The Fence Post

PhD in the Mind of a Five-Year-Old

Once, when I attended a conference, the speaker told the story of his young grandson visiting for the summer. The grandfather grew oleander, an extract of which is used in beauty products. That particular day, a group of scientists were scheduled to visit. The grandson wanted to know more, and the grandfather told him a bunch of Ph. D.s were visiting. Not knowing what a PhD was, he asked what that meant.

“Oh,” said the grandfather, “they’re post-hole diggers.”

Later that day, the scientists arrived, and as they walked through the fields of oleander, the young boy looked up at them and asked, “When are you going to dig the holes?”

Taken aback, they asked what he meant.

“Well,” said the five-year-old, “Grandpa says you are post-hole diggers.”

The grandfather had some explaining to do to wriggle his way out of that!

The Importance of Posts

You can’t have a fence without posts, and you can’t have posts without holes. Posts come in many sizes, shapes, and materials. Check out our steel T-posts. We also supply pine and cedar posts.

Call Terry and ask her about which posts are best for your project. 978-486-3116

All my best regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (So 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis E. founded the company.)

P.S. Let’s make sure your fencing project has the right foundation!

A Name is a Name, or is It?

A while back, I heard a piece on the radio talking about a campaign Minnesota was running, to find a slogan for their state to use on their license plates. It brought in numerous suggestions. The one I remember because it was hilarious was, “Smell our dairy air.” I laugh every time I say that!

The Power of Words

I love words. With words, you convey meaning and feelings, describe beauty or ugliness, create terror or calmness, and evoke desire or repulsiveness. It’s wonderful! The conference I attended last week was all about words, precisely the written and spoken words of George MacDonald, an author, poet, lecturer, pastor, father of eleven, and social justice activist. Writing in the late 1800s, his books were popular in England and America. Today, he is cherished by many, including me.

Imagining Fencing Solutions

When I started working at Louis Page and learning about the vast array of fencing products, I was confused. To Duncan and Terry, the names of the products made sense. To me, they could have been a foreign language—Yard Gard, Hex netting, galv before, fixed knot. Non-climb was about the only one that made sense to me!

One of George MacDonald's tremendous talents was his ability to imagine. The conference aimed to expand our imaginations and see ourselves as subcreators in this glorious world. When we create, we use words, whether we are designing boundaries for our properties or writing poetry. And creation requires imagination.

Fencing Solutions

If you are imagining a new project that requires fencing materials, you may be confused about the types of fencing available. Call Terry. Our resident expert for almost 24 years, she has tremendous knowledge of the options. 978-486-3116 (or tap to call).

Check out Louis Page for great descriptions of our products.

If you can imagine it, we can fence it.

My warmest regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (True! That’s 131 years owned and run by our family.)

P.S. Let’s bring your fencing project to life with the right materials!

It Hasn't Happened in 221 Years, and I Witnessed It!

Cicadas. This year, two broods emerged at the same time. I arrived in Wheaton, Illinois for a three-day conference, and was greeted by the incredible cacophony of these insects. The sound was as loud as a jet engine. I'm told they can get up to 100 decibels.

The Beauty of Wheaton

The campus at Wheaton College, as well as the town of Wheaton, are lovely. I arose early each morning and walked to town for a superb Americano. The walk into town wound through the city park that had once been the property of John Quincy Adams, fourth cousin of the former president. The four paths led to the central fountain. Lilacs and pink peonies were in full bloom. As beautiful as some of the French gardens I'd been missing. No playgrounds! But baby bunnies played amongst the grass and flowers.

The Cicada Symphony

Cicadas on the tree trunks. Cicadas on the sidewalks. It was definitely the best of times with the Spring blooms and the worst of times with the cicadas on the ground. But! The symphony of the cicadas was delightful.

Fencing Solutions

I'm afraid I have no fence solutions for cicadas! But hop on over to Louis Page and find a fence to keep the bunnies out.

My warmest regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (True! That’s 131 years owned and run by our family.)

P.S. Enjoy the beauty of nature with the right fencing solutions!

Pride Goes Before a Fall (...and I Crashed!)

In the summer of 1980, I spent three weeks in Vancouver, British Columbia. My friend, Betty, and I were attending a course on Proverbs. For our accommodations, we were house-sitting and dog sitting for one of the professors.

The Bike Ride Incident

It was a delightful time. Coming from the hot humidity of Atlanta, this cool weather was a welcome relief. Every afternoon we took the big, enthusiastic, rowdy dog for his walk. On this particular day, I decided to “walk” the dog while riding a bike. My friend warned me of the stupidity, but I didn't believe it and so proceeded.

