[Brian1782]

Back when I was a kid living at home I hunted every day in the Fall of the year after the chores were done. I would get off the School bus on a run, bust into the house, change clothes, grab my gun, a handful of shells, a bottle of Big Red and head for the barn. Feed the cows, fill the water tanks for the hogs and check the feeders to make sure the hogs still had feed. This activity was being repeated at my best friends farm which butted up to ours. We would meet at the fencerow and walk it to flush any grouse or rabbits on our way to the woods to squirrel hunt. We didn't worry about Cammo hunting outfits ( we didn't have any ),we wore what we had, blue jeans and flannel shirts and denim chore coats. Our cover scents were cow and hog manure, yet, we still were able to harvest our share of game with youthful enthusiasm. The Sun filtering down through the White Oak and Maple leaves that were a brighter orange than the Sun itself was warm on our faces and that bottle of Red Pop was the perfect drink to sip on while we waited on Mr. Bushytail to show himself. No matter who shot what, it was divided up equal to take home when our Mom's yelled out that it was time for Supper, and we would slowly trudge back to our houses to eat and afterwards do our homework, wishing that we were still in the woods.
Brian

 

[sheepdog]

Beautiful memories-you should write more---reminding o.f. like us of the good times of our youth will encourage us to share and make like times with our youth-and so, Dad to son, and Grandfather to grandchild-we pass on the love of shooting and hunting and the importance of being free to enjoy the shooting sports...you should submit that to some hunting mags---I smell the down payment on your next gun!

 

[Brian1782]

sheepdog,
Thanks for the kind words. I had thought about submitting stories from time to time, but never got around to doing it. I have several note books full of things that I've written and enjoy sharing them with friends and family. If you folks here on the Forum don't mind, I'll post a few every so often.
Brian

 

[sheepdog]

Go for it!!!!![^]

 

[jimbo1096]

Brian, wish I had the talent to express myself like that, and the memories to share. Would love to hear more of yours. Mostly growing up I lived in a city, with my Dad being gone most of the time being in the USAF. I remember my first gun, bought with my own money at age 16, and the parents were not happy. It was an old Stevens 12g single shot with a shortened barrel. Still have it and it's still not pretty. Would walk the bayou just outside of town and shoot squirrels, crows and snakes. That area has been a shopping center and parking lot for 30 years. Looked a lot better as fields and trees.

 

[Brian1782]

Jimbo, Back when I was young and living at home, Dad worked 2nd shift for years plus worked on our 160 acres. He would always wake us kids up and Mom would be making breakfast. While we caught up on what was going on at school and the chores he wanted us to do that evening, we were able to spend a little time with him. Dad would be walking towards the barn while we were getting on the school bus to start our days. Our day was over when we would get off that bus at 4:00, and by then, Dad was just getting a good start on his at the factory after already putting in at least 7 hours of work around the farm. Dad would get home a little after midnight, and try to get some sleep before the clock would go off at 6 am. He would always leave a note on the kitchen counter of chores that he would like for us to do in the evening time. Taking care of the livestock was always on the list. Summer would be hoeing in the garden, unloading a load of hay in the barn, or fixing fences. Winter time was often splitting a load of firewood and bringing it up to the house , and taking hay to the cows. My Brother and Sister are several years older than me and when I got to be in junior high school, they were off at College, and I did the chores by myself. I think I got the better end of the deal, while they were at College, I was getting an Education. Dad switched back to day shift when I was a Senior in High School and I got to spend more time with Him, and the older I got, the more I realized why he worked 2nd all those years. It wasn't because he wanted to, it was about providing for the family more. He made better money on 2nd shift, and could still farm during the days. He paid off the farm in my senior year and didn't have to worry about the bills as much, so he could switch back to day shift. Even though I didn't see Dad as much as I wanted to when I was a kid, I have him to thank for everything he provided. Above all, he provided Love and I am not ashamed of the fact that every time I talk to Him and my Mom , whether it be on the phone or when we go to visit, I tell them I love them.
Brian

 

[rman]

quote:Originally posted by Brian1782

Above all, he provided Love and I am not ashamed of the fact that every time I talk to Him and my Mom , whether it be on the phone or when we go to visit, I tell them I love them.
Brian

I have a background similar to yours. I grew up on a 480 acre dirt farm in Central Kansas. We didn't really have any livestock. The farm we rented was all cultivated with no pasture. All we had was chickens and an occasional sheep as a 4H project. I am also the youngest of 3 children. When my sister and brother were in college, a lot of the farm work was left to me. My dad worked days in a rock quarry Monday through Friday and tried to handle the farm work in the evenings and on weekends. He left me notes about things he wanted done after school or during the week in the summertime. In my case it was usually field work; plowing, discing, springtoothing, etc. Early in the Fall it was usually running wheat through the fanning mill so it would be clean for seed wheat. We sold a lot of seed wheat to farmers in Northwest Missouri. When dad and I were both home, he would always say, "Tom, these are the things we need to get done today," followed by a list. He always gave me my choice of things on the list. It would have been easy to pick all the easy chores, but by that time my dad was in his early 50's and was beginning to show the wear from all the hard work and 2 jobs. My conscience usually made me choose the toughest chores. My dad was hands-down the best man I've ever known. My mom was quite a character, but you just had to love her. Brian, my folks are both gone now. How I wish I would have told them I loved them more often.
Tom

 

[jimbo1096]

Brian & rman, thanks for the stories.
My Dad was assigned bases in remote areas more often than not. When I was growing up there were only two bases we were allowed to accompany him. One was in Waco, Tx and the other in Croughton, England. Both of those were three year duty tours. I'll admit I didn't get along with him as he was demanding and pretty hard to live with. Mom on the other hand was an angel. After I grew up and got out on my own I realized I had learned a lot from him and began to appreciate what he had been able to provide for the family. We lost him in 1971, without me knowing him as well as I would have liked. Mom passed on in 1991. Since my Dad's death, we have learned he was involved in everything from being a sailor in the merchant marines, to pilot in WWII to being a member of the Secret Service, all prior to meeting my Mom. Seem there was a bunch of things he never told anyone about. If he was still with us he would be 98 in a couple of days.
To those who still have their parents, tell them how much you appreciate what they have done. And treat them with the respect they deserve. Just my 2c.