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Blast from the Past

EmptyPockets

Well-known member
With the recent hot spell we've been having up here. Already hit 113 above this summer and are into a weeklong 100+ stretch. Brings back last years nightmares of heat and fires. I dug out a poem I wrote last summer but didn't share as at the time memories were just too painful. Most of the fences are replaced and the ground has a great grass cover this year. Nature moves on quicker then we do. Sorry it's so darn long!


Beginning of the end


The day was hot as most days are
Especially this time of year
The clouds were gathering to the west
Lightening was our biggest fear

A light wind blew in from the south
Making the dry grass wave
The grass wasn’t tall but it was there
What we had we wanted to save

The sky turned dark and I could see a shower
Skirting the edge of the sky
Please Dear God give us some rain
Don’t let it pass us by

I heard some thunder and I turned around
Just as a bolt of fire came down
It was only about a mile away
And burned straight into the ground

I started the pickup and turned it west
Heading to where it had hit
We’d better get there in a hurry
Or knew we’d be in deep sh**t

A puff of smoke soon appeared
So I knew this nightmare was real
I shifted gears as I crossed a draw
Watching the flames grow near.

Just about then a mighty gust
Of wind kicked in from the east
Suddenly that fire was off and running
Like the devil on a fire beast

With a lump in my throat I slid to a stop
And we fired up that old briggs and stratton
Grabbing the hose I jumped in the back
And with my free hand pulled my hat on

Let’s go I hollared as loud as I could
And my driver stuck it in gear
I was standing in the box by the drivers door
My voice all choked in fear

A powerful spray came out of the nozzle
When I forcefully squeezed the trigger
I aimed it at the base of the firey flames
All the while watching it grow bigger

The head of the fire was now out of sight
Just a rolling smoke bomb of hell
Better grab a faster gear
To my driver I gave a yell

He pushed the pedal to the floor
The pickup made a leap
I bounced around and held on tight
To the head of the fire we started to creep

The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see
And breathing was getting tough
Pull out to the burned spot I hollared
I think I’ve had enough

We backed off a bit to catch our breath
And began to evaluate our situation
With burning grass crackling in our ears
We proceeded with some hesitation

Let’s fight this side till some help shows
Maybe we can save some grass
It looks like it’s following the edge of the draws
We’ll keep it to a narrow mass

By now the fire was 2 miles long
A dragon all huge and bold
And to think this is just the beginning
Cause it’s only a half hour old

The fire burned on right thru the night
It’s flames lighting up the sky
With the help of chemicals dropped from some planes
In the morning we watched it die

Leaving behind a prairie of black
And nightmares not soon forgotten
Exhausted bunch of firefighters & ranchers
And some carcasses burned up and rottin

This was but one, of many to come
Of the summer of drought and hell
But we will survive and then move on
And in the end,
This is just another story to tell.



Added some hot summer sunsets to go along with the poem.

bigsun.jpg

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DSC07229.jpg

yuckka1.jpg

[/img]
cactussunset.jpg

:wink:
 

sw

Well-known member
that one you should not have kept from us!!!!!!!!!! That is truly one of the best. You should have seen the people at the fair yesterday when the fire siren blew. Everybody remembers in 2000 during the sale the lightning that passed through and lit up the county, people taking off to go put the fires out, and the fires were out here. Spent the whole night building fire lines with the dozer. Then last year when we were setting up for the fair, some SOB started a fire that forced major evacuations of "ranchettes" so we had all of these horses, goats, dogs, cats and other assorted creatures at the fair grounds so we had no room for the 4-H animals. We now associate fair with fire, so when that siren went off it set off alot of fear. Luckily it was set off for a car wreck. Anyway, that is one fine poem and I can smell the smoke and my eyes started watering just trying to read it. Good one my friend
 

Jinglebob

Well-known member
That's a good'un.

We were out watching, yesterday evening. A few got started, but they were smothered pretty quick. Had one up by Faith, friday night, I heard.
 
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