Daddy Gene always said, "poor people have poor ways". Mostly, he meant that when facing a need, Wright City folk had to figger out a solution that did not involve money.
Gene called them solutions "managing". Takin' what you had and forging a resolution that got the job done. In truth, he was a master at this "art" as he was something of an inventor and as handy as a pocket on a shirt when it came to "fixin" stuff.
The old ranch hand inherited that ethic and has tried to emulate Daddy's ways. Often a quicker, easier solution would be to pay someone else to fix something, but the image of Daddy "watchin" always loomed in the background.
A case in point involves the ranch riding mower. That puppy has been a trojan of a workhouse performing hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of service without complaint.
Course, like your humble scribe, Rojito (as I call the red machine) has started to wear out one piece at a time.
The routine has become to mow a time or two....and then tear it all apart to replace broken/worn parts....mow a time or two...repeat above (over and over)????
The book of Romans (12:12) tells us, "Be joyful in hope; patient in affliction, faithful in prayer".
Lord, I know you have noted my "faithful prayer" to give me more "patience", but after today that damn mower is wearing my butt out with its breaking down "affliction".
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Lakota Prophecy
A white buffalo is considered sacred in several Native American Indian religions.
A Lakota prophecy goes that the birth of a white buffalo would be a sign that the time had come for the world to be purified – harmony, balance, respect among people and respect for the earth. (whitebuffaloprophecy.com)
The ole ranch hand has ultimate respect for the Creator and the beliefs of the ancients....while simultaneously sharing the belief of my friend "T" that the Almighty has a sense of humor that includes "jus' playin'" with us at times?
This last sunrise dawned clear with the promise of the fall to come and its hint of autumnal treasures. Not to be false in seasonal intentions, the ironic nature of our humble ranch land once again "smirked".
Looking out the bunkhouse to the back pasture, the fat boy spied eight Rio Grande turkeys sauntering about with their heads down bobbing and tails in the air in a clucking foraging choreography.
Lo and behold, a lone ubiquitous avian soul sported traditional foliage from mid-section to crown....while brilliantly displaying bright white plummage on the entire lower half?
Surely our Savior had a "belly" laugh on that one while musing as to the potential interpretations of us mere mortals?
Ya gotta love it!
A Lakota prophecy goes that the birth of a white buffalo would be a sign that the time had come for the world to be purified – harmony, balance, respect among people and respect for the earth. (whitebuffaloprophecy.com)
The ole ranch hand has ultimate respect for the Creator and the beliefs of the ancients....while simultaneously sharing the belief of my friend "T" that the Almighty has a sense of humor that includes "jus' playin'" with us at times?
This last sunrise dawned clear with the promise of the fall to come and its hint of autumnal treasures. Not to be false in seasonal intentions, the ironic nature of our humble ranch land once again "smirked".
Looking out the bunkhouse to the back pasture, the fat boy spied eight Rio Grande turkeys sauntering about with their heads down bobbing and tails in the air in a clucking foraging choreography.
Lo and behold, a lone ubiquitous avian soul sported traditional foliage from mid-section to crown....while brilliantly displaying bright white plummage on the entire lower half?
Surely our Savior had a "belly" laugh on that one while musing as to the potential interpretations of us mere mortals?
Ya gotta love it!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
The Good Life and Other Magic
In Romans, Chapter 14, we are told, "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables"
Be it abruzo, andouille, banger, bowerwurst, boudin, or the ranch hand's venerable Tin Star venison jalapeno/cheese smoked goodness....sausage would likely meet the biblical definition of "One man's faith allows him to eat anything...."?
The word sausage is derived from the Latin word salsus which means something salted. As a historical reference, sausages are mentioned in The Odyssey which was written by Homer more than 2,700 years ago (integratednutrition.com).
Regardless of history, nomenclature, preference, or prejudice, sausage would be one of the ole fat boy's weaknesses.
Tomorrow next, the bride and I will journey to the nearby burg of Thorndale to the meat market to drool over their casing enclosed ground meat goodies.
Right now we be thinking bout ten pounds of lean beef links and a similar pile of pork and jalapeno/cheese hot gut mouth candy.
Fire up the ranch smoker pit early with live oak seasoned for three years, lovingly lay them puppies on the grill with gentle tenderness......and wait for the magic to happen.
