Nani Says

It's APPLE BLOSSOM time . . .

2011-07-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

Blossom has arrived. She is thin and bright and wonderful to hold. I know very little about her, but I already love her. I have heard so much about her amazing qualities and talents. She is very different but sooo easy to get to know. And is she fast.

Blossom is my new Apple MacBook Pro, which I named Blossom for the sweet smelling Apple Blossoms in the spring time on my trees behind the house.

Several months ago Keith tossed a check on the table and said, "Go get you a laptop."

I said I didn't have to have one. I had the old desktop upstairs and I might be able to get the old 2003 HP fixed.

"Well, get anything you want," he said.

"No. It will be a laptop or if I don't it will go for a chain saw or something."

"Yeah."

So I put the money in a separate checking account the last day of December of 2010 and took the old laptop to the flea market and paid a guy $60 to fix it and load up some stuff.

Any refunds or extra checks were deposited in that bank account. That hot cash cooled it's heels in the bank for seven long months.

Surprising the laptop lasted the same length of time.

Then on the very morning of my birthday I switched it on and it came up with a black screen that only told me there was a disk error. It did the same old trick of locking up and rejecting every command. Andy, our youngest son and current family go-to for computer wisdom, had insisted to me for several years that he thought the motherboard was going bad. Now I know what a mother is and I know all about bad, but I certainly ain't no board.

This time I surrendered and admitted that the old boy had quietly passed away during the night and he had gone to the big computer lab in the sky.

I took that as a sign that God wanted me to get my Mac. And I did.

I am blessed.

Horses Need Fresh Water

2010-12-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

The snow was coming down in the hills of West Virginia this morning and the wind chill was about 6 degrees, but I gritted my teeth and went out to the barn in my Burgundy hooded Carhartt jacket to water the two geldings.

I had worked hard yesterday fixing the water hose so it would be possible to drain.

The twenty five foot hose was put on a water splitter, ran up to the ceiling and through a hook and back down to go through the rack and down into the big water bucket resting inside the even bigger water tank. I had packed hay all around the smaller bucket for insulation but it was a clean as a whistle because the horses ate all of it.

The first time I turned the water on, it squirted out the open splitter! Ooops, forgot it was open. I jumped to close it fast cause if the water squirts down along the water pipe it will freeze under ground and I'll be down on my hands and knees digging the dirt out so I could thaw the pipe out with a blow dryer again like I did last year. I tell you, I was highly motivated!

Jasper, the bay gelding, was in the front stall with the water buckets. I don't know if he tried to drink or bumped the hose, but it flew back up the wall through the rack and snaked around spraying water everywhere. That also included squirting my ankle!

That kind of thing is never fun, but 16 degrees took all the entertainment value out of it!

I twisted the spigot back to off and decided to feed the horses to keep them out of my way.

Two scoops of feed in two buckets should have solved that dilemma. Just in case that didn't solve it, I went around back and up the snow covered steps to the loft. The wind whistled through the barn, since I decided not to close the big sliding doors because they are very difficult to open when the ground freezes. I might want to get the car out. Not likely because I would probably take the F350 Ford Dually in this weather.

A few bats of hay thrown down into both stalls should guarantee no further interference of the nosey horses.

OK Back to watering Jazz and Storm so they didn't have to walk a half mile up the frozen ground to the pond that Eddie had dug back on the hill to water the stock.

Yeah, I have compassion even for horses on a cold morning. The dozen or so young banty chickens had found out that snow is cold on unshod feet, so they were perched all over the round bales of hay. I bet the horses appreciate that! Can't do anything about that now. I gotta water horses.

I punched the hose back through the hook in the barn loft, back over through the rack and let it hang down into the tub. However this time, I only turned the water on half pressure.

While waiting for the big bucket to fill, I looked over at my Lincoln Continental all wrapped up now in a car cover.

I enjoyed having the car in out of the weather in our center aisle of the barn, but those durn pet chickens would get up on top and leave a little deposit.

You know, those little deposits are such hot manure that they don't even freeze. Ugh. Difficult to clean off. Hence the car cover.

A quick peep back inside the stall told me that the three quarter full bucket would do until morning. I only want to give the horses what water they need because it would freeze ice on the top before morning.

Turn the hose off, drain both ends of the hanging down water hose. Something is wrong. No water is coming out. Oh, yes, open up the splitter to give it air. I drained both ends of the hose. Made sure the electric tape was warm enough to prevent freezing of the spigot. All right. Get back to the house.

