I've so far posted stories that I've finished. However, I've got a few that are not finished and so may begin one of these. I do have a few more that are finished.
With all I've been doing, and I've been busy, I may go ahead and begin posting one of those instead of actually working on one of my unfinished ones.
I'll decide soon.
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Epilogue
Epilogue
“Poppy, what is freedom?” I asked.
“Now that is an excellent question, Coon honey!” I could see that I had almost managed to make my dear Poppy speechless and although I did try often to come up with some real crazy questions to get such a response from him, this question was one I was truly interested in.
“First you tell me what YOU think freedom is and then I’ll tell you what I think” typical Poppy! Always tossing the ball back in MY court!
Since I had been thinking about this for at least a week and I had a feeling he would do this; I was prepared “I think freedom is tricky. First Jesus said that the truth would set you free. Yet many who believe in him hold to some very strict rules for themselves, like not stealing, or murdering people…so freedom must not mean being free from all rules. Second it must be very precious because so many are willing to die for it. Third, I don’t think anyone could really steal it from another but they could make them think they have stolen it. And lastly, I think that freedom must come from your heart or at least start there because everyone knows that really important stuff and really good stuff comes from the heart.”
I looked at Poppy not quite knowing what he would say and I think there was a tear in his eye.
“Coon hon. You sure are growing up fast,” he paused; took a deep breath, wrapped his arm around me and we began to walk . ”Yes, Freedom is when one is able and willing to do the right thing, the honorable thing, that which glorifies God for all the right and honorable reasons. And you are right, no one can really steal it from another because it does first rest in ones heart. It is knowing that while we can do many things, we know those that we should do and should not do. I’ve seen those who were freer in the foxholes of Vietnam than those multi-millionaires living in their mansions behind locked gates. See having a lot of things doesn’t make you free; heck even being super smart doesn’t make you free. It doesn’t have to do with things, it deals with thoughts and abilities. Not money and so called power. It also means that one doesn’t let someone boss them around and tell them to do things that they know are wrong. It deals with making decisions that are made only after the consequences are carefully thought out and how they will affect not only the decision maker but also those around him or her.”
We were quiet for a few moments as we walked into the woods along the path that would take us to our fishing hole, but I had a feeling he wasn’t done yet. I was right.
“You could think about it this way: freedom means we can make the choices, but we also bear the responsibility of those choices and we always consider how God would want us to decide. And everyone has the right to make their own decisions.”
“But what happens if someone decides to do bad things and hurt others?”
“Well, that is when freedom is most important because if someone is taking another’s freedom away, they lose their freedom.”
“Kinda like: if you abuse it, you lose it?”
“Exactly!”
the end
“Poppy, what is freedom?” I asked.
“Now that is an excellent question, Coon honey!” I could see that I had almost managed to make my dear Poppy speechless and although I did try often to come up with some real crazy questions to get such a response from him, this question was one I was truly interested in.
“First you tell me what YOU think freedom is and then I’ll tell you what I think” typical Poppy! Always tossing the ball back in MY court!
Since I had been thinking about this for at least a week and I had a feeling he would do this; I was prepared “I think freedom is tricky. First Jesus said that the truth would set you free. Yet many who believe in him hold to some very strict rules for themselves, like not stealing, or murdering people…so freedom must not mean being free from all rules. Second it must be very precious because so many are willing to die for it. Third, I don’t think anyone could really steal it from another but they could make them think they have stolen it. And lastly, I think that freedom must come from your heart or at least start there because everyone knows that really important stuff and really good stuff comes from the heart.”
I looked at Poppy not quite knowing what he would say and I think there was a tear in his eye.
“Coon hon. You sure are growing up fast,” he paused; took a deep breath, wrapped his arm around me and we began to walk . ”Yes, Freedom is when one is able and willing to do the right thing, the honorable thing, that which glorifies God for all the right and honorable reasons. And you are right, no one can really steal it from another because it does first rest in ones heart. It is knowing that while we can do many things, we know those that we should do and should not do. I’ve seen those who were freer in the foxholes of Vietnam than those multi-millionaires living in their mansions behind locked gates. See having a lot of things doesn’t make you free; heck even being super smart doesn’t make you free. It doesn’t have to do with things, it deals with thoughts and abilities. Not money and so called power. It also means that one doesn’t let someone boss them around and tell them to do things that they know are wrong. It deals with making decisions that are made only after the consequences are carefully thought out and how they will affect not only the decision maker but also those around him or her.”
We were quiet for a few moments as we walked into the woods along the path that would take us to our fishing hole, but I had a feeling he wasn’t done yet. I was right.
“You could think about it this way: freedom means we can make the choices, but we also bear the responsibility of those choices and we always consider how God would want us to decide. And everyone has the right to make their own decisions.”
“But what happens if someone decides to do bad things and hurt others?”
“Well, that is when freedom is most important because if someone is taking another’s freedom away, they lose their freedom.”
“Kinda like: if you abuse it, you lose it?”
“Exactly!”
the end
If You Abuse it, You Lose it. -Thirty
Thirty
The seven young adults, because truth be told; they were not kids anymore, moved quickly and quietly towards the road. They could hear the group before they could see it. Coon, Katie, Kelley and Rhea pulled themselves up into trees and began to go from tree to tree. While Shane, Tommy and Fred spread out and hunkered down behind thick trunks. They were spread out, three on each side of the drive and only about 50 feet from where the FEMA group stopped. They could just make out each other but that was because they knew what to look for.
They could hear a conversation going on between two men standing in the road.
“They want to talk to you on the CB, sir.” said a man coming up from one of the vehicles.
“Tell them I’ll be right there.” returned the heavy set man that looked out of place in the clothes he was wearing. It was like they were too new for him and that he would have been much more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. His face was newly shaven with lighter skin where a beard once was.
