2-6-09...THINGS THAT SCARE KIDS
I wasn't scared of much when I was growing up. Snakes, bugs, high places, etc. never bothered me. No, It was some people who scared me. Mostly people I didn't know, people who looked different, who made strange sounds, who were big, or talked different. Yep, Snakes and animals didn't scare me but people did. I think I now know that some, (not all) animals can be better more loyal friends that any human can.
There was a lady who lived up on the hill above us who was another one that scared me to tears. We could see her big house on the hill and I had it in my mind that house had to be a house of horrors. A huge two story house. Dark and forlorn sitting up there looking down on us. It had probably never had a coat of paint on it so with time the wood had turned dark gray, almost black. I had never been close to the house but I had seen Donna. She lived up there with her Mother who was never outside the house. I knew later she was never out because she was not able. Her daughter took care of her. But I imagined all kinds of things.
We saw her at Wallace Key's store where we saw everyone else. She was big, short, and looked like she was rolling down the road instead of walking. You could hear her as she came grunting, groaning, and what I called snorting. She was just trying to get her breath as she walked. She was old and she was huge, and she was childlike. Never married and alone except for her Mother and a Brother down in the holler who seemed ashamed of her. She was a poor, sweet, gentle soul, but as a child I didn't recognize that fact. To me she was just simply scary. Scared the wits outta' me.
Brenda and I were in the store one day when she came in. She was shy I think but she would always smile at us. Brenda was not scared of her though I had tried many times to convince her she should be and I sure wasn't gonna let her know I was scared.
"Let's go Brenda." "No Clydene, I'm gonna get me some candy". "Brenda come on, we don't need any candy, let's go". "Clydene stop bothering me, if you want to go then go on, what in the world is wrong with you anyhow"? I grabbed Brenda by the arm and tried to pull her by force but she was stronger than me. She jerked loose and I fell backwards right on Donna's foot. I can still see the view as I looked slowly up and all I could see was Donna's big belly, her big club like arms, and her dark blue dress which by the way stunk! I was too breathless to say a word because of having the breath knocked outta' me falling. All I saw was that big club of a hand coming down toward me. "OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOODNESS! I might have been out of breath but I got my second wind fast. I mean FAST!! I started scootin' backwards on the plank floor(not an easy task) and found splinters in my but later though I didn't even feel them then. I'm quiet sure I looked like a craw dad backing up fast. I still wasn't utterin' a sound from my tremblin' lips. I backed in to Brenda and knocked her down but I just scooted on around her. I couldn't get my footing so I just kept scootin' backwards all the time trying but failing to gain my feet. My Mama was not there to rescue me and Brenda sure wasn't gonna do it so I was on my own as I saw it.
Donna started toward me and I gained my feet then sure as shootin'. I was outta' there. As I ran down the steep steps of the store I could hear Brenda yelling for me to wait. Nothin' doin' I'm going home and I'm gettin' there fast. Brenda caught up with me and was shaming me but I didn't care, I had escaped with my life. "Donna was trying to help you up stupid" Brenda told me. Nope! I was not havin' any of that Heck fire no. I remained scared of the poor old woman and stayed away from her from then on. Yep!!
Well folks it didn't end there. Heck no that wasn't to be.
When I got married the first time I was still just a young foolish girl but I didn't know it. My future husband and I went to visit someone who had a house for rent. We rented the house sight unseen for $15.00 per month. We knew the people, knew they wouldn't lie to us, and fifteen dollars was as good as we could get. Besides it was a mile from my Parents house. That was all I needed to hear. But oh my gosh when I saw the house for the first time it was right next door from that big ol' scary house where Donna and her Mother lived. What made it worse was that we were told that Donna was allowed to carry water from the well right outside my kitchen door. YEP!
