POLICE JURY STORM SHELTER
             by Carl Evans  2/26/2010
    MANY STORMS HAVE COME OUR WAY THIS YEAR OF RAIN AND SNOW,
     BUT I HAVE A PROTECTED PLACE TO BE SAFE FROM A WINDY BLOW.
    FOR OVER 4 YEARS I'VE BEEN SPENDING TIME IN SUCH A SHELTERED PLACE
     WHERE I PRAY, READ MY BIBLE AND TRY TO SHOW FORTH GOD'S GRACE.
    I'VE ENDURED SOME COMPLAINING PEOPLE BUT SUCH IS NORMAL AROUND HERE,
     AND ENJOY NEW PEOPLE AND HAVING LOTS OF LAUGHTER WHEN THEY'RE NEAR.
    I THINK THAT EVERYONE STARTS LAUGHING WHEN THEY ENTER THE GATE AND SEE ME
     BUT THAT'S OK FOR I SEE MYSELF IN THE MIRROR AND UNDERSTAND MISERY.
    SO WHEN THE HURRICANES COME AND GO I'LL RESIDE IN THE HEAVY COMPACTOR
     AND TRUST MY LIFE TO MY LORD FOR HE IS MY TRUE BENEFACTOR.
    HOWEVER, WHEN YOU COME TO THE DUMP AND HEAR A HOWLING BOOM
     DON'T EXPECT ANY PITY FROM ME FOR THERE'S NO MORE ROOM.

          THE BAYOULAND
                by Carl Evans 1/14/2010
    WAY DOWN YONDER IN THE BAYOU LAND
     PEOPLE GREW UP TO BE A FISHERMAN,
    LEAVING IN THE DARK WAY BEFORE SUNUP
     WITH FISHING GEAR, SNACKS, AND COFFEE CUP.
    THEY'D CHECK THEIR TRAPS AND TROTLINES TOO
     SO THEY'D HAVE FOOD FOR ME AND YOU.
    WHEN THEY GOT HOME TO CLEAN THEIR CATCH
     SEPARATING EACH TO SELL THEN CLOSING THE HATCH.
    THEY WERE USED TO HARD WORK AND TEMPS SO COLD
     BUT THEY WENT FORTH AS MEN SO BOLD
    THEY RAISED THEIR KIDS TO BE GOOD AND TRUE
     WORKING HARD TO CARRY THINGS THROUGH.
    FOR GENERATIONS THAT WAS THEIR WAY
     FROM BEFORE SUNUP 'TIL AFTER THE DARKENED DAY.
    THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHANGES TO COME THEIR WAY
     WITH VIDEO GAMES TO FILL THEIR LIVES WITH PLAY,
    BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY WHO CARRIES ON
     IN OLD FASHIONED WAYS TILL THE WORK IS DONE.
    MANY PEOPLE TODAY WANT TO SIT AND LET UNCLE SAM
     TAKE CARE OF THEM SO THEY'LL BE A SATISFIED HAM,
    JUST EATING AND SLEEPING AND BEING A DRAIN ON SOCIETY
     THEY FIGHTING AND GRIPING ABOUT LOSS OF PROSPERITY.
    THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH SOME DEPRIVATION
     TO SEE THAT CHARITY IS NOT OUR SALVATION,
    FOR WE KNOW THAT OUR SAVIOR HAS COME FROM ABOVE
     TO PURCHASE OUT SOULS FROM SIN AND FILL US WITH HIS LOVE.

 

A (SMART) WOMAN

                            by Carl Evans 2009

1. can throw a man off balance in milliseconds.

2. can outtalk a man while he's trying to understand what she is talking about.

3. can make a good conversation while jumping from track to track.

4. can show feelings and emotions (get in the moods) that a man can't understand until it's to late (after the conversation is over). It takes hours to get the grasp of

what she was saying.

5. can love her man more than he can love her. While a man deals with reality and facts with one side of his brain, he cannot get in touch with his emotional side as easily.

6. can see the light quicker than a regular man can for he is still trying to figure out what she's saying before she changes the conversation and jumps tracks again.

7. can keep a guy confused, disoriented, and downright untalkative to the point of

wondering  if he even has a brain to use.

8. can get her man to do just about anything she wants, for his brain has become

like gelatin.

