My Dad, A Builder of Roads

I am late with this post. I was trying to scan a picture of my Dad for Fathers day and NO LUCK!! I hope that I get this computer figured out before long. I think part of the problem was being without one for so long and this old gal just don't remember like she used to. Imagine That!! Anyhow back to the topic of the Day.

Sunday was Fathers Day, a time for remembering our Dads. My own Dad has been gone for nearly 12 years but I have many special memories of him and still think of him almost daily. My dad wasn't always around when I was growing up as he had a job that kept him away from home. He built roads. Every road I drive down in our part of the state, I know that my dad played a part in the construction of them. He started to work for the Highway Department in 1950 at the end of a shovel (so to speak). He retired with the title Resident Engineer of Division Six in 1984. His hard work, determination, night school, correspondence courses and his "I will do my best" attitude, helped him to achieve this goal.

When I was a child, not many roads in NW Oklahoma were paved. Most towns had a strip of pavement about 3 miles coming into them on the major highways. This was a time before the Interstate System, so a major highway was one that went from one state to the next, or a US highway. The State Highways, weren't paved until later. My dad was away from home as these roads were being improved. In that time, one did not drive home at night if it was any distance. I think an hours drive must have been too far, as some of the places he talked about are within that distance.

When he was at home, I loved to hear about the places he stayed. I just knew that they were wonderful places. What lovely names they had. Elmwood----Doesn't that just sound like a place filled with tree lined streets. I used to ask Dad about it..

Daddy, is it a pretty place, Does it have a creek....Are there lots of trees? I am sure my questions went on and on but that perticular name just fascinated me. Guess what....When I married the Rancher, Elmwood was just down the road. I really had to laugh about my childhood fascination with that name. Elmwood, was just a crossroads of two highways. NO town at all, but a Service Station, a motel, Cafe, and Post Office to serve a large rural area. Oh, there is a beautiful creek about a mile down the road but, Elmwood sits on a hilltop with few trees at all.

As I drive down these roads, I have memories of my Dad, I remember his frustrations and pride with certain bridges and curves. I think of Dad each time I approach them. I am proud to see that his works are still in use today. Through time, much of the pavement has been replaced with updated products and I know that eventually all of the bridges will be replaced, but today, I can still see the the products of his labor and feel a great pride.

Making a memory

I remember as a child going to the row of mulberry trees that lined the lane to Grandads pasture and picking the wonderful fruit that they bore. I loved mulberrys until someone older informed me that they had bugs in them. I should have know that to eat them was okay though as my grandmother would pick them and make a delicious cobbler or just serve them with sugar and cream for desert for lunch.

Last evening, Logan, Paula and I went to our own mulberry trees and picked mulberrys. The hot winds have dried many of them and the have not all ripened but we did pick about four cups with a few black currents added. I decided that I would try making my grandmothers cobbler. We washed and washed to currents (just in case there were bugs)







Aiden helped make the cobbler and I forgot to take his picture. He loves to cook.











Just add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.....










YUM!!!!!! Grandma was right wasn't she Logan?

Memorial Day

Today as the wind is blowing , I have decided that I don't want to be out mowing when is as blowing a gale of 30mph right on the ground. I guess that I will reminisce. Memorial Day is approaching and this year it will be celebrated on May 31 which is the last Monday of May. At one time, Memorial day was traditionally celebrated on May 30th, regardless what day of the week it fell on. A Monday gives the work force an extra day to go to the lake, or whatever it is that they do. I have found that most people don't go to the cemeteries on that day.

Memorial Day was traditionally observed to honor the dead servicemen of all wars. At sometime, it was decided to honor all dead, and time was spent decorating graves around the country. I imagine it was observed in that matter more in the rural areas than the cities.

Today, elaborate wreaths, and silk flower arrangements are purchased and placed on graves. When I was a child, things were much different. There may have been some wreaths to purchase, but I mostly remember buying a poppy made of crepe paper from the local American Legion and proudly wearing it pinned to my dress for the day.

Mom, my grandmothers and Aunts, made all of the flowers that were placed on loved ones graves. The flowers that they made were so beautiful. My mom could make the prettiest roses out of crepe paper. She also made lovely hyacinths, sweetpeas, and carnations. When the flowers were finished, we would dip them in melted wax to help them stay pretty for a longer period of time. When we had all of the flowers that we needed, we would cut cedar branches and form a wreath or swag out of them and attach the flowers. I thought they were beautiful. I am not sure when we started buying everything. Perhaps it took less time and looked a little better.

