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Post by imahic on Mar 7, 2022 0:03:37 GMT -6
Thanks for the new chapters. Finally caught up and eagerly waiting for the next chapters. Appreciate your efforts. You tell a great story.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 7, 2022 9:21:07 GMT -6
Chapter 59
Gil reset the timers on the automatic wildlife feeders to spread half as much feed and only once a day. This would force the animals to be forced to forage for their own food and only use the feeders a supplementary food source. On the way back, he stopped by the charcoal kiln and it had burned out and was cold. It was a nasty job but this batch was all oak and he wanted it bagged for cooking. He stopped by the greenhouse and the women had all the beds planted and they were carefully watering and pulling the stray weeds out. Mollie was out in the Garden thinning carrots out and Grace was setting up the tomato cages. Gil went back to the Gator and drove up to the chicken coop and emptied the partially full bag of grain into the bin for the automatic chicken feeders. He helped Allie finish cleaning out the dirty sawdust and spread new cedar sawdust.
Gil and Trace took two more steers to Mr. Hirschfeld for slaughter. He would pick up their replacements at the end of the week. Colt and Brad were up at the pasture marking the parameters of the pasture expansion for the logging crew who would be coming in next week to cut the trees. There were some trees that could be used for board footage but a lot of trees were nothing but trash trees. He use most of it to fire the kiln or to make charcoal in the future.
Carla watched as the workers worked the wet concrete for the clinic slab. Finally! She was on the way to getting the clinic built. She heard the Rokon pull up behind her and she turned.
"I finished putting the backrubbers up around the mineral stations. Have you ordered the insecticide tags?" Jerry asked.
"Yes, they should be here Friday. Are you going to need help getting the cattle tagged?"
"Not really. The dogs and I can manage it."
Tate finished doing the heavy earth moving with the bulldozer as Gil ran the Firminator, planting a mixture of clover and pasture grasses. The steers didn't even go near the newly disturbed ground, having plenty of grass to eat in the other areas.
With nothing to do the next day but help do what little weeding in the garden that needed to be done, Gil started another still of sawdust to distill alcohol. He had the timing down so he could leave the still for a while to help out elsewhere. There really wasn't that much weeding to do. Heavy applications of mulch pretty much kept the weeds at bay. Gil was soon back to fully taking care of the still, already emptying two Jerry cans into the drum. He had two more drums to fill giving them a total of fourteen fifty-five gallon drums of methanol on hand. The only time he would distill any more is when they emptied a drum.
Trace and Colt were working on a project for the women. Although they had purchased two ringer washing tubs to do laundry under lock-down conditions in the Chamber complex, the women wanted something a little less backbreaking. Grace had bought two Speed Queen Deluxe Wringer vintage washing machines and they worked as they should. What they needed was more power to run them to keep the battery bank from draining. Trace scrounged up another generator head and mounted one of the 1 /1/2hp hit and miss engines running alcohol to power it. With the addition of a fuse box and a couple of outlets they would be able to use them in the Chamber without any noxious fumes. Whatever made the women happy. The bottom line was, they either got the washing machines working or the men would do the laundry.
The lumber shed was overflowing so they had to start stacking the kiln dried lumber elsewhere and tarping it. Gil purchased several 20' x 28' heavy duty lumber tarps to store the lumber out in the open. The majority of it was oak and would be used for their local construction projects.
"Gil? Gary. I've put in an offer on a piece of property near you, in fact, it abuts one of your fields."
"Where?"
"Next to the field by the old 'Meth Lane' property on Old Highway 11. There's around twelve acres total. Six closest to the road is part residential and part commercial, although it's all zoned residential. The rest in back is a mixture of fields and trees."
"Well, we'll find a use for it. Let me know when you've tied all the knots."
"Will do."
Gil walked over to the still and checked the temperature and opened the propane valve a little more. There was a steady stream of alcohol flowing from the condenser tube into the Jerry can. Marty drove by, checking his hives. Marty had set up ten hives here this year on this side of the ridge and two on the other side near the pasture. The bees loved the clover blooms in the pasture. He'd also set up four hives over at Peaceful Meadows. He was expecting a bumper crop of honey this year. Gil thought he might get an extra five gallons for mead this year.
The authorities never mentioned anything to Gil about Dickerson and Pendleton again. The coroner wrote it up as "natural causes." It was a strange coincidence that both died at the same time but they had no incriminating evidence either pathologically or forensically to state otherwise.
Gil still hadn't figured what to do with the "Meth Lane" property. He was going to go over later and talk to Jerry and Carla later today about it. In fact, as soon as the still cooked off, he'd head over there to give the still and sawdust time to cool down. Gil tapped the still with the billy club he'd sat there and whittled out of a piece of hickory. The still was about one-third full. He walked to the edge of the shelter and gazed around. He was happy he had come back here. So many amazing things had happened to him here and would no doubt continue to happen. He just hoped he wasn't forgetting anything.
Gil's thoughts carried over to Peaceful Meadows. They had plenty of space over there to build and he was considering putting a couple of storage buildings over there. Well, some people might call them warehouses. He could put them on the back southeast corner of the property and he could store some of the things he'd accumulated at estate sales and were currently in his shipping containers. The "collection" consisted of items from the late1800s to the early 1900s back when no one had tractors or electricity. Many saw them as antiques or just curiosities but Gil saw use for them. He all sorts of hand tools he was cleaning up and setting aside.
The stream from the condenser tub finally slowed to drips so Gil shut the gas burner off. As Gil turned the valve off, he stared at the burner. "Why can't we use methanol to heat the still? They have pressurized alcohol camping stoves, why couldn't they have a pressurized methanol burner?" He'd put Trace on it.
After turning the burner off and emptying the Jerry can into the drum, Gil went to the house.
"Gil, I think you have a message on your satphone." Grace said.
Gil picked up the phone and unlocked it.
"Coming in tomorrow afternoon. Can you put me up overnight? Bill."
Gil responded. "Come on in. Cabin ready."
"I wonder what surprises he's bringing with him." Gil thought.
He ate lunch with Grace and the twins. Billy was at Walters State for his first week of college. Finishing his lunch, he headed over to Peaceful Meadows.
When Gil got there, Carla was unpacking some boxes in the house and inventorying her supplies. There were piles of stuff all over the place.
"Sorry for the mess. I wanted to get my orders verified and be ready to get things put away as soon as soon as the clinic was finished." Carla said.
"Don't mention it. They say when everything would be finished?"
"Everything, turn-key, will be completed in a about two weeks."
"That's not bad. Make sure you call us when the heavy stuff comes in." Gil said.
"Well, some of it, they'll send equipment installers. The portable x-ray machine is the biggest thing I'll need help with. It weighs around four hundred pounds."
"We've got plenty of strong backs and a fork lift. We can get it moved."
"Why didn't you tell me Jerry had a prosthetic?"
"Didn't think it would make any difference. It didn't to me."
