Newbrassky

[Silver Creek Slim]

Delmonico, grins, Yes, a three day weekend fer Slim, perhaps this would be a good weekend ta have a chat with an old shootin' buddy that knows a bit of such things as spiders and snakes.

He has several PHD's, one which is not used for fence posts is in Biology!

When he finds out what Slim did ta a yaller Lab dog!

"Twernt me fault I branded the yaller dawg. I was under the influence of your "special" coffee."

[Silver Creek Slim]

"Uhhh.... Slim?" Wasn't there serveral months in there where you didn't go home? Weren't you off making furniture or something? So... errr.. well... where did those kids come from?"

Ask Delmonico, he's the one that kept adding a kid every week.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

You mean... those might be Delmonico's kids? Have I popped into some kinda "Paint Your Wagon" situation?

[Silver Creek Slim]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

While the frumpy fairy godmother stares in startlement, the yellow dog grins with an "I could get into a situation like that" expression.

[Silver Creek Slim]

After Slim calms down, he decides it is time to continue branding beeves since there are still hundreds to go. Unbranded beeves are just asking to be rustled. "Come on boys, let's get them beeves branded." Slim and the hands go out to the herd to brand.

[Delmonico]

The count is 18, I didn't add one last week cause of the situation.   I added tha kids a fore I decided tha put tha bind on him.   Will do post in Hist. Soc. on special coffee if'n someone like me hits da hard stuff and wants ta do's it period correct.

Then that over, Delmonico points out a flower growin' in a bare spot in the sand.

He says "Slim since ya live in sandy soil, thar's a flower that lives in bare sandy places and seems ta do well, might be good ta dig some of them up outa the blowouts and take them home and plants them in da bare spots in yer yard.  The wife might like that and if'n she ain't over the mixup bout ya comin' home on tha weekend it might help.  Ladies like flowers."

"Sides that since dem flowers like the bare spots it seems like it be perfect fer keepin' sand from washin' er blowin."

[Silver Creek Slim]

Ya gottsa picture of this here flower?

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

AnnieLee slants a wary look to Delmonico. "I dunno if I'd trust him, Slim, might be some blooming version of poison oak or something."

[Silver Creek Slim]

That's why I want a picture. 

[Delmonico]

Not knowin' why they don't trust him Delmonico must tell the truth.  "Slim it's a penstemon, tain't poisonous, don't have no thorns.  The plant won't hurt ya a bit, it will grow in yer bare spots, sadly Mr. Lommasson has fergot ta put it in his book, so I cain't give ya no taxinomical name fer it.  But it is real, I have seen it, they gots one in the Native Newbrassky Wild Flower Garden by the 17th St. enterance of the State Fair Grounds.  I have touched it, didn't hurt me.  I offer it ta fix yer yard and smooth over the problems I have caused with you and Mrs. Slim."

Go ahead and dig some up fer her, I checked, that one over there ain't got no spider, snakes or any other creepy crawlies hid'n near it. ya can even have my cookin' shovel ta dig it up.

[Delmonico]

Fergot, it does have a common name but it seems ta have slipped my mind, you just dig some up fer Mrs. Slim and I'll run ta the office ta see if I can find a common name so when folks from Wissyconsion want ta know what it is ya can tell them.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Common name is beardtongue.

[Silver Creek Slim]

"Thanks, Delmonico. I will big up a bunch to plant in the bare spots."

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Aw, it *is* pretty. Will it grow in the Mid Atlantic area?

[Delmonico]

As Slim starts ta dig the plants, Delmonico comes back down from upstairs with another book.  Lookin at Slim's post he says, "Sorry Slim, Beardtounge is used for all Penstemon's, what ya got there is Penstemon gracilis, know as Slender Penstemon.  The one you are diggin' is Penstemon heydenii.  Commonly know as Blowout Penstemon.  By the way there' somethin' else in the book I should tell you.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Slim quickly replants the blowout beardtongue because it is protected by the US Govt.

[Delmonico]

But it is too late, there is a black hellycopter comin' fast.  As it land USFWS is in white letters on the side.  Slim is slapped inta handcuffs and tossed in tha back.  As they take off, Delmonico hollors, "it is the only plant in Newbrassky on the endangered species list.  In fact it is one of the rarest plants in the US."

As the hellycopter dissapears  over the horizon Delmonico says to himself, "I hope Slim has a fun three day weekend."

[Silver Creek Slim]

I wonder who tipped them off?  Maybe the guy with the bee sting kit and cell phone in his saddle bag. 

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

"Bye Slim!! I hope they allow conjugal visits!!!"

AnnieLee waves a fond farewell and the branded yellow dog barks.