The Juniper Shelter

From Jerica:

At the Cassia County fair,  Juel told me it was my turn to write in the blog. I know it was a couple weeks ago but life has been...well, life. 

At my family reunion a few weeks ago, we were talking about how my older 4 siblings got to do a lot and the younger 4 got the shaft of "life". We never went on vacation, had swimming lessons, and many more. My dad kept saying stuff like "how horrible of parents" they were. It got me thinking about everything they did do for us. Sure we did the majority of stuff on the dairy or down at the flat but i learned a lot that other kids didn't learn. After living in a city since 18 yrs old i was able to see how different "city-folk" are. 

I recently got a job in Twin Falls and I am now outside of the Mormon bubble. I didn't know how much of a culture shock just moving to Twin is. I hear the stories and life styles my coworkers have chosen and I can't help but be happy for the examples my parents have shown. I have made some mistakes in my life but not as serious as those of my coworkers and I know I couldn't have the life I do now without the hard work and example of my parents. I have chosen what I did in my life for myself. Growing up in Juniper has built a huge shelter over my head but I wouldn't be who I am without my childhood/teenage years taking place in Juniper or without the parents I have. 

I keep thinking about those general conference Sundays when the kids would go outside and play soccer with two of us in tutus or playing softball by the grain shed or even those hot summer days filling up the "swimming pool" and freezing because the water was so cold but we swam anyway because we have tough skin. 

Being head butted, kicked, stepped on, etc has molded us to who we are. I don't know about you or anyone else but I take pride in who I am, who my parents are,  and where I grew up. 

Forts

I love, Love, LOVE this one from Crystal.  Forts were a big part of growing up Juniper style.  Where else would kids be allowed to exercise such creativity?

From Crystal:

I think we should give mention to the many clubs and clubhouses/forts that accounted for so many of our days.  I particularly remember being a small child and being excluded from the “big” kid’s club house.  Where if I remember right Jami was queen and Aaron was king ….dang they were cool. 

But I do believe that when we became the “big” kids (Doug, Brad, Laura, Jerica, Myself and occasionally the younger boys Jason, Forest and Levi) is when the real fort building took place.  The “old house” or old church farm grain bin was really a carpentry experience training facility.  We were not shy about stealing old slabs of wood and less old buckets of nails and hammers to turn our “old house” into a three story mansion.  

Of course accomplishing this feat did not come without some painful learning experiences.  For example: If you slip while standing on the bar which stretches across the rooms (the only way to reach the third floor area with your hammer) you should make sure to gracefully fall in front of or behind said bar and not take it up the center.  

When building a swing use enough twine.  

When building a floor use enough support boards and nails.

The best feature of our fort was the trampoline swing.  We found the frame of an old one man jumper; you know the kind the little trampolines that are about two feet wide and 8 in off the ground.  The frame had only two legs remaining.  Simply by hanging the legs on the bar that ran through the center of the house we had the best swing man has ever built (we just had to remember not to swing to high or the entire thing would jump of the bars….which happened many a time).  

Second best feature was probably the toilet in the corner …don’t know what that was ….Doug?

Does anyone have a picture of the “old house?”  Remember the lean on that thing?  …haha, and yet we had no qualms about standing on the roof.

The “old house” was not our only fort, just the most popular.  We also had “the valley,” and old pig pen …the one where we lost the hammers and made Dad and Ross not too happy, we had forts in the mountains and forts in the straw stacks (remember picking buckets of carrots, who knew that 10 gallons of carrots was not a feasible lunch for 5 kids).   

P.S.  If any of you do have a pic of said house send it my way and we will get it attached to this post.  jami_c_hurst@hotmail.com

Fireworks

From Jerica:

Laura and I were reminiscing on the good 'ol days in Juniper when we remembered the story of Brock and the firework.  I'm not sure what it was but I think it was one of those bloom flower ones. Anyway, we were standing at the end of the sidewalk where the two bushes were, lighting these fireworks when one burned a hole in Brad's shorts and went up my shirt and making its own exit. It was my favorite Scooby-Doo t-shirt too. My mom just found out about that story last night and the look on her face let us know she wasn't too thrilled about it happening, but just laughed it off anyway.

