Memoir Monday, March 29, 1959

 

March 29 , 1959  Sun

Got up early of course to get our Easter stuff out. Went out to Ray's to feed the critters. Stella is going to be more of a pet than Lil and Lou were. We actually caught Dinah. I sawed wood and worked a lot. I just felt restless. I reckon I am going to be the world’s biggest cynic. We cooked steaks down in the canyon. I had the most fun after supper reading poems etc. Dad asked me if I had one about Buster. Oh golly! I had to read it but I about died. By the way, Dale Robertson’s big horse looks like Rusty. Darn, I don’t want to go back to school tomorrow. Adios, Gaye

Back in the Dark Ages here --long ago and far away. I was almost sixteen and Charlie Mike was seven and a half. Alex was two months away from being born.  By this point I was taking on most of the holiday stuff having surrendered any pretense that Santa, the Bunny etc were 'real' but hoping the kids could have that fun for awhile. So I had colored eggs and put some treats in a basket for Charlie Mike to find. Mom may have helped--or not. 

We had sold the five miles I mentioned in earlier posts two weeks prior and had acquired two big sorrel Tennessee Walkers in part payment for the time we  had fed the five sold ones before they were picked up. I can't remember if the horses were already named or we did it but the two were Rusty and Tall Gal. We still had mules Stella and Dinah (Dynamite) and the mares Tina and Lady II plus the new mare and gelding. They were pastured out along the airport road at a PD property where Milt Ray was the caretaker so I called it Ray's. Buster was the foreman for the chap who had bought the mules, one good looking cowboy on whom I had gotten a large crush! And yes, I honored him with a couple of poems. Maybe I can find one.  (The original is longer, about 24 lines but this is the first stanza.)

The Throwback

Shoulders squared, you turn to meet life

Whatever they hand out, you'll take it .

Saddle in hand, spurs on your heels

Whatever they lead out, you'll break it. 

Face stern yet calm, eyes unafraid

Whatever may happen you'll face it..

Rope spinning high, horse on the run.

Whatever may take off, you'll chase it. 

The steaks were probably deer meat. That was our main staple for several years there and cooked outside they were a treat.  When you 'ranch' horses, mules and burros you do not have critters to butcher and eat! And what I meant by the 'cynic' remark I no longer recall but yes, I was getting much less prone to taking anything at face value and seeing only the good; I had learned not to trust too much--sometimes not any at all. 

I cannot recall Dale Robertson's series but it was a western although one I did not follow much. Still I had probably written and gotten a 'fan' photo and the horse was a big sorrel or chestnut with tall white socks and probably a blaze face. 

So the photos. The first is definitely Dinah. For some reason I was not happy; not sure why but that happened often enough. The second shot, I may have been riding Stella--not sure. So many of he smaller mules looked very similar! It is Louie's head anyway on the left. And the third is the deer I had shot in the fall 1958 hunting season so those steaks may have come from it.