The year was 1976, and Jody, at a lively 38, was a maestro conducting the grand orchestra of her life—only sometimes the orchestra was a herd of sheep that wouldn't stay in tune. Her days were a whimsical tapestry woven with threads of tireless work and unexpected adventures. While she continued to be the backbone for Pete and the bustling Milliron Clinic, she squeezed in a few micro-naps; or, when she wasn't juggling children, housework, barn chores, you might have spotted her atop her favorite horse.
Jody co-managed two sheep herds—the Western herd and the House herd.
With numbers reaching into the hundreds, these woolly mischief-makers provided
daily entertainment and the occasional frustration when they escaped. Milliron
Farm patrols were her specialty: spotting trespassing hunters, stray killer dogs,
dead sheep, deer in the meadow, trapped rodents, and the loveliest of
wildflowers.
The farmhouse creaked and sighed with history, the barns were alive with
secret meetings between burros and geese, and every corner harbored a critter
with personality.
As a 4H parent, Jody mentored budding animal enthusiasts. Her passion
for dogs wasn't just a hobby; it was a competitive sport. She and her canines trotted off to State and National competitions.
Winter on Milliron Farm brought its own set of challenges. When the farm
was blanketed in snow and the animals were tucked away, Jody found solace in
cozying up by the fireplace with a good book—or at least attempting to before
nodding off and dreaming about renegade sheep. Occasional trips to the local
cinema, concerts, and the library helped her cope.
Each name here—be it dog, horse, or any other creature—was a chapter in
the vibrant novel that was Jody’s life. Her world was a delightful romp through
responsibility and revelry, a testament to her ability to find joy and humor in
the daily hustle. Indeed, she was the spirited heartbeat of Milliron Farm,
navigating her days with a smile, and perhaps a well-timed nap.
JANUARY 1976
·
Tracked Song, Puff, Day One, Week Two
·
Took Pat, Kanga, to Phillip’s Place > tracked
Song, Puff > rode in with J L’H, picked up car, picked up photos at J
Croxford’s > picked up Pat, Kanga, Mike Cuckler, basketball practice >
took photos, skirt to J Jones > let dogs run in paddock at dark, used
flashlight, saw rabbit
·
Pete, Pat, fed sheep at barn, took Puff, let him
run over hill, picked up well > lunch at Shafer’s, Nelsonville > Pete,
Vet School program “stapling” > J, P, me, Kingsville Shopping Center,
Lazarus, etc. > ate at Shade Restaurant, Canal Winchester
·
Church
·
Couldn’t get car started > ran errands for
Pete, house sale
·
Pete, took up grain, salt, dog trap, fed at barn
·
Heavy, wet snow, electricity off over 8 hours,
40 deg in house
·
3-4” snow, no school > fed horses, sheep
·
J, P, made tollhouse cookies > gave dogs,
Trefa, shots > Pat dug out barn darns, patched up paddock fence, turned
lambs out
·
Tracked field behind hospital, snow > saw R
Redford movie
·
Church, lunch at Perkin’s > check dog traps,
Puff chased Suffolk ewe, tracked Puff, Song, tracked well
·
Re-dyed bedspread deeper blue > tracked Puff,
Song, Phillip’s bottom, Marquis > Pete took Thompson’s uphill in 4-wheel
drive, got sick
·
Bad cold (me) > no school > hill, sheet of
ice > Pete got Coleman lanterns working
·
Fed at barn > tracked Song, Puff
·
Tracked last track of day at Jackie’s >
picked up Pat, Mike, Bill, from basketball practice
·
Ed Sheridan here > fed at barn > tracked
Puff, Song, 1st track, week 3 > dropped Pat off at Chadwell’s
·
Pete, Jessica, to Charleston > took Pat to
Dr. Fugate’s, ran errands, picked up chainsaws, etc., > Cistern pump shut