I stayed inside for several days. No TV, no radio, no phone, toilet out back which I ran to and ran back in with a hammer in my hand. Yep, sure did. I was so lonely. Coulda' walked to visit Mama but I was actually afraid to pass Donna's house. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
I could hear Donna coming when she came for water and I hid in the bedroom. One day she knocked on the door. It was hot and I had no fans or AC. so the door was open to let some air in, the screen door was latched. I peeked around so I could see her standing there but she couldn't see me. She was looking in the screen and she had two jars in her hands. Well now I was taught to welcome people to my home, and I was taught manners, so that won out. I went to the door and Donna had two jars of jam and a big smile. She told me how glad she was to have me there in her lilting, scratchy voice and that she had brought me some blackberry jam. What could I do? I opened the door (although with reluctance) took the jam she was holding out to me, said how much I appreciated it, and she was on her way. As simple as that a lonely young girl became friends with two lonely old women and made my time there easier. I visited in their house, scary and drab outside, but warm and homey inside. Here I was old enough to know better and I was still learning. I'm still learning new things and I hope I never stop learning as long as The Good Lord keeps me here. YEP! That's the way of things. Sure nuff'.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
TALE OF TWO CHICKENS
2-5-09...TALE OF TWO CHICKENS
I was big sister and got my way about a lot of things simply for that fact. Other times I had to talk my Brother in to letting me be first, or to let me have my way. Norman was such a sweet little thing (still is) that it was never hard to do. Norman was and is my best friend. Helped me when he didn't really want to, covered for me at times, and even at a very young age he started giving me advice. Of course I had rocks in my head in the place of logic and didn't usually listen, Usually still don't listen.
There were always settin' hens and baby chicks around which we usually didn't pay much attention to. Just when we stepped in their poop or encountered the wrath of an irate mother hen protecting her brood did we pay much notice.
We were outside one day and noticed a bunch of squaking chickens in the lot circling something and attacking something. Of course we ran out to see. There were two little tiny, just hatched chickens trying to gain protection from their Mama hen. For some reason that ol' hen was not taking care of her babies. All she wanted to do was chomp up the corn Daddy had strewn out for them earlier that morning.
" Oh Look what they're doing Norman, they're gonna' kill them little babies". "Cumon lets get them" he said. We unlocked the gate and went in shooing and hollerin' at the chickens. Poor little things wouldn't have stood a chance if we hadn't rescued them.
There was a black one and a yellow one. Now most girls would want the yellow one. But I wasn't most girls don't ya' see. I wanted the black one and so did Norman.
We ran to the house and told Mama what had happened. "Put those chickens back" Mama told us. "No Mama" we started talking at the same time. We finally got the story out. Mama seemed to know the little ones could not be put back in the pen. She also knew they couldn't just be put down outside somewhere. "Can we have em' Mama? Please Can we"? Mama got a box and put some old paper inside. We took the box in the kitchen and she gave us dry oatmeal and some cornmeal in a 1 lb. coffee can. She told us to feed them every day, give them water, change the paper in the bottom, and we could keep them. "I get the black one, it's mine and the yellow one is yours Norman" I said. "No I want the black one, No I want it". Norman was really stubborn on this one but I finally got my way. Mama told us that when the chickens got big enough to put back in the pen they would just be chickens and belong to no one. Of course we didn't pay any attention to that.
We took care of these little chickens real good and they grew fast. Daddy brought in some corn chops one day and said they needed to go to the pen again as soon as they could eat it. Well, Heck fire if we didn't give them the corn they couldn't eat it right? Daddy caught on to that. The next evening he told us that the chickens were getting wing feathers and would soon fly out of the box and we had to take them to the pen. Couldn't have chickens running around the house. "You two did a good job and I'm proud of you" he said. "Daddy let me mark my chicken so I know which is mine" I said. "You don't have to do that Clydene, I can see that yours is a rooster and Norman's is a hen". "OK Daddy" that satisfied me. But not for long!
Those chickens grew fast. They would still eat out of our hands. I don't know what we thought came next. We were just happy with our chickens. My black chicken was not black now but a tall proud white rooster that strutted around like he owned the place. Norman's hen started cackling one day. She hadn't laid an egg yet but she soon would.
