The Marine And The Heiress

Looking out over the field where he first met the young woman that was on his mind was a hurtful reminder of how they first met, Alex had driven down to go fishing in the mass lake one morning and while walking to his usual fishing spot he met this young woman. She was what every school boy dreams about slender body blond hair and blue eyes and the face of an angel, she was getting ready for a day on the lake with her friends when he realized they were not more than a few feet from where he usually did his fishing. At first he just noticed her and didn't say anything because all he wanted to do was just get to his spot and get his lines out, so he walked right past them set up his lines and threw them out. Not more than an hour later he heard someone belly splash in the water, he knew the day was ruined and he was angered beyond compare. "What are you doing," he yelled at the three about to get into the water, "The beach is on the other side you can't swim here!" The young woman acted as spokesman for the group, "We were here first your going to have to move on." The man was irate at this point, " Yeah I know I'm going to have to move on now but you will too once I get the conservation officers up here," at this point he packed up his stuff and was ready to go. "You could stay and have lunch with us," the young woman said trying entice him. Alex wasn't going for that he could smell a bribe from a mile away, "No thank you I've been coming here for years but you all are the first to jump in." Just then the man who actually did jump into the water was walking toward them soaked with a smirk on his face, "Aren't you leaving yet?" He was a large man around 6'3 and 210 pounds of muscle, "Good packed up with the tail between your legs good I wouldn't want to have to be persuasive." The last thing Alex could handle was a braggart but he knew if he fought him that Alex would be the one going to jail after, "Listen bub," Alex said "I just spent three years of my life in Afghanistan as a Marine, I don't think you want to say anything to me that would make me cross against you." The large man just smiled arrogantly, "So what was its name?" Alex was curious as to where he was going with that question, "What are you asking me?" Just as big of a smile he asked again, "What was the name of the doberman that replaced you in Afghanistan?" Alex was seeing red he had heard that joke before that the Marines could be replaced by dobermans at any time, so Alex did what any self respecting Marine would do, he dropped his poles but held on to the cooler, hit the man in his chest so fast that Alex was able to catch his poles before they hit the ground. The man acted as if he couldn't breath and all his friend gathered around him cursing and yelling at Alex, the young woman wasn't reacting to all of this like the others were she just stood there eyeing Alex like he was a prize. Alex didn't say anything else just started walking back to his truck to load it up and leave, just then he heard, "Hold on don't think you can hit me like that and just leave." Alex knew what was going to happened next so before it could he said, "Listen do you have anything training in fighting at all?" The bigger and taller man smirked, "I don't need training to handle you." Alex smiled, "I've been train to kill, not hurt, not maim but to kill and believe me I've done enough in my life so just let it stand where it is." The big oaf was about to open his mouth for a retraction but he was interrupted, "Billy just drop it, he got the better of you with only one punch, and you lighten up its not like that spot going to be closed all year you know." Alex thought about it for a moment and realized the woman was right, and he smiled, "Alright fine what's your name I'm Alex," it was obvious that he was trying to flirt with her and she recognized what he was doing. She cocked her head to one side smile a slight smile "That's funny they call me Alex but my name is Alexandra." Alex wasn't wasting any time, "Is that offer for lunch still open?" The woman nearly laughed, "Your pretty sure of yourself aren't you?" Alex got into his truck leaned his head out of the window and said, "Bring your friends here tomorrow and you'll all be in for a treat, oh uhh leave bubba at home though alright." The woman laughed, "Alright we're here all summer, we'll see you here tomorrow then." The next day Alex brought his grill and Alex had been on the bank all morning and had a huge mess of fish freshly caught from the lake grilling on the grill, when the jeep arrived with Alexandra and her friends he noticed that the big guy was with them. "I thought I said to leave the children at home?" Alexandra smiled, "Well I couldn't do that considering he's the one with the rented car." Alex accepted that, "Well dig in I've been working all morning on this I hope you enjoy." The big man walked over to the grill and looked, "Fish, I don't think so we'll be leaving now," He turned over the grill and smiled watching all the fish Alex had caught that morning end up in dirt. "Are you crazy, Leave! Just leave." it wasn't Alex doing the yelling it was Alexandra she was so angry she couldn't see straight. The bigger man turned to her, "Come on you can't be serious about him look at him he's just a nobody you're never going to see when you leave this place." Alexandra slapped him, "Just leave." The big man got into his jeep with two others going with him, and tore up as much of the ground he could going, Alexandra turned to Alex and said, "I'm sorry he's a jerk my mother wants me to marry but it's not going to happen now that I've seen how arrogant he is." Alex wasn't angry about the fish because they were only fish, "Not to worry, are you hungry though?" Alexandra smiled, "Famished." Alex walked over to the shore line, "My mother used to tell me not to put all my eggs in one basket," he pulled out a string with three more fish on them and grinned. After he had worked on another batch he got to know Celine Alexandra's friend who stayed with her and found out they were just here for summer vacation and wouldn't be here for very long, and Alexandra wasn't even from this country but from France, that's why she spoke with a bit of an accent. "So you're going back to France after this year?" "Yes I'm afraid so my mother wanted me to get a little bit of uncivilised American culture as she put it, so she had my spend two years here, so tell me what do you do?" Alex went into his time in Afghanistan but with no certain details, and then he went on to tell her that he was going into the family business of a saw mill. The sun was coming across the lake and evening was upon them, they said their goodbyes and he asked as he dropped them off at their hotel, "Well if you want come back tomorrow I'll be here I have a month or two off from work, my uncle was a Marine and he told me he didn't want me jumping right back in to work right away so I've been coming here when I have the chance." Alexandra turned around as she was walking to her door, "We'll see" she smiled and walked away. The next few weeks Alex and Alexandra met in their usual place, every night he asked to see her again, until one night Alex asked her that same question, a tear was coming from her eye, "Alex this summer was a dream but that's all it was a dream, I go back to school tomorrow and when that is done I go back home." Alex knew that the summer wouldn't be as long as he wanted it to be but this seemed like it was too soon, "So that's it I can't call I can't write nothing?" Alexandra knew it was time for truth, "I'm an heiress Alex, and I've begged my mother but I cannot come into my inheritance unless i marry who she chooses for me and I'm afraid you've met him." Alex hung his head, "You mean that big accent to his mother is to be your husband!" Alexandra didn't have one tear from her eyes but she was crying mercilessly, "I'm sorry Alex that means we only have tonight," she leaned over to him and kissed him gently, "Take me to your place." Alex thought about it for a moment, "Alexandra one night of passion won't carry me my whole life." "But it will deny him what he wants from this wedding," Alexandra spoke to him into his ear as though it was a whisper. He drover her to his place, opened the truck door can carried her inside, the next morning he woke and she was gone, he looked out his window and saw the jeep and her getting inside and then they drove off. He didn't visit the lake for another year and four months by then the weather was cooling and the leaves were gone from the trees. Looking out over the Field where he first met the woman that was on his mind was a hurtful reminder of how they first met, "You know for a brave Marine, you don't fight too hard for what you want." He turned around, and saw it was Celine, "Celine what are you doing here?" Celine was standing there with a disapproving look on her face, "Are you a man or a mouse?" Alex was tired of her games, "What do you want Celine?" Celine finally answered him, "She getting married next month, and if you want her you're going to have to do something about it." Alex was angry, "She's getting married what can I do she made her choice, she chose her inheritance over me." Celine scowled, "You think you know everything at this moment right now she has a photo of you in her dresser she looks at it everyday." Alex was tired of her beating around the bush, "What am I supposed to do?!" Celine grabbed his hand, "Here Merry Christmas." Alex looked and saw it was a airline ticket, "It leaves in a week, how am I supposed to pay for anything while I'm there." Celine laughed to lighten the mood, "So you'll go?" Alex not really sure if he would, "I'll consider it but where will I stay what will I drive, how will I get there." Celine smiled, "She's not the only one who is rich you know." Alex turned to the lake and then turned back around again, "Whoo yaaaa." The next week he was standing at the doors of a chapel where the guards where standing, "Invitation sir?" Alex turned to Celine and she handed them her invitation. The guard looked at her and said, "It says your name but there isn't anyone else and there is not plus one." Alex decided he didn't have any time to squabble with these men so he hit them both so quickly they didn't have time to realize what happened to them. As they walked inside they found the ceremony was taking place, and the priest was coming to a familiar place, "Let he speak now or forever hold their peace." Alex wasn't bashful, "I SPEAK." Alexandra turned around saw it was Alex and dropped her bouquet, "Alex." A tear and a look of relief came over her, "I love you Alex, I love you so much." "Alexandra pick up that bouquet, and you get out of here there is a wedding going on here, go, off you go." It was only what Alex could imagine was Alexandra's mother, "Mother no I love him and I won't marry Jean." The older woman looked like she swallowed a mouse, "You mean you would run out of here with that, run out on Jean, run out of me and" she paused here, "your inheritance." Then a third voice spoke out, "You mean the money my mother promised you once she married my brother?" Alex turned to Celine, "You never told me he was your brother." The woman looked like she was stabbed in the back, "I suppose it was your idea he should be here today." Celine smiled a wicked smile, "Yes it was me and to everyone surprise my mother left everything to me when she passed and not little brother, so if she marries him I will not give you anything, nothing all of our dealings are off." At that point Alex began walking up the aisle and Alexandra began running, Jean began running after her but before he could so much as get near her Alex was there hit him in the same spot he hit him the first time and Jean went down on his knees, he turned to Alexandra and kissed her so passionately it make the priest turn his head in shame. "I'll never leave you again." Alex laughed, "Better not if you leave me I'll just have to come with you."

