pick on me Tuesday

Somebody is picking on me. I wonder who it could be; they live out by the sea. They’re not up a tree. What do you mean watch the birdie, smile, why me. who could be. she has a
Somebody is picking on me. I wonder who it could be; they live out by the sea. They’re not up a tree. What do you mean watch the birdie, smile, why me.  so look out you may be her next photo. she is good at it. here is her blog.https://www.facebook.com/sdawn.sievers?fref=hovercard&hc_location=none&__tn__=%2Cd%2CP


God bless and take care

songs on the prairie

the featured story this week is https://www.amazon.com/dp/1099352894

The Songs on the Prairie

By

Roy Durham

Dedication

To

All who love a good western

My wife and kids

And the Facebook friends

Copyright © 2012 Roy A Durham

All rights reserved.

ISBN:

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Texas bound. 1

Chapter 2 the slaves at Memphis 4

Chapter 3 Baton Rouge. 6

Chapter 4 fun in New Orleans 8

Chapter 5 Beaumont Texas morning. 11

Chapter 6  Houston town. 17

Chapter 7 San Antonio here I come. 25

Chapter 8 San Antonio rising. 30

Chapter 9 driving cattle. 33

Chapter 10 headed them up, move them out 36

Chapter 1 Texas bound

I was born in Kentucky on a farm somewhere around 1850, I don’t know for sure. I was told it was in the summer. Where I lived, we did not take to keeping time with the year and date. It is 1866, so I guess I am 16 or thereabouts. My given name was William Thomas Astin, but I answer to will or bill and sometimes to tom. No one calls me Mr. Astin. Most of the time it is hey you, or boy. But I have never been called late for super.

 We had not heard from dad after the war started, he was at Chickamauga. We guessed he died there. We never heard from him ever again. My brother Jim was killed at Shiloh. Ma died a couple of days ago, she had been sick for a long time. We had no doctor I believe she died of consumption. That was the thing most of the people died from around here.

I was on my own now, and most of the boys my age were talking about going to Texas. It sounded like a good idea at the time. I took an old sack and put my Sunday go to meeting clothes in and the family bible in it. I don’t know why I could not read or write. And some bread I had made, it was a little hard and a side of bacon, and some black peas and beans.  Mom’s old skillet I was all set. I took down paws old fiddle to make some noise so I would not feel alone. I was singing the gospel song I knew.

I buried ma next to the flower bed she loved. Then I put the bridle on old stumble foot our mule. I was headed to Texas. I had no plans or any idea of what I would do when I got there.

There were some of the lasts of the Cherokees headed west on the trail of tears, I followed behind. After a weeks or so. I came to the Mississippi River. It was too far to swim, and I don’t swim. I hung around the town of Hickman, Kentucky. Till a riverboat came in, I ask how much a ride to New Orleans was. He said it was two dollars. I only had five cents I had it for the longest time was never was any place to spend it.

The man was the boat foreman, and I told him I did not have that much money and started to walk away. He called me back and ask can I work hard. I said, “Yes, I can.” He said if I can load cotton bails, he would pay me five dollars when we got to New Orleans. And I could bring my mule. I to sign on as a deckhand will I made a mark anyway.

It seems like we stopped at every bend in the river to load cotton bails. I was backbreaking work, but I manned up to it. They feed me well. I love the blackberry jam and flapjacks for breakfast. I all ways eat my fill. At noon we had ham and beans with cornbread.

Fried chicken for supper and a cold glass of milk. There was some cow on the boat we milked and cool the milk in jars in the river. At night I would set on a cotton bail and play my fiddle a colored man taught me some fun fiddle tunes. It was not long before people were dancing while I fiddled. Someone came up with a banjo and a squeezebox. We were having a grand old time. The sound rallied down the river and echo off the banks.

Soldiers put a dollar or two in my tin cup. I was surprised to get that. It was a fun time for me.

Chapter 2 the slaves at Memphis

At Memphis, a man had boarded with five slave chained by the neck to neck and foot to foot. He was a slave hunter with runaways he caught. A Union Captain told him the war was over and he had to let them go, they were free men and could go wherever they wanted. It looked like a fight was going to happen, but the soldiers back up the Captian, and it all was over. I had never seen men treated that way. We never own any slave. I knew a few, back home from down the road at the plantation, which was next to us. We were just sharecroppers.

I was getting an education on the riverboat. Of how bad some men are. At Greenville, we dock for the night. And took on more firewood for the boilers.

I was beginning to think we would never get to New Orleans. I have been on the river now for two weeks. It is has been a slow way to go. Our next big stop was Vicksburg. The soldiers left there. The slave hunter was made to part with them. A couple of the ex-slaves signed on as deckhands. It made my work lighter. I was glad that they did.

We took on more firewood and more cotton. I did not think we could hold any more. The night came, and we play our music. The ex-slave the one with the banjo taught me to play it, and some more songs. My singing was not too bad, most like it. So far it had made six dollars playing music from the passengers.