Coon was getting a weird, not quite right feeling from this group. She didn’t think they really represented the government, but her experience with the government was limited to the one time that two agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms came to the farm to look for illegal guns. They had been really nice and had a good conversation with her grandfather before they glanced around the yard, declared no illegal guns found and then had left. They had declined a piece of pie and coffee from her Granny.
These men seemed to be very aggressive especially the one now speaking that seemed to be in charge.
“I’m telling you, no one will stop me. These hicks cannot stand up to our firepower. They’ll be meek and ‘let us help them’, hehehehehe!” He was speaking to another man that was standing next to him as the one who brought the message stepped back to the vehicle.
“Clyde, I have to agree that finding these beauties have made life easier.” the second man said as he motioned towards the convoy.
The two men continued talking but Coon couldn’t hear anymore since they had started walking away back towards the vehicles.
Coon signaled the others the sign for extreme danger, and the sign for untrustworthy. Fred had a small radio on him that he clicked four times, waited and then clicked two more (four clicks for more than twenty men and two clicks for two groups broke away from main group).
The adults had been waiting for the kids to check in and the simple clicks sprang them all into action. The wedding guests and party had already changed into more appropriate clothing. They broke into small groups and began to prepare to defend the farm and each other.
The kids stayed where they were and waited. The group on the road were getting restless until the first man “Clyde” began to loudly give orders assigning positions to the group of about 30 men.
“Ok, I just spoke to whom I’m assuming is their leader and they have agreed to send a small meet and greet party. I told them no more than four since I was worried about our security and how FEMA wasn’t being greeted with friendliness despite our well-meant intentions.”
That brought a few chuckles from the groups of men.
“I want five of you to go into the woods on that side of the drive and another five to go on the other side and set up an ambush. That way we’ll have an advantage if things don’t go our way and they won’t know exactly how many we are if things do go our way. We can still ambush them no matter if they cooperate or not. But we need to get in there if we are to take full advantage. So we are going to be ‘friendly’ to them.”
There were some snickers all around as ten of the men broke off the main group and began to walk towards the woods.
Coon signaled all the others and leaving Katie and Tommy in their positions to take out the leader if they needed to; the rest changed their positions to take out those headed for the woods.
Coon watched as the five men on her side of the road began to make themselves comfortable in various places that gave them a good view of the drive. They were only about five feet into the woods and Coon knew that she or the other kids would have no problem spotting them. She completely trusted that Kelley, Rhea and Fred would be able to handle the trouble on their side of the road. Since Tommy and Katie were on her side of the road and had stayed in position to use their sniper skills when the trouble began (and she was sure there was gonna be some trouble), she knew she would have to handle the five men on her side of the road by herself. She decided to get a head start and using her bow she notched an arrow and hit the closest one to her in the heart. He slid silently to the ground, the others didn’t even notice.
The kids had quietly taken out all but three when they heard someone coming down the drive from the farm.
The leader and two others met the vehicle from the farm right just before the end of the driveway. The Leader was confident that he had the upper hand, but Coon knew that the situation had changed for the “bad” guys.
She also knew that those from the farm could not know what the kids had overheard so she notched arrow that she tied a red ribbon on and let it fly.
Just as the Leader yelled “take them”, an arrow went through his neck and he began to gurgle on his own blood.
The three bad guys in the woods about jumped out of their skins, or would have if they hadn’t of died so quickly.
Kelley and Tommy began taking out those men that were left at the vehicles and the battle was over before those from the farm really knew what was going on.
They all went over all the vehicles and dead bodies and salvaged the weapons and anything else they could find. Then the kids were ordered to the house and the adults took care of the bodies.
It took a LONG week for the kids to come to grips with what had happened but they knew that they had done the right thing in protecting their family and loved ones. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind anymore that the kids were no longer kids.
The girls went to the hanging valley and some great connections were made.
Coon continued to teach and learn.
The farm became her home and she eventually moved her things there from both her cave and the cellar of her grandparents burnt home.
The young adults made many trips out into world, but they always came home. Yes, there were mishaps and some very close calls; but common sense and a deep sense of what was right and what was wrong drove these young ones to do what they could to not only find others who were honorable but to bring their country to a place that one could once again be proud of. And their children and children’s children made sure to pass on the story of Coon and her co-horts.
The seven young adults, because truth be told; they were not kids anymore, moved quickly and quietly towards the road. They could hear the group before they could see it. Coon, Katie, Kelley and Rhea pulled themselves up into trees and began to go from tree to tree. While Shane, Tommy and Fred spread out and hunkered down behind thick trunks. They were spread out, three on each side of the drive and only about 50 feet from where the FEMA group stopped. They could just make out each other but that was because they knew what to look for.
They could hear a conversation going on between two men standing in the road.
“They want to talk to you on the CB, sir.” said a man coming up from one of the vehicles.
“Tell them I’ll be right there.” returned the heavy set man that looked out of place in the clothes he was wearing. It was like they were too new for him and that he would have been much more comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. His face was newly shaven with lighter skin where a beard once was.
Coon was getting a weird, not quite right feeling from this group. She didn’t think they really represented the government, but her experience with the government was limited to the one time that two agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms came to the farm to look for illegal guns. They had been really nice and had a good conversation with her grandfather before they glanced around the yard, declared no illegal guns found and then had left. They had declined a piece of pie and coffee from her Granny.
These men seemed to be very aggressive especially the one now speaking that seemed to be in charge.
“I’m telling you, no one will stop me. These hicks cannot stand up to our firepower. They’ll be meek and ‘let us help them’, hehehehehe!” He was speaking to another man that was standing next to him as the one who brought the message stepped back to the vehicle.
“Clyde, I have to agree that finding these beauties have made life easier.” the second man said as he motioned towards the convoy.
The two men continued talking but Coon couldn’t hear anymore since they had started walking away back towards the vehicles.
