THE GAMBLERS

Hauling hay from the ranch.

     I married a gambler and have raised three others. they are addicted and so am I. Gambling gets in your blood and I'm sure that rehab nor counseling would be able to cure our family from this addiction. part of the problem is inherited maybe even genetic. My father and grandfathers were gamblers as were Boyd's father and grandfather.

     I'm not talking about going to Fort Hall or Jackpot or even Las Vegas gambling, but rather going out and working in the field all day from early spring to late fall. The gamble starts when the ground is ready to be broken up and prepared for the seed. Then the planting, the constant care of the plants as they grow: watering; fertilizing; spraying for weeds and insects; etc.

     Yes, there is money involved in this gamble, maybe more than what we would put on the tables in casinos. Time is also a big factor in this gamble also as we work, we watch, we pray, we hope, and we never give up hope. And, just like the card-playing gambling, we won't know if we win or lose until the game is over or in agriculture terminology - harvest time.

     This year the gable has been a bad one. We didn't get the winter snow we needed to give us the moisture necessary for our crops, especially at the ranch where we don't irrigate but are dependent upon ground moisture. In fact, we haven't received sufficient moisture the past few years.

     This spring the rains came, but the moisture was not enough. Then the hot weather that dries things out so fast and no more rain. August brought rains like we haven't seen in years for that month. These rains  can be lifesavers, but this year they brought tragedy to many farms up and down the Snake River farming areas: hay that had been cut lay in the fields getting wet and turning brown; barley and wheat, ready to harvest, began to sprout; late blight visited potato fields.

     Many farmers had contracted their hay to go to dairies. Dairies require high-quality hay to feed their cows. Hay that has been cut, rained on, raked, and maybe rained on again before being baled is not considered top quality. Therefore, the dairies have rejected a lot of the hay they had contracted for. Yes, this hay can still be used for beef cattle, but it still isn't top-grade and thus will have to be sold at a lower price.

     A lot of the barley grown in eastern Idaho is malt barley, contracted to Anheuser-Busch Company, and they require good quality barley. Barley that has sprouted as extensively as it has this year is not good quality. And I understand that as the barley kernel swells when it is sprouting, it loses nutrients. So there is a possibility this sprouted malt barley may not even make good feed barley.

     When we gamble in agriculture we realize there is always the possibility of losing. We always hope that if we lose, we won't lose everything. With many local farmers, that large of a loss may be the case this year. 

     When the farmers sell their crops, the money they get is not 100% profit. There are bills to pay: seed; chemicals; fuel; fertilizer; electricity;pipe movers and other laborers. Often a farmer takes out an operating loan from the bank to see him through the season, with the promise to pay it back after harvest. All of these bills have to be paid before any personal money can be claimed.

     Do you remember "The Gambler," the song that Kenny Rogers wrote and sang? I've taken that song and changed the words a bit to fit our agriculture gambling situation:

You have to know when to plant the seeds,

Know when to irrigate,

Know when to harvest,

And know when it's all too late.

One thing is important,

As you're working on the land,

And that is: don't count your money

Until the money's in your hand.

There's a secret to survivin'

This long-term farmin' game,

'Cause every crop's a winner and every crop's a loser,

So gamblin' is our occupation's name.

     Yes, farmers are big-tie gamblers and yes there will always be another year. But after a summer like this one, it might be hard to bounce back. For some of our local farmers the ball may have lost it's bounce. Most farmers and ranchers will do everything they can to reinflate their ball, get their feet back in the farming game, move on and face another gable next year. But there may be some that pull right out of the game. 

Winter Evening Reflections

One of the things I really appreciate about our winter months are the beautiful sunsets with the snow in the foreground. The pastel colors showing forth in the sky as the sun goes down really are soothing and eye catching.
     Winter evenings come early and the nights are long. But I have found real contentment in them this year. I've enjoyed ending my day early:  relaxing, sitting by Boyd, reading while he watches sports on TV. I've done some knitting in the evenings, some planning for the next day, and some time just sitting. And I feel that it has been good for me.
     During the spring, summer, and fall I rarely get the chance to just sit. I'm one that enjoys and needs  "alone" time, and that time doesn't come often when you live on a farm/ranch. Because Boyd can become so absorbed in the sports on TV, this time can almost be equal to "alone" time for me.
     It is comforting, though, to have him close! And our elderly dog, Spotty, is always on the back porch this time of the year unless she is following Boyd out through the cows. Spotty is getting quite  cross as she ages, a lot like me, but she still is a comfort to have around. and if anyone comes to the back door she certainly lets s and them know that she is there ready to protect the occupants of her home.
     Our cat, Smokey, decided to come in onto the back porch yesterday, and Spotty let him know that he was not a welcome visitor. Smokey is getting really big and he must be catching lots of mice and other small animals, as his coat is shiny. Of course he begs two or three times a day for the cat food that we give him.

