THE PUMP

The old iron pump.

To the little kids this old pump seems to be one

of the biggest attractions at Fort Rock Family Camp.

It does not pump from a real well or cistern, but

in under it is a tank supplied with city water.

[O.K., country water]

I do not know how many times I have had to 

either repair or overhaul that old pump.  The 

kids just love pumping water for all they are 

worth.

LOW WATER BRIDGE

Low water bridge on the road going back to my 

"hide-a-way".

It sure does beat driving in city traffic.

2

One of our "low water bridges" in Madison County.

This one is at Clear Creek near Cliffy, Arkansas.

According to the Forest Service "topo." map it is fed

by two springs about one half of a mile up stream 

from this point.  I have been driving over it for over 

five years now and have never seen it dry yet.

One foggy morning I was coming down this road on

my motorcycle when suddenly I could not see the road

at all.  After stopping, clearing my face shield and

 looking around I could see that the water was running

over the bridge as in the picture above.  It was running

over only about three inches deep so it was no problem.

YE OLD HAND PUMP

This is an old fashion hand pump installed

at Fort Rock Family Camp for the kids.  It

seems to be about the most popular attraction

at the camp, at least for the smaller kids.

I do not know how many times I have had to

overhaul that pump.  But probably at least 

once every year or more often.

But if you could see the kids playing with

it and the fun they have with their water fights,

you would know that it is worth it.

CANNONS

My photo canon.

To guard against rascals.

My noise cannon.

(Grandkids love it.)

To guard the drive way.

Terry with his water cannon.

To get the kids all wet.

What kind of cannon do you keep around?

HERE'S PROOF

I live in the Ozarks.

God has allowed me to buy a little patch of woods

to go "hide" in when I need time out.

A short time back while there in the woods I sat down

and noticed this pretty little rock.  As I looked closely

at it, I realized that I had another fossil of a sea shell in 

my hand.  Thus far I have found more than a dozen 

fossils of sea shells in this patch of woods.  This 

particular fossil is only about 2" across.  It has the 

smallest shells I have found yet.  It is a cluster of about

 6 small shells.  Several still have fragments of the sea 

shell left in it to this day.

SO!

My topo map shows this property to be at an elevation

of 2000' above sea level.  And about 400 miles from

the closets sea.

How did these get into my woods?

"The flood continued for forty days,

and the water became deep enough

for the boat to float.  The water became

deeper, and the boat drifted on the surface.

it became so deep that it covered the 

highest mountain; it went on rising until

it was about twenty five feed above the

tops of the mountains."

(Genesis 7:17-20 TEV)

There you have it.  I have proof of it right here in the Ozarks.

SORRY.  Poor photographer.

WHEN LIFE IS DRIED UP

These pictures were taken

in a time of drought.

While studying satellite maps

I noticed that in the national

forest were groves of tress that

appeared to be lush and green,

while every thing else was

dead looking.

Yes, some of these groves had

streams running through them.

But not all. Some were a long

way from the stream or at a level much higher than the stream. These

pictures were taken in on of these groves.

Of the groves I was able to visit, there was one common factor. All were

relatively level. They were like bottom land, or a flood plain. Even those

much higher than the stream. The water did not just run off during a

rain like the rest of the forest, but had been retained and had to soak in.

Every thing around was dried up.

But these groves still had moist

soil and even mud puddles. As

you can see, even green leaves

and flowers - during a time of

drought.

Life tends to be like the time of drought. It tries to dry us up and blow us

away. But if we will spend time in the Word of God. Soak it up. Let it

saturate us. Then we can be like these groves, green while every thing

around us is drying up.

"Happy are those

who reject the advice of evil people,

who do not follow

the example of sinners

or join those who have no use for God.

Instead, they find joy

in obeying the Law of the Lord,

and thy study it day and night.

They are like trees

that grow beside a stream,

that bear fruit at the right time,

and whose leaves do not dry up.

They succeed in everything they do."

-Psalms 1:1-3 TEV