1-7-10...GRANDMA'S CROCK
Grandma had two crocks with lids. They were about three gallon containers. She used them constantly. She made buttermilk, sour pickles, churned butter, made sauerkraut. When a hog was killed and the sausage was made she cooked patties and packed them in the crock with hog grease. They kept all winter. I know there were other things she used them for but you get what I'm saying. The crock was essential to our survival it seemed.
I loved those sour pickles, and I mean they were sour. I would remove the lid and fish out a big pickle and munch on it. My mouth is puckering now just thinking of those good pickles.
But you know me. I couldn't do anything without making mischief and I almost really messed up one evening. Brenda was there and the two of us could get in messes together that would never happen with just one of us. We were not supposed to put our hands down in the crock at all. There was a slotted spoon for that. But of course we did just what we were not to do. Not being satisfied to go one at a time we both soused our arms up to our boney little elbows in those pickles. But that was not even the worst of it. We both seized on the same big pickle at the same time. Yep, no one but us could have done that. We were both stubborn too so we both hung on for all our mite. Neither of us would turn the pickle loose to take our hand out and both would not come out at the same time. We kept messing around till we turned that blasted thing over. Good Grief Brenda now you done it and I'm tellin' too. No you done it. After we carried that on for a while we finally decided that we were in for it unless we could do something fast. Well heck fire all of them didn't spill so we just picked um up and put the suckers back in the crock. Yep we did!! We set that crock up and noticed that a lot of the water spilt out too so we got some water and poured in. I saw Grandma put salt in there so we got some salt and poured a bunch in. Heck no one will ever know the difference. Ha That's what we thought. First time Grandma opened the crock there on top was sticks and all kinds of trash. She took some pickles out in a bowl and brought them in. When we had supper someone took a bite of pickle and I guess it didn't taste good. The jig was up. No use in me not telling the whole story because everyone was looking at me and I knew they knew by golly. Grandma was upset and Mamma was past upset. It was tanning the hide time. Yep I heard Grandma say to Mamma later, Well I'm just glad they didn't break the crock. I think she saved most of the pickles too. Another near disaster was in the books. Oh My Gosh!!!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
LOVE IS WEALTH
1-7-10...LOVE IS WEALTH
WEALTH IS NOT VALUEABLE
BUT LOVE IS
It is brutally cold here today. The wind is blowing 35-40 MPH and the wind chill is supposedly at a dangerous level. It is just hard to stay warm. I am thinking about the house where I grew up. Very open and airy if you get my drift. As I set here in a good tight house and I'm cold I just can't imagine the winters in that wonderful house that was my home. We had lots of love but even though the song says it does, love don't keep you warm. I remember when Norman was small he slept in the bed with Mamma and I slept in the bed with Daddy because they were afraid we couldn't stay warm. The little heater was like a drop in a bucket when it came to heat but I guess it kept us from completely freezing to death.
On cold winter nights like this one will be we all slept together. Daddy set one of the iron beds up in front of that little stove and we all slept there. I remember how warm and safe I felt. There were very cold nights when the pressure would go down or the gas would freeze up. Daddy had to watch so the stove didn't come on and gas us. I don't imagine Daddy slept much most nights.
If you left a little bit of water in a container anywhere in the house it would freeze up tight. No way did we ever step out of the bed with bare feet like I do now. We were warned by our parents to never do that. Well of course you know 'miss try it or bust me', I did it one morning and there was frost on the floor. Never did that again.
Daddy had to go out before daylight and bring in water, slop the hog, feed the horse, cow, and chickens. I cry now to think of that dear sweet man having to do that. Mamma would carry Norman on her hip and cook breakfast. I can remember seeing her shaking from the cold. Years later after Daddy was gone Mamma had a nice snug apartment with central heat and air. She would often say, "Oh how I wish you kids could have had this growing up. Or I wish Clyde was here to enjoy this. After Norman and I were out on our own they were able to make some improvements on the old house but it was still old and was never perfect. I was so happy for them and so proud that they were my Parents. I told Mamma one day when she was wishing for us, "Mamma Norman and I had the very best of everything and we didn't have any reason to want for more. The way we grew up with Daddy and you in that wonderful house that was a home made us what we are today. I wouldn't have it any different". She cried when I said that just the way I am crying right now.
