The Nebraska Folks

  Back in the day when I was just a tyke, the old farm house was occasionally graced with the presence of some mighty special folks.  It never failed to excite me to no end to see Pop's cousin and wife from Nebraska come to visit.  Steve and Una were my type relatives!  She was the most amazing cook in the world and did not hesitate to commandeer the kitchen of any home she visited.  Treats were turned out in startling speed all the while a full meal was being cooked and by full meal...I mean  FULL MEAL!  It was nothing to see the table, sideboard, freezer top and stove all filled with delectable delights! Everything was almost too good to eat!  As a little kid, I was always treated with a secret taste now and again without Mom or Pop noticing. Even though she was a large person, Aunt Una (we never called them cousins, the most respectful term we could think of was aunt and uncle!) would scurry about the place with lightning speed and make everything smell divine! She never seemed to tire of making folks happy and....well fed!  

  But while Aunt Una was most special to me, it was Uncle Steve who stole my heart.  He was a big bear of a man but was entirely an old softy when it came to kids.  He would sit for hours and play checkers with me while spieling out some wild yarn of things back on the ranch in Nebraska.  To my way of thinking, the man was some sort of "Tamer of the Wild West".  He talked of steers, horses and rattlesnakes.  He told tales (true or not, I never knew) of grabbing rattlesnakes by the tail and slinging them until their heads popped off!  There were stories of coyotes and mountain lions being chased with whips.  My favorite was about the prairie dogs that were caught and trained to polish his boots! Perhaps, the tales were all fictitious and created on the spot for the entertainment of one gullible little girl but to me, everything was as true as gold! (Except maybe the prairie dog one...I was always a bit dubious of that one even though he assured me that it was true!)  I was fascinated by his every word!

  Steve and Una are long gone now which breaks my heart. Their passing was a passing of an era for me.  While going through pictures today, I found this small photograph of them and a whole wealth of memories started swirling around in my head...good times, good food, good people.  Yep, I still have relatives in Nebraska.  I have cousins that some day, I shall meet in person.  I talk with them occasionally and I am quite sure that we will be fast friends forever.  But...none can ever be the giants of people that Steve and Una were in my life.  I miss them.