Windmills

I have been fascinated with windmills since I can remember. We did not have one, but two of our closest neighbors did. The Rickabaugh's windmill was directly across our grape arbor/potato patch. Sometimes it would start squeaking which meant that the wheel needed greasing. For some reason, and if I remember right, their son was afraid of heights and since Port (his dad) was an invalid he asked my dad to do the job. I can remember watching dad climb up there, hoping that he would not fall!

The Hoyets, whose farm joined ours to the south, also had a windmill which was not as tall as the Rickabaugh's. It was across the fence from our pond, and that was the route we kids took when we cut across the pasture on the way to school. The temptation was too great, so some of us would dare to see how far we could climb up it. That idea was short-lived as I suspect SOMEONE told on us. Nevertheless it was fun watching the wheel spin around and the water coming out of the long pipe AND the fact that they did not have to pump the water by hand for their horses and cows.  

Many times when I was over to Tike's house to play we "got" to turn the windmill on or off, as the case might be. And again that longing to have a windmill like theirs. For some crazy reason I always wished to have a windmill but never had that dream fulfilled.

Long after Frank and I were married windmills were almost a thing of the past although some people have kept them and are using the old-time ones to this day.

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