Summer in My Oklahoma

In early July, we made a planned journey to eastern Oklahoma, Lake Eufaula, and the little city of Stigler.  Our journey started through the area called the Cross Timbers because of the abundance of Black Jack Oak and other trees that was natural to this north/south belt through the center of Oklahoma.  Unusually late rain made the colors a vivid green, the color of life.


The wheat harvest was over and newly manicured fields were dotted with thousands of round golden bales of hay and the promise of a better winter for livestock with adequate feed.


In other fields, cattle stood in belly deep grass on land that had never known the touch of a plow.  Every possible breed was present and some fat and healthy mixed breed.  Like gems in fine jewelry, horses dotted the scene; thoroughbred, Morgan, Apaloosa, pinto, and Palomino.  This area has many large ranches and farms.


The streams and rivers had a goodly flow of water and ponds seemed to be in good condition.  A steady stream of wheat laden trucks was making their way to the ports of Catoosa and Muskogee; the grain to be moved by barges to New Orleans and shipped from there to other countries.


Our shopping trip to Stigler was interesting as you viewed the fellow shoppers; many Creek and Choctaw Indians, local residents, cowboys, farmers, and people like us who just  came to the lake for pleasure and shopped in Stigler.  The smell of the pines around the lake is always  refreshing.  


What a difference a few weeks can make.  As temperatures soar and rain is in abeyance, water levels are dropping.  The fresh smell in the air is replaced by the aroma of smoke.  Many homes have been lost to the range fires and firemen have been injured or suffered heat collapse.


Many of the neatly manicured golden fields have turned black and much cattle will be pushed early to market because of lack of water and graze.  Eastern red cedar that has encroached the land stands ready to explode in flame at the tiniest spark.  In the old standard, Oklahomans are helping each other.  It certainly isn't the first time that Oklahomans, and some of our neighboring states, are fervently praying for rain.  Please God, help us.