REMEMBER LIGHTENING BUGS

1-28-10...Remember Lightening Bugs

called fire flies now I think. Lightening bugs to me.
A lightening bug is a wonder really. A little bug that flies around flashing that light from their tail. They are beautiful aren't they. We didn't have much to do when we were growing up and 'catchin' lightenin' bugs was something that would suffice for one whole evening now and then. When Daddy first pointed them out to me I was very young. I was so facinated with them. I'd go running through the yard with my bare feet at dusk swinging my arms through the lightening bugs. I was in to Cinderella then and I pretended I was a Princess and the bugs were lighting my way. To where I don't know but it was magical.
I don't know when we got the idea to catch them in a jar but indeed we did. Mamma gave Brenda and I a jar and Norman and Paul loved to help big sisters fill their jar. We had asked Mamma several times if we could put a lid on the jar and bring it in. We wanted to sit it beside our bed at night and watch them light up. Mamma was not too fond of that idea. She told us that would be mean because the Lightening bugs wanted to be free and they would die in the jar. We gave every argument we could come up with but Mamma would not budge, it was definitely NO.
Well one night we sneaked a jar of bugs in the house and hid them under the bed till Mamma went to bed. Well of course we did, didn't you know we would??
As soon as Mamma and Daddy were in bed we took the jar out and lay there in the bed watching them. We got a very close look at those bugs. We had punched holes in the lid. The bugs got to acting slugish. I said, “Brenda they can't breathe in there, they're gonna' die”. “Yes they can Clydene”. “No they can't Brenda they are dying. We gotta give them some air”. “How will we do that? Brenda asked. “Well we will just losen the lid a little bit”. Which we proceeded to do. YEP! Trouble with that we both had our hand on the jar and that dang lid went flying to the floor. Clickety, Clack a few times and Mamma said, “What was that? You girls be quiet and go to sleep”. “Oh my gosh Brenda look what you did”. “You did it Clydene, you shouda' left it alone”. Back and forth with this and we weren't even paying attention to the bugs flying out of the upside down jar. Nope, didn't notice that till we heard Mamma say, “What are you two doing in there”. We could tell she was on her way as she spoke. That's when we saw them darn bugs flying all around the room. Just as Mamma came through the door some of them dang bugs flew right by her head. “You Two Better, What in the world is that, Oh my Gosh I told you to never bring those things in the house”. You talk about scrambling around now we were doing it for about the next two hours catching them bugs. Daddy was up, Norman was up, and we were really catching bugs. I got tickled. Oh Good Grief, I got riproarin tickled. Giggle giggle, whopee, hurry up Brenda, giggle giggle. Brenda caught the giggles next, then Norman. GIGGLE GIGGLE!!! Mamma said, “I don't see any thing to giggle about girls, you two are,---GIGGLE GIGGLE GIGGLE. That was Daddy. “Clyde this sure nuff aint--- Giggle giggle giggle. That was Mamma. After she started giggling she was still trying to tell us what for between giggles. Daddy , Norman, Brenda, anmd I couldn't stop. We were having a ball. Finally Mamma gave in to side splittin' giggling too.
Well we were seeing lightening bugs for days to come let me tell you. Mamma said we'd better just get all those things out of the house. So at night I would see a little bug lighting up and up I'd get and chase it down. We all did that for a long time it seemed to me. Every time I caught one I got the giggles again but from then on I laughed alone and Mamma would tell me the laughing was over while trying to hide her smile. What a wonderful Family, Thanks For The Memories!!!

MORNING THINGS

1-28-10...MORNING THINGS

MORNING THINGS
I Saw the sun this morning in it's glory rising.

It has come to take the moon's place on yonder hill's horizon.

I saw a baby calf in the Meadow, a few hours old at most.

The early sunlight beamed on him standing, wobbly by a fence post.

In wonder I beheld, a dewdrop on a rose, shining in early light.

I smelled the fragrance in the air, saw a whippoorwill in flight.

These magical things of morning are there for everyone. So we should all enjoy it, It comes from God and His Son

One morning when I was about four I tagged along behind Daddy as he fed animals in the early dawn. Sun was coming up all pink and purple and fiery. This little colt had just been born and it's Mamma was cleaning her off. She was wobbling around and trying to get to breakfast but Mamma wanted her baby's face and hands clean for breakfast. (kind of like my Mamma was)
There were wild roses growing on the fence and they also sparkled with dew drops.
And that elusive Whipporwill that we hear but seldom see flew out of a bush. His eyes shined in the light just like a cats or a dog would.
Years later when I was away from my beloved home and couldn't get back I remembered this scene and wrote this poem. It was published in my Poetry book called From My Heart and available on Amazon. I am remembering that morning on this cold drab morning to remind me there will be sushine as well as rain.

TRIBUTE TO FRIDA

1-26-10...TRIBUTE TO FRIDA

She said, "Can we always be friends"?
I said. "Of course we can".
But as the days came and went,
that was not to be the plan.
We had a fun filled summer,
my best friend and me.
We knew she'd leave come Fall,
but for now our days were free.
It never once crossed our minds
Frida's life was almost done.
We skipped through days on end
having so much fun.
Making fudge and playing records
at her place or at mine.
Thinking as young ones do
there was always so much time.
Sometime bout July
on a hot southern day
something trivial happened
I said, "Wish you'd go away!"
We'd had just a little spat
shouldn't of meant so much.
But for the rest of that summer
we never were in touch.
Her parents picked her up one day,
we never said good by.
Still miffed and acting stupid
I let that day go by.
The next day we got the news
of speeding cars on up the way
Frida's family didn't make it
they all passed away.
They never had a chance
That's what my Mamma said.
Frida would never come back
her whole family was dead.
Mamma had always told me
never go to sleep mad.
Now I understood why, that was so bad.
I'll never forget Frida, She's still there in my heart.
She has a special place now, where we'll never be apart.