Oklahoma

Vanishing from the landscape

2012-02-29T09:48:00.000-08:00

Not too many of these left.

Cell phones, smart phones, and other devices make this a rare sight in 2012.

Consider that the current generation already doesn't know what a rotary phone or a party line is.

The phone booth isn't even a booth any more.

It is part of a vanishing landscape.

This is Oklahoma.

Lead me to the cross

2012-02-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

It is as if the line of clouds

Began on the horizon

And arrived at the cross.

Perhaps bringing prayers that one day

We all arrive at the cross.

This is Oklahoma.

Sailor take warning

2012-02-07T12:52:00.000-08:00

Red sky in the morning,

Sailor take warning....

Or it could just be Oklahoma.

This is Oklahoma.

God's brushstrokes

2012-02-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes..

Sometimes we get to see the majesty of the creation

A sunrise

A sunset

A grand canyon

A full moon

A Sea that goes beyond the horizon

What masterpieces!

And sometimes we get to see God's brushstrokes...

It is

2012-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

Rain

Crops and Cattle

Oil and Gas

Sports

Wind

Heat

Ice and cold

Giant hay bails

Skyscraper tall derricks

Dry farm ponds

Cattle trucks

Drugs

Divorce

Throw away kids

Towering wind turbines

Fresh dirt turned

For wheat

For pipe or cable

It is a busy land

But one with peaceful sunsets

It is a hard land

But one with hopeful sunrises

It is an unforgiving land

Full of forgiving people

It is a busy land

It is a land in need of replenishment

It is a people in need of a Sabbath

This is Oklahoma!

Such is the place

2012-01-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

This is a place of balance.

The majesty of the sunset concludes the day,

Yet the glory of the sunrise is just around the corner.

The days without wind are few, very few,

Yet are matched by the days when the sky surrenders its rain.

Such is the equilibrium of a hard land.

This is a place of honor.

The clerk at the store won’t short change you,

Yet many will stop to help her change a flat.

The cattle that breached the fence won’t wait ‘til morning,

Yet your neighbor will stop and help you put them back.

Such is quality of a neighbor.

This is a place of love.

The people won’t let anyone go hungry.

Food goes out to many every week, yet the shelves remain full.

The kid finds his own way to where there is kindness,

The apathy of the parents is replaced by a coat with a hood.

Such are the hands and feet of Jesus.

This is a land of red dirt and red people.

The land blows so much that none should be left,

Yet the people stay and endure.

The summer heat cracks the earth and the lips,

Yet the love for this land is secure.

Such is the place God set aside to be Oklahoma.

The time between sunset and sunrise

2012-01-09T08:20:00.000-08:00

The 'tween times in 2012

The sun sets on 8 January.

The moon is full and bright.

Early morning twilight before the dawn brings color to a new day.

This is Oklahoma.

First sunrise of 2012

2012-01-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

The first sunrise of the new year.

Sun hides behind the treeline.

Then brings daylight to all in 2012.

Welcome to the New Year.

This is Oklahoma.

Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

The clouds appear full of snow.

But no snow will fall today.

The air is cold but the wind is slight.

This is Oklahoma.

Christmas Day 2011

First Day of Winter

2011-12-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

22 December 2011

First day of winter.

Cold.

Windy.

Cold and windy.

This is Oklahoma.

Sun goes south for the winter

2011-12-09T11:17:00.000-08:00

The sun moves south across the sky,

As if the arrow on the ground had commanded it.

Sunlight and cold, moist air separate the colors.

This is Oklahoma.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2011-12-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is Oklahoma!

The last sunrise of November

2011-12-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

The last sunrise of November 2011.

The sun continues its migration to the south.

The treeline appears to open for a departing friend.

This is Oklahoma

Clay bank, still water, and brilliant reflection

2011-11-28T12:12:00.000-08:00

The rare day with little wind.

Water from a recent rain fills what was but clay.

The perfect reflection.

The earth, wind, and water pause for a moment.

This is Oklahoma.

November sunrise

2011-11-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Cold, clear sky.

Bright, bright sun.

This is November.

This is Oklahoma.

Oklahoma sunrise at the end of October

2011-10-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

October skies in Oklahoma.

Images belie vision.

Light, air, and moisture make for a wonderful beginning to a new day.

This is Oklahoma.

Cold air and much needed moisture

2011-10-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Rain

It's been a long wait.

It's been a dry year.

October is faithful to bring moisture.

Even in the drought.

This is Oklahoma.

Amber foretells Autumn

2011-10-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

October sunrise.

