The Bench That Family Built

The bench has been a project Hubby and Bev have been working on to add abiance to the shop.  Each piece has history.  The headboard is an old piece of our grandmother's no good for a bed anymore.



The seat is recycled barn timber, the sides and other pieces were hand milled years ago from the very timber that grew on this land by Mom and Dad.

Hubby and Beverly have worked hard in triple digit heat to construct this bit of history.  The beautiful bench now sets outside the shop for people to enjoy.

Miracles Do Happen

 It started as an innocent drive taking Andrew to swim with his friend and her family.  The roads were hot. It was 105 degrees.  The asphalt changed from new to old.  The truck started sliding.

It spun around in the middle of the highway.

Hubby had it straightened back out.

The front wheel dropped off a high shoulder.

The cab hit the ditch and it started rolling

over and over.

 Andrew held on to the chicken bars by the door and Papa gripped the steering wheel.  The truck stopped rolling.  Papa was worried about Andrew and vice versa.  Papa said, "Andrew, are you alright?  Andrew?"  Andrew said, "I'm okay if you get off me".

Hubby said all the things came out of his pockets and his shoes came off.  Everything loose in the trucks had scrambled.  Andrew crawled out first.  Hubby said, "Call Jenna's Dad".  They were there quickly.  Nosed into the ditch the truck rolled who knows how many times. 

Both were able to walk away.  Thanks to quick thinking and Higher Powers the guys WALKED AWAY.  Andrew went swimming with Jenna's family and Hubby rode home in the tow truck.

We only have libility.  Hubby's not working.  My job ends in July.  My sister, Marcy, may have cancer.  But The Guys Walked Away!

Can't wait to see what happens Friday.  It will have to better than Thursday was.

Thursday's Things In A Row

My theme today is just for Pat.

She loves spiders and that is that.

So if you dislike spiders at all,

Time to run or look to the wall.

A Leopard Frog has rows of spots

And waits for spiders

Believe or not.

This gives you time to back out

SPIDERS AHEAD!

LOOK OUT!

Each has legs,

count them...eight.

Eyes are different

They can have zero to eight.

Some build webs

Some just crawl

But they eat bugs

That's the best part of all.

So rows of eight

Are my rows today

I can't wait to hear

What Pat has to say!

Visit A View From The Edge

Where Pat is my friend

After these spiders

That may all end.

Jake...

has been told by Papa that his toenails will be painted when he sleeps.  Jake says, No way!  Well, Papa won this one!

Sorry, Jake, I just had to show the world.

Love you, thanks for being such a good sport.

Things Growing...

At The Farm

 



A Week Of Flags...

and still no rain.

Mag 123

My imagination wanders
When pictures are innocent
But when there is Pure Evil
I wonder where the creativity went.

I've looked off and on
At this photo all the morn
Nothing comes into my head
My brain is rather worn.

Today I shall not surprise
With evil twists or turns
I'll let the picture do the talking
While I'm an uncreative worm.

Join Magpie Tales for the weekly writing challenge or just stop by and read all the wonderful creations that were written for this prompt.

Happy Writing!

Saturday Centus 112

Welcome to week ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE of Saturday Centus from the wonderful Ms Jenny Matlock. 

The prompt this week is: 'It's an amusing little whine...' (and, yes, the misspelling is deliberate)
Number of words: 100 plus the 5 words of the prompt. 105 total.  Style of writing: Any

I don’t like a noisy dog

One that growls or barks

I want them to be quiet

As we’re strolling in the park.

I want them to lay silently

At my feet while I read

I want them to look at me
And communicate their needs.

I’ve had yappers

Who drove me quiet insane

Their persistence barking

Stuck needles in my brain

I’ve also had some growlers

That seemed to growl for fun

Didn’t need a reason

They growled at every one.

Now I have a whiner

He does it all the time

But I have grown to love him

It’s an amusing little whine.

A Tale of Tails...

and of happy endings.

Many of you have patiently read of my obsession with my hot pepper, Ki-Anne.  You've heard my confession of neglect and how the pups came to be.  You have followed Junior's exploits and watched them both grow into fine farm dogs.

Today I received an email from one of the young ladies who took a puppy from Ki's litter.  She chose a male dog who had a full length tail.   All puppies were born with varying lengths of tail.

Meet Neeko.

Full of energy!

Can sit, lie down, play dead and shake hands.

I think he has his mother's ears...

and her energy.

Neeko's adoptive parents are very pleased.

And that's the happy ending.

Thursday's Things In A Row...

Today I have just one thing to show

One reason is Blogger's too darn slow.

