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Last night around 11 p.m., we heard a familiar noise from the darkened hallway outside our bedroom door. It was part moan, part growl and part muffled meow. Tom and I glanced at each other because we knew what that sound meant. Percy had another mouse. more
Continued from the Feb. 28 edition of the Marshfield Mail: more
Hello to all my wonderful friends and rambling reader family. I will admit it has been a tough week for me because I have had a mental war going on between my ears. One part of me wanted to begin a long series about an 1840’s story that would last for weeks and the other part wanted to write a story of why no one really wants to hear the truth. Well the truth wins so here it goes. Several years ago I used to go to church under a very strong pastor that told it the way it was. He empowered everyone in his congregation to speak up and be as courageous as he was with what was going on in our government. One example of his courage was to tell his flock the truth when the president at the time invited leaders of Muslim countries to the White House to celebrate ramadan.( Followers of the muslim faith during the ninth month celebrate this time when they believe the Quran was sent to earth for men’s salvation.) He clearly pointed out to us that Jesus was the only way to heaven and that the introduction of other god’s brought in was wrong. Also: partial birth abortions, LGBT unions and the president at the time made a statement one day that the evangelical Christians were standing in the way of him transforming America. Not once did this pastor ever say to hate the president or other leaders that promoted activities denounced in the Bible but simply their sin. I attended his church for five years until he retired and loved and respected him greatly. He used to say you should never vote with your feelings but how the politicians vote on issues. His sermons compared the Bible to new laws and executive actions when direct violations occurred. I will never forget how he told the truth and wasn’t afraid to tell it. 95% of churches today say nothing about the wrongdoings of our government. I have said many times in this rambling article during Nazi Germany as the trains rambled down the tracks loaded with thousands of Jews headed for the gas chambers that church pastors would tell their congregations to sing a little louder as the crying children went by. Today folks we have similar issues. Our schools are indoctrinating our kids to believe global warming as a fact. LGBT as being normal. Eating fake meat as a means to save the planet. Critical race theory and inclusion and that successful businesses and capitalism are evil. More examples of progressive policies are defunding police, under $1000 shoplifting is O K. Big business is evil. In Chicago for example: I personally heard the new mayor brag how he was going to tax Wal-Mart more and more and support the criminals who shoplift. Soon afterward Wal-Mart closed four inner city stores and shortly afterward the mayor had a fit of why Wal-Mart would close. Folks, when businesses are being robbed blind by thieves and thugs, they can not stay in business. Did he ever mention the truth? Of course not! Here’s another personal example. Last year my blood pressure spiked up to 130. It has never been this high before. I started making some life changing choices. For one, I quit watching network news for many months and that and a few other choices and my blood pressure went back to 118. About three weeks ago I watched 30 minutes of 5:30 news and I wanted to know the propaganda they were spoon feeding everyone to believe. Three main topics: Trump's legal problems. Global warming and bullying against LGBT kids and their rights. What about the 10,000 people crossing the border illegally daily? What about rest homes, schools and parks being cleared of our own citizens to make room for illegals which are well funded. How about the money our current government gives to the U.N to provide pathways, phone apps, relief stations for illegals to enter America? What about Israel fighting for their lives after being attacked? We went to war against Japan and Germany in World War two. Do they not have the same right to defend themselves when attacked? How about sending billions of dollars to Iran from a current administration only to have them develop and manufacture weapons for Israel's enemies today. Rambling friends more
One hundred and thirty years ago, John Bollinger, who owned and operated the water mill in the vicinity of Pitts and Burford, had a dog that went mad. According to the Chronicle, before it could be killed it bit several head of cattle, numerous hogs and a flock of ducks; -a great loss at the time for a man of property, utter destitution for those of more humble means. For many of us, the first exposure to rabies was at a safe distance, when Atticus Finch shot a mad birddog in Miss Maudie’s front yard, or when Old Yeller bid everyone a tearful farewell. These scenes from two memorable films conveyed the fear stoked in a community by a rabid animal, something we are thankfully removed from by three generations. Although one could lose property, as in Mr. Bollinger’s case, the great fear, that once bitten, a person would develop symptoms of the dreaded hydrophobia, and die violently insane, after a gruesome litany of afflictions. Grisly front-page newspaper articles relate of men being bitten and restraining themselves with chains, in the smokehouse or to a tree, awaiting the end while horrified family and friends waited from a safe distance for the victims' demise. more
The Missouri Ozarks are chock full of both caves and legends about them. Gaudily colored advertising of outlaws and wayward conquistadors, cry forth from tourist brochures, billboards and painted barn tops, often alluding to buried hordes of plunder. Caves with more credible tales get more dignified advertising and historic markers. These “cave tales” whether true or not have one big difference with Marshfield’s subterranean wonderland; those caves actually exist. It is easy to build a cave legend around some wild tale. In Marshfield we seem to have legends “of” a cave, rather than those “about” one. Where did they come from? Three answers, wagons, newspapers and land speculation. more
A submitted response from David Tunnell, who brings us  a different story from his grandfather George Tunnell regarding last week's “Quote of the Week”.  He writes: more