     We received fresh snow yesterday which adds to the beauty of the time of year. Yes, it has been cold and is often miserable to go out in the cold to do chores and take care of the animals like Boyd and the guys have to do. I've tried to have lots of soups and stews ready for them to eat when they come into the house, and we always have hot chocolate available.
     A warm house sure makes us appreciative of what we have as compared to our ancestors. Yes, they had wood and coal burning stoves to keep their homes warm, but most of their homes were without insulation. In some of the old homestead homes at the ranch, we have found walls that have been lined with newspapers. I am sure that was to keep the cold winds from coming in through the cracks between the logs and boards of the outer walls of the house.
     And they usually didn't have a back porch or mud room, where the men could take off their boots and outer clothing before entering into the main part of the house. So mud and snow would be tracked through the house this time of the year. Makes me shiver just thinking of the cold they had to put up with, but inside and outside.

MEMORIAL DAY

            Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed annually on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of that war. By the 20^th century this holiday had been extended to honor all Americans who had died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

More than one area claims the title of having the first Memorial Day celebration. According to my internet research, in 1865 a druggist in the village of Waterloo, New York by the name of Henry C. Welles, was at a social gathering and brought up the subject of decorating the graves of the dead of the Civil War. Welles again mentioned this in 1866 to General John B. Murray, Seneca County Clerk. General Murray liked this idea and formed a committee to plan a day to honoring the dead. On May 5, 1866, civic groups followed veterans marching to martial music as they visited three cemeteries in the area. Long services were held at each cemetery including speeches by General Murray and a local clergyman. This was repeated on the same date one year later. On May 5, 1868, the first official recognition of Decoration/Memorial Day was issued by General John A. Logan, who was the first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Memorial Day is still commemorated each year in Waterloo with a parade, speeches, and solemn observances.

            Another claim to the first Memorial Day observance, held in Charleston, South Carolina, was on May 1, 1865.  During the Civil War, Union prisoners were held at the Charleston Race Course. At least 257 Union prisoners died there and were buried in unmarked graves.

            Freedmen (freed slaves) were aware of the Union dead and decided to honor them. Together with educators and missionaries, the blacks in Charleston organized a May Day ceremony, which many claim be called the “First Decoration Day.” In preparation for this day, the freedmen cleaned and landscaped the burial ground. Close to ten thousand people, mostly freedmen, gathered on May 1 to commemorate the dead.

            In 1915 Mona Michael, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” wrote the following poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

She then came up with the idea of wearing red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation in war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. This tradition is still active.       

In 1971, the National Holiday Act was passed and in most states Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. In 2002, the Veterans of Foreign Wars stated that “changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public’s nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.”

Traditional observance of Memorial Day has diminished over the years. Many Americans have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At some cemeteries the graves of the fallen are ignored and neglected. Some think the day is for honoring any and all dead, not just those fallen in service to our country.

            As we celebrate this holiday with our barbeques, picnics, family gatherings, I hope each of us will remember the men and women in the Armed Forces who have lost their lives. It would also be a good time to reflect on and be grateful for those serving in the United States Armed Forces today, representing all of us in their effort to help others become free.

             

2013 CHRISTMAS LETTER

     This past year has been one of challenges and blessings for us. As we look back on it we can't say that we accomplished all that we wanted to, but we got our work done.
     As the year ends and we have a fruit room full of food, a corral full of cows and calves, and a warm home, we also have a heart full of gratitude for all of this things plus many more blessings that we enjoy.
     Our trips took us to the ranch and back many times; a few trips to Boise to visit family, a week at Big Sky, Montana; a weekend in Salt Lake; and some trips to the hospital.
     Our health is good, our spirits are strong, and we are enjoying life.
     We look around at the suffering and struggles going on in the world and are so grateful for what we have! We have not suffered from fire, flood, hurricanes, or tornadoes. We have faced some drought conditions; worried about water and pasture for our cattle; and had some broken down equipment that took time and money to fix.
     But we have had beautiful sun rises and sunsets; blue skies and clear nights when you could almost count the stars; full moons; clean air to breathe; fresh water to drink; time with family and friends; and evenings when we are tired because we have worked hard!
     We hope your past year has been as fulfilling as ours, and wish you a MERRY Christmas and an exciting, fun filled, challenging NEW YEAR!