Carla frowned. "How did he lose his foot?"
"That's for Jerry to tell you, Carla."
Gil pulled out his radio and called Jerry to come to the house. When Jerry got there he told Jerry and Carla about the warehouse or warehouses.
"It won't be in our way Gil. You're the boss." Jerry said.
"Well, I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to interfere with any plans the two of you were making."
"Nope. It's cool." Jerry said and Carla nodded.
Good. As soon as Harold and his crew are through with your barn, I'll start them on it."
"That's an awful expensive barn, making it all out of oak, isn't it?" Carla asked.
"Not really. The lumber came of the land here and we milled it ourselves. Just a little work and the cost of getting it kiln dried." Gil replied.
"Well, thank you for the lumber then. It's going to be a good, strong barn."
"Well, I'd better get going. I need to talk to Trace." Gil said.
Jerry went back out to his trailer and Carla continued with her inventory.
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Post by biggkidd on Mar 7, 2022 10:57:46 GMT -6
I was wondering when he get around to burning methanol to make ethanol! lmao That's a mouth full.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 7, 2022 13:28:17 GMT -6
Just make sure to get the right mouthful, or you might be sorry.
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 7, 2022 20:51:29 GMT -6
Chapter 60
Gil looked up from the watermelon plants as the Pilatus was just touching down on the airstrip. Walking out of the garden, he took the Gator to where Bill had parked the PC-6. Bill pulled a travel pack out of the plane and brought it over to the Gator.
"All right to leave it sitting there?"
"Yeah, no problem." Gil answered.
Gil dropped Bill off at the guest cabin and told him he'd meet him on the deck. Gil parked the Gator and went into the house, coming out with an unopened bottle of River Bank Whiskey and two glasses and poured three fingers in each glass. Bill came out of the cabin and made his way over and sat at the table, picking up the glass and taking a swallow.
"How are things around the Swamp? Gil asked
"A mess. A lot of people still haven't figured out socialism is like a poisonous gas. It sneaks up on you and all of a sudden you're dead. The Democrat Party is an existential threat to survival of this Country. A lot of good people are going to suffer before the socialist are brought to their knees or hung by their necks for the traitors they are. I may be calling for some of that rope you make." Bill said, grinning."
"Then, it's business as usual." Gil said.
"Pretty much, but a lot of the guys in the agencies are doing some advanced planning and making preparations."
"A mass exodus?" Gil asked.
"Not so that you'd notice it….at first. All of a sudden a lot of people won't be available. Hey, I've been getting up some stuff for you,"
"What?"
"Well, because of the economy, everybody is cutting back, tourism has taken a nose-dive and a lot of small attractions are shutting down. Many of these attractions are private museums. I've been sending out small acquisition teams to buy up a lot of stuff in ones and twos."
"How do you do that?" Gil asked.
"Let's say that we need a lot of pencils that Walmart sells exclusively. Do we go to a Walmart and buy a lot of pencils? Hell no! By our security regs, we buy a few pencils at dozens of Walmart stores so no one sees we've bought a lot of pencils. Waste. And none of the acquisitions people, under threat of imprisonment, can even mention their purchases. So, I've got you three truckloads filled with hit and miss engines, logging equipment, horse-drawn plows and implements, a few wagons, and a hell of a lot of hand tools. If things go back to the stone age, you might need them."
"How do you get away with things like that?"
"It's all under the guise of setting up and equipping secret training camps. I set up one once that everything looked European. In the buildings, the light switches, wiring and outlets were all European made the pencils and paper were European made, everything. It was only used in winter so none of the students ever caught on.
"You know Bill, there's room for you here if the SHTF."
"No thanks buddy. Even you are too close to the fools who will cause the Big Mess when it goes down. Nope, I've got a ranch out a ways from Puerto De Luna, New Mexico with a deep well and plenty of water and I can see anyone coming for two miles and a rifle that I can hit a #10 can at a mile. I've been stocking up for a few years and have a trusted family as caretakers, a few horses and mules and a small herd of cattle and a dozen sheep. Nope, when it's time, I'll be headed there. One thing I want to get is a Maule like yours. Where did you buy it?"
"Only dealer in the U.S. down in Moultrie, Georgia at the old Spence Field. It's only a two hour flight down there. I could fly you down early in the morning, you could order your plane, and we'd be back here right after lunch. No one would have ever know you'd been there."
"Yeah but I'd have to go pick it up when it was ready."
"Billy could fly down with me and I could fly it back. Keep it here until you're ready for it. Hell, if you were making a run for it you could land that PC-6 in the pasture across the river and I could pick you up. We could hide the plane until things cooled down. You could fly to new Mexico from here. From here to Albuquerque it's about three refuelings."
"I don't need to go as far as that, but that would work." Bill said.
Gil looked at his watch. "We've got two more hours we can drink if we're going to fly," and poured another three fingers in Bill's glass.
The next morning they ate breakfast and took off as soon as it was light enough to see and set course for Moultrie, Georgia. Once they reached cruising altitude, Gil turned the plane over to Bill. Bill really liked it. The weather was accommodating the it was an easy flight. They landed at Spence Field and Gil taxied over to the Maule hangar. Gil went in and sat and listened as the salesman offered the different models to Bill. Bill finally decided on the M-9-260 which had a shorter take-off roll and could fly 2 adults plus 250 lbs. of equipment and over 7 hours of fuel. Bill filled out the paperwork, although he gave a different name that the I.D. he showed matched and wrote a check out right there. Grinning, they were taking off by 11:30.
"Carson Billings?" Gil asked Bill.
"My mother liked the name Carson." Bill said.
Gil handed the plane off to Bill and he flew it the rest of the way home and landed.
"One other thing." Carson…uh…Bill said. "I need to bury one more container, a forty footer."
"Should I ask what's in it?" Gil asked.
"Oh! I'll tell you. There will be FIM-92C Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which have been equipped with new proximity fuses and FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles."
"Holy crap Bill!"
They need to be buried but accessible. The container will have two large side opening doors. A tech will come out once a year and do a battery check and/or replace batteries. However, they might not be here that long for even that. Depends."
"Yeah, okay, I'll figure out a place for them."
Bill and Gil fueled up the PC-6 and the Maule and shook hands. Gil watched as Bill's plane took off and using tug, moved the Maule back into the hangar.
Saturday morning, Tate unrolled the banner a little bit and pounded the first stake in, then unrolled the nine foot banner and pounded the other stake in. Then throwing the hammer into the back of his truck and before anyone got a good look at the banner, he headed up the drive, kicking up gravel. He didn't want to be there when the women finally got a good look at the banner and the word spread.
On the banner was the image a stork carrying a baby.
Less than thirty minutes later the "Tell-A-Woman" net was active and Gator and other vehicles were quickly converging on Tate and Glenda's cabin.
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Post by udwe on Mar 7, 2022 21:58:07 GMT -6
Awesome!