NO WONDER A MAN IS SO MESSED UP AND UNBALANCED

After many years, man discovers that a soft voice, hugs, cuddling, etc. has more

THE HUNTERS
     by Carl Evans 2008
   FROM MY EARLIEST MEMORIES, I CAN REMEMBER MY OLDER BROTHERS AND DAD GOING
 HUNTING AND BRINGING HOME MEAT - WHETHER SQUIRREL, COON, HOG, OR DEER. WE
 NEVER DID HAVE TO BUY MEAT FROM A STORE. AFTER SQUIRREL SEASON - OR JUST
 BEFORE - THE FIRST SATURDAY IN OCTOBER, MY OLDER BROTHERS WOULD GO ABOUT
 1/4 MILE FROM THE HOUSE TO A HOLLOW TREE THAT SQUIRRELS NESTED IN. OLDER
 BEECH TREES WOULD ALWAYS DEVELOP A HOLLOW INNER CORE AND LEAVE ABOUT HALF
 OF THE OUTER CORE STABLE. WHERE A LIMB CAME OUT OF THE TREE WOULD DEVELOP
 A ROTTED HOLE FOR THE SQUIRRELS TO GO IN AND OUT. THERE WOULD ALSO BE A
 HOLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TREE TRUNK THAT PROVIDED AN EXTRA ENTRANCE OR
 EXIT. IF A SQUIRREL WENT IN THE BOTTOM AND DIDN'T COME OUT OF ONE OF THE
 UPPER HOLES, WE WOULD BUILD A SMOKE FROM BURNING LEAVES IN THE BOTTOM HOLE
 TO CHASE IT OUT. SOMETIMES, IT WOULD BACKFIRE ON US AND BECOME A FIRE AND
 BURN THE SQUIRREL. OTHER TIMES THE SQUIRREL WOULD COME OUT ONE OF THE
 OTHER HOLES AND RUN TO THE TOP OF THE TREE OR ON A BRANCH OR ANOTHER TREE.
 THAT'S WHEN MY BROTHERS AND/OR ME (IN MY TEENAGE YEARS) WOULD KILL IT WITH
 A 12 GUAGE SHOTGUN. ANOTHER WAY TO GET THE SQUIRREL TO RUN OUT WOULD BE TO
 CUT A LIMBER AND LONG FORKED LIMB AND RUN IT UP THE TREE FROM THE BOTTOM
 OPENING. SOMETIMES WHEN WE'D PULL IT BACK, IT WOULD HAVE SOME HAIR ON THE
 FORK AND SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T. SOMETIMES IT WOULD CHASE THE SQUIRREL OUT
 AND SOMETIMES NOT. WHEN THE SQUIRREL WOULD COME OUT OF THE LOWER HOLE, IT
 WOULD BE SCOOTING AND WE USUALLY GOT OUT OF IT'S WAY FOR THEIR TEETH COULD
 HURT YOU FOR SURE.
   DURING SCHOOL DAYS AND DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME (IF THERE'S SUCH A THING AS
 SAVINGS) MY BROTHER(S) WOULD BE AT ONE OF THE HOLLOW DEN TREES WAITING FOR
 THE FIRST SIGN OF LIGHT TO CATCH THE SQUIRRELS COMING OUT OF THEIR HOLES.
 BEFORE THE SCHOOL BUS CAME, THE SQUIRRELS WOULD BE CLEANED, WASHED, AND
 FRIED IN HOG LARD AND EATEN WITH HOMEMADE SYRUP, HOT BISCUITS, FLOUR GRAVY
 MADE WITH THE DRIPPINGS FROM THE SQUIRREL, AND REAL COW'S MILK. NONE OF US
 WERE EXPERT DEER AND RABBIT HUNTERS, BUT WE KNEW HOW TO DO IT ALL TO MAKE
 MEAT.
   MY GRANDPA SAM EVANS WAS A BETTER HUNTER FOR HE GREW UP IN EARLIER TIMES
 (b.1882) AND HAD TO TRAP FOR MEAT AND OCCASIONALLY USED A GUN. THE PIONEERS
 LIVED IN A TIME WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BUY HUNTING/FISHING LICENSES SO
