ahhhhh - The Girl from "the Cod" - as in the fish

It finally hit me... I find myself reaching back and trying to recall conversations with Big Port and wishing that I had written my recollections down years ago...

One thing that's been bugging me is I knew that he had a funny salutation for me just as he did for Mardi. From the moment I heard Mardi tell her story about how Port called her "Child of the Sun", I was horrified that I couldn't remember mine. and not that it's any big deal, I was more frustrated that my memory and recall was not cooperating.

Last night I dreamt about Port and Averyel... it was just as vivid as if we were in my house at Burns one time when they came. We were sitting on my patio looking out at the sea of sage brush that surrounded my house to the north and west, waiting on the eminent Harney County sunset, listening to the tush, tush, tush of the sprinkler heads on my wheel line, (I miss them, the sunsets that is) just chatting, just catching up on what was going on with my life and my kids.

Harney County Sunset - picture is taken from the road in front of my house.

The summer of 2001 they came through Burns and Tim came out and had breakfast with us that Averyel had cooked in their travel trailer. Then that evening we all went to dinner Apple Peddler together with Tim and Linsay. I was so thankful for they had stayed a few days and had gotten to see and visit with Tim as a grown man. I suppose, in reality because it's August is why the visit was on my mind, which spurred the dream.

Back ground story: In an earlier post I told about my very first day helping Port feed and he had two hay hooks on the seat of that old blue chevy pick up... (amongst many other treasures) as we were getting in he hung them on either the back of the seat, or maybe there was a gun rack that he hung them on. Driving along I was so puzzled about those "Gaffs"... I got to wondering about those gaffs and just what a cowboy 500 miles from the ocean would have them for ??? So I finally asked... Gaffs he said what are you calling a gaff? and I picked one up... and he asked me just what a gaff was.... and I told him I was from Cape Cod and the fishermen used them on their boats to move the fish around and when you had a big one on the line you hooked the fish with it through the gills and hauled them over the side of the boat. Oh he laughed and laughed... and then he told I'd get to see in a few minutes what the gaffs were for. and sure enough pretty quick I got my first lesson in loading baled hay on the pickup with hay hooks. He never let me forget it and I never did become adept at using the hay hooks. (maybe cause I'm so short)

So it was after that that he began calling me the "girl from the Cod" referring to my being from Cape Cod. I explained many times that if you were going to abbreviate it, the proper way to say "the Cape", as New Englander quite often refer to it by. But he never ever did say the "Cape", it was always "the Cod". He knew it got my goat to hear it that way... and the more I protested the deeper he sunk his heels in and the more joy he got in saying "the Cod". Sometimes he would say "little cowgirl from the cod" or just little girl from the cod. I can remember a pretty remarkable cow sorting, cow working day when just the two of us were sorting a truck load of calves... I was just grinning from ear to ear with good work I had done. In the feedlot ally, while the truck driver was taking his overalls and boots off, he road over, sidled his horse up, reached over and grabbed ahold of my saddle horn like it was the top of a gear shift and tugged a little and said "Do you suppose your little mama from the Cod, would have ever imagined her little girl from the Cod, would grow up to be a cowboy?"

When we hadn't seen each other for a while - when inquiring of my real family, he'd always ask "So how're things on the Cod?"

And so back to my dream.... in my sweet dream we were all sitting at my patio table, surrounded my that sea of sage brush, (and probably swatting a few mosquitos) when he said "So how're things on the Cod? I woke up with a smile... and had that 'ah -ha' moment. Sigh... I feel so much better now...

30 Year Mystery Solved - Pictures of Annabelle

Hello again,
I was thrilled to see the letter from LarryAnn about Annabell's parentage! I have been searching through my boxes of photos for pictures of her. (One box down and 2 to go!) I also looked at the pictures on the blog and Annie definitely resembled Laddie. I think she is almost a dead-ringer for the picture of Bras D' Or on the allbreedpedigree.com query.

My parents bought the farm they live on in 1982 at the end of Erickson Dike rd. past the fields and barns that were used by Columbia River Associates. I think my Uncle Curt Willson and my mother's best friend's husband Paul Keller may have worked for you guys back in the day.

Anyway, I wanted to give you an idea of how fast Annie was. In January 1985 my Dad clocked me and Annie (10 years old) at 6/10th's of a mile in 44 seconds on gravel and she was barefoot. But, she could maintain speeds like that for upwards of 2 miles. She was something else!

