Sheriff Without a Gun

This is a touching story from Doug.  I think we can all appreciate his sentiments.

“Sheriff Without a Gun”

              In “The Andy Griffith” show Sheriff Andy Taylor refuses to carry a gun. Many find this so odd and so outrageous that a Sheriff would not carry a gun that they; print newspaper articles about it, make TV shows about it and a movie about it. Andy Taylor is a man you can trust. He is a friend to everybody. And he will always do the right thing and never let you down. Andy Taylor does not need a gun, he is respected.

              Having been raised on a Dairy I was taught that when you die there are four Kingdoms of Glory. I would imagine that most are familiar with these but for those who weren't aware of the fourth let me just say that it is a special place prepared for the Dairymen. Where God having realized the hardships associated with dairy cows allows a few more things to slide. Most common among these is swearing. Now it is just impossible to work with an animal as stubborn as a milk cow and not cuss just a little bit, or so Dairy Lore would have you believe. Even more incredible to me than a "Sheriff without a gun" is a dairyman who will not swear. Earlier on it came to my attention that Uncle Ross did not swear. I had my doubts as to whether or not that was even possible for a dairyman so I began to pay close attention.  Ross has never let me down. As I saw his example I thought to myself, if he can do it then I can do it. Turns out as colorful as a milk parlor can be some nights, construction job sites can be much worse. And when I am in those situations, still, I think of Ross.

              This may seem like a very small and insignificant thing to some of you, but for me it is huge it has allowed me to have a much greater degree of self-respect and to think that at least in one thing no matter the situation you can count on me to do the right thing.

               I have often thought, “Wouldn't it be nice to raise my kids in Mayberry.” As I have pondered on this I have realized that I can. I just have to surround my kids with people like Uncle Ross who, like Andy Taylor, is a man you can trust. A friend to everyone. And who no matter what will always do the right thing and never let you down.

“The Dairyman Who won’t Swear”

Thank You Uncle Ross

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

Happy Mother's Day Juniper!

They say it takes a village to raise a child, I am so glad my village was Juniper.  A village where people care about people, and people help people.  Juniper has played a vital role in my upbringing.  Today I want to pay special tribute to the Juniper moms. 

You have cooked for me.  You have let me stay in your homes.  You have sent sandwiches to the field.  You have cheered me on.  You have fought for me.  You have been my 4-H leaders.  You have coordinated community get-togethers.  You have been my primary teachers.  You have cut my hair.  You have shared hand-me-downs.  You have taught me the piano.  You have shared from your fruit trees and gardens.  You have shared goodies.  You have opened your home to me on occasions when snow would not permit me to get to my own.  You have lent baking supplies.  You have taught me various crafts.  You have taught me to work.  You have come without question when I called with a concern when my mom was away from home.  You have showed me how to serve, and allowed me to serve by your side.  You have shared stories and experiences with me.    You have shared your talents.  You have shared your kids.  You have rallied around my family on multiple occasions when we needed a helping hand. 

For this and many other services I am forever in your debt.  Thank you and Happy Mother’s Day Juniper!

Sissies

From Utahna:

The earliest thing I remember (besides running from deadly roosters--do you guys remember those?!?) was when  Jami and I were in charge of feeding the pigs.  It was not uncommon for dad to come in after dark and ask if we had fed the pigs.  A few,  OK, lots of times we had to answer  "no".  So, we would have to go feed the pigs in the dark.  No, it couldn't wait 'til morning because that was our responsibility to feed them every day.  We got to eat today and the pigs needed food too.  So Jami and I would walk hand in hand shaking from fear of the dark (at least mine was) to feed the pigs.  That was a long walk too I assure you. But you better believe we didn't forget to feed our pigs again... for a while... you know at least a day or two :) No, I really am grateful for this simple lesson taught at a young age of being dependable.  The other lesson learned is sisters are always there for you!

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I only remember being sent out to feed the pigs after dark once, it was quite frightening.  It was dark and there was just enough of a breeze to make the extension piece wired to the auger make an eerie squeaking noise... you know the noise that interrupts the silence right before the bad guy jumps out in a horror flick?!?  I remember holding hands as well (let's not figure out how old we might have been).  And the shaking... a mix of fear and anger. I'm sure Dad took some undeserved verbal hits that night.  But I too am grateful for the lesson I was taught this night (and apparently on other occasions this is just the one that stuck in my mind) to be dependable and do the job you agreed to do.  And I am SOOOO grateful for Utahna.  Once we decided we didn't want to kill each other I had the best, most loyal friend for life a girl could ever ask for.  Love you sis!

And yes, yes, I remember running from deadly roosters!  It was the only way to get to Kristen and Catie's!

Character

Sanford (photo courtesy the Campbell family) 

From Juel:

I remember plowing one spring when a few snowdrifts remained in the fields, and also a few wet spots. As I was plowing, I unfortunately ended up in the middle of a wet spot and buried both the plow and the D-5.   Well, with a little effort and the D-6 we were able to retrieve them both.   Sanford could tell I was feeling a bit bad about what had happened, so he related to me the following story (Anyone who knows this story feel free to correct me.)

When the petroleum pipeline was being laid in 1950 or 60 something, Sanford was plowing snow for them down where the underpass is now,  by Jose and Christine’s house.   The workers had gotten a truck stuck, so Sanford backed up to them with the D-6 and they hooked a chain to the back axle of the truck.  Sanford got the chain taut and then pulling forward proceeded in their efforts to extract the truck.  Well, Sanford felt something give so he poured on the coal, when he turned around he noticed the men all wore long faces. . .looking down to the end of his chain he saw the rear-end axle and wheels. Have you got a mental picture? When Sanford turned around he could see the “BIG BOSS” of the project coming down the road.  He hurriedly backed up, got the chain unhooked, climbed back into his rig and commenced plowing snow.  He told me he kept his nose pointed forward and didn't look to the right or the left as he passed the “Big Boss.”  Upon returning to the scene of the crime later that day,  the workers told him he did well to leave quickly;  because when the boss saw  what had happened,  he was not just upset. . . he was furious and chewed his men up one side and down the other.  However, they said about a half hour later the “Big Boss” returned and apologized to his men.  Thanking them for their efforts, he told them the only ones who do not make mistakes are those who don’t try.  He complimented them on the great job they were doing and encouraged them to keep it up. 

Preachy I know,  but contrast that to another story he told me about when they were drilling the exploratory oil well up Glen Canyon.  It seems like the well depth was down to about 600 to 700 feet when a worker accidentally dropped a hammer down the hole.   It took them two days to fish out that hammer before they could continue to drill.  When they finally got it out, the “Boss” handed the hammer to the worker who had dropped it and promptly said, “You’re fired!”  The worker took the hammer and this time deliberately dropped it down the hole.

Stories like these are important; they can help shape our character.  What kind of boss or leader do you want to be remembered as?   How have you allowed Juniper to shape and define your character?