 THEY COULD FISH AND HUNT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEY DIDN'T OVERKILL THE
 ANIMALS BUT WOULD KILL FOR THE MEAT WHEN THEY NEEDED IT. HE WOULD LEAVE
 HOME AFTER BREAKFAST OF HOT BISCUITS, SYRUP, MEAT, COFFEE AND OR MILK AND
 WOULD SOMETIMES STAY GONE MOST OF THE DAY TRAIPSING THROUGH THE WOODS. HE
 ALWAYS CARRIED HIS KNIFE, A FISHING LINE AND FISHHOOK WRAPPED AROUND A
 SMALL PIECE OF WOOD OR SMALL PIECE OF A LIMB, HIS DOUBLE BARREL 12 GUAGE
 SHOTGUN (WHICH HE CARRIED ON HIS SHOULDER WHILE HOLDING THE BARREL WITH
 HIS TWO FINGERS IN THE BARRELS - AND IT WAS ALWAYS LOADED) AND POSSIBLY A
 COLD BISCUIT OR TWO AND SOME MEAT OF SOME KIND. MOST LIKELY IT WAS PORK FOR
 THE WOODS WAS FULL OF TAME AND WILD HOGS. HE MAY BE GONE A COUPLE OF HOURS
 OR MOST OF THE DAY BUT HE ALWAYS BROUGHT HOME SOME MEAT OF SOME KIND. HE
 WOULD ROLL A DEAD AND PARTIALLY ROTTEN LOG AND GET SOME EARTHWORMS OR
 GRUB WORMS FROM JUST INSIDE THE BARK. THERE WERE ALWAYS SOME HOLES OF WATER
 IN A BRANCH OR SMALL CREEKS AMD HE WOULD CATCH SUN PERCH OR OTHER FISH.
 HE'D CUT A SMALL FORKED LIMB TO STRING THE FISH ON. IT WAS ABOUT 12 OR
 MORE INCHES LONG AND THE OTHER LIMB WAS SMALLER - DEPENDING ON HOW MANY
 FISH HE'D CAUGHT. BY THE TIME HE GOT HOME, THE FISH WOULD BE DEAD BUT
 STILL GOOD TO EAT AFTER MY GRANDMA MATTIE COOKED THEM OF COURSE. IN THE
 YEARS OF MY AWARENESS, THEY ALWAYS HAD A LITTLE GARDEN AND ONE MILK COW OF
 MIXED BREED THAT FORAGED IN THE WOODS WHERE OTHER COWS AND BULLS FED.
 MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO OWN A BULL, FOR LARGER OWNERS SUPPLIED HIM
 TO BREED THEIR MANY COWS. THE FRINGE BENEFIT FOR THE SMALLER OWNERS IS
 THAT THEY HAD NEW CALVES EVERY YEAR. RESIDENTS USED THE FREE RANGE
 TO PROVIDE FEED FOR THEIR CATTLE AND EVEN HORSES AND MULES RAMBLED IN THE
 OPEN WOODS AT TIMES.
 IT WAS A SIMPLE LIFE LIVING CLOSE TO THREE DAUGHTERS, MY DAD, ALONG WITH
 GRANDPA'S BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND COUSINS WITH COMBINED FAMILIES TO
 HELP EACH OTHER OUT. BOTH OF MY DAD'S PARENTS DIED IN THE 1970'S WHEN
 THEY WERE BOTH IN THE MID 80'S. GRANDMA DIED A FEW YEARS AFTER GRANDPA
 DIED. FOUR OF HER CHILDREN LIVED ONLY A MILE FROM HER. I NEVER KNEW OF
 MY GRANDPA WORKING FOR A LIVING DURING THE TIME I KNEW HIM. HE WAS IN
 HIS 60'S WHEN I WAS BORN. WHEN SSI CAME INTO EXISTENCE, HE RECEIVED A
 SMALL CHECK WHICH TOOK CARE OF THE NECESSITIES (WHICH INCLUDED THEIR
 SNUFF) AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
   I HAVE MANY FUN THINGS ABOUT MY GRANDPA AND GRANDMA. ONE OF THOSE WAS
