Memories, Stories, Songs, Pictures And Poems About People, Places, And Events Around Hubbard Hill, In The Catskill Mountains, In The Town Of Gilboa, In The County Of Schoharie and The State Of New York.
Showing posts with label farm memories farm memories Flat CreekCatskill Mountains fire towers Flat CreekCatskill Mountains Gilboa Leonard Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farm memories farm memories Flat CreekCatskill Mountains fire towers Flat CreekCatskill Mountains Gilboa Leonard Hill. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Our 47th Anniversary, August 21, 2012
47th Anniversary, Gerald Elmer Hubbard and Mary Ann Hallenbeck
Married forty seven years, much longer than some lives
I wonder what the forces were that weaved us man and wife.
Me, disarming, she was cute, we met at Coby Tech
She later said she thought I dressed like someone from a wreck.
She came from a city and I was from the farm,
So we learned things from each other as we started arm in arm.
I told her tales of Hubbard Hill, of mountains and blue skies
And she of close Italian clans, all relatives close by.
Through long rides in the country, we drove and how we laughed
As loves first threads entwined us slow and gently in it’s grasp.
On weekends and when school was out, we always had to work
I drove the trucks and labored, she waitressed and she cooked.
Our together-times were perfect, the other times were not
And I gave her an engagement ring in a college parking lot.
In Gloversville we married, lived in Niagara Falls
And until son David came along, we really had a ball.
As first time parents we became quite stressed and tired and harried
And realized for the first time, By God, we’re really married.
But all that stress and hassle turned into days of joy
As we greatly loved the first one, then another baby boy.
Now they’ve all grown and moved away, so far, with lives with others
And through it all they’ve both remained, close friends with us, close brothers.
And after forty seven years there’s lots of things we ain’t,
But there’s one thing we’d both admit, the other ones’ a saint.
Monday, January 24, 2011
January 24, 1963 The Frances Hubbard Diaries
January 24, 1963
Thurs Mostly sunny, windy and very cold: -7 all day, -12 early in a.m. Wayne drove to school, only 1/2 day for him. We didn’t go to prayer meeting because it was so cold. I finished Carol's dress in evening. David went to Sandy's for supper.
Comment: Another frigid day with wind chills probably to minus 30. Could probably feel cold drafts from most windows and doors. Probably had to wear several layers to keep warm. To keep warm in bed, we would fill quart canning jars with hot water, wrap them in newspaper and put them in the beds to cuddle up to. We never seemed to have rubber hot water bottles. I remember sleeping in the attic and the snow would be covering the blankets in the morning. Here is a SongPoemStory I wrote about winter mornings:
Take a listen by clicking this link... Hubbard Music Mountain: Winter Mornings, Gerry Hubbard:

Winter Mornings
We boys slept in the attic on that Catskill Mountain Farm
And though the rain and snow blew in it seemed to cause no harm
We’d get up winter mornings, shake the snow off of our beds
Then grab our clothes and run downstairs where that old wood stove was fed
We’d dress as fast as young kids could, we pulled on several layers
And “Sword Of The Lord” from the radio blared out those Baptist prayers
Mom would bake some pancakes, fry up some ham and eggs
Then we brushed our teeth in the kitchen sink from the brushes hung on pegs
Take a listen by clicking this link... Hubbard Music Mountain: Winter Mornings, Gerry Hubbard:
Winter Mornings