Coon signaled the others the sign for extreme danger, and the sign for untrustworthy. Fred had a small radio on him that he clicked four times, waited and then clicked two more (four clicks for more than twenty men and two clicks for two groups broke away from main group).
The adults had been waiting for the kids to check in and the simple clicks sprang them all into action. The wedding guests and party had already changed into more appropriate clothing. They broke into small groups and began to prepare to defend the farm and each other.
The kids stayed where they were and waited. The group on the road were getting restless until the first man “Clyde” began to loudly give orders assigning positions to the group of about 30 men.
“Ok, I just spoke to whom I’m assuming is their leader and they have agreed to send a small meet and greet party. I told them no more than four since I was worried about our security and how FEMA wasn’t being greeted with friendliness despite our well-meant intentions.”
That brought a few chuckles from the groups of men.
“I want five of you to go into the woods on that side of the drive and another five to go on the other side and set up an ambush. That way we’ll have an advantage if things don’t go our way and they won’t know exactly how many we are if things do go our way. We can still ambush them no matter if they cooperate or not. But we need to get in there if we are to take full advantage. So we are going to be ‘friendly’ to them.”
There were some snickers all around as ten of the men broke off the main group and began to walk towards the woods.
Coon signaled all the others and leaving Katie and Tommy in their positions to take out the leader if they needed to; the rest changed their positions to take out those headed for the woods.
Coon watched as the five men on her side of the road began to make themselves comfortable in various places that gave them a good view of the drive. They were only about five feet into the woods and Coon knew that she or the other kids would have no problem spotting them. She completely trusted that Kelley, Rhea and Fred would be able to handle the trouble on their side of the road. Since Tommy and Katie were on her side of the road and had stayed in position to use their sniper skills when the trouble began (and she was sure there was gonna be some trouble), she knew she would have to handle the five men on her side of the road by herself. She decided to get a head start and using her bow she notched an arrow and hit the closest one to her in the heart. He slid silently to the ground, the others didn’t even notice.
The kids had quietly taken out all but three when they heard someone coming down the drive from the farm.
The leader and two others met the vehicle from the farm right just before the end of the driveway. The Leader was confident that he had the upper hand, but Coon knew that the situation had changed for the “bad” guys.
She also knew that those from the farm could not know what the kids had overheard so she notched arrow that she tied a red ribbon on and let it fly.
Just as the Leader yelled “take them”, an arrow went through his neck and he began to gurgle on his own blood.
The three bad guys in the woods about jumped out of their skins, or would have if they hadn’t of died so quickly.
Kelley and Tommy began taking out those men that were left at the vehicles and the battle was over before those from the farm really knew what was going on.
They all went over all the vehicles and dead bodies and salvaged the weapons and anything else they could find. Then the kids were ordered to the house and the adults took care of the bodies.
It took a LONG week for the kids to come to grips with what had happened but they knew that they had done the right thing in protecting their family and loved ones. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind anymore that the kids were no longer kids.
The girls went to the hanging valley and some great connections were made.
Coon continued to teach and learn.
The farm became her home and she eventually moved her things there from both her cave and the cellar of her grandparents burnt home.
The young adults made many trips out into world, but they always came home. Yes, there were mishaps and some very close calls; but common sense and a deep sense of what was right and what was wrong drove these young ones to do what they could to not only find others who were honorable but to bring their country to a place that one could once again be proud of. And their children and children’s children made sure to pass on the story of Coon and her co-horts.
If You Abuse it, You Lose it. -Twenty Nine
Twenty Nine
Rhea won the bet. It took the adults SIX days to make their plans and another THREE days to be ready to leave.
They spent the time planting Coon’s guerilla garden. But also made sure their chores were caught up. The boys were griping not only because they weren’t going but also because they were going to have to do the chores that the girls usually did while they were gone!
Sometimes life isn’t fair. And sometimes the girls get to have the adventures!
There was one wedding left before they were to leave and it was beautiful until the report came that FEMA had showed up and supposedly wanted to do a census. Something didn’t quite smell right about the FEMA group.
All the kids volunteered to go through the woods and set up sniper points. Since they all could pretty much move through the woods without a sound, they knew they could get into positions that would be of benefit. All of the kids had a silent hand language that they could communicate with and all would be within sight of each other.
Don and Clark over rode Ruth and Glenda and let the kids go. Ruth and Glenda hadn’t put up too much of a fuss since they both knew that the kids were very well trained. But being “mom’s”; that instinct to protect their young was still strong. And despite the “new” times, where the young HAD to grow up fast, it still didn’t mean that they had to like it or that it was right.
The kids disappeared into the woods, moving towards the road while the rest of the adults prepared to answer the FEMA group by CB.
Poppy was in a talkative mood today. These were the best days because he would tell tales of his younger days. This story was one I hadn’t heard before.
“Did I ever tell you about the time I set fire to an Air Force Base?”
“No” I breathlessly replied, already spell bound knowing that Poppy’s story was gonna be a good one. Now I do have to say that I already know that Poppy wasn’t always the angel and wonderfully perfect granddad that he is now.
Poppy began….
“i'll tell ya how i almost burned the flightline and the airplanes up - we were the night guards supposed to be guarding these 42 lines of airplanes 6 to 8 jets on a line - at that time i believe the f 104 - f-100 and f-105 were the planes - on each plane there are several cartridges a little bit bigger than a shot gun shell - these are used to eject the canopy, seat and the pilot - well there were always boxes of em laying around on the flight line to replace the ones in the planes to make sure they are fresh cartridges - we would cut the end of them open they had clear plastic see thru end covers and take out the pellets about as big as rabbit doo doo and touch a cigarette to them and they would start to sparkle quickly - we would then throw them at each other or just throw them to watch em sparkle and arc thru the air - well on each air base beside the flight line there is a huge 30 foot across ditch about 30 foot deep to use in an emergency for dumping fuel or sliding a burning plane into - the ditch at nellis is about a mile and a half long and was full of tumble weeds and some how some jet fuel had inadvertently been spilled in it - we did not know this at the time - i threw one of the sparking pellets into the ditch and vrooom a nice blaze shot up into the night sky - i almost died right then - well on each line of airplanes there is a giant fire extinguisher about 500 pounds worth of co 2 - they are all on rollers - there were 6 of us guards - we all had 7 lines of planes to walk around in and guard - we used 14 of those fire extinguishers to put the fire out - this was on a sat night and there was no flying scheduled and the control tower did not have any body in it - we put all the extinguishers back empty and swore never to tell anyone because we would have been sent to leavenworth for at least 10 years - we got away with it but there was a small investigation and we all lied about it”
Wow! I was stunned: Poppy had lied!!! Not that I could blame him, wooooooweeee! He sure would have been in a mess of trouble!!!
