chelsea cookSitting here trying to write while waiting for the earth to wake from its night’s slumber is, if I may use an overused adjective, awesome. The very dark night is gradually giving in to a soft dawn and the sun is still hiding behind the eastern horizon which contains some low hanging clouds. Probably the sun will take off today to rest so that the last week of August and Labor Day can be hot enough to remember.
Several days this summer have let us know the sun can do its job quiet well so it may rest today to get ready for the last chances as it is heading south to warm those beyond the equator, Rumor has it that there are many people living in those strange, far-away places. But how can one tell one’s children that it “was much hotter in my day” if your day is pleasantly cool, very calm and nice?  
One early morning last week the temperature was about 60F in Broken Arrow and it was very uncomfortable sitting on the patio trying to enjoy my obligatory coffee and newspaper. Refusing to give in to the reality of the weather and dressing by the calendar date was met with disapproval by the frailty of the body but approval of the stubborn spirit. The spirit and I persevered all the way through from front page to the comics and then beat a well deserved retreat. It was/is August and August is sitting outside weather. We made our point and then had to refill our coffee mug.
But you got me off the subject again which seems to be easier to do each time it happens. We are sitting one mile west of (almost) the geographic center of the State of Oklahoma.
That is not a remarkable thing unless one knows the strange history of Oklahoma becoming one state. The people who lived here back then had little to say about it. Actually, the people who should have owned the land had nothing to say about it.
They were promised that if they gave up the land they occupied back east, and had lived on for millennia, this land would belong to them forever. President Jackson made sure that didn’t happen.  So, after a few years there was no more Indian Territory as the white men had taken over, settled and sometimes claimed land that was given to the native people by written treaty.
After a time went by, the people of Indian Territory wanted to become a state. The people of Oklahoma Territory decided they wanted to become a state, also. Remember the land runs from picture books and movies? That actually happened and was probably worse than we modern day people can imagine.
People lined up for days ahead of the starting gun so they could get ownership in some free land. It seems that treaties and other inconveniences were put aside to make a political adjustment. The Republicans were in power in Washington D.C. and they knew that Indian Territory would come in as a Democrat state.
Whoa! Can’t have that so they insisted that I.T. and Okla come in as one state—which neither wanted to do. For you people who have never visited Oklahoma, there is a great difference in the landscape of eastern and western Oklahoma. There used to be an even bigger difference in the political thinking of the people but now all Oklahoma is pretty much Tea Party political, but that was definitely not the case in the very early 1900’s. Both Oklahoma and Indian Territory finally realized it would be compromise or nothing. I, personally, think they both gave up too soon.
But getting back to topic: at this writing I am exactly one mile west of the Indian Meridian which divides the state in “half” and things used to be measured from that. It is now a slightly used street way west of Oklahoma City full of large pot holes and broken bitumen making driving hazard to your health.  But it is very historic.
All that to say that I am in the center of the center of the Great State of Oklahoma, sitting on a screened porch enjoying a morning so precious it should be bottled.
Yes, sometimes the weather in Oklahoma is as good as any in the entire world. Today is one of those days. But one shouldn’t mess around insultingly with a true Okie. The same applies to the weather.
Surly you have heard of tornadoes? They come with such frequency here that many people hardly pay attention. When the sirens blow one should take cover. Most people do but others wait until they see something. We had the largest, most fierce tornado ever on record. That was one year after the first record tornado.
Not everything is great about Oklahoma but this is my home and this is where my ashes will be scattered. Here and the ocean.