Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland. Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, fighting the many enemies of nature. This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill. Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions. Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. You know, it's a strange thing the way we accept the Lord's blessing sometimes. Perhaps it's because we try to tell the Lord the method and manner in which we'd like the blessing delivered. We forget that while the Lord listens to our prayers and requests, He still knows what's best for us. The Lord's wisdom is without fault, and we're the ones who fail to understand His ways because we think that we know all the answers. Our story today pretty well illustrates what I've been talking about. I think I'll call this one, The Blessings of Snow. Let's drop over to the big feed mill owned by Barney Carver. In fact, the place is known as Carver's Corners, where two main roads intersect right in the heart of the big prairie country, just to the southeast of Naughty Pine. It's mid-morning, and a group of the farmers are gathered around having a little gin fest. Another dry year, and I won't be bringing any grain here to be ground by Naughty. I guess you won't be alone, Sam. We don't get moisture pretty soon. The big prairie will be the big desert. Yeah, it's almost dead now. I know. Me and the missus took a ride last week, and I had to turn back. I just couldn't stand looking at that country, shriveling up like a dead branch. Leo, how long do you think you can hold out? Well, I don't know. A year, maybe two, not more than that. I don't want to use up all my savings to get blood out of a turnip. Now we have to use some of it to relocate. Now, but I won't relocate on a farm. I'd go to the city first. Yeah, that's what I'm thinking, too. You too, Bruce? Yep, me too. There's no sense beating my head against a brick wall. If the good Lord isn't going to send moisture, then I'm going to quit farming. I'm afraid you fellas reflect the attitude of most of the farmers, and that's bad. Very bad. Yeah, but what kind of work can fellows like us do in the city? Why, we've been farmers for generations. Yeah. I don't know about city life. Yeah, but I still... I suppose you'd rather move to another farm and get parts out on it. Well, then when your stone broke, try to start all over again. Well, that's not for me. No, I'm giving one more year. If we don't get enough moisture to farm like this, well, I'm pulling up stakes. Leo's right. You don't call this stuff grain, do you? Look at it. This ain't grain. I don't know what it is, but maybe you could call it a handful of nothing. A whole year's work for a handful of nothing. Why don't they fill the tanks with diesel juice, wouldn't they? Sure, Letty. Right away. Howdy, man. What kind of critters you got in the truck, Letty? Why, don't you know? They're mackerel, steers. I was just wondering. They sound like steers, but they sure don't look like steers. They changed the market now so you can get the highest price for the skinniest critters. Well, it looks that way with the load I've been hauling to market. You're filled up, Letty. Thanks, Barney. Well, got to get going now. There's some more to come. Well, got to get going now. There's supposed to be a blizzard heading our way. Blizzard? Turn on the radio and you'll hear the joke of the year. Weather Bureau says we're going to have moisture. Let's go inside for a while and listen to that noise box. We interrupt this program to bring you a blizzard warning for the Naughty Pine and Big Prairie area. It is expected that eight to ten inches of snow will fall accompanied with high winds and dropping temperatures. The storm is moving swiftly and is expected to hit this area around noon. We return to our regularly scheduled program. You hear that? You fellas had better skedaddle for a home and get your hatches batten down. Barney, you must be loco. Like Lefty said, this is the joke of the year. And hell, I'm not a bad man, but I'm almost tending to put ten dollars on the fact that not one snowflake will fall on Big Prairie. I can see the snow piled high all around now. My snow shovel has got so much rust on it that only the handle is left. What is a snow shovel? A snow shovel is a dustpan type object with a handle that you keep around a house so you have something to fall over. So that's what that big red shovel I got out in the garage is used for. I was going to give it to the museum. Did you fellas know I've got a white elephant painted