The gravel on the road looks new as old rocks get, but the post and the sign board have not been new since a century or so ago. The trees behind this would not have been there when this bit of fence was built. The one with the two feet diameter of trunk was still many thoughts away from existence. Chances are the limb had been horizontal on an old tree way back when. The flat sign had to of been pounded on with a short heavy hammer, and two or three square poured nails.
The fence builder, if he could be called that then or now, looked as though he pulled that horizontal limb off the stack of wood captured to build fires at later times. The whiteness of the post and the fence rail looks so similar to the spokes of the wooden wheel that they had to of come from the same time, the same moments on earth. The wheel was made and fixed in a jig that kept everything round and made it easier to roll.
This would have signaled the end of a long journey in a wagon, made sure that the horseman knew this was his last turn before he combed his horse down, notified the Mama that her two little children would be up and crazy to be home and in their bed, and let them all know they were home again.
Ralph Peck
Photo by Belva Shelton
Carter County Oklahoma
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