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Post by gipsy on Mar 7, 2022 23:03:53 GMT -6
Perhaps SHFT time is approaching.Sure seems like it at home.
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 8, 2022 15:58:20 GMT -6
Chapter 61
Carla and Jerry stared at Gil in astonishment for several long seconds.
"You're not just pulling our legs, are you?" Jerry asked.
"No, I am more serious than anyone you've ever met in your life. Usually, the Sagartotisa, Shaman Priestess, would have visited you by now in your dreams. I guess she's leaving more of this in my hands. She and the Sagartotiso, the Shaman Priest, gave Jacinta and the ability to immediately recognize those who do not belong in the Sacred Lands and we manage to steer them way without them being hurt. Dickerson and that other guy slipped by us and they came on the Sacred Lands and stayed too long."
"What about my clinic? What if the wrong people bring their…."
"Relax Carla. The Sacred lands only come up to the back side of this property. The Foundation owns it on paper but in reality is a front to help keep the Lands safe from those who would desecrate the Lands with their greed. I bought the last lands up to provide a buffer to help keep trespassers out so they don't die, but if they are so vehement in their desires, there's nothing we can do. They will simply die and if their bodies are never found, they will just become another mystery. That's a little unlikely in these times because like Dickerson, they leave some sign they've come onto the property, like Dickerson leaving his truck."
"What about The people living close to the Lands? Aren't they in danger?" Carla asked.
"No. Either they are 'trusted' or they, from what I can gather, start having bad dreams and move away. The Foundation is slowly and quietly buying up land around adjoining the Lands to keep those the Sagartotisa deems undesirable. Those properties will only be available for lease to trusted people. It's no different than what people consider property ownership today, they just don't have to pay taxes on it. They can build on it and use it as they see fit as long as they don't dishonor the land."
"But…how would they know if they were doing something wrong?"
"Carla, have you ever been somewhere you've suddenly developed a feeling you needed to leave as soon as you can or start to do something that you immediately think wouldn't be a good idea?"
"Oh…."
"So, welcome to the invisible Clan. I think you'll find your lives won't change, in some ways will be even better. Just continue to do the things you've been doing and follow your instincts."
"WHEW! Jerry said, pushing his hat up on his forehead. That's quite a wad to chew on. Well, nothing has given me a bad feeling or hurt me so far, except that fence post staple the other day, so I guess I'm okay."
"Gil thanks for telling us. It opens my eyes to a lot of things." Carla said.
"Not to just change the subject, but Harold and his crew will be starting work on the new warehouses. Jerry, I have a hell of lot of oak lumber. I want you to take a look at the "Meth" property, jeez, I hate calling it that, let's start calling it the 'Pond' property because it has a pond in back. Anyway, take a look at the Pond property and think of how we can fence it with a strong oak fence. You know, gates and such. It could be used to keep bulls in or whatever."
"Sure thing Gil."
"Well, I'll let you folks get back to whatever you were doing. How's the clinic, Carla?"
Carla smiled. "Great! It looks like they be finished a few days earlier."
"If the power requirements aren't up to what you need, let me know and I'll have Drake come up and get it right."
"I will Gil."
"Gil, come down to the forge." Trace said over the radio.
Gil put the put the loose coins back in the bag. He'd been sorting and wrapping junk silver, trying to catch up some. Grabbing his hat, he headed to the forge building.
Walking in he walked up to Trace and a….he didn't know what it was at first.
"Okay." Trace said. I had to build a totally new burner with the right size orifices, but I think I have this figured out. I have a compressor that keeps pressure on the fuel tank to operating levels. If the pressure falls too low in the fuel tank, the compressor comes on and builds the pressure back up before it effects the flame in the burner. I added a piezo igniter so you don't need matches to light the burner."
The gauge showed 130 psi on the tank. Trace opened the valve to the tank and pressed the igniter and the flames came out of the burner like tiny jets. He adjusted the amount of fuel going in and changed the flames up and down.
"Looks like it will work. Get it hooked up and I'll do a trial run in the morning."
"Roger that."
"You got any more of that liniment?" Glen asked.
"Sure, here. How are the joints?." Jarrod asked.
"Greased up like a pig."
"You can cut back on the Jello. Just eat it when your joints get dry. How often do you use the liniment?"
"Just when the weather's turning. It takes the aches right away."
"I was about to head down to Potato Hill to dig some ginseng, want to ride along?"
Nah, I've got a basket design I'm working on and I don't need any ginseng."
"You sure? It good for your virility." Jarrod grinned.
"My virility is just fine, thank you. Ask those two widows down in Mooresburg."
Jarrod was still grinning when Glen left. He got a couple of digging tools and a plastic bag and put them in his pack along with his water bottle.
"Come on Beau, let's go."
Beau jumped up and waited as Jarrod got on and started the Rokon.
Trace was at the still the next morning when Gil arrived. He was connecting a new propane tank to the portable burner.
"Aren't we were going to run methanol this morning?" Gil asked.
"I know. But what I don't know is what the burn rate under pressure is going to be. That's why I've got the propane as backup in case the methanol runs out . It's not going to be worthwhile if you have to burn twenty gallons of methanol to make fifteen gallons. And I want you to run it until the sawdust is almost burning. You've been distilling like you're doing to drink it. Don't worry if it scorches a little. Just don't blow it up.
Gil added the sawdust and water, opened the valve to the fuel tank, pressed the piezo igniter and the burner lit like a jet engine. Gil adjusted the flame and stood back to look at it.
"I hope this works." Gil said, sitting down and taking a drink of water out of the steel water bottle.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 8, 2022 16:19:27 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 10, 2022 7:07:49 GMT -6
Chapter 62
Gil measured he last of the Jerry can and poured it into the drum.
"Well, that brings it to…17.38 gallons."
Trace slowly bled off the pressure from the fuel tank and started draining the fuel from it, measuring how much was still in it.
"Well, looks like you used 4,48 gallons to make 17.38 gallons. Not bad."
"Well, I guess we can call this a success." Gil grinned.
"Yeah, it did better than I thought.
"One less thing we have to use propane for."
"I'll make some more burners to have on hand, maybe some smaller ones too, about the sizes of a stove burner. Might come in handy."
"I've got stainless steel. Try using that." Gil said.
"I will. "When are those trucks coming in?"
"I haven't a clue. Bill just said they were coming. Harold is supposed to get started on the warehouses today and I don't want to rush him but we need those buildings as soon as possible." Gil said.
"I'll go over and pitch in. I know Colt and Brad will too."
"Yeah, I'm heading over there as soon as I get this equipment cleaned up. I need to let it cool down."
"Okay, I'll see you later."
It was later in the afternoon before Gil was able to go to Peaceful Meadows. He drove the hovercraft over and parked next to the area the equipment had cleared.. Don had sent a couple of guys over with a D6 and had done the earthwork a couple of days before. The concrete crew was staking out the forms for the concrete floor and Harold and two other guys were marking where they would embed the bolts for the post flanges. Trace and Colt were working with the tractor and earth blade cutting shallow drainage areas for the water to drain away from the building.
