Payne County Cattle Producer Al Rutledge does it again, and again...
Angus bull leads test... (well of course, he was born and bred in Payne County!)
Senior age bulls at Panhandle State University’s beef bull test are led by an Angus with an ADG of 7.14 pounds. The bull is consigned by Al Rutledge of Stillwater.
Wow.. check that daily gain... oh my goodness.... Paul, tell your Dad... !
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
The true meaning of Christmas, by Paul Odle
Paul Odle is from Yukon, OK. He is about 10 years my senior and is in the Lawton/Fort Sill Veterans Center. He has been diagnosed as Morbidly Obese. He can not walk. Somehow, I ended up on his mailing list, and this was in my email box this afternoon. I wanted to share it with you. If you would like to send him a Merry Christmas wish, his email is paul_odlesr@yahoo.com. I know he would love to hear from anyone who wishes to share a joyful thought!
An Early Christmas Story
My Christmas experience that opened my eyes...
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra
time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at
one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up,but I didn't know what. Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up
beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever
it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on. After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood -- the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd
been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "Why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said.
"Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."
That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just
had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy." We rode the two miles to the Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big
woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? The Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it
shouldn't have been our concern. We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible. Then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?" he Widow Jensen opened the door to let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. The Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and
finally lit the lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children -- sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat, and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled
around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and the Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us." In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after the Widow Jensen mentioned it I could
see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it. Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes. Tears were running down the Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine. At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if
he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, 'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will." Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that.
But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand." I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed
very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on the Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered. And remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
An Early Christmas Story
My Christmas experience that opened my eyes...
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra
time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at
one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up,but I didn't know what. Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up
beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever
it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on. After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood -- the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd
been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "Why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said.
"Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt."
That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just
had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy." We rode the two miles to the Widow Jensen’s pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big
woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? The Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it
shouldn't have been our concern. We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible. Then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, “Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?" he Widow Jensen opened the door to let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. The Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and
finally lit the lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children -- sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat, and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled
around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone’s spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and the Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us." In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after the Widow Jensen mentioned it I could
see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it. Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes. Tears were running down the Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine. At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if
he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, 'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will." Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that.
But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand." I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed
very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on the Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered. And remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
Oh my, have you seen the forecast!!
Looks like we will be in for a bit of a cold snap the next few days. This is the week that contains the first day of Winter, and I for one will be glad to see it arrive, for this means that from that point forward, the days will be getting longer and Spring is not too far away. I do NOT like cold! Used to not mind, but things react differently to the cold now days.. haha.. or maybe it's just age!
Phil stopped by last night with some Christmas goodies... That Tammy is an awesome cook! She can "build" anything in the kitchen!! Phil was telling us about some of the Christmas partys they have been to and some of the things that Austyn has received... wow, I think I'd like to have those toys at MY AGE!! haha.
Jake and Ann went to Andrew's Play at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Stillwater last Friday night and Jake was our Photographer for the night and he got some great shots. I will try to post them online later today, as I get time.
Jake had been helping Grandma Moffat with her livestock this fall and doing a really great job. He has a keen eye for handling cattle and is really finding them to be a joy. He is also helping our neighbor Fred Shultz who has one of the most inovative cattle operations in the world! Fred uses computer patches on the cattle to check for heats to bred AI at the correct time, and with a 90% first bred conception rate, one can not argue that it's a waste of money! He has one cow, ole 147, who put him on the map. This cow is truly the best Maine Cow in the bred in terms of dollars generated and phenotype. He has sold over a million dollars worth of babies out of her, for real, and her offspring has won over a million and half dollars worth of prize money from the show ring. He was harvesting embroys from her when others where only learning about it. Now this past week, he has signed on board with a special company back East to provide him "Clones" of 147 in 21 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days from today! Jake and I are really excited about his operation and can't beleive it is right across the road from Mom's. Oh, so close, so I go and visit once in a while, just to be neighborly, and see what the latest and greatest is!! Needless to say, his theory is ... quality first, then numbers.. He was telling Jake and I the other day that he is so innovative that he just got through "visiting" with the Federal Boys over the last three years, and he had to write a glossary of terms for them so they could understand what his "Farm" does and what the product is... Now, that is cutting edge!