One evening after the chickens went to roost Daddy went out and caught my rooster and wrung his neck for dinner the next day. Daddy and Mama had not realized how attached I was to my rooster. Norman was tired of his hen and had gone on to something better. When I found out what had happened to my rooster I threw a fit. I cried and carried on like crazy. When it was all over my parents told me they were sorry but that's how it is done. "You know Clydene that the roosters are eaten while they are young. The hens are saved for eggs, if we had known it meant so much to you we would have talked to you sooner about it. You picked the black one Clydene and got your way. If you had of let Norman have the black one it would have been different". I was young and got over it fast but I learned something that I have never forgotten. Getting your way doesn't always make you happy. I know now not to want everything just for the sake of beauty but to look at all the sides and think before I speak. That was a valuable lesson that I have never forgotten. I can still picture that fluffy little black chicken and the feisty arrogant rooster he became. I'm still feisty and Norman is still quiet and laid back. We haven't changed much. Mama and Daddy didn't really want us to change. They loved what we were. They raised us with equal love and care. YEP! They were proud of us, and we were proud to have them as parents.
I was big sister and got my way about a lot of things simply for that fact. Other times I had to talk my Brother in to letting me be first, or to let me have my way. Norman was such a sweet little thing (still is) that it was never hard to do. Norman was and is my best friend. Helped me when he didn't really want to, covered for me at times, and even at a very young age he started giving me advice. Of course I had rocks in my head in the place of logic and didn't usually listen, Usually still don't listen.
There were always settin' hens and baby chicks around which we usually didn't pay much attention to. Just when we stepped in their poop or encountered the wrath of an irate mother hen protecting her brood did we pay much notice.
We were outside one day and noticed a bunch of squaking chickens in the lot circling something and attacking something. Of course we ran out to see. There were two little tiny, just hatched chickens trying to gain protection from their Mama hen. For some reason that ol' hen was not taking care of her babies. All she wanted to do was chomp up the corn Daddy had strewn out for them earlier that morning.
" Oh Look what they're doing Norman, they're gonna' kill them little babies". "Cumon lets get them" he said. We unlocked the gate and went in shooing and hollerin' at the chickens. Poor little things wouldn't have stood a chance if we hadn't rescued them.
There was a black one and a yellow one. Now most girls would want the yellow one. But I wasn't most girls don't ya' see. I wanted the black one and so did Norman.
We ran to the house and told Mama what had happened. "Put those chickens back" Mama told us. "No Mama" we started talking at the same time. We finally got the story out. Mama seemed to know the little ones could not be put back in the pen. She also knew they couldn't just be put down outside somewhere. "Can we have em' Mama? Please Can we"? Mama got a box and put some old paper inside. We took the box in the kitchen and she gave us dry oatmeal and some cornmeal in a 1 lb. coffee can. She told us to feed them every day, give them water, change the paper in the bottom, and we could keep them. "I get the black one, it's mine and the yellow one is yours Norman" I said. "No I want the black one, No I want it". Norman was really stubborn on this one but I finally got my way. Mama told us that when the chickens got big enough to put back in the pen they would just be chickens and belong to no one. Of course we didn't pay any attention to that.
We took care of these little chickens real good and they grew fast. Daddy brought in some corn chops one day and said they needed to go to the pen again as soon as they could eat it. Well, Heck fire if we didn't give them the corn they couldn't eat it right? Daddy caught on to that. The next evening he told us that the chickens were getting wing feathers and would soon fly out of the box and we had to take them to the pen. Couldn't have chickens running around the house. "You two did a good job and I'm proud of you" he said. "Daddy let me mark my chicken so I know which is mine" I said. "You don't have to do that Clydene, I can see that yours is a rooster and Norman's is a hen". "OK Daddy" that satisfied me. But not for long!
Those chickens grew fast. They would still eat out of our hands. I don't know what we thought came next. We were just happy with our chickens. My black chicken was not black now but a tall proud white rooster that strutted around like he owned the place. Norman's hen started cackling one day. She hadn't laid an egg yet but she soon would.