I did some fishing in my off duty time and caught five big Louisiana blue catfish. We had a great fish fry that night for supper. I had hushpuppy for the first time, they were good. They had bacon bit with red and green peppers and onions in them.

The deck foreman called me over and gave me a shot of moonshine. I think I got religion right then and there. That stuff was pure evil. No more for me, thank you just the same.

We docked at Natchez for more firewood and got some more cotton. We pick up more passengers filling the cabin. We manage to get it all on board. I don’t know how. We must have had 200 bales on the boat. It was getting hard to get around on the boat. I got a turn at lookout up in the wheelhouse. That was a lot of fun, I could see a long ways off. The captain sent me up to the crow's nest, it was scary at first, but I got used to it.  I was to look out for logs and sand bars.  I saw what I believe to be sea monsters and told the captain.

He just laughed and said, “Those are alligators, hoping for some scraps from the cook.” I did not know it till the foreman told me the boat was the Natchez king.


if you want to read more you will have to buy my book you can find and more of my books at https://www.amazon.com/Roy-Durham/e/B07R11ZFD1

Thank you for doping by. God bless

inside my books

I am posting at least two chapters of one of my books, I  have a bunch of them.
if you like what you read and want the book , log on here

https://www.amazon.com/Roy-Durham/e/B07R11ZFD1

It is more or less my book store with all my books I have written so far. here is the next one. {comment don't hurt}

Pretty Pony Pal Penelope

 

By

Roy Durham

Pretty Pony Pal Penelope

 

By

Roy Durham

Dedication

To

My wife and children

 And grandkids

To the horse Lovers

And

Little girls everywhere

And Mariah, my granddaughter

And Sara Hussong

The forward

This story is fictitious; the names are also made up. And do not represent any living person. That I know of. The event talks about are a real event held all over the country, I hope you will look around your area and go to and support these events. Most are open to the public with free admission. That is really fun to watch. O-mok-see or gymkhana events are held year round.  Calf pinning, horseman skills, cutting events are also available to watch.  Most of the competitors and groups that put these on are volunteers. They love working and playing with horses

I had the honor of being an Estep program therapeutic horseback riding for people with disabilities a certified trainer.  I saw many miracles in the time I was a trainer. You can help the program by volunteering to be a safety. They are persons that walk alongside a rider to catch them if they fall or assist a rider to stay on. You won’t regret it for one minute. We had a 9-year-old girl that had never spoken a word, in her life. She only grunted or moaned to communicate what she wanted. One day she was being put on a horse she said, “Mommy I can. And later she said I love you, mommy.” The only problem now is that you can’t shut her up now. We had boys and girls that had cerebral palsy, scoliosis, and polio. They were a wheelchair user. Build enough lower body strength and balance and coordination to walk.

The program is magical and miraculous. You can’t pay for the rewards you will receive. The program is run by an all-volunteer staff. And receives finical support from Easter Seals. To buy horses and tack for the program. It is a free program for the disabled. If you can't volunteer then donate to Easter Seals. Its money well spent. They turn disability into ability.

The story that you are about to read in about a 12-year-old girl who had lost her mom. She was unkempt and had become a problem child, and a controlling, bitchy brat no one wanted to be around she was sad all the time and mopping around not doing what she was told. Her dad was not a strong parent for the same reasons as his daughter’s morning of her mother.

     Chapter 1 lazy spring day

Well, I had just finished up the breakfast dishes and pour me a brandy took a cigar out on the jar brought to me by a friend from Puerto Rico. Went out on the porch and sat down it the rocker, it was a beautiful may 24 not a cloud in the sky. I could hear the brook babbling stories of rainbow trout. The day just had a feeling of laziest to it. I had sat there for twenty minutes when a station wagon and horse trailer pull up in the driveway.

A man who looked to be in his fourthly with graying hair around his dark brown hair. And a little girl about twelve got out of the car. She was some site. Her red hair looked like it had never seen a brush or a comb, freckle-faced. Her limes just seem to be in a tangle like her hair.

 He came up on the porch and introduce himself as Gorge Strong. And his daughter Sally Olivia Strong.  They were here to buy a horse for Sally. Well, I found my way to my feet, shook his hand, and said I am, John Baxter. I said, “The horses are down in the coral.”

 The breeze off the freshly mowed field and the lilac and cherry blossoms had a pungent smell that said good morning world.

 We got down off the porch and ambled down to the coral and barn. That sally girl hops and skips ahead of us. I stopped at the barn and got my lariat and a bucket of grain. That sally gal had climbed the fence and straddled the top rail like an old cowhand. I had six horses for sale in the coral. A little runt mare quarter horse named Penelope had come up to the girl. I chase her away she had been rolling in the hay and coral stuff.

