Wasp Fighting

As a youngster growing up we didn’t have video games, smart phones and a pad was something you wrote on or a place where hippies lived. What we did have was much better, we had red wasps. Kids today with their hand held trinkets with buttons they can mash with amazing speed, (grudgingly I will admit) couldn’t hold a candle to the reflexes of a kid used to fighting red wasps.

If you don’t know what a red wasp is, it is a dark orange hornet with a stinger that can penetrate clothing and possibly spear fish. I have yet to figure out why they are call red wasp and not dark orange wasps, I assume someone not particular about their colors gave them their name. Red wasps have a reputation for being aggressive, unlike their relatives the black tailed wasp, whom I might add someone correctly named, but are not as aggressive as the red nor quite as big…..most of the time, but don’t get me wrong because a black tailed wasp can lay a sting on you that you will not soon forget as was the case when me and my youngest son who was eleven at the time went scouting for deer. We had just crossed a creek on the four wheeler and going up the opposite bank which was a steep incline when a small cedar jumped into our path, impeding our ascent to the top. After putting the four wheeler in park we jumped off and I took a small saw and quickly dispensed with the cedar. Getting back on the four wheeler I told my son to toss the tree aside, that’s when things got interesting. He commenced to hollering, flailing his arms and jumping around. Not given to throwing tantrums in general because that was something both neither his mom nor I tolerated with any enthusiasm so I knew something was wrong. That’s when I saw the black tailed wasp swarming him and realized there had been a nest hidden in the little cedar. I told him to run and run he did, he ran right past me sitting on the four wheeler helpless in my ability to help him. The wasp, (thankfully) decided to turn their attention towards yours truly. I was in a quandry because to sunddenly abandon the four wheeler which was already out of park would mean to leave it to it’s demise and let it roll back down the incline to a small drop off and onto the rocks below and also the direction my son had ran. I don’t remember how I got me and the four wheeler back down the incline and into the creek and started up the other side, but I do know it was the end of our scouting trip for the day because we had to go home and nurse rising whelps on our arms, faces and heads. Stupid Wasps!

The back porch of my grandparents little frame house had a crack in the northwest corner of the facial trim where red wasp would come and go at their leisure, ganging up on the corner checking things out and arguing about who got to sting what next. I, along with a few cousins found that with the right reflexes, quick feet and a flat board we could challenge a red wasp and be fairly successful. Usually the wasp chose to challenge us one at a time. I say usually because occasionally two or three might cheat and hang up on you and that is when you hoped a cousin would come to your rescue, but most of the time they were too busy doubled over laughing. If you had to make a break and run, you ran past said laughing cousins hoping they would be drawn into the fray or at least occupy the wasp’s time while you made your escape. As we advanced in our fighting techniques we learned that using a tennis racket instead of a flat board was almost like cheating. The tennis rackets were lighter so you could swing them faster and you didn’t have to be nearly as accurate with your swing sice they covered a larger swing path.

Red and blacktailed wasp weren’t the only flying stinging critters we faced. There were little yellow hornets we (although incorrectly) called yellow jackets that would build a paper nest similar to the wasps. These were usually in a corner of an eve of the house . I didn’t particularly care to fight the yellow jackets up close and personal with a flat board or tennis racket, they were smaller, faster and meaner than the wasps making them harder to manuver from, plus they cheated; The yellow jackets didn’t see the point in messing around with sending one, two or even three. No, they came as a whole. Ever how many was on the nest was how many would come at you if you messed with them, got closer than they deemed reasonable or if they thought you just looked at them wrong. This is where the bb guns came in handy. We could attack from a safe distance most of the time, (the key word being most), giving us enough time of a head start where we could out run them. There were also bumble bees which for the most part I left alone, one is because they seemed to mind their own business working hard for the nectar in the wisteria and two because they had their bluff in on me. They were big and they were fast. Plus they had a marble named after them.

When, (not if, because it was going to happen) one of us got stung, our granny would come running to put some snuff spit on the sting area. I’m not really convinced this helped witht he stinging pain or swelling, but it did make us more cautious about getting stung because no matter how much we loved our granny, we didn’t care for her snuff spit rubbed on our bodies. The leftover biscuits, eggs and bacon from her and our Papa’s breakfast that was left on the kitchen stove where we would grab a bite as we dashed through and ran out the back letting the screen door slam is another matter. Wasp fighting works up an appetite.