Rhea won the bet. It took the adults SIX days to make their plans and another THREE days to be ready to leave.
They spent the time planting Coon’s guerilla garden. But also made sure their chores were caught up. The boys were griping not only because they weren’t going but also because they were going to have to do the chores that the girls usually did while they were gone!
Sometimes life isn’t fair. And sometimes the girls get to have the adventures!
There was one wedding left before they were to leave and it was beautiful until the report came that FEMA had showed up and supposedly wanted to do a census. Something didn’t quite smell right about the FEMA group.
All the kids volunteered to go through the woods and set up sniper points. Since they all could pretty much move through the woods without a sound, they knew they could get into positions that would be of benefit. All of the kids had a silent hand language that they could communicate with and all would be within sight of each other.
Don and Clark over rode Ruth and Glenda and let the kids go. Ruth and Glenda hadn’t put up too much of a fuss since they both knew that the kids were very well trained. But being “mom’s”; that instinct to protect their young was still strong. And despite the “new” times, where the young HAD to grow up fast, it still didn’t mean that they had to like it or that it was right.
The kids disappeared into the woods, moving towards the road while the rest of the adults prepared to answer the FEMA group by CB.
Poppy was in a talkative mood today. These were the best days because he would tell tales of his younger days. This story was one I hadn’t heard before.
“Did I ever tell you about the time I set fire to an Air Force Base?”
“No” I breathlessly replied, already spell bound knowing that Poppy’s story was gonna be a good one. Now I do have to say that I already know that Poppy wasn’t always the angel and wonderfully perfect granddad that he is now.
Poppy began….
“i'll tell ya how i almost burned the flightline and the airplanes up - we were the night guards supposed to be guarding these 42 lines of airplanes 6 to 8 jets on a line - at that time i believe the f 104 - f-100 and f-105 were the planes - on each plane there are several cartridges a little bit bigger than a shot gun shell - these are used to eject the canopy, seat and the pilot - well there were always boxes of em laying around on the flight line to replace the ones in the planes to make sure they are fresh cartridges - we would cut the end of them open they had clear plastic see thru end covers and take out the pellets about as big as rabbit doo doo and touch a cigarette to them and they would start to sparkle quickly - we would then throw them at each other or just throw them to watch em sparkle and arc thru the air - well on each air base beside the flight line there is a huge 30 foot across ditch about 30 foot deep to use in an emergency for dumping fuel or sliding a burning plane into - the ditch at nellis is about a mile and a half long and was full of tumble weeds and some how some jet fuel had inadvertently been spilled in it - we did not know this at the time - i threw one of the sparking pellets into the ditch and vrooom a nice blaze shot up into the night sky - i almost died right then - well on each line of airplanes there is a giant fire extinguisher about 500 pounds worth of co 2 - they are all on rollers - there were 6 of us guards - we all had 7 lines of planes to walk around in and guard - we used 14 of those fire extinguishers to put the fire out - this was on a sat night and there was no flying scheduled and the control tower did not have any body in it - we put all the extinguishers back empty and swore never to tell anyone because we would have been sent to leavenworth for at least 10 years - we got away with it but there was a small investigation and we all lied about it”
Wow! I was stunned: Poppy had lied!!! Not that I could blame him, wooooooweeee! He sure would have been in a mess of trouble!!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
If You Abuse it, You Lose it. -Twenty Eight
Twenty Eight
Ruth got a couple surprises the next morning. First she found two large baskets on the counter filled with plants and a note that said that the girls would clean them up as soon as they were done. Wondering what they were up to, she looked out the window towards the barn and could NOT believe her eyes. There was Katie, Rhea, and Kelley with Coon DRESSING OUT TWO DEER! She called for Glenda as she went to the back door and stepped out on the back porch.
Glenda came outside with Victoria on her hip and was just as shocked as Ruth was. They actually seemed to be speechless since neither of them could say a word.
The girls looked over and saw their mom’s and waved with big grins on their faces.
“Look what we got MOM!” yelled Katie.
“Fresh meat for supper!” hollered Kelley.
Coon looked very proud of them and didn’t say a word.
Dinner that night was excellent; tender deer steaks, wild greens in a salad, and the roots of some cattails that actually tasted pretty good.
After helping with the dinner dishes, Ruth and Glenda saw their girls in deep conversations with their dads. Many serious nods of the heads and a grin or two were seen.
It wasn’t until the next afternoon that Ruth and Glenda found out what all the discussions were about. It seems that the girls had challenged their dads and brothers to take them by surprise.
Well, it ended up that it was the boys and adults that were surprised. Rhea managed to hog tie Shane before he even was aware that she was aware of him. Katie had Thomas and Fred tied up in the barn for almost an hour before anyone found them. And Kelley surprised Don and Clark almost out of their skins with a shriek that momentarily froze them in their place, which gave her enough time to jump on them since they were standing too close to each other, and get them in head locks, cutting off the blood to their brains….it only took a couple moments before they passed out.
And Coon didn’t help with any of it.
Reluctantly, after dinner, it was agreed that the girls could go with Coon on a hike.