Have you ever heard the legend of the cave? For generations, tales have persisted that beneath Marshfield lay a grotto of extraordinary breadth and depth, connecting many of the buildings around the square. The stories range from outlandish to downright plausible, with no one able to put an “X” on a spot of known entry. Rumors of alleged openings, some still supposedly in use, follow every building with a lower level. The only thing found thus far that even closely denotes an entrance is/was an old cistern in the back of the Ritz, which served in the theater days as part of an arcane cooling system. It is unknown whether it survived the remodel, but pictures of it can be seen at the museum. Scouring the rock outcroppings in the park and springs around the city yields nothing, but every old-timer you ask, can relate, with a twinkle in his eye, about somebody long dead, “who coulda told ya.” more
Species: Eastern Bluebird more
Jan. 26, 2024 more
A friend called a few days ago asking if I had a lantern she could borrow, not an unusual request from someone needing a light, but she had another purpose. more
Last week I wrote about “Mean Girls” and the problem of having seen a version of the movie before, which made it too familiar and predictable. I meant it in a very literal sense – there was a 2004 movie called “Mean Girls,” written by Tina Fey, with basically the same characters and story (though no more
Hi to all my wonderful rambling friends. I am glad to be back for another story from the past. Last Tuesday, I had a call from a school wanting to bring 100 third graders to Frontier Theater for their annual spring field trip. I told the teacher that I was no longer hosting school field trips. Folks, for those who do not know, I started Frontier Theater in 1989. For five years, it featured many different venues. In 1994, we hosted our first school field trip. Long story short, the park entertained and educated over 100,000 kids. We featured Native American Skills, Early Settler Adventures, and Civil War Reenactments. Plus: old-fashioned games and much more. Friends, I can not begin to tell you how wonderful our artisans and reenactors were. The best of the best! The kids loved and respected them greatly. more
I’ve come across the word “anachronism” often in reading, but I was never exactly sure what it meant. Context usually hinted it was something out of place, but I wanted to be sure; so, as a last resort I looked it up in the dictionary. more
Hi to all my rambling friends of Webster County and beyond. A few weeks ago, I was driving down Old Wire Road (west of Marshfield off of Hwy 38 and E ) and noticed a crew of skilled masonry workers. They were restoring the old spring house that kept the milk cool before electricity was available across from the famous Hosmer dairy barn. O.K. folks: Let’s all go back into the past and review when the Hosmer’s dairy operation was the pinnacle of all dairy herds. During the early 1900s, the Wire Road was the main travel route through Webster County. In addition, Highway 38 West from Marshfield was nothing but a dirt trail. When the Hosmer’s first began they milked a handful of cattle with the aspirations of expanding. They were always trying to improve and be the best. Through hard work and good management, they expanded over the years to an unheard number of 100 cows. more
Now that we’ve had a cold snap – and along with it, snow – we can say that winter is here. Although many of the conditions associated with winter (snow, ice, cold weather, etc.) make us grumble, it should be pointed out that there is a bright side. Because of our recent periods of less-than-balmy weather, it should be a great time to see one of the area’s most eye- catching winter visitors – bald eagles. more
I passed by my grandpa’s farm on the old Springfield/Buffalo road one morning last week. more
Hi to all my rambling friends. It's always my pleasure to share another bit of forgotten history and memories with you. I grew up near Elkland, and as a child, I have many fond memories of the little town in the northwest part of Webster County. Folks, this week, I have been asking several people this question: what is the tallest structure in Elkland? I have heard many varied answers. Do any of my rambling readers want to take a guess? Did anyone say or think of an old-fashioned concrete silo? more
January was always a hard month when I was a boy on the farm. more
Hi, rambling friends. Let's start this new year with a story that is part of our local history. Let's step back in time to March of 1981. I had a 1980 Ford four-wheel pickup with deep mud logger tires that I thought could go through anything. One day, on my way home, I decided to take a different route to enjoy the country roads. I was on Sand Springs Road and went to the bottom of a hill, and suddenly, I was confronted with a challenge I was unsure about. The old country road was underwater for about 50 yards. Back then, we did not have the luxury of our roads being graveled with white gravel as we do today. I stopped my truck and thought, "this could be a problem!" Being young and invincible, I said, "Go for it." I backed up a ways, revved my four-wheel truck up, sped forward at a high rate of speed, got about 100 feet, and sank it to China. Here I am now in the middle of a swamp of red clay and mire and mad. All I could do was get out, talk to myself, and walk home for the last two miles. Got a friend with a tractor and long chain, and he pulled me out. After being pulled out, my friend with the tractor went home, and I got to thinking about where I was at and the importance of this spot. more
Taken from the writings of Vance Randolph and others. more
MOUNTAIN GROVE, Mo. – When used in controlled, supervised conditions, fire can be a beneficial land management tool. However, it’s important to stress that prescribed fire involves planning and on-site management. more
First of all, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We have gone another year with our ramblings, and I feel so honored to share my stories with you. Our last series was a gruesome story of two Jews that survived the nazi holocaust. This week, I want to share my greatest Christmas with you! OK, rambling friends, are we all ready to sit back and relive the past? The year is 1994, and I wrote a play entitled "The Miracle of Mystery Mountain." Back in those days, we did outdoor productions involving dozens of volunteer actors. We practiced for weeks and then performed them for the public at Frontier Theater. This play was about two orphaned girls struggling for their survival in the California mountains during the gold rush years. Their parents were killed in a landslide, and the two teenage girls became instant orphans in Miner City. more
The following column is continued from Dec. 6. more
One of the most common sparrows in North America has a history that’s far more interesting than many people realize. more
You will never see seagulls in Missouri. more
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