Joe and his horses

The man loved his horses.  When I was young and in love with all horses..he would let me ride his.  He taught me how to ride bareback..he taught me that some of his horses could be ridden with just a halter..they were trained good..why?..he trained them himself.  I loved my afternoons spent at his farm.  He had a passel of kids..but few of them rode.

I would call and ask if it was okay to come over..the answer was always..yes!  I would take off on my bike.

There was this one last hill..I would ride as fast as my bike would allow..and watch for sand at the bottom of the hill.  The farm and the horses were just beyond the crest of this hill.

I have photographed this hill on many occasions.. it is just down the road from where we live now.

The memories of good times gone by..of the wind in your hair and the horse under you at a full gallop.

Even after I got my own horse (who was a terrible biter)  I preferred to go over to Joes to ride his horses.  His horses never bit me..they may have tried to brush me off on some of the low hanging branches in the pasture..but they never bit me.

Now I just photograph the horses..I always asked Joe “How many horses do you have now?”  He would answer in a ever so soft voice..and ask me to keep it to myself..because his wife Vi thought he only had a few.

He was always ready to share a story or two or three.  He died last Monday so the stories will end but the good memories will remain.  Joe was 85.  When he was 65 years old he rode with the Itasca State Park Centennial Wagon Train from St. Paul Minnesota to Itasca State Park.  Now let me tell ya that is a fur piece to ride on horseback..he always said that it was a ride of a lifetime:)

Wistful Wednesday: Fishing long ago

This is a photo of Far Guys Parents and his Great Uncle and Aunt.  This is another photo from the trunk upstairs.  I think it was most likely taken in the 1940’s.

Uncle Herman, Aunt Charlotte, Evelyn and Marvin..and the dog Lady or Tippy (I cannot tell them apart) the photo was taken at Grandpa and Grandmas farm.  (Herman was Grandpas youngest brother.)

This may have been the fishing trip where Far Guys mom got all the fish.  She didn’t fish much when she got older because she got seasick real easy.

This is Far Guy’s dad.  The photo was taken in 1979 well after he retired. He went fishing all times of the year.  He liked winter time fishing the best..it got him out of the house and it seems like all his record setting fish were caught then..perhaps that is because he had more time to fish.

I think this is the largest fish he ever got..a Northern weighing in at 25 1/2 pounds and 45 inches long! Now that is a fish!

“As a rule, men are very forgiving when you fish badly. It’s only when you fish well that they get truly upset.” Mallory Burton

His 98th birthday would have been last Monday..but he has celebrated the last eighteen of his birthdays in heaven.  He died in 1994 shortly after his birthday.  Eighteen years..how can it possibly be that long ago? 

Other than fishing and hunting..he liked to read the newspaper, listen to baseball on the radio, play solitaire and look at maps..he had an Atlas next to his chair and could be immediately transported to another state and tell you the best route to get from here to there. He liked to argue politics with whoever would argue with him.  He liked a good conversation with differing points of view.  Often times if Trica was argumentative we would say “Call your Grandpa and argue with him!”  He could spend hours looking at all the new cars when they came out for the year. He liked big cars..Lincolns and Chrysler Imperials. Red was his favorite color.  He loved fried potatoes and he learned to fry his own the year that Far Guys Mom had her hips replaced.  He had the hiccups for well over a year after his heart surgery..the only way he could get them to stop was to chug down some ice cold Fresca. He liked to watch TV “All in the Family” was one of his favorite shows..and Police Woman with that sexy Angie Dickinson. He watched “General Hospital” every day with Far Guys Mom.  If one of them would miss “the story” then the other would fill them in on the happenings in Port Charles... they even managed to get me interested in the happenings during the “Luke and Laura” era.

