Month: October 2016

Big Strong Tiny

/ Leland Olson Hoel / 1 Comment
1951-crosley

1951 Crosley Station Wagon

Daily Prompt
Tiny
Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

Big Tiny

The meaning of the word tiny is, “something very small, diminutive or microscopic.” When it comes to people, someone who is very large usually ends up with the nickname Tiny. Many years ago we went to old-time dances, where they played polka, schottische, and waltz music. One of the bandleaders who played at our local dance hall was named Big Tiny Little. He appeared to be about four feet wide. He played a piano mostly but he had a an accordion the size of a Wurlitzer Piano. He was a very popular musician in this area. He later went on to perform on the Lawrence Welk show for many years. Big Tiny Little will always be remembered as a big time musician in these parts.

We had a neighbor for many years nicknamed Tiny, he was one of the biggest Norwegian man I believe I have ever seen. You maybe heard the old saying, “That guy was big enough to eat hay!” He no doubt had to go to the BIG BIG man store or to Omar The Tentmakers shop for his clothing. He wasn’t fat, just solid muscle.

At hay bailing time, He would sit on the hay rack with a pitchfork, his brother drove the tractor. Tiny would pitch the bales onto the rack with his pitchfork, from a sitting position yet!. A regular pitchfork would not stand that type of punishment, he had a custom-made pitchfork with a solid, steel handle on it. It was a sight to see, as he sat on the rack pitching bales with his trusty fork, as if they didn’t weigh anything.

I ate dinner with their family a few times and I never noticed Tiny eat any extra amount, or eat much more than anyone else at the table. What he did eat must have all turned into making for a bigger body. In the wintertime, temperatures could be freezing or below and you would see him driving into town in his old truck with his bare arm sticking out of the trucks open window. The cold didn’t seem to bother him at all.

A cousin of mine once owned a Crossley car, they weren’t a very large car, one day as he was about to back away from the curb, Tiny walked up behind the car and picked the back end off the ground. My cousin sat there just spinning his wheels. Everyone in the area laughed and were surprised at his incredible strength, holding the car up the air.

Tiny was very easy going person which was probably a blessing. If he ever had gotten mad the consequences might have been quite dire indeed. He did start to take a little drink later on in his life, not sipping whiskey. He could chug-a-lug a pint of whiskey as if it was a bottle of soda pop. I don’t think anyone ever did see him get drunk, he would just quietly sleep for a while.

Tiny was always healthy but as he got older he developed kidney problems and had to go to dialysis which was a 30 mile drive away. He went to his dialysis as regular as clockwork, never complained about any problems, he was always the jolly, happy-go-lucky, HUGE Tiny self up to the end of his life.

https://lghoelson.wordpress.com

Le Flamboyant Flaneur

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

Flaneur

Observe your city, town, street, or patch of earth and report back — in your favorite medium.

The Flamboyant Flaneur

The fellow in this story is a happy traveler. He can not stay home after putting on the shoes of the flaneur or casual wanderer.

The long flight across the Pacific Ocean was uneventful. Arriving at his favorite city, rested and ready to enjoy all it had to offer. He decided to stroll the streets for a while to see what he could find to satisfy his inquiring mind—stopping at several gift shops filled with fancy china, glassware, artwork, jewelry, and trinkets but limited his purchases with thoughts of the luggage scale.

He took a break in a tree-filled park treating his nose to the sweet essence of cherry blossoms. The sweetness was almost overwhelming as He studied the beauty in the mass of Cherry Blossoms. The Cherry Blossom Festival was at its peak, a magnificent event. Geisha Girls were dancing in many locations. They were dancing at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Tokyo’s Ueno Park to coincide with the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.


Cherry Blossoms and Mt. Fuji

Geisha Dancers

He strolled along past the open market where you could buy live or dead ducks, chickens, or whatever your heart desired. There was a sidewalk café, away from the traffic noise and constant horn honking. He decides to rest and indulge himself with some sushi, rice, and green tea. The sushi was delicious, a palate, pleasing delight. There were many flavorful bits of the oceans, best. It was all served on a large platter with some seaweed garnish, boiled rice, and a raw egg. He did not eat to overfill, just enjoyed a good portion of each delicacy to satisfy his taste memories, and then was off to explore the waterfront.

He arrived at the train station just in time for one of the pushers to shove him into the car. The door still hit him in the rear when it closed. That train, crammed full of bodies, would take him to the south end of the city. There He could explore the waterfront and witness the ships going in and out of the harbor, hoping to meet a friend. The weather was beautiful. The sun was past the mid sky. A gentle warm southerly breeze came across the water, a very relaxing place to watch people going to and from their businesses or homes. Most were traveling by foot or bicycle from the fish markets. The saltwater air was noticeable there.