Harold walked over to Gil was standing.
"You sure you've got enough lumber to do this?"
Gil chuckled. "I've got enough 8x8 oak posts to do another two of these, and poplar boards running out my ears. It'll free up space over at the sawmill.
"Okay then. We'll start cutting the joints to timber frame as soon as you get the lumber over here."
"We'll start hauling in the morning. I'll get you a telehandler over here too."
Gil walked over and told Trace and Colt they'd start moving the posts and beams in the morning.
"That's going to be some heavy loads," Colt said.
"We'll use the logging truck. Harold wants to start cutting and fitting while the concrete dries. They can get the bents built ahead of time and just lift them into place."
THe three grabbed rebar tying hooks and pitched in to help get the steel in.
The next day they hauled four loads of oak 8x8s, 3x8s and 3x10s before they stopped to help Carla move some heavy equipment into the clinic. A few of the women were there to help her arrange everything. Carla had an attractive sign for both the building and one for display next to the road. After getting the x-ray machine where she wanted it, they went back to hauling lumber.
Gil walked through the cornfield and the soil was getting a little dry. He'd get the guys out tomorrow and let them show off their irrigation pump. He walked the perimeter of the field and saw the sunflowers were up and looking good. He'd have to come down and start staking them or the heads would pull the stalks right over. Gil got back into the Gator drove the Gator to the sawmill and started selecting slabs to start ripping into stakes.
Carla's first customer was a lady whose Cocker Spaniel had what she diagnosed as a Botfly larvae embedded in its back. Carla asked the lady if she had taken the dog out of country and she said she and the dog had been down to the Yucatan to visit Mayan ruins. Carla removed the larvae, cleaned and applied antiseptic to the area. The lady was ecstatic. Carla gave the dog a treat out of the jar on the counter and the lady a refrigerator magnet. Carla smiled to herself as she watched the lady and her dog get into the car and drive away. She entered the woman and dog's information into her computer and went into the exam room to clean the area.
"Gil, I was on the SFHQ website last night and saw a message for you from a Eric Douglas. He left a contact number."
"Eric Douglas. Last I heard he was in Walter Reed. Got his leg shot up all to hell. I'll check the site tonight an get his number."
Gil looked on the website on the BTB (Blind Transmission Broadcast) page and found the message. He wrote the number down and looked at his watch. It was too late to call tonight.
Gil called Eric the next day after lunch.
"Eric, Gil Conner. How are you?"
"Gil, good to hear from you. I'm fine as a frog's hair. Just soaking up the sun at Nags Head."
"You getting around all right?"
"You mean my leg? Yeah, I argued with a doctor for weeks about not taking it and finally a new doctor came in and looked me over. Most of my leg is made out of titanium now, but it works. I've got some scars and can't run as fast as I used to but I get around well enough."
"I saw your message on the SF website. What do you need?"
"Nothing, I saw a guy that looked like you in a bar one night, of course it wasn't you, but it got me wondering where you had gotten to. From what I heard, you just packed up and drove away. No one seemed to know where you went."
"Well, I'm in east Tennessee now. I inherited some land and decided to settle down here. It is beautiful area. I'm right on a river and just a few miles above Cherokee Lake."
"Sounds nice."
"You still with Sherry?"
There was silence over the connection. "When Sherry found out I was going to lose my leg, she skipped. Said she didn't sign up to take care of a cripple."
"Damn! Sorry Eric. Maybe it's just as well. So, have you scooped up another woman?"
"I've dated a bunch but I've skipped the light fandango just about enough. These civilians aren't real, they are all phonies and the women are just too superficial.
"I told you Eric how it would be. They live in their own world. What are you doing now?"
"Taking stock, my friend. I'm getting out of Nags Head and going somewhere. I don't know where, but I'll know it when I see it. I haven't accumulated much and I just need to pack my Yukon and trailer and hit the closest interstate and put the miles behind me.
"Why don't you head this way and spend a few days. I make some pretty good sippin' whiskey."
"Dog gone it! I just might do that. Sent me your coordinates and I'll give you a call."
"I'll do that. I think you'll find this place more relaxing than the North Carolina beaches."
They said their good byes and Gil broke the connection. Gil was glad Eric didn't lose his leg. Eric had been a great soldier and he'd stand by him any day.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 10, 2022 8:39:05 GMT -6
Another protector for the lands. Time to build another cabin. Thanks for the update.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Mar 10, 2022 20:10:14 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 10, 2022 20:46:01 GMT -6
Chapter 63
They had decent rain for the corn this year up to the last couple of weeks. It was critical they keep the corn adequately watered from here on out until just before they were ready to harvest. He'd delayed irrigating to reduce leaching the nutrients out of the soil during the vegetative growth period and now they would have to be careful to keep sufficient moisture during the reproductive growth stages.
Gil watched as Trace set up the equipment and helped the roll out the hoses. When Trace cranked the hit and miss the lines quickly filled and the sprayers started shooting water across the field. Colt had set up a rain gauge so they could get a rough estimate of how much water that portion of the field was getting. As soon as the gauge read three inches, they'd move the sprayers. The gauge method wasn't completely accurate, but it got them in the ballpark.
On his way to the sawmill to cut more stakes for the sunflowers, he got a call from Eric.
"Yes Eric."
"Sunday too early to stop buy? I need to stop in Black Mountain to pick up some things."
"No, not at all. You've got a place here anytime."
"Okay then, I'll see you Sunday afternoon."
Gil smiled. He might not have to find another caretaker after all.
Jacinta paddled the 16' Mista Shipu wooden canoe along the eastern side of the river. There was little to no current, unlike the Mishtashipu River, or the Churchill River as many called it, as it neared the Bay, so it was easy paddling. It just made her route longer for her to get the exercise she wanted. A moderate pace from her cottage to the just around the peninsula pointing toward the Cherokee Lake campground gave her the workout she like. If she was feeling froggy, she'd sprint the last mile back.
Getting back to her cottage, Jacinta carried the canoe back up to the garage and strung it back up on the suspension system. She went in and took a quick shower, listening to Carmen still complaining about not being allowed to accompany Jacinta. The problem was a Peregrine Falcon had nest near the end of the peninsula. She had seen one take a Wood duck right out of the air so Jacinta didn't want to take any chances. Carmen would make a tasty meal for the falcon's young.
Jacinta got dress and got a few shelled Brazil nuts and placed them in Carmen's nut bowl. And got ready to leave. Carmen watched her but didn't bitch. As long as she had the nuts to pig out on she was happy.
Carla got her '42 Dodge back from the sign painters. On each front door was her logo for the clinic and the phone number. She was now getting two to three animal patients a day and in between them she outfitted the truck to make visits to farms for the larger animals. She heard a motorcycle drive up outside. Going to the front door, she saw Jarrod with a fawn laid over the fuel tank of the Rokon. She opened the door and Jarrod walked through carrying the fawn. Hurrying ahead, she led him into an exam room.