I have lots of good memories. He was a fine man and I was blessed to have him for a Father In Law:) 

New Camera for a Old Lady

Jen went shopping for me on Friday.  She picked up my new camera and delivered it on Saturday night.  She knows I hate to shop..so it was much less painful just to have her shop for me! It is a Canon Rebel T4i.  I bought three lenses a somewhat everyday one, a macro and a telephoto.  I also bought a proper camera case.

In the end I decided to get the same camera as Jen.  That way I can learn from her..her younger, smarter brain will grasp this new adventure in photography before me.  Besides I can ask her questions and she won’t think I am stupid..or if she does she won’t say anything.

My old Canon is still working ( as you can see by the photo above).

The museum does not have a camera and I photograph all the accessions…so until my old Canon gives up the ghost it will still be used.  It will be my go to work everyday camera.

So far I am trying to get used to some of the settings.  I need lots of practice and I need to find time to read the manual.

Chance is a semi willing subject.

There are a few roses in bloom.

Practice makes perfect.. you are never too old to learn something new..right?:)

War Memorial

Yesterday was the changing of the flags up on Bunker Hill up on the edge of the prairie.

This year Far Guy was asked to assist with the Air Force flag.

That is him in the red shirt.  The Coast Guard Guys are in the way.

My baby brother and his wife were able to attend..he was in the Navy.  All of our “neighborhood” showed up along with Andy, Jen and the grand boys.

The bunker on Bunker Hill. 

The flags were disposed of properly.

It was a thought filled day up on Bunker Hill..remembering all the Veterans the ones that returned and the ones that didn’t:(

Pow wow 2012

Last evening we headed over to the Pow wow.  We got there just in time to scarf down some homemade French Fries, cheese curds and a hamburger before the Grand Entry.

Just before the Grand Entry is a sacred peace pipe ceremony.  It is not photographed.

The Grand Entry begins with the eagle staffs, then the flags, followed by the royalty.  The men enter next followed by younger men and older children.  Women and small children encircle the men and soon everyone has entered and they are all dancing around the circle.

Traditional men’s regalia with a feather bustle.

Jingle dancers.

My favorite regalia this year was this simple oh so soft looking buckskin dress. This older lady is carrying her eagle feathers in her right hand and carries her buckskin beaded bag on her left arm.

This is one of the littlest Jingle Dress dancers.  She is our friend Edith’s Granddaughter.

We came home right after the Grand Entry.  It was a nice evening..two date nights this week:)

Busy Week

It was/is a busy week.  One more day..and then I get two days off..wishing my life away again.  Lots of people have been through the museum this week. 

There are two big reunions this weekend the class of 1977 and the class of 1972.  My baby brother is in the class of 1972…so he and his lovely wife are here from Oregon.  He retires at the end of this month.

It rained one day this week.  Chance and I had the day off to clean bathrooms, get caught up on laundry and dust a bit before our company came…we also found time to play in the yard with the camera.

These are the acorns forming in the Oak trees.  Rainy days are good days to send Far Guy into the museum..typically rainy days brings more visitors and he loves to give tours and visit with people.  So Chance and I just enjoyed our day out in the rain:)

Flowers on Main

I stopped after work yesterday and took a few photos on Main Street.  They have flowers planted in plastic pouches that are filled with dirt and then the small plants are planted in the holes in the plastic bag.  A hose supplies water by a drip system..no doubt it is on continually…or perhaps it is automatic.  I am sure they also supply a little bit of fertilizer.

 

It really brightens up this part of main street. 

The red petunias are one of my favorites.

I am cleaning out nooks and crannies in the museum.  Many storage places have not been cleaned out in years. ( Many people have shoved “stuff” that was not suitable for a museum in boxes.)  Needless to say there is lots of junk…and I mean junk…that can be sold at a rummage sale.  The Board Members are working at getting everything on tables and marked.  I keep bringing them “stuff.”  The sale is next week.