Veterns Day

You know sometimes in your family you have that one soldier that tells the story that is hard to believe, well I am no different only I have more than one, I have at least three members of my family and extended family that has those kinds of stories in thier family. One for instance would be my great uncle on my mothers side of the family he fought for two years in Korea and his story is how he got his purple heart of how a morter shell exploded near him and he to this day is carrying shrapnel in his leg. My Grandfather who would laugh about his time in World War II saying all he did was peel potatoes because he stayed in trouble but something tells me he wasn't telling the entire truth because he would get that glassy look and stare for a while lost in memory. Or the two uncles I have who both fought in Vietnam one was dropped on his back from a Hewy from fifty feet, and the other who was hit by a morter shell but watched his best friend get hit by that same morter and we killed by it. Today though I'm going to tell you of one though in my family that has spread like wild fire through the ranks of the family mainly because it was a famous ship that was involved, my Uncle Woodrow Terry, he was a spitfire of a man who didn't take much off anyone, and he felt my father was one of his own sons. Uncle Woodrow, was on the U.S.S Indianapolis, they hadn't done a lot on the sea but he was in the Navy and they were called upon to travel across the ocean and deliver the atom bomb because the war in the Pacific was getting harder and harder and so they went. They made thier delievery and on their way home when on July 30th 1945 U.S.S Indianapolis was hit by a torpedo and sunk in only a few minutes, my Uncle said he was floating on a plank of wood for three days with the horrors of his friends deaths all around him. Not only did the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine kill many of the crew, but the sharks were having thier turn, but it wasn't only that the dehydration, and exposure was also took thier toll. No food, no water they could drink, it was a luck and the grace of God that the PV-1 Ventura crew spotted them in the water, only 316 survivors were found and rescued, Uncle Woodrow was one of the survivors. On this day let's raise our brave men and women of the armed forces above on our shoulders they have carried us it's time we allowed them to shine brighter than they already do. So remember when a child asks you, what is that man in the uniform was, tell him that is a soldier, he protects his country and his country is our country. So when a freedom cries for help no matter where, I do believe President Rosevelt put it best:

"With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God."

This Is It For A While...

I'm out of photo's so I'll try and do just one week for a while, but that will only be until I am able to get my stock of photo's back up. So this blog called photo's by the day, is for a while going to be Photo's By The Week.

I'm sorry for dedicated readers, but will return with more photo's and more stories.

Kentucky Halloween

Well here it is Halloween, but instead of giving you a ghost story like I have a few times this month I'm giving you a true story for this day, complete with family history that has brought a lot of laughs many times over, I'll write it in a story fashion though.

In the fifties a mother had her hands full in Kentucky with five children to feed, especially if one is in the woods all day long one stay home most of the time another works every day, another is still very small but the oldest one was a bit of a roamer. No one knew exactly where he went on is Saturday nights but Stella sure was getting tired of it all she would see him leave in the afternoon and not come back until the night had its moon and most of the kids were in bed, or sometimes he would just stay out all night long. However this night she had planned since it was Halloween night she was going to have fun with her son, "Roy do you think that if we got under the bridge from the road to the house that he would see us?" Now Roy spent most of his days working on farms and most of the time he would be pretty tired and all he would want to do is wash eat and sleep when he got home but seeing how he was the second to oldest and was always up for tricks on his brother, "Mommy I don't think he'll see anything." Take in mind the bridge in question about twenty-five feet from one end to the other, over a pretty good size creek, and when the wind whipped through it would chill anyone to the bone if it was a cold night. So that Saturday's Halloween came and off the older brother to town, the mother and son had a plan though and this should fix things at least for a while, when the time hit around nine o'clock they both took their place under the bridge, when a lot of time past by and the moon was full, they heard the familiar long strides of the oldest son. The time had come for her plan to take effect, as soon as his foot hit the bridge, both Mother and Son began screaming as loud as they could sounding like ghost and people in pain. All they heard from the bridge above was three steps and then nothing, "Do you think he got past the bridge already, Ma?" Stella knowing that the bridge was far too long for someone to take it in three strides began to worry in her motherly way, "Oh lord we've killed him he died of fear he's up there right now, dying of heart attack." They raced out from under the bridge and to the road where the top side of the bridge was but he wasn't there, they knew what had happened and nearly died themselves laughing realizing he had in fact ran that bridge in three strides. Walking into the small house the young man was by the fire place, he turned to see them walk in, "Ma be careful out there, there's ghost out there tonight." Stella was one smart woman but even she was smart enough not to tell her son until years later that it was she and his brother under the bridge that night.

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: A Gift Of A Rose

The knock at the door was a reminder that there was a life outside her doors, although she wasn't where wanted to be, Katie locked herself in her house because when they returned home she went back to the small town and there was no Spence. She drove all day that next day but when she go to the old house Spence was no longer there, the stables were emptied and the house looked like no one had been inside of it for years. She was sure she hadn't dreamed all that had happened because she spoke with Debbie since then and she confirmed it. Slowly she walked to the door and peered through the spy hole and saw a man standing on the other side she kept the chain lock locked but opened the door, "Can I help you?" The man was mangled scars all over his face his teeth were yellow, he smelled horrible, "I was wondering Miss if you could afford a meal I'm awfully hungry and like a stranger in the night I come to your door." Katie was reminded again the night she and Debbie came to a door of a stranger and he so kindly let them in, she was about to open the door and allow him in when, "What are you doing Katie stop don't let him in, get out of here you wretch." It was Debbie, somehow she always knew when she was at her weakest point and now she was there to get rid of a old homeless man at her door. "Katie what were you thinking letting a stranger in like that he could have killed you?" Katie was a bit angry but she supposed she should be grateful, "Well I was reminded of the two of us going to some one's house and he let us in." Debbie was being patient with Katie knowing this was a touchy subject for her especially after the silent ride home, "Katie did he ever kiss you or say he loved or even liked you?" Katie smiled, "We were down by the river that last day, and leaned over while were talking and kissed my cheek at first then gently caressed his lips with his and that was it." Debbie looked concerned, but she didn't know anything else but to get her out of the house she was locked up in, "Listen it's Halloween night tonight and there is a party you're coming with me no arguments I'll not take no for an answer so get up and shower and let's go get you a costume." Katie was too depressed to argue so just followed instructions, in less than an hour she was at a costume shop buying the southern belle gown. "Katie why did you buy that one," A very curious Debbie asked her friend. Slowly Katie answered, "Because I liked it that's all." Later that night Katie and Debbie was at a party and Debbie was doing her usual drinking mixed drinks after mixed drinks though even Katie would admit the sexy Devil costume made her look good. Just then she separated from the party and walked outside for some air but she startled a bit when she heard a familiar voice behind her, "Miss I was wondering if you could spare the money for a meal?" It was the same old scarred up homeless man that was at her door earlier and she turned she didn't see anything malevolent about this man, "Of course come with me." She left Debbie at the party and walked this man to her home, when they got to her door he stopped at the front step, she turned and said, "Come on in you're welcomed here." Together they walked through the door she gave him some old clothes that were her fathers, let him take a shower in her bathroom and gave him food, "Now do you have a place to stay?" The old man's eyes were tearing up, "No unfortunately and no one has shown me more decency than yourself." Katie's mind was set, "You're staying here tonight then." They went outside to the back yard made a fire in a fire pit then just sat and talked and talked it seemed like she was feeling better with every minute spent with this man that was in her home, just then a knock came at the fence and Katie went to answer it. Debbie was on the other side, "What are you thinking letting this man into your house, up get out you're not welcomed here, did she show you love of any kind?" Katie was confused but angered at the same time, "No it's you that needs to get out he came here needing a meal a shower and a place to stay, you and I were like that only two months ago and we got the help we needed and what do you mean did I show him any love at all?" She turned and saw the man's face was all aglow he reached into his bag and pulled something out, "Will you except my rose?" Katie looked the rose was half black and white with what looked like tears on its pedals but the center was pure red, and she was reminded, "One rose that he possessed gave him only one chance to end the immorality." She walked to the man and his Rose with tears in her eyes she took the rose, "I except the rose and all my heart to go with it." Debbie was pleased, "You've passed every test I sent your way, you defied your friends, you braved the cold nights, you fought hard against someone you cared for all in the name of love, Spencer your curse has lifted." The Debbie transformed into a beautiful woman beyond compare even Katie paled against her, "Spencer the house is once again yours, Katie the business is yours, and I am off to find another man who shuns people away in the name of pride." With that Debbie was gone never to be seen or heard from again. Katie turned to Spencer, but it wasn't the Spencer she knew this man had a beautiful face no scars, his teeth was pearls, the mustache was neat and clean, "So the story was true?" Spencer answered, "Yes my dear it was true and now thanks to you and your love I can once again, be mortal but better I can love you more and more everyday." Then as they kissed the flower she had in her hands wilted and disappeared, and on the twelve stroke of midnight of all hollows eve, the curse was officially broken from the Man, for now he was complete. "What was Debbie Spencer?" Spencer was frightened to say it but he knew he must, "She was an immortal sorceress from Hungary, she was my own sister and this was her way of punishing me when I left my family and their evil ways." They spent the rest of the night cuddling next to the fire talking the night away as if it was only but a dream.

