit rambling and get off here. All y'all praying folks just keep it up. We need the prayers, and you need the practice. GOD bless and good night. DM

Rainy Night in Joplin

Don't think it will ever dry up around here. It has rained all night and everything that was starting to dry out is now waterlogged again. Just so one one thinks we're being too negitive, I'm happy to announce that the cracks in the ground from last summer's drought have disappeared.An old Indian I once knew said something about a silver lining behind the clouds. I don't think he ever spent the night in a wet tepee.Oh well, enough of that !!

We are still working on the BBQ wagon. We have looked all over the Four-State area for red floor tile. Had no idea that color was so hard to find. Originally, it was going to be black and white checked but our little 5-year old granddaughter Hurricane Hailey took one look inside the van and proclaimed "I want a RED floor". So,the search was on. Well, We just located red and white checked floor tile in Springfield this morning and will have it by the weekend. God is stil in the miracle working business !!!!!!!!

Granny (Frances) and I just celebrated our 30 year wedding anniversary this week and we are right back where we started from, good old Joplin MO. We've had a great time so far, but folks, it ain't over with yet.We still have a lot of life to spend together. Gotta run, my bread dough is comming over the top of the bowl.
If you do nothing else worthwhile today, live life like you would if you knew GOD was watching. DM

Beautiful day

Hi from Poverty Flats and hope you are all doing well today. I had to work last night. and will again tonight but then will be off till Thursday. So that really isnt bad. Don is the other half of this partner ship and he is out working on the B-B-Q truck today. It is a beautiful day here and I can't wait till it gets even nicer. We have had a LOT of rain here so it is still muddy here and the horses are sure dirty because of the mud. But wont be long and we will wish we had some of this rain. Oh well guess God just can't please us no matter what he gives us. Well i guess must get off here for now and help my sweetie so will try to post more tomorrow. Take care and as Bill says Walk With The KING.





q

Things are starting to dry out just a little here at Poverty Flats.It sure was rainning hard yesturday.In fact, it was rainning so hard at one time, the fish in our creek were wearing lifejackets. It's looking better today although you still want to keep your hipboots on most of the time around here. Well, enough of the serious stuff.
We are working like little ants trying to get the mobile kitchen up and running in time for the up and coming festival and BBQ season. We will be kicking off the season in just little over a month at Lamar,MO., on May 10. We are booking events now and are open to just about anything that is legal, moral, and profitable. The mobile kitchen is going to be a really great addition to our operation this year. It is being outfitted now with both dishwashing and handwashing sinks, hot water tank, fresh water and waste water tanks. Wiring is being installed to accomodate a 30 amp system for electrical needs. New red and white checked flooring and matching counter tops will accent the interior. All we need now is to find someone who knows how to cook BBQ !!!!!!
Look for more BBQ updates soon. DM -Grill master and chief honey-do'er

Up and Running

Okay folks Poverty Flats USA is up and running. There will be changes made as we go but now we can post. Thanks for your patients.