“I have to get my fan set up here by the trailer so I can be a little cooler today.”
Comment was made by the nice lady helping her granddaughter get a beautiful Palomino gelding ready to show.
Sure enough within a minute an 18-inch box fan plugged into a nearby electrical outlet was blowing warm air around.
Lawn chairs next to it were soon occupied with show spectators seemingly more relaxed with the manmade circulation.
It contrasted many modern-day horseshow exhibitors who have big trailers with generator or electric powered air conditioners.
“Oh, it sure is hot” has recently been the most frequent conversation piece. Right after that comes: “Keep cool. Make sure to stay hydrated. Those horses need lots of water on days like this too.”
Sharply different from nearly everyone else, heat hasn’t ever been a personal concern. However, when fall comes and temperature dips a bit, long johns go on with sometimes four or more clothing layers.
Generous donors promote “Fans Available Free” for those in need. It would be interesting to know how many are actually put into use. Hopefully many, yet one wonders if today’s world is so spoiled that those looking for handouts would demand air conditioners.
Couldn’t help but think back half-century-plus ago before air conditioners were invented or prior to country people knowing about them. However, there were families who did have fans, at least those connected with electricity.
The fans were small, maybe 12-inches diameter, with a loud blade that whirled furiously around circulating what air there was.
Window fans were not completely unique as Grandma had one with two blades in the living room. She was never near it but her grandson would sometimes play cowboy beside the then-modern mechanism.
Still, generally farm homes were dependent on Mother Nature’s wind to stay cool as possible. All of the windows and doors would be open wide with screens to keep bugs out.
Whenever groups gathered, any piece of cardboard or the like became a hand fan. It was almost vicious when everybody started fanning themselves at the same time.
Fans with a picture of Jesus on the back were common in church pews. All the rampant waves surely made preaching difficult for the pastor.
Reminded of First Samuel 9:25: “Rest comfortable in a breeze-cooled home.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
XV–33–8-15-2021
