Out in Gladys' Garden

Out in Gladys' garden picking tomatoes. Dick has done a great job
protecting it from the onslaught of grasshoppers that invaded the
territory this summer. Gladys watched Dick till the soil, plant the seeds,
and pull the weeds from her chair under the Manchurian Apple tree.

Oh how she loved sitting outside. I remember the luninosity of
her skin as the sun kissed her cheeks. She'd smile and tell me
how much she was looking forwards to eating the beets and the tomatoes
when they ripened up.

I think about how much Gladys loved being outside and her love
of plants, rocks and nature. The wind chimes remind me of her
sparkly eyes and the delight she took from the all the beautiful flowers
that Dick planted around the place. Those two spent a life time together
outside taking care of the home place.

Remembering Gladys

Friends and family gathered yesterday to remember and
celebrate Gladys' long and remarkable life. The
funeral was held at Kane's Funeral Home at 11:00 am.
Alan Lloyd prepared the eulogy and encouraged the
sharing of "Gladys" stories. A slide show of her
100 birthday party was accompanied by her favorite music.
She was buried next to her husband Merle at the Elks
Cemetary under the watch of the Big Horns.

The family hosted a luncheon in her honor at the
Holiday Inn.

Gladys leaves a tremendous legacy of hospitality,
humor and a life well lived. She touched the lives
of people around the world
with her kindness, wit and generousity.
She was known as Mom, Grandma Gladys and Aunt Gladys
by so many.

The coffee is always hot at Gladys'.

The Boys Are Back In Town

Gladys' great grandson's Michael Young and Jordon Fletcher are
out at Ted's on Otter Creek to help Ted cut hay.
Currently Gladys is teaching Michael how to play gin.
Jordon just plays cards online so he's no help.
Dick filled the candy dish from his personal stash of
York Peppermint Patties. The York Patties are no being
made.

So far it is Gladys 1, Michael 1.

SKUNK SAGA CONTINUES...

The aroma of skunk is in the air on Otter Creek.

Last week, Dick caught 4 adult skunks and 4
young skunks in the yard. Dick wonders if
the family lives across the road under the culvert
and comes over here for entertainment.

He's hoping that they will go play somewheres
else. Gladys agrees.

Busy Day @ Fletcherville

Dick was out in the shop creating the perfect garden
cart and Gladys was in the kitchen cutting celery.

The garden cart evolved from the abandoned "Otter Cart"
that was left on the place 8-9 years ago. Dick has fitted
it with handle bars, bicycle wheels and is now designing
a trailer hitch so he can pull it behind the riding lawn
mower.

The cottonwood trees are shedding that wicked white
stuff around the Fletcher Place.

This afternoon Dick, Gladys, Dulcie and Olivia loaded
into the Cadillac and motored to Ashland to buy more
gasoline for the riding mower. Dick says it takes
about 5 gallons of gas a week to keep the place mowed.

On the way in Jordon was spotted on the 4 wheeler with
Trouble, the dog, behind him. Dick pulled over and found out that
Jordon was heading home to Billings with his Grandmother
Peggy this evening. Jordon will be back Wednesday to help
his Grandpa Ted with haying.

Peggy, June Persons and Dixie are going to the Glenn Campbell
concert tonight in Billings.

Dancing at Otter

There was a 2 story outfit at Otter where folks used
to dance. Downstairs was a grocery store.
Upstairs was a bar and dance hall.One night an old cowboy,
who was a drunk, was pretty lit up.
So he went and got a lady who was very pious. They went out
to dance, the drunk cowboy fell down at the first
turn of the square, he knocked the lady down. She was
embarrased and just sat there.
Her husband, Burt, was playing with the band. After she got
up she went over and asked him why he didn't go over
and help her up. He said that he thought that she was
just playing marbles. She could have killed him.

Gladys Loves to Dance

"I was at the height of my glory when I used to
dance. My Mom taught all us kids to dance when
we were young. My Dad would play the mouth organ.
He could really play, he made it sound good.
A Suvian, polka, we learned a lot of them that they
don't do anymore. We did the French Minuet, the Rye Waltz,
they were really different.
I love just a plain old fashioned waltz. Its a very
pretty dance.
My Dad built a turning pole for us, we had to learn how to
chin ourselves. We had teeter totters and all kinds of
equipment."