One evening after the chickens went to roost Daddy went out and caught my rooster and wrung his neck for dinner the next day. Daddy and Mama had not realized how attached I was to my rooster. Norman was tired of his hen and had gone on to something better. When I found out what had happened to my rooster I threw a fit. I cried and carried on like crazy. When it was all over my parents told me they were sorry but that's how it is done. "You know Clydene that the roosters are eaten while they are young. The hens are saved for eggs, if we had known it meant so much to you we would have talked to you sooner about it. You picked the black one Clydene and got your way. If you had of let Norman have the black one it would have been different". I was young and got over it fast but I learned something that I have never forgotten. Getting your way doesn't always make you happy. I know now not to want everything just for the sake of beauty but to look at all the sides and think before I speak. That was a valuable lesson that I have never forgotten. I can still picture that fluffy little black chicken and the feisty arrogant rooster he became. I'm still feisty and Norman is still quiet and laid back. We haven't changed much. Mama and Daddy didn't really want us to change. They loved what we were. They raised us with equal love and care. YEP! They were proud of us, and we were proud to have them as parents.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
TATER PLANTIN' TIME
2-2-09...TATER PLANTIN' TIME
TATER PLANTING
Every year in February it was time to start preparing the ground for planting potatoes. Red Pontiac's I think was the name of the one Daddy always planted. That was it, no other kind even got any consideration. My Papa planted those and Daddy planted those. Now my Papa was adamant that potatoes should be planted on Feb. 14. Not a day before, not a day after. Sometimes the weather permitted this sometimes it didn't but Papa would plant them in snow if he had to. Lots of other veggies were planted later at just the right time. Green peas were next.
Everyone planted by the moon signs then. A copy of The Old Farmers Almanac was purchased and that was the rule. Don't laugh, In later years I planted peas in the bloom season and that was what I got . Lots of blooms, no peas. REALLY!
I grew up listening and watching the garden grow. I knew how to plant and take care of a garden and I always loved it.
Daddy would hitch up Ol' Dixie and off he'd go up and down in the two acre plot ploughing it deep and bringing up all the good moist rich dirt. Then he laid off the rows all neat and straight. It was quiet a production and I was there all the way. Took every step my Daddy and Ol' Dixie took. Ol' Dixie was a gentle horse and I loved her. Daddy would sometimes lift me up to sit on her even though I was too young to learn to ride I thought I was really in high cotton up on that horse.
One day I was with Daddy in the garden. I just loved to rake my bare feet through the fresh plowed dirt. Loved the smell of it and the feel of it. This day I was ahead of Daddy and Ol' Dixie just enjoying the dirt. I sat down in the middle of a row and was heaping dirt over one of my feet and stamping it down. Then I would very carefully pull my foot out and there was a mound of dirt. I'd stick something in the place where my foot had been and pretend it was anything I wanted it to be. All of us kids did this and it was fun we thought. Anyway this day Daddy didn't see me from behind Ol' Dixie. I was sitting right in front of Dixie when she stopped. Daddy flipped the reins and geed or hawed or whatever it was he said but Dixie would not move. Daddy was irritated. Dixie had never done this before. He flicked the reins a bit harder to let Dixie know he meant business. Well Dixie just politely stepped out of the row and started around me. Daddy was flabbergasted but relieved when he saw me. Dixie was not going to step on me. She loved me also.
Daddy had carrots in the garden always. Mama canned them with little potatoes for making stew later. On day Brenda and I decided to pull a carrot and take it to the barn for Ol' Dixie. The carrots were not ready to pull. About the size of my little finger. I pulled one and said, "Shoot fire Brenda, this aint big enough we are gonna need more". Well we pulled a "bunch" more before we thought it was enough and took off to the barn. Boy howdy now, Ol' Dixie loved her treat. Didn't take her long to eat the carrots so we decided to get her more. We ran back and forth till we had pulled almost two rows of carrots. Finally we noticed that we had almost destroyed Daddies crop of carrots and knew we were in trouble. We didn't say a word. We went down the rows and tried to fix things so no one would notice. How stupid was that?!
We just went on about our day and kinda forgot the carrot mutilation. Daddy always headed to his garden after he got home from work and had his supper. Of course he spotted the carrot destruction. There were our tracks all over the place and didn't take Daddy long to figure out who the culprits were. UH OO!! Stupid me I was with him as usual. "Clydene what in the world did you do this for" he asked. "Brenda helped me feed Ol Dixie a carrot" I said. Daddy was not happy with us at all and for good reason. He took me by the hand and we walked out the lane to Brenda's house with my Daddy talking to me all the way telling me why this was wrong. "I'll have to plant carrots again, You know better than to pull them before the grow big enough, etc. By the time we got there and Brenda got her lecture I was so ashamed. I felt horrible for what I had done, and I was sorry. I didn't get a spanking but I never did it again. Of course I knew better! The next evening when Daddy got home Brenda and I took him out and showed him how we had filled in the rows with new seeds. He was so happy with us there were tears on his lashes which he wiped away hurriedly. We learned and grew from our mistakes whether they be big or small. We learned from wonderful loving Parents who punished us when we needed it and loved us all the time. I'm so greatful for my up-bringing. YEP!!