As I trudged through the snow I was glad I wouldn't have to carry five gallon buckets of water from the house in the morning! After all, wind chill was about 6 degrees this morning and it was forecast to get to 10 tonight. Wonder what the wind chill would be?

And some of you people from Facebook thought Farmville was too much work!

Where are those plans to spend the winter in Alabama?

Joan, wait for me, four months in Arizona will do just fine!

The Pickin' Shack at Chief Logan

2010-12-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

The band had seven members at the old time country or rock and roll pickin' shack at the Chief Logan Park at Logan, West Virginia. All seven did a great job but the main attraction was the joy displayed by the lead singer, the band and the entire audience.
There were three guitars, a bass guitar, a bass, a steel guitar, a harmonica, and the drummer. Most had the opportunity for a solo every now and then.
Sam Eplin called us this week and wanted to return to the music held on Thursday, Friday, Saturday night every week. There was no admission fee unless you count the man who accepted Sam's donations for the lights display.
Thursday and Saturday is scheduled for bluegrass music, which our men prefer, but the predicted snow made Sam and Mary ask if we could go on Friday. I was overjoyed since I much prefer country music.
We always stop at Pizza Hut in Chapmanville and this night was no exception. The pizza there is great with the just-right-fried crust and any toppings you want.
The light display at the Chief Logan is simply fabulous down to the running squirrel that climbs a tree, which is Sam's favorite. Everyone drives with headlights off along the several mile road with white rope lighting on both sides. Lots of horses, deer and bear lights joined the usual holiday lighting.
When the band took the stage,even their appearance was interesting. One man looked like Devil Anse Hatfield with a long gray beard and wearing unzipped front and legs on his Carhart bib overalls over his regular wear. I especially like the cowboy hat on the drummer, but then I am partial to cowboy hats. Some were just the usual casual attire and others in all black.
The guitarist who seemed to be in charge had the responsibility of keeping the crowd satisfied, which was no easy task as they called out songs to sing and mostly those that encouraged their home town dancing. Once he said, "What don't you understand about 'I don't know that song?'" But they attempted to satisfy the dancers by playing "The Twist" and music for a dance under a Lyndy?? pole, and played an improved version of a song, "Here's a cell phone, call someone who cares," composed because it's too hard to find a pay phone these days.
I can't really say there was a much talent or variety in the dance but the energy and enthusiasm they displayed make the night a good time event. A couple thin men danced, a big young teen boy shook all night, three or four teen girls frequently jumped up from the crowd and ran up to dance, an old lady stepped to the music and another woman danced every song with a repeat of the same steps to everything. She and the teen girls even held one of the men and removed his cowboy boot and he danced in one boot while she danced in the one boot which she pronounced to be magic.
The music was loud, sometimes lyrics forgotten, solos, vigorous dancing and lots of laughs from everybody there.
The atmosphere at the pickin' shack was plain and simple good times and it was displayed in a most refreshing way all night.

Makin' Jam

2010-05-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

May 20, 2010

Strawberries were at their peak of freshness, beauty, color and price when I shopped at Hudson’s IGA. I placed two boxes in the buggy and went home with a new plan of freezer uncooked strawberry jam for the winter of 2010/2011.

Usually I wait until the end of the season and I only find old, soft and often moldy fruit. I have now learned to hit the season early.

The other night about 12 midnight I was sitting on the couch stemming the pretty berries and then put them in the food processor for a few turns and loaded them in the big jar for storage until I could do the trick. I have learned to do most jobs in stages.

My canning and preserving is limited to things I can’t purchase. That includes the freezer jam, zucchini pickle relish and home made bread and butter pickles cut in long slices. I figure my time is more valuable than shelling peas, since I can buy a frozen bag for $1.00 on sale f rom Krogers.

This morning strawberry jam was high on the priority list. It is so easy, you really ought to try it. Many uses can be made for it. Like mixed in syrup for pancakes, crapes or waffles down to including it in strong drinks . A spoonful in a glass of iced tea in hot summer’s day is amazing.
Pour 4 cups sugar in large bowl and add 2 cups crushed berries. Stir and let set 10 minutes, stirring frequently. That’s easy.

Get under the sink and go through the bag of plastic bottles set aside for disposal. There were three nice ones with lids. Wash, go stir and heat the mixture of Sure Jell and 3/4 cup water. Boil a minute, go stir the bowl. Add hot mixture to the bowl and stir enthusiastically for 3 minutes. Let set and return to stir every now and then.

