June 28

Well I made it back from the reunion. It was very nice to see cousins I had not seen in a few years. We got to catch up, cuss and discuss the issues of the world. Things like why does bird poop always hit your windshield just after you've spent three hours in the sun washing the car? Or Why doesn't the guy that passes you at a million miles an hour, on a double yellow line in a curve over a hill never seem the get caught by the police? and lastly how come gas prices seem to jump 20 cents a gallon just before a holiday weekend, even when oil prices are low and our national reserves full? I didn't come away with any answers other than "because" so the discussion can continue when we get together again.

I had a real pleasant surprise, my grand children were on the way down when I got home. We had a great evening as well as fun this afternoon on the tube out on the lake. I'am a firm believer that the only reason we put ourselves thru the pain and agony of raising children is so that we can have grandkids Just be able to wind them up on the fun meter, never have to say no and be the best friends they have!

June 27, 2009

I'm off today to Montauk State Park, we are having our annual family reunion. This gather of the clan was a last wish of my Grandfather, Jonathan. Grandpa Jack sired seven children. Four boys and three girls. They grew up on the farm, where in my book, The Holders, Missouri Beginnings, Sam Holder makes his home. The land marks in the book are really there.

My dad the youngest of the clan and my Uncle the oldest boy should be there. I have one aunt left, she is living in a nursing home. She suffers from "old timers" and has her good days and bad. One recent story had her ringleading and escape attempt. She and her cronies, armed with thier purses, were going to the local McDonalds. The nursing home staff had other ideas. Just image you being the supervisor that had to convince several determined little old ladies that they could not go for quarter pounders!

Stay tuned.......

Friday June 26

Well I've talked about it for a few days and now its time... I have taken a few pages from the book to let you all get a taste of what is coming.

Holder Saga
Samuel Joseph Holder eased over the edge of the loft and onto the ladder. He felt his way down each rung , silently hoping that the rawhide that held the rungs in place made no noise. The last thing he wanted was to wake up his Ma and Pa or his pesky sister Sophie. What he did want was another shot at the huge buck that he had seen in the high meadow. He silently padded across cabins dirt floor. With his boots in his hand he reached over the door to take down the family rifle. He reached for the string that pulled up the latch to find it already up on the holding nail. Sam wondered if Pa had forgot to latch the door last night. He eased open the door just enough to slide his six foot frame through the door.
It was the very darkest time of the night, the sun would be up over Smoky Ridge in another hour. Pa would be wanting to get at those stumps in the tomato field and he was not going to be happy about Sam being in the woods again this morning. At 16, Sam figured he was full grown and that it was time to be getting on with his own wants and dreams. Pa seemed to still treat him like he was a snot nosed kid, he still would not get Sam his own rifle. Michael Holder, Sam’s Pa, was a hard man. He had went off to fight with General Washington, as a result he was wounded by a British ball at Valley Forge. His right leg was stiff from the hip and he had no feeling in it. When he got back to the family he never said much about the fighting, he just wanted to move his family further west. He took his land grant, all veterans got for fighting, and filed on this farm in the rolling hill country of southern Pennsylvania. Pa now laid claim to almost 200 acres. Michael Holder was a farmer. He bought some from other veterans and traded the local Indians for some. We had both hillside as well as bottom land. Pa loved to farm, he knew when to plant, what to plant and seemed to get just the right amount of water from the Lord to make it all grow. He had decided to cultivate a field of about 5 acres in tomatoes this coming spring and was clearing it for planting.
I wanted no part of farming. I was at home in the woods. I could track almost as well as the Indians, after all I had learned from one. His name was Little Hawk, he was a Huron. We got to know one another after he pulled me out of a creek I tried to cross during the high water of a spring rain. That was seven years ago. Little Hawk was my closest of friend. I learned the different tracks of small animals and learned a lot about them just following them. Once we were tracking a deer through a thicket when we came face to face with a sow black bear with a cub. We must of startled her because she just stood up and started acting like we had stepped on her toes. We took off like we had been shot out of one of ole General Washington’s cannons. We grabbed us a low limb and started up a tree about the same time as that Momma bears little one decided to do what his Momma was fussing at him to get done. Problem was he picked the same tree as Little Hawk and me. That ole tree was getting really small when that Momma decided that she was coming up as well. Just about that time the top of that tree started to bend over with all of our weight. When we was almost on the ground that cub was a whining, that momma was roaring and snapping and making real good time towards us. We dropped to the ground which caused that tree to spring back up since our weight was gone flinging them two bears into the tree tops. We wasted no time getting gone. ........