We kept Andrew this past Sunday while his momma and her mother in law and sister in law made their annual trip to T Town to shop. It was a blast. He and Jake are two peas in a pod!! He loves his Jake buddy... and they play very well together. Andrew and he have been playing games on the computer, and sometimes from listening, it is hard to figure out who is winning..haha..
Ann is off starting today, for the next two weeks. She is really happy to. It seems as time goes on, the Peter Principle takes hold even stronger with her office. She works for a multi milllion dollar company, that sends it's boss over seas on business trips with a big group of folks couple times a year, to places they do not do any business with. And it goes on and on... It is unbelieveable the waste in big business... ok, better quite for now about that.. haha..
Have not heard from Jon, Randi and Kaitlyn. I'm guessing they are still alive. Will see them over Christmas and am really excited about that! On their trip before last going home, they left here at dark thirty, and about 10:30pm our phone goes off, I answer and it's Jonathan... Well, dad, you only thought I might go to sleep.. let me tell you what an eventful trip home we had...(now this was still better than what the call could have been about!!!) He went on to tell about how a car parked on the side of the road seen at a distance by Jon, while rounding a curve, looked like it was parked in his lane.. (think we all have done this one!), and then later on near Strafford, they had a big bird, owl, probably fly into their car, and they had to stop in Strafford and clean off the car... yuck!! and WOW.. needless to say, Jon was wide awake when I was talking to him!!!
Paul is going on days for the first time in years at the SPD. He is really looking forward to it, but I bet he and the family will have some adjusting to do, but I bet in the end, they will love have Dad a home in the evenings... Andrew does love his daddy!! Andrew said "I have pigs at my house. I pet them. I feed them. we eat them" ... haha.. he understands!! Heather reported they will be having baby Boer Goats starting about the time she has Madison Ann... end of April or first of May. OH MY, ANN and I are REALLY excited about this deal of being grandparents... truly are!! But I goofed. I had Heather bring by her picture of Madison, and I messed it up when scanning it, so you guys will have to wait to see her till I get another scan of it in a few days..... but will post as soon as she brings her picture back by...
Ok.. this is too long.. Like they say on Fox news.. if this is not your cup of tea, turn the channel, or hit the off button. hahahah...
got to run, lots to do... want to end on this, Jake removed the old storage building south of our home that the storm messed up years ago, and sawed down a tree or two and made it look AWESOME!! He's wonderful!!!
Phil stopped by last night with some Christmas goodies... That Tammy is an awesome cook! She can "build" anything in the kitchen!! Phil was telling us about some of the Christmas partys they have been to and some of the things that Austyn has received... wow, I think I'd like to have those toys at MY AGE!! haha.
Jake and Ann went to Andrew's Play at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Stillwater last Friday night and Jake was our Photographer for the night and he got some great shots. I will try to post them online later today, as I get time.
Jake had been helping Grandma Moffat with her livestock this fall and doing a really great job. He has a keen eye for handling cattle and is really finding them to be a joy. He is also helping our neighbor Fred Shultz who has one of the most inovative cattle operations in the world! Fred uses computer patches on the cattle to check for heats to bred AI at the correct time, and with a 90% first bred conception rate, one can not argue that it's a waste of money! He has one cow, ole 147, who put him on the map. This cow is truly the best Maine Cow in the bred in terms of dollars generated and phenotype. He has sold over a million dollars worth of babies out of her, for real, and her offspring has won over a million and half dollars worth of prize money from the show ring. He was harvesting embroys from her when others where only learning about it. Now this past week, he has signed on board with a special company back East to provide him "Clones" of 147 in 21 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days from today! Jake and I are really excited about his operation and can't beleive it is right across the road from Mom's. Oh, so close, so I go and visit once in a while, just to be neighborly, and see what the latest and greatest is!! Needless to say, his theory is ... quality first, then numbers.. He was telling Jake and I the other day that he is so innovative that he just got through "visiting" with the Federal Boys over the last three years, and he had to write a glossary of terms for them so they could understand what his "Farm" does and what the product is... Now, that is cutting edge!
We kept Andrew this past Sunday while his momma and her mother in law and sister in law made their annual trip to T Town to shop. It was a blast. He and Jake are two peas in a pod!! He loves his Jake buddy... and they play very well together. Andrew and he have been playing games on the computer, and sometimes from listening, it is hard to figure out who is winning..haha..