We had barely gone two blocks before the dog spotted a squirrel and dashed in its direction pulling me into a parked car. I let go of the leash as I was crashing to the ground. Skinned knee, broken watch, dog on the loose, broken pride! I gathered the bicycle and went running after this loose cannon.

The Lesson Learned

I limped home nursing my pride. I could only imagine the lecture and laughs I would receive from Betty. I opened the gate to the fenced backyard and let the dog free in his own space. Betty was sitting in the sling chair reading. She looked up with a smirk. Yep, Betty didn't disappoint.

“Pride goes before a fall,” she said quoting Proverbs.

I often think of that Proverb when I'm halfway conscious of attempting something foolish.

Choosing the Right Fence

There's nothing foolish about putting up a fence unless you don't take time to determine which best suits your needs. Are you fencing in a small dog or a large dog? Do you also need to fence out deer or rabbits?

Call Terry so she can help you determine the best fence for your project. 978-486-3116

Or visit Louis Page online.

All my best regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (So 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis E. founded the company.)

P.S. Let’s make sure your fencing project is a success!

I Heard the Trucks Coming Up the Hill…

Shortly after we moved from Georgia to our new home in Exeter, New Hampshire, my 16-year-old son asked me if he could burn the brush he had cut down. “Sure, honey, that’s fine,” I answered. And didn’t give it another thought, until…

The Spoiled Chicken Incident

I was babysitting for Gavin, the three-year-old neighbor, and we were busy weeding the front flower garden. It was getting close to dinner time, so we went inside to put the chicken in the oven. Market Basket had a special on chicken legs, and I had bought a ten-pound bag. As I cut open the bag, the stench escaped. Oh, my gosh!! The smell was awful. Ten pounds of spoiled chicken!

What do you do with ten pounds of rotten chicken? Oh, I’ll toss the whole thing on the fire. We walked out the back door to the roaring fire and threw the chicken on top. Then, back out to the front yard to dig in the dirt.

The Fire Trucks Arrive

It was a hot, sweaty kind of day. Barefoot and dirty, we continued to weed. Then we heard sirens, and Gavin became hysterical! He was terrified of sirens. I assured him that they weren’t coming here, and then they stopped, so he calmed down. Then I heard the powerful engines and knew they were coming up the hill. I ran into the house, caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and saw my dirty, sweaty face. Out the back door and onto the deck, I spotted a bucket full of water. I picked it up and yelled to David, “Throw this on the fire! The fire trucks are coming!”

I ran back into the house with a crying Gavin on my hip. And I waited. Before long, the fireman appeared at the door and asked if I knew I had a fire in my backyard. “Yes,” I replied.

“Who started the fire?” he asked.

“My son,” I answered.

“How old is he?”

“16.”

“The fire chief wants to talk to you.”

The Fire Chief’s Visit

Let me set the scene a bit more. I was barefoot, sweaty, with dirt on my face and hands, and a screaming three-year-old on my hip! Oh, and the neighbor had removed the stairs to the front porch as he was building new stairs! My license tag was still a Georgia plate. We must have looked and sounded like hillbillies to these New England guys!

The fire chief asked if I knew having a fire without a permit in Exeter was illegal.

“No,” I answered.

He then proceeded to state the various requirements for having a backyard fire. Here’s the best part of all.

“Ma’am,” he continued. “You can burn brush, or you can cook food outside, but you can’t burn brush and cook on the same fire.”

Oh my gosh! He actually thought I was cooking those chicken legs on a brush fire! How I wish that I had a bucket full of barbecue sauce and a mop and could have said,

“Here! Take this mop and go slosh those chicken legs with this here barbecue sauce!”

It was all I could do to keep from dying laughing! Those Southern hillbillies!

Later that evening, David informed me that the bucket of water he threw on the fire had a frog in it. Did the fire chief think I was cooking frog legs as well??

The Versatility of Hardware Cloth

All of this took place before I met Duncan. I met him two years later, and he loved this story! If he were cooking chicken on a brush fire, he would have put down a piece of hardware cloth to cook it on!

Hardware cloth is such a helpful product. It’s available in galvanized, vinyl-coated, and stainless steel. Check out our hardware cloth!

My warmest regards,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (True! That’s 131 years owned and run by our family.)

P.S. Hardware cloth is perfect for all your fencing and cooking needs!