 Sunset viewed coming from the ranch

 

Sunset viewed from our valley home.

FRANKIE

Frankie, looking out of the dumpster



         We've had a stray dog around our place for the past nine months to a year. At first when he showed up we thought he belonged to our neighbor across the road, Scott Steele. when we asked Scott about this dog, he said he didn't know who he belonged to, that he just showed up one day. We live out in the country where unwanted dogs and cats are frequently dropped off. Sometimes the people out this way will adopt one of those discarded animals, other times the animal control office is called to pick them up and take them to the pound. However, quite often they are hit by cars as they wander around looking for food or for their owners. Frankie is one of the few that has made it on his own.

     The grandkids decided to call our new visitor "Frankie" as we didn't know his name. He didn't have a collar or a tag. he's not very big and looks like a red border collie. He isn't dumb! he figured out our schedule and works his visits accordingly. When Jon arrives for the day, Frankie follows his car up the lane. Jon always gets some dog food out to feed Frankie. Some days Frankie will stay around most of the time, other days he is only here periodically. When the kids were moving pipe during the summer, he liked to be out in the field with them, chasing mice or whatever animal they would stir up in their pipe moving. When Sydney gets off the bus, if he isn't already here he will come then. He climbs the haystacks and runs along the top. He sits in the back of the Gater waiting for a ride.

     Talking with others we find that Frankie roams the neighborhood. I'm not sure how many feed him, but we do. He doesn't seem to be gaining any weight, but he seems to have endless energy. And he supplements his diet by dumpster diving!

     We have a large blue dumpster for the garbage man to empty twice a month. One day as I was walking past that dumpster I could hear a noise in it. I was leery of looking in, so just quietly waited. Pretty soon one of the lids started to raise, two paws and a nose appeared, then two eyes. Frankie had been looking for food. I wondered if he would be able to get out as the dumpster is quite deep, but it didn't take him long to work his way up the side and out onto the edge, then onto the top.

     When the guys were bringing the cows down for the winter they would put their cooler with lunch in it in the back of the pickup. One later afternoon, after they had arrived home from trailing cows, I saw Frankie jump into the back of the pickup and was working on the lid of the cooler. It took him awhile, but he got the lid up and took out a sandwich that was in a Ziploc sandwich bag. It didn't take him long to get the sandwich out of the bag and eaten. Then back to the cooler where the lid had shut. That didn't thwart his efforts of getting another sandwich.

     Frankie isn't real good around the cattle, he seems afraid of them. However, the guys say he's starting to learn from Spot, our blue healer, and is losing some of his reservations about being around the cows.

      He is becoming friendly with some of the family members, others of us he stays away from. Just this past week he has let me pet him without shying away when I put my hand out to him. Makes me wonder if someone has been mean to him, abused him at some time.  He isn't mean and he seldom barks.

     He does have one bad habit which might be the reason he was abandoned: Frankie pees on everything and anything. In fact if the guys are standing around visiting, it is very likely one of them will get peed on while there. Boyd has kicked him when he did that on a friend's pant leg one day, but it hasn't stopped the practice.

     We all enjoy Frankie and look forward to his visits, wondering what he will be doing this time. He has brought us many fun memories. Someone lost out when they abandoned Frankie.

     And now the rest of the story: The day after this appeared in the newspaper, there was a knock at the front door. A gentleman said he had read my article about Frankie and that he as Frankie's owner. He tried to get Frankie to go home with him, but hasn't succeeded as yet. I hate to see Frankie leave, but he isn't ours to keep. Oh, and his real name is "Rodeo," fitting for our friend Frankie.

