Jacob's Village Picnic on the Huck Farm
Charles and Sally Huck invited the Jacob’s Village residents’ friends and families out for a picnic on their rural Posey County country home Sunday afternoon, August 19, 2007. Charles and Sally had hosted the Jacob’s Village bunch to a picnic once before since it opened up in October 2004. Choosing a time when everyone’s calendar has the same open date and hoping weather conditions will be accommodating can be a discouraging task, prior commitments come into play. Sometimes it seems to be a no win situation, but a date was set and whoever was available joined in. The first picnic was held in August 2005 and missing one the next year in 2006. This one similar to the first one corresponded close to Scott’s birthday on August 23rd. How convenient, could it have been by design? The Jacob’s Village bunch were all looking forward to spending another good time with the Hucks. Following Church that Sunday afternoon about 2:00pm, Wanda, Donna Kay, Debbie, Mike, Michael, Scott, and home coordinators Carol, Halleck and Barry loaded up in the vans to head West into Posey County. On this particular Summer day, it was 95 degrees and in the middle of record breaking heat-wave where the temperature was 90 degrees or above for 31 consecutive days. In which, 7 of those days topped out at 100 degrees or above. According to the record books, that kind of sizzle had not been around since the Summer of 1936. The Picnic/Birthday Party went on as planned and it did keep some invited guests away, although, the ones who took part started arriving and showing up about 3:00. Scott’s parents Charles, Sally, brother Steve, his wife Wendy and Scott’s sister Vickie were greeting and welcoming everyone to the Huck’s quiet and peaceful place in the country. Michael’s sister Sally Davis, Jim and Ann Coy, Andy and Charmie Guagenti, and Dan and Karen Grunow with their son Jacob were the ones who braved the heat to partake in the picnic. Jacob is the one that Jacob’s Village is named after and a couple years back, he graduated from Boonville High School. …Oh, and don’t forget the dogs, 4 of’em, good watch dogs and protectors they are, two Cocker-Spaniel mix breeds and two Terriers. It usually takes a while for’em to warm up to strangers, except JR, a Jack Russell Terrier, the youngest and friendliest of the bunch, he’s never met a stranger. The residents of Jacob’s Village really like to be around animals and these dogs like most others like attention, JR knows the residents and the residents know JR, he’s been over to visit them on occasion in the past. So, the dogs were looking for hand outs. A few of the women retreated inside to the ground level Sunroom of the Huck home to prevent heat exhaustion until, hoping it would cool down, later in the afternoon when the Sun was on the other side of the sky. The time was drawing near for the feast and for Charles to grill the burgers, brats, and dogs to compliment an array of picnic dish goodies. Some of the bunch led by Vickie tossed the heat into the wind, actually there was no wind at all, and ventured down to the Huck Lake hoping to see some Beavers. It may seem a bit odd around Posey County to see a Beaver, but that’s just one of many wild animals, long to be considered uncommon, that have been sighted in the area, such as Minks, Foxes, Turkeys, Eagles and even Bobcats. These rare animals and the more common ones you think of, such as Deer, Coyotes, Raccoons, Geese and Ducks take up refuge at a popular watering hole known as Huck Lake. There is a Beaver-nest in the pond and many more have been sighted along the banks of the Wabash River within the creek tributaries that empty into the Wabash. There were no Beavers stirring around on this hot day but signs of the Beaver were everywhere. There were fallen trees on the banks that were gnawed off to a point in such a way that only a Beaver could have done it, interwoven tree limbs assembled in the water for a Beaver-nest on the shady side and beaten down pathway trails along the levee and banks that they follow. Everyone enjoyed their rough excursion to the Huck Lake, although a bit disappointed. Just because a Beaver wasn’t seen doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Animals know when and where to escape to hideout from extreme weather conditions. Vickie led them back to the house just in time to wash up, have their choice of burger, brat, or dog and begin the line to fill their plate full of assorted dishes. A blessing was given and all in attendance spaced out, found a place to settle and a good time of hearty eating and fellowship was had by all while unloading their plates. Since it was Scott’s birthday, Happy Birthday was sung and few gifts were passed around to him. Michael’s sister Sally gave him a gift wrapped in black paper to honor his entrance into the dark ages; it was a DVD of ‘Bruce Almighty’. Sister Vickie gave him a plastic toy car of the #53 Herbie the Love Bug. Included with all the other deserts that were prepared, Ann Coy brought a watermelon, Charmie Guagenti brought a caramel popcorn mix, and Scott’s mother, Sally, baked a chocolate sheet cake, half with nuts, upon Scott’s request; sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don’t. A good bunch of friends shared an afternoon picnic together and the high heat did not distract them. Instead of sittin’ inside with the A/C, as typically would have been done, a very nice time was had. This is a preferred area to be, even though it is off the beaten track. If you’re ever out in the boonies of Posey County and drive by a big red barn with a blue torpedo-bombing plane(TBM) painted on the side of it, be aware of dogs and wild animals that might cross your path, you’re in the parameters of the Huck country home.
posted by J V Resident Blog @ 10:17 AM
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