Spending time with family is good for the soul

         It was one of those life moments that I will never forget.
        On Saturday, I traveled to Ames with my oldest nephew, Gavin, to help man his Boer Certified Meat Goat booth at the farmer’s market.
        It’s good to have a second person on hand at these events to help out when needed.
        We left at 5:45 a.m. as everything had to be set up and in place before 8 a.m.
       We had a good day and I met some nice folks. I walked around the market twice and stopped and visited with people, including one vendor selling fresh vegetables who I talked with about being from the south and enjoying okra.
        “I love okra,” he told me.
        Unfortunately, he didn’t have any for sale.
       Another family from Ames was selling homemade ice cream made in White Mountain ice cream coolers powered by an antique John Deere small gas engine.
        The market lasted until 12:30 p.m.
       After packing up, we traveled to Duff Avenue in Ames to fuel up at Casey’s and eat lunch at B-Bops. The drive through eatery was closed, so we traveled a few blocks to Culver’s, one of my favorites.
       After getting lunch to go and heading home, we were at a stop light in Ames when Gavin said something to me about the time he and I traveled to Iowa City to attend a post card show and enjoy lunch. I believe that was 2015 as Gavin was 15 at the time.
        “I’m returning the favor and you are going with me,” he said.
It was a nice moment and reminded me of the importance of family. And it was icing on the cake of what was already a great day.
       On the way home, we had to make a stop in Newton at a family member’s home. When we pulled into the subdivision, we saw a sign for a garage sale and had to check it out. It ended up being three garage sales.
         I stopped at the first house and it was stocked with all kinds of goodies. I ended up buying seven antique cast iron seed planter plates to hang up in the garage with my dad’s old saws, old singletrees and other farm implements. I always wanted a few after seeing them in the red barn at Helm’s place north of Montezuma. 
       I also bought a nice antique buck saw and a fence post driver with handles, a must need on any farm with fencing. I think the one we have is borrowed, so now we have a nice one to keep and use.
       I then made my way across the street where I found some Denim Days figurines. We have a bunch of the Denim Days figurines at our house, and I thought the price was right and bought five more for $5 each. We have way too many, but a few more isn’t going to take up too much space. True words from a mild hoarder.
     After stopping at Gavin’s home in Montezuma and unloading, we headed to my mother-in-law’s place north of town to watch the end of the Oklahoma Sooner vs UCLA softball game.
       The Sooners won the game, 1-0, and have one more game to play on Monday against the Florida Gators for a chance to make it to the finals for the fourth straight year. UCLA played them tough, but the Sooners prevailed with the great pitching by Kelly Maxwell, a cross-state OSU Cowboys transfer.
        As Debbie said, “she had ice in her veins.”
        I’m happy to be living in Iowa, but I will always be proud and cherish my Oklahoma heritage. My parents did their best to teach me right from wrong and share with me the truth of the Good Book. They took me to church and taught me to be truthful. They also taught me the value of hard work and giving my best in everything I do.
        No matter where life takes me in the days ahead, my wife, family and friends love me and that makes life good.
        Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.