Well there is one little peak at the book. This is the Story of one American family that settled the Missouri Ozark Plateau in what is now Texas County, Missouri. My parents were born and raised there. I spent many a summer vacation, and more winter weekends than you can count learning the lay of the land between Summersville and Eunice in Texas County. Sam's homestead is where my fathers parents lived as well as where he grew up. The locations I describe are there, or at least used to be. Today the family farm beongs to some guy my aunt sold it to. First thing he done with it was remove all of the old buildings, farm equipment and trees . He turned into grazing land and last time I seen it it was in pretty bad shape. The grass was over grazed and the place had a lonely abandon look to it.

On a lighter note, I got to go fishing again this orning. The new fish picture at the top of the page was taken this morning. Top waters were still the trick.

Thursday, June 25

Well its Thursday, Yesterday I had a meeting with my Marketing People, (Judy and Lisa- hereafter only refered to as the Sisters)). After much discussion about what needs to be on this blog, with a lot of input from my niece in Chicago Sheena, It was decided that I needed to post a recipe.

What do I know about cooking, especially baking. If you can't shoot it, catch it on a hook, or sleep on it I have no expertise.

My delima is how can I make a recipe sound like it comes from a fella that catches fish and writes historical novels. It was a real challenge. Then it dawned on me...We all like to eat, especially treats from the oven. What you have down below is the recipe for Squash Bread, made from the zucchini. Its been around my family for a long time. As a matter of fact it was said that Judy Holder, Sam's Mother, used this recipe to bake bread with that always won the contests at church and school socials.

Gentle people start your mixers!

Get it ready...put it in the pan....

You have to get it ready, here is what you need and then put it in the pan. Make sure you follow the directions....

Get the mixture right.....

Mix your wet ingredients first.........starting with the eggs

You have to grease and then flour the baking pans. Once that is done pour equal amounts into each pan

Check it to be sure its done!

Judy uses a bamboo stick to check the middle of the pan. If it comes out clean its done!

Hmmmm thats good!

Hot out of the pan, and spread with a little real butter!

Here is the recipe:

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped nuts

3 fresh eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups corsely shredded zucchini

1 cup crushed pinapple well drained

Combine flour, baking soda, salt,baking powder,cinnamon and chopped nuts, set aside

Beat eggs lightly, and sugar, oil and vanilla.

Beat until creamy, stir in zucchini and pinapple.

Add dry ingredients, stirring untill dry ingredients are moisten.

Spoon batter into well greased and floured loaf pans.

Makes two 9X5X3 loafs.

Bake at 350 defrees for one hour or until done.

Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Folks it don't get much better than that! Sheena this one was for you!

Now for the really important stuff. I got a chance to go fishing this morning. We were on the water by 5:15 am. We fished until about 8:15am amd caught 15 or more bass, with 6 of them being keepers. ( over 15 inches) We were fishing large rock banks, with a ledge close in. The boat was in 15-25 feet of water. Our casts were towards the bank and had to be fairly close to the shoreline. Fish were taking the lure about 1/2 way to the boat Our largest was just under 4 lbs.

We were using......

Chugbugs, shad colored and a blue and silver one as well....

Wednesday

TOMATOES....

Today I will discuss my obsession of growing tomatoes. First it needs to be said that I love to eat them fresh from the vine, I like them in salads, on a sandwiches, and in fresh juice. I like almost all forms of the tomato. The issue comes from the fact that we eat them fresh from late June until early October here on Schooner Creek. I like them so much that in my book, The Holder's, Missouri Beginnings, Michael Holder clears a five acre track of ground just to grow them.

here is the issue, I have a heck of a time growing them! A few years ago I baby sat some chickens for my Mother while she wintered in Florida, I kept them in a dog pen. It worked out and about the time the chickens became an odor issue she was home and the chickens returned to Putnam County!

I didn't have a clue what to do with the dog pen so it got moved and where it sat I got the idea to plow it up and plant tomatoes. Wow, what a great idea that was! We had tomatoes all season and had a bunch to pick before the first frost. Those were put in a cardboard box and covered with old newspaper and we ate tomatoes from the garden until almost Thanksgiving.

The next year we moved to Schooner Creek. I tried to grow tomatoes in the yard here. The issue was the ground. I rented a small jack hammer and tried to bust thru the rock and ruined the hammer. I tried to get a blasting company to "blow" me a small area and the neighbors put a stop to that. So, I settled on pots. I went to the Wal-Mart got me three of the biggest pots I could find, bought the soil and plants and grew some of the prettiest plants you ever saw for about 6 weeks. Then they died. NO TOMATOES!

Last winter I caught the television advertizement on growing tomatoes upside down. I pondered that all winter and this spring, being to tight to buy the hanging pot, got me a couple of soap buckets cut the proper holes and yep, you guessed it I have hanging tomatoes. Again, knowing some of my plans are looked at with a raised eyebrow from my loving wife, I took my soap buckets to a new level..I painted the buckets yellow then planted flowers in the top Its late June, there are green ones, with more blooms coming on every day but still no tomatoes.