“I’d like to make a suggestion that might ease ya’alls minds somewhat, ma’ams” Coon began.
Ruth and Glenda looked at each other over the dinner table and Ruth said “You aren’t going to suggest that we try to beat the girls in some way are you?”
Coon giggled and said “No, ma’am. But I was thinkin’ that maybe we could go visit with Lady Lizzie and perhaps those service people that haven’t found a partner could go with us.”
Don spoke up “That is an excellent idea. I know I’d feel better knowing that you girls would be with trained military people and there would be enough people to send some trading items.”
“Let’s talk with the troops and get a plan together. If they are willing to go, I don’t see why you girls couldn’t go also.”
It was agreed that Don and Clark would speak with the service people and since they had already volunteered to help the farm help the valley clean up their town.
Coon and girls settled down and played with Victoria and discussed how long it would take the adults to “get ready” to go. They were already ready.
“Coon honey, you have to always be ready to go….in an instant. You just never know what is going on and you may be in danger if you don’t get away quick.” Poppy was showing me how to pack my B.O.B. and baby B.O.B. and how I needed to keep the supplies in them full and ready to go. He was also making sure I understood that no matter if I was going outside for two minutes, I was to have my baby bob on! No problem there, I thought! I knew that Poppy was serious about the many things that could happen and with all my runnin’ around the woods, he wanted me to be able to handle anything, even if I had to stay in the woods unexpectedly for more than one night.
Sometimes I wondered why The Booger didn’t like doing these things like I did.
Poppy was in a talkative mood tonight. One of my most favorite times! I could get him to talk about almost anything. So I thought I’d toss a question out there that I had been thinkin’ on for some time now.
“So Poppy, when are ya gonna teach me how to make your medicinal alcohol?”
I did it! I managed to take him by surprise! BOTH his eyebrows raised!!!
“Ya think yer old enough to be runnin’ a still, do ya….well now, let’s see here….I reckon you should know how to MAKE a still before you learn to RUN a still. Yep, I think this might be good for ya, since you can make clean water from a still also. Ok, let’s go and see what kind of pipes I’ve got in my treasures.”
My Poppy’s treasures were other people’s junk. He has been collectin’ all kinds of pipes, bricks, and STUFF forever! But he kept it all neat and organized. Sometimes if we were going to town, he would take a load in and sell it at the scrap yard.
I think he even has real gun powder buried in his “space”, which is off limits to us kids unless he invites us and is with us. That was Granny’s rule.
The still wasn’t too big, Poppy said it was just large enough to make either clean water or ‘medicine’ for one person. We had to hide it in the cave, which was fine with me. I put it in the first room in the corner that wasn’t being used. I didn’t want it in my “pack room”; that was the second room in the cave that I was making all mine! Poppy had said I could use the cave as my sanctuary and I could use the back room for stocking up extra things, like my own personal pantry. As long as I helped can or make everything that went in there.
Poppy said that my first batch of ‘medicine’ was horrible! All cloudy and not useful at all. He suggested that I try again. The second batch was much better. By the fifth batch, Poppy decided to taste it and declared that I had it right. I practiced so much with that still that summer that I had to put together a new one before fall. But I had every kind of tincture and medicine that called for alcohol stocked up for probably four or five years worth!
Ruth got a couple surprises the next morning. First she found two large baskets on the counter filled with plants and a note that said that the girls would clean them up as soon as they were done. Wondering what they were up to, she looked out the window towards the barn and could NOT believe her eyes. There was Katie, Rhea, and Kelley with Coon DRESSING OUT TWO DEER! She called for Glenda as she went to the back door and stepped out on the back porch.
Glenda came outside with Victoria on her hip and was just as shocked as Ruth was. They actually seemed to be speechless since neither of them could say a word.
The girls looked over and saw their mom’s and waved with big grins on their faces.
“Look what we got MOM!” yelled Katie.
“Fresh meat for supper!” hollered Kelley.
Coon looked very proud of them and didn’t say a word.
Dinner that night was excellent; tender deer steaks, wild greens in a salad, and the roots of some cattails that actually tasted pretty good.
After helping with the dinner dishes, Ruth and Glenda saw their girls in deep conversations with their dads. Many serious nods of the heads and a grin or two were seen.
It wasn’t until the next afternoon that Ruth and Glenda found out what all the discussions were about. It seems that the girls had challenged their dads and brothers to take them by surprise.
Well, it ended up that it was the boys and adults that were surprised. Rhea managed to hog tie Shane before he even was aware that she was aware of him. Katie had Thomas and Fred tied up in the barn for almost an hour before anyone found them. And Kelley surprised Don and Clark almost out of their skins with a shriek that momentarily froze them in their place, which gave her enough time to jump on them since they were standing too close to each other, and get them in head locks, cutting off the blood to their brains….it only took a couple moments before they passed out.
And Coon didn’t help with any of it.
Reluctantly, after dinner, it was agreed that the girls could go with Coon on a hike.
“I’d like to make a suggestion that might ease ya’alls minds somewhat, ma’ams” Coon began.
Ruth and Glenda looked at each other over the dinner table and Ruth said “You aren’t going to suggest that we try to beat the girls in some way are you?”
Coon giggled and said “No, ma’am. But I was thinkin’ that maybe we could go visit with Lady Lizzie and perhaps those service people that haven’t found a partner could go with us.”
Don spoke up “That is an excellent idea. I know I’d feel better knowing that you girls would be with trained military people and there would be enough people to send some trading items.”
“Let’s talk with the troops and get a plan together. If they are willing to go, I don’t see why you girls couldn’t go also.”
It was agreed that Don and Clark would speak with the service people and since they had already volunteered to help the farm help the valley clean up their town.
Coon and girls settled down and played with Victoria and discussed how long it would take the adults to “get ready” to go. They were already ready.