off, screw broke on handle to switch water systems, opened it with vice grips
> fed at barn > walked over pasture with Jim, 1 sheep missing (?), 27 counted
> put a dozen bales of straw against gaps in house foundation
·
Slept late > ate at Pizza Hut > movie
“Challenge to Be Free”
·
Tracked long field, cold hard ground > kept
Debbie Croxford > put tags on dog collars
·
No school, snow, ice > old Suffolk ewe (H15)
died, pneumonia > fed at barn, kept Debbie > tracked in hay meadow, let
Puff run in blackberry meadow > turned possum lose from dog trap > Pete
clipped dog’s toenails
·
Gas pressure about 2 lbs. > snow, wind,
drifts > children out early > clipped dogs’ feet, tattoo’s, wrote letters
·
Let Puff, Kanga, Boo run in pond pasture,
drifts, etc., > helped Pete feed sheep, pulled out tractor (stuck in creek
crossing) with red truck, fed lambs
·
Fed lambs, took Jim > fed at barn, took Puff
> took bank deposit > allergic reaction (chamomile?) went to O’Bleness
emergency room
·
Ralph Guthrie swapped well > took Jim down to
Phillip’s Place, put sheep in > fed at barn, Jim killed possum in dog trap,
let dogs run in paddock > Pete, John Branner to Chillicothe, horse calls
> Pat, basketball game, overnight Chadwell’s
·
Very icy roads > Marion Show, J Open A, 2nd
195 CDX!, Puff 2nd Reserve > helped clean, package 9 ducks
·
Picked up Brent, Pat, Mike, at Amesville >
talked to Katharine Foster (Joyce Nelson) at hospital
·
Migraine > fed at barn > tracked in hay
meadow, snow all 3 tracks, Song, Puff > young possum in dog trap
·
Bedded down Pete’s sheep barn > fed at barn
> tracked 2 tracks > school meeting, rode with Morgans and Thompsons,
brought Pat, Bill Wright home, Bill here overnight
·
Took grain to Landmark, shopped, library, met
Game Warden at City Building, signed complaint, got groceries > day 5
tracking, almost dark > Athens Premiere Bicentennial move for Ohio, very
good
·
Pete, office meeting, Abdella’s
·
Slept late > fed at barn > 1 track hay
meadow, finished well, saw 6 deer, checked dog trap, let Puff run > took
Sassy down to clinic barn, lame in front > let dogs run in paddock
FEBRUARY
·
Pushed Jan Thompson’s car > Church, Pete
ushered > Dolen’s lunch, I ate in car due to smoke > Pete, J, and I rode
around thru woods, saw 5 deer, quite a few tracks > dewormed horses, burros,
ponies, trimmed Tinker, Angel, Persimmon’s feet > worked at desk, wrote
letters
·
Napped, meditation > napped again > fed at
barn, took Puff, Kanga > let dogs run in paddock > watched last part of
basketball game, brought Pat, Mike Cuckler home
·
Helped Pete, fed lambs, etc. > tried to sort
off rams, unsuccessful, loaded hay, etc. > took bank deposit, groceries,
carried them up hill > picked up Pat > jumped rope, worked at desk
·
Ran errands, oxygen tanks, etc. > fed at
barn, used mask > tracked Puff, Song > washed Pete’s wool Pendleton shirt
·
J home, sore throat > picked up Pete, ate at
hilltop > picked up Pete at Jan’s > fed at barn > checked dog trap,
Kanga killed possum > Pat, basketball game
·
No school, ice storm > took bank deposit,
groceries, stopped at Sharp’s > left SW at Russell’s > took Pat to
Chadwell’s, drove Pete’s red truck, tracked 1 track at Chadwell’s bottom,
excellent tracking > wrote Betty, Abbott > Pat, game, overnight at
Chadwell’s
·
Began fast, 122 lbs. > tracked 3rd
track, finished week 4 > picked up Pat > took Pat, Mike Cuckler to
tournament Albany High School > made gingerbread with whole wheat flour
·
Fast day 2, 120 lbs. > Church > tracked 2
tracks > walked up fence line to check no hunting signs > worked at desk,
wrote letters
·
Fast day 3, 118 lbs. > to court, hunter
