Busted Gulch vol 7

A Thousand Miles, and More (naomimrshl)

A Thousand Miles, and More

A thousand miles, and more, they'd come

To find their family home.

Three caravans, and one Conestoga,

Carried all they owned. 

TT Rivers, Ol' Pappy of the clan,

His nephews Blink and Wink'n,

Little Nod, full of mischief

And Theo, who ruled the kitchen. 

True to the plan, they'd circled the clan

In the caravans round the pond.

Hugh and Dixie shared Pinta,

TT took the Santa Maria

The boys took the Nina

And Theo stayed in the Conestoga. 

Hugh and his Paw had raised a shelter, with a big table,

So the family could be together. 

The little pond - just a speck on the prairie -

An hour buggy ride from BG -

Shared its sweet, little neadow

With the Rivers/Bellows family. 

Dusty ran the old ranch,

(Now the Prairie Home Academy),

And soon would lead Hugh and the boys

To lumber up some pine and acacia,

For the vega and latillas,

That would cradle the roof of their new adobe casa. 

The whole family had worked from before dawn to after dusk

To create the lots, and classrooms for the come'n students. 

Ten families would soon live in their wagons and shelters,

While all worked together to learn - with help - the secrets of sod and adobe construction.... the first step in the process of sustainable farm'n. 

The sign up had happened so fast it alarmed em!

First order of business, Hugh said,

Is to get a our folks ready for weather...

With warm fire hearths, and real beds for their heads. ...

Ten families will build their homesteads 

Seven families from Tent City,

Two young couples from up 'round OH Aces,

And one Bachelor, who's traveled in foreign places,

And that's the first class summary

For the Prairie Home Academy

Buck has quickly learned Hugh's trade.

He'll own his own forge if he saves.

He lives at the shop and became Hugh's right arm.

Soon, he'll be offered an opportunity

To teach basic home black-smithery.

TT has set up twelve hives.

So far, the swarms have thrived.

Soon, he will have his first sample

To take to AJ and Miss Myna. 

Nod is as happy as happy can be

She lives in a world of fairytales, muffins, and animal friends.

She still can see the pain in some folk's eyes,

But, she's learned how not to feel their future trials. 

Wink'n and Blink are of the land.

They are chomp'n at the bit to make loam from rocky sand.

Wink'n wants a degree in pomology

Blink wants to excel at animal husbandry... but before that... and pretty soon...

They want to see what really goes on in the BG Saloon. 

This group of folks from a thousand miles, and more, away

Dream of build'n their home,

Have'n some fun - live'n happily -

And make'n good friends

In the BG community.