WINTER PLEASURES

     Foggy morning here at home. Fog seems to create some beautiful images that makes everything sparkle and alive! I don't often get out early enough to take pictures of the beauty of a foggy morning, but did today. What a way to start the day!
     Winter can be depressing with the cloudy, dark days, the cold, the ice, and the isolation that seems to come with those things. This year I've decided to look for the beauty in winter.
     I remember as a child and even into my young adult life, how I loved to get out in the snow. Dad used to pull us behind the car on a sled or a toboggan. The roads we lived on out in the country were dirt roads and there was very little traffic.Can you believe that of Sunnyside road now, that is where we lived! Anyway, we would dress warm and out we would go on wintry days. We would build snowmen, we would sled down the drifts, we would have snowball fights, we would make snow angels. And yes, we would get cold. On Sundays after church a friend and I would put go to Sand Creek, put on our ice skates, and skate a mile south to another friends house. There we would play board games until almost dark, put our skates back on and head home.
     When we lived in Ammon with our young family, there was a time when we had snowmobiles. Sometimes, on clear full-moon winter evenings, we would dress warm in our snowmobile suits and get on those machines and head for the foothills. We had to be careful for about 3 miles, and then there would be no traffic. We would go up Sunnyside to the Bone Road, and turn North coming back down the Lincoln hill to Foothill Road, and back to our Ammon home. What an invigorating evening ride that would be. Often we would take the kids with us, pile them on in front and behind us. Sometimes it would just be Boyd and I.
     We no longer have snowmobiles, and the cold seems to penetrate through to the bone in our old bones. But there are still things I can enjoy about the winter season. It is a time of less daylight and more nighttime. This gives me more time to relax. Even though the calving is a time consuming job, Boyd can spend more time in the house, if for no other reason than a cup of hot chocolate and getting warm.
     When we had the blizzard a week ago, I thoroughly enjoyed that. I love the sound of the wind at anytime, and especially when I'm trying to sleep. Boyd had the cattle close to the sheds, we still had electricity, and we we were warm in the house. What else could we want.
     The fresh snow on Monday morning with the drifts were beautiful, no tracks in the snow at all. No dirt blown into it, no marring of the beauty. I didn't take a picture then but should have.
     I have enjoyed walking over to Derrald and Debbie's home this past week and vi sting with them. I don't usually take the time to do that. I need now to take time to get in touch with people that I haven't heard from in quite some time. I did get a phone call from Lacey, a granddaughter this week that I enjoyed!
     Looking out my kitchen window the other morning, I saw a huge bald eagle in a tree over by Derrald's home. I watched it for a few minutes and then went to get my camera. When I got back to the window, the eagle was gone. I'm glad I took the few minutes to enjoy the sight even if I didn't get to preserve it.
     Yes, Spring will be coming soon, and then summer, busy busy times. But there is no need for me not to enjoy winter: the crisp cold air; the falling snow; the fog; the quiet that seems to permeate the air this time of the year more than any other.

THE SIMPLE THINGS

     This morning our son, Doug, and I were having our usual early morning phone conversation and the subject got around to the simple things in life. He mentioned the sunrise this morning, how beautiful it was even though it only lasted a couple of minutes before the clouds moved in.
     This made me question how many beautiful but simple things I probably miss each day because I'm not looking for them. I don't always look toward the east early in the morning to view the sunrise. But on the mornings I take Sydney down the lane to catch the school bus I often wish I had grabbed my camera because of the sunrise. I have found myself running errands or coming home from grocery shopping in the early morning and again see the beauty of the sunrise. A picture like that should be enough be make any day wonderful.
     Our sunsets around here are fantastic also. Again, they don't last long. The other day I just stood at one of my west-facing windows enjoying the sunset and felt such a peace come over me. Many times I rush to get my camera to record such moments, but that evening I just watched.
     Another time I was looking toward the south during the early morning and the colors in the sky were pastel blues and pinks. Framed by a couple of the big cottonwood trees at the end of the lane, that would have made a beautiful picture. Again, no camera, but that's no reason to not enjoy the beauty and bask in it's message.

(Sunset in winter)

      Simple things in life are important. We take so much for granted until we happen to have someone we know and love who is struggling just to get their bodies to perform the simple tasks that are necessary for life. Then we stop and hopefully voice gratitude for those simple things.
      This early morning phone conversation with Doug every day is another simple thing that I take for granted until he leaves for six and eight months at a time. Derrald stopping by every morning on his way to or from checking the cows is a simple gesture which I love because we get to visit one on one. Jon sitting at the kitchen counter visiting with me while I'm doing dishes or cooking; Skyler coming into the bedroom and getting on the bed beside me when I'm taking a break and reading; all of these things are simple things but they are the things that make life worth living.
     I need to recognize and acknowledge these simple things more. I shall!