Part Four Of Four: Concluded

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: A River Ride

The sunlight crept through the blinds and had woken Katie, but she felt divine, the nights sleep after such a splendid evening was like waking up from a dream, a romantic dream she hadn't dreamed in many years. She looked around and didn't see anyone around Debbie had obviously been awake for a while now for she was no where in sight just then she heard footsteps coming to the door and turned to see Debbie walking through it. "Well hello sleeping beauty did you sleep well, I hope so it's nearly twelve-thirty I was coming up to wake you up." Shocked that she had slept that long but still she didn't care she felt like she had never slept before and now fully aware for the first time in her life, "Well it was the first time in three day's I have had a chance to sleep." Debbie looked at her with a look of scorn, "What's going on with you and Spence Katie, you were the one who just wanted to leave now it seems like you can't get enough of this place." Katie didn't know how to answer this how did she feel she was asking herself but she couldn't let on too far, "I was just being nice to him last night Debbie geeze and so what if I like him what is it to you?" Debbie was getting angry, "We're on out way home from vacation Katie you'll never see him again you do remember our business right?" Katie and Debbie owned a small store called the Magical Flower Shop and she knew they should be getting back but she was enjoying herself far too much here so she decided to change the subject, "Has the wrecker come this morning?" Debbie wasn't having any of that, "Don't change the subject, what's going through your mind, you're not acting like yourself at all." Katie now had enough, "Listen if you want to be bitter you can I'm enjoying my stay here, so what if I like this man is it any of your business I'm sorry we're not at the flower shop or home for that matter but we're going to have to make due if you want go to the Green Motel if you want but I'm staying!" Debbie was turning red, "You have no right to talk to me like that we met in college four years ago I stood up for you, I helped you finish your classes, I came up with the idea of the shop and this is how you treat me?" Katie was angry now, "Well you make it sound as if I owe you my happiness, I don't owe you a thing but loyalty of a friend something I thought you would do, I thought you would be happy that I'm falling for a man but no all you can do is yell at me for it." Debbie was pleased she got the answer she originally came for she had won the argument and Katie was oblivious to it, "You have one and a half days left and then we have to leave, enjoy it." She then turned and walked out of the room in a victorious sway with her held up high and a glint in her eye. Katie walked down the stair case and to the kitchen and made herself a small brunch and outside she went she saw Spencer by the stables and decided to walk down to them and talk with Spencer when she got closer she noticed something about his face she hadn't noticed before his eyes seem like they were sunken in but underneath all of that he was still handsome. "Good afternoon I do believe you slept the morning away but that is alright, I was about to take a horse out for a ride would you care to join me?" Katie was in a good mood in his presents, "Sounds nice but I've never ridden a horse and I don't know how." Spence just smiled and he mounted on a Morgan, "Just climb on and hold on to me we'll just walk him he can handle it," so she got hold of his arm and swung her on and slowly walked him back through the grounds. Katie thought this was a beautiful place full of life but she had a question, "So tell me Spence what really happened to the original owner did he in fact become immortal." It took a moment for the Spencer to answer this but slowly he finally did, "Well no he passed on and is buried on top of that hill there and on the stone they wrote, Never have there been a more private man in all the world." Katie thought that was the saddest thing she ever heard, "Makes a person sad to think they never found love and happiness." Spence gave a small chuckle, "Well who knows maybe he has and no one knows it." Katie misheard him she was sure, "What was that?" Spencer quickly answer, "Maybe he did and no one knows it." Slowly and surly the kept riding Katie was holding Spencer closer to her than she should have, but the feel of the man was intensely assuring to her and her comfort was getting stronger and stronger for him the comfort she knew would cost her, her very heart and with it her love. "Ah here we go this is where I was going to visit, alright now just step down." Katie stepped her foot down and saw a river ragging in front of her the place was a paradise and besides the water ragging mood it was peaceful, "This is so beautiful." Spencer smiling a large grin, and Katie noticed that his teeth were yellowed when she was sure they were like pearls the day before. "Yes indeed this is a beautiful place." They sat and talked until the sun threatened to go down on them so they went back to the house to find Debbie waiting for them, she had cooked a small dinner and at the table she said, "Katie they fixed the car and it's ready so if you don't mind I would like to get on the road home tonight, we still have a long way to go and there isn't any sense in waiting any longer, it's what we agreed to." Katie knew she was right it was their agreement so in a defeated voice she looked at Spencer again and in a heart broken voice, "It's been a dream being here, I don't want to go but I agreed to it and you can't be an honest person if you go back on your word so I guess this is goodbye Spencer." Spencer smiled a handsome smile as best as he could, "Then don't forget me, and come back you're both more than welcomed here." With that they went upstairs and packed their belongings and started the journey back home, when they were nearly ten miles from there Debbie broke the silence, "When we get back you'll start being yourself again, that guy was just creepy." Katie wasn't angry but she just simply said, "You've never fallen for anyone at first sight have you Debbie, then how do you know how it feels. The heartbreak that follows after you part, no; Debbie I've never noticed it before but you're cold and your more than likely to die alone. You could have cut my hands off and that wouldn't have hurt me any worst than I am right now, you could have let me have the one more day like you promised me but no you made me keep my promise didn't you." The rest of the ride home was done in silence.