        WHEN GRANDMA BROUGHT HIM SOME COFFEE IN A SAUCER AND TEA CUP. HE
 WOULD POUR SOME IN THE SAUCER AND BLOW ON IT FOR IT WAS BOILING HOT.
 GRANDMA WOULD SIT ON THE FRONT PORCH WITH HIM DRINKING HOT COFFEE AND
 USUALLY DIDN'T CARRY ON A CONVERSATION. THEY LIVED MAYBE 40 FEET FROM
 THE DIRT ROAD AND EVERY TIME A CAR/TRUCK WOULD COME BY, THEY WOULD BLOW
 THEIR HORN AND MY GRANDPARENTS WOULD WAVE A LITTLE. EVERYBODY KNEW ALL
 WHO LIVED WITHIN 15 MILES OF THEIR PLACE AND MANY OF THOSE WHO LIVED FURTHER
 AWAY. WHEN TIMES WERE IDLE, MY GRANDPA WOULD SIT IN A STRAIGHT CHAIR OF
 WOOD WITH COWHIDE BOTTOM. HE WOULD BE BEATING THE RUNGS WITH HIS FINGERS.
 I'VE SEEN HIM DO THAT MANY A DAY AND MOST OF THE DAY SITTING IN THE CHAIR.
 WHEN THEY WEREN'T DOING ANY WORK, THEY WOULD TAKE A NAP. THEY WOKE WITH THE
 CHICKENS AND WENT TO BED WHEN THE CHICKENS WENT TO BED. IT WAS INGRAINED IN
 THEM FOR THEY'D DONE IT FOR MANY YEARS.
   I HOPE YOU HAVE SEEN ANOTHER SEGMENT INTO MY LIFE AND MEMORIES, AND I HOPE
 YOU HAVE SOME OF YOUR OWN AND MAKE SOME GOOD MEMORIES FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND
 GRANDCHILDREN SO THEY CAN TELL ABOUT THOSE GRANDPARENTS WHO WERE SPECIAL.
 MAY YOU BE PRIME EXAMPLES FOR THEM TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTPRINTS AND MAKE
 NEW ONES OF THEIR OWN.  
 GOD BLESS AND HAVE MERCY ON US ALL THAT TRY TO DO THE BEST WE CAN AND WHEN
 WE MESS UP, WE HAVE THE LORD TO CALL ON. HIS GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY NEVER
 RUNS OUT AND THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB SHED AT CALVARY NEVER STOPS FLOWING.
    ----------------------
       HIGHER LEARNING  2009
   THE OLD SAYING, "YOU CAN'T PUT A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE" IS IMPORTANT
 TO US IN REAL LIFE.
   THE BIBLE TELLS US NOT TO CAST PEARLS BEFORE HOGS FOR IT MEANS NOTHING
 TO THEM.  THEY CAN'T EAT THEM FOR FOOD SO THEY ONLY TROMP THEM INTO THE
 MUD AND FILTH.
   WE CAN'T EXPECT A 4 YEAR OLD CHILD TO UNDERSTAND MATHEMATICAL EQUATIONS
 EVEN IF THE CHILD IS A GENIUS.
   WE CAN'T EXPECT A YOUNG CHILD TO UNDERSTAND GROWN UP RESPONSIBILITIES NOR
 THEOLOGICAL TRUTHS OTHER THAN "GOD LOVES THEM".
   WE CANNOT POUR WATER FROM A GALLON JUG INTO A COKE BOTTLE WITHOUT
 SPILLING A LOT OF IT.
   THEREFORE, WE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS A TIME FOR ALL THINGS
 BUT WE MUST BE CONTENT TO LEARN AS WE GO AND PASS ON LIFE'S TRUTHS AND
 LESSONS WHEN IT IS ACCEPTABLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE BY OTHERS.
    -------------------