red? No. It's a snow plow attachment for the front of my tractor. We had a big snow seven years ago. I bought it. What a waste of money. You should have bought a sprinkling can for the front of your tractor. Hey, say, we'd better hurry home or we might not make it for all the snow. I got it. Hello, Ranger headquarters. Bill Jefferson speaking. Thanks for the warning. Yes. Well, fellas, we better put our parkas on and get ready for a snow battle. Blizzard? Yeah. A real bad one heading this way. You sure it come here, Bill? Yes. That's what the weather boy just told me. Naughty pine and big prairie country will get the heaviest snowfall. Well, here's where I go into hibernation in my rocking chair. You do it. I'll put a tack there. Oh, yeah, you try it. I'll put a piece of plank in my britches. All right, you two. Let's get ready for the big snow. Save your energy for that. We might need it. Boy, oh, boy. Look at that snow. Wow. Yeah, 20 inches out of it so far. Not much we can do with it blowing so fiercely either. That way. Using snowfall, waste of time. One day. One day. What does storm do to get tuckered out? Sometime tonight or early tomorrow. Well, I guess I'll go back to sleep until then. You do that, old timer. We'll keep an eye on this wonderful snow. You talk like this blizzard's a blessing. It most certainly is, pal. But what do you think of all the damage it's doing? I'm sure the benefits of the moisture will be more than offset by the damage, especially on the big prairie. Yeah, that's right. Hey, Bill, you're right. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. We'll get it. Hey, Lefty, I made it. Sure you made it. You don't think a little snow's gonna stop me? We were kind of worried. Big prairie got plastered with the stuff. You don't say. Well, Penn, do you want me to put these stairs in? Oh, make it number 12. Hey, what's your hurry? Gotta go back for another load. What? In this weather? Oh, this ain't top weather. The stuff will be gone by the time I get back to big prairie. Hello, Sam. How do you like the snow? What snow? It's going down the river fast it came. You looked at your thermometer lately. Whoa. You mean this moisture isn't gonna do any good? No, I knew it was too good to be true. We need a slow thaw so the stuff will soak into the ground. This is leaving as fast as it came. It sure is. Real runoff. If this warm spell holds out another day, the snow will be gone. Every last bit of it. Just a little bit more. Oh, that's good. Well, big bro didn't get much of a workout. I'll say he didn't. This fast thaw sure took the snow away in a hurry. Yeah. Hope the big prairie got some benefit from this storm. Yeah, so do I. Boy, they sure need it. And how? Well, a little bit's better than none at all. Perhaps the farmers will have enough moisture from this to sprout their spring crops and help the winter grains. If they can get that much benefit, then this snow will show some blessing. You're right there, pal. The Lord does everything for a purpose, and it's up to us to see the blessing in it. Sometimes we can't see the blessing in until it's long past. Hello, Leo. Well, howdy, Sam. I see you're getting your plows ready to go. Yep. Bruno's putting the razor edge on them. I figure I might as well plant seed. But it won't be much more in the hole because of it. And that's the way I figure it, too. Maybe the little moisture we got will mean enough to sprout the seeds. Little moisture's right. Well, I turned over a couple of furrows just for the fun of it, and why, the soil's like powder. Ah, let's stop kidding ourselves, Sam. We're through farming this country, and we all know it. Yep. We're hanging on to a grease rope. Can I take the stick a while, Gray Wolf? Ah, sure. You get sleepy from nothing to do. Yeah, sure am. You know, some days planting patrol isn't worth a nickel. Just trees and trees and more trees. Throw in a couple of rivers without a dozen cricks, and that's it. You're right. Ah, you ready to take over? Yeah, no. Yeah, set an automatic pallet, then we change seeds. Ah, I feel better. That exercise moved some blood around. Why, you're not, uh, get out and run the wire. I would, but my legs aren't long enough to reach the ground from here. Bill to patrol plane six. Bill to patrol plane six. Over. I wonder what Bill wants. Patrol plane six to Bill. Over. Henry, Gray Wolf, you fella's hot-footed into the field. I'll be waiting for you there. Over. Okay, we're coming right in. What's up? Over. Another blizzard warning. Only this one is to be worse than the last. Over and out. Home, James, and