WEALTH IS NOT VALUEABLE
BUT LOVE IS
It is brutally cold here today. The wind is blowing 35-40 MPH and the wind chill is supposedly at a dangerous level. It is just hard to stay warm. I am thinking about the house where I grew up. Very open and airy if you get my drift. As I set here in a good tight house and I'm cold I just can't imagine the winters in that wonderful house that was my home. We had lots of love but even though the song says it does, love don't keep you warm. I remember when Norman was small he slept in the bed with Mamma and I slept in the bed with Daddy because they were afraid we couldn't stay warm. The little heater was like a drop in a bucket when it came to heat but I guess it kept us from completely freezing to death.
On cold winter nights like this one will be we all slept together. Daddy set one of the iron beds up in front of that little stove and we all slept there. I remember how warm and safe I felt. There were very cold nights when the pressure would go down or the gas would freeze up. Daddy had to watch so the stove didn't come on and gas us. I don't imagine Daddy slept much most nights.
If you left a little bit of water in a container anywhere in the house it would freeze up tight. No way did we ever step out of the bed with bare feet like I do now. We were warned by our parents to never do that. Well of course you know 'miss try it or bust me', I did it one morning and there was frost on the floor. Never did that again.
Daddy had to go out before daylight and bring in water, slop the hog, feed the horse, cow, and chickens. I cry now to think of that dear sweet man having to do that. Mamma would carry Norman on her hip and cook breakfast. I can remember seeing her shaking from the cold. Years later after Daddy was gone Mamma had a nice snug apartment with central heat and air. She would often say, "Oh how I wish you kids could have had this growing up. Or I wish Clyde was here to enjoy this. After Norman and I were out on our own they were able to make some improvements on the old house but it was still old and was never perfect. I was so happy for them and so proud that they were my Parents. I told Mamma one day when she was wishing for us, "Mamma Norman and I had the very best of everything and we didn't have any reason to want for more. The way we grew up with Daddy and you in that wonderful house that was a home made us what we are today. I wouldn't have it any different". She cried when I said that just the way I am crying right now.
HOUSE vs HOME
1-6-10...WHAT MAKES A HOUSE A HOME
There are so many differences between a house and a home. A home has to be full of people but that's not enough. There has to be love, understanding, respect, closeness, etc.
I had a friend once who lived alone with her Mother. Her name was Pamela. She was beautiful. I was only 8 but I knew she was beautiful. Like a little China doll with clear blue eyes and beautiful curly blond hair. Pam always had money to spend at the school candy store. She had the most frilly beautiful clothes I had ever seen. And Pam had something else that was more important which was a loving spirit. Pam came home with me lots of evenings from school and spent the night, sometimes two or three nights. She loved to come to my home. I didn't really understand that because we didn't have a inside bathroom or any other of the conveniences that Pam had at her home. Pam lived in a big white house with tall pillars, a wrap around porch with big chairs and flowers all over. Her room inside that house was all pink and fluffy with stuffed animals and everything that a little girl could ever imagine wanting. Yet Pam wanted to be at my house. I was never at her home except for a few times. I didn't really understand why I wasn't invited.
One day Pam told me that she wanted me to come to her house after school. I told her that I couldn't go without asking first so I'd have to wait until the next day. Pam told me that she never had to ask, she just came when she wanted to and stayed as long as she wanted to. The next day Mamma said I could ride the school bus home with Pamela and stay a while and play but that I couldn't stay all night. She said my Daddy would come and get me before dark. I didn't really mind not getting to stay the night. The only place I wanted to stay the night was at Brenda's.
We got off the bus the next evening and walked up the lane to Pamela's house. We couldn't get in. Pamela rang the doorbell over and over then she started hollering for her Mamma to come open the door. No one came and I was scared. I told Pam that I wanted to go home. Of course it was too far to walk so I was stuck. Pam said don't worry my Mom will let us in after a while. That I didn't understand. It was cold and if Pam's Mom was in the house why did she lock Pam out.