Amber foretells Autumn.

The sky proclaims God's majesty.

The dry land petitions him for his mercy.

This is Oklahoma.

Join the creation in a new song; aka Oklahoma Sunrise

2011-10-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

Psalm 96

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
² Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
⁴ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
⁹ Worship the LORD in the splendor of his^[a] holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.
¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

On Christ the solid rock I stand

2011-10-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

On Christ the solid rock I stand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Sunrise at the Burns Flat Cross.

This is Oklahoma.

Dance of sun and clouds

2011-10-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

The sun bring a new day.

The clouds the promise of rain.

Sun and clouds dance together.

This is Oklahoma.

Clouds and an cross

2011-10-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on a cloudy day in Burns Flat.

The cross in the foreground.

This is the most photographed site in town.

Sun, clouds, and a cross.

This is Oklahoma.

Cool weather, bright flowers, hungry hummingbirds

2011-10-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Lantana bears the heat and dryness of the summer.

It now provides sweet nectar for visitors.

Butterflies land for a short while.

Catching the hummingbird stopping for lunch is a bit more of a challenge.

This is Oklahoma.

OK, so it is a hummingbird moth, but quite a site in its own right.

Check out that wing speeed.

Sunset touches down at local spaceport

2011-10-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Airfield hangers surround the setting sun.

No NASA landings.

No alien landings.

Just these evening touchdowns at the local spaceport.

This is Oklahoma.

Tracks to nowhere

2011-10-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

The signs warns motorists.

But there is no train traffic here.

Weeds and trash find comfort on the tracks.

Nothing will come by to displace them.

This is Oklahoma.

Things passed

2011-10-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

The train doesn't run here any more.

The tower masking the setting sun offers no water.

Other things has taken their places.

This is Oklahoma.

Spaceport Sunset

2011-10-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

October sunset.

Days are shorter.

The horizon seems farter away.

This is Oklahoma.

WTC Sunset

2011-10-02T15:25:00.000-07:00

The sun sets over the jewel of western Oklahoma.

The Western Technology Center.

There's more than technology here.

This is Oklahoma.

Sunday Morning Sunrise

2011-10-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

October sunrise.

Cool breeze.

Worship to follow.

This is Oklahoma.

Hummingbird in the Lantana

2011-10-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

Bright colors.

Fast wings.

The first day of October.

The hummingbird sings.

This is Oklahoma

Last September moments 2011

2011-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

The clock clicks down on the scoreboard.

The hours slip by so quickly.

September is almost gone.

This is Oklahoma.

Rearview sunset

2011-09-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

The sun seems brightest when it is low in the sky.

It will soon be only the day's memory.

It is still too bright to gaze upon.

At least directly.

This is Oklahoma.

Friday Night Lights

2011-09-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

The sun escapes the day.

But not without comment.

Colorful remarks.

They make a statement.

This is Oklahoma.

Meat on the hoof

2011-09-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

Headed home from Sizzlin on Friday evening.

Steak was good.

This one was spared.

This is Oklahoma.

Color

2011-09-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Dry summer.

Brown fields.

Some defy the dryness.

Some offer color to a parched landscape.

This is Oklahoma

Oh that creosote smell. By any other name would smell as sweet?

2011-09-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Steel, wood, and rock.

The smell of creosote.

Weeds on the tracks.

Tracks setting alone begging to be walked.

This is Oklahoma.

With an eye on energy

2011-09-29T16:08:00.000-07:00

Most folks have been keeping their eyes on energy costs.

Oil and gas companies mean a lot to western Oklahoma.

Of course there are other forms of potential and kinetic energy that surround Oklahomans every day.

This is Oklahoma.

Crossings

2011-09-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

The railroad system is still viable in some parts of Oklahoma.

Folks don't see much traffic here.

A new sort of crossing is much more common.

This is Oklahoma

Welcome to my courtyard

2011-09-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

The burn ban put an end to evenings by the fire.

No complaints.

It was still over one hundred degrees when the sun went down.

The Morning Glories jumped at the opportunity to expand their domain.

Morning Glories are like that.

Welcome to my courtyard.

This is Oklahoma.

Life finds a way

2011-09-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

These catus plants were pruned at the beginning of the summer. Severed limbs were cast into empty spots along the border to the house.

By the end of September, the older plants were once again reaching rooftop height and the discarded segments had begun their own life nearby.

Life finds a way.

This is Oklahoma

Cloudy morning

2011-09-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

The sun behind the clouds says mystery.

The clouds themselves speak of potential.