Thanks Jerica.  I remember lighting one of Kristen's night shirts on fire with one of those party poppers.  And, if I know Brock and the rest of the Juniper boys, there are plenty more "fireworks" stories to be shared. ;)

Blessed to be his Daughter

From Jerica:

About two winters ago, I decided I would help out on the dairy by learning how to milk the cows and help with the morning milking. At first I thought it was a great idea, because I would be helping my dad and thought he might have wanted the help. I got a week into it and I was starting to regret it but I stuck with it. When spring came around I would have to get up and chase the cows down the hill behind the house to get them into the barn. I will admit, I was probably the worst cow milker that dairy has ever seen, but it helped me appreciate what my dad (and every other dairyman) did for my family. I knew he sacrificed a lot for us, but by having the experience of milking the cows opened my eyes to what a strong, hard working man he is. I do love my dad for all that he has done for me and my family. His hard work did not go unnoticed. I have been truly blessed to be his daughter.

A Little Gas

Isn't it funny how when we do something embarrassing the first thing we do is check to see who saw rather than attend to our injuries?  Here is just such a story.  Thanks for sharing Jerica!

From Jerica:

Two winters ago Forrest, Brad, and I were out riding the snow machines in Rushton's field. This is the first time I had driven one so I was a little scared. After a while, we rode over to the end of the field closest to the garbage bins. There were three rows of drifts that had been plowed to help keep snow off the road. I was feeling brave so I decided to slowly go over two of the drifts. I turned around and waited for Brad to jump off it to go back onto the field. Then it was Forrest turn to jump then I would ride over (not jump). I went too close behind Forrest when he went and as I was going, the rooster tail of his jump caught me in the face which caused me to hit the gas a little ( by a little I mean a lot) and I ended up going over it at an angle instead of straight on. By doing that it had bucked me off. I was sure I was going to get run over but the left side of my body just, very hard, hit the side of the machine and I missed the tracks. I popped my head up and look over at the garbage bins and see Christine waiting for the school bus to pick up her kids. I bust up laughing because if I was in her position, I would be laughing hysterically. Forrest and Brad must have saw it happen cuz they came riding back over laughing their heads off.

Real Life Tonka Trucks

From Jerica:

Forrest, Doug, Brad, and I were riding our bikes down the road toward Rushton's farm. It was right after Forrest got his bike and it still had the training wheels on it. We were going around the corner by the tree just down the road from the dairy and when we got about half way between the corner and Rushton's farm a huge mine crawler thing came around Rushton's corner. It was taking up the whole road. Doug, Brad, and I all saw the thing coming but Forrest was nonchalantly riding his bike down the middle of the road. After much yelling, he saw it coming, hopped off his bike and ran him and his bike to the borrow pit. I never did know why he didn't just ride it to the side of the road. Not a very good story, but it's one I came up with.

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Thanks Jer!

Those things are massive!  I remember Dad telling me the only thing you go off the road for in a loaded hay truck is an airplane.  However, when we came across a semi hauling one of these giants, we managed to get our loaded truck off the road rather quickly!  I also remember Ross asking the crew in said truck if we could use their monster Tonka truck to haul the rest of our hay.  The fellows said they would be happy to haul our hay if we could load the truck... needless to say, we spent the rest of the summer hauling hay the usual way!  

Second Coming or Northern Lights?

Juniper, I'm convinced has the best night sky anywhere.  One summer, some of the "city cousins" came to visit, it was dark when we got out of the car, one cousin said "Whoa!  You guys got a lot of stars here!"  Amazing what you can see without light pollution!  
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From Jerica:

One night Laura and I were out feeding the calves late. When we were heading back up to the house we looked up in the sky and saw the different colors. We saw the red in the sky and Laura said something about it being the Second Coming. I don't remember how old we were but we were pretty young. I started freaking out so I ran up to the house and we went in to tell Mom and Dad about it. We all went out and climbed the hill behind the house and I remember just staring in awe up at the sky, wondering how such a beautiful thing was possible. As we all know, it wasn't the Second Coming :) But I sure did love looking at the Northern lights.

Hay Scratches

So I got an e-mail tonight... I LOVE e-mail (hint, hint, wink, wink)!!!  

This one is from Jerica:

I was driving home this past weekend and saw a field with people getting ready for this next years crop growing. I couldn't help but think of all the times we would roll bales, stack the trucks, or even transport the pipe from one field to another. I starting thinking more about the whole process from when the hay is cut to when it is fed to the cows. Then I remember sitting on top of the hay stacks getting my feet in the right position to push the whole front of the stack off. My favorite part was watching it fall and hearing the loud thunks each bale made. Every time that happened I would smile as the whole front fell then (on more than one occasion) I would look down and wonder how I was going to get down off the stack. I was never the adventurous type to just jump from the top of the stack. I will admit it took me a good self-talking-to to get myself to jump off 4 layers. There have also been a few times where I would just pull a bale from near the bottom and get the front off  that way and (again, on more than one occasion) I didn't move fast enough to avoid the falling bales. Just have to say, hay scratches are not my favorite scratch to have but I sure was proud of each one of them.

