School can be a break, too

Fair is over, the school supply lists are out and the youngsters will be heading back to school soon. Some will be excited after being semi-bored all summer. Some will not be excited because either school is not easy for them or they just don’t enjoy learning in a classroom environment. 

I think my brothers looked forward to getting back to school to rest. We had all spent the summer putting up hay and dealing with pigs, lots and lots of pigs. Cleaning the barns was just the worst job; pigs stink at any time, but in the summer, it will take the nose hairs right off. Going back to school meant being able to sit in one place with movement between classes a few times a day. That was very appealing after spending the summer working from before daylight to after dark for about four months. I liked going back to school because I would get to see friends that I may not have been able to see for a long time. Being farmers, we didn’t socialize much. We did get a taste of the social life at fair, which made me just want to head back to school that much sooner. 

As soon as school started, we got into a schedule, my piano lessons started up again, there were extra-curricular activities, sports, FFA for my brothers, jazz band, and for a couple of years, there was marching band. And the most anticipated of all, at least to me — library night. Each school bus had a certain night to stop at the Big Horn County Library. At the time, only kids from outside of the city limits were able to ride busses to school. There were four main routes; Orchard Bench, North Bench (Golf Course Road, to the hospital) Gould (out west to the Greybull River) and Basin Gardens. So on the assigned night the bus would stop at the library to allow the students to return and check out books. We didn’t have a lot of time, but we had about 20 minutes. 

Our bus driver was awesome. A lot of the high school boys didn’t have any interest in going to the library, but would talk the driver into dropping them off and the corner of B and 4th. They could then hit the drug store on the corner and the grocery store for drinks and snacks. They would come running up C Street to catch the bus before it pulled out. Sometimes they shared, sometimes they didn’t, but when I look back it was the library that held my attention. I loved to read. Being able to check out books every week was my lifeline. 

I still like to check out the library in the wintertime. I don’t have a lot of time to read in the summer, but the long winter evenings are just right for sitting in my rocker with a book and a cup of tea in hand.

Zucchini and tomato salad

This is a salad that I used to get off of the salad bar at a restaurant in Missoula, Mont.

A few days ago, I decided to try to recreate it and I hit it on the first try. It is super easy and super good. I am just going to list the ingredients with no measurements because they are relative to taste and what is on hand. 

Small fresh zucchini

Salad or grape tomatoes

Italian dressing, my favorite is Food Club. 

Mix all together and let marinate for 12-24 hours. It is great for potlucks, cookouts and goes well with anything.