Ann is off starting today, for the next two weeks. She is really happy to. It seems as time goes on, the Peter Principle takes hold even stronger with her office. She works for a multi milllion dollar company, that sends it's boss over seas on business trips with a big group of folks couple times a year, to places they do not do any business with. And it goes on and on... It is unbelieveable the waste in big business... ok, better quite for now about that.. haha..
Have not heard from Jon, Randi and Kaitlyn. I'm guessing they are still alive. Will see them over Christmas and am really excited about that! On their trip before last going home, they left here at dark thirty, and about 10:30pm our phone goes off, I answer and it's Jonathan... Well, dad, you only thought I might go to sleep.. let me tell you what an eventful trip home we had...(now this was still better than what the call could have been about!!!) He went on to tell about how a car parked on the side of the road seen at a distance by Jon, while rounding a curve, looked like it was parked in his lane.. (think we all have done this one!), and then later on near Strafford, they had a big bird, owl, probably fly into their car, and they had to stop in Strafford and clean off the car... yuck!! and WOW.. needless to say, Jon was wide awake when I was talking to him!!!
Paul is going on days for the first time in years at the SPD. He is really looking forward to it, but I bet he and the family will have some adjusting to do, but I bet in the end, they will love have Dad a home in the evenings... Andrew does love his daddy!! Andrew said "I have pigs at my house. I pet them. I feed them. we eat them" ... haha.. he understands!! Heather reported they will be having baby Boer Goats starting about the time she has Madison Ann... end of April or first of May. OH MY, ANN and I are REALLY excited about this deal of being grandparents... truly are!! But I goofed. I had Heather bring by her picture of Madison, and I messed it up when scanning it, so you guys will have to wait to see her till I get another scan of it in a few days..... but will post as soon as she brings her picture back by...
Ok.. this is too long.. Like they say on Fox news.. if this is not your cup of tea, turn the channel, or hit the off button. hahahah...
got to run, lots to do... want to end on this, Jake removed the old storage building south of our home that the storm messed up years ago, and sawed down a tree or two and made it look AWESOME!! He's wonderful!!!
Monday, December 20, 2004
What welcome mail today.....!!!
I received a letter from Uncle John Emmett Schmook today in the mail. How wonderful it is to get mail from family!! And distant family too!! He sent a note about the history of the Kieffer/Schmook family and it will be include in the kiddos Christmas gifts this year too. I think Ann's Cousin Connie is sending us a care package too. Got our family Shaklee December Newsletter from Bill Shaklee. How awesome he is to take time to put together such a great family news letter. He puts one out about 10 to 12 times a year, and really spends a lot of time on the history, and family updates as the family grows.. wow.. thanks Bill for all you do to keep the history going!! Thanks Uncle John for your great letter regarding the family history.
And by the way, my dearest Cortney.... have I got a deal for you. I have found gold. Some of your early pics from the farm... hahah.. just what Jeff needs to see.... now let's see, what do I put online first.. hummmmmmm..... hahahha...
Merry Christmas, one and all.... Enjoy the season!!
And by the way, my dearest Cortney.... have I got a deal for you. I have found gold. Some of your early pics from the farm... hahah.. just what Jeff needs to see.... now let's see, what do I put online first.. hummmmmmm..... hahahha...
Merry Christmas, one and all.... Enjoy the season!!
Wanted everyone to know there are.....
There are a lot of new "old family photos" online regarding the Shaklee Family History, Schmook and Kieffer, too.... In the album titled Shaklee Family Photos.. there are sub albums with even more photos.. and after the holidays, there will be even more photos.. when Uncle Mike comes down and trades with us... enjoy the season.. it's God's gift to us... to celebrate the birth of his Son!!
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Finally getting to Ann's side of the family...haha..
Here in this one photo is a lot of Oklahoma, and Missouri History! In the picture on the back row are: Emmet Deforest Kieffer, John Anthony Poppa Jack Schmook, Honorable John Schook, and Alto H. Hickox Schmook. In the front row is Reuben Hickox, Mary Cathrene Schmook, Cora Faye Kieffer Schmook, Anna Billman Kieffer, and Mary Cathrene "Kate" Anthony Hickox.
Electric went off... darn it, lost all I had typed blow this... and trying to load pics.. wow.. oh well, could have been worse..haha.