It’s not often that I challenge anything that flies and stings anymore, age has smartened me up and slowed me down. One of the last serious encounters I had was with a red wasp when I was doing some repair on top of a school gym a few years ago. Like usual I was minding my own business when a red wasp decided to be a bully. I always wondered what it may have looked like to anyone who might have seen a grown man running around on top of a two story building flailing his arms and emitting noises that weren’t quite in the “eeek” catagory, but also not masculine, because the wasp probably couldn’t have been seen. There is just no place to go or anywhere to hide when you are being chased by a red devil on a gymnasium roof.

Now, when people ask why I have a tennis racket amongst my tools I just smile because you never know when a game might come up.

 

Family Letter

This is a New Year’s letter I decided to send out. It deviates from my usual attitude and takes a more serious approach.  I believe God has laid this on my heart to share with my family, especially the grandchildren and great grandchildren. I started this around 3:30 a.m. on New years morning because I felt two painful jabs in my lower back and firmly believe it was God poking me trying to get me up because he knows if I do not get up and write down what he gives me, I will have forgotten it by morning. I hope this letter blesses you. And to the in-laws who have married into our family and who did not get to know Dad and Mom, I hope this gives at least a small look into who they were.

We all had a rough year in 2008 with what we went through with Dad and then losing uncle Willard 6 months later.  Losing Dad was rough, but it was nothing compared to what we all went through taking care of him.  There were some very rough times and how strange it is that in the middle of those times there were precious moments and memories that I will always cherish, such as him playing gospel songs for me and MG on his harmonica at 3:00 a.m. or always sleeping with his cap on sideways. I know all the grandchildren and great grandchildren loved their grandpa, but I don’t think even they realize what we went through his last few weeks. I just hope and pray they never have to experience that type of situation.  Seeing him as he was and suffering, knowing the kind of active life he had led, but would never lead again was a lot worse than losing him. There is a void now and a strange emptiness that I guess only those that have lost both their parents can truly know.  Looking back through the years, I know Dad & Mom had all the problems we face and more.  They were like the rest of us. They had their dreams, hopes, fantasies and fears just like us, just like you their grandchildren and great grandchildren. I just hope and pray that we and our children, grandchildren and all the lineage have the HEART, TENACITY, COURAGE, WILLPOWER and SELF RELIANCE they had.  It may seem strange to say, them being my parents, living across the street from them and seeing them most every day, but I wish I had kown them better.

What does it take to lose a child and have the courage to move on.  They did it twice.  I have often wondered what it would have been like to have had Ramona and Donald Ray with us and the family’s they would have produced.  I do know that they would have been good and produced good children who may not be perfect, who would have had their faults, quirks and made mistakes ect. like the rest of us.  But I also know they would have had good hearts with a basic good inside of them that cannot be learned and in my opinion can only be inherited.  I see these character traits in all of Dad and Mom’s lineage.

What kind of tenacity and courage does a couple have, and lose not one, but two homes and everything they own to fire and keep rebuilding and working and progressing.  Think about that and the discouragement and heartbreak that would follow those tragedies and what it would be like to lose everything you own and have to start over.  Once in a lifetime would be too tragic, but twice as they did is beyond imagination.

What will power, tenacity and courage an individual must have to over come a disease that cripples you.  One where you are never expected to walk again where the pain was severe and was constantly with you and the taskes you had to perform.  But, those of you who knew Mom knew that she “ain’t afraid of the o’l devil himself”.  Authritis never had a chance, it had picked the wrong little woman as a victim and lost.  Not only did Mom eventually walk, she ran and chased grandchildren.  And what about Dad, who was in a situatin in 2002 similar to Mom’s earlier years.  A man in his early 80’s overcoming guillianbere (spelling) syndrome.  A disease that killes a percentage of its victims, leave’s a percentage paralized for life, a percentage with some form of handicapp for life.  Not Dad, the man who would not wait for me to help him to the pickup when the disease first came upon him and he could not walk, who I helped to the porch and went to open the passenger door of my pickup and turned to go back to get him only to find him crawling to me.  The man I had to take to Madill to “cash” his check before he would go to the doctor.  The same man who talked us into letting him come home from the rehab center early, still in a wheel chair unable to walk.  He said the rehab people could treat him at home and when they came, locked the doors and wouldn’t let them in.  He made his own thearpy exercises and evidently they worked.  Over the next few years he eventually walked, from a shuffle to a walk where he kinda clomped his feet because he did not have strength in his ankle joints, to a regular walk to climbing the ladder into his attic to climbing upon his outbuildings without the ladder, just a fence and some junk to get the leaves off their roofs…..in his late 80’s. “Whew” those times brought on some “disucssions” between us.

