Living in the mountains I never tire of taking the time to admire all the creations of nature God has given us.  Living in the country I watch the fresh seeded fields grow and mature into grain to feed others, people, the cattle that provide meat and milk, the wild animals, the birds.

In the spring of the year everything is new and renewed for the fall harvest to give us food for winter.  The air smells so fresh.  The farmer planting the fields; a freshly plowed field has a sweet smell and is beautiful to see especially if you watch it being plowed with horses.  A fresh cut field of hay laying so helpless makes me happy and sad; it was so beautiful standing, now it is laying down waiting to dry and be harvested.  But do not be disheartened, another crop will grow quite quickly.  The wild animals and birds are busy with their young, teaching them survival for the winter that is to come, and if they make it thru the winter, they will produce young offspring in the spring and life's cycle will begin anew once again.

This my friends cannot be completely told in a story book, you must experience mother nature and see for yourself the beauty of living in the mountains and rural America.  The sounds of the birds in spring is a concert to your ears; the snorting of a deer; the bugle of an elk; the night owls, and sadly, almost extinct, the song of a whip-por-will and other birds and animals that sing in the night.  There is nothing more peaceful than to see a log cabin in a small clearing in the mountains, as it gives you a feeling of belonging and contentment that all is well and you know God is watching over you.

James Peter Burkett born 13 October, 1905, Byrnedale, PA.
died  15 March, 2000

Alice Priscilla Jones born 26 August, 1908
Punxsutawney, PA.

JP Burkett and Alice Married
27 August, 1925 at Jamestown, NY.

They always celebrated the THREE day
events,
26, Aug---- Alice's birthday
27, Aug------ Wedding anniversary
28, Aug------ Jimmy's birthday

There was quite a STIR when Jim and Alice ELOPED, she was only
seventeen, her father Silvanus Jones reported it to the police, it was a jolly good
chase, like the hounds chasing the fox in Merry ole England, but to no
avail, the sly young fox was well prepared to give the hounds a
chase, like chasing Bonnie and Clyde, now you see them, now you don't.
I heard my father tell this story hundreds of times, he owned the
BRAGGING  RIGHTS, you might say the copyright.
Leaving Punxsutawney, Pa. at high speed in a hot rod Model T Ford, 
that was long before Punxsutawney Phil was heard of,
they took all the winding trails to Penfield, then up over Boone Mountain just as fast
as that old Model T Ford would go, BACKWARDS, You see Henry Ford didn't
have all the bugs out of his cars yet, and on steep grades the engine
did not get any gas, No Fuel Pump, it was gravity flow, so you turned
around and backed up the mountain, it was no biggy, just slowed you down,
about 5 mph for 5 miles, can you imagine the kink in your neck, all the
roads were mud, one lane, if you met someone coming in the opposite direction,
you sometimes had to back up a half a mile to a wide spot to let him pass,
I said HIM, there was no lady drivers, in fact drivers license was unheard of,
so to get on with the tale of Bonnie and Clyde, OOPS, I mean Jim and
Alice, its so close to the Bonnie and Clyde episodes, in fact, come to think of it
Jim and Alice was first at playing cops and robbers, Jim stole Alice 
and eluded capture, so over the mountains Jim and Alice fled at top speed, 
they came to the NEW York border, and Jim knew it was a big offense to let 
Alice ride across the state line being a minor, James being a law abiding citizen had his
poteet little bride to be, get out of the car and with wings on her feet, dance merrily
across the PA/ New York border, meanwhile James drove the automobile
into NY, Alice jumped in that hot rod Ford and they sped merrily 
away to Jamestown, NY and immediately married.
Once they were married, the law could not chase them anymore,
They were married 75 years.

The Story of Jim and Alice Burkett is true,
told by their son Arnold,
Family Historian.
22 April, 2002.

My Old Dog Boomer

I arose just before daybreak, well rested, I had a good night's sleep.
I rushed to the window to see what's on. many birds at the feeder singing their
Christmas song. There is nothing Quite so Refreshing as the break of 
Dawn at Christmas. A fresh light Winter snow had fallen during the night.
Oh Dear Friends, What a Magnificent A Sight,  everything was covered in a
sparkling blanket of white, it looked like magic in dawn's early light.

As I looked out every window to enjoy the view, I see my Old dog Boomer 
is up and about too. As he comes to the window, I see the gray in his face, 
but he keeps on running at a Merry pace. He comes to the door, I let him in,
A treat or two and he's out again. He runs and frolics till days end.

He romps and plays with Jake and Buddy, his doggie friends.
Then a good warm supper my doggies will enjoy, fresh straw in their warm
doghouse, They will snuggle in tight. They have bedded down once again for the night.
The Birds and Doggies know Christmas is near, For they watch at the sky
for an Angel to Appear.