Country June/July 2019

ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB—that’s just one of many lessons my father taught my siblings and me. A mechanic by trade, his toolbox held just the implement he needed. In his hand, a wrench or a screwdriver became an extension of his arm. I keep this in mind every time I’m tempted to cave into my innate laziness and grab a butter knife instead of a screwdriver (because the kitchen is closer than the garage). Do it right the first time was his ultimate message. Reader Joanne Haverland’s father, Bozworth Humphrey, was cut of that same no-nonsense cloth. On page 62, she recounts how he helped her gain confidence by not letting her give up on a stubborn horse. He also taught her by example that a…

Country is written by readers for readers. It’s easy to share your stories and photos. Simply visit country-magazine.com and click Share Your Story. Give us your take on the topics below, and you might get published in a future issue: Fall Traditions In autumn, we all look forward to leaves changing, visits to the pumpkin patch, Thanksgiving and other traditions. Share your favorite people, places and activities in fall, along with photos. Label your submission “Fall Traditions.” Christmas Our Christmas issue could be your family’s keepsake! Share your holiday traditions, family memories, stories and photos with us. You might see them in print in the Dec/Jan issue. Label your submission “Christmas.” Humor Rural life produces its fair share of side-splitting moments. Share your funniest stories and jokes, and send us pictures of the…

Dear Country… Alli Jane, our granddaughter, spent her first Fourth of July visiting her great-grandfather, Wayne King, at the veterans home in Oxford, Mississippi. The way they are looking at each other is so sweet. This photo captures a brave World War II veteran seeing hope for the future in the eyes of his great-granddaughter. WINI KING Water Valley, Mississippi FROST AND SNOW on trees make a wonderful scenic picture (Feb/March, “Country Life Photo Contest,” page 32), especially when you experience it in person. Fences, buildings and animals certainly add to the wonder. However, this ol’ country grampa considers your choice of snow-covered machinery (above) as abuse. George Schouweiler Holmes City, Minnesota THANK YOU for the heartwarming article “Weathering the Storm” by Dana Foreman in the Feb/March issue (page 70).…

Coming Clean Today is one of those days when early summer has cast its drowsy spell, and I am suddenly missing the sunshine scent of the line-dried sheets of my childhood. It’s the kind of aroma that stays with a person forever, like that of bread baking or newly mown grass. I remember watching and waiting on washday as my mother walked the wire square, wiping a week’s worth of dirt and bird droppings from the clotheslines in the backyard. When this task was completed, my sister, Marlys, and I lugged baskets of clean laundry onto the soft grass under the lines where the tattered clothespin bag, an old baby dress sewn across the bottom, hung waiting. I can still see Mother’s small hand dipping rhythmically into the bag and…

ALASKA IS PERHAPS the most truly wild, largely undeveloped open area left in the United States. My wife and I have visited there many times, enjoying its landscapes, abundant wildlife and friendly people. I took this photograph capturing the grand sweep of sky, water and mountains outside of Homer, a town on the north shore of Kachemak Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. Balancing the paddle across my lap, I quickly snapped the picture as the light waves shook my kayak and gently inched me toward the rocks of the shoreline.…

DURING SUMMER VACATION on Miller Beach in Indiana, the hot weather often tempted me to play outside and wander. There, amber sand dunes kiss the pale blue shores of Lake Michigan. I often visited a small, secluded pond by myself or with a willing friend. While there, I marveled at nature’s inviting gems, among them mysterious green frog heads that peeked out of the water; twisted old, waving trees; and swaying spatterdocks! In this tranquil spot, those water lilies beckoned, their long-stemmed yellow flowers with vaselike centers rising above the water. I had to get a better look at them since they were so unusual. But how could I get closer? The water was shallow, though mucky and tadpolefilled, presenting an easy solution to this dilemma. So I broke in…