Ghost Town Trails Spins by Old Pearce Pottery

Hi, Folks! I edit a small area newspaper, Ghost Town Trail News, and the best way to learn about an area is to read its local paper. The Ghost Town Trail News covers news and information from Cochise, Arizona to Elfrida, Arizona. If you are interested in "what's going on" or the real estate market, this is the best little paper in the southeastern part of the state for this specific area. Subscriptions are $18 per year (US). Click here to subscribe online!

And from time to time, I decide to say something about where we live how we live or how I am affected by living out here. This page is for some of those “Spins”. I hope you enjoy!

Coming Home

This past month we received word our son was actually coming home after 15 months in Iraq.

We drove to Fort Polk, Louisiana to meet the troops when they arrived. Well over 1000 people were in the gym that hot afternoon. It was standing room only even after chairs were lined at the ends of the gym.

After only two or three hours (we were told it could be up to 8), the side door opened and two soldiers walked in. The gym was in an uproar. One soldier had a family present. The other did not. The soldier with family was met with kisses, a baby and an ecstatic wife. The other stood and watched. After a few moments, a woman ran up and hugged the loan soldier, then a little girl ran up and gave him a flower, and then another and another.

It was at least five or ten minutes before the other soldiers entered the gym. Banners hung on the walls with "Welcome Home", "God Bless", "We're Proud", etc. Three hundred soldiers filed into the center of the gym. This was history at present. They were tired, slower than I expected, but a profound presence. An ocean of tan uniforms stood still and strong before us.

His head turned and we saw that he knew we were there. He smiled a watermelon smile.

Uniforms in the Airports
The Military allowed my son to visit us in November. During this stay, he mentioned how kind and respectful people at the airports were to him. He was surprised when people thanked him for serving his country. he was equally taken aback when an airport manager helped him make a flight hours earlier than the one he was scheduled to take.

I've contemplated this since his return to Baghdad. I think about all the invisible uniforms that were present during his journey home: the World War II, Vietnam, Korean War, Desert Storm, even maybe World War I Veterans whose services were passed, yet there they were watching history alive again. I'm sure many remembered their difficult years - not able to make it home for two weeks. Times were hard then as they are now, yet we have so much for which to be grateful.

I value the experience that has enlightened me to what it is/was like for families whose loved ones are in conflicts involving our country.

So, when you're in the airports and see a soldier, imagine the uniforms (of other wars) on those around you. You may be amazed at the potential number of individuals who stood up and fought for our country. Be aware of the individuals who may have lost a loved one.

This war on terrorism should soften our interactions with all those around us as we realize the veterans of passed wars have kept safe our freedoms to this time.

The Value of Mentoring

Beyond our parents are individuals who share an encouraging interest in us. These people may be co-workers, teachers, neighbors, retired individuals - they appear in many forms - they are mentors.

I had a mentor, Don Schaumburg - Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University. I first met him when I was taking a second clay course (That many thought was beyond me) in the 70's. I wanted to learn "all of it" so badly. One morning, as the gas kilns were unloading, I entered the yard. Don and Randy Schmidt were standing at the opening of one of the kilns. I expressed to them my desire to learn how to fire the kilns. They looked at each other and then back at me. "You sure?" Of course I did! Don proceeded to take me over to the 20-something kiln shelves (approx. 24" x 36" long) covered with kiln wash. "Clean these and we'll see how you do". I worked on every last one........

Over the years, I watched him throw pots in his studio, pull bowls and plates from the kilns - looking for "that one" piece that said everything. He greeted me at the kilns in the following years to see and discuss the firing results. He taught me tradition.

After college, I would call and ask him technical questions. I did not take him for granted, but treasured his knowledge. He taught me a "life style".

As many potters do, he treasured his garden, particularly his bamboo. This January, after trimming his roses and gifting his wife with four - "These are for you", he said - he proceeded to trim his bamboo...he passed away in his garden.

"These are for you". Those words are so much how he was and how mentors seem to think. They offer us their time, energy, knowledge and thoughts. Life would lose so much of its value without those caring people called "Mentors". May God bless Don and all the mentors in the world. We are better because of them.

Guardians of Our Gardens

This is my favorite time of year-SPRING!

