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The rain in Spain falls gently on the plain, and in Oregon it falls all winter long and not gently but therefore we are green and have lots of fishies

Baby Geese!

We have five new baby geese hatched out. Pictures soon. Mom and Dad are very careful and proudly walk around with their new offspring. Not like we need any more geese around here however. The pasture is just beginning to recover from an exreme pecking by thousands of geese. My guilt feelings from shooting so many geese as a teenager overcomes my temptation to shoo them away. I just let them eat and figure I am doing penance for breaking up goose families years ago.

"Widowmaker"

We have a 1972 chevrolet C 50 which is a 1 1/2 ton truck with a dump. It is the "farm truck." We try to name the farm trucks. Everyone will remember "Randy." Randy was the 1960 Chevrolet one ton dual wheel with high sides. "Randy " was pasted on the side thus the name Randy. It was sold to Ron Shinkle and then replaced by what we called the pumpkin truck which is the 72 Chev because it colored orange and looks like a pumpkin. The pumpkin truck is kind of nice because it has a metal dump box and can carry hot asphalt amongst sand, gravel, and hay.

Ross and I had an exciting time in the pumpkin truck years ago a week before he left on his mission. He helped me get a load of hay- a big load. We were rounding a corner on Zena road when the truck started to tip over. The load was tied down. Ross was sitting in the passenger seat and looked at me with terror in his eyes "should we bail?" I said "NO!-- Hold on tight!" Just as it was about to flip- we were turning over petty slow- like in slow motion the rope broke and thetruck pops upright something like a jack in the box as huge 150lb hay bails fly everywhere. Fifteen minutes later here comes the farmer I bought the hay from whith his hay squeeze and crew. He pumped up the truck tires and we were soon on our way which leads to the reason for this post.

Speaking of tires,(we keep the tires inflated now) last month after about ten years the front tires became very bald- one had cord showing. I take it into Superior tire. All the crew comes out to admire the truck. (joke) "We don't work on these wheels" the boss explains. "They'll kill you." he says. He points out parts on the wheels to the tire crew. "Guys these wheels are called 'widowmakers.' They are made in two parts and when you change the tire they can come apart explosively and kill you. That is why they are called widowmakers." He then begins telling stories of tire changers killed by widowmakers. He then proceeds to explain that no one will work on these wheels- duh? Anyway that doesn't help me- I need sand for a beach for Ann down at the new pond. The ending is tha they got me two new front wheels with used tires and Wade is bringing the old widowmakers home to sit on the junk pile as I write this.

There are still four widowmaker wheels on the rear axle. The Pumpkin truck has now been chrisened "Widowmaker." I like that name a lot more don't you? So when you hear about "Widowmmaker" you'll know what I am talkin about.

Electric Fence

I have been getting pretty good about slipping through the electric fences around the property lately. I did though have a slip up on Saturday. I was fertilizing some new trees on the north forty and coming through the fence I got zapped on the you know what. The ground was pretty wet so it got me "butt good." Later that day I was cleaning out a birdhouse and it turned out it was full of yellow jackets. I back peddled real fast and tumbled over a rock garden. I did avoid getting stung. I also managed at the end of the day to get the tractor stuck in the dirt pit next to the creek.

"Let Us Cross the Bridge and Rest Under the Trees" General "Stonewall" JAckson"

Following the Battle of Chancellorville in which he led his troups around the Union right resulting in victory he was returning to his camp when he was wounded. His left arm was amputated and he died of pneumonia ten days later. General Lee said "He has lost his left arm but I have lost my right arm." The words above were the dying words of General Stonewall Jackson. He was beloved of his soldiers. He was very devote and disliked fighting on Sundays

The Smell of Bacon

Our first pig became kind of a pet. Her name was LaWanna, affectionately named after grandma. She was purchased on a trip back from the coast as a little wiener. Everyone fought over feeding her. As the first piglet she gained a lot of attention. Scraps from the table added to her regular fare. She was in a little coral down below the barn. She would escape with regularity and chase kids around. Everyone knew what would eventually happen. When I see the movie "Babe" and the other animals talk to Babe about the purpose of pigs and that pigs are pork I know exactly what they are talking about. There were many comments from children about how they would never eat LaWanna. Well after nearly a year the fateful day arrived. There was some moaning. I kind of wondered if anyone would ever eat LaWanna. Ann said there was nothing to worry about. Several weeks later on a Saturday morning I awoke to the smell of fresh bacon permeating the little red house. I don't remember much about breakfast. However there were no vegetarians that morning.