The Honorable John Schmook is written up in the history books for Missouri and his works are housed in the Springfield, MO. Library. He had a long and eventful life as a circuit judge in MO. His son Poppa Jack, as he was known by those who knew him, was a very good influence on all he come in contact with. He attended Military school. He raise 3 great kiddos.. Mary, Peggy, and John Schmook, all went on to live very full and rewarding lives, each in their own way.
Reuben Hickox was the first Postmaster for El Reno, OK. He also was the one who made the motion to call Canadian County .. that Canadian County in an official meeting of the government. He also was with 2 other men when the idea came up to call El Reno .. that El Reno. One of the other men soon left the area and went to New Mexico and became that new states first Governor. He was many more things, too. Hickox Addition, where the old High School is, is the homestead of theirs.
Mary Anthony was the daughter of Elizabeth Calhoun, who was the daughter of the Honorable John C Calhoun, of PA.
Their daughter Alto was working in a bank at the age of 16 when one of the notorious gangs that ran in the area robbed it.
and on and on... Great folks, salt of the earth and it wa the best thing that happened to me, when Ms. Ann said yes to my proposal of marriage!
But if you look at the new pics of the Shaklee family album that I am loading on net now, you will see how her folks received that idea.. think they are the first ones in the album.. Her Mom and Dad using me for target practice... haha.. No way.. hehe...
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Note the year... even in the old days, there were "personal" want ads....
From the Star and Banner (Gettysburg, Pa.), 15 December 1854, page 3:
"IN THE MARKET"
A young man whose wants in every other particular have been supplied, desires to form a matrimonial alliance for the purpose of securing himself complete happiness. His vocation enables him to support a wife in a proper manner; and he fancies he can secure comfort to any one who will confide her welfare to his keeping. He is in his 25th year, a good height, and passably good looking. He desires a young lady younger than himself, equal in personal appearance, one possessing a good education, and who understands something about household affairs. Communications will be perfectly confidential. Address.
"IN THE MARKET"
A young man whose wants in every other particular have been supplied, desires to form a matrimonial alliance for the purpose of securing himself complete happiness. His vocation enables him to support a wife in a proper manner; and he fancies he can secure comfort to any one who will confide her welfare to his keeping. He is in his 25th year, a good height, and passably good looking. He desires a young lady younger than himself, equal in personal appearance, one possessing a good education, and who understands something about household affairs. Communications will be perfectly confidential. Address.
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
How would this story have been told with today's technology???
From the Edinburgh Advertiser (Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland), 14 December 1802, page 6:
DUBLIN, Dec. 6.
"By the storm and inundation on Wednesday and on Thursday, in addition to the calamities mentioned in our last, the Backs, Weirs, &c. at Old Bawn paper mills, are entirely swept away. Nearly an acre and a half of Mr. Wildridge's meadow, adjacent to the mills, has been severed from the rest by the violence of the flood, and carried completely off! Besides the bridges at Ringsend and Coal quay, formerly mentioned, the bridges of Lucan and Celbridge have also been destroyed.
"Patrick street, Plunket street, Ball-lane, &c. were inundated to a great depth, and articles of furniture were seen floating through them with the current. Boats constantly plying there during Friday, saving such as were in danger, and supplying others with provisions.
"As the different rivulets rushed into the Liffey from the mountains about Kilcullen bridge, the river rose to such an alarming degree in this place, that the country people who lived near the banks took every precaution to guard against impending danger; still, however, cattle, trees, roofs of houses, millwheels, and small boats were soon observed passing with the current; two houses beyond Celbridge were inundated and swept away; the people who dwelt in one of them, providentially quitted in an hour previous, but three brothers who lived in the house became victims to the fury of the flood!
"The Law Courts in Dublin were overflowed, and business was obliged to be adjourned. The room in which the Barristers' gowns and wigs were kept overflowed to the depth of four feet, and ever thing contained in it was destroyed. Every hour brings to our ears some new disasters occasioned by this extraordinary misfortune....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DUBLIN, Dec. 6.
"By the storm and inundation on Wednesday and on Thursday, in addition to the calamities mentioned in our last, the Backs, Weirs, &c. at Old Bawn paper mills, are entirely swept away. Nearly an acre and a half of Mr. Wildridge's meadow, adjacent to the mills, has been severed from the rest by the violence of the flood, and carried completely off! Besides the bridges at Ringsend and Coal quay, formerly mentioned, the bridges of Lucan and Celbridge have also been destroyed.