The red light offers boundaries of comfort.

The new day was not promised, but delivered.

This is life.

This is Oklahoma.

Throw Away Kids

2011-09-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

Kids are being discarded by their parents.

They get to live in the house--most of the time.

They don't get beaten--most of the time.

Sometimes the parents even know where the kids are, but not that often.

Kids are being dumped on the school systems, churches, and government agencies for parenting.

Are we content with a generation of throw away kids?

Do not read this book if you do not want to get involved. If you realize that we who have brought up our children without giving up are blessed, then read this book.

If you are struggling to raise your kids but know there is not an "opt out" for parenting, then read this book.

If you think it is time to call all parents back to parenting, then read this book.

We can judge or complain about the problem, or we can become part of the solution.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48

Throw Away Kids

Are you concerned enough to get involved?

From an Author you may know

2011-09-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

West of Burns Flat.

September 2011.

Author: God

No charge for this viewing.

This is Oklahoma.

A rose by any other name?

2011-09-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses, or in this case the Blackeyed Susan's and the Lantanna.

Green wheat fields in the winter.

Indian Blanket and Redbuds in the spring.

And a variety of wildflowers throughout the summer.

This is Oklahoma.

Blackeyes and a sunset

2011-09-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

The ground offers little moisture but it is enough to bring these flowers to bloom.

The blooms and the sunset say Oklahoma.

This is Oklahoma.

No two sunrises are quite alike

2011-09-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

Oklahomans are seldom surprised but always amazed at the fantastic color of the sunrise.

No two are ever the same.

Many are similar.

All are unique.

This is Oklahoma.

The sunrise calls

2011-09-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

The sunrise speaks of possibilities.

The sunrise calls us to reach beyond what we knew yesterday.

The sunrise calls us out of our comfort zone.

The sunrise reminds us of the eternal goal to which we press forward.

This is Oklahoma.

I've never been to heaven, but I've been to Oklahoma

2011-09-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

If you can just catch a sunrise or a sunset, you will change the countenance of your entire day.

What masterpieces unfold before us daily.

Glory to God in the highest!

This is Oklahoma.

He Arose!

2011-09-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

He Arose!

He arose a victor from the dark domain,

And He lives forever with his saints to reign.

The cross in the foreground of the Oklahoma sky reminds us that we are more than conquerors.

This is Oklahoma.

Blue skies smiling at me

2011-09-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

Find a color.

Find a shape.

Find a story.

The Oklahoma sky beckons the imagination to come alive.

This is Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Sky

2011-09-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you have seen it all, the Oklahoma sky says, "Look here. See what I have painted for you now."

A little sun, a little moisture, Oklahoma air, and there you have it.

This is Oklahoma.

Swimming with the Saints

2011-09-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church invited the entire community to come and swim as their guests on August 1st.

What a better way to beat the weeks of triple digit heat than a couple hours in the pool.

This is Oklahoma.

Backpack Ministry - God's Love in Action

2011-09-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat rallied the community to procure and fill 80 backpacks for needy kids in the 2011-2012 school year.

This is love.

This is love in action.

This is God's love in action.

This is Oklahoma

Chewy Tuesdays

2011-09-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

This first year ministry was an excellent complement to Pop Tarts and Peanut Butter!

This is Oklahoma

Pop Tarts and Peanut Butter

2011-09-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

How does this picture get in with Oklahoma sunsets?

It is a picture of the generosity of the people of western Oklahoma.

Every year, people donate food, clothing, money, gifts, time and talents to help their brothers and sisters in need.

Every summer for the past 5 years, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat collected Pop Tarts (or a similar brand) and Peanut Butter.

These foods help feed kids who are home alone during the summer months. This has been one way the local church has become God's Love in Action.

Sentinel Sunset

2011-09-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

The sun disappears over the horizon that appears in field between Sentinel and Lone Wolf.

It is as if it offered its viewers one last comment in an array of color.

This is Oklahoma.

Receive each day as a gift

2011-09-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

We are only here for a short time.

We are only mist that is here for the moment.

We must learn to number our days.

Receive each day as a gift.

Live it to the full.

This is Oklahoma

These kittens were killed only a few hours after this picture was taken. A roaming pack of dogs that runs free in the town of Burns Flat left their bodies strewn across the driveway and yard.

Perhaps we should remind ourselves that tomorrow is not promised to us either.

Live each day to the full.

Holy Week

2011-09-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

When God paints this picture over your church building during Holy Week, you just have to take notice.

Hallelujah! Christ Arose!

This is Oklahoma.