                                                     PIONEER MARRIAGES         2008

 WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT PIONEERS HAD IT ROUGH AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT LIFE
   AND RESPONSIBILITIES WERE NOT EASY.  THEREFORE, WHEN THEY CHOSE LIFEMATES AT THE   
   AGE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 (GIRLS MARRIED AT 15 FOR THEY WERE MORE MATURE THAN BOYS),
   THEY NEEDED SOMEONE THAT HAD CERTAIN GOOD LOOKS BUT MAINLY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR
   SOMEONE WHO COULD WALK AND WORK ALONGSIDE WITH THEM. THE OLD ADAGE "BEAUTY IS ONLY
   SKIN DEEP" WAS AND STILL IS APPLICABLE. THEY DIDN'T WANT A SHOWTHING TO PARADE
   AROUND THE COMMUNITY OR TOWN, AND THEY DIDN'T WANT ONE THAT WASN'T PRACTICAL
   MINDED (SILLY OR FLIRTY WITH OTHERS). WHEN A FAMILY WAS STARTING OFF, THEY NEEDED
   A HELPMATE THAT COULD CARRY THEIR SHARE OF THE LOAD. THE MEN MUST NOT BE LAZY OR
   MEAN, ABLE TO DO A FULL DAY'S WORK TO PROVIDE FOR THE FAMILY. THE WIVES MUST BE
   USED TO RESPONSIBILITIES AND OCCASIONAL HARD WORK. THEY MUST BE PHYSICALLY
   ABLE TO HANG IN REGARDLESS OF TRIALS, AND HAVE THE BODY THAT WOULD MAKE BIRTHING
   EASIER. MANY TIMES MEN WOULD MARRY A ROBUST WOMAN BECAUSE A HEALTHY BODY USUALLY
   MEANT THAT SHE WOULD BE A GOOD COOK. THE PIONEERS WERE A REASONABLE AND REALISTIC
   THINKING PEOPLE. THEIR WIVES MUST BE ABLE TO MAKE A HOME OUT OF A SHACK. WHEN THEY
   BEGAN A FAMILY, THEY'D THROW UP A "SHACK" WHICH CONSISTED OF LOGS OR LUMBER
   OR BOTH THAT HAD BEEN THROWN AWAY AND WHAT ELSE THEY COULD FIND TO BENEFIT THEIR
   SITUATION. THERE WERE USUALLY VERY LITTLE "THROWAWAYS" AVAILABLE BECAUSE THE
   MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WERE POOR IN WORLDLY POSSESSIONS. IT WAS SAID THAT SOME HOUSES
   WEREN'T GOOD FOR NOTHING BUT HOGS AND LIVESTOCK. THE BASIC POSSESSIONS OF A NEW
   FAMILY WERE CAST IRON COOKING VESSELS AND MAYBE A HOMEMADE PILLOW AND MATTRESS
   MADE FROM TOUGH CANVAS FILLED WITH GOOSE FEATHERS, CORN SHUCKS, CURED GRASS, OR
   PINE STRAW AND THEY COOKED ON AN OUTSIDE FIRE OR ON IN A FIREPLACE. SOMETIMES,
   THEY WOULD HAVE A BAKING CHAMBER BUILT INTO THE FIREPLACE ABOVE THE FIRE.
   HOWEVER, IT WAS "HOME" TO THEM, EVEN IF SOME RAIN FOUND IT'S WAY THROUGH THE
   PLANKS AND GAPS IN THE ROOF. THEY USUALLY MADE THEIR BOWLS, PLATES, AND "SILVERWARE"
   THEMSELVES OUT OF WOOD THAT THEY CUT AND CARVED. THEY WOULD LAST A GOOD LONG TIME.
     IN TODAY'S MODERN TIMES, THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL PICKUP THROWAWAYS OUT OF                      THE GARBAGE DUMPS WHILE MANY OTHERS WOULD NOT STOOP SO LOW  BECAUSE THEY HAVE
   MORE MONEY TO THROW AWAY. PRIDE WOULD KEEP MANY FROM DIGGING THROUGH TRASH.
   ALSO, MORE MODERN PEOPLE HAVE A CONSTANT CHANGING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THEIR HOMES.
   THEY GROW TIRED OF THEIR "TOYS" AND NEED NEW ONES AND INSTEAD OF PASSING THEM
   ON TO NEEDY PEOPLE, THEY'D RATHER THROW IT AWAY OR BURN IT. TODAY'S GENERATION
   "SEEMS" TO BE THE MOST SELFISH GENERATION OF ALL TIME, AND THEY HAVE THE CREDIT
   CARDS TO SUPPORT THEIR HABITS.
     MOST PEOPLE ARE MAKING MORE MONEY THAN ANY OTHER PREVIOUS GENERATION
   AND THEY BUY BIGGER AND BIGGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE "TOYS" AND
   POSSESSIONS AND HAVE MORE TIME TO GIVE IN TO THEIR INDULGENCES AND
   "ADDICTIONS". HOWEVER, THEY ARE SO DEEP IN CREDIT CARDS THAT THEY
   HAVE TO DIE TO GET THEM PAID OFF.
     THE PIONEERS WERE SIMPLE PEOPLE WITH SIMPLE TASTES AND BARE
   ESSENTIALS. ANYTHING ELSE THEY NEEDED, THEY HAD TO BUILD IT OUR OF
   THE NATURAL RESOURCES. FURNITURE, TOYS, AND TRANSPORTATION WERE
   PERSONALLY MADE OR BARTERED FOR. THAT IS THE WAY THE KNOWLEDGE OF
   WOODWORKING, ETC. WAS PASSED DOWN TO THE CHILDREN AND OTHERS.
   USUALLY, THEY WOULD SELL OR BARTER THEIR WORK TO THE DIFFERENT
   CLASSES OF SOCIETY - THOSE WHO HAD MONEY BUT NOT THE KNOW HOW.