BASKETBALL FUN...

Basketball practice can be rough...

Pep talk during Nashville game.

Miss Madasan during Nashville game.

Two of Mad's favorite friends.

BEAUTIFUL ARKANSAS/DEER SEASON

Sheyanne and her eight point buck.

Madasan and her nine point buck.

If you live in my part of the world you take so many things for granted. For example Mother Nature got carried away with her paint brush this year. I am amazed at the beautiful colors of fall. Recently one of our local nature photographers (Greg M.) had several beautiful pictures of the Albert Pike and Cossatot Area on Facebook. I couldn’t resist letting other bloggers enjoy them. (Thanks Greg for the beautiful pictures.)

November always bring about another BIG event in Arkansas. DEER SEASON! This is one of the biggest happening around here. In anticipation of the coming season, energetic hunters put out food plots to entice the deer into certain areas. On the big day mothers, fathers, kids, etc., get out the orange and hit the woods. Some use dogs and others just sit and wait, often in elaborate tree stands, hoping to get the big one.

My two granddaughters have been seeing several deer on our property so their method is to sit and wait. Sheyanne got her eight point buck early in the morning and Madasan got her 9 point buck in the afternoon. As you can see from their pictures they were all smile.

This is one experience I have had in my life since the beginning. My father loved to hunt with dogs. Since this was his favorite method of hunting, his nick name was

“Driver”. I have listened to his stories and then after the boys got into the game the big hunt pretty well dominated the conversation at all gatherings. For some strange reason I didn’t catch the bug. I didn’t think it would be much fun to kill Bamba.

All of you that talk about Arkansas with all of our bugs, snakes, ticks, chiggers, etc., need to take a look at some of the beauty that completely outweighs those little critters.

BEAUTFIUL ARKANSAS

MADASAN'S BASKETBALL SEASON STARTS

Madasan's first basketball game for the 2010-11 season was with Cutter Morning Star.

Madasan and Taryn bring the ball down.

The DHS Junior Lady Outlaws won their first game against Cutter Morning Star on Tuesday night but lost the game tonight to Acorn. The Acorn game was a real heart breaker. The girls had a pretty good lead in the first half but two or three got in foul trouble and they seemed to fall apart. They were ahead until the last few seconds and Acorn beat them one point. Despite the loss they played a really good game.

The Junior Outlaws boys had their first win of the season tonight.

I didn't stay for the high school games. Gray's was calling me...

GIRL'S NIGHT OUT TO SEE WICKED

When I was invited on this trip I declined the offer but was persuaded that I could handle it. In making that decision I ran across a quote by Mark Twain that motivated me to get on with life and do what I could while I could. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream, Discover.” I know I will not be around twenty years from now but my age and my health seem to be my bowlines that often keep me from doing some of the things I would like to do. So I decided to accept the challenge and go with the girls to see Wicked*. I’m so proud I did!!

Fifteen of us ended up going on this adventure. It was an outstanding performance. It was very uptown for a group of country girls.

Julia got this group together. Five of us traveled from Dierks and met ten others for the great outing.

We had supper at Mimi’s in Little Rock. The place was packed with hungry customers and our food was late so the rush was on. We left our befuzzled waiter, John, a generous tip but by passed his slow delivery of our checks and hurriedly departed the place in an effort to arrive at Robinson Auditorium by 8:00 p.m. Julia let us out at the front and she parked the vehicle. We made it just in time…

After the show we coaxed an innocent bystander to snap a few shots of our group. (While at Mimi’s we also met a nice lady that happily snapped a few photos of our group.)

It was around 11:30 when we got out of the building and loaded into our car for the trip home. With five ladies in the car you can expect the necessity of a bathroom break before we got very far. We also made a late night visit to Krispy Kream. The Krispy Kream put the finishing touch on an exciting adventure.

Being the oldest in the group should make me feel old and decrepit but with this group of ladies I always come home rejuvenated. I sailed away from the safe harbor and believe me I caught the trade winds in my sails and soared. It was a great night!

*Wicked captivated our little group. It was the Wizard of Oz prequel story about a green woman coming of age in Oz. It was a moving tale of two witches and a dazzling green themed spectacle.

