Friday, September 23, 2016

A prairie autumn by the Little Missouri...







Seventy miles per hour down the highway, hanging out of the window with phone in hand.  That's how I captured the prairie autumn as we drove to town.  The droughthy year has taken a toll here.  You can see acres and acres of short, dry grass all along the Little Missouri.  The low pastures show a tinge of green near the river, and the Boxelder and Cottonwood trees are beautiful, golden dobs of watercolor, but pull away in the landscape and there is brown nothingness dotted with mounds of cow manure and prickly pear cactus.  It's been worse.  There is rain in the forecast.  We are hopeful....again.

The first photograph is of the little place we have along the river.  We haven't been able to graze the pastures yet this year due to the lack of water there.  The river is barely trickling, and besides it for water, the reservoirs are all dried up.  It's a rough and rugged place where we live.  One moment you think you're never going to make it through while counting the tenths and hundredths of inches of rain, and the next moment the heavens break open and blessed rain heals and renews the craggy, cracked land with a downpour.  It's a land where the temperatures can fluctuate 40 to 50 degrees in one day, where there is parched, scorching heat and cruel, blistering cold.  I call it The Land of Extremes.  We love this land like a mother loves her child -- despite its difficulties and defiance or its tender obedience -- there is unconditional love.  When it's green and bountiful, it's beyond belief.  When it's not, it's beyond belief.

8 comments:

  1. Wow, Jody. I'll pray for rain. Come to think of it, we haven't had any for quite a while either.
    The wind is so blustery today but the air is warm, almost hot.
    We have a new baby! I've been so busy with James and now our Jenny's family is moving in for 2.5 weeks while their house closes. Lots of family around! Thankful!
    Granny's a bit tired, but overjoyed.
    God be with you and yours, dear friend.

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  2. Sounds like you have to have a lot of trust in God for your future and contentment in your circumstances. I guess we all need both of those. Love your 70 mile an hour photos!

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  3. What is the old house in the second picture? Is it abandoned? The trees are changing already, it looks nice. I do hope you get rain. I think it is so pretty. Yes, its different living in the land of extremes. Nice too. I think. Its always nice to visit with you. Have a lovely weekend.

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  4. Work and pray, work and pray... and give thanks. That's the life to which you witness. XO

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  5. It has been dry here too ... until last week, when the rains finally came. I hope they're heralding the advent of fall. And I hope you get the weather you need. Beautiful pictures!

    xofrances

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  6. Oooh, I hope you've received some rain. Isn't it odd how some parts of the world are parched and others are drowning -- and, in your case, all along the same river! Happy Fall Jody!

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  7. These photos are so full of atmosphere, well worth risking life and limb. I hope you got some rain. We haven't had any of ages.
    Amalia
    xo

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  8. From here in the more gentle East, it seems like a scary land, only for the very brave of heart! It makes you strong, I guess. That old farmhouse in the photo looks so lonesome! Good job of photographing on the go :) May your rains come.

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