Now that is the GOOD LIFE!
Be it abruzo, andouille, banger, bowerwurst, boudin, or the ranch hand's venerable Tin Star venison jalapeno/cheese smoked goodness....sausage would likely meet the biblical definition of "One man's faith allows him to eat anything...."?
The word sausage is derived from the Latin word salsus which means something salted. As a historical reference, sausages are mentioned in The Odyssey which was written by Homer more than 2,700 years ago (integratednutrition.com).
Regardless of history, nomenclature, preference, or prejudice, sausage would be one of the ole fat boy's weaknesses.
Tomorrow next, the bride and I will journey to the nearby burg of Thorndale to the meat market to drool over their casing enclosed ground meat goodies.
Right now we be thinking bout ten pounds of lean beef links and a similar pile of pork and jalapeno/cheese hot gut mouth candy.
Fire up the ranch smoker pit early with live oak seasoned for three years, lovingly lay them puppies on the grill with gentle tenderness......and wait for the magic to happen.
Now that is the GOOD LIFE!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Topper
When the ranch hand was near 15 year old, he purchased a .12 gauge single shot shotgun from Papuh (grandfather) for the magnanimous price of $15.
Yeah, it had a metal screw for a front sight...and there was black electrician's tape around the forearm to keep it on the gun...and there were wooden match sticks driven between the tang and the stock to keep the stock from "wigglin", but it was heaven to a Wright City boy wanting to hunt "birds"!
Course, shells was hard to come by. Lester Sala who owned the drug store in Turnertown would sell boys shells in amounts less than a box. Ya had the money for only three bullits...Mr. Sala would cut a deal. (Now imagine how carefully your neophyte "bird" hunter would choose them shots knowing he only had 2 or 3 chances for the day???)
On occasion, an adult would "gift" some shells to a poor country boy. Only thing, ya never knew what the "load" was....the ammo bag would have a mix of bird shot, squirrel shot, buckshot, rifled slugs, or whatever...they was bullits..that's all that mattered to a rural young'un....even if ya splattered a poor hapless varmit with a heavy load while bruising a shoulder?
Many was the time the ole fat boy hoofed it down Rusk County Road 4151 in search of winged quarry with that venerable H&R Topper one hole scatter gun. Dove, quail, and the unfortunate meadowlark (mistaken for a dove/quail) succumbed to the wanna-be Daniel Boones' marksmanship.
Time passed...and now there resides in the ranch gun safe (in addition to the "Topper") guns of considerably greater cost and craftsmanship. This opening weekend of the 2012 dove season opened with yours truly "blastin" down at the pond with one them high dollar twice-hole models...but been thinkin'....
Wouldn't it be cool to dust off Papuh's ole popper and down a dove like the old days...now that would bring back good memories.
Yeah, it had a metal screw for a front sight...and there was black electrician's tape around the forearm to keep it on the gun...and there were wooden match sticks driven between the tang and the stock to keep the stock from "wigglin", but it was heaven to a Wright City boy wanting to hunt "birds"!
Course, shells was hard to come by. Lester Sala who owned the drug store in Turnertown would sell boys shells in amounts less than a box. Ya had the money for only three bullits...Mr. Sala would cut a deal. (Now imagine how carefully your neophyte "bird" hunter would choose them shots knowing he only had 2 or 3 chances for the day???)
On occasion, an adult would "gift" some shells to a poor country boy. Only thing, ya never knew what the "load" was....the ammo bag would have a mix of bird shot, squirrel shot, buckshot, rifled slugs, or whatever...they was bullits..that's all that mattered to a rural young'un....even if ya splattered a poor hapless varmit with a heavy load while bruising a shoulder?
Many was the time the ole fat boy hoofed it down Rusk County Road 4151 in search of winged quarry with that venerable H&R Topper one hole scatter gun. Dove, quail, and the unfortunate meadowlark (mistaken for a dove/quail) succumbed to the wanna-be Daniel Boones' marksmanship.
Time passed...and now there resides in the ranch gun safe (in addition to the "Topper") guns of considerably greater cost and craftsmanship. This opening weekend of the 2012 dove season opened with yours truly "blastin" down at the pond with one them high dollar twice-hole models...but been thinkin'....
Wouldn't it be cool to dust off Papuh's ole popper and down a dove like the old days...now that would bring back good memories.
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