OUTLAW HORSE

All of you old Outlaw students and fans know what this big black horse represents in our community. Only an Outlaw know that this fierce horse represents the qualities that our mighty Outlaws try to exhibit in their love of sports.

Many years ago different names were suggested but the strength of an Outlaw horse is what was decided upon. Mrs. Mattie Mae told me that there was a big conflict over the selection of our mascot and the school colors. She said one suggestion was Lumber Jacks and green and yellow because we were a lumber town. Along the way purple and gold and the Outlaw horse was selected. Back in the late 50's or early 60's the colors were changed to blue and white. I remember one coach wanted to change because purple faded so badly.

For years other school would visit our campus and have outlaws hanging from the goal post like real shoot 'em up outlaws. An early story did exist that said we our coach would pick up young men working at the mill and out of school to fill in when the team could not suit up enough students. They were often called a pack of outlaws. Many, many stories exist about the early teams but finally in the 70's our Student Council decided to order a large black horse to stand guard at the entrance to our school and represent the Outlaw Spirit that exist among our students.

I remember the day the big package arrived and how excited we were. My Student Council and I had to decide where we wanted to put our horse. Some wanted to put a fence around him to keep people from being able to deface him but the big discussion was you can't fence in an Outlaw so the fence was out. We decided to put him down by the gym so as students drove up the hill to school they would see him and people could see him from the highway. He stood there until the new high school was build and then he was moved to the new school.

Through the years he has been defaced by opposing teams but never nothing very drastic. I remember the very first time he was defaced was by someone that used white spray paint to spray his private manhood parts. The Outlaws got very angry and won the next few games.

As his body gave in to the many years of weather he started deteriorating. He received many coats of paint and finally he was resurfaced with plastic but still his body was becoming brittle and finally his right foot broke off.

Years after I had retired I got a call wanting to know where I ordered the horse from. I couldn't remember but I did remember hanging on to the literature as long as I was at school but had destroyed it instead of handing it along to someone else. I think they found a company that made another horse or repaired the original and he looks great.

As you can see from the photo some students from Mineral Springs decided he needed to be decorated so they spray painted and toilet papered him. I fear that this will bring some retaliation by our students. I'm not sure about taking out their revenge on the field because we have had a pretty bad season. But let me assure you that most Outlaw fans don't take messing with their mascot lightly.

This little poem was on the wall of the old field house and I would almost guarantee that is has found its place in the new one. A former student wrote it and all Outlaw football players are aware of its existence.

TO BE A CHAMPION

Cost hours of hard work,
Gallons of seat, drops of blood
A mile of dedication, a ton of heart,
A chest full of courage, a body
Racked in pain, and a mind overflowing
with perseverance.

WILL YOU PAY YOUR DUES?

This is what it takes to be an Outlaw,
Because inside every true OUTLAW beats
The heart of a Champion!!*

*I'm not sure of the author but I think he is related to the Icken howers. (Icenhowers)

SHEYANNE'S NEW FRIEND

Sheyanne and Casey

Sheyanne is on the Rodeo Team at CCCUA and plans to get her degree in Ag Business. Casey is from Oklahoma, works and is a bareback rider. He just finished second in the finals at Ft. Smith.

TIM

HALLOWEEN BUNCO COSTUME PARTY

Rachel won the best costume. She put on quite a show...

Iris and Donna

Julia

Mary and Sue

Kelly, Nancy, Suzanne, Madasan

Maxine

Betsy, Jo Ann

The Sixteen Bunco Babes

Back in 2005 we had our first Halloween Costume Bunco Party. Suzanne and I decided it was time for another night of fun so five years later we did it again. As you can see from the pictures we had a ball. It doesn't take much to entertain this bunch.

Several great costumes were recognized but Rachel got the vote for BEST COSTUME.
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GREEN REUNION SATURDAY, OCT.2, 2010

1. Uncle Jerrel and Carolyn

2. Aunt Denver's family








3. Uncle Marvin's family

4. Aunt Anna Bell's family





5. My (Ruth) mother's family

6. Aunt Vira's family


Over 100 members of the Green family gathered at the Center Point Community Building on Oct. 2, 2010 for the annual Green Family Reunion.(Several from Uncle Leon's family attended. Aunt Mildred and several members of each family were unable to attend.)

MADASAN RUNNING THE BARRELS

Madasan running the barrels on the gray.

NEW HORSE

Sassy, Sheyanne's new horse.

BUNCO SEASON STARTS...

We had our first Bunco game of the season. Rachel was our wonderful hostess and had great food for our enjoyment. We played with great excitement. Can you believe that?

We had three substitutes and two of them were in a three way tie for the winning award with me. Kelly won first, Judy won second and I won third. Nancy won travel and I think Maxine won loser.

This game takes no skill at all. That is the reason I love it. Just being with sixteen ladies, of all ages, makes for an exciting night. When you are retired it doesn't take much...

(I forgot my camera but I guarantee there will be pictures next month. Big Halloween costume contest coming up at the October Bunco Party.)

BUNCO SEASON STARTS...

We had our first Bunco game of the season. Rachel was our wonderful hostess and

REMEMBERING WHEN...

I thought I would end with this one. I told you earlier that I never smiled in my pictures but as you can see from this one and the one below shows a big smile. Maybe meeting Billy J. brought the smile out.

This picture was taken the first year of our marriage. Billy had been in the Army. during my senior year. I was able to join him in Fort Leonardwood, MO. We were there for two years and then went to Henderson State Teacher's College. His major was PE and mine was Elementary Education. He dropped out when he started practice teaching. He wanted to coach not teach in the classroom. We returned to Dierks after I graduated.

I thought I would give you a glimpse of the basketball shorts back in the day. They were short compared to the shorts the kids wear today. My mom frowned when she saw them but I convinced her that that was the style and it was required.

This is my mom, Thomas, Ronnie and me. We lived in this old dilapidated house until we moved to Hot Springs. (I was in the 5th grade.)We stayed there for one year and all of us loved it but my mom. She threw a fit to return to the good life. In Hot Springs we lived in a nice two bedroom house with inside plumbing. It was located on a private lake and Thomas and I learned to swim with my dad's employer's (the mayor of Hot Springs) children. We lived a great life but my mom was not happy with us having all of the fun and she was stuck at home. Finally Dad gave in and we returned to this lovely house.

We lived in this three room house until I was in the 10th grade and Dad finally decided to build a new house. Finally we had a three bedroom house with indoor plumbing, electricity and everything.

My sweet husband at age 22.

June 5, 1954 was our BIG wedding day. I think I remember that the fabric for my dress cost $3 and my mom made it. In 1954 with three brothers and one on the way there was not much money floating around. My dad worked at the saw mill and my mom worked at home.

My senior year and I almost smiled.

This is my grandmother, my brother and me. I was five years old and Thomas was three. You can tell from this photo that my grandparents lived in a mansion. It was a shack of a house but there was always plenty of good food, clean clothes and much love.

The back of this picture said I was two year old but I think I look older. This is the first studio photo I ever had made and didn't have another until I was in high school. If you will notice...I never smiled when my picture was taken. I usually cried...I didn't like cameras. Still don't!!

This is a letter I received from my husband back in 1955. He was stationed at Ft. Leonardwood, MO and I was back home in Dierks. Look at the price of stamps in 1955.

This has taken me back many years and gives you a glimpse of my earlier life. My family was hard working people and we had very little but we still had a great life. Mother canned, sewed, grew most of our vegetables and made our butter from the milk that my dad milked each morning. In the earlier days she used a rub board to do her laundry and eventually got her first gas engine washing machine. My dad worked for Dierks Lumber Company until they sold out to Weyerhaeuser. He continued to work for them and retired after 42 years. When he started work he made fifteen cents per hour. (I could write all day about the early days but will not continue this story for I fear that it will not be of interest to anyone but me.)

Living in 2010 all of this seems like a dream. Times were hard and now it seems that we are so blessed to have so much. I think my generation could go back to hard times but I fear that the younger generation might not be able to bear it. Take away their cars, computers, electricity, i pods, cell phones (any kind of phone), television, air conditioning, running water, inside plumbing, name brand clothing, and the list goes on. How would they ever survive? Ohhhh, we have it so good and fail to count our blessings for our freedom and the privileged of living in a country such as ours. We complain and gripe about the government but we still are so richly blessed.