Friday, July 20, 2007

When I Was Young

Some thirty years ago I happened across a friend (Ricky Duke), his brother (Steve Duke) and their father(Charlie Duke) who took me into their home and treated me as though I was one of the family members. We became so close that it didn't matter what time of night I showed up at their house they would start cooking something and it didn't matter what it was everybody ate and got full as ticks on cedars( and that's pretty full in case you don't know). Charlie taught me the proper way to hold and shoot my bow and Ricky would practice with me till we got tired or we would go hunting for some kind of wild game.Everlyn(Charlies wife) was always telling a funny story and Granny(Everlyn's mother) was the cook for everyone that came by and there wasn't anything that she couldn't cook that didn't taste great. I hunted for two years before I learned from the best there was and it was then that I started taking deer with every kind of weapon I owned and anything I borrowed from the Duke family. Steve was a walking encyclopedia on deer hunting and was very instrumental in providing me with all the information I needed to take deer anytime of the season I wanted. Sherry Duke( Charlies daughter) was always helpful in the kitchen and she enjoyed every one's company that came by to visit. As the years went by I became alittle distant to the Duke family and have moved five counties away and never seem to have time now to go visit. I have however found out that Granny, Everlyn and Charlie have all pasted away now without my knowing it and Steve has come down with a illness which is taking a heavy toll on him as well. Hopefully before to long I'll be able to go visit them again but it will never be the same without the whole family there together. I guess when your young you take to many things for granted that things will last you your whole lifetime but this story just goes to show you that nothing last forever and sometimes it's short lived. The Duke family has given me so many memories throughout my time with them that I think of them almost daily. There'll be more stories on the Duke family but for this story I'd like to dedicate this one to all the Dukes including Charlie, Everlyn and Granny even though it's abit late for them. Thanks everyone for allowing me to remember a family that means so much to me and remember nothing last forever so cherish every moment you have with your loved ones and friends.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Lend a Helping Hand

Some of you have sent me e-mails requesting that I update my site with a new posting so this is it. Every now and then there comes a time in our lives when everything just piles up on us and we feel like no matter what we do we just can't get things to go the right way for ourselves. Well I'm at that point now but have decided that everything will work out for the best if I just let it happen as time allows. I've got more work around the home front then I could do in 5 years, my home is turned upside down by my grown children living with me and my wife, and my health is slowly fading away as I grow older but everything will work itself out as life goes on. Life is to short to worry about what will happen if the work doesn't get done, the children stay with you until eternity or your health rapidly deteriorates to a point that you can't do any of the things you used to do when you were young. When you reach this point sit down at home take some time to think of the world as a whole ( not just yourself) and then look at the world around yourself. I think you'll find out that your neighbors are in just as bad a shape as you are and they probably have the same problems or worst. Now think what would happen if everyone actually got out and helped their neighbors work their farmlands as they did back in the old days. Life's little problems come at you fast but with the help of others everything will work out for the best in the end. Just for one whole day forget about everything you have to do around your place and go help a neighbor with his work. Set it up with your teenage children to help a neighbor at least one day a week and see what a dramatic change in every ones life this will create. Now-a-days neighbors don't socialize like they used to due mainly to the fact that there's to must work to be done on their own farm and they don't have time for socializing. Try my suggestion and see how happy you make your neighbors then if things work out as they should the favor will be returned to you ten fold. Think of the way things used to be in the old days then think of how they have changed to today's world, there's a big difference but there doesn't have to be. We can all make things easier just by lending a helping hand. Problems cause stress on everyone but stress can be relieved just by lending a helping hand. Time away from your problems can actually relieve your stress so do something for yourself and help a neighbor out today the rewards will be great.