10…make that 11… Random Things about the Midwest

1. Wooster doesn’t really consider us in the Midwest.

   

   

   

   

   (but I do. And it’s rather interesting that the top map has Kentucky and Tennessee in the Midwest.)
   

    

2. Trucks are the norm here. Flat beds with a generator on the back and a small tool box in the shape of a trapezoid are what most farmers/ranchers drive.

   

3. You can tell when someone works on a farm. They have a wrench case strapped on their belt like one would wear a knife case or a gun sling. For the record, Wooster doesn’t wear one. A gun, or a wrench. A knife case with a knife…yes.
4. It felt like we were going back in time about 30 years when we first visited. Men and cowboys swiped their hats off when I was being introduced to them. Sweet.
5. At church, Wooster is not an anomaly when he wears his Wranglers. I would estimate that at least 60%-70% of the men in the church wear Wranglers or some form of “cowboy” jeans or slacks with their boots.
6. Boots. Boots are everywhere. Just about every man I’ve seen wears some form of boots.

7. Hats. Not caps. Hats are everywhere too. Straw hats, nice Stetsons, Amish or German Baptist Hats and any other “western” type of hat you can think of.

(Piggy Wiggly’s are not here. The shirt is from my friend. She is originally from Tennessee.)
8. Because of the Wranglers, boots and hats, one doesn’t wonder where the rodeo is at. Most of the time back east, if one sees someone dressed in “western” attire, you think about where the nearest rodeo is or if there is a Kindergarten “Round Up” somewhere. J

(the kid has always loved wearing hats. Ruby Caye 13 months)

9. Spurs. It’s not uncommon to hear the clinking of spurs on the floor when you are in a store. I actually love hearing them. It’s a nice sound. Cowboys will stop into the store, still fully dressed from a local round up, fence check, pen ride, etc. Outside, his horse will be in an open air trailer and still fully saddled and bridled.

1. Quick story about a Cowboy, Ruby and spurs. Last valentine’s day, we were in Wal-Mart (most of our stories originate in Wal-Mart). I heard the tell-tell clinking of spurs on the floor. So did Ruby. She asked about the sound, so I stopped the buggy and watched for the Cowboy. When he came around the corner, I started telling Ruby about his spurs, his hat, his vest, and his neckerchief. He also had a great handle-bar mustache and little glasses on. He looked like a classic cowboy. He was also older. I was talking loud enough for him to hear me. As he got closer, he stopped just short of the buggy and did a quick little jig in the middle of the aisle for Ruby. He then showed her his flowers and told us he was buying them for his “gal”. He wished Ruby a “Happy Valentine’s Day”. Ruby now has a great understanding of spurs. When we are in the store now, she will call out “spurs!” when she hears the sound.

    

10. Oil Fields. We are in the land of oil. There is an oil boom in our area and down in Oklahoma. When rigs pop up, so do little oil cities around them. The Laundromats are full every Sunday with Oil Field guys catching up. They work on long schedules called “hitches”. They work for the same amount of time they want off. If they have a 7/7 hitch, they work seven 12-18 hour days but have 7 days off. Same for 14/14 or a 28/28. They work 14 or 28 days straight, and then have 14 to 28 days off. Some have hitches of where they are off every other Sunday during their hitch. Some guys make up to $6,ooo on their hitches. It’s long, hot and dangerous work. Also, they travel a good bit and never guaranteed where they will be at. Most of the guys are young.

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11. But there’s also just the plain ‘ole farmers that make up the Mid-West.

Like this….

And This…..

And this too…..