Did someone say fire...?

Last time I was here, stuff was blowing up at Nellie's.

Craven and Hunter had stirred the pot at Nellie's to a boiling point. 

The rednecksand 

spare-O's 

were squaring off in the bar and about ready to turn on a blender of their own.

To the naked eye some might think this is just how it goes down at the waterhole but for those who read between the lines it shapes up much differently. 

The relationship between the Cravens and the RTH's has been a struggle for many moons.

The rednecks and the spare O's are similar in the strife but usually only cause you to think the boat is rocking, not tipping over. That's the difference between these two feuds around the waterhole. When the Cravens and the RTH's start into it, no one knows where it's going.

That was the case just as the night began to shine. The view from Nellie's Kitchen to the west is one of great grandiose views.

You have three sisters guarded by 

broken top while 

a wiley bachelor chases them from the south. 

An old man Washington,

his buddy Three Fingered Jack,

and that old hemp farmer Mr. Jefferson watched the northern horizon.

They have a wrangler who hangs out on the eastern forest and his name is, Blackie. He keeps things in order out on the flats lands and has the task of managing one of the regions three biggest rivers.

Most of this could be seen from Nellie's but not on this night. As the rednecks and the spare O's started scuffling and Craven Baby-Row left with Hunter no one seemed to notice that the skies had turned gray and the sun appeared to be red. As Nellie noticed the sky Flaggy jumped to his feet in pure joy.

Robin had announced that they were going to be parents and Flaggy began to flutter in happiness. They had a Flaggy Jr. on the way. Nellie came rushing into the dining area to let everyone know what she had seen. Unfortunately they were all too busy with their own business. Calamity had broken out at Nellie's with the Cravens and RTH's & the rednecks and spare O's, Flaggy and Robin were giddy as school-girls while all the while no one had noticed the reddining sky. With all the commotion Nellie had nothing left to do but ring the dinner bell. With several passes around the metal triangle she struck each one with a sense of urgency. After her fourth swing around bell she started to draw some attention. Nellie looked to the faces, who had distracted themselves long enough to listen, to say "I know I'm not suppose to shout FIRE in a theatre but THIS ISN'T A THEATRE AND THERE IS A FIRE!!!!!" 

Nellie pointed to the hazy skyline and by now had everyone's attention. You could see the faces in room just drop. This was a place were the rednecks fly out to every Sunday. The Cravens and RTH's both have property out there. They all knew Woody and his friends spent a great deal of time out there. 

The shell shock was so brutal you could have heard a pin drop. What five seconds before was a raccous barroom environment had turned into an environment that could have been witnessed at a funeral. Beaks hung in astonishment. What has happened? They all gazed around the kitchen at each other looking for answers. None of them had it. The sky continued to light up and the gang at Nellie's began to plot their resistance. 

It took hours of planning and compromise. Finally they all came up with a solution but they would need some help. Nellie suggested some old friends. These old friends have been in a bit of a feud lately too, but she figured that if everyone at the kitchen could overcome their differences so could these guys. Everyone at Nellie's agreed it was time to contact these old friends and hope that they can put their differences behind them for the time being. 

Nellie had to call up some friends that have been embroiled in a battle since time and memorial. These two had been able to come together on occasion to solve many a problem but never seem to have come together for good. It was going to be a challenge for Nellie to get their cooperation for this event but she knew she had to try. As the smoke began to loom ever closer Nellie finally picked up the phone. This was going to be tough. "Who do I call first? How will I get them to cooperate? Will they even do it?" All these questions running through Nellie's head. She finally knew what to do. She got on the party-line (a reference from the pre-70's, in rural areas people shared a connection to the switchboard {google it} on one line. That meant multiple parties could use the same line, picture: community well of trans-communication) and told Mabel to hook her up with ***duh Dunn duhn**** the Sagebrush and the Cowgirls. 

Mabel, the switchboard operator, had been at her post since the fire had began and had taken many calls. Some important, some delinquent but none as monumental as this call from Nellie. Mabel thought she just might start the Third World War if she were to place this call. Nellie steadfast and true stuck to her guns and made sure Mabel was able to place the call. Nellie reassured Mabel as she talked her through the process and Mabel began to relax. Then both lines started to ring. Mabel then lost her marbles and began to go off like a flapping hen that just got sprayed by the hose. Nellie tried to settle her down but took for granted that it was Mabel who once on her own tried to reunite the Sagebrush and the Cowgirls. Unfortunately this turned out upside down for all parties involved. It was a rainy weekend in Sturgis and the sage and cg's were to appear on stage together for charity. Different story for another time. It was wet, slippery, and you know how thunder sounds. Let's get back to our story at hand, we prayed for rain this evening when Mabel connected with both the sage and cg's. Nellie eagerly awaited the connection and with a deep breathe gathered herself to deliver the news. Mabel had curled up in her rolly-chair awaiting the fallout while Nellie had to tell the both of them their homeland was on fire. Nellie laid it out as smooth as she could, all knowing she was going to break some terrible news. Silence was heard as Nellie ended her bulletin and neither the sage or the cg's seemed to know what to say. As a couple of seconds passed that felt like a couple of decades, a simultaneous chime of "what can we do?" was heard by Nellie. Unprovoked it appeared that the sage and cg's had come to the same conclusion at the same time. 

The kitchen at Nellie's had been bustling in the meantime. All the rednecks and spare O's had set up watering stations while the RTH's and Cravens began to alert neighbors. The J's were all called in to help spread the word as Nellie continued to sculp a plan with the sage and cg's. As the seasons grew closer to the shortest night of the year, they all knew that darkness was their friend against the raging orange monster. By now Nellie's Kitchen had filled up with neighbors from both far and wide. Some to elude the combustion others to assist with what they could. Everything was buzzing as Nellie sat back and listened to the sage and cg's negotiate a plan of attack. Nellie was amazed with the continuity and accuracy that the two rivals managed to strategize their strike.

As night fell completely, the clouds glowed an eary orange, the moon shown like a little pumpkin, and the stars looked like a spilled bag of Reece's pieces. The sky smelled of winter comfort, a warm fire and the crackle of good wood, the only problem is that it's not winter and this isn't comfortable. As everyone gathered forces and battled into the night the sage and cowgirls finally reached common ground for once in a blue moon. 

I'll keep you all posted from Nellie's Kitchen as soon as I can get back in. Reporters have to take the backseat to those involved in the action, as it should be, so I'll get you what I've got when I get it. Til then. Let the ones you love know it. Tickle someone today, it'll be fun. 

More to come from Nellie's, don't let the smoke screen fool ya

Carmen, oot. 

 From the land of thunderbird feathers and porcupine tails, believe in your  imagination. The solstice is here and so are all the things that celebrate warmth, growth, greenery, and the feeling to be naked. Love your Summer, no matter what it's name is.