Here comes the hard part. I can’t find the cup with a hole in the bottom that I use for canning. It should be easy to find because it is light yellow and plastic.

On my knees digging around under the cabinet beside the stove where I keep most of the plastic storage stuff, I run into all kinds of things. Four or five needed to be trashed along with an aluminum pie pan. There’s the apple peeler that would be so handy if I made apple butter, which I don’t with pealed apples. I use apple sauce from Save A Lot in the slow cooker.

But it is really a nice apple peeler that I shove back on a stack of stuff on the bottom shelf, along with the hot dog microwave cooker, waffle iron replacement parts, a Tupperware pickle keeper, Velvetta cheese keeper, potato ricer. There is all kinds of stuff that I really like but never use.

Not in there, so I look in all the other cabinets. Nope. Wait a minute, I may have taken it upstairs to the old kitchen which is now part office. Down on my hands and knees again, I peer into the depths of stuff in all the bottom cabinets, past the meat slicer, vacuum sealers, spare coffee pots, glass round tubes for baking bread to slice. Can’t find that pretty little funnel.

Look where I keep the canning lids. Nope. I give up.

But you know, one of the advantages of growing old is you are able to shop in your own home and find all sorts of wonderful things that you entirely forgot about. I felt as if I had just done a full circle at WalMart. It also required about the same length of time.

I’ll just have to do without that funnel and I just know when I drip strawberry jam all over the place, I’ll draw a million ants that I have been fighting for a month. Where is that little piece of cardboard and the Terro?

Wouldn’t you know that big mixing bowl had a big lip on it to pour? I didn’t even need that cute little funnel. Wonder just where that got to?

I filled the jars, put the lids on and looked down in the deep bowl. There seemed like a lot of jam sticking to the bowl all around. The idea of making a piece of toast and mopping the remaining jam occurred but it was quickly discarded when I began running my index finger all around and licking my finger. It was sooo good.

I had a fine morning’s work that will last a long time. Life is good.

2009-09-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

----------- I found out today that I compose comedy routines while driving down the winding roads in rural West Virginia, especially as I drive to the Mall. (I just put that in here so you people who don't know that West Virginia is a separate state since June 20, 1863, will know we have shopping malls, interstate highways and wear real shoes.)

Anyhow, I was late for a meeting planning our 51st reunion from high school. Sure, I got up early and planned to go to WalMart (we got lots of them) and get me a new printing cartridge for my laptop (yep! got them too)

When things first started going wrong, I heard big trucks pull up in our driveway. Eddie went out to see what the Department of Highways was doing. While I was working, I peeped out the window and they had a big machine starting to dig into the ditch in front of my house. Ed came in and said they were ditching the roadside

."Why are they doing that? We mow the ditch and no water runs across the road, even in a storm?"

"They're just going to make a shallow ditch."

"But that'll make it ugly? It doesn't need a ditch."

"You go out there and tell them yourself," he said sharply.

At which time I go in to get out of my pj's and dress for combat."Who's in charge out here?" I said and the combination lecture/sermon began. It didn't matter that I was standing in the rain and he only made short answers. I preached about everything on Bear Creek and listed other projects that really needed doing.

When the boss walked off up the road, I went inside and got the keys to the van and moved it.

Then I saw the two 100 lb sacks of shell corn in the floor of the van. Gosh, I don't want to haul an extra 200 lbs to the mall, so I go back in and yell for Eddie to come help me get it out of the van.

At our advanced age, 69 and 70, it is a two man/woman job. We jerked a sack out into a garden cart and wheeled it through the rain into the horse barn. Teege and Cody nickered to be fed at once. I threw a scoop in to my mare and decided to let Ed feed his own horse.

Back out in the rain to grab the other sack of corn.I didn't have time. I had to go to the meeting at the mall. Time was running out. I seriously considered skipping the shower and shampoo, but that was very briefly and quickly discarded.I shot up the steps and jumped in the shower and back out. I seriously considered not drying my hair and again realized it would be cruel to my friends to show up at Bob Evans Restaurant in such a fright. A few licks with the blow dryer on my thin, fine hair and I was ready to roll.

All this stuff rolled over in my mind as I composed an excuse for my 15 minutes late with the girls.

They laughed in all the appropriate places. Friends are like that.

At the close of the evening I passed a mirror! I asked Sharon, "Why didn't you tell me that my hair looked like it had been rained on three times?" I finger combed it thoroughly since I couldn't locate a comb in my purse.

