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| May was a time of working the fields and seeding the summer crops |
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| May was the time of our school picnic at the lake and perhaps the first swim of the year |
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| May was the time Mom would plant the garden and tend to her beloved Hollyhocks! |
- planting the crops
- picking thousands of rocks
- dragging the fields before the seedlings came up
- a swollen creek which meant fish, fun and adventure
- the end of the morning and evening walks to Wood Lake school
- the end of the big yellow bus arriving at 7:05
- the beginning of adventures on the big and little bikes
- releasing the cows into the pasture for the summer
- little calves to play with and feed
- checking the alfalfa to see when we could build our HUGE hay stacks
- looking forward to rains which meant play time in the mud
- time to play ball with Dave and sometimes Ricky with the corn crib as a back stop
- a time to start mowing the lawn with the sweet smell of cut grass
- the return of black birds that were great targets for the 22 rifle
- blossoms on the plum trees
- a time to disc the fields that we would the summer fallow
- a time when shirts and shoes were left on the bedroom floor for days at a time as all I needed for clothes were pants and a belt
- a time when we may be able to see the mail man, Fritz, coming and meet him. Sometimes he would have a candy bar for us
- the arrival of little chicks on the back seat of Fritz's mail car. They came in a box of 100
- of course that meant killing and butchering later on blood squirting all over and the smell of scalded feathers thick in the air
- which of course meant later on fried spring chicken which was the best outside of pheasant
- The beginning of being alone much of the time with family but no friends from school
May was a time of a new beginning, a new summer work/vacation time and a time on the farm when all was well and God seemed to be around the next corner. I do not mean that life at that time was perfect but growing up on the farm in the 50's, for me, was usually a time of freedom and fun. When I could get out of work there was fishing, swimming, ball, shooting blackbirds, making wooden toy guns, working on my golf course, shooting gophers, playing with the calves and much more. I have to admit that in the early 60's, my high school days, there were many times of loneliness as brother Dave was gone, sister Helen and I did not share the same love of ball etc and it seemed that Dad's time to play with me was very limited. I would be on a HIGH when he would hit the baseball to me and I thought Sunday afternoons would be perfect but that was usually his time to nap! So for me it usually meant taking the 22 and looking for victims or hitting the golf ball on my homemade course.
I remember late summer of 1962. That was WAY before I thought girls were interesting! I received a letter in July. A letter to me, I could not believe it. I opened it and read a note from Mr. Hanson, the football coach at the high school. It invited me to join the football team about 10 days before school started. I showed it to Dad and he just read it and put it aside. He said not a word to me. Days went by and I kept that letter close to my bed stand. Sometimes at night I would read it before I turned the light off and the more I read it the more I wanted to play football. The first day of practice came and went and I said nothing. Finally about 3 days after football had started I asked Dad one night if I could play football. In a casual way he said sure! I figured what the heck, why didn't he say that without me asking? The next day Dad drove me to Forman to join the team in their 4th day of practice. After that day Dad would bring me to Cayuga as a bus took players to Forman for practice. I remember Mr. Hanson shaking Dad's hand and mine and then saying he would find some gear for me. I did not even know what football players wore! He even found some used football shoes for me as of course I had none. That day I tried to stay close to Larry, my best friend from grade school, as he had been there from day one and knew what we should do. As I look back I am sure Mr. Hanson was excited to see this strapping farm kid who was big for a freshman, tan like an Indian and loved to run and hit people. A small note, when I was captain of the team in my senior year I was the same height, perhaps a bit heavier with more muscle I am sure. I played baseball, track, football and basketball in HS but without a doubt football was my favorite. Perhaps it was because farm work with bales of hay, rocks to pick and other things made my body strong. I was very shy and quiet but on the field I loved to run someone down and hit him, in a good way of course! In my senior year, as captain, I was to open the envelope to announce the homecoming queen, put the crown on her and kiss her cheek! I remember turning a few shades of red before halftime. It was not that I had never kissed a girl but in front of God and everyone on the football field--not something I wanted to do! Wait I guess I have never kissed a girl without God present!!! I remember Mr. Newman, the assist coach. He had graduated from Jamestown Teachers College and he said the football coach wanted to talk to me about enrolling there and he was sure I would get very good financial aide. I knew I did not want to be a teacher so I said NO. So what did I do, I taught for 38 years!
Way way enough as time is fleeing and my FP is long gone. I know, way to much to read.
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