"What happened?"
"Coyote attacked the fawn. I killed the coyote but it had already done some damage to the fawn's leg."
"Can you hold her for me? I need to clean the blood away."
Although Jarrod held the fawn down, it was docile, like it knew they were trying to help it. Carla cleaned the blood off and found no deep wounds. All she had to do was clean the puncture wounds and apply some antiseptic ointment and gave it a shot. Jarrod set the fawn on the floor and it took a few tentative steps and looked around. Let's take her out back and put her in one of the pens. I'll make sure nothing gets infected."
The fawn was young enough to still be nursing so Carla mixed up some formula and fed her. Soon, the fawn laid down in the hay, favoring it's left hip, but was calm.
"That Willow Bark Extract may help her with the pain." Jarrod said.
"Couldn't hurt. I'll go get it."
Carla hurried to the house and brought the extract back. Taking a cotton ball, she dabbed the extract on the leg. The fawn didn't show any signs of distress or relief so she didn't know if it was helping or not, but like she'd said, it couldn't hurt.
"Well, we'll see how she is in the morning. I don't know what we'll do with her. After a doe abandons a fawn, they usually don't come back." Carla said.
"Well, when she gets better, I can take her back to my camp with me."
"Well, just so she doesn't starve."
"Gil? Jimmy. Fuel prices are getting ready to go up. You want to top off?"
"Yeah, might as well Jimmy. I'll need about 300 gallons of Avgas too."
"The 100LL?"
"Yeah. Why don't you and Doris come up for the weekend?"
"I'll check with Doris, but yeah, I think we can. I'll just schedule the trucks to come up Friday."
"Good, looking forward to seeing you two."
"Okay Gil. If there are any changes I'll give you a call."
"Okay Jimmy. Later."
Gil went down to the cornfield and the guys had moved the sprayers and were watering the second third. They might increase their yield by fifteen to twenty percent this year. He went to the row of sunflowers and began staking the worst ones up and tying the stalks to the stakes with strips of old inner tube. He ran out of stakes and went back to cut more. As he was picking out slabs, Jacinta came up and started helping him rip the slabs into stakes. While he had the help, Gil decided to make twice as the many as he thought he'd need. When he had them all cut to length they loaded them on the Gator and Jacinta got in with him. They took turns riding on the back to drive the stakes into the ground by the plant and the other would tie it off. They moved along the row of sunflowers fairly quickly and got all the sunflowers that were starting to lean staked and tied up.
"Where's Carmen?" Gil asked.
"She was a little pissed because I wouldn't let her go canoeing with me earlier. There's a Peregrine Falcon that has a nest down around Cherokee Lake Campground and I didn't want her to become a target. I left her with a handful of nuts. She'll be all right when I get back. Are you going to stake the rest of them out? Better do it while you've got free labor."
Gil grinned. "Let's go."
They had to go back and cut more stakes but they got them all staked out.
"Do you have plans for Sunday afternoon?" Gil asked.
"No, not really."
"Well, come over. We're having a cookout and I have some friends from Greeneville I want you to meet."
"Okay, Sunday it is." Jacinta said.
They rode back to the equipment barn and put the tools away.
"You got time to ride with me over to Peaceful Meadows? I want to check out the construction progress."
"Sure."
Gil drove down to the boat garage and took the HL up the river and over to the farm, stopping the hovercraft fifty yards from the warehouses. They were pretty far ahead, farther than Gil thought they'd be. They were busy fitting the timbers to build the bents and instead of using the usual wooden pegs to hold the beams together as in conventional timber framing, they were bolting the pieces together. Gil spied Harold and walked over to him.
"You'll be ready to put this thing right up when the concrete is ready."
"Four more days. The roofing will be here tomorrow. We'll have everything in place so they'll go up quick."
"You're doing a great job Harold. After this, what do you think about putting up an oak fence up the road?"
"Whatever you want, Gil. The men are grateful just to have a job. You're the only one around doing any construction."
"Well, I'll try to keep them in a job as long as I can Harold. Let them know they get these warehouses done ahead of schedule, there'll be a bonus in their pay envelope."
"But Gil, we're already ahead of schedule."
Gil grinned. "I know."
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Post by gipsy on Mar 10, 2022 21:42:02 GMT -6
Thanks for the update. Are you matchmaking again? That means two more cabins to build.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Mar 11, 2022 13:54:55 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 11, 2022 20:26:59 GMT -6
Chapter 64
When Carla went to the clinic the next morning the first thing she did was go check on the fawn. When she got to the outside enclosure, there was a doe standing next to it. She didn't try to run away, just stood there and pawed the ground a couple of times. Carla slowly opened the pen door and the fawn walked out and Carla steered it to the gate going to the barn. The doe trailed along beside the fence. Opening the gate, she got the fawn through and watched as the doe sniffed the little deer. Immediately the fawn started nursing. The doe let the fawn suckle for a couple of minutes then turned and started to walk toward the tree line slowly, allowing the fawn to keep up. Carla smiled as they reached the tree line and continued on toward the forest. She went back to the pen and began cleaning it out and sanitizing it.
Colt filled the fuel tank on the hit and miss and went down to where Gil and Trace were moving the sprayer. Gil was just standing up with something in his hand.
"What's that?" Colt asked.
"It's a digital soil moisture meter. Let's try to give this section one inch less water in this section."
"Roger that!"
They all walked back to the pump and Trace started the engine. They watched the spraying for a minute before Gil got in the Gator.
"I'll be over at PeMed if anyone wants me." Gil said.
Trace nodded his head in acknowledgment and lifted his hand. Gil went to the boat garage and headed to Peaceful Meadows in the HL.
The construction crew was piecing together the last two bents on the second warehouse.
"Looking good Harold. Is the telehandler going to be enough? I can get a crane if you need it."
"No, the telehandler can handle the load just fine. I think I'm going to be short of bolts for the connecting girts though. I'll run in this afternoon and get more."
"Tell me what you need and I'll go get them." Gil offered.
Harold gave him the number and sizes and Gil got on the hovercraft and went back to Bluff View. He went to the hardware store first and got all they had, but it wasn't enough. He checked a couple of other places then headed for Kingsport. Between Lowes and Home Depot Gil got the quantities he needed.
Friday was the big day for the bent raising. Gil, Brad, Trace and Colt were all there to help. As they were setting the first one in place, Grace called Gil on the radio and told him there were four 18-wheels at the gate.
"Crap! Colt. Can you go back over and get them turned around and lead them over here? I'll figure out where to park them."