don't spare the horsepower. I'll help you fellas tie the plane down, and then we gotta get out of here. Okay, on the double. Where we going, Gray, hurry? Over to Carver's Corners. All that distance with a storm coming up? I figure we can bait the storm and still get there in back if we hurry. Why we go to Carver's Corners? Well, I heard through the grapevine that they're kind of laughing at these warnings. I want to talk to Bonnie about it. If it's true, try to impress them. At this time, they'd better listen. I'm sure they'll be surprised, Tommy. This is going to be a real humdinger. The plane's anchored down. Okay, let's go. Hey, looks like Lefty's going to take a load of cattle through to Central City. Yes? Boy, he's crazy if he does. See you later, Bonnie. Don't get caught in all the snow we're going to get. Hey, Lefty. Oh, hiya, Bill. Fellas. Hiya, Lefty. You aren't going to drive through to Central City, are you? Sure, why not? Well, look, man. We're due for a worse blizzard than the last one we had. No, I drove through that and made it almost on time. Young fella, your roof leaks like a sieve. Taking chances is what makes life interesting, old timer. Keeps you young. Yeah, you're right there. It'll keep you young, all right. What do you mean? I don't like the way you agree with me. You'll stay young, all right, taking chances like you do. In fact, sonny, you'll never grow old because you won't live that long. Oh, come on now. Stumpy's right. You better stay here. Bill, you see how high my rig ride's off the road? Yeah? Well, I'd have to put down 15 to 20 foot drifts to stop that diesel job of mine. That's real power there, boy. Well, see you later. Lefty, use your common sense. I am. You know as well as I do that there's not gonna be any 15 foot drifts. Big prayer I get 15 foot drifts. What a joke that'll be. Well, Lefty, I hope the joke isn't gonna be on you. Barney, we can't stay but a couple of minutes, so I want you to listen closely to what I have to say. Go ahead, Bill. What's the matter? I've heard through the grapevine that the boys out here on the big prairie are laughing at the blizzard warning. Well, you heard right. You'd better get a hold of the influential men out here and talk some sense into their heads before it's too late. This blizzard coming our way is gonna be a humdinger, the granddaddy of them all. You understand? Well, I understand, Bill, but I don't believe it, and you can't blame us for feeling the way we do. Well, I haven't time to argue the point because we gotta get back to our equipment so we can help fight the storm. But mark my words, tell the farmers out here to take heed or they might be sorry, awfully sorry. Let's go, men. Let's go. Let's go. We've got first aid gear, rope, lights, blankets, and stimulant in Big Brute's cabin. Fine, Henry. Keep the motor idling so we can be ready to go at a moment's notice. Right. Hey, look at it snowing outside. Why, big as silver dollars. That's why we gotta be ready. Good and ready. Yeah, you said it. I have a feeling that this is gonna be one we're not gonna forget for a long time. The rotary plows are in good shape, sonny, and I got their cabins chock full of stuff we might need to help out. That's fine, old timer. It still won't be ready. The boys at the airport have skis on patrol planes. Good work, Ray Wolf. Now we're ready for anything. And that's what we're liable to get, too. Well, let's go back in the office and set up our cots, get four or five hours sleep, and we'll take turns staying up and keeping our driveways cleared off so we can get out in a hurry. Sounds good to me. Let's get some shut-eye. Ah, shut-eye good. Maybe last we get for a long time. Bill. Bill, wake up. Oh. You, pal. What time is it? Four o'clock. Huh? All ready? How's the snow? Man, very bad. Boy, we getting pasted, but for real. Well, say we're getting pasted. We're the ton. Get Stompy and Ray Wolf up. I'll make breakfast. Okay. Stompy, Ray Wolf, come on, get up. What do you mean, get up? I've been awake ever since you got Bill up. You fellas make more noise than a wounded moose. I say the same thing. Go on, roll him out of the sack and open the door, pal. That'll get him up. Okay. You do it. I'll bounce his boot off your pumpkin head. Not waking. How is the white stuff outside? Oh, there's feet of it. That's not so good, Brass. Come on, get up, fellas. It isn't fancy, but... All right, I'll get it. Arrange your headquarters. Oh, yes, Doc. For sure. Sure, we'll be right out. Goodbye. Here we go. Right. Grab what you can of breakfast, Henry, and run. Ray Wolf, Stompy, you