About an hour later , which seemed a lot longer, the door was finally opened and her Mom was standing there looking terrible I thought. She was in a robe and looked like she had just gotten up. As soon as she opened the door she started cursing Pam and slapped her. She said “Pam I have told you over and over not to keep knocking on the door when it is locked”. I told her to leave Pam alone because my Daddy would be there soon and she better not be slapping her when he got there. She pushed Pam in the door and shut it in my face. It wasn't long till my Daddy got there. I ran and told him what had happened. He put me in the car and told me to stay there. He knocked on the door but no one ever came. Daddy was mad but all he could do was to keep me away from Pam's house. The law wasn't even thought of . Back then that was the way of it. The law did not interfere in family matters.
Pam didn't come to school the next day or the next. When she came back a man was with her. They got all Pam's things out of her desk and I never saw her again. I have no idea where they went or who the man was but the big fine house had a for sale sign on it soon after that.
It was years later that I figured out what might have happened but I don't know and Mamma and Daddy never would tell me if they knew.
That was when I understood that I had a warm loving home but Pam just lived in a big fine house. Quiet a difference. Yep and a good difference.
There are so many differences between a house and a home. A home has to be full of people but that's not enough. There has to be love, understanding, respect, closeness, etc.
I had a friend once who lived alone with her Mother. Her name was Pamela. She was beautiful. I was only 8 but I knew she was beautiful. Like a little China doll with clear blue eyes and beautiful curly blond hair. Pam always had money to spend at the school candy store. She had the most frilly beautiful clothes I had ever seen. And Pam had something else that was more important which was a loving spirit. Pam came home with me lots of evenings from school and spent the night, sometimes two or three nights. She loved to come to my home. I didn't really understand that because we didn't have a inside bathroom or any other of the conveniences that Pam had at her home. Pam lived in a big white house with tall pillars, a wrap around porch with big chairs and flowers all over. Her room inside that house was all pink and fluffy with stuffed animals and everything that a little girl could ever imagine wanting. Yet Pam wanted to be at my house. I was never at her home except for a few times. I didn't really understand why I wasn't invited.
One day Pam told me that she wanted me to come to her house after school. I told her that I couldn't go without asking first so I'd have to wait until the next day. Pam told me that she never had to ask, she just came when she wanted to and stayed as long as she wanted to. The next day Mamma said I could ride the school bus home with Pamela and stay a while and play but that I couldn't stay all night. She said my Daddy would come and get me before dark. I didn't really mind not getting to stay the night. The only place I wanted to stay the night was at Brenda's.
We got off the bus the next evening and walked up the lane to Pamela's house. We couldn't get in. Pamela rang the doorbell over and over then she started hollering for her Mamma to come open the door. No one came and I was scared. I told Pam that I wanted to go home. Of course it was too far to walk so I was stuck. Pam said don't worry my Mom will let us in after a while. That I didn't understand. It was cold and if Pam's Mom was in the house why did she lock Pam out.
About an hour later , which seemed a lot longer, the door was finally opened and her Mom was standing there looking terrible I thought. She was in a robe and looked like she had just gotten up. As soon as she opened the door she started cursing Pam and slapped her. She said “Pam I have told you over and over not to keep knocking on the door when it is locked”. I told her to leave Pam alone because my Daddy would be there soon and she better not be slapping her when he got there. She pushed Pam in the door and shut it in my face. It wasn't long till my Daddy got there. I ran and told him what had happened. He put me in the car and told me to stay there. He knocked on the door but no one ever came. Daddy was mad but all he could do was to keep me away from Pam's house. The law wasn't even thought of . Back then that was the way of it. The law did not interfere in family matters.
Pam didn't come to school the next day or the next. When she came back a man was with her. They got all Pam's things out of her desk and I never saw her again. I have no idea where they went or who the man was but the big fine house had a for sale sign on it soon after that.
It was years later that I figured out what might have happened but I don't know and Mamma and Daddy never would tell me if they knew.
That was when I understood that I had a warm loving home but Pam just lived in a big fine house. Quiet a difference. Yep and a good difference.
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