Colt rushed off to Bluff View. The work continued to help brace the bents and fitted in the connecting girts while drove a bolt through the hole with sledge hammer. Another guy put the nut and washer on with an air tool and tightened them down. They soon had a rhythm going and the bents went up fast. As soon as the last bent was up and bolted in on the first warehouse, they started on the second. When the trucks arrived, Gil went over to direct them where to park. The field was big enough so that they could pull right in. The first driver got out as said they were to drop the trailers and To call Gil's contact when he was ready for the trailers to be picked up.
"I thought there were only three trailers." Gil said.
The driver shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I just deliver them."
When the trucks had driven away, Gil went back to help with the construction.
Gil, Brad, Trace and Colt started putting the poplar board and batten siding on while the rest of the crew were getting the purlins on. Nail guns and a chop saw made fast work of it. They had three sides of the building done when everyone quit work for the day. Harold's crew had finished with the first warehouse and were working on the second warehouse. All the first warehouse needed was a roof, six windows and two garage doors. The roof was going on Monday as well as the doors and windows.
After Church Sunday, the women took over the kitchen and got the chicken ready to barbecue. Gil had the charcoal grill going and was about to pour himself a mug of mead with Eric drove up. He got out and stretched, then came up on the deck.
"Everyone!" Gil said. "I'd like you all to meet Eric Douglas. Introduce yourselves, I need a mead."
Everyone introduced themselves to Eric and shook his hand.
"Eric, what do you want to drink. We've got beer, wine and mead. Whiskey to follow."
"I'll take a mead."
Gil got him a mug and poured his mead.
"How was the drive?"
"It was good. Once I hit I-40 it was a breeze. I stopped in Black Mountain to pick up some guns a friend was keeping for me. The crowd that comes to Nags Head will steal the enamel off your teeth."
Grace came out with a big pan of chicken that rub had been applied to followed by Mollie with a bowl of basting sauce and a basting brush. Jacinta came out with and extra pair of tongs and was helping Gil keep the chicken turned.
Gil laid down his tongs to pour another mead when Jacinta picked them up and was turning chicken with both hands without a falter. Gil stared.
"I'm ambidextrous." Jacinta grinned.
"I never noticed that."
"You've seen me throw knives with both hands before."
"Yeah, I guess so, but it didn't register. I was getting shot at, remember?"
Jacinta chuckled. "Yeah, it was pretty intense there for a bit. Who's that?"
Gil turned. "Who?"
Jacinta gave a slight point with her chin. "The sandy blonde dude."
"Eric Douglas, and old friend. He's up from Nags Head."
"Figures. Surfer dude."
"No, I find it hard to believe he's ever been on a surf board."
"What's he do?"
"Well, he used to 'fix things'."
"You mean like…"
"Yeah, like you. On his last mission, his helicopter was taken out by a ZSU-23. He and two others on board survived but his left leg was mangled. He swore he would die rather than let them take his leg off. He finally convinced a doctor to help him and there he sits today. Almost like new. Watch the chicken!"
Mollie brought out three platters to hold the chicken and bowls of potato salad, watermelon rind pickles, cucumber salad and corn on the cob were on the table and people were taking their seats.
"For you ladies who weren't here when he arrived, we are joined today by an old friend, Eric Douglas. Smile Eric."
Gil gave the blessing and everyone began loading their plates.
Glen finally pushed his plate away and tried to wipe the BBQ sauce out of his mustache, but was having little luck.
Grace was laughing. "Glen, you can go in and wash you face in the bathroom if you like."
"Naw, I got this." He went down to the faucet next to the deck and thoroughly washed his face. Jarrod brought him a handful of paper towels to dry off.
"Gil, that was some good chicken." Glen said.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Billy and Carrie brought buss pans and gathered up the dishes when everyone finished. The ladies began carrying in the leftovers and the men spread the tables back out. Brad, Trace and Tate went down to the firepit and started a fire. Billy had already stacked folding chairs against a tree so as people moseyed out, they grabbed a chair and got into the circle. Gil set up a folding table and brought out a two gallon keg of River Bank and plastic cups. The men got their drinks and the lies and half-lies began. By the time the ladies came out, with their wine glasses in their hands, the sun was going down behind the western ridges. Tate got up and disappeared and came back a few minutes with his guitar in his hand.
"All right Tate!" Colt shouted.
"Tate! No!" Glenda said.
"Folks, one of the things I've learned about Glenda since we've been married is along with her beauty, came a beautiful voice. When she was singing this song the other night, it grabbed my heart. Please encourage her to sing it for you."
Tate began picking the guitar and went through a couple of times before Glenda got up and stood by Tate.
I played a party last night for some old folks They were dancing and smiling at me 'Cept this old man, alone at a table As if there's someplace that he'd rather be
So I said, "Sir, can I play something for you Something special that you'd like to hear" When he looked up at me, he was smiling Oh, but his eyes couldn't hide the tears
He said, "Play me the Waltz of the Angels And I'll close my eyes and pretend Play me the Waltz of the Angels So I can dance with my angel again"
He said, "Yes, that's the song I remember That's the one that she loved the best It was playing the night that I met her And it was playing when we laid her to rest"
Play me the Waltz of the Angels And I'll close my eyes and pretend Play me the Waltz of the Angels So I can dance with my angel again Let me dance with my angel again
Gil had been glancing around the group as she sang and the song seemed to hit Glen pretty hard. He saw him wipe his eyes a couple of time before Glenda finished. As she finished the song, everyone was cheering and clapping.
"Girl, why haven't you been singing like that in the office?" Don asked.
"Because she works for you!" Annie fired back.
Gil had a thought and grinned. "Hey Eric, I seem to remember you dancing around in a jockstrap using a Texas Pete bottle for a microphone. Get up and sing us a song."
"Come on Eric! Give us a song!
"Yeah Eric, sing for us!
Blushing, Eric got up and whispered something to Tate. Tate started playing the intro.
Used to spend my nights out in a barroom Liquor was the only love I'd known But you rescued me from reaching for the bottom And brought me back from being too far gone
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey You're as sweet as strawberry wine You're as warm as a glass of brandy And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
I've looked for love in all the same old places Found the bottom of the bottle's always dry But when you poured out your heart I didn't waste it 'Cause there's nothing like your love to get me high
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey You're as sweet as strawberry wine You're as warm as a glass of brandy And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
Everyone was shocked at the voice Eric had. Gil looked around and saw Jacinta staring at Eric as he belted out the words. It seemed as though he was singing the song especially to her. Jacinta broke her stare and saw Gil looking at her, broke eye contact and blushed. Gil hid his smile and wondered, "Something developing here?"
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey You're as sweet as strawberry wine You're as warm as a glass of brandy And honey, I stay stoned on your love all the time
You're as smooth as Tennessee whiskey Tennessee whiskey Tennessee whiskey
The group cheered and clapped.
"Man, you need to get right in your truck in the morning and don't stop until you hit Nashville. That's the best rendition of Tennessee Whiskey I think I've ever heard." Brad said.
Several got up and recharged their cups from the keg and Grace sent Billy and Carrie into the house to bring out more wine.