fellas stand by here and use your own judgment and calls for help. Come on, pal. We'll take big proof. Well, this begining may go around until storm over. Yep, it sure does. And Bill calls snow a blessing. Say, I forgot to ask. Where are we going and why? Well, it's Doc Wilkins. He's out at the Sims Ranch. A little girl has appendicitis and can't get through the snow to get her to the hospital. Big brood will get through all right. Look at the way this cat shoves those drifts back where they belong. Right. Turn the radio on, pal. That way we can keep our ear tuned for trouble. Right. Here's the Sims place. Why, we can't see more than 50 feet ahead of us. You said it. I'll pull as close to the house as I can and then turn around. You take over the controls then. I want to talk to the Doc. Okay. Okay, take over. I'll be back shortly. Bill Jefferson, thank the Lord you got here. How is she, Doc? Not too bad, but we can't wait. Should we take her in Big Brood? No, sir. Why not? I can only see 50 feet. You follow us in your car. If Big Brood falls off the road, you'll see it and stop at once. I see. Well, let's get going. Right. All set? Yeah. Let me take the controls, Henry. We lose the road. I don't want it to be your responsibility. Hang on. Gray Wolf to Bill. Gray Wolf to Bill. Over. Bill to Gray Wolf. Go ahead. Over. We get called a busload of people stranded in snow on Highway Z. What do we do, Bill? I'm bringing in Doc Wilkins, the Sim's girl and her parents. They're following us in Doc's car. Have Stompy meet us at the intersection of Highway Z and 4. Tell the old timer to get out there fast with a rotary plow. We'll proceed out Highway Z to the stranded bus and plow the highway to Carver's Corners for the bus. Over and out. We have it, Bill. Out. How's the Doc making out back there, Henry? Pretty good. He's right behind us. I guess that helps keep the snow off his windshield. Once in a while, Mr. Sim's hangs out the window and knocks his snow off. Fine. We'll meet Stompy in half an hour. Bill, that big cat of yours sure has power. Sure has, Barney. It's really two cats in one. Yeah? Well, whatever it is, it sure does the job. These passengers have you to thank for getting them to safety. How much snow do you have out there, smart Barney? 25 inches with drifts of 15 feet. Hey, what's that? The roof! Get the people out of here! Get out of here! We've got to get up there and shovel off some of the snow right away before the roof caves in! Well, thanks for the help, man. Boy, that was close. Well, we've got to get back. Henry's in the cab now, listening to the radio in case more calls for help come through. Have you got any diesel fuel left? Well, officially, no. Unofficially, yeah. What do you mean? Well, I thought I'd better try to conserve what I had, Bill, just in case it was needed for an emergency like filling up Big Bro's. We've got to keep that big cat going. Bill, a call just came through. What happened? Lefties just showed up in Central City. Hasn't showed up? Uh-oh. As soon as Big Bro's fuel tank is full, we'll get out and look for him. Boy, God's really getting rough, even for Big Broot. Ah, nothing to worry about, pal. I still have two lower gears to shift into. I know, but look at those drifts. They're alive. Just keep an eye out for Lefty's truck. How far have we gone? Well, I'd say roughly 50 miles. Roughly is right. Hey, there's a truck up ahead. Good. I hope we've made it in time. I don't see any signs of life. But it's Lefty's truck all right. Should I get out and go in the cab? Just a minute. I want to clear some space around the truck for our own safety. Hold on. Okay. Okay, pal, let's get out and have a look. Wait a minute. What's the matter? Why does it go? The top of the truck with the canvases flapping. There's a man's foot. Great Scott, you're right. Come on. Must have been trying to fasten down the canvas. I'm going up there, Henry. Get him. Give me a hand on the way down. All right, here he comes. I got him. All right, let's get him into the cab. There he goes. That's it. There's Lefty all right. Boy, he must be almost frozen to death. Not almost, pal. Don't fool him. Is he dead? Yeah. He took one chance too many. Bill, you said that this snow is a blessing from the Lord? It is, pal. This snow is worth millions of dollars. It's too bad Lefty couldn't have lived to take fat cattle to market. Instead of skinny steers. Yeah. You can't defy all rules of common sense and still live to enjoy the Lord's blessings. We'll see you next week for more Adventure with...Ranger Bill! Thanks for watching!