She was not the best horse I had; she was boney and a mess. I told them they were all green broke and would take some riding to tame them out. Penelope had to butt in again and was right up to that girl. I was about to chase her away again when the darn kid slid right on her back, Penelope just stood there. To surprise the heck out of me. She had been a hard one to break buck quite a bit, that gal leaned forward a put her arms around Penelope's neck and said this one dad this one. She asks what her name was.  I told her Penelope. She said, “You are going to be my pretty pal Penelope.” That it, petty–P that her name now. Buy her dad Please.

 Now I have better-looking horses than her. Her hip bone looks like they were going to pop through her skin at any moment. She was small, and a little underweight only stood 13 hands. She was a blasé face roan with two white stockings. Well, Gorge looks at me and ask how much. I scratched my head and said there is no warranty on her and no return. I was going to take her down to the glue factory and see what they would give me. He said, “Would 200 buy her.” I said, “I will take a hundred, and mister, you just bought you a horse.” I got a halter and put it on Penelope and a led rope the darn gal was still on her back with her arms around her neck.  I was thinking here where the fun going to begin, Penelope had never been loaded in a trailer before. I told that gal she had better get down while I put her in the trailer. She said no and hug the horse more. I figured I would have to catch her when the horse buck. Penelope loaded like she had been loaded a thousand times before. Was I surprised? He dad, ask her, are you going to stay there till I get you and your horse home. She said, “yes, she is my horse."

Gorge and I went into the house I started to make out the bill of sale. Gorge said, “Make it out to her; it's her money in your pocket.” She has been saving and working for two years to get the money to buy a horse ever since I told her I was buying a place here in the country. I purchased the old Johnson place five miles down the road. Do you know the place? I said, “Yes, I was going to buy it when I got the money together to do it.  It borders my place. Would you like some brandy and a good cigar?” He said, “Yes, he would like that very much thank you.”  Let's go set on the porch.  Sally glanced an evil stare at us and held her nose. I said, “I will be clad when kid minds their own business and keep their nose out of my smoke.”

If I wait a bit maybe Sally will want to ride in the car. On the way home. I am a widower my wife sally mother died eight months ago from breast cancer, and sally has been withdrawn ever since. I hope this horse will bring her out of it. He said, “John, how much will you charge me to teach her to take good care of her horse and how to ride the only horse she had ridden way a pony ride at the fair. She was six at the time.

     Chapter 2 the training begins

I told him I would have to think a bit on that. I will follow you home and help you get the horse settled in.

We finished our drinks and got ready to go. Sally would not get off the horse. Gorge ask, “Do you think she will be all right riding there. Till I get them home.” I told him I really did not know or if it had been done before. She looks secure enough.

I got in my truck, and we headed out. It took all of five minutes to get there. I worried all the way there about her. And they both were fine. We pulled in to the yard and stopped by the barn. I help Gorge to lower the tailgate on the trailer, then I backed Penelope out of the trailer. Sally had fallen asleep.

Gorge took her off Penelope put her over his shoulder and carried her into the house and put her in her bed. Penelope started to act up and wanted to follow them. I got her under control and put her in a stall. She was not at all happy. I had never seen a horse act that way about a person.  Maybe about a colt but a person never. Gorge had put on a pot of coffee. And I was going to go home. When he asked me to come in and sit a spell.  He asked me again about teaching her to take care of the horse and ride. I told him I had given it some thought and told him I got 45 a week to teach a person to ride it takes about six weeks for them to be confident at riding. As far as teaching them to care for the horse another 5 bucks, so it comes to fifty a week, I would come three times a week, to teach her. Gorge said, “I am the district manager for the ranch and home supply store chain in town, and I make good money. I don’t think I have 200 extra a mouth to do that. The coffee was made, and Gorge poured us a cup and then got out a bottle of Irish whiskey and some cream. And fix us a cup of great Irish coffee. Gorge said sorry I don’t have any cigars to offer you. I said, “I just happen to have two right here in my pocket.

I asked gorge what he was going to do with that 150-acre pasture that bordered my place.  He said, “He was going to run cattle on it when he could afford to buy them.”

I told him I had a deal for him. If he let me run my broodmares and thirty head of cattle on there, I would teach Sally to care for her horse and ride with the best. And in the spring I would give him his chose of half the calf crop. But Sally would have to listen to me and do what I tell her or the deal in off. I ask if she is in school. Gorge said, “No, she has refused to go ever since her mother died.” I ask what he did with her while he was at work. He said, “He dropped her off with his parents. “If we have a deal I will be here in the morning, and you and I will talk to Sally, and you will have to lay down the law to her, it’s no good to let her have thing her way all the time. I don’t mean to tell you how to raise your child, but you need to set the rules. All the pouting and refusing to do as she is told does not work. She, not your daughter now she is just a spoiled brat that no one wants to be around. Gorge said, “It sounds like we have a deal.”          

thank you for coming by and God bless