Big Blue Sky

Never let yesterday use up too much of today. -  Will Rogers

I love that big, blue sky when viewed in a rural setting.  I'm going to have to go  on a picture taking safari again since I've about used up my inventory.  But this one is worth bringing out...  It's been pretty cool here the last few days.  The weather sure is changeable.  Naysayers won't admit to any climate change taking place, especially so when the threat of action affects their pocketbooks.  Hell, we've got all that oil just sitting there waiting for the taking.  Maybe when it's depleted we can do something else.  You have to hand it to the lobbyists, they sure twist arms in Washington, North Dakota for that matter.  But then the people have a right to petition the government through their representatives according to the Constitution, so there you have it.

Lots of activity took place in Bismarck this past weekend.  The annual Capitol Affair took place on the capitol grounds.  I don't know how many vendors showed up, but there sure were a lot of them.  We didn't buy anything except two orders of tacos in a bag for noon lunch and a huge bag of kettle corn which we're still munching on.

A large chautauqua tent stood just off to the side, and that's where I spent most of my time.  North Dakota has some distinction with the chautauqua, but I'm not sure what.  Maybe, the first to do it.  Whatever, the four hour-long programs brought in some pretty heavy historical characters: General Stand Watie, General Ely Parker, General George Armstrong Custer, and President Abraham Lincoln.  Watie, a Cherokee from Oklahama, served as a Confederate general; Parker, a Seneca, became a civil engineer, then a friend of Ulysses Grant, and under Grant's order, composed the surrender documents for General Lee to sign at Appomattax; Custer, aw, come on, everyone knows who he is, and Lincoln, who we didn't stick around for since it was scheduled to run at 5:00.  We've taken chautauquas in every chance we get; they just don't come around very often.

Awhile back I picked up an old worn copy of Chet Huntley's The Generous Years.  Finally opening it yesterday, I found this passage that made me reminisce: "The harvest meals were shameless competitions of abundance.  Each ranch wife was a keen competitor for the ultimate decision of the threshing crew that she served the finest food of the season.  I am not certain about the justice of their decisions, but it guaranteed them a perpetuating array of food."  I still remember the good food we ate when Dad and his three brothers put up silage in the fall.  I don't know if the ladies were competitive, but mmm...

I wonder what Ole and crew have been doing lately -
Ole, Sven and Lars die in a tragic Lutefisk accident. They are met by God on the stairway to heaven.
God says, "There are 3,000 steps to heaven. It's very serious up there. I'll tell you a joke on each 1,000th step you reach. If you laugh you go to hell."
So they start walking and reach to the first 1,000th step. God tells a joke, Lars laughs out loud and goes straight to hell. Ole and Sven look at each other nervously.
On the 2,000th step God tells another joke, Sven tries his best but laughs and goes to straight to hell.
On the 3,000th step God tells the last and best joke, Ole doesn't laugh and proceeds to the gate.
Suddenly, Ole bursts out laughing hysterically. God asks, "What are you laughing about?".
Ole replies, "Oh dat's funny. I yust got da first yoke!".