The Front Porch Swing

[LindaB220]

I love animals of all types

, but not all mushy, save- the- whales type stuff. My 16 yr old daughter though, absolutely hates animals of any kind. They either shed, or make noise, or stink, or something lol. However, my 10 yr old son is just like me, but maybe more so. He wants to be a vet or work at the zoo when he gets older. He has his own chickens and parakeets now. Nothing suits that boy more than an arm load of animals. He may grow up to be an animal hoarder, only he would take good care of his

My daughter hated animals growing up. All kinds. What does she do now. Owns a dog groom shop

That may be an idea for your son. Put is passion to work. The local places in town charge $12-$15 a night for boarding. She charges $20. But they get 4 walks a day, lots of love and pictures emailed to owners daily. So busy she can't keep up. People are willing to pay extra for special care for their babies. Another thing, people howled in laughter when she told them she was opening this 20 miles out in the country.
Who gets the last laugh?

 

[Ms Jellybean]

.

 

[Blooie]

I'm in the same boat - I don't come on for two days and wham - 50 pages. I just can't keep up!!!

Love all those movies above!! Uhm, except Dances With Wolves...the movie was great, but Kevin Coster makes me cringe so much that I can't watch any movies with him in it anymore. Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves - loved the movie - had to cover my ears anytime he or that other pretty boy spoke. At least he didn't even try the British accent, I would never have been able to watch it at all.

Under the Tuscan Sun had some pretty eye candy - one of my favorite movies. I love the way those medieval towns are laid out - so cozy - I'd like to live in a place where everyone knew everyone and everyone was friendly instead of hopeless, or hopelessly rude, and you didn't have to drive an hour to visit with friends/family - you could just walk out the door. Did I make that entirely one sentence?

Then come to Cowley.....I didn't realize that Mayberry still existed, but it does! People take evening strolls, stopping to visit in front of the post office or the Merc. There is no house to house mail delivery so the entire town at one time or another is at the post office during the day - so the post office serves as "Floyd's Barber Shop." Town-wide festivals keep us busy all summer. Rodeos start in the spring. Cowley Days, the third Saturday in July, is a weekend of parades, lunch in the park put on by the town, talent shows in our amazing "Log Gym", family and class reunions. Katie and Kendra have marched in the kiddie parade every year. There's the Cowley Corn Feed in August - the town provides pit-roasted hog, beef and lamb. Folks on the north side of town bring desserts and those on the south side bring side dishes - it alternates annually. The night before dozens of us meet at the park and shuck fresh corn while we visit. There's a dance under the stars in the park after both Cowley's Day and the Corn Feed. At Christmas we use the "log gym" and feed the whole town......ham and turkey provided by the women in town and everyone brings a dish to pass. Santa is there, carols are sung loudly and slightly off key, and kids run around that huge gym all evening long.

When I had gangrene in 2001 I spent 10 days in St. V's in Billings. I got home on a Friday and had a recheck the following Monday. We got home that Monday to a note on the door. I have it memorized, and that note is still in my Treasure Box. It said, "You don't know me.....my name is Jo _________. I heard you'd had a rough time and I just wanted to see if I could help in some way. There's a casserole in your fridge with instructions and I left a plate of cookies on your microwave. My number is 548-****. I hope you'll call." A few days later a man who lives 3 blocks down stopped by. "I know you're not Mormon, and I have no intention of making you Mormon. But you and Ken have become part of us, and we'd like to come in and give you a 'healing blessing' if we may." I just nodded. So he said he'd go get a few people together and be right back. Ken's Aunt Norma, who lived in this old place for years before we bought it from Ken's Mom and Dad, just glared at me. "You're not letting those #$&~* Mormons into my trailer are you?" I glared right back. "Nope. I'm letting them into mine!"

When we got custody of the grandkids, we weren't really prepared to take on two more in this tiny place. We needed letters supporting our ability to take care of them. We'd only lived here a few years, but we were inundated with letters. The deputy sheriff who had done the initial investigation when our daughter disappeared and left the kids with us knocked on our door a few days before Christmas, reassuring Little Diane that Santa knew where they were and had left some things for them. Yeah, I guess! How about a box full of brand new clothes for both, CD players, skateboards, scooters......and $200.00 in cash to help Gramma and Grampa. Then when we got home Christmas Eve there was a beautiful card on our door with $500.00 in cash and a note saying that this community admired what we were doing and wanted to be part of rebuilding the kids' lives.

This is a Mormon town. Ken and I are not Mormon. But we have been welcomed so warmly and treated with dignity and respect for our personal beliefs. It is almost unheard of for a non-Mormon to serve in the town government, not because the people here are closed off against non-Mormons but because there are so few of us here. I think there are 4 non-LDS families here. Yet I was appointed to our town's Planning and Zoning Commission and was elected to serve on the Town Council with no issues at all. The council I serve on was instrumental in restoring our "Log Gym", the heartbeat of Cowley.