didn’t show up > took pictures to J L’H, took magazines to K Foster >
took lambs to Snap’s (4) > took Brittany bitch to dog pound > picked up
Pat > read > watched Olympics, dance skating, lovely
·
Fast day 4, 117 lbs. > went to Charleston
with Pete, Colonial Stables, Lipizzans, John Leslie’s, home 12:30 pm
·
Fast day 5, 115 lbs. > sorted magazines >
napped > package from Mom (pens, hats, shirt, key chains) > read
magazines, made phone calls about Kashler Clinic
·
Mom, Valentine’s, checks for J and P > fed at
barn > Jackie laid track for Song > J laid track for Puff > pick up
Pat at Middle School > balanced bank statement
·
Cleaned out Pete’s Levi drawer, sorted mail >
to Dr. Gwandi > looked for key to Pete’s desk safe > Pat ballgame
·
Tracked Puff, Song > ran errands, took
chainsaw, Pat’s motorcycle in for repairs, shopped > watched Westminster on
TV > baked, decorated “Heart Cake” > J Betsy’s overnight “Madame
Butterfly”
·
Pete got grain > J to Columbus Horse Show
with Nancy Rogers > Pat laid track for Puff, finished day 3 > fed at
barn, took Puff, let him run in pasture > Pat, Kanga, checked dog trap,
got/skinned groundhog > John Hanson here > worked at desk, wrote letters
·
Pat, Johnny, Kanga, groundhog hunting >
picked up J at Amesville, Driver’s Ed
·
Meditated > Pat laid track for Puff >
dropped Pat off at Chadwell’s basketball practice
·
Curriculum meeting, Bill Morgan, Jim Thompson
> J Pony Club, Dottie drove
·
Picked up lamb > to Mansfield > J, Pat,
dentist
·
Went to Boggs Equipment after screen for grinder
> tracked Song, 2 tracks, Puff, 1
·
Church > tracked dogs
·
Ran errands, took Bess > fed at barn, checked
dog traps, rebaited it, took Puff > called Mom > read, finished
Campbell’s “Problem Behavior In Dogs”
·
Pete, OVMA, Columbus, went to Lazarus, Union,
Limited, lunch at Neal House with Phil Karns, Albert Strouss, toured
“Continent” Shopping Center, took wool to Woolgrowers, got formaldehyde, etc.
·
Fed at barn > Pat shot .30 .30, took Puff
> made honey custard > took J, Heather, Booth’s to Pony Club > Pat
Grover Center
·
Pete treated Cheviot ewe > Pat laid track for
Puff, Song > Pat basketball game > took Jim to look for Cheviot ewe
·
7 am drove to Katherine Foster’s > walked
around shops, Milford, Ohio > AKC Mini Symposium > dinner in Chillicothe
MARCH
·
Went after Ruff, waiting by logging truck (stuck
in creek) took Jim, Kanga > Church > dewormed my sheep, put them thru
formaldehyde (fresh), except Cheviot > Pat repaired water gap
·
Took book to J L’H, got camera, picked up grain,
got milk > put my sheep thru formaldehyde troughs > fed at barn > read
“Dog Training My Way” by Barbara Woodhouse
·
Pete, Doug O’Dell to Charleston > ran my
sheep thru formaldehyde (not Sassy) > fed at barn > used Jim to catch
ducks, put them in snow fence, put them in barrel a few times
·
Lent, fast before Communion, fast on Friday >
worked Jim in ducks > put my sheep thru formaldehyde (Sassy escaped) >
picked up Heather > Ash Wednesday Communion > J, Heather Pony Club
·
Napped > took bank deposit, stopped by
highway patrol, safety check, with Puff, Boo, Kanga, Bess > J Croxford,
Debbie, Tinker Toy > put sheep and Sassy thru trough > worked ducks with
Jim > Pete, Jan, put Western ewes thru formaldehyde trough > ate at
Spanish Maine > Pete dewormed horses at Jr Kennedy’s
·
Put my sheep through troughs, not Cheviot, but
included Sassy > Pat ballgame
·
Tracked Song, Puff > Ping Inauguration, Pete
represented Colorado State University, buffet luncheon > Pat finished
digging out my gate, worked Jim on ducks, put my sheep (all) thru troughs, put
Pete’s sheep thru trough’s - finally
·
J Pony Club > Church, Pat and I drove car,