I am absolutely swamped with paperwork and accessions..and people and questions.  The volunteers have started to come back into the museum.  It finally cooled off a bit and makes working in the building bearable.  Tess showed up yesterday..I was so happy to see her!  She loves to visit with people and make them feel welcome…which frees me up to do other things... like catch up.. I know that will never happen..but I can hope:)

Happy Together

Far Guy and I had a date night.  We dropped Chance off at his sitters ( granddaughter Madison.)  He got to play ball, stare down a cat, he ate a tiny frog and a cat whopped him on the nose…he was exhausted when we picked him up after the concert.

The Buckinghams ( Kind of a Drag or Hey Baby/They are playing our song) were entertaining but really REALLY LOUD.  My ears were ringing.  I screamed at Far Guy “They must think we are all old and deaf.”

The Grass Roots (Midnight Confessions) was really loud too..my ears really hurt.  I was sure I had busted an ear drum.  Far Guy offered me our tickets to wad up and put in my ear.

Then came the guy I was waiting for Gary Puckett (Young Girl).  What a huge disappointment.  He does not have a bucket to carry a tune in.  OR perhaps my hearing had been damaged by then.

Thankfully there was an intermission to get up and stretch.  Then Mickey Dolenz ( The Monkees and Daydream Believer a salute to Davy Jones.) That was okay.

The real show finally started with Flo and Eddie or the remnant of The Turtles..they were hilarious and very entertaining.  Real showman.. they in themselves could have their own show.   Of course they are known for the song Happy Together.  

Me and You, and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice it has to be..how is that for an old ear worm?

Here are all the old guys at the end..one of them said it perfectly.  “If I had known I was going to live so long. I would have spent more of my youth getting high.”  Of course in the geriatric crowd that was there..we could all agree.

The backup band was loudly awesome..I am sure they cringe when Gary Puckett comes on stage to sing..perhaps that is why they play so loud..if not their sound guy should be fired:(

Wistful Wednesday: 1957

In the summer of 1957 we left the farm and went to live in Ray North Dakota where my Dad had a job with a construction company.  We stayed there all summer and into the fall.

Back then Dad was in charge of all the equipment.  So when we would go out to visit him we could pretend we were working.  That is me in that checkered shirt and my baby brother  is on the other “Cat” perhaps we were having an imaginary race.

This summers weather is reminiscent of that warm summer in North Dakota long ago.  North Dakota is different from Minnesota and far away from the comforts of home.  No lakes..no swimming..no cool breezes coming over the fields at night. No good tasting water unless you went to the spring by the side of the road to fill the water jugs.  There were large bull snakes in the road sometimes..they scared me.  That was the summer I learned to play Jacks and Marbles..the summer I was growing so fast I had growing pains at night..and real bad dreams.  I was five that summer almost six years old and headed to first grade in the fall.  My baby brother was three and when I went off to school he would be an only child during school days and have to do “stuff” all on his own:)

Tall Grass Prairie

The evening sun casts a glow across the tall grass prairie.

The Big Bluestem is beautiful.  It is just beginning to get it’s purple cast.  I love this little bit of untouched prairie.  Can you imagine buffalo and wild horses running along with this grass tickling their bellies?   It must have been quite a sight long ago.

The early settlers must have waded through this field.  The native tall grass prairies were not always friendly..a lightening strike could turn this beautiful prairie into a prairie fire that would have to burn itself out.

There are only a few of these untouched fields in our area.  I enjoy them while I can, I am sure in a few years they will all be gone:(

Aldo Leopold wrote:
“Man always kills the thing he loves. And so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness. Some say we had to. Be that as it may, I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in.”

The pot of gold (en corn)

Sometimes there is a pot of gold at the base of a rainbow.  In our case it was a pot of golden corn.

See that rainbow..we followed it here..

To my cousin Todd’s patch of sweet corn.  That corn must be about eight feet tall!

We got two bags of corn, six dozen ears.  We shucked, cooked and bagged corn all Sunday afternoon.  What a sticky mess..but it will be worth it next winter.

