Monday, February 12, 2018

Friendly chats, a joy



Historical Photo:
    Bill Boyd, Postal carrier 1910


 Tonite's stuff!
In life you meet the braggart, the shy, the introvert and the extrovert. Even we are one of the above or our personality is ruled by those guidelines.

After you have lived 60+ years (some of you are old enough to know this)  you find that some folk can bore you to death and some can keep you spellbound. Most of us are somewhere in between. 

Our friends Tom and Evelyn, from a few houses down stopped by again this morning to say goodbye. Since we are going on ‘vacation’ tomorrow they stopped by for a chat. They will be headed back to upstate NY (Near Rochester) before we get back off our ‘vacation’.

It has been such a joy, just sitting here chatting. He is 81 soon. They have already taken care of the transfer of ownership and finances of their huge farm(s), equipment and houses.

I learned a lot today. One example: He said he even learned it late in life from his daughter. They had switched to Angus Cattle and were losing calves to coyotes. His daughter called him and said I have bought a jackass and need you to pick him up for me. He said, “My daughter had been told by someone out west that the jackass would protect all the cattle, even from buzzards.”  And she had heard correctly. The next year we bought a Jenny for the other farm and we have lost no calves to predators.

I imagine ranchers and farmers know this.  I can remember Paula used to talk about wanting a donkey for the ranch but never got one. I think she just wanted it for a pet. LOL

I enjoy listening to Tom. He has tales of the Amish, Quakers (Evelyn is a Quaker), Tax collectors, tractors (my favorite). He talks about giant tractors, they have MANY of the big 200-400 HP tractors. Ones that plow and reap up to 24 feet at a time. buying on of those jewels is like buying a house. I can’t think past the $500 1948 8N Ford farm tractor.  LOL

They are new friends, we met them just last year. Salt of the earth folk. It is great to know there are country folk, real people, that call New York home. I like Tom, he says, Evelyn is his Ace in the hole. They have been a team.
 


(Tune in tomorrow for Tom’s story of taking part of the farm to the grave with him)


Nite Shipslog

PS: Little known facts about the USA
                                Thanks.. Tony D.
The entire Denver International Airport is twice the size of Manhattan.
This 1937 Packard was new when Tom was a baby!

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10 comments:

Chatty Crone said...

Okay my mind is bad - do you know I have no coyotes here or buzzards, that is because sometimes I have as many as 3 @$$e$ around! I could not help myself. Good read. sandie

Rick Watson said...

Someone told me recently that donkies are good watch critters too.

You’re right about being around folks. Some people make my eyes glaze over after a short conversation. Others leave me spellbound.
R

Unknown said...

Sounds like you had a good visit with Tom and Evelyn.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You certainly have no lack of friends. Old and new and all wonderful people. We learn so much from those friendly chats. Live wouldn't be the same without them. Will be interesting to see where your vacation takes you next.

Lisa said...

I never knew that about Donkeys. I never even knew cyote will mess with cattles. Just sheep and I learned that from Looney Tunes.
Now if I could find an animal to get rid of Asses. I have a problem with those at work. Hahaha.

Have a great Vacation
Lisa

Rain said...

A friend of mine in Northern Ontario got a donkey for that reason too! Not for cattle, but to protect the farm in general. I think it's cool that they are "guard dogs" so to speak!

It's nice to find people who interest you. I remember having a neighbour once and she would talk incessantly about everything and anything to the point where I would tune out because I got so emotionally exhausted I felt like crying lol...it was just too much!! :)

TARYTERRE said...

interesting about donkeys. glad you have some good people to talk to like Tom and Evelyn.

Glenda said...

Soundx like you lucked into some really great neighbors, love the story about the donkeys. I had never heard that either, don't remember ever having coyotes on our farm.
Safe travels, enjoy!

Dar said...

The fella that makes the hay off our field has donkeys on his farm for that reason. You see them all over on TX ranches. Now if only they'd work on the yaewhos of the human persuasion. Had to LOL at Chatty's comment. I'm glad you have sociable neighbors that hold your attention. Sweet the way he speaks of his bride.
love n' hugs from our lil' piece of the world to yours
Happy Valentines Day Wed. Hug yourselves for us

Mevely317 said...

Sorry! I meant to stop by first thing this morning, then "life happened." :) If you hadn't put this business about donkeys down in black and white, I'd have thought you were gaslighting me, Jack!
Neat, when good folks meet up with other good folks. Like something out-a Sean of the South column.