June 07, 2010
First of all, congratulations to the new Nobles of the mystic Shrine. We hope you enjoyed the experience as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.
I was out back of the CowChows earlier today pulling weeds out of the flowerbed. Next to repeatedly kneeling on nails it's one of my favorite things to do. I'm not really what you'd call a diligent gardener. By the time I get around to tending the flowerbeds it usually requires a machete and chainsaw to get things started. I've lost more than a few small children in there so when I heard a tiny voice ask "What ya doin," I was a little startled.
I started hacking my way toward where I thought the voice came from and finally broke free to find Mason standing just outside the edge of the bed. Mason is the little brother to the little blond haired girl next door that generally torments me. She was nowhere to be seen and I wondered if she had wandered into the flowerbed.
"Hi Mason. What ya up to," I asked.
His little shoulders went up and down in a shrug. "Not much," he said, "What you up to?"
"Oh, I'm just pulling weeds out of the flowerbed."
"Can I help?"
"Well, I don't know. It's a pretty important job. Do you know the difference between a weed and a flower?"
He stared hard at the tangle of plants. His confused gaze went up and down the flowerbed as his mind struggled for the answer. Finally, his eyes came back to mine and his little head wagged from side to side.
And so it began. We went all around the flowerbed one step at a time. "This is a weed; this is a flower. This is a weed; this is a flower."
After we'd made our circuit I said, "So, have you got it?" And, he nodded enthusiastically. We began side by side, and I watched closely as he pulled the weeds and carefully worked around the flowers just as I had instructed him. I was actually enjoying pulling weeds. Naturally, we progressed in opposite directions and as the distance between us grew he kept up a steady chatter about his mom and dad and his puppy and his friend Matthew and his sister's annoyances.
After a while I couldn't make out what he was saying. It sounded more like grunting than talking so I went to check on him. I found him flat on his butt still gripping a young sumac and smiling from ear to ear. I wondered if perhaps his name had somehow endued him with some innate mystical knowledge so I asked, "Mason, how did you come to pull that plant? You know it to be a shrub which takes deep root."
He lifted the young shrub high above his head showing the bare roots and beaming with pride he said, "I jus yanked real hard!"
Fraternally yours,
Tim Couch
Now, on with the news........................
Saturday, June 12, 2010: O'Sullivan Lodge No. 7 will hold its 7th Annual Pickin' in the Park Bluegrass and Music Festival. The event will be held in the Walnut Grove City Park from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Admission is $15 per family - $6 adults - $3 kids (17 and under). This is a BYLC (Bring Your Lawn Chairs) event. Information and playing times will be posted on the O'Sullivan Lodge Web site.
Saturday, June 12, 2010: Billings Lodge No. 379 will meet in Special Communication for the conferral of three Master Mason degrees. Biscuits and gravy will be served at 07:30 A.M. and Lodge will be duly Opened at 08:30 A.M. All Master Masons are invited to attend. Pizza will be served at noon or thereabouts. Billings Lodge is located in Billings Mo, one block east from the stoplight on 60 Highway.
Saturday, June 26, 2010: The Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team will confer an outdoor 3rd Degree at Fohn Charolais Farm, Cassville, MO. The farm is located on Hwy 76 about 3/4 miles west of Hwy 37. Lodge will open at 10:00 AM. Coffee and donuts before Lodge. Lunch (BBQ) will be served for a donation. If you haven't seen the Oklahoma Indians confer a Degree come and join us. Tiler will check all dues cards.
In case of inclement weather the degree conferral will be held at Pythagoras Lodge No. 383 located at 1704 Main Street in Cassville, MO.
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