Mother Nature is a God gift that often works without our knowledge or even to protect it. I have watched hummingbird's; Bees of all sort; even Wasps and ants pollinate our flowers and fruits. It is one of those gifts that we take for granted, but we do acknowledge and respect the gifts that are granted us. Simple Pleasures of earth life.
It appears we haven't put in a "Nusense" chapter on since April, 2022, so time for a list of facts that I came upon in my boxes of stuff, and no particular order. From what I can determine, the list is made up of actual Facts! But remember, my viewpoint of Facts may be different from yours. After all, my great Uncle is Hy Tolley, whose dry Juab County humor has been going strong for the past hundred years. I wish to thank my father for having me walk down the path a block north of where I grew up to meet Uncle Hy. when I was 5 years old. He lived in a Nephi home where Verizon is now, two doors away from his daughter-Ruth Zabriskie. Here are some of his "fact" type humor.
1. If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.(Hardly seems worth it, even though I love coffee).
2. If you pass gas consistently for 6 years and 9 months, you will have produced enough energy for an atomic bomb.(Now that is more like it).
3. A pigs orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.(In our next life, may we all be a pig).
4. Banging your head against the wall uses 150 calories an hour.(Still not over the pig thing).
5. Humans and Dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure. (Is that why Flipper was always smiling? And why isn't the pig included, as Uncle Hy had pigs in Nortonville).
6. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death. (Yup, and some of us believe the same about mice and snakes).
7. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.(Hummmmmmm).
8. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. ( I hunted Crocks outside New Orleans but had no interest in peering at their tongue-sooner take death, as I know that is better).
9. The ant can lift 50 times its own weight; can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.(From drinking little bottles? Was it government funded?)
10. Polar Bears are left handed.( Who knew and Who Cares? Another government grant?)
11. The flea can jump 350 times its body length. (Its like a human jumping the length of the old Juab HIgh Football Field).
12. A cockroach(should I used capitol letters on that?) will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death).
13. The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the males head off.(Honey, I'm home. what the .....").
14. Some lions mate over 50 times a day.(In my next life, I still want to be a pig...quality over quantity).
15. Butterflies taste with their feet. (and Butterflies are Free).
16. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.(Uncle Hy said neither can Antelope).
17. An Ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.(I knew a Nephi High classmate like that).
18. Starfish don't have brains.(Same as Number 17).
And remember what Uncle Hy taught....Humor and Music is about the only things that people from all over the world can understand. (As long as you smile and play the organ correctly).
Most folks that have been in Nephi for a few decades will remember this lady and her family. I attended her impressive funeral today, and it was VERY IMPRESSIVE. I didn't know her as much years ago, but knew her husband-Maurice and their kids. Maurice and his brothers were some of the best Tenor Singers of the world, and we didn't even know it back then. Maurice sang at more than 500 funerals, and I don't think they paid him much more than his LDS Church assignments. He was a Dairy Farmer, as were many others when we were rural. Today, I got to know the Saintly woman behind; to the side of; and perhaps led Maurice. She wouldn't mind if I called her Housewife, but would also say she was a devoted mother; caretaker of her kids as well as caretaker of her mother when she got older. As I sat on the backrow; prepared for an emergency exit in case lighting hit the church, I could imagine both Joyce and Maurice hand in hand nearby, watching and listening to their grandchildren and great grandchildren fill up the choir seats and sing "I am a child of God". Yes we are, and she was one of Gods special people.
Some marriages seem to have been made in Heaven; some in Hell, and then some are determined to make that bond last "come hell or high water". And for others like me, marriage and dancing were an impossible dream, but at least I tried and even took ballroom dancing at Snow College but failed when I stepped on the teachers Polio foot! In most marriages, there has to be give and take on both sides and nobody really teaches that sort of thing until you are hog tied! The good thing about Wes and Sondra(I call her No. One) is they both had fathers that were devoted to working hard and mothers that were devoted to the kids. One father was a farmer and the other a Sheep Herder. Weston and No. One have taught their four kids the same principle of work ethics and they have made great grandparents as well. The kids are Shane, Travis, Number Two and Number Three. Weston may not invite you to be on their second honeymoon trip, but they are accepting Two Dollar bills as Go Fun Me account, but I get a ten percent administrative kickback! Happy 52nd Anniversary when men and women dressed the part of an important event..
In case you all missed her funeral, we have the program for you to gaze and ponder with. To her kids and grandkids, she was known as Mom, Grandmother, but to other folks in Juab County, she was known as Diane Kay of Mona. Although she wasn't blind, she was set up on a blind date, and yup, it was love at first sight for both Joe Houston and Diane Kay. Although we are cousins, I had no idea her first name was the same as her mother-Norma Kay. Doesn't matter as even the town of Mona was once known as Clover Creek; Willow Creek and some even mistook it for Starr, as the Starr Family built homes where the Young Living Farm is now. When I was a pup, I always liked to visit with Aunt Norma and Uncle Cleon, who we called "Uncle George". They had five of the most beautiful daughters this side of the Missouri. That included Marie, Beth, Donna, Becky and Diane. We think it had a mixture of their Mom but Cleon was more dashing than any of the James Bond dudes. And Diana's two bothers-Kent and Randy had that same broad smile and keen eyes. The Kay sisters liked to hang out together, and when I entered the 7th grade, I could tell all the "Big Boys" that I could wheel and deal them to take one of my cousins on a date. Fat Chance! They were so beautiful and a loving heart, they could have their pick of the litter, and they each did. After high school graduation, Diane married Joe Houston out of Spanish Fork, and that was where they built their earthly home in 1962. My sister and I did a surprise visit on her a couple weeks ago, and she still had that beautiful and loving smile. Some inner qualities just remain for ever and ever. Joe was an industrial painter, which meant they moved to a variety of places, but they returned to their Spanish Fork home. Diane was like her mother-an excellent cook; housekeeper; gardener; farmer and all the kids learned the now lost art of work ethics. They had to as Cleon was in a serious vehicle accident which eventually claimed his life. Diane was always up to snuff when it came to helping Primary kids and the Cub Scouts and raised three great kids. In her spare time, she was a true Volunteer at Mountain View Hospital. If you are the family or friend of Diane, you have met a Princess. I felt happy to have sat on the back row of the LDS church where the funeral was held. I neglected to polish my cowboy boots as I thought Diane would giggle at that. Not to be outdone, the guy sitting next to me must have wore his grandfather's boots as they looked like that Brigham Young wore them across the plains with Diane's great grandmother. Well done Diane.
Years ago the students of Nephi/Juab High School published their own news in what was then call the Clarion. Today we give you the edition a few days before Christmas of 1928. Get the low down on the basketball players; food at the Nephi Cafe and some delicious chocolate's at The Tunnel. That must have been before they made the Tunnel into a bar, then a hair saloon, as we have old photos of when they were that. You can even purchase a brand new Chevrolet at Nephi Motor Company. Then fill it up with gas at the Silver Maple, then ran by the Shaw's. How much was the gas then?