She said with a laugh, "I didn't know it did!"

Friends are like that too.

How Carole got me in Trouble Yesterday

2009-08-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

I can just see it now. Carole tilts back, puts her right hand over her heart and asks, "Me! How did I get you in trouble, I wasn't even there." Then she looks right and left.

Here's the scoop.

Last time Sharon and I got in Carole's car for her to drive us to Tootie's office, we left our cars at Bob Evans. Carole is a good driver and can talk as fast as she can drive.

When we got to Tootie's office building, Carole said, "I'm going to park close to the office because it always rains when we come over here." She pulled right up at the door and we all went in.

Seemed smart to me since the three of us would rather get wet than carry an umbrella.

Soooo, yesterday Sharon asked me, "Do you want to ride over with me to see Tootie about the price of the buffet meal. I have to come back over this way anyway to go to Drug Emporium."

"OK. Since you have to come back anyway." Without another thought I got in her car for the short trip.

Well now, if you know Tootie, you'll know there are some tall tales and amusing stories to be heard. Not to mention the four phone calls and two visitors. Tootie is a very busy man.

By the way, he has replaced the two broken chairs in his waiting room and has ordered a sign designating the big round table where we always sit working on reunion stuff. i.e. folding brochures, putting on labels and stamps, correcting addresses and phone numbers in our new Class phone book. etc.

Anyway, this sign will say Guyan Valley Class of '58. His office staff is so great to give him messages, copy brochures etc. for us.

After some time, Tootie wants us to go over to Billy Bob's and pick out the cakes and decorations we want for the reunion. Tootie wants it to look like fun and he will order anything we like. Tootie wasn't at Billy Bob's when we got there and neither was anybody else except the staff, who were as busy as bees.

Eventually he showed up and three people surrounded him asking various questions about the entertainment center. He came over to us and told us to go back to the cake book and pick something out. Then he got a couple of catalogs and told us to see what we liked. Then he disappeared again to answer questions from employees. People swarmed into the place and there was now lots of activity and noise.

Eventually he left the building for a meeting somewhere and Sharon and I only found balloons that were appropriate decorations. The only streamers we could find in the book were the tropical variety.

When he returned, he took us a tour through the Lazer Tag room which had a game going. He pointed out the way things worked in there as kids ran first this way and that. I was relieved that he didn't expect us to suit up and grab a lazer gun. What a game room!!

Then we toured the game machines and he offered to give us tokens to ride the roller coaster machine. Sharon quickly declined since she is afraid of such things.

"I am too," Tootie agreed. He then asked a couple of teens if they wanted a free ride. They quickly said yes and Tootie, Sharon and I stood behind it and watched the ride as the chairs bumped and turned as if in the real action showing on the big screen.

Pam, who works at Famous Dave's, is going to put up the banner,have bunches of balloons outside, and play the 50's music on the juke box. She could just put up more of the same blue, gold and white balloons inside the room and Tootie could decorate any other way he wanted to make it a good time atmosphere.

By the way, the buffet will include food, Pepsi products, tea, coffee, cake, taxes and tips for about half what the regular public would have to pay. Standard would be $20 each, but Tootie reduced it to $12 each. Sharon and I rounded the $11.95 up a nickle because we wanted a nice even number that would be easy on us and the cashier.

That does not include anything from the drinks bar. You're on your own to pay for that, but I never saw anybody use that at all last time.

After saying we would be back next month on the first of August for the last breakfast before the reunion, Sharon and I went to the car.

Sharon sat down and laughed while saying something about, ". . . if they haven't towed your car."

My heard jumped, though I did not respond visibly and tried to remain cool.

"I forgot all about it. We've been gone for hours and I parked at the door like Carole does because it was raining!" I was on pins and needles until I spotted the ol' white van by the door.

So that's how Carole got me in trouble even if she wasn't there.

No. It wasn't towed, but it could have been. Next time I vowed to park over in the next lot just to be safe.

I forgive you, Carole.

2009-08-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

I found out today that I compose comedy routines while driving down the winding roads in rural West Virginia, especially as I drive to the Mall. (I just put that in here so you people who don't know that West Virginia is a separate state since June 20, 1863, will know we have shopping malls, interstate highways and wear real shoes.)