He discovered two young, lovely, friendly ladies on a street corner at the waterfront. They confided in him. They were there to entertain the sailors who came into the bar for refreshments. That bar was a beehive of dancing bodies, bawdy music, and the sound of breaking glass. He didn’t feel the need to step inside. The ladies still offered to show him their wares. He almost honored that offer of an afternoon diversion or short excursion. It could have been a time of relaxation, exploration, even high expectations.

He decided to find his train and go back into the city’s center for a night of rekindling an awesome, memorable friendship, then rest and recovery. He got off the train at Ueno Station and proceeded to his hotel on foot. It was only a short distance away. The city was beginning to quiet as it prepared to sleep. He decided to walk instead of taking a Pedi Cab. It had been a relaxing, memorable day on this return trip to Tokyo for the lone, traveling flaneur.

The night held even more promise for the happy wanderer.

https://lghoelson.wordpress.com/

Waiting to Vote

/ Leland Olson Hoel / 9 Comments

vote-usa

Waiting

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt

Waiting to Vote

Tuesday, November 8th, 2016 another Presidential Election day is rapidly approaching in the United States of America. Would you please use your right and privilege to cast your ballot and vote for the candidate of your choice? Will you stand in line for a long period of time? Even if the waiting line goes around the block? It might be necessary, to be able to cast your vote. We still have a democracy, we put leaders in office with ballots instead of bullets. We are the envy of the world for having the freedom to choose our leaders at the voting booth.

We claim to have a Democracy. The people who are elected to office are elected to represent all the people. That also includes those who didn’t vote for them. They are supposed to be working for the good of the country and all the people in it. Many, instead serve the whims and wishes of their wealthy contributors or private interest groups. It is written, their obligation is to represent all of the people while they are in office.

The pitiful,  poor record that many politicians have when it comes to honesty and integrity has created voter apathy, turned voters away from the voting booths in past years. Crooked politicians no doubt would rather have it that way,  the only way to keep these varmints from getting back into office is with the ballot and it may take waiting in line to cast that ballot. The citizens must also become informed about the candidates before they can vote intelligently, we all need to do our homework when it comes to knowing the candidates better.

In the year 2008 a United States President was elected by a majority vote. He was disliked by many and hated by the opposition party.”The opposition party swore the day he took office, never to work with him.” The majority of the opposition vowed to do everything they could to hamper the progress of that man. He is still their president too. They also hampered the progress of the Nation, as many things never got accomplished, that should have been accomplished during those years. That Undemocratic, childish, PARTISAN charade lasted eight years!

The GOP spent so much time fighting amongst themselves, over how to confound the president, in office, they never managed to spend time grooming their own candidate for this coming presidential election. For eight years their interests were strictly partisan politics, and catering to the whims and wishes of their wealthy contributors.

The party leaders seemed to be in complete shock, awe and disarray that someone who didn’t march to their drummer became the nominee for this year’s presidential election. In hindsight many of them must now know they would’ve been much better off getting a candidate ready for office, than playing political games for eight years.

Get out and vote at this presidential election, waiting if you have to, then support the person who gets elected. Don’t go home feeling defeated go home and accept the fact that the person who became elected had the majority of the votes and the support of the majority of the citizens. That is all we can do in a democracy, and all we can ever hope to do. We must learn to work together. Our great country as she stands today, costantly divided, from curbed streets, to senate chambers, shall not survive.

Voting in South Africa

https:wordpress.com///lghoelson.

Easy Scratch Recipes Week 35

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

dressing

Easy Scratch Recipes Week 35

Mock Thousand Island Dressing.

1 qt. salad dressing                       3/4 c. catsup

1/2 c. sweet relish                         1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients well. Store in covered jar in refrigerator.

Universe in Transformation

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

transformation

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/transformation-2/

Daily Prompt
Transformation

Write a new post in response to today’s one-word prompt.

Universe in Transformation

Everything in our world and in this universe has been going through some form of transformation since its day of origin. Transformation is a constant state of change. Everything Is being transformed into something different. In most cases, the transformation is degrading, harmful to the original state or condition and making the original less useful. For instance, there air is being transformed with more and more pollution. This could continue until it’s no longer breathable for man or animal. Potable water is polluted until it is not fit for human consumption.

harvard

Transformation certainly does not have to always be negative. In the case of the ugly cocoon turning into a beautiful Monarch Butterfly. A small thorny flower bud bursting open as a beautiful Red Rose!Transformation could easily bring good, instead of bad to everything. Hopefully mankind will soon, or eventually consider those future generations who will need to reside on this Planet Earth. Technology could turn, transform this place back into a Garden of Eden flowing with Fountains of Youth. It all has to improve, be made better for future populations and for the sake of our planet and the whole universe.

https:wordpress.com///lghoelson.

Gender-Neutral Facilities

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

Discover Challenge
Mixing-Media

Add another dimension to your message by meshing a new medium with your current style.

