How About This on a Cold Winters Night?

It's a tradition that we all gather for Oyster Stew to celebrate the end of harvest, and we try to have it with some regularity at least thru the Holidays. This pic was taken last November. Sometimes we have it with a few potatoes diced into it, and we have also added some of our home raised sweetcorn. Can one of you bring some soup crackers and some sharp cheddar cheese? I'll bake a cake.

Hey Grandpa, What's For Breakfast?

This delectable delight. The famous BANANA SANDWICH.
The layers from the top:
Bread (toasted)
Peanut Butter
Sliced Banana
Bacon
Mayo (sorry JD)
Bread (toasted)
If you're counting calories, you'll be able to eat again tomorrow.

Company Car

Go have a look at what my Son Dan is up to. I had heard he was getting a company car for his brother Tom, his shop manager. I was thinking maybe a white ford with plastic seats. I guess good shop managers are hard to find and keep. Congrats Tom.

Vacation Plans Anyone?

Your vacation plans should include Tekamah, on August 12th. Two years ago we welcomed Lonestar to our stage. It is a great, outdoor setting at our Northridge Country Club. The booking is almost complete for this years concert, and you can read about it in the Burt County Plaindealer. If you need help finding a place to stay, getting tickets, or anything else, let me know. Bring you own lawnchairs, not a bad seat in the house. Unless of course, you park you chair behind the Budwieser Semi-trailer.

Big News-Big News

In the words of Roscoe P Coaltrain. "BIG NEWS BIG NEWS"! Start HERE at Terahs Blog.

Our Neighbor

This is Gladys B.
From my earliest recollection, she has been a part of my life.
As we traveled the two miles to our country school, her house was the last one on the left. Her kids were a bit older than I but not by much. If there was a 'club' meeting at her house, we got to stop on our walk home from school, get some left over dessert that was always delicious, and then have the rest of the neighborhood wives tell all of us kids how 'big' we were getting.
My Mom and Dad did not talk down their noses at people they knew. We just knew the ones my folks really respected. Tony and Gladys were well respected by my folks. Tony farmed by us here for many years and finally (and wisely I might add) got out of farming and moved to town. That was a sad day for the neighborhood.
Tony wanted everything just right. It showed around his farm. He was an old Navy man and that showed. He had a spit and polish kind of attitude about his farm machinery and farm buildings. He liked to do woodworking and was oh so good at it.
They were members of our church from my earliest recollection. Gladys always appreciated what others had done in the service of God, and she showed it. I've received many thank you notes from her about things that I did that didn't need a thank you note, but that's the way she is. Tony and Gladys were always my daughters biggest fans when she played the organ or piano at church. They presented her with a beautiful music rack/stand. It had four sides and stands about 5 feet tall. It is a real work of woodworking art. Tony made it for her. Tony passed away and has been gone for a while and Gladys has been in their home in Tekamah. It has reached the point where she needed some help and she wants to be closer to her daughters in Colorado. Gladys moved last week. It's the end of an era for me.
I think back on some contentious church business meetings over my 56 years and Tony and Gladys were at everyone of them, firmly standing up for what was right. They were kind but firm. This world has precious few 'proper' folks in it. Gladys and Tony were proper. They never entered into petty disagreements. They never 'stirred the pot' or gossiped.
Well, Gladys is still a bright, vibrant person who has a few medical problems. I went to her farewell coffee last week. As we got ready to leave she said, "Cliff, I've always loved all of you Morrow's, I'm going to miss you guys". Glady's, we love you too. Tekamah will never be the same again, without you. Gods Speed.

We have a thin, bright white covering of snow. Temps are near zero, and brisk winds. I have my taxes to do, (fairly complicated here on the farm) but on my way past the 'My Pictures' file I saw this. A picture taken last spring just east of our house. There are two geese playing in the pond, we've been mushroom hunting, and are going back home. That is, after we sit a spell. Pull up a log and give me a visit. I'll likely be here a while if anyone is looking for me.

LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING!

I was to emcee/entertain at our churches Valentines supper tonight. We invite everyone in our church to come to this. Married or not, widowed or divorced or not. Love is shared by all. All are welcome.
I gave the men a quiz about thier wives before the banquet, and we compared answers with their wives 'live' answers as part of the program. One of the questions I put in was, "How long has it been since you told your wife you loved her?" Most replied with somewhere between hours and days. One couple, (friends of mine), I made to face each other, I said to the husband, "Now look into her beautiful face (and it is a beautiful face) and say I love You". He did. I said "Thankyou". I then said, in my best Louis Black imitation, "Now I won't have to embarrass you by telling these people that you wrote that it had been twenty seven years since you said I love you."
The highlight of the evening, as least for me, came when I asked a blind member of our congregation, a lady, if her husband helped with the housework. She said he most certainly did not. Then she said, "he does move the furniture around... without telling me somethimes". That brought the house down.
Marilyn and I have been married 34 1/2 years. As we got ready to go out tonight, she presented me with a boutineer (I have no idea how to spell it). It was nice. She pinned it on my lapel, said "I love you", and drew her lips near mine, closed her eyes, and then remembered that I've had the flu, jerked her head back, and started slapping me on the top of the head the same way Benny Hill used to do to the little bald guy.
I suppose I deserved it because earlier I had presented her with a plant telling her " I saw this plant and thought of you and how much you love ornamentals, and also that I didn't think you'd ever tried to kill one of this variety yet." I could write a book on things not to say.
Life is interesting and worth living out here in the country. But only if you make it that way. It's a do it yourself thing. I'll bet it's the same wherever you live.
Come visit, we'll bake a cake.

Calling Dinosaurs

I've been sick. So while staring at the tv this morning, a press conference came on. It was the Presidents press secretary. The White House press core demonstrated why there are so many more, horses rear ends in this country, than there are horses.
Upset that the Vice President had hit a friend with birdshot, and did not stop to call the press before rendering aid, the press started yelling things like:
"Isn't this similar to when the levees broke in New Orleans?" (the President supposedly didn't know about them soon enough, like he could have done anything about it in the middle of a category 4 hurricane)
They also yelled in beligerent voices about the hunting accident, "WHAT DID THE PRESIDENT KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?'
Or "When did the administration decide to try to coverup the shooting"?
One fellow stuck his jaw out and pointed an accusing finger and yelled "Has the Vice President even been charged in this shooting"?
I shut the tv off at this question. "HAS THERE BEEN ANY TALK OF THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT RESIGNING BECAUSE OF THIS?"
Although the Press Secretary began laughing at this question, I didn't. I puked again.
I would like to have heard just one question about the condition of the man who was shot.
The outward hatred for this administration by the Washington press, was in plain sight for all to see. This, from a press who are supposed to be unbiased, and reporting news, and not trying to make it up. The three major networks were there along with CNN. You couldn't possibly have watched this news conference and come away thinking that everything you read or watch is suspect. Very suspect. I have never seen a larger group of self important people in my life. The spin on tonights news will be interesting. What will be more interesting will be the editing to make their newspeople look like reasonable thinking people.
Our cherished journalism schools will applaud what went on, instead of feeling the large amount of shame that is due.

Sunrise-Sunset

Each year our state organization of county officials holds the 'annual workshop'. It is always in Kearney Nebraska. I just got home from that conference last night. The final session was very interesting. The four men running for Governor of Nebraska were each given 30 minutes to make a presentation. The battle has been percieved by the press to be between our current Governor Hieneman and our nationally known ex-head coach of the Cornhuskers, Congressman Tom Osborne.
When it was all over, everyone was talking about the little known Dave Nabity. He quickly won over the crowd. I described him as a cross between the best coach you have ever listened to, and the best preacher you had ever listened to. He gave an impassioned plea to change state government. He was the only one who had a plan to change the status quo. Which by the way isn't working. We had the urge to get up and follow him out of the room. He is now the front runner, for me, at least. It was fun to dream of the future with him as Governor.
On the way home last night, on a flat stretch of a very busy I-80 where it crosses the Platte River, I started experiencing a slick highway. As the Interstate turns north I started seeing more flashing blue and red lights than this farm kid had ever seen. Black ice had developed from the melting light snow we were having. There were 3 roll over accidents on that 2 mile stretch of pavement. This morning the news reported that in the first rollover that I saw, and the one getting all of the attention, a Dodge Ram extended cab, carrying 6 people, had rolled over, ejecting 3 passengers from the vehicle. A sixteen year old girl was thrown out and killed, and her mother was described as being in critical condition. Authorities think that no one was wearing a seatbelt. There were no fatalities in the other two rollovers. All were wearing belts.
I left Kearney dreaming of the future. I got up this morning to listen to the news and find that some have no future to dream about.
Fasten your belts. Dream on.

A View From the Porch

This view from my front porch, taken at dawn,two days ago, will have to suffice for a day or two. See you Fri or Sat.

Thirty Five Years of Wedded Bliss and then.....

My world was turned upside down a couple of nights ago. The woman I have loved and trusted dealt me a blow.
It started just after the news at 10:00. A commercial message began and I got up to put my shoes in the bedroom. This was going to take all of 5 seconds. I picked up the shoes, and as I left the room I noticed that the volume of the advertisement was much too loud. But I didn't stop and go back to turn it down. Our only remote is of course, by my chair, and under my personal care. ( I do let Marilyn use it if I'm not home. ) I went around the corner to put my shoes in the bedroom, thinking to myself, "I'd better turn that TV down".
As I dropped my shoes and turned around, it happened. The TV volume dropped suddenly. I made a quick step toward the door of the living room, and my eyes swept from my endtable, to our only remote laying upon it. Then I looked at Marilyn, still with the footrest in the up position on her recliner, still with a blanket on top of her, and then to the TV that had miraculously quieted down.
I looked at Marilyn and asked, "What did you do?" She said "What?" The thing that bothered me, was the look on her face. She looked like a little boy who had been caught with a mouthful of candy. I asked "How'd you turn the TV down?" Then she said "What TV?"
Then it hit me. This woman who is the Mother of my children, whom I have trusted with the most closely held secrets of my mind, whom I have shared a bed with for almost thirty five years, HAD A CLANDESTINE TV REMOTE IN HER POSSESSION. AND she was not showing any remorse.
I did not succumb to my first urge. That of tipping her chair upside down to look for spare remotes like some kind of prison warden looking for contraband. I thought about taking the table cloth off of her endtable. The cloth she supposedly made to both adorn the room and hide the poor quality of the table. A noble effort, I thought. I never dreamed that the cloth was hiding a remote to be used when I dozed off. Well, I have to be out of town later this week. I'll probably sit alone in my hotel room, and use a strange remote, and wonder at what Marilyn is doing with my remote back home. Probably watching the first movie she comes to. How will she know what to watch. She probably won't even think to go thru the first 200 channels to see what's on.

TA DAH!! I finally installed the sink and new faucet. I chipped some paint. You can't tell it because I fixed it. The picture that is. Not the wall. Marilyn noticed. She thought I could have repainted the chip and taken a picture in the time I spent fixing the picture. Poor thing just doesn't understand computers.

SuperBowl Sunday!

The National Football League, again has the potential for a great game. Two great teams and a matchup that will not be for the faint of heart. If you don't think these guys are playing for keeps, try zeroing in on a one on one matchup.
The NFL is solely responsible for the content of the halftime show but they've had trouble in the past. Nothing says football quite like a rap star skipping around the stage, chanting something unintelligible, and grabbing his crotch at the beginning of every line. While a group of backup singers, all with my build, standing in the back and saying 'choo-choo-ca-choo..choo-choo-ca- choo.
Then the league had it's falling out with Janet Jackson. No, it was the other way around.
Now they've gambled that the Rolling Stones will all, still be alive at halftime.
I'm wondering why the league doesn't admit that people eat and go potty during half time, and that their money would be better spent on charity and to hire the best college marching band to perform. Or better yet, leave a stationary camera on the field, and go quiet.
Look, you've got folks who tune in for the game, others the commercials, and the few remaining would be split between asleep or spaced out for some reason. They certainly aren't worth spending more than a couple hundred dollars to entertain.
Or, maybe if I see the Rolling Stones tomorrow, I might become inspired and come away thinking that I still have a chance at life. If they don't need a walker...then I don't need a walker.

Marilyn and Terah, planning a dessert and posing. These are fake smiles. I was trying out some of John's lenses for his camera. He has a Canon SLR Digital like mine. This was about the 5th shot we had them turn around and pose for. Marilyn suggested I stop. I recognized the tone of voice. It was the same tone she used when she announced to me that 3 kids were all she was going to have.
A week or two ago, we were the recipients of quite a treat. Two members of my blog roll, John and Terah, came for a visit. We had never met. The funny thing about bloggers, is that when you finally meet, it's as though you just begin visiting where you left off the last time you were together. Only thing is, you've never been together. This makes seven people on my roll that I know on a personal level. Dan thru Terah on the list, and Jerry and Jim. That seems like a lot, considering the nature of the internet. Back to the visit. John is a computer genius, geek, and other names Terah called him. Well, I was the one who called him a genius. She called him a geek. But the point is, he has 5 books published on computer programming, translated into a few different languages and he and I couldn't talk business. If you know what I mean. He was considerate of this old farmer in not embarrassing me by talking about computers. He was able to 'dummy down' enough to explain to me what he did for a living. (note: I've noticed, that when John blogs about certain topics, his 'reads' totals go from the usual 100 or so readers, up to 4 or 5 thousand. Those are the blogs that are unintelligable to me.) Terah contracts out as a social worker and we had some great discussions. She has an interesting job and is very witty.We had a great visit Saturday afternoon and on into the night and many topics were covered. Many very hilarious things were said, mostly by Terah. (it's the few words she adds at the end of her thought that one needs to listen for) We casually mentioned they should sing in the choir the next morning and so they did. It was good to see them making themselves at home in a Baptist Church. They even had been warned about our church's annual potluck and business meeting and I'll be darned if they didn't show up with food for that. All in all, a great pair of visitors. It was kind of like having one of my siblings visit. They're already family I guess. We were at ease with them and didn't feel like we needed to act like something we're not. That's pretty difficult for us anyway. I will say that Terahs confessed love for choclate did get the best of me. I like chocolate cake as long as it has white frosting and maybe some vanilla ice cream. Well, in honor of Terah, Marilyn made chocolate brownies, chocolate ice cream, with her famous homemade chocolate sauce. I couldn't handle much, but it was good. I'm sure we'll return the visit one day. I hope soon. A good time was had by all. Come visit, we'll bake a cake.