Day 11
Barbara and
Henry Overal purchase
part of the farm
and build “The Dobbin”
One
fine day we got a knock on the front door. You might think that not to be
unusual; save the fact that our house was located on a 200+ acre farm a half
mile off the paved county road and that it sat in a valley hiding any sign of
"civilization” from public prying eyes, not to mention the driveway road coming
off the public pavement came to a “dead end” at a free flowing creek. Looking
across the stream brought the viditor’s focus onto a woods; a slight
diversionary glance to the left showed the road exiting the creek and
continuing up the valley. A half mile later, our house sat on a hill
overlooking the valley, a rock bottom creek and was located on the northeast
corner of the farm. So, a vistor was quite the anomaly.
Answering
the polite intrusion on our coveted privacy revealed a gentleman and his lovely
wife, Mr. Henry Overal and partner, lovely Barbara, an English couple looking for
land to build on; shortly, they made a purchase (due, in part, to my sales skills with a little help from a
flock, or rafter, of turkeys). The couple built an elegant, large, English
cottage on the high spot of the farm; in England, a hillock, or high hill, is
known as “a dobbin”, thus, the name for their estate.
It
was 1989 and we were in the process of planning a move across the country to
the state of Oregon to transpire that August. Fortuitous! Indeed!
I
loaded our foreign visitors into the 4-wheel drive pick-up and made our way
another half mile up the road which continued past our home to the old
farmstead where we housed the livestock: horses, cattle, chickens, ducks, sheep
and one lonely turkey named, Tilley. I opened the pasture fence to gain access
to the high point of the property and drove through to a “perfect” building
site on the farm. Then, just as if “on cue”- like the deer being released in
the Chevy Chase movie where that couple had to sell their property---Voila!...thirteen turkey paraded out of
the woods in a scene that could not have been so beautifully choreographed. Sold!
Bingo!
My
tales of the farms wildlife: deer, coyote, foxes, squirrel, rabbit, quail and
myriad birds including wild ducks and geese sealed the deal. Strange things
have a way of getting weirder.
Just
as I finalized the sale of a huge chunk of the farm to English Henry, I
received a call from an elderly gentleman who had 80 acres for sale, a property
we had investigated some ten years prior, but which the man did not want to
sell at the time; now he was in a hurry to liquidate.
Turns
out, we bought that property, too. By May of that year, while we were intent on
making our giant move to the west coast, we purchased the eighty acres---and.
an additional…73 acres!
Yeah!
I know! Crazy! Absolutely. But, I
have been blessed (undeservedly); maybe because I am “Crazy!” Anyway, we
liquidated all of that nearly 400 acres including our “estate” home, with pool before the August deadline rolled around. Simple? I had a lot of “supernatural”
help!
So?
Wife Lady Candice on her rebel,
rascal, rogue, rapscallion mate?---All in…but,
nervous! One can offer me advice, and, I’ll listen, then make my decision. Just
don’t ever---tell me…No!
A
conclusion of eccentric might flow
from a purposed-intention inclusion of eclectic?
Hmm!
Knock! Knock! Pay attention.
Focus. Fear not! And, Follow Me! The admonition of the Holy
Bible. I found that adage to be “Good” advice---in fact…the very best of the
best. Thank you! Lord! Could not have
ever even begun to accomplish what has transpired in this life---I can hardly
wait…for the ’morrow dawn to see what He has in store for me come His future! Amen!
Ah! Cookie Jar
Sweet Memories! Amen!
Plus:
Christmas
Magic
“BaPa, will it snow
tonight?”
Queried tight
blond-curled angelic sight
Anticipation shared
by loving three
“Pray to Jesus,
believe it will, then all shall see.”
On he prattled
reminiscing Christmas past
Forever savored, each
one sweeter than the last
Softly he gazed upon
the faces gathered ‘round the tree
Blessed by God, he
adored this spiritual family
Eyes intent upon him
now, attention total unabated
A life fulfilled, his
delivered soul completely satiated
His words flew on
wings of love
From a heart inspired
by heaven above
“My children, babies
and this perfect wife
Allowed me time to
enjoy this blissful life
“When I am called,
someone will fill my place”
Blue eyes fell upon
his handsome young man’s face
“For this celebration
comes from babe in yonder manger
Emulate Jesus! No one
to Him shall ever be a stranger.”
Gleeful joy erupted
when they saw the snow
God’s truth falls
upon creation earth below
“Find Him there
within thyself, sweet children
Share His Word
exemplar with your worldly friends.”
Amen!!
Merry Christmas 2007!
Carl and Candy
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