Anyhow, I was late for a meeting planning our 51st reunion from high school. Sure, I got up early and planned to go to WalMart (we got lots of them) and get me a new printing cartridge for my laptop (yep! got them too)

When things first started going wrong, I heard big trucks pull up in our driveway. Eddie went out to see what the Department of Highways was doing. While I was working, I peeped out the window and they had a big machine starting to dig into the ditch in front of my house. Ed came in and said they were ditching the roadside.

"Why are they doing that? We mow the ditch and no water runs across the road, even in a storm?"

"They're just going to make a shallow ditch."

"But that'll make it ugly? It doesn't need a ditch."

"You go out there and tell them yourself," he said sharply.

At which time I go in to get out of my pj's and dress for combat.

"Who's in charge out here?" I said and the combination lecture/sermon began. It didn't matter that I was standing in the rain and he only made short answers. I preached about everything on Bear Creek and listed other projects that really needed doing.

When the boss walked off up the road, I went inside and got the keys to the van and moved it. Then I saw the two 100 lb sacks of shell corn in the floor of the van. Gosh, I don't want to haul an extra 200 lbs to the mall, so I go back in and yell for Eddie to come help me get it out of the van.

At our advanced age, 69 and 70, it is a two man/woman job. We jerked a sack out into a garden cart and wheeled it through the rain into the horse barn. Teege and Cody nickered to be fed at once. I threw a scoop in to my mare and decided to let Ed feed his own horse. Back out in the rain to grab the other sack of corn.

I didn't have time. I had to go to the meeting at the mall. Time was running out. I seriously considered skipping the shower and shampoo, but that was very briefly and quickly discarded.

I shot up the steps and jumped in the shower and back out. I seriously considered not drying my hair and again realized it would be cruel to my friends to show up at Bob Evans Restaurant in such a fright.

A few licks with the blow dryer on my thin, fine hair and I was ready to roll. All this stuff rolled over in my mind as I composed an excuse for my 15 minutes late with the girls.

They laughed in all the appropriate places. Friends are like that.

At the close of the evening I passed a mirror! I asked Sharon, "Why didn't you tell me that my hair looked like it had been rained on three times?" I finger combed it thoroughly since I couldn't locate a comb in my purse.

She said with a laugh, "I didn't know it did!"

Friends are like that too.

Wrong Article

2009-04-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Oops. When the magazine lady returned a copy of my writing, it was the article about our horseback ride in Alaska. It is a long article that will need severe cutting, but that's all right. I have wanted to get another article out for a while.

Finally. Now I have to get busy. Maybe after next week is over. I know I can take the history out rather easily, but it would rob the story somewhat. Of course, I could cut a lot of personal stuff.

The article is on my web site under Alaska. www.wvhorse.com

I'll post it here after some drastic cuts.

Publication of article

2009-04-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Am I excited! There has been an email just laying there in my inbox unread since early March from a blogger in My Horse Magazine. Finally I read it and it is an inquiry into my willingness to have my comment used in the magazine.

Anyhow, I have to agree to edit it for length. Which is fine. I just sent the return with full agreements. And I had to ask for a copy of what I wrote because I didn't know if I even kept a copy of it. Can you believe I neglected to do that? Maybe I didn't neglect it and it got erased with everything else when a power surge hit my laptop.

It was about a comment I posted concerning wearing riding helmets while on horseback.

This is half of the article I retrieved from my web at http://www.wvhorse.com under Goin' West and then Fort Welikit in Custer, Wyoming.

"Almost back to the dirt road, we stopped to let them eat grass and Eddie turned to open his saddle bag for a drink of water. I released the rein full length so Teege could graze on the grass. We were just sitting there when both of the horses spooked.

Teege gave a jump and I rolled back. The reins were long and I did not have but one side of them as I rolled off the back of the horse and hit the ground on my upper and middle back. I saw her feet all around and decided to let her loose. I guess I had curled when I fell but somehow my short boot was thrown about 20 feet!

"Are you all right?" Eddie asked as I rolled over to get to my feet.

"Yeah, I’m OK."

Eddie rode to catch the fleeing mare. I remembered to whistle for her as I do every time I feed the horses, even if they are standing there looking me in the eye. I want her to associate the whistle with coming for something to eat. Maybe it worked because Eddie said she slowed down.

"Tie Dusty up and you can walk up to her," I yelled from the foot of the hill.

It occurred to me that what ever had spooked them was probably still down there with me as I stood all alone in the middle of the field in the backwoods. I hoped it wasn't a mountain lion or a bear.

I walked over and got my shoe. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t hurt. I looked up and here came Eddie and Dusty leading Teege back down the hill.