Most notice the days when the wind does not blow

2011-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

That's what marksmen call a full value wind.

Those in western Oklahoma generally notice those few days when the wind does not blow.

Some days, like this one, it blows hard enough to get your attention.

This is Oklahoma.

A tough year for cattle

2011-09-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

2011 has been a tough year for cattlemen.

Rain has been scarce.

Pastures are brown.

Feed is scarce and high priced.

Many cut their hurds to survive the drought.

Pray for rain.

This too is Oklahoma

2011-09-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Sadly, much of the Oklahoma landscape is covered in trash.

Plastic bottles, bags, and all manner of disposable materials blow across the Oklahoma landscape until they come to rest in a bush or a fence.

This is Oklahoma.

Isn't it time we took care of her again?

Got News?

2011-09-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Only the chain remains from where The Oklahoman newspaper rack once stood.

The two other daily papers servicing Burns Flat continue to provide a point of purchase service at the U.S. Post Office.

While the landscape of western Oklahoma changes little over the years; the landscape of the print media avialable to the state has changed dramatically. The Oklahoman can still claim to be the state paper, but only in the way that this blog can claim to be a world-wide blog.

The next generation of Oklahomans may not know what it means to get newsprint on your hands when you read breaking news.

This is Oklahoma.

Western Oklahoma Traffic

2011-09-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just have to get it all in one load.

Enough said.

This is Oklahoma.

Fog slows the pace

2011-09-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

The sun is magnified through the dense fog.

In a part of the state where folks are used to seeing miles at a time, the fog has slowed down the pace of life.

Fog is good for something.

This is Oklahoma.

Signage not required.

2011-09-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

STOP and enjoy the sunset.

Larger than life

2011-09-27T13:57:00.000-07:00

The effect of looking directly into the sun is that it becomes larger than life.

Those words are fitting as many gathered for an Easter Sunrise Service to celebrate the One who overcame the grave.

This is Oklahoma.

Good Luck!

2011-09-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

Maybe the state should get its money back for this sign and put up a stop sign at the intersection instead of one that essentially says, "Good Luck!"

Yes, this is Oklahoma.

Not a day for solar power

2011-09-27T13:49:00.000-07:00

This was not a day to count on solar power.

The sun barely peeks through the frozen air.

That is some hard ground.

This is Oklahoma.

Wind and snow dancing where they please

2011-09-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

There's no snow in the parking lot.

It all drifted to the drive through and entrance.

That's life in Burns Flat.

That's wind and snow dancing where they please.

This is Oklahoma.

This far and no more

2011-09-27T13:42:00.000-07:00

You don't see that every day.

Snow in one yard but not another.

That's the wind for you.

That's Burns Flat for you.

That's Oklaoma.

Cold written all over it

2011-09-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Some days just have "cold" written all over them.

The snowfall is seldom more than a few inches, but icy roads make for adventuresome and sometimes dangerous travel.

Most folks in western Oklahoma don't complain about snow or ice.

As long as the power stays on, it is a wonderful day.

This is Oklahoma.

Driving into the sunset

2011-09-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just drive right into God's majesty.

The sun sets just south of I-40 as the days turn colder.

This is Oklahoma.

Sun and Snow

2011-09-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Bright sun.

Cold air.

Frozen ground.

This is Oklahoma

Praise God from whom all blessing flow

2011-09-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
Praise him all creatures here below.
Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

That about covers it.
This is Oklahoma.

Some see clouds. Some see a dove.

2011-09-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

Matthew 3:16

This is Oklahoma.

To the full!

2011-09-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Can anyone tire of an Oklahoma sunrise?

Sometimes, we just take them for granted.

Sometimes we take our life for granted.

Sometimes we take grace for granted.

This is life. Let's live it to the full!

Let there be light

2011-09-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

In the beginning...

We can't know what "the beginning" was. We cannot fathom creation. We have always lived where there was something before.

Nothing but God existed prior to those divine words that brought everything into being.

As we contemplate a sunrise, consider that the smallest particles of matter may not be matter at all, but light and sound.

It is as if Someone spoke everything into existence, beginning with light.

Sunset west of Burns Flat

2011-09-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Saying goodbye to the day can be as wonderful as saying hello.

Oklahoma sunsets ignite the senses and melt the heart.

This is Oklahoma.

This is the day that the Lord has made

2011-09-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Same cross.

Same sun.

Unlimited majesty.

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Cloudy Day

2011-09-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

With as many 100 degree, 110 degree, and even hotters days that find their way to western Oklahoma, it's nice to wake up to a cloudy day every now and then.