Gender Neutral

My mind is open to gender-neutral bathrooms, they also benefit transgender populations and other people who exist outside of the gender binary; people with disabilities, the elderly, and anyone else who may require the assistance of someone of another gender; and parents who may wish to accompany their children to the washroom or toilet facility
Making public facilities accessible to diverse populations has long been a divisive issue.

Unisex public toilet

“Gender segregated restrooms in the United States and Europe are a vestige of the Victorian era where women’s modesty and safety were considered at risk and under constant need of surveillance and discipline. While public water closets were considered necessary for sanitation reasons, they were viewed as offending public sensibilities. Because public facilities were associated with access to public spaces, extending these rights to women was viewed as “immoral” and an “abomination”. While some public facilities were available to women in London by 1890, there were much fewer than those available to men.”

California became the first state within the US to legally require all single occupancy bathrooms to be gender-neutral from March 1, 2017. The rest of the Nation might as well get off the pot and follow their lead, or maybe end up waiting in line.

I have been in favor of using gender-neutral facilities for my whole life. I would not recommend the following facility for LAX, they would no doubt prefer more modern, polished and up-to-date facilities at the airport.

toilet.jpg

Speaking of lax, I do recommend using some lax, as long as it is not over used, it must be gentle and mild.

https://lghoelson.wordpress.com/

Harvest Time “Threshing”

/ Leland Olson Hoel / Leave a comment

shocks

Our quiet little farm took on a carnival atmosphere when threshing time arrived. From the time the steam engine pulled the old threshing machine into the yard, we knew everything was going to be different for a day or two.The crop determined how long the threshing would last. There was at least a half a dozen neighbors all working together, a few men from each family. They all shared labor, equipment, everything, during threshing season. This was a very special time, of neighbor helping neighbor, many hands make light work.

The threshing machine was usually set up fairly close to the barn, so when a person needed straw for cattle bedding he didn’t have to haul it very far. This made for a lot of very fast traffic going in and out of the yard. Horse-drawn hay racks were trying to keep the threshing machine busy at all times, so the whole process went smoothly, without having to shut down the threshing machine. The old threshing machines were run with a long, huge, heavy drive belt that ran off a tractors pulley. The operator did not want to shut it down unless it was dinner time or quitting time for the night. Starting up again took some time, this gave the bundle haulers plenty of incentive to keep those hay racks moving.

There were no traffic lights or stop signs going in and out of our yard, those fellows hauling bundles with horse-drawn hay racks seemed to think it was the Daytona 500. They no doubt got some type of premium for whoever hauled the most bundles. I do recall one hay rack coming into the yard so fast it tipped over going around the corner. That made a lot of extra work for the two fellows on that rack, they had to pitch all those bundles four times.

When it comes to threshing memories, most people remember having dinner as the main event of the day, there was always plenty of good food and matching appetites. The kitchen was so busy, we kids were treated like Little Jimmy Dickens, “Take a cold tater and wait.” My brother and I were outside one time during dinner hour. Harlan crawled up in somebody’s hay rack and managed to get the reins loosened up, those horses took off, a runaway, Harlan was bouncing around in the back of that hay rack like a ping-pong ball. He ended up with a few black and blue marks before somebody got the horses stopped.

There was always a very quick nap and short break right after the huge (noon lunch) dinner was finished. That was a time when everyone swapped lies about each other. My dad often recalled one of those break periods were a daredevil climbed the windmill and got out into the wooden, wind vanes. He stood in there, had someone start the old windmill, then rode around a few revolutions, I think it was done on a bet. There were many young fellows who followed the threshing circuit to earn extra money, some left surprise gifts that went unseen for nine months. The windmill rider maybe made himself a small fortune during harvest time, just riding inside of windmills.

treshing-machine

The threshing machine was usually pulled up into the farmers yard the night before it was going to be moved and they did all the greasing and oiling and sharpened the twine cutting knives, until they were razor sharp. We had strict orders DO NOT play around the threshing machine, There’s an old saying, “Parents should have eyes on both sides of the head.” This was one of those cases. The bundles are fed into the threshing machine with a chain driven feeder. At the end of that feeder are some large razor-sharp knives for cutting the twine’s off the bundles, so they won’t tangle up in the machine

Harlan and I climbed up on the threshing machine that evening, doing our exploring as we usually did and we discovered a little sliding door. So of course we opened that door, I told Harlan , ‘I don’t think we better go down in there,’ “He had to try it”. He put his legs right down into those twine cutters. A huge cut instantly opened about 6 inch long, on the fleshy part of his left leg, right below the knee. There was blood squirting everywhere! I screamed loud enough for the neighbors to hear. Our dad came running, grabbed Harlan and got him in the car, mom must have had a tourniquet on his leg for the ten mile ride to the hospital.