What kind of courage, tenacity, will power and heart does it take for a couple to raise four children who range 24 years apart and at the same time taking care of elderly parents (most everywhere Dad & Mom went, Papa & Granny went), lose two children the same day of their birth, two homes destroyed by fire.  A couple who thick and thin, good times and bad, plentiful times and lean times, happiness and sadness, tragedy and miracles, adversity and blessings, for beter or for worse was married for 60 years.  A great accomplishment and a goal I hope others in our lineage will achieve.  One that cannot be done without love for one another and a deep commitment to each other for better or worse and a belief in God.

We took a test at church to see what were our top spiritual gifts and hospitality was one of the top 3 in mine, MG’s, Jaron and Randon’s.  I can see this trait in all of my siblings and their children to different degrees.  Looking back, I believe it is a gift that is inherited from Dad and Mom and Papa and Granny from the stories I heard in my youth.  I don’t remember anyone ever being turned away that came to visit and Mom usually seemed to find a way to feed any company that happened along or put them up for the night if thats what they wanted.  There are other good traits that I see in our family that I believe are spiritual gifts.  Such as giving, helping others and kindness to name a few.  For the in-laws who believe we might have inherited hard headiness and stubbornesss.  Well, I concede that to be true (with the exception of myself of course).

Dad and Mom were a long way from being book educated and sophisticated.  The fact is they were somewhat backwards compared to the worlds standards.  What they had was lower grade school education and countryism.  They had common sense, was self-reliant, and had the respect and love of others.  The Bible tells us that a good name is above all riches and I believe we all can be proud of Dad and Mom and the respect they have given to the Peoples name.  Whether it is your last name or not, if you have their blood in you, then you should be proud of them, their accomplishemts and the heritage they left behind.  One of the heritage’s and belief’s they left behind is the belief in God.  I bellieve that Dad and Mom are in heaven and had a great reunion with other loved ones, especially Ramona and Donald Ray.  Many times while staying with Dad during his illness I would awake and hear him crying and praying with his hands raised during the middle of the night.  I had also asked him if he was ready to meet the Lord and he assured me he was.  This knowledge that he was ready to meet Jesus made it easier to let go.

It was the same with Mom.  We grieved terribly for our loss.  I cannot put into words the heart wrenching pain and anguish felt the day we lost her.  I had told Mary Gayle the day that Mom was taken to the city that God had told me he was taking her.  That was a hard pill to swallow.  I did not want to believe it and wanted to keep my hopes up, but deep down I knew it had been God talking to me getting me prepared.  I told Mom my goodby’s and my gratitude while alone with her in her room.  I told her how much I loved and appreciated her and everything else I had always wanted to say but never got around to it and made as best I could peace and acceptance within myself a couple days before she left.  (I was able to do the same with Dad while staying with him).  But having the peace knowing that she is also in heaven made it easier after a while.  I don’t believe the pain will ever completely go away and I do not think I would want it to.  Part of the pain is replaced with the assurance of where they are at now and the many fond and precious memories deposited in my memory bank.

I don’t claim to know all the answers concerning the Bible or spiritual issues.  What I can share is my beliefs.  I believe that we all have the opportunity to see Dad and Mom again one of these days because I believe that they are in heaven.  I don’t believe the good in our lineage will get us to heaven.  I don’t believe that our knowledge in God will get us to heaven.  I don’t believe we have to be perfect to get to heaven.  What I do believe is in order to get to heaven is that we as individuals have to ask Jesus Christ to come into our hearts and forgive us our sins, (John 3:16) to then live the best life we can and as close as we can to Godly principals and if along the way we stumble, to get back up and keep going.  Salvation can be dramatic, it can be in a church service with others around, it can be peaceful, it can be when you are by yourself, it can be with friends or family.  God is not pushy and will not force anyone to serve him, it is strictly an individual’s choice.  I believe all our family know this and many have made the choice of salvation.  If you have, I ask you to follow God and his direction closer this year than ever before and keep our families in constant prayer.  If by chance you are not serving God and have not asked Jesus Christ into your heart and received salvation or have fallen out of touch with God and his will, I hope you give this serious thought and ask God for salvation through Jesus Christ and that you will do your best to serve and follow him. Remember, don’t follow or look to anyone but Jesus, the rest of us may at times falter and make mistakes, keep your eyes on Christ only.