We had fun watching Samantha’s goats..they are a 4-H project. Children and goats were running all over the yard..it was great fun to watch.

Chance watched from the car.  His door was open.  He did not get out of the car.  We hoped that he would interact with the goats or the young Border Collie named Jack..but he just stayed in the car and barked. Silly boy.

I am happy to have one batch of corn in the freezer.  We may do another partial batch..I have to count and see how many packages we still have in the freezer from last year.  Last year we did twelve dozen ears, the Grands all love it..so we share with them.

We cook the ears, then they are thrown in an ice bath, Far Guy cuts the corn off the cob.  Then I cook up a stick of butter, 4 cups of water, 3 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 cup of sugar..I bring that to a good rolling boil and then add 16 cups of corn.  Then I put that mixture into quart freezer bags.  I freeze them on cookie sheets..nice and flat.  When they are frozen I will package four to a gallon freezer bag.  That way I can grab four at a time and put them in the refrigerator freezer. Six dozen ears made 28 quart bags filled with about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of corn.   Yummy golden goodness next winter :) 

News from a Friend

I communicate with a number of people by snail mail.  I have always been a good letter writer.  Some of my friends do not have computers and live simple unassuming lives. Sometimes I will mail them a copy of a blog.  More often than not they get one of my cards with a hand written note.  I have known some of the recipients of my cards since 1968.  That is a long letter writing history. 

I have known Joan since about 1980.  Two years ago the love of her life died and two weeks later his faithful dog gave up..it was a double whammy for her.  We talked on the phone ..lots..and she knows I hate the phone.  She called the other evening.

That day started out just like any other..I headed to work.  Sometimes something I see along the way will set the tone for the whole day…like some “you know what” in front of me poking along at 40 MPH.  A fox in the field.  Pretty clouds..you get the idea.  It is 14 miles to town..so it takes me about 15 minutes..sometimes 20 minutes.  As I entered town I notice the ambulance at the funeral home..someone died or some one called them for someone that was not yet dead. I have never seen an ambulance at the funeral home before..the hearse yes..but not an ambulance.  I had an unsettled feeling all day long.

Far Guy woke me up from my Olympic watching after supper slumber..the phone was for me.   I did not recognize the voice at first..it was somehow familiar and somehow strange.  It was Joan.  She said I have news for you “I have been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, it has affected my speech.”

Could have knocked me over with a feather.  She had just returned from a cruise in the Mediterranean.   Here I was thinking that she was having a really good time and she did but as soon as she got home she started having muscle problems.  ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease attacks your voluntary muscles.  Your heart keeps beating etc..and your brain keeps working but you will have difficulty moving your arms and legs and swallowing and breathing..because even if those swallowing and breathing muscles are autonomic most of the time..they can be voluntary or somatic. ( You can breathe on purpose.)

The Doctors give her one to three years, much of which will depend on how fast the disease progresses.  Everyone is different.  The Neurologist says she needs a custom wheelchair and she has discussed her end of life wishes with all four of her Doctors. No ventilators and no feeding tubes.  She recently sold her home and moved into an apartment..so that she could travel more. Now that traveling will be in a wheelchair.  She was thinking of getting a dog, because she misses having a dog..but said “Now that is impossible, I cannot do that to a pet, who would take it when I die?” 

What do you say to someone who is dying?  I said “At least you know who is waiting for you.”  “None of us know exactly when our time will come..you have some time to prepare”  and “I will miss you.”

She has no children, but she has two sisters and a brother and a niece.  She may move in with her niece..her niece has asked her to consider it.  I encouraged her to give it some thought. 

I guess when you get older your friends start kicking the bucket one after another.  I am/was deeply saddened by the news from my friend:(

Now for the pretty picture.

Stranded Not Once But Twice

How do you get to see your other baby brother or get invited in for coffee at the neighbors?