Part Three Of Four

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: Dinner And Tuxedo

The breakfast was just plain biscuit and gravy and the coffee was just as good as Katie thought it would be, but she knew they were only staying for as long as it would take to get to the nearest town. "Mr. King can you take us to town?" Mr. King turned and she finally noticed a scare going from the top of his brow to his cheek but there was a gentleness to his eyes, and his mustache was not well kept but then again he had been up all night talking to her, but he politely answered her question, "Yes of course we'll go as soon as your ready." Katie was ready so the three of them went to town and found the nearest repair shop but found that the man couldn't get out to tow the car until the next day because he was the only wrecker in town and he was back logged. When they stepped out of the service station she looked at Mr. King and found to her amazement that beyond the scar and the nasty mustache he wasn't a bad looking man, "Mr. King" but before she could get another word out she was interrupted, "Katie you have refused to give me your last name so please call me Spence." Katie realized she had been calling him Mr. King and didn't like to be formal, "Well Spence can you tell me where the nearest hotel is?" Spence looked like he had been slapped but understood her reasoning, "Well Katie that would be Greens Motel on the corner, but I know a house that is almost empty that currently has a car sitting practically abandoned until tomorrow that you are most welcomed to stay in for another night." Katie didn't say yes at first but after pulling Debbie to the side, "What do you think Debbie we could spend our money or stay another night out there." Debbie couldn't believe her ears, "Katie your taken with this Spence guy aren't you?" Katie nearly laughed in her face, "You have got to be crazy, I'm just thinking about money and a warm place to sleep." Debbie could see what her real intentions would be even if she didn't, "Alright we'll stay there but we're leaving day after tomorrow." Katie and Debbie walked back to Spencer who was buying a news paper, "Alright Spence we're going to stay one more night, but we're leaving as soon as the car is fixed." Debbie had laid the law down for the both of them and the directness of the young woman had shocked the both of them, but they agreed and drove back to the house. When they arrived the ladies went upstairs and Spencer went to the kitchen and started looking in the pantry for food for the night but then he thought, "Oh, that is a good idea." Right up the stairs and to the room the ladies had chosen for the night, he stood in the doorway as if he was stunned but cleared his mind and said, "I'm going back to town for a bit I'll be back so just make yourself at home, Katie you should catch some sleep you haven't had any, and Debbie you're more than welcome to join me if you wish. Debbie didn't need to think about that at all, "No I think I'm going to look over the grounds if it's alright with you." Spencer was pleased she chose that, made the surprise all the better, "Of course and if you know how to ride a horse, the stables has a few if you wish for a ride." Off he went to town and true to his promise he was back in a flash, Spencer spent most of all his day in the kitchen and smells coming from there made both, Katie and Debbie curious to know what he was cooking in there. "Debbie I don't know about you but I'm going to the kitchen and see what he is working on." Debbie was all for the idea, "I know I was thinking the same thing are you sure he's not a chef?" They walked into the kitchen but Spencer shooed them out as soon as they entered, "No please this is going to be a surprise don't ruin it for me." Then he stepped out of the kitchen with them, "I apologize but I have a surprise cooking in there I had learned in my travels and I have a gift for you ladies as well, please follow me." Up the stairs they went and into a room they had visited the night before, "Now Debbie I take you as a size eight am I correct?" Debbie couldn't believe he guessed her dress size perfectly, "Yes how did you know that?" Spencer smiled, "Another thing I learned in my travels, and Katie, a size four I believe?" Katie knew it was coming so just answered, "Yes." These packages are for you. They opened them together and inside were beautiful gowns and shoes to match plus make up, "I had to do a bit of guessing on the shoe sizes but if you would wear these to dinner I would be pleased." Debbie thought he had gone too far, "Listen we can't except these this is too much a place to stay is far enough a nice dinner is good but buying things like this is too far." Spencer smiled, "I expect nothing in return and I cannot take them back so please wear them tonight and leave them here if you will but tonight wear them you'll not be sorry." Later that night the two ladies wearing the gown looking very elegant walked into the hall and found a candle with a envelope sitting on the candle stick, Debbie grabbed it and opened it, "Ladies I would be very pleased if you would joined me in the dining room." They walked down the stairs and down the hall to the dining room and found the table filled with the most delicious food they had seen in a long time it looked like an Italian feast complete with the both red and white wine. "Spence you've done a lot of work here." Then Katie noticed him his hair was neat the mustache was gone and he was wearing a tuxedo he was handsome beyond compare and the smile he was giving them made him look angelic. "Well I thank you for noticing and you ladies look absolutely, amazingly, beautiful." They sat and dinner was divine, but the conversation was for only two, Katie and Spencer went on and danced to the old record he had, a waltz but Debbie was too practical and she wanted none of that. At the end of the evening they wanted help Spencer with the dishes but he declined their help because they were his guests, they climbed the stairs but when the two ladies got to the top she looked to the hall and saw Spencer watching them, he made a bow tucking on arm under his stomach and extending the other arm. Katie thought it was a joke so she did a small curtsy and went on to her room, when she got to her room she shut the door behind her leaned on the door and exhaled her breath as if she had been holding it all her life.

Part Two Of Four

A Blessed House, A Cursed Man: A Strange Sky

Walking into the old house was like a scene from a horror movie, the uneasy feeling, the damp smell, and goose bumps all over her body was screaming the warning do not enter. Then she looked to the sky and evening was getting darker and the clouds wasn't going to let up from the rain that they were pouring down it was going to be a long drawn out kind of rain that would last all evening and all night so there wasn't any choice in the matter. The car had broken down and the friend she was with was begging her to just go in and get a fire going in the fire place, still looking at the furniture all covered over with white sheets and the dust on top of those pilling up heavily, the feeling of foreboding was overbearing. "Please Katie just go in I'm cold I'm wet and miserable." Katie took one step and the creak put more goose bumps on her, just then her friend walked past her and went straight for the fire place, "Debbie don't lets just go back to the car and call someone." Debbie was getting angry, "Listen Katie cell phones aren't working there is a storm out there and this is a fire place all we need is wood this is an old house but we can find something get warm and then leave, so come in here and sit down." Katie knew she wasn't going to be out talked on this so she submitted, sitting down next to the fire place she opened her backpack found a flashlight and started looking around her. "Katie there isn't anything to be afraid of it's just an old house." Then out of the corner of the room they heard something, and turned to it in an alarmed fashion, "Please do not fear I heard your conversation and was coming to welcome you to my home." Katie and Debbie were both scared by the intrusion of the man who just entered the room but they couldn't complain they hadn't knocked and he could call the police. "My name is Spencer King I own his old place and you are welcomed so let's get a fire going and some dry clothes for you." It took a very few minutes for him to get them accomodated and Katie still didn't trust the old house, or now this man who was obviously not what he says he was, she needed to find a way out of here. "Do you have a phone Mr. King?" Spencer was wondering when that question would arise and here it was, "I don't have a phone I just took this place in posession." Trying to change the subject quickly he asked, "Would you like to take a tour of the house?" Katie was too afraid and automatically said, "No, thank you." Debbie on the other hand was enthusiastic and was willing, so to keep Debbie from going by herself with this strange man Katie agreed, and on the tour they went. "This house once belonged to a man from Hungaria who's families past was a bit dark, they were circus folk who had mysterious powers over people, but the Hungarian was too private and didn't like people very much so he moved to America. He built this mansion through his magic and never left here and anyone who came here was sent away no matter what he was getting lonely and his heart grieved for company but his privacy and pride wouldn't allow it. One day a hag came to the door and he answered himself seeing the old hag he felt a bit of compassion for her but he knew he came here for privacy and privacy was important to him she was selling roses, so he paid for one single rose and sent her on her way. When the old hag begged him to buy at least one more but he shut the door in a rush and turned to walk away just then the door flew opened and there stood not a hag but a beautiful woman who had more beauty than he had ever seen before. She told him that the one rose that he posessed gave him only one chance to end the immorality she was gifting him but in his immortality he would be disfigured and weak, and this house would be his only safe haven. However he couldn't stay here year in and year out he would have to be homeless and a begger until one day a woman would take him in show him love, and he has to give that one rose to her if she doesn't except his love then he would be immortal forever to be alone." The tour was long over and they were sitting next to the fire again but Katie had a burning question, "If this house would be his safe haven then why wouldn't he be allowed back into it what was keeping him from coming back here year in year out?" Mr. King was pleased she so intensly listened to the story, "She woman told him that he would be allowed to return once a year here all other times that would try and enter these doors, he would be dispelled and he tried he would walk into the doors and stand in the room, and just when he thought it was just a dream, it would be like he was lifted by the shoulders and carried out and the doors would shut on thier own behind him." Katie sat and thought, that this guy had a great imagination and knew it was only a story to get through the night so she indulged him because if he was going to try something he would have done so earlier. "So Mr. King how did you learn this story?" Spencer looked at Katie, "I learned this from a diary from the upstairs master bedroom, you see Miss after all this is just a story." Just then through the blinds sunlight shown through and she relized that the rain had stopped and Debbie had been sleeping for hours while she talked to Mr. King, "I can't believe we talked through the night like this I haven't done this since college, I find it easy to listen to your story and talk to you." Mr. King was delighted, "Then how about some coffee and breakfast before you leave?" Katie didn't know why but she was at ease and smiled a large smile and said, "That sounds good lead the way." Katie poked Debbie in the side and woke her up "Come on Breakfast and coffee."