Pete came in truck later > ate at Wendy’s > Pete to Laird’s > Pat and
John worked on clearing a place in rabbit shed for lumber > worked Jim on
ducks, put sheep (not Sassy, Cheviot) thru trough > helped Pete put Western
ewes thru formaldehyde > wrote letters > worked at desk
·
Helped Pete put sheep thru formaldehyde, used
Jim, Kanga > lunch, Oak Room > Pat fed hay at red barn, worked Jim on
ducks, put my sheep thru trough > 4H
·
Pat and I fed at barn, worked Jim on ducks, put
sheep thru troughs > Book Sale, $2.25 worth of books > watched
“Incredible Machine > worked at desk
·
Took bank deposit, took Puff, Boo, Kanga, Bess,
picked up girl hitching (from clinic) with 2 dogs > Bess, heat shot >
worked Jim on ducks > fed at barn > put sheep (not Sassy or Cheviot) thru
troughs
·
Took Kanga, Jim down to herd sheep- not ready
> Cheviot down > worked Jim on ducks > took Pete into O’Bleness >
let dogs run in paddock
·
Checked down Cheviot > visited Pete
(vasectomy), shopped uptown > napped > check Cheviot, all right >
picked up Pete, ate at Dolen’s
·
Church, ate at DQ > Pete ground feed, etc.,;
Pat and I fed at barn, watched TV basketball > J and me to Columbus, Collie
Specialty, Hopeful Hunter Show, Fairgrounds, then to Eastland Mall, bookstore
> Pete ate down at Jan’s
·
Migraine > picked up books at S. Nolan’s >
took chainsaw to Logan for repair > Princess, Cheviot ewe died > 4H
·
Pete to Charleston > put dead ewe in hay
meadow, checked dog trap, it was open/empty > snow
·
Baked Shamrock sugar cookies > took Pete to
hospital > went to OHA conformation class with Joyce Nelson, Judy G.,
Columbus
·
Pete smallpox vaccination, got coveralls at
Mac’s > worked Jim on ducks, fed at barn, Lucas’ bull chased us out of
bottom > tracked Song, Puff
·
Took Pete to airport, missed plane > got
salt, Landmark, groceries at A&P > worked Song, Puff > Pete, dinner
with parents, New York > Pat to dance, Denny D here for weekend
·
K Clinic, Columbus (Licking River Club), J,
Song, Puff, Joanne, Anne L’H (sis-in-law), banquet at Howard Johnsons
·
Tracked fields down 550 across from Eddy’s >
worked at desk, typed up sheet for puppy class > speckled face ewe died
·
Picked up Pete at airport, went to Woolgrowers,
lunch at Eastland Mall, browsed in bookstore, checked flight for Pete’s
luggage, napped > Pat camping out at Hanson's
·
Put sheep in with Jim, Howard Strode began
shearing > tracked Puff, Song, 550, Puff did last track, crossed water
beautifully
·
Took Jim, sorted sheep, sheared > tried to
trim sheep’s feet, couldn’t > fed at barn, worked Jim on ducks > checked,
repaired fence line (sort of) > worked Puff, gaiting > migraine
·
Took J and Apple to Laird’s, truck stalled in
Albany > Pat bicycle downtown
·
Pete, Paul Mingus, trimmed my sheep’s feet – 24
head > cut fence thru to bottom, rode Blaze, let Kanga, Puff run in bottom
> Pete oyster supper, McDougal Square Dance, Millfield Miners
·
Church, napped, fed at barn, worked Jim on
ducks, rode Blaze in bottom, let Puff, Kanga run, wrote letters
·
Freezer/refrigerator repairman here > took
Pete’s 4W truck in for repairs > Barbara Donovan Vance here to sell
insurance > $40 check from Mom > fed at barn, put ducks in, rode Blaze up
thru Browns (Pete heard chainsaw) > 4H
· Helped Pete put rams in (Lucas’) > rode Blaze looking for sheep > put sheep in paddock by house > birthday box from Mom > went on calls with Pete to Rock Springs, Charleston, etc., home at 1:30 am
Please forgive typos, name or place misspellings; transcription from
vintage handwriting sometimes requires a magnifying glass and random
interpretation.
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment