The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois.
Easter Sunday was a beautiful day with full sunshine and no rain. It'n it rains on Easter Sunday the old folk say'n is it will rain seven successive follow'n Sundays in a row. Consequently are we now to believe it will be dry for seven successive Sundays in a row?
Some farmers worked their fields early with the nice weather we was a have'n a ways back on the calendar. They are now of the frame of mind to begin plant'n but are afraid to start because the top soil is to dry. They has lost a good deal of their moisture when they opened the topsoil with tillage.
Plant'n into dry top soil, the reason'n goes, will create uneven germination and result'n lower potential yields. For soybeans, the seed can germinate and then die off for lack of moisture. Corn seed can make it on less moisture than soybeans but uneven germination is not a good thing for any crop. The early germinate'n plants treat the later germinate'n plants as weeds and adversely affect their yields. One can plant deeper, try'n to find moisture, but a hard rain can then create a crust that is difficult for the seedl'ns to penetrate. Well, it's still early and it'll rain someday or it'll be mighty dry! Wisdom like that is hard to come by, but ya heard it first here!
Don't forget the benefit for Rick Link on April 14 at 4 p.m. at St. Patricks Community Center in Raritan (Henderson County Road 600 North-200 East). The event is be'n organized by family and friends of Rick.
Rick has squamous cell carcinoma and has major medical expenses from radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I'm sure your prayers are welcome, and a nice card or comfort'n note always helps.
A meal will be served at 5:00 p.m. with food provided by Tri-County Cattlemen's Association include'n rib eye sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans, desserts, tea, lemonade and coffee.
There will be a silent, as well as live auction, for items such as a miniature pony and a half-a-hog. Raffle tickets are available at $2 each or 6 for $10 for a 32" HD T.V. Attendance is not required to win.
If'n you are in the field or otherwise busy on that day, donations may be made payable to Rick Link Benefit and mailed to Security Savings Bank, PO Box 7, Stronghurst, IL 61480.
But for the Grace of God it could be me, thee, or one of our loved ones a face'n the same problem. As fer me and the boys, as we talked it over we is a gonna dig deep into our pockets to help this western Illinois feller out. I'm a hope'n your hearts will be touched to do the same.
Recently one of the boys went to the Dale Rawhouser estate sale up north near Biggsville. I'm told many fine items, antiques, and things of interest were auctioned off by Van Adkisson. He and his family and helpers do such a fine job.
I was told by Orville Figpluker, my neighbor to the south, there was a nice sized framed picture there of the Biggsville Presbyterians one hundred twenty-fifth church anniversary taken in 1991.
Orville sez the feller that bought it was a local Biggsville area gent interested in preserve'n history. Orville sez Russell Liston, up there in that area of Henderson County, has various pictures of old one room schools houses, etc., many of which has long since disappeared along with the young folk attend'n those schools.
Orville also sez the way church attendance and enthusiasm for church support has fallen off, maybe we ought to be collect'n pictures of various churches and their worshipers, so as later generations can get a glimpse of how it once was. That is, of course, unless we has us a major revival in these parts, which might change the whole situation. Many of the folk in that Biggsville U.P. Church picture has already passed on, I"m told. That picture, or one like it, belongs in a local museum somewhere's here in western Illinois!
I'm told by one of the boys, Cornelius Farkwad my neighbor to the west, that President Obama ordered his cabinet to cut $100,000,000 ($100 million) from the $3,500,000,000,000.00 ($3.5 trillion) federal budget.
Bill Jones, my neighbor to the southeast, was so impressed by this budget sacrifice, when Cornelius shared this information with him and the rest of the boys in my neighborhood, that he decided to do the same thing with his personal budget.
Now, Bill sez he spends about $2,000 a month on groceries, household expenses, medicine, utilities, etc. So he figures it's time to get out the budget cutt'n axe, go through his expenses, and mimic the federal government by cutt'n back.
In do'n so he figures the feds, and particularly President Obama are very smart and wise ole Sage's so he's gonna cut his spend'n at exactly the same ration, which, calculates out to be 1/35,000 of his total budget.
After putt'n a sharp pencil to his budget of $2,000 per month in expenses and multiply'n it by 1/35,000, the same as the feds cut, he figures with his astute mathematical mind he's gonna have to cut the $2,000 per month by six cents.
That's right, poor ole Bill Jones is gonna have to get by with spend'n only $1,999.94 rather than the $2,000 he has become accustomed to. It'll be a hard pill to swaller, but then that's what sacrifice is all about!
Bill is just gonna have to do without some finer things, that are, frankly, luxuries, to the tune of six cents worth a month for a major save'n of 72¢ per year.
The boys in our community were mighty impressed with both Bill Jones and President Obama on this major sacrifice to balance their budgets.
The major difference betwixt the two however, is Bill Jones has no way of tax'n the rich, the bankers, the hard workers, and the successful to make up his 72¢ per year!
Well anyways, they always sez figures don't lie but liars figure. Therefore the boys estimate they has no way of know'n for sure Bill will keep to his budget cutt'n plan. In fact they estimates he used up his 72¢ annual budget save'ns already just in the extra coffee he drank in explain'n his math to the boys.
Buster Jigs, up northeast ways, sez OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Assoc.) is examine'n new ways of protect'n criminals in their dedicated profession. With folk pack'n rods in various states and legally "stand'n their ground", it has simply become unnecessarily too dangerous to practice their illegal profession.
The danger of practice'n their criminal behavior is discourage'n their activities and has the potential of make'n an age old profession less attractive. To that extent, the "Endangered Species Act" could be applied and "hoods" and "masks" encouraged, (or hoodies and maskies as the young'ns call them) provided free by taxpayer supplements.
Buster Jigs sez they are a think'n on a recommendation to the liberal legislature to outlaw all manner of defense include'n guns, hammers, kitchen knives and such.
Scream'n women and scaredy cats will be fined for endanger'n criminals' hear'n. Any man or woman that won't flee their home and children at the first sign of danger will be assessed a hefty fine and possible jail time, if'n they are alive and survive the criminals' actions.
Well, me and the boys is a gonna have to think on ole Buster Jigs information for a spell. We're mighty reluctant to give up our hammers and the Mrs. wants to keep her kitchen knives. Besides, we all is mighty slow at run'n these days due to old age and arthritis.
On top of that, old habits of address'n danger head on and protect'n our families, "loved ones" and our "castles", called our homes, might take a heap of change not conducive to age and what we as independent Americans has been taught over the years.
Oh well, it's time to go and I've sure enjoyed jaw'n with you'ns again this week.
Don't take yourselves too seriously, enjoy life and your family, and see ya in church come Sunday morn'n. Be safe and careful in the fields this week and on the roads!
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke
P.S. Don't forget the Rick Link Benefit next Saturday. It's a way to demonstrate "love" and compassion for our neighbors.