Winter Mornings
We boys slept in the attic on that Catskill Mountain Farm
And though the rain and snow blew in it seemed to cause no harm
We’d get up winter mornings, shake the snow off of our beds
Then grab our clothes and run downstairs where that old wood stove was fed
We’d dress as fast as young kids could, we pulled on several layers
And “Sword Of The Lord” from the radio blared out those Baptist prayers
Mom would bake some pancakes, fry up some ham and eggs
Then we brushed our teeth in the kitchen sink from the brushes hung on pegs
The only running water from the hand pump by the sink
We used to wash ourselves and cook and fill the pail to drink
We finally put a bathroom in when I was seventeen
But with ceiling low, you had to squat to get remotely clean
When younger, all us kids would group around the kitchen stove
And huddle with the oven open, as scents of wood smoke wove
All through the house and smells of ham and pancakes filled the air
I close my eyes, recall it all, it’s like I’m standing there
Marilyn fell flat-palmed one time upon that sizzling iron
And burned her hands with blisters while the rest of us looked on
She couldn’t balance, put her hands down several times at least
Till Mother finally grabbed her and salved her hands with grease
Those winter mornings come to me in Ohio winter’s cold
And seem to keep their clarity even as I grow more old
And the fireplace that burns with gas in our modern family room
Seems not as warm as that old stove on that run-down family farm.
We used to wash ourselves and cook and fill the pail to drink
We finally put a bathroom in when I was seventeen
But with ceiling low, you had to squat to get remotely clean
When younger, all us kids would group around the kitchen stove
And huddle with the oven open, as scents of wood smoke wove
All through the house and smells of ham and pancakes filled the air
I close my eyes, recall it all, it’s like I’m standing there
Marilyn fell flat-palmed one time upon that sizzling iron
And burned her hands with blisters while the rest of us looked on
She couldn’t balance, put her hands down several times at least
Till Mother finally grabbed her and salved her hands with grease
Those winter mornings come to me in Ohio winter’s cold
And seem to keep their clarity even as I grow more old
And the fireplace that burns with gas in our modern family room
Seems not as warm as that old stove on that run-down family farm.
Friday, January 21, 2011
January 21, 1963: The Frances Hubbard Diaries
January 21, 1963
Monday, Partly Cloudy 0 to 10 above and very windy. I washed in the am and ironed in the pm. Paul bought a cow and 2 calves. Doug and David went to Oneonta and Doug signed up for the Navy.
Comment: I think the Paul must be Paul Ellis who started working Uncle Earle's farm about a mile west of our farm. This farm was owned by Elmer Hubbard then Earl Hubbard. Here is a picture of Elmer Hubbard feeding chickens with a view to the east and the dirt road leading to our place. Also a picture of the house that was used by the family and also for "boarders" from "the city" who would come up and stay for a vacation. Like many of the farm youths in that area, Doug joined the military to get off the farm as I and Marilyn also did. I in the Army and Marilyn in the Marines.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Uncle Clarence
Uncle Clarence could wield a splitting axe like Rembrandt used a brush
Split wood outside in the winter cold and never seemed to rush
He’d pick a block and set it straight then peer through squinted eyes
Then one quick flick with a single blade and a stove-sized chunk would fly
He’d size things up, another swing, and as the axe head hit
He would twist the blade to the outside edge and another chunk was split
Another flick on the other side and another piece would fall
He always used a single blade, abhorred a wedge or maul
He’d smoothly work around that block, axe flashing in the light
And he never had to hit it twice, he always hit just right
Precise and quickly fluid, split lots of wood and yet
All afternoon, he never stopped and hardly broke a sweat.
“Chop wood and carry water” are words that come from Zen
I understand that meaning now by thinking back to when
Uncle Clarence with axe and “Dickies” in that beech-wood forest stand
Worked mind and soul and body to that simple task at hand
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Happy Birthday Craig Evan Hubbard

Craig Evan Hubbard, Born July 18, 1969, Trenton, Michigan.

Chubby baby, laughed a lot
Hardly ever cried
Put a joy in all our hearts
Put our cares aside
Little blond boy, big blue eyes
Playing, running, smiling
A little bit afraid of things
Made him more beguiling
Seemed left-handed & unique
Saw a world of different hue
Always asked the reasons why
And when and where and who
High school kid, had lots of fun
Drove his folks insane
Had his share of teen age ills
Came through all the same
Went to school, became a man
Kept his boyish heart
Always searching for the truth
Taking other’s part
So keep your kindness, songs and smile
And keep your dreams on, up, above
You’ll always be our cherished son
You’ll always have our deep strong love.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
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You're always young in your mind it is said, No matter the face in the mirror, That you see with surprise then say to yourself, "What is that old man doing here?"