Thanks again to Porter for breeding such an amazing horse! Elina

ELINA'S MARE ANNIE

by Larryann Willis

It was great to hear from Elina and to learn that one of the horses we bred made her so happy for so many years and that the mare had such a wonderful home.

We had one brood mare that was a sorrel with a flaxen mane and tail that we called Laddie's other because her claim to fame was Laddie, one of Porter Sr.'s favorite mounts and one Cyndy is shown riding on the blog.

( For pic go to: http://porterawillispw.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-willis-met-cyndy-tim-eric.html scroll to "Begging to Apprentice")

Almost all of her foals were sorrels with flaxen manes and tails. I don't believe any of the other mares ever produced a foal marked that way so we are almost positive Annie was out of that mare. The mare was brought to Clatskanie from Nevada by Chug Utter who sold the ranch to Columbia River Associates. The mare went with the ranch. Porter Sr referred to the mares that came out of Nevada as the "mustangs" just because of where they came from and the fact that they were not registered BUT this particular mare was no mustang. From what Chug told us she was sired by a good Waggoner Ranch bred stallion that he owned. We have no idea what her mother was...maybe she did have some mustang in her. But Laddie's mother was a really pretty mare that showed a lot of quality.

From the time line, we are positive Annie was by Drift'n Sand AQHA #594852, the horse in the painting on the header of our blog. Drift'n Sand was Port Sr.'s main riding horse for years. He was a terrific athlete, had a wonderful disposition and was a great sire. Drift'n Sand was by Drifty Mc who was by Double Drift out of Sandra Mc (we called her Beulah) that was the first really good QH mare that Porter Sr. bought. I believe Drift'n Sand's mother was Sand Bras who was by the great Cal Poly stallion Bras D'Or and out of Sandra Mc. So Drift'n Sand was the best of the Driftwood x Bras D'Or crosses and was line bred to Sandra Mc one of the best horses -- and fastest -- that Port Sr ever owned.

I remember one time Port Sr and Porter Lynn were talking about Sandra Mc and what lightning speed she had. Port Sr asked Porter Lynn if he had ever opened that mare up. Porter Lynn said "Just once, coming off a Klamath rim after cattle, and it nearly scared me to death!" Big Port replied, "Yeah, I only tried it once too."

We'd love to see a photo of Annie if Elina has any she could post.

Thanks for contacting us.

Porter and Larryann Willis

Link to Drift'n Sand's pedigree: http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/driftn+sand

Porter Willis - mystery

Hello,

My name is Elina (Derby) Tilson. I live in Clatskanie, Oregon. First off, let me give you my condolences on your loss. From what I have heard and read, Porter was one heck of a guy! I don't think I ever got to meet him but I'm sure I would've liked him. May you all hold his memory close.

In a 'strange' way Porter's death has helped me solve a mystery. In 1977 my father, Larry Derby, bought a 2 year old filly for 200 dollars from local horseman Jerry Schultz. The story my dad told me was that the filly was traded or sold to Jerry from Porter or Porter jr. She was supposed to be out of a 1/2 quarter 1/2 mustang mare and Porter's high profile stud. Well, I was just 7 years old at the time so of course I never retained much of the story and never pressed for any bloodline details before Jerry and Georgeanne moved to Arizona. My dad and I trained that filly ( our first one together ) and she went on to become my best friend and the best horse I ever had the pleasure to straddle. Her name was Annabelle but I always called her Annie or Annie-oats. She passed away last fall at the ripe old age of 32. Annie was a sorrel with flaxen mane and tale, 3 white socks and a broken blaze.

As an adult, I have always wondered what her bloodlines were so I could try to find another to start with similar traits and disposition. When I read Porter's obituary I actually cried a little, both for your loss and for the names of the horses listed in the obituary. I hope that doesn't sound strange to you. I cannot begin to tell you what Annie meant to me. Lord knows that during my turbulent teenage years she was my one 'constant' in a sea of difficulties. She was the most honest horse I've ever known, and the best 'shrink' money could buy. She was a cow chasin' speed demon!!! I could round up the whole herd with just her and no-one could touch her in a match race. In fact, I couldn't get any taker's in a match race at 1/4 mile or 1 1/2 miles! She could run all day and barefoot to boot. Never lame a day in her life and never shod! Just an amazing horse and I owe it all to Porter's savvy in horses.

Do you know which stallion Porter had here in Clatskanie in 1974/75? Or any idea about the dam? I would be so thrilled to know. I wish I could have told Porter myself how much I enjoyed that 200 dollar horse. I'm sure he would have been pleased. Sincerely, Elina