"Patrick street, Plunket street, Ball-lane, &c. were inundated to a great depth, and articles of furniture were seen floating through them with the current. Boats constantly plying there during Friday, saving such as were in danger, and supplying others with provisions.
"As the different rivulets rushed into the Liffey from the mountains about Kilcullen bridge, the river rose to such an alarming degree in this place, that the country people who lived near the banks took every precaution to guard against impending danger; still, however, cattle, trees, roofs of houses, millwheels, and small boats were soon observed passing with the current; two houses beyond Celbridge were inundated and swept away; the people who dwelt in one of them, providentially quitted in an hour previous, but three brothers who lived in the house became victims to the fury of the flood!
"The Law Courts in Dublin were overflowed, and business was obliged to be adjourned. The room in which the Barristers' gowns and wigs were kept overflowed to the depth of four feet, and ever thing contained in it was destroyed. Every hour brings to our ears some new disasters occasioned by this extraordinary misfortune....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yiddish saying................
Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned, it’s harvest time.
-Yiddish saying
And "Uncle Henry Ford" says.....
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
--Henry Ford
-Yiddish saying
And "Uncle Henry Ford" says.....
"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
--Henry Ford
Monday, December 13, 2004
How exciting.. opened up the ole email.. and a note from Cortney!!!
hi uncle stan! how are you doing? things here are going really well. i can't
believe christmas is almost here though!!! i have spent the past few
weekends trying to run around & do christmas shopping, buying a tree,
getting decorations and that kind of stuff. and the time is just flying by!
i will try to work on putting something together about my trip from italy. i
am still waiting on the pictures from my mom (i will swap copies with her
the next time we see each other) so that should help me some on taking notes
of what we did. so i will get on my assignment :)! and get back to you about
it. i don't mind if you put it online - i will just try to make sure i write
it so it all makes sense :).
and i mentioned to my mom that you wanted some of her family genealogy on
her side of the family. thanks for saying that you will add it to your
family genealogy and that you will send me a copy of it when it is done.
that would be great and i would appreciate it. thanks for giving me jon's
address again - it was the one that i had in my address book, i just wanted
to make sure my infor wasn't outdated. how are they doing with the new baby?
it must be such a huge change for them in their lives. are they getting any
sleep at night :)!?! i hope so.
i miss you all and send my love. take care and i will talk to you soon.
love,
cortney
and a second one too.....
hi again :). i just wanted to let you know that i forwarded this message
onto my mom's email so she can know all the specifics you needed on birth
dates & places and names so she will probably be getting in touch with you
about it all. (i also told her on the phone so she knows i emailed her :) ).
and you are right, her maiden name was servedio - i think that is the
correct spelling of it.
i am moving in this weekend - to jeff's. i kind of have already been there
the past two weeks but still need to get all my furniture moved in, which we
plan to do either friday or saturday of this weekend. i am excited about it.
hope all is well and i will talk to you later! please tell everyone hi for
me.
love,
cortney
believe christmas is almost here though!!! i have spent the past few
weekends trying to run around & do christmas shopping, buying a tree,
getting decorations and that kind of stuff. and the time is just flying by!
i will try to work on putting something together about my trip from italy. i
am still waiting on the pictures from my mom (i will swap copies with her
the next time we see each other) so that should help me some on taking notes
of what we did. so i will get on my assignment :)! and get back to you about
it. i don't mind if you put it online - i will just try to make sure i write
it so it all makes sense :).
and i mentioned to my mom that you wanted some of her family genealogy on
her side of the family. thanks for saying that you will add it to your
family genealogy and that you will send me a copy of it when it is done.
that would be great and i would appreciate it. thanks for giving me jon's
address again - it was the one that i had in my address book, i just wanted
to make sure my infor wasn't outdated. how are they doing with the new baby?
it must be such a huge change for them in their lives. are they getting any
sleep at night :)!?! i hope so.
i miss you all and send my love. take care and i will talk to you soon.
love,
cortney
and a second one too.....
hi again :). i just wanted to let you know that i forwarded this message
onto my mom's email so she can know all the specifics you needed on birth
dates & places and names so she will probably be getting in touch with you
about it all. (i also told her on the phone so she knows i emailed her :) ).
and you are right, her maiden name was servedio - i think that is the
correct spelling of it.
i am moving in this weekend - to jeff's. i kind of have already been there
the past two weeks but still need to get all my furniture moved in, which we
plan to do either friday or saturday of this weekend. i am excited about it.
hope all is well and i will talk to you later! please tell everyone hi for
me.
love,
cortney
IMPORTANT NEWS.... IT IS A ...........................