Cross your fingers.......

June 23

Today was Tuesday on the normal calender, but for me it was a Friday before a 4 day weekend. I work for an organization that has a 10 hour day, 4 day work week. Put a Comp day or Holiday with it and you have 4 days off. I feel very lucky to work a schedule like this, it gives me time to work on writing as well as do the research that it takes to write a book.

I never realized what it takes to research a book. My first book, Missouri Beginnings, started several years ago with a trip to New England with my wife Judy to see an 1863 vintage Civil War Quilt. My wife's version of that quilt is above. It was first put together by a lady named Jane and contains over 5600 individual pieces of cloth. It took Judy more than 5 years to finish it and we traveled a lot of miles researching with her making quilt blocks and sewing them together. This quilt means a lot to me, so much that the only picture I carry of my wife, in my wallet, has this quilt in it!

That trip enabled me to research the area where the Holders lived in Pennsylvania coal country. My book will be available soon, I'm taking orders for the first 100 copies, which will be signed by me! Email me to get on the list.

June 22

Schooner Creek is on Tablerock Lake near Point 7, Tablerock is in southern Stone County, Mo.Tablerock is a clear lake and is formed by the White, James and Kings Rivers as well as being considered as part of the White River chain of lakes. The Us Army Corp of Engineers is celebrating the lake's 50 birthday this year.

Most of the local economy is based on tourism. Folks come from all over the country to see Branson, MO as well as the Lakes. They spend thier money which generates sales tax which funds services such as the sheriff's office and the Emergency Call Center. I tell about this to be able to justify my asking you all to come see us! Yep, my taxes are as high as they need to be and with out your help they could get raised! So, pack your cars, kids and grandmas an hurry down to Stone County, we have fishin, swimmin, Silver Dollar City, boatin and of course a Wal-mart!
Don't forget your wallet!

Fishing is still a little slow, I haven't been out in a day or so, its gotta be time for plastic worming. I like the 6 inch crinkle cut style worms in a brown or green. Rig it texas style on a pegged sinker about 18 inches above the hook.

Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to all you Dad's out there!

June 20 - 2009

Good Morning!
Its blueberry time in the Missouri Ozarks! Persimmon Farms near Carr Lane, Mo. has an abundance of ripe berries. My wife Judy, is a conisur of blueberries, she loves them and makes all kinds of treats that will may your mouth water and your tummy feel warm and fuzzy! Me I like to eat them its the picking that gets in the way!

Fishing report - Lake level is at 916 +/- normal pool is 915. This number does not indicate the depth of the water. It is the feet above sea level. Tablerock Lake has some really deep parts, in excess of 150 feet, but none as deep as 900 feet. The water temperature is in the low eighty's and as of last night the bass have lock jaw. I fished until around 10 pm with nothing of any size wanting to cooperate. Bluegill are being caught along creek banks in 15-18 feet of water near trees on small gravel bottoms. Goggle-eye, or rock bass to some of you, can be found around larger rocks in 18-22 feet of water. Worms for the gills and minnows for the goggle-eye are best. A friend of mine told me that he had his daughters out a couple of nights ago and caught several nice catfish drifting live nightcrawlers over main lake points. Point 7 near Kimberling City would be a good place for that kind of action.

It was great to get out on the water, it usually gets real nice just before sunset and last night it was almost perfect. The wind had calmed down a little and to the north there were some really high thunderheads. We watched the lighting flash in the clouds. They were far enough away as not to cause a worry for us, it was quite a show. Thanks God.

First Day

Today is Friday, June 19, 2009 and the birthday of Schooner Creek Blog site. I'm Mike, your host and creator of this blog. I had a real hard time trying to figure out just what a blog was suppose to be, It kinda sounds funny when you say it, b-l-o-g. I'm in southwest Missouri, and it sort of sounds like a fella I know down here that says things like " Dern that was a heavy blog that feel ofn that truck." Or "He done got his four wheeler hung up in that blog" and of course " "the blog was so blick that I coulda run onto the breek."

This is also the place that I will feature my books as they get published. The first one The Holder Saga, Missouri Beginnings, should be out in 6 weeks or so. Followed by Missouri Sunrise and finally.....well that one ain't named yet. Its a triology, beginning in the early 1800's and ending with the call for war in 1918. Its a story about one family, and the challenges they live with as they settle the Missouri Ozarks.

I also plan to feature a fishing report, life on Table Rock Lake stories , and just about anything else one might want to know about! Let me know if you have a question, or need to find something, I can usually come up with an answer....

Come Back now!