"Gil, whatever happened to Dale Clark?" Eric asked.
"Dale went down in the Brooks Range flying a C-54 to Prudhoe Bay."
Eric shook his head slowly.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 11, 2022 21:02:43 GMT -6
Thanks for the fine update
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Post by cavsgt on Mar 11, 2022 23:26:03 GMT -6
Thank You You now have 2 of my favorite stories going at the same time. I am in awe of your expertise and the ability to keep both stories going at the same time.
phill
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 12, 2022 14:30:01 GMT -6
Chapter 65
The last logs went into the fire and the talk died down to individual conversations. Finally, people started folding up their chairs and leaving. Billy gave Jarrod and a slightly inebriated Glen down to their hovercraft where a sober Jarrod piloted them across the river. Gil and Eric were left sitting by the fire.
"From what I've seen so far, you've got a real nice place here, Gil."
"Well, It's home to me and everyone here works as a team. It's nice being around people you can depend on. Well, it's late and breakfast is at 0630. Grab your kit and we'll get you settled in the guest cabin."
Jarrod planted another area with ramp seed and pressed the tiny blue flag into the ground at its six o'clock position. The conditions were perfect here for growing ramps and there were patches of branch lettuce that grew nearby also. He was surprised to find the ramps growing here. Usually they were found in the higher elevations farther east of here. He was glad though no one paid any attention to them here though. They were considered a delicacy that would soon be eradicated if people knew they were here. Ramps seemed to favor moist, rich soil in deciduous forests with high calcium to magnesium ratios. He had done a lot of soil testing over the summer and found several places with the right conditions to plant the seeds. He was planting the seeds now so they could germinate before winter. Come Spring, he should see some shoots coming up. Jarrod grinned at the thought of the first time he had fed Uncle Glen the ramps. He had gathered a mess of branch lettuce and ramps and had cleaned them good. Putting the branch lettuce in a pot, he had poured hot bacon grease over the leaves to wilt them then chopped up a ramp bulb and mixed it all together. He had a pot of pinto beans on over the fire in the fire pit and made a pan of cornbread. A piece of deer tenderloin rounded out the meal. When Uncle Glen took the first bite of the greens he fell in love. He was disappointed that the harvest time was relatively short for ramps but Jarrod was able to get him enough for one more meal. The problem is, when you eat ramps, everyone within a hundred feet of you knows you have eaten them. The garlicky smell oozes from your pores for the next two to three days and people tend to avoid you. So you have to hold up somewhere until the smell goes away, unless the family all ate them too. When he finished the west side of the river, he'd go over and plant the spots he'd found on the east side of the river.
Eric sat down to the breakfast of country ham, eggs, pan fries and blueberry pancakes with hot coffee to top it off. The twins are enamored with him, mainly because he was new and they were trying to find the right buttons to push on him. Gil's son Billy seemed a little young to him to be in college but he didn't ask for any particulars. Mollie fussed over him like a grandmother and Grace was the personification of a southern lady, beautiful, but tough as nails. After the wonderful meal, Gil took him on a no holds barred tour of Bluff View. Gil started out telling Eric how he came to be there, meeting Grace, and the slow but gradual development of the property. They skipped the Aging Room, it was a bit early for that, but went all over the developed land all the way to the main highway.
"Quite a place you have here, Gil." Eric said.
"This is just part of it. I have control of a couple of thousand more acres. We'll need my truck to see that."
They went back and got into the Power Wagon and their first stop was Marty's.
"Morning, Gil. Great shindig you threw yesterday. What can I do for you?"
"Just showing Eric around. Everything going well?"
"I'm starting to harvest the hives right now. Looks like a good year."
"Are you pulling in the hives again this winter?"
"I'm planning on it. It worked well last winter."
"Great. Well, we won't keep you. I'll see you later."
"Okay Gil, ya'll take care."
As they headed for the dairy, Gil explained the Land boundaries and pointed out the road that went down to Jacinta's cottage.
"That woman last night with the long, black hair?"
"Yep."
"She's beautiful." Eric said, looking out the window.
Gil grinned.
They got to Harmony Hollow and Chet greeted them and showed them around. Eric got to sample some cheeses and declared they were as good or better than you could find in any deli. Chet took them down to the dam and it was working like it was supposed to. The whole place was like a Jane Wooster Scott painting. They said their good byes and headed out of the hollow.
This next place I'm going to show you is my grandfather's house. He spent his final years here in peace. It probably, after my place, is my favorite spot on the Land.
As they pulled up to the intersection of the farm roads, Gil took a right and drove a winding road that snaked through the hills to what Eric realized later, was a peninsula jutting out into the north end of Cherokee lake, A nice house sat there overlooking the water.
"Beautiful place." Eric commented.
"Let's go inside." Gil said.
Gil unlocked the door and when Eric walked in, it was like he was coming home. The furniture….everything felt comfortable.
"Does this look like greener pastures?" Gil asked. "Well, you know how it is with homes no one lives in…they die. I have a housekeeper to come in once a week and keep the place clean but it's not the same as having someone live here."
"You mean you want me to…"
"It's not a matter of what I want Eric, it's a matter of what you want and need. I'm offering to rent this home to for $200 a month and ask you to help keep this Land safe."
"Heck yeah! I can't turn down a deal like that!"
"There's something else I need to tell you that may change your mind. This land we're standing on was once the domain of a spiritually powerful Indian tribe. They fought to keep the land from invaders, both Native American and the white immigrants. A time came when they needed help with the white men because of the broken treaties and twisted laws. One of my ancestors was allowed to live on the land as a kind of caretaker to see the land wasn't chopped up by greedy people. My grandfather and the my grandfathers before him all held the position of Caomächter, or 'Guardian,' the title I presently have been bestowed with."
Eric looked at Gil for a few seconds. "I'll stay. I'll help you protect it. I have this feeling…I feel like I belong here."
Gil grinned. "Well then, that's settled. Let's head back and have lunch and you can bring your things down here."
As they headed out to the main road Eric asked. "What was that black-haired woman's name again….Jacinta?"
Gil grinned.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 12, 2022 16:15:20 GMT -6
Well now only one new cabin to build. Thanks for the update.
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Post by texican on Mar 12, 2022 21:18:21 GMT -6
Thank You You now have 2 of my favorite stories going at the same time. I am in awe of your expertise and the ability to keep both stories going at the same time. phill N, You have a fabulous writing talent keeping two stories going for the enjoyment of our readers and fans. Thank you. Texican....
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Post by udwe on Mar 12, 2022 21:51:29 GMT -6
Getting better all the time!
