Karbon Kounty Moos

I haven’t posted a post card since Flag Day - so I thought that I’d stay with the theme.

Unused post card published by Edw. H. Mitchell, San Francisco

Discoverer of burned out batteries.
Finder of lame cattle.
Dead bird disposer.

Taker-aparter of pumpjack motor - again.

Parnelli Jones of the dirt and gravel backroads.

Meal in Minutes preparer.
Navigator.
Loading Assistant of lame cow and wild calf.
Puppy protector.
Road Warrior on the Quest for Parts - again.
Trapper.
Mechanical Draftswoman.
There are more - and I have to go do some of them.

I was remembering an encounter that we had a few years ago. . .

It was a Sunday during the 4th of July weekend. I went to the back place to check cattle. Everything was fine, and I headed home. On the gravel road in front of me was a station wagon. It was weaving from side to side, traveling about five miles per hour. When it finally pulled far enough to the right, I passed. As I drove by I looked at the driver, to see if there was a problem. The man driving was looking out the passenger side window and paid me no mind. Once home, I went into the kitchen - pulling together some things for dinner. It was nearing noon. My husband came in and I told him about the guy in the station wagon. I thought that he may have been lost, or looking for someone or some place.

Not long after, the station wagon pulled into our yard. The Sugar Beet Baron went outside as I finished preparing the table. After a while, I went out. The man was sitting in his car. He and my husband were having a conversation. I stood there for few minutes. I got the impression that he knew my husband. I’ve lived here long enough to no longer find it odd that he didn’t get out of the car. People can visit for hours, pulled off the side of the road. One behind the wheel, one leaning on an irrigating shovel. The guy in the car was going on and on about looking for some ground to run sheep on. My stomach was growling. I said, “Would you like to come inside for some ice tea? Or join us for lunch if you’d like.” The man agreed, and fumbled for something on the seat next to him. He got out of the car with what appeared to be a small bundle of rags. He was cradling this in his arms. As we went inside, I made enough eye contact with my husband to realize that he didn’t know what it was - or who this man was - either. Uh - oh.

I set a place for him and he sat down, bundle on his lap. I dished up some salads while the Baron poured tea. The stranger was talkative, but after a while we couldn’t pay attention to what he was saying. He tugged on the rags. Now we could see what they were. Two tattered teddy bears. One dressed in pink, one in blue. As he ate, he talked to the bears, “See the potato salad - it’s very good.” “And the macaroni salad has tuna in it, yummy.”

Our familiar kitchen had turned into a very strange place. We were having a conversation with a man who was holding a glass of iced tea to his teddy bear’s mouth. The bears never did drink or eat. But the man did, while regaling us with stories of realtors, lawsuits and lambs. I lost my appetite, but sat there, listening. At one point I noticed that the Baron wasn’t eating either, but was playing with his knife. I scraped our plates while The Teddy Bear Man continued eating and talking. Some of his conversation was directed at us, some for the benefit of the bears.

Without a word, I let my husband know that it was time for our guest to get going. Eventually, we convinced him that we had to get back to work. He left our house and sat in his car, talking to the bears. This time I verbalized, “You’d better not leave here until we know that he’s gone.” After about ten minutes he drove away.

The Sugar Beet Baron looked at me and said, “Next week he’ll be coming up with all his friends, since he found a good place to eat.” I said, “Oh no he won’t - he never said ‘Thank You’, so he’s not invited back.”

Thank You, Bonnie, for your friendship - and a wonderful grandson.

Thank You, Blake for a great puppy.

Sugar is the latest addition to the pack. Ty, Lucky and Rocky aren’t sure what to think of her yet. She’s asleep in my lap now. I need to find another spot for her and get a move on.

Tuesday, after dinner, I looked at my husband and asked, “Do you need me for anything in particular this afternoon?”. He said that he didn’t, so I decided to make my Billings provision run. I called for a last-minute hair appointment - I was able to get in at 3:30. That was my first stop. As glamorous as I get, I visited some friends who farm on the west end - long enough for some iced tea and a bit of conversation. By the time I left it was windy, rumbling and threatening a storm. I ran into Randy in a parking lot - no not literally - I was on foot at the time. I got to see his new girl - very pretty!

I had a framed photo that I wanted a new frame for and a family portrait in a gilt oval frame that I wanted restored. I had planned to stop at the Frame Hut. By the time I pulled into their lot it was after six and they were closed. Oh well, another day, I thought. From there I drove to Rimrock Mall. I can’t remember the last time I was there. It had to be a few years. My friend, Alice Ann swears by these Crocs. I decided to try a pair, and I knew that they sold them at Village Shoes. I walked into the mall right by the food court. I had no idea where the shoe store was, but I didn’t think that I could get too lost. Next thing I knew I was standing at a store called Deck the Walls. I walked in and explained what I had, and what I needed. Then I went back to the car to get my photos. Tami was very helpful. She gave me some ideas - and together we picked out new framing for my old Snook Art photo of a Hereford herd. While she worked on that I found the shoe store and tried on a pair of Crocs. Funny looking? You bet! But comfortable - mine are blue. My photo was finished - great job, too. I left the portrait for their restorer to examine.

I’ve since found out that the family portait is a convex photograph
which I knew nothing about before visiting that web site. I left the mall content and a few dollars lighter. On to grocery shopping and home by 10:30.

Yesterday was spent in the garden and the house. We’re finally getting some growing weather. The crops and garden are coming along, and the weeds are doing well. I only have two rows to hoe - but they’re long ones.

Afternoon snack time had Ty and I looking all over the place for my husband. For crying out loud - the ice pops were melting. I drove up and down the lane and couldn’t find him. Then I noticed an extension cord - it’s bright yellow - so we followed it.

No wonder we didn’t see the Sugar Beet Baron.
He was hiding between equipment with the power washer.

I didn’t know that dogs like banana ice.
But you learn something new every day.
You can learn about Half-Nekkid Thursday here
and here.
Which brings me to my entry for Half-Nekkid Thursday:

The pickup was parked. I don’t drink and drive. If you click on the photo and look closely, you can see my new blister.

Huh?
Originally uploaded by moos.

I recently received this lovely card.

What more can I say?

Well, I suppose that it’s good that they were thinking of me.

But what exactly were they thinking of me?

The card is from American Greetings.

Uhhh. . . Thanks, Karen & John.

One of my stained glass pieces.

How it looked from inside.

I haven’t had the time for glasswork in years.
My guitars are collecting dust (as is everything in the house).
I need to find more time.
In other words I need to:
“Step away from the computer.”

Something else that I’d like to be doing - but now I need to get in the garden.

It was that time again - so I took the dogs out to bring the Baron a snack. I saw his tractor in one of the corn fields. I parked the pickup and we walked down the ditch bank road. Click on the photos for them to open in a larger window.

This corn looks pretty good to me. Not very tall, but we haven’t had much growing weather yet. The field looks clean, though.

Oh, there he is - what is he doing?

Wow - that looks even better. We waited for him at the top.

This is a corn cultivator.

This is the difference it makes.

Looking east.

Heading back south, you don’t have to wait for weather here.