Part One Of Four

Hoosiers

You know I'm taking another step back from the stories today to expound about Indiana, yeah we complain about the weather being unpredictable, seriously who could blame us, we have to run the heat in the morning turn the air on in the afternoon, and then turn the heat back on in the evening. That's just Indiana though we all know it who lives here, we burn in the summer due to humidity, in fact a man from Arizona wished he was back there where it was cooler, and I won't even start about the winters. It's home, many of us who stay here were either born here or moved here, and if you say you don't have any Kentucky in you we all know your not telling the truth, most of all who lives in Indiana had a relative who moved up here from Kentucky. Look at our nick name, Hoosier, we're called that because the accents of our ancestors, when someone came to the door and knocked on it they would call out, (W)ho'ss(Th) ere yes we have a colorful past. We also have hero's in George Rogers Clark, we had honorable enemies Tecumseh a Shawnee chief who incidentally was killed in battle fighting against another famous man of Indiana William Henry Harrison who would become the nations ninth President and the only one from Indiana. We also have sports hero's such as Larry Bird, Bobby Plump, and "Big" George McGinnis in basketball our state pass time, but it doesn't end there, we have Bob Griese in football, Tony Stewart in Auto Racing, Fuzzy Zoeller in Golf, Mike Aulby in bowling, and Fred "Cy" Young and Don Mattingly in Baseball. Then music, Micheal Jackson, John Mellencamp, and Kenny "Babyface" Edmunds just to name a very few, actors and actresses, Florence Henderson, Steven McQueen, and James Dean to name an extreme few. There are other famous people from here, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Vivica A. Fox, Jay Cutler, Janie Fricke, Katie Douglas, and many many more, we are talented poets, business men and women, we are animal lovers, and hunters in the same breath we are Americana at its best. Our bird is fragile but strong in flight, our state bird is non other than the Cardinal, we raise our heads up high not afraid to be noticed, but give us Hoosiers a little wind for flight and like the Cardinal we sail through the skies.

Earned Land

His foot tread lightly for he was in awe at what he saw, rolling hills, a tree line and a fence already in place dividing the property where the line ends, all his life he had dreamed of owning a piece of ground and here it was right before his eyes. This was just land but in five years he could see a house just beside the tree line, cattle grazing on the hills, a garden in a back yard, and hunting dogs ready to hunt the winter rabbit. He had dreamed so long and to see a piece of land that was for sale right there before him was almost too good to be true, in his minds eyes he could see a long drive way coming from the road right up to the house, all he had to do is work, such a small word for such a hard life, but a good clean life. When the young man came back to the road and got into his truck he went to the land agent and asked about the property, it didn't take him long to leave because he wouldn't have that kind of money for a long time for even the down payment, his credit was poor and his job didn't pay that much so then harsh reality had to set in, he could never have it. He could dream yes but dreams can't pay bills or feed his stomach, so he went back to work the next day and devised a plan, he went to a local farmer and asked, "I was looking for some extra work, do you have any right now?" The old farmer looked right at the young man and examined him, "Well you don't mind being here every morning at four-thirty then I may have some work for you." The young man was over joyed, "I don't mind at all sir I'll be here in the morning." The young man worked in the morning to around eleven, then left there and went to his full time job and worked there until eight every night, then he went back to the farm, did some extra chores for the old man, and then went to his apartment. This went on for a few years until one day the man, came to the old farmer and said, "Well sir I've done what I set out to do and now I have a down payment enough for my own farm, but if you ever need any help around here just let me know and I'll come runnin." The old man was saddened to the see younger man leave him but he knew he had his own life to live so he just simply said, "Well if you ever want to just come over you know your welcomed to." The younger man felt like the old man was a relative after so many years, "I will at least once a week to see you and the Misses." Then the younger man went to the bank and they told him about a piece of land for sale with rolling hills and a tree line just like his dream so off he went to see it, when he arrived to see the land his eyes wouldn't let him believe that this was that same piece of land from so many years ago that set him in motion to work as much as he did. When he got back to the bank he saw the old farmer and his wife, "Well I'm here to buy a piece of property about two miles down the road from y'all we'll be neighbors for sure now." The old farmer smiled, "I know I just told the banker to drop the price on it for you, you sure earned it." The young man couldn't believe his ears after all this time this was the owner of the property that he wanted to buy, "You own it, why didn't you ever tell me." The old farmer smiled a toothless grin, "Well boy, when you first came to us you were looking for work, because you wanted to earn land and I respected that, so I let you work and sure enough you earned land." The younger man knew he was telling the truth, and he felt all the more grateful for his silence it made him respect the land all the more.

Sunny Flower In An Ocean Of Green

The man had worked all day for his father in law on his farm, he was up before the chickens were at least that's how he felt, first he was feeding the live stock, then was milking the cows, but he didn't complain his father in law was right there next to him. The heat of the day had gotten to him and he was tired, working in the tobacco field chopping it down and lifting it to the wagon took a lot out of him. So when was walking to the tree with a patch of shade green grass was so inviting he wasn't going to deny the fact that a nap would be nice, so he laid back on his back the cool grass felt nice through his shirt the wind blowing and in no time he man was asleep. When he woke up the sun had moved and he was bathed in sunlight he rolled over and saw a purple small flower popping up out of the sea of green grass, "Now you and I have a few things in common, I stick out like a sore thumb when I'm here." His wife came up and sat down next to him, "What was that sweety?" The man sat up, "I said I feel like a stick out like a sore thumb here, but I'm not complaining I'll look like a sore thumb any day to be with you." The wife kissed his cheek, "Well don't you say yes to anything Papa asks you tomorrow your going to be with me, I would like a family of our own you know." The man smiled, "Yes ma'am, are we going to buy a farm too?" Now it was her turn to smile, "Only if you want."

A Hot Bird

The day was hot with loads of humidity in the air, the dog days of summer are harsh enough but imagine being a bird, yes your bone would be hollow and you would have a great wing span to fly through the cool air but what are you to do when you land, flying all day long is not a possibility. So when a man went out and filled his birdbath that morning he knew it would be a popular place for the birds this day, so he sat down in his air conditioned screened in patio with lemonade in his glass he was going to just watch. "Ah the first customer." The small finch landed in the bath and splashed so much water around it looked like four or five birds in the bath but that's alright there was plenty of water and it was welcomed to all it wanted. The bird was so happy it laid down into the water and raised its head up as if to say hello, then it got up shook the water off of its feathers and spread its wings and flew off. So the man got up walked back outside refilled the birdbath again, then he went back inside and waited for the next bird.

Hollyhocks Of Love

The fore closer on the house was coming swiftly so the real estate agent came to make one last look over to make sure it was ready for market, he stepped into the living room the walls were freshly painted and the carpet was new so this room was ready. He finished his tour of the house and all was in perfect order, this old place sure was something he was told the house was built by the previous owner and the current owner was only selling it because that was apart of the will that they should sale and divide the money up evenly. He hadn't been outside to the back yard in a couple of weeks now and he just wanted to be sure and check that too, so he walked through the wash room and out the back door, when he stepped into the back yard it was a basic back yard with flowers, a garden area, and a small building. He started noticing a bee flying around some of the flowers he believed were call hollyhocks, just then the bee landed inside the flower and began taking in the nectar, "Isn't that a pretty sight." He had his small handheld camera from his pocket and took the photo, he couldn't believe what he had captured, he was smiles all the way home he couldn't wait to show his wife and as he opened the door he heard her in the kitchen so he walked back there to her. "Honey, your not going to believe this." He took the camera out of his pocket and showed her what he had just taken, his wife smiled and laid her head on his shoulders, "Oh Winston, just like Aunt Martha's hollyhocks in Georgia." The husband knew that she would remember that, "Yeah just the place where I asked you to marry me right." The woman went back to chopping her vegetables but still smiled, "Yeah as I recall you still were in your suit and got your pants all ruined in that grass." The husband looked at her, "I forgot about that as soon as you kissed me and said yes." She knew what he was hinting at, "Well let me just erase your memory again," She leaned over and kissed her husbands cheek, "Now what were we talking about?" He laughed "I don't remember, oh yeah I want some hollyhocks for the yard." "Good idea, that's my man."