Memorial Day was spent visiting with neighbors and friends from far away who had came home to honor passed family members. There was often a program and a military salute. We dressed up for this occasion. It was a special day. Grandma would walk around and comment on names on the headstones that she knew. She knew them all as she had homesteaded with most of them. We would have company for lunch, it was a day of memories.

Today, we hurry to decorate sometime in the days ahead so we can have the whole weekend to run around. We go in our jeans and hurry, hurry to get things done. We don't have time to walk around and remember. I imagine that this is a tradition that will soon pass. Not many younger people pay this tribute unless they have lost someone who is very close to them.

I hope this hasn't been a morbid post for you to read as I wanted to remember how it was. Our lives have gotten so fast paced and it is good to look back once in awhile. I still take my mother and mother-in-law on their rounds to the places where they want to decorate the final resting place of their loved ones. We do this to remember and cherish those times spent with them. I will carry on the tradition.

A New Computer

I finally took the plunge and bought a new computer. I thought I had better just get a new desk top as the Rancher would never get the hang of a laptop. I wonder if either of us will get this one figured out. It is so nice and has a wonderful screen that is big enough to watch movies on but it LOOKS SO DIFFERENT. It seems the older that I get, the harder it is for me to accept change. I am maybe in a rut. I like things the way they are. Maybe I think if nothing ever changes, then I won't either. That is a good laugh. When I opened up my pictures on this screen, I was horrified at the women who looks like my grandmother in some of the pictures. Turns out, they were me.

I remember, when I was a child, that people always told me that I looked like my paternal grandmother. What a horrible thing to sayto a child. My grandma, was old, wrinkled and had white hair. Turns out, maybe they were right. I do have some of those features now. I just hope that I can be half as nice as she was. She always had kind words to say. I think I maybe better work on that one.

Thanks Dawn for helping me get this together. Now for the really hard part-----getting it all together in my head. That will be an undertaking.

A Computer for the Day

Dear family and friends, please be patient with me. It has been so hard to be without a computer and I do not have a library handy (27 miles). My computer has been so sick and I cannot get anyone to seem to know how to fix it. I do need a new one. I would have never believed that I would miss the few things that I do with it. One of the most rewarding things I do is keep up with my family and friends. No, I am still not a face book person, I enjoy personal e-mail and my blog. Most of all I enjoy reading about the happening on the blogs that I follow or the ones that I check into once in awhile. It has been hard.

The Rancher has had a really hard time. He has been forced to watch some TV as he cannot play his beloved games. He is a solitaire and free cell whiz. I guess that he is anyhow, he spends a lot of time playing it. Maybe he is still trying to perfect the game......I don't know. The worst part about all of this is the fact that I down-sized my TV programs. I am not about to pay $65 for a bunch of junk. That is just how I feel about it. I am now on the Family package and it has more things than I can watch. Hey, it is garden and yard time anyhow and that will keep me busy for the summer.

It is also time to get the 5th wheel out and get it ready to go camping. I hope that Mr. Rancher gets in the mood a little quicker this year than he has in the past. I think it is time to slow down and smell the pine trees, and enjoy some of this beauty that God has given to us. I am also feeling led to do a service work as we vacation this summer too. I feel that God has been directing me to help in an area where there are small churches needing someone to help for a bit this summer. I have talked to Pastor about it and he has given me a direction to search but I just haven't made the connection yet. I guess that I am waiting to see if God really has that plan for me. Pray for me.

We enjoyed our family over the week end. The Nurse came home with Studmuffin and Popcorn and Bookworm. They had things to do, and we had a great time. Popcorn now has curley hair. (a new perm) We also went to the School Art Show and saw our Senior artist win the best of the show. Wooo-woo!!! She also received another award and came home with money in her pocket. Also viewed the wedding dress for the oldest granddaughter. We are proud. I haven't found out how the ballgames in Texas came out but hope that they were okay.

Here's hoping that I get a new computer soon and that someone will help me get it set up. Have a good week and Happy Mother's Day to all of you Mom's. Remember to send me a real card, as the computer is out!!! HA It was good to be in touch.

A Man and A Woman

When I looked at the title that I given this blog, I had to laugh. I had typed "a moan and a woman". Funny, but maybe that is what it is. I mean, I moan and groan about some of the strange things that the Rancher does and he sure moans about my lack of ability at some of his jobs. I have to tell ya' though, how a man does some things, never sieze to amaze me.