Thanks Jerica!  

P.S. I love the sound of a well choreographed "thunk" as well!

You can take the girl out of the country...

From Juel:

Wish I could write as Jami does, but guess you’re stuck with my style.  Right now my thoughts turn to each of those whom I have had the privilege of working with.  I truly did enjoy my time working with each of you and have many special memories that are near and dear to my heart.  There was a lot of hard manual labor done and with each of you the tasks became almost fun.

 I think we’ve all split our pants out and had to work through it.  Two I particularly remember, one was Jami, at the beginning of a hot hay hauling day and the second Crystal in the same situation.  I just remember that they both got lots of hay down their pants on those days, but neither shirked from their duties, embarrassed as they may have been.  When it had to be done they just did it.

Becky and Esther were two of the absolute best pipe movers.  They were kinda short and the barley kinda tall.  But that did not faze them one bit, even when they had to carry the pipe over their heads.  

Sara & Beth, many memories of them feeding in adverse weather; but with their great attitudes, they took a lot of crap in fun and never failed to give it right back with interest.

All of Ross's girls took their turn feeding calves, and I think they all drove truck for us at one time or another.

If any of you men or children want to know what made your wife or mother the wonderful strong devoted person they are.  The answer in large part is growing up in Juniper.  They always had it in them; they just got to exercise it.  And find out exactly what they were made of in a little patch of hallowed paradise we like to call Juniper.

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FYI, for anybody who has not had the privilege of splitting out their pants, it is not the hay going down your pants that is the problem... just sayin.  

P.S. I swear I split my pants out every day for a week that summer... good times.

The Girl Made of Steel

Hey everyone!  Thanks so much for the positive feedback.  I am really excited about this blog and can't wait to hear from you all!  

Jerica sent me this story today.  I was amazed at how tough she was that day, but reading and thinking about it now as an ER nurse gives the story a whole new angle for me.  One of the ER docs I work with talks about the "overall sign" meaning if you see a guy come in with muddy boots, dirty overalls (thus... overall sign), and calloused hands-you gotta take him seriously-this is not a guy who comes in for frivolous stuff.  Not only do you have to take him seriously, you have to dig deep, this is a guy who will down play everything!  It kills me the stuff that comes to the ER by ambulance every day, I always think "REALLY?  My parents wouldn't have even taken me to the doctors office!"  So it makes me laugh that Jerica-run over by a ginormous truck-has to wait in the pick-up for the rest of us to finish picking up the hay! Definately a positive "overall sign".  

Enjoy!

From Jerica:

During the summer of '98, we were down in the hay fields going around to pick up the last of hay bales. Joe and I were riding on the running board of the old Ford truck half full of hay with a few people on top and Catie was driving. For some reason, I thought it would be fun to keep leaning back while holding onto the door/side mirror of the truck. I had done it a few times and each time Catie had told me to quite leaning back and get in the cab with her. We were turning at the end of a field to go put the hay loader onto the side of the truck. Right when we turned I leaned back and lost my grip. I remember falling off laughing and as I was laughing I saw both sets of dually tires coming right for me. I thought I should role to my left and try to avoid it but I couldn't move so all four tires came on top of me from my right hip to my left shoulder. The truck had stopped and people were yelling trying to figure out what had happened. I looked up and saw people peering over the top of the truck. Joe had told me not to move but I just got up and started crying for my dad. Joe had said he thought I was dead and it was a traumatizing experience for him. I'm pretty sure it was that way for a lot of us that day. My dad grabbed me and brought me to the pickup where I had to stay there until they were all done. Brad and Doug were at the pickup too and started yelling at me. I was crying but no tears were coming. I couldn't believe what had just happened. 

When we got back to the dairy, my dad put me in the Suburban and went to tell my mom to take me into the hospital. I wanted Catie to come with us (of all people, the one who ran me over). When we got to the hospital, we went in for x-rays and it killed me to lay on my right side for the x-ray. Turned out, it was just a fracture on my pelvis. No other injuries. I stayed in the hospital for about a week and I was told to stay on the crutches for at least two weeks. When I got home, I lasted a few days on the crutches and decided I could walk without them. By that next Sunday I was crutch free but limping. As far as I know, today I am functioning normal :)