Her Fathers Creek

She had been walking alone for hours not worried about much about what's in the woods but just enjoying all the natural wonders from the forest she was walking through, but she was getting tired and needed a break so she sat down near a bank on the creek. She looked down into the stream, it was a pretty sight a log had fallen into the stream and the water was rushing past it so she sat there just watching and let her mind wonder, she was thinking about her father he loved these woods and would walk through here often, he often told her, "Barbara, just bring your problems out here and they will melt away." Right now she didn't have many worries, just missing her father very badly here latly and needed a way to feel closer to him. Just then a hard wind blew but it was a calm day the wind wasn't supposed to blow on this day, but she remembered someone saying once. If the wind blows paticularly strong it is really the person your thinking about if they have past, just then she smiled and relized which part of the creek she was sitting on just looked up to the tree she was sitting under, Allen, Rose, John, Barbara were carved into the tree's side. "Dad I miss you a lot." After an hour of sitting there she got up and started walking back to her car her heart lighter, her mind clear, and happy that she had come.

The signs are there a quick sight out of the corner of the eye, a strong wind blowing, something moving in your home that is stable, all of these are possible signs that your loved one could just simply be saying hello. No need to be afraid, just say hello and go about your day because that's all they are looking for hello and goodbye.

The Farmer, The Daughter, and The Farm

The old farmer was standing at the end of the pumpkin patch with a satisfied look on his face, the apples from the orchard turned out great this year and sold extremely well, he was smiling because these pumpkins promised to do the same. They spent the whole year wondering if this patch would turn out alright due to over rain in the spring and then drought in the summer, but there they were big bright and orange. His daughter noticed him standing there and walked out to stand with him, "Dad what are you thinking about?" the old man half smiled, "I was just amazed that we got as good a crop as we did, I didn't think this year would be any good." The younger woman stood there with her father looking out over the fields, "I know what you mean but there they are, are you ready to sell them now?" The farmer looked at his daughter and jokingly said, "Oh people wanna buy these things well lets go get the money!" His daughter half giggled at what her father said started walking with him back home said, "I love this place, Dad I can't see myself ever leaving here." Her father was proud of her but turned to her and said, "Well if that is how you feel then one day you can come back, but I've spent everyday for the last fifteen years saving and scrimping for your college education, and have you decided on a major yet?" The daughter just simply answered as he put his arm around her shoulders, "Farm management, or animal husbandry." The farmer smiled, "You really do want this farm one day don't you, I'll admit you show more interests in the farm than brothers and sisters." The daughter smiled, "Well Dad it's my dream to find a young man who wants a farm and an orchard and bring him home, have my kids here and take care of the place I know I guess I should want more but this is home, I've even found a acre down by the river that never gets washed out or too dry to place a house on." Her father knew he had found the right person, "Well darlin you find that right guy get married and get all you want, but first your going to college for a few years and then we'll see if you still want the place."

Four years later the girl had her degree, already had a engagement ring on her finger from a boy she met in class, and was home for good. Her father was getting old and had to use a cane to get around these day's after a bad fall from top of the barn, and that summer her boyfriend at the time who eventually would be the one who put the ring on her finger, had come and took care of the farm for him while she nursed him back to health. This day was the day he was going to give her a gift she wouldn't forget, as they got back home that afternoon, he went straight out to the barn saddled three horses and went back and got his daughter and her boyfriend, "You two come for a ride with me would you?" They agreed and off they went, they were just riding for a long time nobody saying anything, until the old man broke the silence, "So what are your plans?" The daughter and her finance didn't say anything at first but then he said, "Well, I've been offered a job with a meat packing company in Texas, I'm not lookin forward to it though, I'd like to make things grow instead of watching them die." The old man turned to his daughter, "And you?" She answered in a low voice, "I've been offered a job breeding the beef, before they go to slaughter, but I don't want that either." The old farmer knew what they wanted seeing how they found to love each other on this farm, "Well look up there on that hill, it ain't much but it's a sight more than your mother and I had when we started out." They looked up and saw a double wide trailer, a drive way to the road, a small barn, and a flag sitting in the front yard, they both were so overjoyed that his daughter began to cry. "I know you both want this place when I retire, well I retire, I'm staying in my house but I'm going on vacation now and when I'm back we'll have one big wedding for you both right here on this farm and next year we'll have something else to be happy about. The couple looked at each other over joyed but confused. "Something else to be happy about Dad?" The old man laughed out loud, "Yeah a grandson on the way."

Mother's Birthday

Today is my mothers birthday, she is known by other names to other people, her grandfather would call her Sissy, her sister calls her b***h sorry had to edit that one although it is said in jest to one another, but many calls her other things, their rock, the confidant, amongst other things. I know I call her the greatest thing a man can call another, Mom, she was the one who carried me for nine months, she willingly destroyed her figure for me, she suffered broken toes, stress, and grey hair for me. Mom's are really special but, even though I'm prejudice on this, nobody has ever had a better mother than I, when I bloodied my knee I would run to Mom, when I broke my arm I had the school call Mom. Mom made me finish school, she helped me learn my studies, she kicked me out of bed every morning to make sure I was by the road for when the bus came. She is the one person I know I can depend on, she is the most beautiful word for me in the entire English language, Mother. Today she is turning another year older, and the grey streaks are shining on top of her head, but she is still that beautiful woman to me that raised me along side my father, she is loved by almost everyone she meets, but try and match my love for her against anyone else in this world and their love would be pale. Does that make me a mamma's boy, I don't mind if it does, deep inside all men are, but Donna Lee (Hughes) Shouse is my mother, and I love her.

Happy Birthday Mom.

Rose Bud

Judith had been working all summer to keep her plants from dying this year, the drought had come through and had killed everything that grew, the garden had been the hardest thing to keep alive but it was savable. However when it came to her flowers they lost luster of color, and wilted as soon as they bloomed, or was as soon as they were buds the colors would would start to dry on them and then just fall and die. However when she bent down to one bud she looked at it saw that it was starting to loose its color but the luster of it was beautiful, "Little rose I'm going to fight to keep you." She got the fertilizer from the shed and filled up a five pound bucket full of water and mixed the fertilizer in the water and slowly poured the roots over with the water. "If that doesn't work for at least two day, I'll do it again," The determination of Judith to keep this one alive was her goal for the summer, and she would do all she knew to keep it alive. The next day the flower bud had gotten bigger, and she saw that that place where the patches of white where the colors had fallen off but she knew the rose was going to survive. She would keep the process of watering and fertilizer every other day if she needed right now she was content to see that her tactics for the moment were working she was a happy woman for the moment. Two weeks later the rose bud had flourished and began withering on it's own because at best in a drought this was the best she could ask for as soon as the peddles began falling she saved the peddles with the white patches and put them in her Bible.

Orange Leaves

The young man was out an about right after the sun came up going from door to door asking people if they wanted their lawn mowed from all the leaves that had fallen he had done three yards and was going on to the next yard. He did his usual sales pitch the whole yard for ten bucks, he got done with the front yard and was about to get to the back, however he realized he hadn't had a break all day so he laid down under the tree looking up to the bright orange colors that the leaves had turned. The cool air was blowing on his sweaty forehead his eyes were getting heavy so he sat straight up and rubbed his eyes, "I can't go to sleep I got a job to do." However the young man was only fourteen and he had put in a man's size job in already so he laid back down and didn't even realize that he was falling asleep, when the lady woke him up it was three hours later, "Young man, I don't mind you taking a nap but I would like my yard done today." The young man got up and jumped up and said, "Oh man I am sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep, I'm sorry." The old woman looked at the young man and giggled, "That alright my husband did the same thing under that very tree, it's quite comfortable." The young man got done with the back yard in a hurry and didn't even expect pay so he just went ahead and started to leave but the woman called to him, "Young man don't forget the money we agreed on." The old woman gave him a twenty and said, "Oh it was like having my Roger here for just a short time again, you take that and have fun." The young man went on home but the old woman went back inside got a photo album out and turned the pages, she was looking for a certain picture, and she found it, and she laughed to herself. The photo was of a man asleep under a tree with a lawn mower, "Oh Roger that tree just snared another I hope your proud." Then she shut the book laid back and fell asleep herself.