Inside we all have that same courage, tenacity, will power and self reliance that Dad and Mom showed.  Put it to good use while living your life and serving God and remember that stubborness and hardheadedness we also inherited can be a good thing if used correctly.

Me and Mary Gayle love all of you and this is our prayer for you for 2009.

In 2009 we pray and hope God blesses you abundantly with great health – both mentally and phisically with a sharp mind and strong body, spiritually by drawing closer to God and being able to hear what he has to say, financially with noney and material blessings and great ideas and scoially with an abundance of loyal friends.  And we ask God to show you his will for 2009 and to allow you to succeed at whatever it may be and that it also be your desires as well.  We also ask God to take all worries away and give you peace of mind, of heart, of body and of spirit.  We also ask and hope that he keeps you and yours safe from all harm, danger, sickness and illness.  We pray that God puts a protective cloak about you and yours where only good blessings and things of God can enter.  Where all evil, discomfort and heartache cannot penetrate.  We pray that an over abundance of Gods blessings be upon you in 2009 and we pray that you realize that it is God from where your blessings flow.

 

Getting Older

Who’s gray hair is this?  Old age, well it tries to sneak up on you and catch you unaware and usually does a comparatively good job at it, but being the viligant and alert middle aged youngster that I am (middle aged if I live to be 100) I caught it before it developed into its final stage…….although I haven’t figured out what to do with it yet.  I know I didn’t see it coming, at least not blatant and out in the open.  I guess there were subtle hints here and there, a place that hurt where it did not before, the river banks getting steeper, the deer getting heavier and being harder to drag out, the recliner more comfortable, people whispering and mumbling, fuzzy letters and seemingly smaller print etc.  You get the picture………unless it’s abstract art then I don’t see how anybody gets it.  I thought it was kinda weird that aquaintances I had not seen in a while were looking old when I see myself in the mirror everyday and I had not changed at all and then I happened to look at some photographs when I was in my twenties and thirties, wait a minute I thought, is this really me?  Where are the gray hairs and whiskers?  The person in the picture actually has a neck! The body weight seems about the same, but poportioned different and the glint in the eyes in the picture seem the same only not quite as tired looking.

When in my teens, I would dream of hunting, trapping and fishing.  Especially trapping, deer hunting and running throw lilnes in the Washita river basin near where I live.  I could hardly sleep the night before I was to partake in one of these adventures.  I might get 3 or 4 hours of sleep, but still be in the deer stand well before daylight or running the trap line or throw lines at day break.  This lasted into my early twenties and then I got married!  I still had the hunting, trapping and fishing drive and desire in me and although I still got up and went, it became more of a chore since I had to extract myself not only from a warm bed, but now also a very pretty woman and the warm bed.  As life went on and I came into fatherhood it became even more of a battle between the will to have a early morning hunt or wake up with the family.  I would often times find myself up a tree sitting in a deer stand and start thinking about those two little boys back at home and what I might be missing and down I would come.  Finally when they were old enough to tag along (which was when they got out of diapers) I got to experience it all anew again through their eyes and actions.  It became a new pleasure and there was a new found joy and excitement in hunting again.  Not that the thrill of the chase or the excitement and anticapitation of it had ever left me, although those had wained a little because priroities change when you become a dad.

My boys have followed me all over the country side hunting, fishing and learning about nature and wildlife and making memories and more often times as not they had a friend or two accompanying us on those excrusions.  My wife even developed an interest in deer hunting after having to sit with one of the boys wihile I sat with the other in deer stands during the early years when they were too young to hunt by themselves.  Now that the boys are young grown men and either have other interest or would rather hunt and fish with friends, I find it hard once again to remove myself from that same warm bed beside that same and still very attractive woman.  I have my hope’s and dream’s that in a few years the cycle will start all over again with granchildren.  I can wait, and in the men time me and MG are spending some of that quality hunting and fishing time together.  When the time comes for my grandchildren to start enjoying the outdoors I hope I can be there for the first squirrel, duck  deer and fish, but would not take the joy of the “first” away from my sons but I hope to be in on the “first action”.   I  am looking forward to making those memories.