BREAKING NEWS..........
YES... IT'S A GIRL.... IT'S A GIRL.. IT'S A GIRL..... ANDREW WILL BE HAVING A SISTER JOIN THEM BEFORE LONG.. YA HOOOO.... IT'S A GIRL......
PAUL AND HEATHER BANKINSHIP WILL BE HAVING A GIRL JOIN THEIR FAMILY BEFORE LONG.. ANOTHER GRAND DAUGHTER.. HOW COOL..... ENJOY THE DAY....
JUST GOT THE CALL.. PICS WILL BE COMING SOON... YA HOO..
YES... IT'S A GIRL.... IT'S A GIRL.. IT'S A GIRL..... ANDREW WILL BE HAVING A SISTER JOIN THEM BEFORE LONG.. YA HOOOO.... IT'S A GIRL......
PAUL AND HEATHER BANKINSHIP WILL BE HAVING A GIRL JOIN THEIR FAMILY BEFORE LONG.. ANOTHER GRAND DAUGHTER.. HOW COOL..... ENJOY THE DAY....
JUST GOT THE CALL.. PICS WILL BE COMING SOON... YA HOO..
Andrew's Christmas Program this Friday night...
Friday 17th at 7:30
Andrew Paul Blankinship's Christmas Program will be at the Hillcrest Babtist Church; 902 North Washington Street; Stillwater, OK.
There will be a short program preformed by each class and then snacks and a visit from Santa...
Everyone is invited.... See you all there!
Heather
Andrew Paul Blankinship's Christmas Program will be at the Hillcrest Babtist Church; 902 North Washington Street; Stillwater, OK.
There will be a short program preformed by each class and then snacks and a visit from Santa...
Everyone is invited.... See you all there!
Heather
Welcome.......
The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him, "What are you going through?"
-Simone Weil
-Simone Weil
Sunday, December 12, 2004
How our family helped settle El Reno, and shape Oklahoma History!
Mary Catherine Anthony was born in Clearfield Co. July 28, 1853, and
married Reuben R. Hickox March 10, 1874. Mr. Hickox went to Indiana Territory in
1885 as agent for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. He and his family were
in the "Run" with the "boomers" April 22, 1889, and were successful in landing a claim on which part of the city of El Reno now stands. They erected their canvas "tepee" or tent among a wild waste of prairie grass, where, now stands the red brick schoolhouse on Rock Island avenue, Hickox Addition. Rueben came up with the name for the county, Canadian, and was in the car with two others when the name El Reno came up and they decided to call the new town that... El Reno! He served as El Reno's first Postmaster.
These were "Poppa" Jack Schmook's mother and father. Ann's great grandfather and great grandmother.
These were the pioneers... and both sides of the Stan Moffat family have ancestors that are listed as just that... Pioneers of Canadian County, Oklahoma. What a deal, huh??? haha.. Enjoy the day! God's sending down his big ole smile in the way of beautiful sunshine this am...
married Reuben R. Hickox March 10, 1874. Mr. Hickox went to Indiana Territory in
1885 as agent for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. He and his family were
in the "Run" with the "boomers" April 22, 1889, and were successful in landing a claim on which part of the city of El Reno now stands. They erected their canvas "tepee" or tent among a wild waste of prairie grass, where, now stands the red brick schoolhouse on Rock Island avenue, Hickox Addition. Rueben came up with the name for the county, Canadian, and was in the car with two others when the name El Reno came up and they decided to call the new town that... El Reno! He served as El Reno's first Postmaster.
These were "Poppa" Jack Schmook's mother and father. Ann's great grandfather and great grandmother.
These were the pioneers... and both sides of the Stan Moffat family have ancestors that are listed as just that... Pioneers of Canadian County, Oklahoma. What a deal, huh??? haha.. Enjoy the day! God's sending down his big ole smile in the way of beautiful sunshine this am...
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