“Coon honey, you have to always be ready to go….in an instant. You just never know what is going on and you may be in danger if you don’t get away quick.” Poppy was showing me how to pack my B.O.B. and baby B.O.B. and how I needed to keep the supplies in them full and ready to go. He was also making sure I understood that no matter if I was going outside for two minutes, I was to have my baby bob on! No problem there, I thought! I knew that Poppy was serious about the many things that could happen and with all my runnin’ around the woods, he wanted me to be able to handle anything, even if I had to stay in the woods unexpectedly for more than one night.
Sometimes I wondered why The Booger didn’t like doing these things like I did.
Poppy was in a talkative mood tonight. One of my most favorite times! I could get him to talk about almost anything. So I thought I’d toss a question out there that I had been thinkin’ on for some time now.
“So Poppy, when are ya gonna teach me how to make your medicinal alcohol?”
I did it! I managed to take him by surprise! BOTH his eyebrows raised!!!
“Ya think yer old enough to be runnin’ a still, do ya….well now, let’s see here….I reckon you should know how to MAKE a still before you learn to RUN a still. Yep, I think this might be good for ya, since you can make clean water from a still also. Ok, let’s go and see what kind of pipes I’ve got in my treasures.”
My Poppy’s treasures were other people’s junk. He has been collectin’ all kinds of pipes, bricks, and STUFF forever! But he kept it all neat and organized. Sometimes if we were going to town, he would take a load in and sell it at the scrap yard.
I think he even has real gun powder buried in his “space”, which is off limits to us kids unless he invites us and is with us. That was Granny’s rule.
The still wasn’t too big, Poppy said it was just large enough to make either clean water or ‘medicine’ for one person. We had to hide it in the cave, which was fine with me. I put it in the first room in the corner that wasn’t being used. I didn’t want it in my “pack room”; that was the second room in the cave that I was making all mine! Poppy had said I could use the cave as my sanctuary and I could use the back room for stocking up extra things, like my own personal pantry. As long as I helped can or make everything that went in there.
Poppy said that my first batch of ‘medicine’ was horrible! All cloudy and not useful at all. He suggested that I try again. The second batch was much better. By the fifth batch, Poppy decided to taste it and declared that I had it right. I practiced so much with that still that summer that I had to put together a new one before fall. But I had every kind of tincture and medicine that called for alcohol stocked up for probably four or five years worth!
If You Abuse it, You Lose it. -Twenty Seven
Twenty Seven
There were no problems as Coon made her way to the farm the next morning. Not too many were up, just Lady Lizzie, Buster and Ruth. Coon thought about asking if she could go with them, but since she didn’t have a horse, she knew they would travel much faster without her. She was glad that it seemed like they all got along real well.
After waving farewell, Ruth asked Coon to come on in and get warmed up. A few moments later she had a hot cup of tea in her hands that she was sipping on.
“Coon, have you given any more thought to staying here instead of your cave?” Ruth asked.
Coon sipped some more tea before answering “Yes ma’am I have and I think I’ve come up with something that might work. I’d like to come and stay for four or five days so I can begin to teach Katie and the other girls the skills I’ve promised to teach them. And then for about four or five days, I can go hunting …if I can find game and stay in my cave. I just have all my things there and I don’t really want to move them. I’m not even sure if I should since they are safe there and won’t freeze or anything.”
Ruth got a thoughtful look on her face and with a small sigh said “Well, I guess I can’t make you stay since you are obviously quite capable of taking care of yourself. I can’t promise to not worry about you though! I gotten quite fond of you and I don’t mean just because you’ve brought us Victoria but because you are very special and sweet! And you do seem very determined to make your way, which I commend and find to be a great quality. I think that no one will mind with what you’ve proposed. We just want to make sure that you are safe and taken care of and sometimes us adults think we have to be the ones whose job it is to do that.”
Ruth sighed loudly and then grinned.
“Coon honey, you just keep being yourself and we will try to remember that you’ve more than proven yourself an adult, even if you are just 14 years old!”
“Drink your tea up and we’ll go check on Victoria.”
Coon grinned big and drank down the hot tea.
The winter passed fairly quiet until Coon started teaching the girls how to use the bows she made for them. Ruth and Glenda both banished them to a far pasture after a few arrows somehow made their way into a couple of pieces of clothing that were hung out on the line. From the other side of the house!
What could the girls say but that the warm wind and bright sunlight carried those arrows where they weren’t suppose to be!
Coon was surprised to find out that all the kids were also learning how to shoot and that Katie and Tommy were sharpshooters. She also found out that the people on the farm were responsible for the planes that she had heard. They were helping out other small groups of people and locating other supplies. They were also the ones who were helping to get the town resettled with many who they had found.
That’s also when they learned how Coon had gotten her nickname. When she was just a toddler, her Grandfather had plopped an old coon skin cap on her head and she refused to give it back. For months she would wander around the farm proclaim that she was “coon”. They started calling her that and the name stuck.
The adults pretty much left the girls to their own devices after seeing that Coon was a responsible teacher and after a few months, the boys got a few lessons also. Mostly by the girls playing tricks on them and making the learning into games: the boys against the girls. Since Coon was always on the girls’ team, they usually won.
There was a time that the farm did worry about Coon because she was gone for almost two weeks.
But she had been giving care to a small group of service men who had walked from the coast to get home. She had done all she could for them, they needed some warm clothes and solid food. She had hunted and managed to get two deer and dug through the snow to find some edible plants. She also helped some of the stronger ones make a shelter that would keep most the cold out. There were 11 men and 2 women and Coon had watched them for two days before approaching them. She saw that they treated the women with respect and each other with dignity, helping those who were sick.
Coon had finally HAD to come back to the farm because the farm was closer than her cave and she had run out of the herbs in her medicine bag. Also the small group was doing much better with the warmer shelter and hot food. It was only when she felt they were in fair shape that she left them and went to the farm.
