Howdy Y’all !
In preparation for the new year, is it out with the old, and in with the new, ‘cleaning house’? For women, it’s mostly preparing for the celebration of the season and a time for hosting guests, getting rid of what’s no longer needed, and finally fixing or getting those things they’ve been needing.
Some of us have a hard time throwing anything away, someday we might need piece of wood, could repurpose that neat-shaped glass bottle and know we can reuse that shopping bag. It’s obvious I take the recycling idea too far when I see the closet full of clothes that are keepsakes from past chapters in my life, wearables I bought on a trip or to celebrate a graduation or wedding. But when I keep them long enough, they come back in style, are perfect for the next special occasion or ideal for that themed social event.
For many it’s been the season to take a break from daily routines; time to reflect, learn a new craft, read that book a friend lent us (in my case, the latest issue of Cowboy Country) and make resolutions to change our old ways. Antiques by definition are old, very old, and serve as the means to help us remember our ancestors and appreciate their sacrifices, realizing how times have changed. And for businesses and organizations, there is ‘year end’, a time when they (and we at MHCP) are made accountable.
Looking back at the past year, be proud of the choices you’ve made and the people you’ve helped along the way, even with a simple smile. Looking at the mission of MHCP, we’ve done our best to preserve and promote Western Music and Cowboy Poetry. Our website also makes a point of highlighting the lifestyle and history of the rural way of life.
Thanks to each of you for supporting us: with sponsorship, by attending our annual event and visiting our website/newsletter.
Wishing you and yours the sunshine of joy and prosperity in the coming year.
May the waters run cool and deep,
May the grass be lush and green, and
May the heavens bring the rain we all need.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Annual General Meeting
Zoom attendance available, request an invite by calling 403-529-6384
Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry
Monday, January 27th, 2025
Downstairs at the library is where we will meet,
Steerheads homemade will be part of the fare,
And there’ll be ox tails, they’re spudnuts, they’re sweet,
Come early to be sure that you get your fair share.
I’m sure there’ll be stories that come out in rhyme,
And guitars will accompany the singers on hand,
At ten’s when it starts, goes until it’s noontime,
And a meeting thereafter is what we have planned.
Betsy and Bob are looking forward to greeting you!
Community Coffee from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Annual Meeting from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
(Members are urged to attend, Zoom or otherwise.)
Memberships
The 2025 coasters are here. There’s one for you to add to your collection when you renew your membership. (Thanks to Carol for a good choice.)
MHCP Presents: Hats Off! to Women in Rodeo
There is always a project on the go at MHCP. Presently we are researching women that have been inducted into the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. Jen is in the process of interviewing as many of the 15 as possible.
Cheryl has videoed three of them. Our goal is get to know more about these women and to highlight the contributions have made to rodeo. Watch for upcoming posts on our website: “Hats off to Women in Rodeo”.
Our thanks for the Heritage Research Grant that is partially funding the project.
Antique Tractor on Parade
Old things aren’t usually displayed, unless of course, they are old enough to be antique. Sheldon Ellik decided to put his antique tractor on parade at the Schuler 100th anniversary where it was also used to run the thresh machine at the threshing demonstration. (It has a pulley on the side that newer machines don’t have.) Sheldon also had it in the Stampede parade. ”I noticed that in the last few years Medicine Hat’s parade didn’t have any antique machines. That doesn’t seem right!”
The Oliver 20 Standard was his dad’s, bought at Paul Pudwell’s farm auction in the 1960’s. By the serial number in the manual they determined it’s a 1942 model. After it was no longer as a chore tractor, it was parked in the yard withstanding the outdoor elements for a number of years. Then he and his son Jason decided to fix the seized clutch and get it running. They also started doing some work on the engine, and how it goes with unfinished projects, it remained in pieces. But the tractor parts were inside; they were in the garage.
His brother-in-law from Carstairs prompted him to restore it. Glen James had been restoring tractors and tries doing one every winter, but in 2019 he didn’t have anything like that to work on. Sheldon said, “No problem!” But it needed to be running. “Jason and I put the pieces together and with a few cranks, it started up. My brother-in-law stripped it down and it looks good, nothing like when I took it to him. “ It’s now on display and ready for a parade.
Heritage is important to Sheldon, not just with the tractor but with the farm itself. His grandfather John homesteaded there in 1911, then it was farmed by John’s son, Victor and his grandson, Sheldon. Jason (and his wife Kara) are on the homeplace now, and it looks like their son Drogan will be the 5th generation farmer there. “Maybe he’s only 9 years old but there’s no doubt he’ll be a farmer. There isn’t a day when the combine or tractor is running that he’s not on it. One harvest, when he was still in the carseat, he spent the whole harvest in the combine.” Grandson Rhett hasn’t shown quite as much interest, but then he’s only a six-year-old interested in dinosaurs. Both Rhett and Drogan enjoyed parading the old Oliver that once belonged to their great-grandfather.
***New MHCP Feature *** Noel’s Nonsensical Notes
That’s the heading Noel Burles gave for the regular poetry entry he’s pledged to contribute to our website. What a privilege to have this award-winning Cowboy Poet share his talent with us! We’re looking forward to his original rhymes, and interested how he will twist topics and look at them from the inside out.