Nick And Katrina

Nick had spent a lot of time with his girlfriend her lately a young woman felt a lot for he didn't know how to express any of the feelings he had for her at all, he knew he didn't want to break up and he didn't want to loose her. He knew he loved her life without her wouldn't be any kind of a life he would want to experience, but what should he do the old folks would say marry her, but was he ready for that? Right now nick was starring into a stream of water trying to figure out the next move he should make, love takes no prisoners and when it ensnares your heart your in it for good. He didn't hate himself for feeling this way but it was a monstrous feeling inside him. He remembered how he first met her working with her, he remembered he went to the same college just so they could be close to one another, he remembered all the plans they had made for the next year. All of these memories made him all the happier in knowing her, the feel of her hair was that of silk brown strands, her eyes were a deep brown of cherry wood, and her face was that of an angels long with a long nose and eye brows that arched. Another woman could never take the place of his girlfriend, Katrina. Just then he stood up and walked to his car drove to her place and knocked on the door, when she answered the door she was happy to see him but had to ask, "Nick you were just here did you forget something?" Nick took her hand and walked her to the porch and sat down on the glider, "Katrina, I am getting married she is the most beautiful and smart woman I've ever met, she has my heart in her hand just like she has my hand in her hand now, I won't take no for an answer so if your going to say no just don't I'll wait to hear an answer until I am old and grey as long as your there with me; I love you and I can't bear life without you." Katrina's eyes were a flood of tears, in all her life she had dreamed of the man on his knees asking for her hand, but that wouldn't have been as romantic as sitting in the the glider with him pouring all of his hopes and dreams out to her. "Yes." That was the only word she could muster with the tears choking her like they were, the Nick added, "I don't have a ring yet but I'll give you something to put on your finger," he reached up and tore his sleeve off of his arm and tore a few treads off of it wrapped them around her finger, "This will have to do until I get a proper ring." Katrina thought she would faint he has never been this romantic in all the five years she had known him, she picked up a pair of scissors laying on the table next to them from the morning newspaper clippings someone had done, she reached up and cut a lock of her hair and did the same for him, "I don't want any other woman getting any ideas about you either." Nick couldn't help but cry himself, "I love you, Kat I always will." To which Katrina replied, "I love you Nick, I always will."

A Tree And Its Roots

Walking through a park you can discover things you have never seen before, sometimes the adventures of a park can be ever lasting and full of good memories. One particular memory that a grandfather will never forget was when he and his grand-daughter found a certain tree. Molly had been running and practising all day, she had her softball and bat and she and her grandpa and she had been working on her swing for her softball team, so when they got done they thought they would take the long way back to the car. "Grandpa look at that tree, what made it do that," the teen aged girl asked her Grand-father the old looked at the tree for just a minute and said, "Oh that's because of the wind but that tree was stubborn it wouldn't blow down no matter how much that it blew." Molly sat an thought for a moment, "So it was just stubborn, what if the wind blows again?" The grandfather began to get worried, "Then it holds its ground and doesn't let the wind blow it down and if it tries to, stand no matter what, if something tries to make it do something it doesn't want to do it relies on it's roots and the roots take care of it by holding the tree up." The girl smiled, "Oh that's some strong roots, grandpa." The grand-father looked at Molly and very seriously asked her, "What's bothering you girl?" Molly looked at her grandpa and said, "Well this boy has been wanting me to do something I haven't wanted to do, but it's fine now I know what to do." The grandpa just plainly said, "If he doesn't get the message let me know, rely on your roots." Molly laughed, "He's been wanting me to go out with him on a date, I kept saying no but since you said I can rely on my roots, Mom Dad, and you, I think I will go out with him because if anything goes wrong I know you'll be there." The grandfather felt like he put his foot in his mouth but he knew this day would come, his little girl, his little grand daughter was growing up in front of his eye's, "Oh girl your only fifteen years old do you think you should wait for a while longer?" Molly laughed again seeing how uncomfortable the older man was talking about this, "Grandpa, Grandma was married at seventeen I'll be fine. Now he knew he had put his foot in his mouth but it was fine he knew she was right while she was on this date he knew he would be awake until she called him that night ready to move into action just like he was in Nam again, and then he thought, "Tell the boy that if he tries anything, anything at all, I was in Nam with the special forces and it won't take me long to find him if he hurts you." The girl hugged her grand-father, "Grandpa that's what I was not saying yes, I was worried about how you would react but since you're okay with me dating with limits, I'll take that as your blessing." The grand-father realized it wasn't the boy she was worried about it was him and that put a feeling in his chest that felt like tears but he was battle hardened enough not to show emotions too much so he just hugged Molly back and said, "Now tomorrow we come back and I start teaching you how to defend yourself, I think it's time you learned some dirty tricks on how to keep boy's hands of you." The grand-daughter knew not to argue, "Okay grand-pa." They just stood there and looked at the tree leaning and standing at the same time, "I love you grandpa." The old man didn't say his feeling often but right now he couldn't help it and said with big tears in his eyes, "I love you too baby."

Goodbye Summer

I'm taking a step back from the stories today and saying goodbye to summer it's a hot balmy time of the year and it's is actually one of my least favorite season but without summer you do not get to spend time on the beach or in the garden or have fun with those cookouts and see the beautiful birds. I'll miss summer because your capable to spend time outside, what I won't miss are the mosquito's and the bees, but sometimes seeing a bee is a pleasure, when you can see them with a camera. Maybe that isn't a good reason but it sure made my day when I caught this photo. I have tried to use this photo in the past but never had a good enough story to comply with it. Sometimes when it's a really great photo a story is just the photo, like the old saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" well I do hope you see what I see when I look at this in particular shot. So let's take a good look at this photo and say goodbye to summer until next year, goodbye late night fishing, goodbye cold lemonade under the tree, and goodbye canning the vegetables from your garden, Goodbye summer.

A Father, A Son, And A Cloudy Dog

A sad little boy was sitting by the tree loosing his best friend was hard on the six year old and his small heart was heavy, he just knew that Slide had always been in his life and now that he wasn't it didn't seem right. Slide was the mountain curs name that acted more as a protector than a friend to the little boy but the boy never noticed that, Slide was old even when the little boy was born but he stayed with the baby and sort of adopted his maters baby as its own. The little boy now had big tears coming out of his eyes as he remembered how the dog did protect him once when he was running through the wood near thier home when a bob cat was about to have the boy as its lunch, the old dog showed the more powerful cat no mercy as it bit down on it's throat and didn't let go until the cat was dead. Slide was nearly impaled after the attack and had to have the Vetnarian keep him at his own home until he was healed, but that's when they discovered the cancer that untimatly took the brave dogs life. When the dog got too far down his master had him put down as so it wouldn't suffer any longer, they brought him home wrapped him in the skin of the cat, laid him in a wooden box they had made and buried him under the tree where the dog loved to lay and rest. The young boys father had walked up from the behind him and didn't say anything for a while because he knew how he felt he loved the old dog too, he had him as a puppy, through college, when he was dating his wife, the birth of his son, he loved the old dog but he knew he had to say something to his son, "Mitchie, come on it's been four months now you have to start playing like you used to." The broken hearted little boy just looked to his father and said, "Slide is gone and I miss him." The father nearly cried hearing his sons heartbreak being brought to words, "Well Mitch, I think that God wanted a good dog and he searched all through earth to find just the right one, and when he found that he was a good dog and that he had cancer he brought him on home to be his dog." The boy had to think on that for a while but he liked the sound of it, "You really think so?" His father knew he struck a cord with his son, "I sure do." The sun raised his head to the sky and just then he saw something unbelieveable a cloud formation that looked like a dogs head and paw it was pointing away from them but it was unmistakable, "Daddy look" and he pointed to the sky. His father looked in the same direction and couldn't believe his eyes, sure enough it looked like a dogs head, "Well I'll be." The little boy was so happy that he hugged his father and went on his way he was just fine, however the father sat there for a minute and watched the clouds and said, "Slide old buddy, I miss you a lot be at peace old friend." The father got up from under the tree walked over to the boy who was playing happily and said, "Hey do you think it's too soon to see if old man's Sanders dog had them mountain cur pups yet?" The little boy smied, "Let's go!"

His First Trip

He handed his son the shotgun and smiled, "Son we've gone over all the safety rules, you've done your education course, and now it's time to get out in the field are you ready?" His son was full of smiles and was ready for the chance to go hunting with his father, "Yeah let's go, only I wish we didn't have to wake up so early." The father chuckled, "Well to kill those squirrels you have to wake up pretty early." They got in the truck and drove to the forest and got into the woods, the hickory trees would be full he knew but he also knew where the nest would be too so he took his son there first, but when they arrived they saw that all of the trees were empty. "It's on to the hickories son now follow me real quite like," they slipped through the woods like cats on prey and found the hickory trees but those too were empty. "Well Dad it don't look like we're gonna find anything today," the man's son said with his heart slightly broken. "Don't worry boy we'll find at least one," and off they went slipping again it didn't take long and there were some more nest trees and there was a couple around. "Now just do as I do and we'll kill your first one," the man said in a whisper and off they went. The boy's heart beat was rapid as they turned the corner full of excitement, then the boy looked up and saw one real close to him the squirrel had seen the stalkers but he stared right at him the boy tapped his father on the back and pointed in the tree.

"Maggie the boy did good, if he hadn't stopped me and tapped me on the shoulder I would have passed the whole tree," the man at the table said with full of pride. "Yeah he was looking at a tree fifty yards away and there theses were just sitting in the tree waiting for us." The mother had heard this kind of story before from her father who spent most of his life in the wilderness teaching his sons and daughters how to hunt, "Well your grandpa would sure be proud of you, now let's eat." The boy took his fork and got the first one laid it in his plate and smiled, his father noticed what he did and had to ask, "Anything special about that one?" The boy laughed, "Yeah it was the second one I saw." The father not understanding, "The second one;" to which the boy replied, "Yeah the second when I tapped you on the shoulder the first one ran away but the second one turned from behind the tree." The father smiled at his wife, "Maggie, I think the boy is a natural."

Inner City Gardens

Walking through these gardens felt like visiting an old friend, he didn't know half the names of the flowers planted here but they were pretty none the less, his mother planted this garden as an inner city project of beautification. It turned into a lot more than that, it gave a place of safety to the children of the city, and it gave them a place that young girls ran to when they were in trouble, or just needed an escape. Now this beautiful place was in danger of being shut down since his mothers passing and there wasn't much he could do about it, since he lived in a new city and had a life of his own. As he was walking he saw a young woman in her early twenties sitting near a pretty kind of white flower she was just looking at it, allowing her mind to drift from the trouble of her day to day life. As he passed her she looked and saw who it was, "You're son aren't you,?" the man looked at her smiled, "Yeah, I'm Charlie my mother planted these gardens." The young woman was extended her hand, "I'm Julie, finally I got to meet you." Charlie shook her hand, "That's a very pretty flower isn't it," He didn't now what else to say but he was always interested in meeting the people from these neighborhoods. Julie replied, "Sit down please, I would like to talk to you." Charlie sat next to her on the bench and began talking, "Have you always lived in this neighborhood?" Julie laughed, "Well you don't move to the inner city your born here, I want to talk to you about this place is there anyway that it can be saved? Charlie knew she was going to ask that so the honest answer is the only one he could give, "Well with Mom gone and her being the only volunteer that this place had and Mr. Johnson retired now after working for years here, there really isn't any way to save it." Julie seemed crushed, "I can't believe it, I would run here all the time to get away from boyfriends, or drama of my drunken mother, I ran here when I got pregnant when I was sixteen, it's like loosing my life here." Charlie knew this kind of story would get to him sooner or later it was heart breaking, "You truly love this place don't you?" Julie answered, "See these white flower, well I planted them, the red roses over there, and the lilacs over there, I planted them all, I put a lot of work in here with my daughter, it was your mother that talked to me when I got pregnant and told me about being a mother at a young age, so yeah it's like loosing an confidant." Charlie only knew one way to save this place but he didn't want to put anyone on the spot, "There is a way this place can be saved, but I didn't want to ask anyone to do this that couldn't, I can talk for this place to the board of directors and tell them I have two new volunteers to care for the place. If you can spend at least thirty hours a week here, and find a gardener to work here for at least that many hours, also a receptionist the state would pay them, and a horticulture representative to visit every five months this place can be saved." Julie didn't think about it, "You have the first volunteer, my husband works in a lawn care place, and my sister who just turned eighteen needs a job so there the receptionist and I want to get her out of the hood, this falls into to place, the gardens of hope can be saved then if that's all it takes." Charlie was thinking to himself that this could work, "Well Julie it looks like this place will live on, how do you feel?" Julie nearly cried, "Like getting your mother back again." Charlie didn't say anything at first he just looked at the flower Julie was looking at when he walked up, it was pale and innocent looking, graceful within itself, then he looked up to Julie, "Let's name this section after my mother if you don't mind these flowers remind me of her." Julie looked up to her, "That was the first thing I was going to do when you made me the boss around here."

Prayers, Dreams, And A Beautiful Sky

He took a deep breath, and let it out again, it had been hard week, he lost his girlfriend, his father was in the hospital not expected to make it, he got laid off work, so he just sat there after spending a full twenty-four hours next to his father in the hospital. He wasn't drinking a beer, he wasn't cooking anything on his grill, he was just looking to the sky, a prayer in his heart and on his mind, the clouds were forming to be like a symphony tonight, but his heart was too low to really appreciate it. He could handle loosing his girlfriend, he could handle getting canned, but loosing his father would be too much to handle all together. He sat there not knowing what else she should have done with his father, could he talked with him more, could he have went for a drive with him more, could he have gone fishing last weekend when he asked, or just worked with him more. "Mortality is not up to me I guess so it's in God's hands now," he put his hands up to his face and rubbed his eyes, "What am I going to do, not now please not now, I need him like no other time, I need him to talk to me, I need him to be alright." Just then from behind him, "It's not about you Robbie you never got that he want to spend time with you but you were too busy with that girlfriend, he wanted you to go fishing but you volunteered to work." Robbie turned around angry, "Who asked you to come here, Basil." The older man looked at Robbie with authority, "That's Uncle Basil to you, ever since that girl got into your life we never saw you, too busy for your family." Robbie didn't want to hear this on his own property so he answered back, "So what do you want UNCLE Basil, you want to hear I'm sorry, that now I'm out of a job, that I'm on knees praying every second for my father to live what do you want? The older man smiled, "I want you to be a man for your mother, and come to work with me at the family business." The younger man was still angry, but he needed a job, "What will you pay me?" Basil laughed, "Don't you worry about pay a man without work needs work, just be there, oh and see Janice when you get there she'll have the details for you, that's it talk to you later, that is a beautiful sky tonight." Then the older man turned and started walking away, but turned around, "No worries, all is going to be better now, oh and your Grandma says Hi and she loves you." The hand was like a sticky sponge on his face when he woke up, but he got up with a start, "Uncle Basil, no he's been dead for fifteen years, and Grandma has been gone longer than him weird dream." He got up took a good look at the sky one more time, "That is a nice sky." He went inside got a shower and change of clothes and got to the hospital, walking through the elevator, and into the lobby, he saw his sister, "Maggie is there any change," he yelled at first sight of her. "Robbie your not going to believe it he woke up and started complaining that he wanted a cup of coffee," the younger woman said in a excited tone. Robbie actually could believe it he doesn't know why but on the way to the hospital he knew it was alright, "Okay well I'm going to go to the room and see Dad." Robbie nearly run down the hall and to his room, "Dad, Dad you're alright." The older man looked at his son, "What's with people around here you forget to take your insulin one day and they think your gonna die, go get me a cup of coffee son would you please." The mother looked at her son, "Don't you dare the doctor doesn't want him having anything unless its approved by him." Robbie was relived to see his father so full spunk, "Well Dad what would you say about me coming to work with you again?" The older man nearly jumped for joy in his bed, "What made you come to that decision?" Robbie replied, "Well I got laid off again, and I miss working next to you." The older man was smiling, "Good, good see you on Monday then." The mother had her arms crossed, "Oh no you won't, you'll be at the lake with me resting for a week the Doctor said he wants you to relax for a week." Robbie looked at his father, "Dad that's alright I'll go when you do, we need to go fishing again don't we." His father laid his head back on the pillow and said, "We sure do son, we sure do." "Mr. Green I heard you were in a coma I just got off work and came right here, what happened," Robbie turned around and saw a beautiful young woman walk into the room she was smartly dressed and was quite elegant. "The old fool forgot his insulin, Janice this is our son Robbie," his mother said to the woman. "I have heard a lot about you Mr. Green your father talks about you all the time." Robbie was smitten, "It's Robbie and it's my pleasure, wait you said her name is Janice?" His mother looked at him confused, "Yes why dear?" Robbie smiled and looked outside the sky, "I understand you now old man, I'll ask her." He turned around and looked at Janice, "Janice we are going to the lake this week and we have two cabins out there would you care to join us?" The younger woman was amused "Are you sure?" The mother said without hesitation, "Yes dear one more woman around would be a nice touch." Robbie couldn't take his eyes of the woman, to which the father said, "Careful Janice seems like these two are trying to add to the family."