Another Story

The ranch manager suggested someone research the ranch house so Kiley and I have been looking and reading.  We haven’t found out about the house, but we have read a lot about the ranch and this is some of what we have learned.  We miraculously found the grave of J. J. McAdams who started the ranch.  Dallie found it in the Paducah Cemetery yesterday among over 4,000 graves.  We were all looking, but Dallie found it!  J. J.’s story is very interesting and sad.
 

He was born in Texas, his mother died when he was eight and his father died when he was around 14.  He was shot in the leg by an older brother because he wouldn’t turn back and not follow the brother and friends who were “going west”. He was sick with gangrene for several months and walked with a limp afterwards.  He did eventually go west with his friend and they established themselves in dugouts and made claim in the 1880’s.  The story goes on, and not happily.  He shot his brother over a cattle dispute.  He was going to be tried in one county, where he feared the unfriendly atmosphere there, so his friends organized and gathered enough signatures (150) to organize a new, more friendly county.  They lacked a few signatures so used the names of horses from the Moon Ranch on their petition.  J.J.’s friend, W. Q. Richards, who had come west with him owned the Moon.  The trial was changed to the new county.  J.J.’s lawyer was Sam Houston’s seventh son, who was a brilliant trial lawyer.  The trial was the first held in Cottle County and J.J. was freed in 1892 after much controversy. 

Fun Week

 

These are pictures from our trip to the Vivian Cemetery and to the rock house and corral. Kache is trying to read an old headstone.  Some of them you can read, but most or too weathered to read.  The kids wanted to repair the house.  It was cute how concerned they were.  There are no roofing timbers left or materials for the roof.  I wonder if the house was never completed or maybe there was a fire.  The corral was pretty big but only standing on two sides.  It was 60 degrees, not windy, a really nice day.  We did get lost and wondered around some rough country.  Keith was not with us so that is why we didn’t know where we were going.  These Florida kids were pretty cautious around the prickly pear cactus and mesquite thorns.  Near the cemetery we found some deep caves in the ground.  Looked like great homes for rattlesnakes.  This is about Cam Alto who is buried in the cemetery.

A very interesting story is told of the burial of Cam Alto. Those digging the grave hit a huge rock that could not be moved, so much progress had been made and since they did not want to begin again, a very unusual decision was reached, they made the grave in a north and south position instead of the usual east and west. (interment.net)

His headstone is turned to match his grave.

Last Week #7

 

These are pictures of a cotton field near Lubbock and a cotton picker.  This cotton is dry farmed.  There were some circles, but not many.  I am not sure that cotton harvesters are called cotton pickers any more, but that is what we called them in Arizona when I was a child.  Of course, humans were cotton pickers too.  I can remember picking cotton on the church farm.  It was hot and hard and we drug along a big canvas sack behind us to put the cotton in.

On Saturday, coming home from Lubbock and the temple it was 70 degrees.  The next day it was 21 and snowing.

Today’s Adventure

 

The story:  An animal of some sort had dug out under the dam of a pond and as Keith bladed across the road on the dam, he fell in!  He was able to get himself out using the blade.  We wish we had pictures of Elder Layton stuck in a stream.  Took ingenuity to get him out with the other grader and not get two graders stuck.

Week #6

I had an epiphany during SS class Sunday and thought I must write it down.  Now, two days later, I can hardly remember. How sad.

At school, we work in the fourth grade first thing in the morning. I am usually assigned to work with Nate. Nate lives with his uncle, aunt and grandmother because his dad is dead and his mother is lost. He doesn’t want to be with her anyway, because she is mean. The list of problems that Nate has is long. Besides his home life, he can’t read and he slips off to “la la land” often when we are trying to read and do his school work. He will refuse to continue with the work whenever he feels inclined. Each week he has a new wo, for instance; he threatened to kill someone, he had two different antiperspirants in his coat pockets and was sniffing them often, his pencil made holes in the restroom ceiling and he said someone must have stolen it. He is always on school probation.

The last time I helped Nate, I felt utterly discouraged and ready to give up on him. The discussion about him on the trip back to the ranch was; “He will never make anything of his life and be in prison soon, so what’s the use”.

Well, in SS we were studying Isaiah and I can’t remember what it was exactly that jogged my feelings about Nate, but something did and also the thought came that what if the Lord feels the same about me, and says; “She will never make it and so what’s the use”. I surely don’t want Him to give up on me, so tonight, at least, I won’t give up on Nate. See you in the morning, Nate. 

 

Keith did some cold weather preparations here and with the sisters we visit in town.  He is ready to be finished on the “blade”, but the end is not insight.  It rained (inch and a half) so there was no grading or blading for a few days, so he worked on a well house refurbishing, which included cement, door, etc.  Another missionary couple came from Idaho.  They are doing maintenance.  She works out with him all day long. 

It was the Primary program Sunday.  The music was very impressive.  I don’t think that the kids knew that it would be a good idea to memorize their parts.  Only one boy had his memorized.  Maybe they were all too scared to remember, but all the adults loved it, and it brought many tears.

Week 5

Time is flying! We are never bored, but happy and busy.  Keith is doing some maintenance on the side, but still mostly grading.  He has been trying to order a big shop door to replace one that blew out and having difficulty getting anyone to come out to measure and replace it, however, he finally had two takers and only needed one door.  When it rains, it pours, which it did all night last night, so no grading today.
We have been crocheting, etc.  I am in the company of a professional creator, Sister Layton, so enjoying that.
There are three missionary couples at the ranch now.  The Leanord’s arrived from the Lewiston, Idaho area last week.  The are mostly maintenance and will work here and at the Sooner Ranch in Oklahoma.  They brought their own home with them, a fifth-wheel trailer.  Sis. Leanord works along side her husband on the maintenance projects. 
On Wednesday we went into the Trunk or Treat party at the church.  The building was full and it is easy to see why we need an addition, which will start soon.  I taught RS on Sunday.  Found out on Saturday, so didn’t have much time to worry.  It went okay and seemed like there were more ladies there than usual-three rows of them instead of two.  Of course, four of us were from the ranch.
Here are some fun pictures.  Dad came upon this old rock house while grading.  The corals were rock too.  We think the writing on the second pictures says Wallace, Dec 1910.

                          

                          

 

The road was totally washed out here and this is the rebuild.  It is steeper then it looks.  This is Elder Layton at the Peace River.  Dad came close to getting stuck down at the river, in the sand.  He seems to always have cell service, but maybe he wouldn’t have way down at the river, except he could have hiked back up to the top for service.