Onions Can Make a Grown Man Cry: and Other Short Stories

By Nancy Lee Mauer

About the Book
Onions Can Make a Grown Man Cry is a collection of short stories of life and country happenings, based on what the author knows best – love, family, living, and country life. All stories contain a sense of humor that comes naturally with the ups and downs of life’s many experiences. Hopefully, Nancy Lee Mauer’s unique way of looking at life’s twists and turns will resonate with readers from all walks of life.
About the Author
Nancy Lee Mauer and her husband Matt have raised 11 Children. They have 31 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grandchildren.
Her community involvement has ranged from being editor of the local county Farm Bureau newsletter to being an officer of a bowling league and has held membership with the county dairy farm organization, as well as a state dairy cooperative.
During the years of raising children and working alongside her husband on the farm, Nancy was the main caretaker of the baby calves as they were born. Nancy also worked outside the home in a canning factory. During canning season picked asparagus, worked in a restaurant, and later in a retail store.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Dec 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798889259046

Book preview

Layout_1_Page_1.eps

The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by Nancy Lee Mauer

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

Dorrance Publishing Co

585 Alpha Drive

Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Visit our website at www.dorrancebookstore.com

ISBN: 979-8-88925-404-1

eISBN: 979-8-88925-904-6

NANCY LEE MAUER AND HER HUSBAND, MATT OPERATED A DAIRY FARM IN MASON COUNTY IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN UNTIL RECENTLY. He died September 27, 2022, at the age of ninety-three and a half. Nancy is the age of eighty-nine. Being very active until the end, Matt took care of most of the work himself until it was time to turn the farm over to the youngest son. Nancy has a certain amount of cow knowledge from living all of these years on the farm. The Mauers had been married nearly sixty-seven years. They had eleven children, 31 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, and 7 great-great grandchildren.

MAD COW DISEASE

In early June, Susie waltzed up to her dad, Matt Farmer, while he was milking cows.

Dad, can I take some cows to the fair?

Matt Farmer removed the milker from the cow he was milking. He held the milker in his left hand. He lifted his red baseball cap and scratched his head with his right hand.

I dunno. It’s a lot of work getting a cow ready for the fair. I won’t have time to help you. I’m too busy making hay, cultivating corn, spraying for weeds, and fertilizing the hay fields. You’ll have to take them out and teach them to lead.

I know, Dad. I’m sixteen, almost seventeen. I can do it.

Matt snorted. You won’t be seventeen for eight more months. He attached the milker to the next cow. Which cow did you want to take?

Susie scuffed her foot in the sawdust on the floor behind the cows.

Matt knew she was working up to something.

Finally, she said, Actually, I want to take three cows.

A worried look crossed Matt’s face. He thought, Oh, oh. I smell trouble. He asked his daughter, Which three cows?

After hemming and hawing, she admitted. I want to take Hazel, Henrietta, and Hildegarde.

Those three troublemakers? You’d have your hands full with those three. Every time something goes wrong around here, those three are involved.

"I can handle them, Dad.