Here it's still okay for our teachers to pick up our kids and give them a hug if they're crying. Here it's okay for our teachers to say, "What were you THINKING?" or even, "You didn't think that decision through at all." and school discipline is swift, fair, and forgotten as soon as it's given. Here it's okay for a teacher on the playground to join in on the recess games. Our kids still bring cupcakes to school for birthdays, pack their own lunches if they want to without food police examining the contents, and bullying doesn't exist because these kids would get their fannies paddled when they got home if they were unkind to others. I love this town, these people and I love serving them on the Council.

Mayberry exists. It's a little town of 600 up in Northern Wyoming and the welcome mat is always out.

 

[Blooie]

This is the entire business district of Cowley!


The exterior of the Log Gym


The interior of the Log Gym when the council did the final inspection after restoration.


That's Jenny and Katie way up there in the loft of the gym during the open house.

 

[LindaB220]

Then come to Cowley.....I didn't realize that Mayberry still existed, but it does! People take evening strolls, stopping to visit in front of the post office or the Merc. There is no house to house mail delivery so the entire town at one time or another is at the post office during the day - so the post office serves as "Floyd's Barber Shop." Town-wide festivals keep us busy all summer. Rodeos start in the spring. Cowley Days, the third Saturday in July, is a weekend of parades, lunch in the park put on by the town, talent shows in our amazing "Log Gym", family and class reunions. Katie and Kendra have marched in the kiddie parade every year. There's the Cowley Corn Feed in August - the town provides pit-roasted hog, beef and lamb. Folks on the north side of town bring desserts and those on the south side bring side dishes - it alternates annually. The night before dozens of us meet at the park and shuck fresh corn while we visit. There's a dance under the stars in the park after both Cowley's Day and the Corn Feed. At Christmas we use the "log gym" and feed the whole town......ham and turkey provided by the women in town and everyone brings a dish to pass. Santa is there, carols are sung loudly and slightly off key, and kids run around that huge gym all evening long.

When I had gangrene in 2001 I spent 10 days in St. V's in Billings. I got home on a Friday and had a recheck the following Monday. We got home that Monday to a note on the door. I have it memorized, and that note is still in my Treasure Box. It said, "You don't know me.....my name is Jo _________. I heard you'd had a rough time and I just wanted to see if I could help in some way. There's a casserole in your fridge with instructions and I left a plate of cookies on your microwave. My number is 548-****. I hope you'll call." A few days later a man who lives 3 blocks down stopped by. "I know you're not Mormon, and I have no intention of making you Mormon. But you and Ken have become part of us, and we'd like to come in and give you a 'healing blessing' if we may." I just nodded. So he said he'd go get a few people together and be right back. Ken's Aunt Norma, who lived in this old place for years before we bought it from Ken's Mom and Dad, just glared at me. "You're not letting those #$&~* Mormons into my trailer are you?" I glared right back. "Nope. I'm letting them into mine!"

When we got custody of the grandkids, we weren't really prepared to take on two more in this tiny place. We needed letters supporting our ability to take care of them. We'd only lived here a few years, but we were inundated with letters. The deputy sheriff who had done the initial investigation when our daughter disappeared and left the kids with us knocked on our door a few days before Christmas, reassuring Little Diane that Santa knew where they were and had left some things for them. Yeah, I guess! How about a box full of brand new clothes for both, CD players, skateboards, scooters......and $200.00 in cash to help Gramma and Grampa. Then when we got home Christmas Eve there was a beautiful card on our door with $500.00 in cash and a note saying that this community admired what we were doing and wanted to be part of rebuilding the kids' lives.

This is a Mormon town. Ken and I are not Mormon. But we have been welcomed so warmly and treated with dignity and respect for our personal beliefs. It is almost unheard of for a non-Mormon to serve in the town government, not because the people here are closed off against non-Mormons but because there are so few of us here. I think there are 4 non-LDS families here. Yet I was appointed to our town's Planning and Zoning Commission and was elected to serve on the Town Council with no issues at all. The council I serve on was instrumental in restoring our "Log Gym", the heartbeat of Cowley.

Here it's still okay for our teachers to pick up our kids and give them a hug if they're crying. Here it's okay for our teachers to say, "What were you THINKING?" or even, "You didn't think that decision through at all." and school discipline is swift, fair, and forgotten as soon as it's given. Here it's okay for a teacher on the playground to join in on the recess games. Our kids still bring cupcakes to school for birthdays, pack their own lunches if they want to without food police examining the contents, and bullying doesn't exist because these kids would get their fannies paddled when they got home if they were unkind to others. I love this town, these people and I love serving them on the Council.

Mayberry exists. It's a little town of 600 up in Northern Wyoming and the welcome mat is always out.

Wonderful town. Wish there were more. Closer!!!!

