Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Country Extra

lawn. When we bought our home a few years ago, I enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the riding mower. But as our list of chores grew, my enthusiasm for mowing waned. My son, however, couldn’t get enough of it. When he was about 18 months old, we gave him a toy push mower. He’d move that red-and-blue toy up and down the yard. Today he’s still too young to do any actual mowing, but his zeal for “cutting” the grass runs as strong, and it gives me hope that he’ll make a fine lawn boy someday, just like reader Marshall Jon Fisher’s sons, Satchel and Bram. You’ll read all about their summer adventures in groundskeeping on page 24. Also in this issue, you’ll hear from Linda Lachimia and her…

“Kennedy, my granddaughter, hunkered down to show Toby, our pony, the grass he’s supposed to be eating,” says Becky Charvat of Mandan, North Dakota. But as you can see, he surprised her with a soft nose in her lap for a cuddle. There’s no question this is one girl who has a real way with animals, at least according to her four-legged friend. CARE TO SHARE? Show us your candid country moments. Learn how to share a photo and caption in our guidelines on page 64!…

My Kingdom for Ink As I was helping a kindergartner write her numbers, I noticed that her pencil was very dull. It wasn’t long before there was hardly any lead showing at all. In frustration, she wailed, “My pencil is out of ink!” Naomi Watson O’FALLON, MISSOURI Comprehension Test My daughter took her husband and my two grandsons, Ethan and Esteban, on vacation to Texas. After they returned, my wife and I picked the kids up from school. I asked Ethan what the teacher had said about missing two days of school. He said that he had not missed school. I told him yes, he had indeed missed two days of school. He argued that he did not. “Ethan,” I said, “It’s Wednesday, and school started Monday. You missed two…

“When I enter the arena to compete, I will pause and whisper a prayer of thanks to the many people who shared their love of horses with me.” Getting a pony for two horse-crazy little girls was unlikely for a small town preacher living in the parsonage and raising a family on a meager salary. But our father did it. My heart still jumps a beat when I recall the night he told my sister and me that he wasn’t able to buy us a pony, but he did find one for us to ride. Our neighbor, Mr. Dubbs, had purchased a pony for his granddaughter, and he would let us ride it whenever we wanted. All I could hear was “pony!” We knew nothing about riding but soon learned.…

My dear wife had big reservations about adopting the puppy. Dreadful things had been said about pit bulls, and she didn’t want to take chances, even with a mixed breed. Our grandchildren visit, and they, much like our chickens and ducks, are free-range. But Tumbi quickly proved to be civilized. He grew dignified and observant, never nosy or greedy. In time, he learned commands by the dozen. He never left the property without permission and behaved perfectly on walks. He was extremely protective, and nothing frightened him. Hawks knew better than to attack Tumbi’s pet chickens or ducks. On one occasion, our dog treed an enormous black bear that had made the mistake of checking out the chicken house. The very rare times he was too late to save a…

In each issue we hide a needle (black or white). If you find it, enter online at country-magazine.com by clicking the Contests link at the top of the page. We’ll draw 24 winners from all the correct entries. Winners receive a one-year subscription to Country Extra. In the July issue, we hid the needles on pages 11 and 48. You’ll find a list of the winners at country-magazine.com. No purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its territories and possessions. Sweepstakes begins on Aug. 24, 2016, and ends on Oct. 19, 2016. For official rules, visit country-magazine.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC.…

John Wiebe (above with his granddaughters) lives in Westhaven, California, among the redwoods with his wife, Carol. They’ve been married for almost 62 years. Their Mennonite heritage, along with life experience in rural Minnesota and Kansas, prepared them for survival on the coast, where John chops wood. Read about them and their dog, Tumbi, on page 62. Gail Cartee enjoys being involved in her community and church. Her passions for writing, teaching and quilts led her to help write the pioneer-themed Vacation Bible School program for her church. On page 52, Gail recounts how a forgotten box of quilts brought the past and present together for her, the church staff and the children at Bible school. We kick off our annual photo contest on Sept. 26. Enter your photo online,…

