The Riley Factor
Fort Plain, NY
August 21, 2011, Issue No. 106
(All the Rock Creek Farm news that's fit to print, along with unfit-to-print rumors, prognostications & bloviations.)
Fort Plain, NY
August 21, 2011, Issue No. 106
(All the Rock Creek Farm news that's fit to print, along with unfit-to-print rumors, prognostications & bloviations.)
Riley -- I have checked with most of the businesses in Canajoharie and Fort Plain, all the businesses with which we regularly interact, to see if they are pet friendly and allow dogs inside. A bit unexpectedly, all are -- True Value Hardware, Ace Hardware, Curtis Lumber, Fisher Auto Parts, Agway, IBA, Tractor Supply. (Yes, yes, I realize there is a theme here - topic for another day.) So, we have started bringing Riley into the stores. He is a big hit. Somewhat surprisingly, his behavior is exemplary. He is calm, quiet and barely needs a leash. He stops and makes friends with everyone he sees. Several people have asked to have their picture taken with him. Riley has always behaved perfectly when traveling in the SUVs and the pick-up. Now, he loves going into the stores. People are very friendly when we are wandering around with a dog in tow. The other day in Agway, Riley was calmly licking the shins of the lady standing behind us in line (the first line ever seen by me in Agway, but there was a sale on wheel barrels, which apparently brought folks out of the woodwork). When Riley and I got to the counter to order some animal feed, Riley put his front paws on the counter and poked his considerable nose over the edge to see what was going on. The manager and the cashier laughed.
Pennsylvania -- Susan just got back from a couple of days in Big Valley, Pennsylvania. No, she didn't see Heath, Nick or Audra. But she did spend two nights in an Amish home. She drove the big rig six hours to the western part of the state, with Israel Kanagy riding shotgun. They visited friends and family of the Kanagy's and had some giant feasts for dinner and breakfast. On the day she left for home, breakfast included sausage casserole and fish, along with the usual dishes of eggs, biscuits and other bakings. One of Annie's sisters, Sally, remembered having iced coffee with Susan a year ago, and asked if Susan would take her out to try it again. Of course, Susan needs no prompting to go for coffee. Flavored no less. I have visions of Susan's picture hanging in Amish post offices all over the land with a warning - "Beware of this woman who brings English civilization into our community". Susan slept late one morning (5:30AM) and missed the 4:00AM morning breakfast. She and Israel returned home with 42 bushels of peaches. Annie and Jesse climbed aboard for the return ride to New York.
Planting and Plowing -- August 17 marked the completion of the combining for all this year's wheat. Harvesting of the oats began the same day. Followed by the obligatory one more break-down of the combine. First it was one chain, then a second chain, then a belt, and now the primary clean-grain elevator. Oh well, it gives me something to do when I'm supposed to be relaxing and enjoying retirement. I remember the days not so long ago, when I didn't even know what a combine was, much less a primary clean-grain elevator.
The Herd of Three -- Summer nights generally see Eli, Michael and Raphael spending the nighttime hours outside wandering the pasture. The Herd of Three has taken to finding a place somewhat close to the barn and plopping-down for a snooze, becoming the Heap of Three. One morning, we were up early and saw the threesome all lying on their sides snoring, in the corner of the pasture nearest to the yard and the street. They were not impressed when Riley ran down to them, not even bothering to lift a single head between the three of them upon his energized arrival. The horses prance around in the background, sometimes deciding to roll back and forth on their backs for fun.
Horses -- A horse is a horse, of course of course, and no one can talk to a horse of course, that is of course unless the horse is the not so famous Lady. Only three years old, Lady loves to stand a foot from your face and give you that sideways one-eye stare directly into your eyes while you speak to her as if she can understand English. Rio the Elder long ago gave-up on trying to make sense of these humans who insist on climbing onto his back and trying to make him walk, run, turn and stop on command. Give Rio his daily doses of grain and hay, and he will obligingly be the one-trick pony of your dreams. Most nights, the horses also have been spending nights out in the pasture.
Mowings, Musings and the Woods -- Summer is in full form, which means the woods are almost as dark as night, except between the hours of 10AM and 3PM. Outside of those hours, bring a flashlight. Slowly, and not so surely, we are clearing the old logging roads. So some year, the woods will be much more navigable.
Fowl Weather -- The great blue heron has returned to the lower pond. It appears that he is fishing for goldfish who venture too close to the shoreline, of which there are many.
Visitors -- No visitors this week - all quiet on the western front.
Blog -- The Riley Factor's own official blog site is located at http://the-riley-factor.
Quotes of the Month --
Gun ownership is at an all-time high, violent crime near a 30-year low. The anti-gun groups, they don't deal in common sense. They deal in emotionalism and lies. -- Sarah Palin
There are competing visions about our Country's future. One consists of more government and less freedom, and one consists of less government and more freedom. Right now, the prevailing vision in Washington, D.C., is that of government, more and more government. -- Senator John Thune, SD
The people are entitled to a government that stays within the confines of the Constitution, and you know it. -- Judge Andrew Napolitano
When the government launches a program to help, watch out. -- Steve Forbes
The scariest words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' -- Ronald Reagan
Facts of the Month --
By weight, one-quarter of the all the biomass on planet Earth, one-quarter of all living things, are ants.
Commentary of the Month -- Editorial
Government Administrators Increasingly Control Life in America
Solving the Country's current financial woes can be accomplished by one single straightforward action. Following is a list of the federal departments and agencies that are completely useless and wasteful, and should be dissolved, with all underlying employees fired.
U.S. Department of Education - completely superfluous, duplicates state & local oversight
U.S. Department of Energy - 17,000 employees who do nothing but set rules and monitor them
U.S. Department of Agriculture - more employees than there are farmers in America
Environmental Protection Agency - completely run amok, promoting insane regulations
Federal Housing Authority - one of 15 federal agencies regulating housing; a huge waste
Federal National Mortgage Association - ibid
Department of Housing and Urban Development - ibid
National Labor Relations Board - 2,000 employees focused on putting money in union hands
U.S. Department of Commerce - 47,000 employees driving global marketplace competitiveness
U.S. Department of Transportation - 60,000 employees oversee federal highway, air, railroad, maritime and other transportation administration functions (and every state also has a DOT)
Although there are more, these are the biggest offenders, and biggest wasters of our time and our tax dollars. (If you have a very strong stomach, click on the following link to see dozens and dozens of duplicative, wasteful departments and agencies: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/
-- Editor, The Riley Factor
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