Winning Words 1/26/11
“Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.” (Old Farmer’s Advice) Here are more wise words from the old farmer. In my life, I’ve never plowed a field, but I know that if I did, I’d figure out a way to get around the obstacles in my path. When stumps appear before us in life, we can remove them by digging and hacking away, or steer a new path ….or do you have some better advice? ;-) Jack

FROM ML IN ILLINOIS: i think stumps are nature's plant stands. FROM JACK: What a great use for that old stump!

FROM DS IN MICHIGAN: So I think sometimes banging into the stump teaches us something. Maybe we just climb over them with some help. FROM JACK: Some of us speak from experience.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: "Ah but, a good farmer would remove the stump." (From my nephew-in-law who farms.) FROM JACK: I seem to recall seeing stump piles as I've driven past farm fields. MORE FROM JUDY: Yes, there are usually a lot of stump piles on the very old farms. I remember my grandpa telling me in the old days they used dynamite to remove stumps. Today is Michigan's 174 birthday! There was a great little article in the newspaper this past weekend about it. I am calling my grandsons and will be emailing the information to them!

FROM RI IN BOSTON: When life throws you a stump...make stumpenade. FROM JACK: What rejoinder can I give to you? I'm stumped.

FROM MOLINER CF: Blast! FROM JACK: Does saying, "Dang Blast It! get the job done?

FROM DB IN MICHIGAN: Some stumps HAVE to be removed because they will forever be there and ruin our "view". FROM JACK: That's one way of "looking" at it.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: HA! Bill used to work on his grandfather's farm in the summer, and said there is NOTHING more BORING than following the hind end of a horse all day...:-) He didn't mention skirting stumps in the field...maybe they were removed! Definitely plow AROUND the stumps in your path, if at all possible. Much smoother. I've had some of our stumps "chipped", which eventually does the job, and leaves a mess of chips! Maybe the "fallout" of dealing with the obstacles in life, eh? :-) There are insensitive people who travel rough shod over anything in their paths. I wonder if they look back, and wish they had done things differently...costly in relationships! FROM JACK: When we have a smooth field ahead of us, it's usually because someone has removed some obstacles. In my mind, today, I'm tanking my parents.

FROM INDY GENIE: i'm trying to think of some better advice but i'm stumped! FROM JACK: .....or up a tree (if it's a tall stump).

FROM DM IN MICHIGAN: Jack this was perfect for my day!!! I was speaking to Jay this morning about this saying this same thing applied to him. Boy you sure know how to pick emmm.. FROM JACK: We all have our obstacles, and it helps to know that there are ways of coping.