"She stopped and started eating or I could have never caught her," he said, "Are you all right?"

"Yes. I don’t think I hit my head but it is thumping. I hit hard on my back but it doesn’t hurt."

I led her over to the side of the road and got up on the high bank and swung back into the saddle. I knew she did not try to throw me. I just fell off because I was leaning over and had the long loose rein. I was not even hesitant to get back on.

We never did find out why the horses spooked. Nothing made a noise and we never did find anything.

We continued the ride and my head quit hurting in about five minutes. I was still very glad that I was now wearing my new Laredo riding helmet.

I was so sore that evening that I couldn't lie down straight. I had to lie on my side and then roll over on my back. It was the same thing when I tried to get to back up. I had to move cautiously for about five days."

The other incident was while we were riding in the East Lynn Lake area in Wayne County, West Virginia.

"My mare stepped up on a short bank, which turned out to be red clay. Both of her feet on the right side slid sideways. I quickly jerked my right foot out of the stirrup because I was afraid she would break my leg is she fell on it.

I stood on that foot as she hit the ground, but when she started to get up I settled back down on her, rather than get off. I believed I could just ride her back up. This was a real mistake, but everything happened so quickly that I didn't have time to make a rational decision.

When she attempted to get back on her feet, she gave such a lunge that I was thrown like a rock in a slingshot. I grabbed around her neck and eventually fell on the top of my back.

One of the other riders said, 'I heard something crack!'

'That was my helmet,' I answered.

I had to stay flat on the ground for at least 15 minutes. I was sick at my stomach. Our son Keith came to me and said the sickness was from the adrenalin from the accident.

The ground was very cold, but it felt good to my back. A nurse was riding with us and she asked to check my eyes to see if they dilated. They did.

Eventually I felt a real need to curl my back, so I rolled over on my knees and curled into a fetal position.

Eddie sent a rider back to bring the truck and trailer back down the road. They convinced me to ride Dusty and Eddie walked leading me. Keith led his horse and mine. It hurt my back to ride. They both waded the creek leading the horses.

When we got to the gate at the county road, I told Keith, "I'm going to take my right foot out of the stirrup and pull it over the horse and then lay across the saddle and slide down the side of the horse. You help me to ease down to the ground." It worked like a charm, but I lay back down on the cold ground.

When my back got numb again, I said I felt better walking. I walked a good mile or so
where we met Jack with the truck and trailer. We loaded the mare and I climbed into the truck with a look of pain clearly on my face.

For two weeks I was as sore as could be. I dreaded rolling over or getting up only to go to the bathroom. I went to my chiropractor and he could not find an injury. He believed my pain from the muscles be dramatically stretched instantly.

But my head didn't hurt, even though there is a big dent in the helmet.

I rode for years in a cowboy hat and never came off the horse. Then I bought my helmet because I realized the safety factor. I didn't really like the looks of it, but I wore it first in Myrtle Beach. It was so comfortable that I forgot about it in a matter of minutes. It was more comfortable than that old outback cowboy hat.

Then twice in two months I had an accident and fell off the mare. I rode her for 14 years and she never tried to throw me. I'll never again ride without my helmet.

Eddie tells everybody, 'You can lay your finger in the dent in the helmet. If she hadn't been wearing it, she might not be with us now.'

I'll let you know if the article ever appears anywhere so you can help me celebrate.

New Craft

2009-03-23T14:54:00.000-07:00

Last year our apple tree and pear trees had about 500 fruit each on them. All were about the size of little more than a walnut. I vowed to get them pruned before spring.

We had two people to volunteer to come and prune our apple tree and pear tree this February. Well, it is coming on April and I'm still waiting.

I searched through the barn for the lock cutters Keith left here one time. Couldn't find them. I found some tin snips and hedge trimmers. Naw, they didn't even make a dent.

Here came Eddie with his new steel chain saw. He said he couldn't pull it hard enough to make it start.

"I can. Let me try." He twisted it around and held it down with his foot through the handle. I had to hold the throttle and pull the cord left handed. Couldn't do it. Even after a dozen jerks on the pull cord.

Finally he held the throttle and I held it down so I could use my right hand to pull the cord. After about a dozen more pulls it chugged to life.....for a half minute. A couple more pulls and it was roaring.

I chose to carry it up to the trees because I was afraid Eddie would fall with a running chain saw. I didn't slow down.