Look at the flowers! Look at the sky! We have days of rain and days of warm weather, it's a wonderful mix of all the times of our desert year! One day a fire burns in the stove and the next we open the doors and let the sun shine in! Our garden is getting ready to bloom - all the buds are forming, the bees are buzzing and the smells of promise are in the air.

We have so much for which to be grateful. We have freedoms to hike our desert environment, to stay home and do the things we WANT to do, or the freedoms to choose the job to apply for or build the business we always dreamed.

Over the years I have learned of the importance and value of one of the most special holidays now approaching. God has provided this Country with very special guardians - our armed forces.

We can open our doors freely because our soldiers have fought to allow us to do so, whether it was here on U.S. soil or abroad.

Planning a summer vacation? We have soldiers right now fighting in the "heat of summer" to allow freedoms for others at the same time protecting ours.

All the U.S. wars, skirmishes, conflicts, etc have been fought by sincere, hopeful young strong men and women who all have had hopes and dreams for their own futures.

Take a moment. Say a prayer to protect those who are protecting us and those who have fought and died serving this country.

Memorial Day is May 31st.

Know Who You Are

Recently, my sister sent a photo of us as kids. There were five of us. I looked at the photo. I remembered seeing it years before, but it's been so long, I'd forgotten about it.

There we were. It was the 1950's and we were all dressed for the occasion. My middle sister was holding my little brother. The oldest was peaked in back of us and we twins were on the right end. One of us had a bloody nose (it looked like) Gee! Was that me? What was the twin next to the one with the bloody nose holding? Had she just slugged me? Or was that me and I had just slugged her?

I've thought for days about that photo. Who would take a picture of a bunch of kids when one had a bloody nose? Isn't that how life is? Probably Mom couldn't get us all in good shape at one time and this was the best it was going to get.

So, on being a twin: it's a bit difficult to look at those old photos and know for sure who you are unless you remember being there!

However, it is important that we all know who we are today. Let there be no confusion. We don't necessarily have to know where we are going but to know where we stand is imperative.

Summertime Children
Summertime in the desert is very special. What's to do? When you're a kid, the world is wide open......When we were kids out here, it was a great time for adventure, learning and good memories.

We build forts out of whatever we could find. Once we even used Yucca logs! I had a friend, Mark, who would borrow a horse and show me how to track quail, collect animal skeletons and generally, have a good time.

Summer time is the time for parents to "ground" you on the wrong days.

Baseball games and 4th of July events celebrate the freedom and space of time between those yearly school responsibilities. And seeing friends at the dances or sponsored events becomes a little more special.

Children in the summer experience life changing situations. Depending on the year, a job can be the main interest. Saving that money is important and learning how to adjust to a more mature stage of life is all encompassing. When school starts of the fall breezes in, children are just a bit different than when the school bell rang for the last time in the Spring.

So, if you get a chance, spend that change at the lemonade stands, support your local baseball, 4-H, and youth organizations. This is an opportunity to give back a little to those great memories we all had as kids - allowing another generation the opportunity for good summertime experiences.

Harvest
Sometimes I think I am a farmer at heart. I was raised in my early childhood on a farm in the northeastern states.

This year my fruit trees had a puny harvest. Why? I was lax this winter in trimming them back. Now, I have more than a puny harvest. Due to the drought, which I've been able to beat in past years, my trees are stressed and some have disease.

So! I chopped those fruited limbs and called my losses. I am probably going to lose at least two trees on my small property.

Family and children are similar to this harvesting lesson. Sometimes we don't "cut back" on our kids when we should or we don't call a "spade" when we see it because of one reason or another. In the end, it comes back but with "disease" -- problems and unresolved issues. It isn't as easy to go back and trim or call that "spade" when the time has passed with children or loved ones.

God bless the farmer. God bless our children. We are the responsible farmers of our families. "It's better late than never". Do it now if you can. Late will risk more losses than a timely pruning.

Old Pearce Pottery Store Hours:
Tuesday thru Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm (MST)
Store Phone: (520) 826-3588
or email anytime.

Visit the Old Pearce Store

Old Pearce Pottery
PO Box 409
912 Ghost Town Trail
Pearce, Arizona 85625
(520) 826-3588
oldpearcepottery@vtc.net