I’ve lived in a large metropolitan area most of my life. Although there is much I love about the big city, I’m starting to think small towns may have us faux cosmopolitans beat nine ways to Sunday. This came to mind one Saturday when I found myself in Commerce, about 60 miles northeast of Dallas. I was there to play with a band at the town’s annual Bois d’Arc Bash. The street festival celebrates the tree of the same name, which is French for “bow wood.” The bois d’arc is also commonly known as an Osage orange tree, and the fruit is sometimes called horse apples or hedge apples. Artists, musicians, entertainers, performers and vendors are drawn to town for the event, which is held the last weekend in September.…

My husband, Norman, and I bought an 1837 schoolhouse in 2009 after admiring it for 25 years. It transports us back to the days when Sewickley Township was a bustling place. Along the curve at the bottom of the hollow, a gristmill used water from the nearby creek to grind grain, and a train station warmly greeted travelers. A dirt road carried horse and buggy riders past our one-room schoolhouse. The stone foundation, slate roof, slender cream windows and bell tower perched atop the structure all had seen better days. As carpenters by trade, we did not waste any time and began restoring it. The repairs took us a few years, and we hit an unexpected obstacle. As we approached the south wall, we heard a loud buzzing and saw…

MONTANA Kayakers take advantage of a gorgeous morning in early fall to explore Bowman Lake. VERMONT These Adirondack chairs are just waiting for the right person to sit back and relax. COLORADO Cattle graze in the fall splendor near Gunnison. READER PHOTO Aaron Shaver STAUNTON, VIRGINIA “As the sun set one evening, I came upon these deer along Camp Run Road in Pendleton County, West Virginia.” READER PHOTO Jerry Sieminski AMBERG, WISCONSIN “With the sun setting in the distance, a photo of my friend Jim and his daughter fishing was the best trophy I could ask for from this trip.” COUNTRY WISDOM: Why is it that you have to wait for night to call it a day?…

Mrs. Analee married a truck farmer late in life. They lived in his family home, way back off the road in Campobello. They didn’t have children, but she did what farmer’s wives generally did more than half a century ago: She kept the house, planted and picked alongside her husband, Clarence, and lived by the adage, “Eat what you can and can what you can’t.” She sewed and crocheted to clothe herself and her husband and to decorate their home. She also quilted—beautiful hand-stitched quilts intended to warm their bed in the cold winter months. She made courthouse steps and Ohio star, log cabin and sunbonnet Sue, crazy quilts and friendship quilts…more quilts than she could possibly use. So she tucked them away for a colder day. Mrs. Analee lived…

My father-in-law, Robert, is quite the handyman. He’s the family carpenter, plumber, rancher and so many things in between. He can outwork anyone I know. Robert’s calloused hands are no stranger to hard work, and his get-it-done attitude drives him to conquer the continuous demands of a farm, even at age 70. It is a busy life, but he has found a creative way to blend work and play as a blacksmith. His art is keeping a centuries-old skill alive. In 2011, Robert suffered a massive heart attack while at work testing pipelines. Always active, he seemed to be perfectly healthy, so his illness was a shock to the family. After a swift recovery, he decided to take up blacksmithing as a hobby. He had always been interested in antique…

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Making Lemonade From Lemons When my daughter Wendy was 3, she often helped me in our garden. She pulled weeds, help me pick vegetables and point out invading insects. She even had a basket that she used to carry squash, tomatoes, cucumbers and okra. Every time we ate something from the garden, she was convinced that she had done all the work to produce it. One day Wendy proudly handed me her basket and said, “Daddy, I picked the tomatoes for you.” It was filled to overflowing with tomatoes of all sizes, but only one color: green. I thanked her and pondered my options. I browsed dill pickle recipes, but found none for green tomatoes, so I adapted two recipes. We enjoyed them for months. And true to her way…