I had never even held a chain saw, let alone cut anything but I went on over to the tree and raised the saw to the bottom of the limb and cut a small place and then took it out and cut the limb from the top, the way I had seen him do many times. The old limb fell and I went on to the next.

In short, I cut 4 or five limbs off each tree. I was hot, tired and said "I quit for right now."

"Turn it off," Ed told me.

"How do I do that?"

"Push that little thing."

"What thing?" I yelled over the noise of a still running chain saw.

"That one that you push over that has stop on it."
I found it, turned it off and the noise subsided.

,
"I'm going in. You can do what I always do, pick up and drag all of those limbs away,"
I said as I sat the saw down on the ground and walked toward the house.

"Does anybody know where I can get me a good paying job cuttin' timber?"

Fixin' Fence

2009-03-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

The 70-year-old better half was determined to take the Polaris Ranger back on the hill to take three bales of hay to our four Tennessee Walking horses in the pasture. His black stallion remained inside the barn.

Winter had been hard on our fence, so I was afraid to delay the much needed repair. I loaded three metal posts, baling twine, hammer, sledge hammer, staples, etc.

We couldn't find the fence post driver, so the sledge would have to do. The only pliers I could find were the little girlie one in my girlie blue tool kit. Now keep in mind I am 68 years old, in good health, a little chunky and very determined.

My husband Ed had a stroke and was not able to do all he used to do. He wanted our sons and grandchildren to fix the fence.

Our farm is like having a tiger by the tail. We're not really able to take care if it alone, but we can't let go because it has been in my family for 89 years. Sooo, I try to cope.

We rode uneventfully if you don't count an almost drive into the ditch at the bottom of the hill. He grew up on a bulldozer and nothing is dangerous. Though he does have a finger off and had a broken leg, collar bone and arm. I am allergic to pain, hospitals and expenses for such events. I yelled to watch out. He yelled back that nothing would have happened if he did go in the ditch.

We continued up the 12 foot wide road. I knew he had ran into a bulldozer and broke the windshield six months after it was installed. Then six months later he had run out of the road and over the hill and broke another one. We now rode with a windshield with many, many cracks in it because he refused to buy another one. I put clear packing tape on it so it would stay together because he threatened to take a hammer and bust it all out!!

At the top of the hill we stopped and out out and cut the strings on the hay and scattered it in several piles around the first field. The horses didn't even follow us up for the hay.

I got back in the Ranger and Ed drove straight over a steep hill. I grabbed the handy grab bar, hoping we didn't turn over. Maybe I should have snapped the hated seat belt. I use the car seat belts but insist that I don't want to go anywhere in an ATV that needs a seat belt.

I pointed to a place I believed the loose barbed wire was. I got out and he parked the Ranger in front of a tree so it wouldn't roll over the side of the mountain since the emergency brake is of no use whatsoever.

I grabbed the tools and walked over to the fence through the woods. Ed stayed in the Ranger hollering questions every now and then as I struggled with the briers and weeds wrapped around the fence. He started the ATV and followed me down through the woods. Found him another tree to park in front of and waited.

I swung the sledge and drove the post into the ground. That wasn't too bad. Now let's see if I can put these little wire thingies around. No. That won't work, but look at that little prong. Maybe I can put the wire in that and bend it shut. I never worked with this kind of post.

I lined up the wires and hit the prong a few times with the small handled sledge. The post swung back and forth at me and the wire rang like a guitar string. Oops, then I took out my little blue girlie pliers. They weren't near big enough but I managed.

Ed started the Ranger and followed me around the woods. He even threw a metal post my way in his effort to assist. I only had to walk 20 feet rather than 30.

Two more posts in the same sort. I was so hot I took my jacket off and threw it on the ground. Ed got off the ATV and picked up my coat and put it in the back bed of the ATV.

"Do you have enough gas in the Ranger," I asked my husband since he has walked off the hill a dozen times because he doesn't put enough in it at a time. He lost the $25 gas cap with a gauge on it.

"Yeah, I put three-quarts of a gallon iin it the other day but I'll have to put more in Saturday or Sunday." I hoped he was right.

I followed the fence under trees and over fallen trees. I stopped and kicked a rotten tree on the fence until it broke in two and released the fence. I must be a pretty good fence lady. Ha. I didn't know I could do that. Now, it was really rotten and almost broken before the mighty kick.