 

[jmoeller]

Then come to Cowley.....I didn't realize that Mayberry still existed, but it does! People take evening strolls, stopping to visit in front of the post office or the Merc. There is no house to house mail delivery so the entire town at one time or another is at the post office during the day - so the post office serves as "Floyd's Barber Shop." Town-wide festivals keep us busy all summer. Rodeos start in the spring. Cowley Days, the third Saturday in July, is a weekend of parades, lunch in the park put on by the town, talent shows in our amazing "Log Gym", family and class reunions. Katie and Kendra have marched in the kiddie parade every year. There's the Cowley Corn Feed in August - the town provides pit-roasted hog, beef and lamb. Folks on the north side of town bring desserts and those on the south side bring side dishes - it alternates annually. The night before dozens of us meet at the park and shuck fresh corn while we visit. There's a dance under the stars in the park after both Cowley's Day and the Corn Feed. At Christmas we use the "log gym" and feed the whole town......ham and turkey provided by the women in town and everyone brings a dish to pass. Santa is there, carols are sung loudly and slightly off key, and kids run around that huge gym all evening long.

When I had gangrene in 2001 I spent 10 days in St. V's in Billings. I got home on a Friday and had a recheck the following Monday. We got home that Monday to a note on the door. I have it memorized, and that note is still in my Treasure Box. It said, "You don't know me.....my name is Jo _________. I heard you'd had a rough time and I just wanted to see if I could help in some way. There's a casserole in your fridge with instructions and I left a plate of cookies on your microwave. My number is 548-****. I hope you'll call." A few days later a man who lives 3 blocks down stopped by. "I know you're not Mormon, and I have no intention of making you Mormon. But you and Ken have become part of us, and we'd like to come in and give you a 'healing blessing' if we may." I just nodded. So he said he'd go get a few people together and be right back. Ken's Aunt Norma, who lived in this old place for years before we bought it from Ken's Mom and Dad, just glared at me. "You're not letting those #$&~* Mormons into my trailer are you?" I glared right back. "Nope. I'm letting them into mine!"

When we got custody of the grandkids, we weren't really prepared to take on two more in this tiny place. We needed letters supporting our ability to take care of them. We'd only lived here a few years, but we were inundated with letters. The deputy sheriff who had done the initial investigation when our daughter disappeared and left the kids with us knocked on our door a few days before Christmas, reassuring Little Diane that Santa knew where they were and had left some things for them. Yeah, I guess! How about a box full of brand new clothes for both, CD players, skateboards, scooters......and $200.00 in cash to help Gramma and Grampa. Then when we got home Christmas Eve there was a beautiful card on our door with $500.00 in cash and a note saying that this community admired what we were doing and wanted to be part of rebuilding the kids' lives.

This is a Mormon town. Ken and I are not Mormon. But we have been welcomed so warmly and treated with dignity and respect for our personal beliefs. It is almost unheard of for a non-Mormon to serve in the town government, not because the people here are closed off against non-Mormons but because there are so few of us here. I think there are 4 non-LDS families here. Yet I was appointed to our town's Planning and Zoning Commission and was elected to serve on the Town Council with no issues at all. The council I serve on was instrumental in restoring our "Log Gym", the heartbeat of Cowley.

Here it's still okay for our teachers to pick up our kids and give them a hug if they're crying. Here it's okay for our teachers to say, "What were you THINKING?" or even, "You didn't think that decision through at all." and school discipline is swift, fair, and forgotten as soon as it's given. Here it's okay for a teacher on the playground to join in on the recess games. Our kids still bring cupcakes to school for birthdays, pack their own lunches if they want to without food police examining the contents, and bullying doesn't exist because these kids would get their fannies paddled when they got home if they were unkind to others. I love this town, these people and I love serving them on the Council.

Mayberry exists. It's a little town of 600 up in Northern Wyoming and the welcome mat is always out.

WOW with testimony like that your little town is likely to have a population explosion. I have always wanted to move to Wyoming. About 14 years ago I was really obsessed with the idea. I packed my kids and reluctant husband in the van and headed for Wyoming for a tour. My husband, being terrified of change was not going along with my dream. I had to choose my husband or Wyoming, I think he would be a little upset to know how much I actually considered it. LOL. It sounds like you have a little piece of heaven on earth.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

WOW with testimony like that your little town is likely to have a population explosion.  I have always wanted to move to Wyoming. About 14 years ago I was really obsessed with the idea. I packed my kids and reluctant husband in the van and headed for Wyoming for a tour. My husband, being terrified of change was not going along with my dream. I had to choose my husband or Wyoming, I think he would be a little upset to know how much I actually considered it. LOL.  It sounds like you have a little piece of heaven on earth.

Show your husband Blooie's post!

 

[Ms Jellybean]

.

 

[Searsmom]

Mayberry exists. It's a little town of 600 up in Northern Wyoming and the welcome mat is always out.

Wow!! I want to live there! Except for the winters. I absolutely go nuts in the winter not being able to get out.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I've been driving myself crazy(er) trying to research grain/feed storage options for someone who goes through as much feed as I do (more than someone with 3 chickens, way way less than someone with 300,000 chickens).

I came across a product today ... a "bear tight" garbage can from Home Depot. The video made me giggle, so I looked it up on YouTube.