Noel has many talents. He is a song writer and a multi-faceted musician. A vagabond troubadour is what you might call him as he performs many times a week in places all over Alberta and the U.S. On Facebook he sells “Not so Straight Real Estate” to show off his wonky sense of humor. Other hats he wears are: secretary for the Alberta Cowboy Poetry Association, president of the Legion in his home town of Coalhurst and he’s the Performer Consultant on the board of Medicine Hat Cowboy Poetry Foundation.
You’ve probably eaten turkey at least once or twice during the Christmas season. His first poem in the series has me feeling sorry for the bird, even a little bit guilty.
IN MEMORANDUM
It was over in a second,
He was euthanized,
Never knew what hit him,
Didn't even know he'd died.
Stripped of his mighty feathers,
His nakedness displayed,
His gizzards and his innards stripped
Then on a plate was laid.
He got some stuffing, stuffed,
Well, you know where it went,
With a bunch of herbs and spices
To the crematorium was sent.
Never burnt him to a crisp,
Just till he was golden brown,
Removed and carefully dissected,
Then got passed around
To a bunch of carnivores,
Stripped him to the bone,
And what was left of him
Into the garbage was thrown.
November, 24, 2024
Don Barnett
Him and his wife, Marion, are MHCP members and are regular attendees at our Western Music and Cowboy Poetry event. They might even make it to our AGM meeting this month. That’s quite a trek from where they live in Cranbrook, BC. He could be called a Cowboy Poetry Enthusiast. He’s also a traveller. You can learn about the places he’s been and see the sights he’s seen (without ever leaving your easy chair.) You can catch his highlights of the Cowboy Gathering at High River that resulted in him posting three Cowboy Poetry videos.
His YouTube “Abilene: Cattle Drives of the Wild West” tells how Western Music started. Cowhands, only 10 to 15 of them, would slowly trail Texas longhorn cattle in a miles-long string of 1200 to 3000 bovines. As well there were 3 to 10 horses for each cowboy. From Texas they were heading north to the railhead at Abilene, the first cowtown of the West. The drawl of them chanting rhymes and singing not only kept the cattle calm, it helped them stay awake and pass the time. It was also how they entertained each other around the campfire each night.
Western Slang
When a cattle drive finally arrived at the railhead town, the cowhands were paid off and freed of their duties. After months of monotonous work, dull food and abstinence, these young guys were ready to celebrate. First they were in dire need of a bath, a shave, a haircut and a suit of clothes. It became a wild town because now they had access to liquor (non on the trail) and played rough, dangerous games, like driving a nail into a post using a gun (a barking iron). There were also visits to Tiger Town or Tiger Alley where the gambling halls and brothels were. At that time the parlours were run by women and were without the stigma of east coast cities. With the coming of settlers and an increase in female population, prostitution was less blatant and not so commonplace.
New Year’s Eve might have been the last time you dressed-up and celebrated. Here are cowboy terms that were used in the cattle drive days; some might still be used today.
- Gussied up – cleaned up and dressed nicely
- Bib and tucker – to wear your best clothes
- Fam-a-diddle – a fancy dress
- Choke strap – necktie
- Molocher – a hat, a cheap hat
- Dude – a person who likes to dress up (and talk) like a cowboy but is a city slicker
Bachelor’s New Year’s Feast
When first told, this was a true story, but the folks in it have been lost to memory. So Paul and John and their coffee buddies are the fictional characters. You probably remember the story.
Bachelor's New Year's Feast
Paul and John with their overalls on
Were bachelors and proud ones were they,
Independent men,
They'd prove it again
With a supper to treat friends on New Year's Day.
They knew how to ranch successfully,
That year even raised their own turkey,
With two desserts at least,
They'd make a feast/
Advice, should have been a necessity___
But they've always been able to figure things out/
The guys they have coffee with, gave them a shout,
The turkey was steaming,
The coffee boys beaming,
They were hungry and ready to eat there's no doubt.
The knife for the carving was sharpened with care,
The turkey they roasted, it's in front of them there,
The first slice was tender___
With a browned look of splendour,
But the subsequent slices brought a look of despair.
Something was strange where the stuffing should be,
Intestines were revealed for the guests to see,
No dressing of bread,
But a stench instead/
You'd think guests would leave as they'd say, “Excuse me”____
Oh their stomachs were turning, their faces turned green,
Nothing worse had they smelled, nothing worse ever seen/
But they chose to be kind,
With the presence of mind
Helped to carry the turkey from where it had been.
You'd think that the flavor was gone from the feast,
But the New Year's party, it would not be ceased,
You see Paul and John,
Were true friends to count on,
Had no one else here 'cause their fam'ly's out East/
Like there's nothing wrong the boys heaped up their plate___
With turnips and potatoes that were mashed first rate,
The banana cream pie
That Paul made, they piled high,
Two helpings of John's apple crisp tasted great.
The cattle dogs found it, a surprise turkey treat,
The entrails were scrumptious and so was the meat/
This tale is still told
Though it's 70 years old
Of the party at New Year's that friends made complete.
New Year’s Resolutions:
I will ride more and worry less.
When trouble comes to visit, I won’t offer it a place to sit down.
I will keep a stock of smiles on hand and deliver them free of charge.
To keep life simple, I will plow around the stump.
I’ll keep skunks, bankers and lawyers at a safe distance.
Folks are like a barb wire fence, so I’ll make a point of seeing their good points.
I will taste my words before I spit them out.
Our wish for you in 2025,
May the sun shine in front of you
the rain be behind you
and the wind follow you!
Take care,
Jen
