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Leaving from work a few days ago, I spotted a white tail doe deer grazing in
the wooded area just north of the Health Care Center. Many residents and staff
have shared stories of sightings of a variety of wildlife on our 50 acres over
the years-foxes, turkeys, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, snakes and the
ever-present rabbits and squirrels. How unique it is for Saint Simeon's to be
so close to the major employment center of Tulsa, but yet wildlife is so
abundant and in open view. We are very fortunate to be able to enjoy the beauty
of the outdoors just by looking or standing outside our front door.
Having been raised as a country boy in rural Oklahoma, I find it quite peaceful
to leave the hustle and bustle of the world just outside the front gates of
Saint Simeon's. Pausing at the gates, as they slowly open, reminds me of
entering my own boyhood home in northeast Oklahoma. Mom and Dad's little piece
of heaven on earth was acquired through their hard work and frugal living.
Sixty acres literally made into what it is today because of blood, sweat and
tears-the home of so many great memories. A cattle guard, probably similar to
the one that used to serve as the entrance into Saint Simeon's, marked my entry
into a place of adventure and peacefulness all wrapped up in
one.
The property was mostly covered with oak, dogwood, red bud, hickory and a few
other varieties of trees that provided food and shelter for the many critters
that lived there with us. The land had rocks on top of rocks that made us
wonder how anything could grow with so little dirt. As kids we were sure the
rocks multiplied right in front of our eyes anytime we had to clear an area for
planting. Down in the valley was a spring-fed creek with water magically
running out of a crevice of the rocks, just like a fountain, which fed into a
small pond. As kids, we could swim in the pond and never worry about
cottonmouths or copperheads because the cold-blooded snakes weren't tough
enough to handle the ice-cold water. After five minutes, we would turn a deep
shade of blue or purple.
Following the creek past the pond and down towards the lake was a cave in the
side of the hill. In the hot summer, the air flowing out of the mouth of the
cave would literally blow as cool as the finest air conditioner. We got a rush
out of stepping down into the entrance, crawling 15 feet on our hands and
knees, and then standing up in the first big room that was pitch black with the
flashlight turned off. A small hole led deeper into the cave that only the
family dog - named "Dog" - was small enough to venture through. Only once in my
many visits did I hear a strange animal grunt or growl that provided the
incentive to crawl out as fast as possible and not be too concerned about the
sharp rocks cutting into my knees.
The original house we called home was a small four-room structure built from
the rock, hand picked from the land, with an Indian arrow head placed in the
mortar. Dad renovated and made it larger for our family of six. My brother and
I shared one of the original rooms that was a "lean too" off of the living
area. The best part of the bedroom was that for some unknown reason there was a
four-inch diameter hole on the outside, under the foundation. Soon after moving
in we discovered the hole was home to a 6 to 7 foot blacksnake. I know it was
that long because Dad held it in one hand, stretched it above his head and the
head of the snake was still on the ground. My brother and I planned to rid our
home of the intruder but Dad reminded us that it lived there before we did and
besides, blacksnakes eat poisonous snakes so we were to never harm it or any
other non-poisonous snake. He also told us that one way to distinguish between
a poisonous and a non-poisonous snake was that the pupils of a poisonous snake
are shaped like the pupils of a cat. Mom always countered that she would get
close enough to make that distinction only after the snake had received a few
good whacks with the end of her hoe.
I have since moved from my childhood home and now live as a city boy with my
family in Jenks. Fortunately, Mom and Dad still live on the home place and it
is wonderful to visit. I am especially grateful since my son and daughter get
to experience a little of the country life each
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