I sure hope none of the horses get in this wire like Tillie did a couple of years ago. She was tangled up so bad when we found her down with two feet in the wire. We cut the wire and got her up but blood spurted from her cornet band every step she took. The vet said it was next to the fastest heart he had ever heard and the other one faster died while he was examining it. About $350 later, he left us not knowing if she would live. She did but her hoof came off. A new one was under it like when our fingernail might come off.

She got fine and strong again, but I didn't want a repeat of that. So I stumbled on around the hill with my jar of staples and sledge hammers etc. You wouldn't believe how heavy they are.

Ed started the ATV for the tenth time and it spluttered and wouldn't start. He tried it again. Finally he said, "It's out of gas."

I didn't even look around, but kept walking around the hill fixing fence. I never found the original place I looked for.

I wondered if I should walk off the hill to my aunt's house to see if she had lawn mower gas.
But it was a steep climb back up that way, especially if you were carrying a can of gas.

When I came out of the woods Ed was sitting on a big rock in the lower field. The ATV remained down in the woods, hopefully up against a tree. He was kind enough to bring my coat with him.

Fortunately Ed had brought his cane since he is unsteady in his left leg from the stroke and his right leg was broken two years ago and had to have a plate and three screws inserted.

He turned and started walking toward home straight up a steep hill. I just walked off to climb the long slope to the top of the top flat. I found a chair near the old campfire and sat down to rest and contemplate.

Ed finally arrived and went over to sit on the big rock near the cold campfire.

"Do you want me to walk off the hill and go get gas and bring it back up here?"

He answered, "Can you walk all the way?"

"No. You stay here and take the gas from here back to the Ranger and pick me up and we'll ride off."

"Do whatever you want to do."

I sat mulling it over in my mind. Finally I said, "I don't think I will. I'm not sure I can do it."

"We can bring the truck back up. Would you care to drive it back off the hill?"

When I didn't answer, he asked, "Would you drive the four wheeler off?"

I didn't answer that either. I was thinking of how muddy and slick the ground was. The last time I drove that Ford 350 dually up this hill it was dry weather and I hated every minute of the drive and swore I would never do that again. The truck bounced around so much that I had to grip the wheel to stay in place.

"OK. I'll call Andy to come and help me."

We started off around the muddy, wet, slick road. I stopped as we came to a divide in the road. One was longer and made a horse shoe trip around where he had graded out for a house site years ago. My parents died and we never built a house. The other route was travelled frequently and was a muddy, sloppy mess. I was not sure we wouldn't go in over our shoes.

"I'm going down this way. I'll walk on the outside edge."

I shook my head and began the sloppy road.

"I can't keep from getting too fast." I knew he took very small steps.

"Put your cane in front of you rather than beside you."

"I can't. It's not long enough."

"Let me let it down some." I adjusted it down about another inch, which wasn't enough to make much difference. When we got down where the horse shoe road came back to this muddy one, Ed went over and sat on a pile of telephone poles piled beside the road. I joined him.

Eventually we continued the walk down hill. It was red clay in this stretch with puddles of water in the deep horse tracks. We eased on through to the curve and another steep road down to the gate.

I held to him for a while but he kept getting faster and I couldn't keep up. I didn't realize he couldn't move any slower. We looked around to find another long pole to use for an aid in walking. Nothing we could use.

About 30 feet from the bottom of the hill he was about 20 feet ahead of me.

"You better hold on to me," he yelled. He kept picking up speed.

"I can't get to you that fast." I hollered.

His feet were moving really fast but they were just going about a foot at a time and his body was traveling about a yard. At the bottom of the hill I saw Squirt, our black gelding, watching Ed hurling down the hill.

Then he fell flat on his face and hit the muddy ground that had been churned up by the Ranger and the horses. The horse whirled and ran. I got down there as soon as I could.

"You'll have to help me up," I got him by the arm.

"Let me get my cane under me" he said as he got his left leg up and his right knee still on the ground.

Jasper, the bay gelding, wandered over.

"Come over here, Jaz, and help him up."

"If I can get hold of his mane, I can pull up." but Jaz didn't get that close.

I helped him and he finally got on his feet. "I'm going over and walk beside the fence. I'm forgetting about the mud, I'll just go on through it. I've got mud in my mouth," he said, spitting several times.

We did make it to the house and left our shoes outside. I went to the store and got 5 gallon of gas, which involved me lifting the 40 pound can up into the back of the dually truck bed.

Andy, our youngest son, came and carried the gas can back up the hill through the mud and brought the Ranger back to the barn.

I'm afraid I have to say this is pretty much a typical day down on the horse farm.