This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

This is Oklahoma.

Life finds a way

2011-09-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

You water you lawn and hope it lives.

A small crack in the asphalt seems to be all it takes to let life take root in the most inhospitable of places.

Life finds a way.

This is Oklahoma.

Same stuff, different day. Amen!

2011-09-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

It's the same ole ashphalt, telephone and power poles, and base houses that were there the day before.

But the setting sun reminds us that each day is unique.

This is Oklahoma.

Wet Paper!

2011-09-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Not everyone prays for rain. The wet newspaper is perhaps one of the reasons that people are going more and more to electronic media to stay informed.

At least this paper was delivered. Finding carriers that would work for next to nothing created some pitiful service in much of the state. Subscribers often felt privileged to get the paper, wet or dry.

For those carriers who deliver day after day, bag the paper when it rains, put it on the porch for the disabled, and just keep a good attitude about the low pay, we salute you.

This is Oklahoma.

Got Rain?

2011-09-27T09:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it does occasionally rain in western Oklahoma.

Local folks will ask you if you remember reading about the great flood in the Bible.

You say, "sure."

They reply, "We got two inches of that."

In western Oklahoma, there is no such thing as too much rain.

This is Oklahoma.

Good Morning Sunshine

2011-09-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

You will see this cross many more times in this blog. It is set just off the paved parking lot and positioned perfectly to provide the foreground to Oklahoma sunrises.

This is the most photographed spot in Burns Flat.

This is Oklahoma.

Mercy and Generosity

2011-09-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

It is hard to picture Oklahoma without a dose of mercy and generosity.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat gave away 200 coats in the winter of 2010 to people in need.

This is Oklahoma.

The long and winding road?

2011-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Not all Oklahoma pictures involved sunsets.

Here the stairs and walkway behind the Florence House in Cordell resemble the serpentine arrangements found at Disney World and Universal Studios, minus the people, of course.

This is Oklahoma.

Familiar Face

2011-09-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the face says it all.

Cali lived for only a few months in Burns Flat before being obliterated with her sisters amidst a brutal attack by the stray dogs that run loose in the town.

Perhaps we should all take note that tomorrow is not promised to any of us.

Soothing Sunset

2011-09-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, all you need to end a good day is a good end to that day.

The colors of the evening sky in Oklahoma often bring peace to the most turbulent heart.

This is God's artistry.

This is Oklahoma.

Got Imagination?

2011-09-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Oklahoma sky frequently induces imaginative thought. Whether you see pattern or contrast, blending or distinction, art or science, you know that you are in Oklahoma.

Perhaps our imaginations are just the result of being made in the image of a creative God.

Look what the rain brought out!

2011-09-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

After a considerable dry spell, there was rain and a good amount of it.

Apparently there was enough to cause this Tiger Salamander to seek refuge at the front door of the Cumbertland Presbyterian Church in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.

This is Oklahoma.

Good Morning Burns Flat!

2011-09-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

A big sun and a little fog produce a sense of mystery in the very air around us.

The wooden cross that was emplaced for a sunrise service on Easter 2008 has been left in place and has become the most photographed site in Burns Flat.

This is Oklahoma.

No Stop Sign Needed

2011-09-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

The exit instructions in the Walmart parking lot in Elk City, Oklahoma ask motorists to stop.

The sunrise compels anyone witnessing this moment to stop and give glory to God.

Got Snow?

2011-09-26T14:29:00.000-07:00

It's not quite enough to cause folks to get out their downhill skiis, but a mountain of snow is not the norm for western Oklahoma.

Location: Elk City Walmart.

Burns Flat Sunrise

2011-09-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

Most of the sunrises photographed in Burns Flat have this old rugged cross in the foreground.

The cross was placed in the pastureland east of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church by Jerry Hartronft in the spring of 2008.

Early Summer Sunset

2011-09-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

The sun sets in early summer somewhere west of Burns Flat.

Sun through the clouds

2011-09-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Is this Oklahoma or the African plains?

It's Oklahoma.

The sun hides behind some of the very few clouds that crossed the Oklahoma sky in the western part of the state in 2011.

These clouds brought no rain to the dry land.

The Cross

2011-09-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is the most photographed location in Burns Flat, Oklahoma.

The old wooden cross east of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is found frequently on the web with a variety of sunrises and weather conditions.

This is Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Sunset

2011-09-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

A late September sunset captured south of Canute. The farm to market roads have little traffic and offer a chance to meditate on God's majesty.

This is Oklahoma.