Last evening Chance and I wanted to go to the lake..so we did..Far Guy drove.  He proceeded to lock his keys in the car.  Luckily he had his cell phone in his pocket.  My other baby brother ran by our house and grabbed the extra set of keys. Chance was off leash.. I didn’t grab his leash out of the car because the public landing was empty.  He was entertained by splashing water and luckily no leash was needed.  My other baby brother delivered the keys.  We headed home happy to have been rescued. I guess I need to have another key made and put it in my camera case.

A storm came up just before dark.  Lots of thunder and lightening.  The phone rang.  A neighbor down the way reported that one of Steve’s calves was in the road. She wanted to know if she could help..Far Guy said “Bring a rope”  ..of course she just laughed.  Far Guy, Chance and I went to see what was up.  Steve and Jo were not home but we located them by phone.

We found the calf..Far Guy opened the gate for the little devil..and he just ran the other direction…of course.  We talked to Steve on the phone some more..as we left for home (because the calf will most likely stay close to the other cattle) ..maybe..not this wiley creature..here he was in the middle of the road again.

We wrangled him with the car..he was not a bit afraid of the vehicle..if I would have had a rope we could have rustled ourselves a steer.  We set up watch on the side of the road.  Far Guy ran out in the rain several times to wave the flash light and holler “Get back in the fence” (Like that did any good.) We kept the calf off of the road and out of harms way. His Mama was bellering for him..the lightening and thunder was most likely scaring him..and the fence is electric..and there are weird lights and a guy hollering at the poor little thing..talk about over stimulation.

Steve and Jo came home..and when they checked the little monster who should be named “Steaks and Roasts” had jumped back in the fence with his Mama.

NOW whilst we had been sitting there along the road..Far Guy kept turning the car ignition off and on.  We needed the lights to watch out for the escapee.  Our battery went dead.  Stranded twice in one day.

Steve found his jumper cables and we got the car started and went in for coffee and a visit.

Moral of the story: it is good to have neighbors and relatives that will help you out…us country folk have to stick together:)

Dog Days of Summer

It is dry.  Guyles Lake has dried up.

There is usually water beyond those Tamarack Trees.

Here is another photo I took of the same lake in June of 2009.

Ha!  I even took it at about the same spot.  One fluffy Tamarack towards the center of the photo and two  possibly struggling/dead trees to the right of the one that is thriving.

I have passed by this lake for sixty years now.  I have seen it dry.. but I have never seen the water totally disappear from the lake.

Even though it has rained some in the past few weeks I guess it wasn’t enough to raise the level in the lakes and the potholes.

This has been one of the warmest summers that I can remember in Minnesota. Day after day of heat and humidity.  I hate to say it..but I am looking forward to fall and cooler temperatures.

I am getting tired of the “dog days “ of summer..typically July 3 to August 10.  That old Dog Star Sirius must be to blame.

"These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after."  From Tuck Everlasting.

I wonder if it is the “dog days” that make me cranky and more tired than usual.  Far Guy says “No, we are just getting older.”:)

Fields

The harvest began on Monday this week.  A late July harvest.  The grain ripened fast this year.  They harvested the field across from us yesterday and there was wheat chaff sparkling in the air.

The corporate big farmer crew.

The small farmer.

Steve’s cornfield is looking good.

We went for a ride after supper last night to see all the harvest progress.

One of the neighbors lost two horses to a lightening strike the other night when it spit rain and rumbled half the night.  Poor things probably never knew what hit them:(

Wistful Wednesday: 1952

Pin curls..do up you hair for a Saturday night.

That is my Mom with her hair in pin curls with a scarf wrapped around her head. The other lady is my Aunt Marion.  Pants with rolled up cuffs must have been in fashion that year.

This photo was taken at my Grandparents D’s home..that is their garage in the background..and the cloths line where the wash was was hung..and most likely many diapers..there were three new babies in the house that winter..me and my twin Aunt and Uncle who were born two months after me:)