Red Dirt Rambler: A Melancholy Journey Through Foss, OK

This structure looks like it was formerly a church of some sort. I called. The sales price was $20,000 and it had been verbally sold, "...but if he doesn't come through, do you want me to take your name and number? Are you interested?" Well, I was interested, but not about buying it. I was interested in the history of the structure, how it came to be for sale, who decided to close it down...and why.

If you do a quick internet search on the contemporary status of Foss, Oklahoma you’ll find several summary terms that seem to attempt a wrapping up, tying down or finishing-off of the township:  “Ghost town; semi-vacated; being abandoned; only a few people left…”

A review of the history of Foss encapsulates quite a different picture from earlier years: “In its prime, the town had dozens of businesses spread a block north and south on Adams Avenue, and another block east and west on Main Street;” “Foss had two newspapers, the Foss Enterprise and the Foss Banner. It was served by the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (Rock Island) railroad;” and, “By 1912, Foss had an electric plant, two hotels and an opera house.”

I hadn’t completed an internet search, however, last week when I serendipitously turned off the interstate to finish exploring one last small town in rural Oklahoma.  I hadn’t looked at the map; I didn’t know there was a lake and wildlife refuge ahead of me only a few miles past Foss.

All I knew when I began circling the small town for signs of life was what the historical marker on the tallest point in town chose to share with me…the original settler group stayed closely together “for protection from the Indians,” Continue reading Red Dirt Rambler: A Melancholy Journey Through Foss, OK

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My Little Victory Garden: Bacon Fat Pepper Sauce Popcorn? Yeah!

It’s been a while since I’ve written a regular Victory Garden post.  I think I was too busy with my garden to write about my garden!  Practicing what I preach many times, I’m going to “break my work down into baby steps” by sharing ONE THING today.  What’s my one thing?  How to make an extremely low-cost, delicious-like-crazy snack for movie nights, times when you need comfort food or for a group of friends who could use a great side for their beer or soda pop. This is a “picture-story” post with a few comments here and there, so most all the instructions are in the photo captions…

Ingredients you'll need: bulk popping corn, "pepper sauce" (any type of vinegar with a cut up variety of peppers, marinated in the bottle at least overnight), and your saved bacon grease. Lard. Bacon fat...whatever you'd like to call it. To make my pepper sauce I pulled two jalepenos, about six Tabascos and a couple of Serrano chili peppers from my garden, diced them up and stuffed them into a 1/2 bottle of Champagne vinegar I had in my fridge.

Continue reading My Little Victory Garden: Bacon Fat Pepper Sauce Popcorn? Yeah!

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Barber Shop Theology – Directions

How many words are in the Bible? “In the beginning God . . .” Look, four words at the start.

“Yes, I am coming soon.”  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

See that? There are twenty more words at the end of the last book of the Bible.

I read somewhere that there are maybe a million words in the Bible. I spent my whole childhood hoping to find a genie in a bottle or get a wish; my goal was to ask for a million dollars. I figured a million of anything would be plenty.

Growing up in my dad’s barber shop taught me many life lessons. One lesson was how to give good directions. Quite often a stranger would step into the shop to ask for directions to a farm, or place like Boone, Broxton, Richard’s Spur or Porter Hill. Sometimes they would name a place three doors around the corner. A barber shop on Main Street was an easy find. Our directions went something like this: “Go up to the light (the only red light in town) and turn north, go `bout a half mile and turn back west. Head on out past the Sale Barn and go a `lil over five miles and turn right out there where the road bends. It’s just right there across a `lil-lo bridge.”  Continue reading Barber Shop Theology – Directions

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Tiger Woods Needs a Hug

by Rob Loeber

He’s not the most sympathetic figure.  He’s not easy to root for anymore and he’s made a colossal mess of his personal life.  But Tiger Woods could use a hug.

The man was once on top of the world.  Woods was at the pinnacle of the game of golf and on a collision course with history.  He was one of the most dominant, mentally tough athletes of all time.  He was married to a Swedish blonde so gorgeous that countries would go to war for her.  With that wife and two beautiful kids, the Woods’ looked like the family that comes in the picture with the frame you’d buy at Hobby Lobby.  In other words, Woods had it all.

Now he seems pathetic.

Everyone knows about his fall from grace off the course, his public humiliation, and his divorce.

But he’s just as pathetic on the golf course.  Thursday’s 77 in the first round of the PGA Championship was Woods’ worst first round at a major in his career.  He hit into 13 bunkers and played the last 13 holes at ten over par.  After the round, Woods called it a “calamity.” Continue reading Tiger Woods Needs a Hug

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Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.