Ruth and Glenda were just starting to get a hot supper together when Coon knocked on the back door. She wasted no time explaining what happened and that she thought that the soldiers really needed to NOT spend another night in the cold since from what she could tell it was going to dip way below freezing that night.
It didn’t take long to decide that Clark would take a truck with a trailer hitched to it and he and Coon would go retrieve the soldiers. Glenda got Katie and Kelley to gather up some blankets and Ruth filled all their thermoses with hot coffee.
Clark, Coon, and Shane were on their way within 30 minutes of Coon knocking on the door.
The soldiers were in a sorry state with all of them worn down from the long walk they have been on. Their feet had sores and blisters with some minor frost bite. With some good food and plenty of rest most should have recovered beautifully. There were four with pneumonia but everyone was hoping they would pull through.
The soldiers had been on a submarine that was out to sea when the balloon went up and since they couldn’t get in contact with anyone, it was decided that they would make port in a harbor that was central to all their homes yet not too big. They then split up in groups with all the supplies divided up between them. They had been walking ever since.
They hadn’t salvaged much of anything along the way because they had been trying to get home as quickly as possible but the early and harsh winter had really caught them off guard. They voted to keep going and only stopped when they were desperate for food or to take shelter wherever possible when storms hit.
The single ladies in town came and helped and by spring, there were a few more weddings to celebrate. It was in just such a celebration that FEMA showed up.
Coon was feeling restless and tied down. Not that she regretted being on the farm as much as she had been, but she was getting the itch to travel.
Victoria was blossoming under the love of her new parents and they loved her like she was their own.
Coon had also taught Rhea, Katie, and Kelley (and the boys) many of the skills of the woods. They could now track really well, were good shots with their bows and their slings, and could do some hand to hand fighting. Coon had went ahead and made the bows first since she thought that the bow was easier for her to learn when she was younger. The girls were on their second bows, the ones they had made for themselves. The boys were still working on theirs. Mostly the young ones just needed to keep practicing. She had also shown Ruth and Glenda how her Grandmother had made soap and lotions. All in all, they had managed to keep the winter’s months full.
Now that spring was trying to wake nature up, although a tad late; Coon was ready to go and plant her gardens, well one might not call them real gardens since she planted many vegetables and greens all over the woods where the sunlight peeked through more than usual. She had about 30 pounds of potatoes she wanted to plant also.
Coon, Katie and Kelley were trying to convince the adults to let them all go and do the planting and get in some overnight camping experience and living off the land. They were having a hard time convincing the “mom’s”.
Coon was leaving on Friday, after the latest wedding, so the girls were starting to get desperate and coming up with all kinds of schemes to get their mom’s to let them go.
“I know if mom could just see how well I can take care of myself, she would let me go”. Said Katie.
“Tell me about it, my mom keeps saying I’m too young! blah, blah, blah! Geeze, I feel like an adult! Times have changed so much, none of us are kids anymore…well, except Victoria that is” replied Kelley.
“So why not show them?” asked Coon quietly.
Both girls looked at Coon and waited for an explanation.
“Well, I think you’ll do fine. My grandfather had already considered me an adult since I had gone on my quest. So I think you should show your parents that you are adults and capable of handling yourselves.”
“Do you mean like show them what we’ve learned?” Asked Katie.
“Yes, see my grandfather would teach me, but then I had to make myself practice and use those skills. He never bugged me or nagged me. But he would ask me questions and try to catch me off guard. Sometimes I would have to think about his questions for a week or more! But he never asked the same question twice and never got impatient with me and if I got the answer wrong, he would simply encourage me to try again. And I know he would watch me practice and when I first began to go into the woods by myself, I’m sure he shadowed me. I could never catch him, and believe me I tried; but I could feel him near. And sometimes he would leave a small gift at my fire when I would be away from it.
“Your parents are different and do not view life like my grandfather did. Why don’t you SHOW them that times have changed and the skills you are learning will help you?”
“Wow! That’s sounds like a great idea!” exclaimed Katie.
Kelley replied “yeah, we can really freak them out! Let’s do it!”
It didn’t take long for the three girls to come up with a plan. Ruth and Glenda did not know what was going to hit them very soon.
There were no problems as Coon made her way to the farm the next morning. Not too many were up, just Lady Lizzie, Buster and Ruth. Coon thought about asking if she could go with them, but since she didn’t have a horse, she knew they would travel much faster without her. She was glad that it seemed like they all got along real well.
After waving farewell, Ruth asked Coon to come on in and get warmed up. A few moments later she had a hot cup of tea in her hands that she was sipping on.
“Coon, have you given any more thought to staying here instead of your cave?” Ruth asked.
Coon sipped some more tea before answering “Yes ma’am I have and I think I’ve come up with something that might work. I’d like to come and stay for four or five days so I can begin to teach Katie and the other girls the skills I’ve promised to teach them. And then for about four or five days, I can go hunting …if I can find game and stay in my cave. I just have all my things there and I don’t really want to move them. I’m not even sure if I should since they are safe there and won’t freeze or anything.”
Ruth got a thoughtful look on her face and with a small sigh said “Well, I guess I can’t make you stay since you are obviously quite capable of taking care of yourself. I can’t promise to not worry about you though! I gotten quite fond of you and I don’t mean just because you’ve brought us Victoria but because you are very special and sweet! And you do seem very determined to make your way, which I commend and find to be a great quality. I think that no one will mind with what you’ve proposed. We just want to make sure that you are safe and taken care of and sometimes us adults think we have to be the ones whose job it is to do that.”
Ruth sighed loudly and then grinned.
“Coon honey, you just keep being yourself and we will try to remember that you’ve more than proven yourself an adult, even if you are just 14 years old!”
“Drink your tea up and we’ll go check on Victoria.”
Coon grinned big and drank down the hot tea.
