Early morning at the "house of hoot" is really something to get excited about! I made it through another night without fallin outta bed or dyin! Mosey'n outside as mr. sun is makin his appearance is really neat. A big blood red ball of fire is just breakin the horozin shrouded in the cool mist of "dog days" humidity. It won't be very long until the cool mist is gone and replaced by the swelterin, hard to breath, heat of the day. My many Maple trees, with their turn up leaves, provide very little relief in this kind of weather. My songbirds are even quiet now and will be so until about another month when the temps of fall start to come around again. Signalin the fast approaching cool fall weather that's about to make it's appearance and welcomed by my birds, old Calvin the cat and the old hick from the Little Muddy River Bottoms community. I can really enjoy those cool days --reminising about the past summer and what I didn't get accomplished and lookin forward to the coming fall--. Anticipating another cold winter, as ususal, and projecting what I can do to prepare before it makes it's presence known. I don't like snow, ice and brutal cold weather but I also detest this horrible heat wave we're havin right now too. I just can't function in this excess heat anymore--well outside that is. I can kinda lay around inside under a/c and do my plannin in here. I still get "ansey" and "chomp at the bit" when shut up this way but thats ok. I'll make up for it when the weather cools off a mite.

Well anyhow, ya'll keep'n out plenty of water and some grub for ya'lls birds and other critters? I hope so. We had a family of new critters to come visitin week before last. Mr and Mrs skunk with 3 little dudes. Lil Dumplin has a little concrete skunk on the back porch all painted up and really looks like one. I looked out the back door and Momma skunk and 2 young'uns had climbed the back step and was lookin at this little crete dude. They were also really smellin around lookin for grub I throw out for'm. I get tired of eatin leftover all the time so chunk'm out for the critters and old calvin the cat. These little dudes are alreay "stump broke" and know just where to look and what to expect! After all, they are my little friendly dudes and dudettes--gotta help'm out whenever I can.

All animals were tame and would interact with humans long time ago. All that changed after Noah loaded the ark and it landed. That day is approachin again when the Lion will lay down by the Lamb. A little Child shall lead them too! When Jesus Christ comes all will be like it should be! Are ya'll ready to meet Him? old hoot gibson, the luv'r of critters and cool weather, Gibson. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 08, 2001

Answers

Hoot, we are finally getting rain in Pennsylvania and cooler weather is on the way. Hang in there Grandpa Hoot, Winter and cooler weather is just around the corner! Don't get too close to your white-striped friends or Lil Dumplin won't let you in the air conditioned house, and you'll have to sleep outside!! Thanks for the good story with an excellent moral at the end! Keep up with the story telling Grandpa! God bless.

-- Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania (kirklbb@penn.com), August 09, 2001.