Rows of calves behind rows of barbs

Studying the rows on the culvert

Left in their yard.

Visit Pat and join the fun.

Add your rows to everyone's.

Horror! The Head Gate...

The calves weren't real excited

Normally we tag and tattoo when they are much younger but due to the few health setbacks Hubby was unable to complete that until the past week.  Of course he chose a time when I was not around to help.  He didn't know my sister watches after him.  She kept her distance but took pictures so she could report to me and to give Hubby a hand if something went wrong.  Luckily she just had to take pictures.

No one wants their baby to get a tattoo but it is far more humane than the old hot brands that used to be used.  The purpose is two-fold, you can identify your stock and the tags contain a tick repellent.  If the tag is lost, the tattoo remains.

All done except one.  The calves won't come back to the corral even for food.  It is the head gate that scares them not the result of what was done.  Hubby never knew there was a spy in the tree line.

Angry Skies...

Frustrated me.  I have the blue circle every other word, not exactly conducive for fluid writing.  I have reported this repeatedly to blogger but there is no solution that I can find nor that they will reveal.  It's takes
long amounts of time to make a small post as every other word blue circles! It is not just my computer, I have tried others.  It is blogger, hands down.

If I'm not here you can find me at  Familiar Spirit or you may cruise through some old posts by clicking the pictures below any.  Maybe if I leave it alone awhile it will cure itself.

Telling A Story...

I mentioned Hubby wouldn't cowtow to any one.  They said, what???  They had never heard the word so that got me curious. 

Had I made up a word?  In my mind, it meant bow down and be subservient. So I looked it up.

What  a relief!  I had it right although I could not remember for the life of me how I knew that word.  My friend and I live in the same area but sometimes we surprise each other with some old expressions.

According to Wikipedia, "Kowtow, which is borrowed from kòu tóu in Mandarin Chinese, is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground.

In Han Chinese culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has become much reduced."

And I looked some more...

Cowtow is also an acceptable spelling and has seeped into modern language.  Although not used often by many, some of us old folks still use it...and it fits perfectly.

Marcy said Granny Pruett used to say it so I guess it came from the Carolina's or from the age Granny lived.

Just thought I would share that.  Remember you don't have to kowtow to anyone anymore.

My Second Take On Mag 122

The spring thaw revealed the secrets

Of the stranger in the woods.

The spring rains revealed his art work

Where his campsite had once stood.

Winter's length kept him busy

Making sculptures from the parts.

With each piece he added

Something from his heart.

The hiker found the "artwork"

Called in all the guards.

"There's something not right

About this sculpture in the yard."

Upon close inspection

The art work did expose

An interlocking pattern

Of painted fingers and toes.

Oh, they never caught him

As you think they should.

Know not where he is now,

Maybe in your woods.

Visit Magpie Tales for other's take on the picture prompt Tess gave us today.

Mag 122...A Writing Prompt

Instructions

1) Write a poem or short vignette using the picture featured in this post as your inspiration. Feel free to take the photo to use for your post.
2) Link back to Magpie Tales from your post.
3) Sign up in the Mr. Linky list, linking directly to your post, AFTER you've posted.

Go and visit to see how many contributed so wonderfully.  Thanks, Ms Tess.

Puddle, 1952, M. C. Escher

The Puddle

Muddy puddle

Reflecting sky

People walking through

People walking by.

So goes our life

Reflecting above and below

Where people trod

To and fro.

Leaving tracks

Upon our heart

The people we pass

Do leave their mark.

Happy Father's Day

To all with a Father's heart.

SC111-Has it really been a decade?

Time for Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus.The prompt this week is: 'Has it really been a decade?'

Number of words: 100 plus the 6 words of the prompt. 106 total.  Style of writing: Any  Pictures: Any you want to share.


“Has it really been a decade?” he asked while brushing and braiding my long hair. I wondered why. I was thirteen. I knew what a decade was.

I didn’t remember Mama but Paul talked a lot about her. He asked me to call him Paul since Daddy made him feel so old. He would always laugh when he said that.

We moved around a lot but that was okay. “It’s just you and me, kid," Paul always said.

Learning a new phrase that morning, Age Progression, I stared at myself on the milk carton.

Then Paul asked, “Kitten, are you ready to play our little game?”

Purely For Your Viewing Pleasure...

Thursday's Things In A Row

Cattails in a pond, stuff a pillow, eat the root,

make baskets from the shoots.

Cultivated clouds in the sky

 tell me, it's staying dry.

Wonder if the ant wives complain

about the dirt tracked in after a rain.

For some fun,

show your rows

Join Pat

for the show.