The winter passed fairly quiet until Coon started teaching the girls how to use the bows she made for them. Ruth and Glenda both banished them to a far pasture after a few arrows somehow made their way into a couple of pieces of clothing that were hung out on the line. From the other side of the house!
What could the girls say but that the warm wind and bright sunlight carried those arrows where they weren’t suppose to be!
Coon was surprised to find out that all the kids were also learning how to shoot and that Katie and Tommy were sharpshooters. She also found out that the people on the farm were responsible for the planes that she had heard. They were helping out other small groups of people and locating other supplies. They were also the ones who were helping to get the town resettled with many who they had found.
That’s also when they learned how Coon had gotten her nickname. When she was just a toddler, her Grandfather had plopped an old coon skin cap on her head and she refused to give it back. For months she would wander around the farm proclaim that she was “coon”. They started calling her that and the name stuck.
The adults pretty much left the girls to their own devices after seeing that Coon was a responsible teacher and after a few months, the boys got a few lessons also. Mostly by the girls playing tricks on them and making the learning into games: the boys against the girls. Since Coon was always on the girls’ team, they usually won.
There was a time that the farm did worry about Coon because she was gone for almost two weeks.
But she had been giving care to a small group of service men who had walked from the coast to get home. She had done all she could for them, they needed some warm clothes and solid food. She had hunted and managed to get two deer and dug through the snow to find some edible plants. She also helped some of the stronger ones make a shelter that would keep most the cold out. There were 11 men and 2 women and Coon had watched them for two days before approaching them. She saw that they treated the women with respect and each other with dignity, helping those who were sick.
Coon had finally HAD to come back to the farm because the farm was closer than her cave and she had run out of the herbs in her medicine bag. Also the small group was doing much better with the warmer shelter and hot food. It was only when she felt they were in fair shape that she left them and went to the farm.
Ruth and Glenda were just starting to get a hot supper together when Coon knocked on the back door. She wasted no time explaining what happened and that she thought that the soldiers really needed to NOT spend another night in the cold since from what she could tell it was going to dip way below freezing that night.
It didn’t take long to decide that Clark would take a truck with a trailer hitched to it and he and Coon would go retrieve the soldiers. Glenda got Katie and Kelley to gather up some blankets and Ruth filled all their thermoses with hot coffee.
Clark, Coon, and Shane were on their way within 30 minutes of Coon knocking on the door.
The soldiers were in a sorry state with all of them worn down from the long walk they have been on. Their feet had sores and blisters with some minor frost bite. With some good food and plenty of rest most should have recovered beautifully. There were four with pneumonia but everyone was hoping they would pull through.
The soldiers had been on a submarine that was out to sea when the balloon went up and since they couldn’t get in contact with anyone, it was decided that they would make port in a harbor that was central to all their homes yet not too big. They then split up in groups with all the supplies divided up between them. They had been walking ever since.
They hadn’t salvaged much of anything along the way because they had been trying to get home as quickly as possible but the early and harsh winter had really caught them off guard. They voted to keep going and only stopped when they were desperate for food or to take shelter wherever possible when storms hit.
The single ladies in town came and helped and by spring, there were a few more weddings to celebrate. It was in just such a celebration that FEMA showed up.
Coon was feeling restless and tied down. Not that she regretted being on the farm as much as she had been, but she was getting the itch to travel.
Victoria was blossoming under the love of her new parents and they loved her like she was their own.
Coon had also taught Rhea, Katie, and Kelley (and the boys) many of the skills of the woods. They could now track really well, were good shots with their bows and their slings, and could do some hand to hand fighting. Coon had went ahead and made the bows first since she thought that the bow was easier for her to learn when she was younger. The girls were on their second bows, the ones they had made for themselves. The boys were still working on theirs. Mostly the young ones just needed to keep practicing. She had also shown Ruth and Glenda how her Grandmother had made soap and lotions. All in all, they had managed to keep the winter’s months full.
Now that spring was trying to wake nature up, although a tad late; Coon was ready to go and plant her gardens, well one might not call them real gardens since she planted many vegetables and greens all over the woods where the sunlight peeked through more than usual. She had about 30 pounds of potatoes she wanted to plant also.
Coon, Katie and Kelley were trying to convince the adults to let them all go and do the planting and get in some overnight camping experience and living off the land. They were having a hard time convincing the “mom’s”.
Coon was leaving on Friday, after the latest wedding, so the girls were starting to get desperate and coming up with all kinds of schemes to get their mom’s to let them go.
“I know if mom could just see how well I can take care of myself, she would let me go”. Said Katie.
“Tell me about it, my mom keeps saying I’m too young! blah, blah, blah! Geeze, I feel like an adult! Times have changed so much, none of us are kids anymore…well, except Victoria that is” replied Kelley.
“So why not show them?” asked Coon quietly.
Both girls looked at Coon and waited for an explanation.
“Well, I think you’ll do fine. My grandfather had already considered me an adult since I had gone on my quest. So I think you should show your parents that you are adults and capable of handling yourselves.”
“Do you mean like show them what we’ve learned?” Asked Katie.
“Yes, see my grandfather would teach me, but then I had to make myself practice and use those skills. He never bugged me or nagged me. But he would ask me questions and try to catch me off guard. Sometimes I would have to think about his questions for a week or more! But he never asked the same question twice and never got impatient with me and if I got the answer wrong, he would simply encourage me to try again. And I know he would watch me practice and when I first began to go into the woods by myself, I’m sure he shadowed me. I could never catch him, and believe me I tried; but I could feel him near. And sometimes he would leave a small gift at my fire when I would be away from it.
“Your parents are different and do not view life like my grandfather did. Why don’t you SHOW them that times have changed and the skills you are learning will help you?”
“Wow! That’s sounds like a great idea!” exclaimed Katie.
Kelley replied “yeah, we can really freak them out! Let’s do it!”
It didn’t take long for the three girls to come up with a plan. Ruth and Glenda did not know what was going to hit them very soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)