Midst the vast west Texas desert the fingers of the Davis Mountains tickle the tummies of passing clouds, till they laugh, till they cry... that at buttes feet, the prairie grass grows twixt mountain toes...
"Never thought I'd be sitting in a hunting stand, rifle in hand, eating Skeddadles, and stalking the elusive va'moose." A not so long ago petite Dafnie peeped semi-complaint, popped another Skeddadle past lips.
"Pronghorn antelope, not va'mooses." While setting up camera on tripod, Shylee huffed, rolled one good eye, the one not glass. "Just keep your itchy trigger finger in check." He brushed errant strand of scraggly hair out of that one good eye, added, "That 30-30 carbine is here only to protect us from getting eaten."
"Yeah, I am sort a allergic to mountain lions chawing on my innards." Her brunette ponytail swished as Dafnie giggled a tad too enthusiastically. "Crud, I think I peed myself."
"Serves you right," Shylee smirked, gnawed off chunk of mesquite smoked garfish jerky. "Although," conscience gave Shylee gnaw of its own, "although, I might ought a be a smidge more empathetic to my precious little Daffodil." To utter pet name for wife Dafnie more often than not warmed his heart, brought smile to bewhiskered face. "How a pretty little thing like you ever got tangled up with the likes of me is blessed mystery."
"Now don't you get all mushy on me, fat boy." Dafnie popped nother Skeddadle, elbowed Shylee in the ribs.
"Just cause I ain't purdy don't mean I'm mean," Shylee took nother garfish jerky chaw, added, "nor insensitive, although maybe a tad dense at times."
Dafnie opened box of WhaleAhoy chocolate balls, plowed into them like a truffle rooting pig.
"You might ought a... save some for later," Shylee had nearly said... that awfully said, being distracted and all, while making final camera adjustments.
"Well, now I'm out of Skeddadles and WhaleAhoys. Got any chocolate almonds, or better yet, chocolate chip almond cookies?"
"What? You done plowed thru all that plus a family sized bag of BBQ potato chips, another of corn chips and two cans of jalapeno bean dip. Not to mention..."
"Maybe some lemon pie, I can almost taste it, yum!" Dafnie near drooled.
"Why are you stuck in whiney land and why are you eating like a hippo?" Shylee winced at that unwise whining of his own, shut his one good eye, let out under breath, "Oh-h-h, no."
Dafnie's nose rabbit twitched a bit before sniffling. From her brown eyes only one wee tear fought to stay clear... of right cheek.
"Sorry," Shylee understated the self-inflicted damage to his own heart; turned attention from camera to Dafnie.
"Cause I'm getting fat..." Dafnie broke out in magpie cry. "Got any smores? I smell smores?" She blubbered some more.
"Women and their mood swings." Shylee rolled good eye, the one not glass, then like most stupid men wished he had not said that too.
Dafnie cut loose low moan whine, that gradually grew to full siren alert.
"Otay, what's my little Daffodil's problem, besides me strolling down Jerk Lane?"
"I'm whining cause," Dafnie dabbed at tears with back of denim shirt sleeve.
"Yes," Shylee handed her hanky.
"I'm moody cause," Dafnie dabbed and sniffled.
"Yes," Shylee hugged her.
"I'm eating cause," Dafnie snuggled gainst his chest.
"Yes, my little Daffodil," he patted her back.
"Got any chocolate pickles?" Dafnie sort a oozed into low moan, revving up to near repeat siren alert.
Shylee hugged her closer to him, "Come on my little Daffodil," he kissed her forehead, "whatever it is, you can lay it on this old fart."
"I'm," Dafnie snuggled angel face next his neck.
"Yes," patient love filled Shylee chest.
"I'm eating," her hands pulled him closer.
"Yes," Shylee rolled that one good eye.
"I'm eating for," Dafnie sighed.
"Lord, please make her spit it out," Shylee pleaded.
"I'm eating for four," Dafnie confessed.
"But there is only one of you and one of me?" Shylee had no clue.
"There's fixin' to be five," Dafnie kind a softly whined, yet smiled.
"Of what?" Shylee questioned.
"Of three little Daffodils, plus us." She snuggled closer into him.
"There are no daffodils in whiney land," Shylee chuckled, nestled nose in her hair.
"All baby girls," Dafnie closed her eyes.
The pupil in Shylee's one good eye swelled to full iris, then shrunk to mere pinpoint. "A bouquet of little Dafnie Daffodils?"
Dafnie's eyes opened. Her nose rabbit twitched, led her straight to Shylee shirt pocket. "I smell garfish jerky," She said, then pocket pilfered.
"Daffodil blessings..." Shylee awwwed, then gulped, "and dirty diaper responsibilities."
"Sometimes tha less purdy... are purdiest of all..." Dafnie cooed, gnawed off healthy garfish jerky chaw.
Sometimes the less pretty... are the most beautifully blessed of all...
With great blessings... come great responsibilities...
The more you got... the more you got to take care of...
Season sweet romance... with herb of reality...
Perhaps, well actually no doubt about it, Jesus said it best: To whom much is given... much is required...
The one good eye: Keep focus on Jesus and on his commandments to love God and love one another. An eye rolling out of focus just gets us in trouble. And if it does start to roll... pray... for people may not be perfect... but God is...
Paw Paw loves all you little Daffodils out there...
"May the LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26 KJ.
And remember: JESUS LOVES YOU... John 3:16