I guess that a woman is used to multi-tasking, as when I clean off the table, I stack the plates, silverware, and anything else that I can pile on and head for the cabinet, sink or wherever. I can tuck things in my arms and the table is clean in two trips. The Rancher carries one thing at a time. He usually helps with the morning table so we can have our devotion.

He carries the jelly to the refrigerator.

He puts his pills up.

He puts the milk in the refrigerator.

He puts my pills away.

He carries his bowl and plate to the cabinet.

He carries his water and milk glass to the cabinet.

Yadda, yadda, dah... You get ethe picture. It drives me crazy. I am not going to complain though because he is doing it while I do something else.

I can have an idea about some of his work that I think would save him a lot of time. He usually doesn't pay any attention to me though because he didin't think of it.
The other day, he wanted to go to the neighbors. Before we could go, he had to check some wells. They are located between our house and the neighbors house. I suggested we just check them on our way over to their house.

"Well, I need to check some cattle on the Highway," says Rancher.

"It is also on the way and I don't mind going in the old pick-up." I reply.

At this point, I am thinking...either he doesn't want me to go with him or he is meeting someone on the sly.(not really)

I think the thing is.....a man just thinks of one thing at a time and they get it done. I always am going in a circle, trying to do too many things at once and never complete any of them. Maybe a man is right.(DON'T EVER SAY I SAID THAT) Maybe I should just take one thing off of the table at a time. Maybe them I would at least accomplish one thing between breakfast and lunch. (besides checking things on my computer)Maybe I would at least have the kitchen cleaned.

The Rascals on the Square

When I was a kid......Here I go again, with another chapter of the little rascals Oklahoma Style. I have told you about living in small town Oklahoma and some of the antics of the neighborhood gang, haven't I. Well, if you don't want to read about it, you are free to go. You will miss a good story though. I am so glad that I never shared these things with my children when they were growing up. What would they have thought of me and what will they think today.

Oh well, we were just unsupervised kids who had a lot of fun. Our parents worked, we were to check in once in awhile and we sure had to come in and eat lunch and maybe take a nap. We roamed the town looking for things to do. We knew every older lady in town and what day they made cookies and who made the best ones. I loved Mrs. B's oatmeal/raisin cookies and she always enjoyed sharing one of them with her young visitors.

Our town's business district was in a square, built around the Courthouse, and the courtyard. The library was located in the basement of the Courthouse. I loved to go to the courthouse to check out books in the summertime. Well, I am not sure that I always checked out books but I loved to go to the courthouse. The Courthouse was 3 stories and it had a basement. There were wonderful stairs to climb and lots of banisters to slide down. These banisters were constructed of concrete and were wonderful to slide down. They were wide enough to actually sit on. Maybe these stairs were off from the offices, but I don't recall anyone ever making us leave this wonderful activity. There were always at least 3 of us so I am sure that we made noise. I learned in later years that my own mother had done this very thing when her Father worked in the Courthouse and that it was the thing they expected a child to do. Maybe that is why the library was in the basement.

We never went to the top story though as that is where the "prisoners" were kept. Now is the late 1940's and early 50's the only prisoners were likely someone who had a little too much to drink at the Saturday Dance out at the Legion Hut. We didn't know that though and we were sure that there might be a bank robber in the upper rooms. We would often take up quarters under the weeping mulberry tree, and eat green mulberrys and make faces at the windows on the third floor. This was to assure the prisoners that we did not approve of them and they better not mess with us. My, weren't we brave.

We were all friends with the proprietors on the square. There were 3 grocery stores, The Bank, Lawyers office, Hardware, Cafes, Theater, Clothing Stores, Abstract Ofices, The Chevrolet Dealer, Shoe repair shop, Filling(gas) Stations, Variety Store, Drug Stores, Beauty Shop, Millinery Shoppe, The Grand Hotel, and back in one corner....The Longbranch Salon. No kidding....right in my own town...Not the famous one of Dodge City Fame though. Just the Longbranch Salon. We never did go to that establishment.

Mr. W., the local shoe repairman, always had a story to tell us and we all enjoyed watching his skilled hands at work. He was a crippled man who had a wonderful smile and a friendly wife. He was a good friend even when I grew up and had children of my own.

Now that you know the layout of my town, ( I no longer live there) and the town has changed, you will be looking forward to more stories, I am sure. Well, you should be, I have some good ones. Some of them I will probably never tell though. I would be breaking a pact, of the Rascals on the Square.