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Post by bluefox2 on Mar 13, 2022 7:53:54 GMT -6
Thank You You now have 2 of my favorite stories going at the same time. I am in awe of your expertise and the ability to keep both stories going at the same time. phill It is the sign of a good author that can write more than one story at a time and not only keep them straight but also keep readers interested.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Mar 13, 2022 12:29:56 GMT -6
Chapter 66
They got to Harmony Hollow and Chet greeted them and showed them around. Eric got to sample some cheeses and declared they were as good or better than you could find in any deli. Chet took them down to the dam and it was working like it was supposed to. The whole place was like a Jane Wooster Scott painting. They said their good byes and headed out of the hollow.
This next place I'm going to show you is my grandfather's house. He spent his final years here in peace. It probably, after my place, my favorite spot on the land.
As they pulled up to the intersection of the farm roads, Gil took a right and drove a winding road that snaked through the hills to what Eric realized later, was a peninsula jutting out into the north end of Cherokee lake, A nice house sat there overlooking the water.
"Beautiful place." Eric commented.
"Let's go inside." Gil said.
Gil unlocked the door and when Eric walked in, it was like he was coming home. The furniture….everything felt comfortable.
"Does this look like greener pastures?" Gil asked.
"Well, you know how it is with homes no ne lives in…they die. I have a housekeeper to come in once a week and keep the place clean but it's not the same as having someone live here."
"You mean you want me to…"
"It's not a matter of what I want Eric, it's a matter of what you want and need. I'm offering to rent this home for $200 a month and ask you to help keep this Land safe."
"Heck yeah! I can't turn down a deal like that!"
"There's something else I need to tell you that may change your mind. This land we're standing on was once the domain of a powerful Indian tribe. They fought to keep the land from invaders, both Native American and the white immigrants. A time came when they needed when they needed help with the white men because of the broken treaties and twisted laws. One of my ancestors was allowed to live on the land as a kind of caretaker to see the land wasn't chopped up by greedy people. My grandfather and the my grandfathers before him all held the position of Caomächter, or 'Guardian,' the title I presently have been bestowed with."
Eric looked at Gil for a few seconds. "I'll stay. I'll help you protect it. I have this feeling…I feel like I belong here."
Gil grinned. "Well then, that's settled. Let's head back and have lunch and you can bring your things down here."
As they headed out to the main road Eric asked. "What was that black-haired woman's name again….Jacinta?"
Gil grinned.
When Mollie heard Eric was moving into the Point house, she started putting together totes of food for him from the canned goods and the freezer. She made sure he had all the staples and even made up an assortment of spices. He wouldn't have to go to the store for a month! She made sure had all the lunch he could eat and kept his tea glass full.
"Mollie, you're going to have me so full I'll have to take a nap and won't get anything done the rest of the afternoon!" Complained Eric.
Grace and Gil sat and grinned at the two.
The men were back the next morning finishing up the siding and roofing. Heavy duty translucent roofing panels had been placed every third panel in the roof sheathing and the insides of the warehouse were bright on the inside. A couple of Harold's crew offered to paint the buildings. They did painting on the side and could spray it fairly quickly. Gil went to Lowe's in Morristown and bought enough KILZ Exterior Siding, Fence and Barn Paint to paint the two warehouses. They got the windows and garage doors in and they were ready to see what surprises were in store for them in the trailers. They had the teleloader, the farm tractor with forklift blades and the all-terrain forklift available. Most of all they had Allie, their inventory specialist on hand to inventory things as they came out. First, she had them section off the warehouses and number them. Each space was 150 square feet. She had her inventory sheets marked by space number. She was trying to put like items in the same spaces. They night have to do some moving around later but this would make things go quicker. The first thing they pulled off was a 5hp hit and miss engine. Allie wrote it down and the engine was hauled away to the section she called out. This took the rest of the afternoon to unload the first truck.
The next morning they unloaded the second truck. It was mostly hand tools, some one, two and four horse plows butchering kettles, corn shellers, a small grain mill, three kegs of cut nails, anvils of different sizes, blacksmith tools and boxes of odd items they'd go through later. The third trailer was packed with four disassembled wagons, extra wagon wheels, tongues, harness hardware and a complete rope making assembly. The fourth contain an odd assortment of things, may household related. One of them was a wheel cheese cutter which Allie set aside to get to the Arthurs. There would have to be more sorting done and rearranging done but the trailers had been unloaded. Allie called Gil and he sent a text to Bill on the satphone to have the trailers picked up.
After all the activity got back to normal on Peaceful Meadows The doe and fawn were often seen. Jarrod kept a watch for coyotes and killed two. Jerry kept his .308 in the Gator with him all the time when he was out and about. He killed one and the coyotes stayed away for a while.
Gil, Brad, Trace and Colt continued to palletize and haul firewood from the Bear Head and distributed it ahead of the corn harvest. That would be one thing behind them. Gil checked the corn and it was in the dent stage but not ready yet. They continued to irrigate. Grace and the women were staying busy canning, freezing and freeze drying the harvest. These days, this late in the garden harvest, there were no idle hands. The men helped pick the vegetables and fruits when they could but the burden of preparing the produce for storage was almost all on the women.
Gil used half of the Moon and Star watermelons and a fourth of the rinds to make wine and the whiskey. Gil had purchased extra carboys and half of them were fermenting watermelon pulp then. One more week and he'd start distilling the whiskey, which with their work schedule, would have to take place at night. He'd get help from Grace and the guys.
Eric was walking around with his hands on his hips, cooling down from his run. He'd run to the powerline and back. Not that far as far as distances go, but the hills made it difficult on his leg. He had turned in his walking circuit and was headed back to the water when he heard a vehicle coming down the drive. Turning to see who it was, all he could see was a black truck. The sun was glaring off the windshield and he couldn't see who was driving. Then the truck stopped in the parking area and she stepped down from the cab.
"How's the leg doing?" Jacinta asked.
"It's okay. I get a few cramps now and then."
"Yeah, I did too. Here, try this. It'll help." Jacinta tossing him a bottle.
Eric caught the bottle and looked at it. "What is it?"
"Herbal voodoo medicine, made by the local medicine man. No, seriously. It is a concoction made by Jarrod. I think you met him Sunday."
"Yeah, I think I remember him. What's in it?"
"Willow bark is the main ingredient but he has different herbs and grain alcohol."
"It works hunh?"
"Apply it on your leg after you shower. The leg won't tense up."
"You mean after my runs?"
"Or whenever. It won't hurt you. Might make it better anyway, but especially after you've done strenuous exercise."
"Well thank you….Jacinta, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Jacinta Velasco."
"HEY!" A voice called from the truck.
"What was that?"
"That's Carmen."
"Won't you come and have something to drink on the deck. There's a beautiful there."
"I can't. A falcon has a nest around here and Carmen would make a fine meal for it and its young."
"Well come in then. I don't open my door to just mere falcons."
Jacinta studied his face for a moment. "Okay."
Reaching her arm through the truck window, Carmen jumped on her wrist and Jacinta walked with Eric to the front door. Eric opened the door and allowed Jacinta and Carmen to enter first.
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Post by gipsy on Mar 13, 2022 13:05:51 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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