TATER PLANTING
Every year in February it was time to start preparing the ground for planting potatoes. Red Pontiac's I think was the name of the one Daddy always planted. That was it, no other kind even got any consideration. My Papa planted those and Daddy planted those. Now my Papa was adamant that potatoes should be planted on Feb. 14. Not a day before, not a day after. Sometimes the weather permitted this sometimes it didn't but Papa would plant them in snow if he had to. Lots of other veggies were planted later at just the right time. Green peas were next.
Everyone planted by the moon signs then. A copy of The Old Farmers Almanac was purchased and that was the rule. Don't laugh, In later years I planted peas in the bloom season and that was what I got . Lots of blooms, no peas. REALLY!
I grew up listening and watching the garden grow. I knew how to plant and take care of a garden and I always loved it.
Daddy would hitch up Ol' Dixie and off he'd go up and down in the two acre plot ploughing it deep and bringing up all the good moist rich dirt. Then he laid off the rows all neat and straight. It was quiet a production and I was there all the way. Took every step my Daddy and Ol' Dixie took. Ol' Dixie was a gentle horse and I loved her. Daddy would sometimes lift me up to sit on her even though I was too young to learn to ride I thought I was really in high cotton up on that horse.
One day I was with Daddy in the garden. I just loved to rake my bare feet through the fresh plowed dirt. Loved the smell of it and the feel of it. This day I was ahead of Daddy and Ol' Dixie just enjoying the dirt. I sat down in the middle of a row and was heaping dirt over one of my feet and stamping it down. Then I would very carefully pull my foot out and there was a mound of dirt. I'd stick something in the place where my foot had been and pretend it was anything I wanted it to be. All of us kids did this and it was fun we thought. Anyway this day Daddy didn't see me from behind Ol' Dixie. I was sitting right in front of Dixie when she stopped. Daddy flipped the reins and geed or hawed or whatever it was he said but Dixie would not move. Daddy was irritated. Dixie had never done this before. He flicked the reins a bit harder to let Dixie know he meant business. Well Dixie just politely stepped out of the row and started around me. Daddy was flabbergasted but relieved when he saw me. Dixie was not going to step on me. She loved me also.
Daddy had carrots in the garden always. Mama canned them with little potatoes for making stew later. On day Brenda and I decided to pull a carrot and take it to the barn for Ol' Dixie. The carrots were not ready to pull. About the size of my little finger. I pulled one and said, "Shoot fire Brenda, this aint big enough we are gonna need more". Well we pulled a "bunch" more before we thought it was enough and took off to the barn. Boy howdy now, Ol' Dixie loved her treat. Didn't take her long to eat the carrots so we decided to get her more. We ran back and forth till we had pulled almost two rows of carrots. Finally we noticed that we had almost destroyed Daddies crop of carrots and knew we were in trouble. We didn't say a word. We went down the rows and tried to fix things so no one would notice. How stupid was that?!
We just went on about our day and kinda forgot the carrot mutilation. Daddy always headed to his garden after he got home from work and had his supper. Of course he spotted the carrot destruction. There were our tracks all over the place and didn't take Daddy long to figure out who the culprits were. UH OO!! Stupid me I was with him as usual. "Clydene what in the world did you do this for" he asked. "Brenda helped me feed Ol Dixie a carrot" I said. Daddy was not happy with us at all and for good reason. He took me by the hand and we walked out the lane to Brenda's house with my Daddy talking to me all the way telling me why this was wrong. "I'll have to plant carrots again, You know better than to pull them before the grow big enough, etc. By the time we got there and Brenda got her lecture I was so ashamed. I felt horrible for what I had done, and I was sorry. I didn't get a spanking but I never did it again. Of course I knew better! The next evening when Daddy got home Brenda and I took him out and showed him how we had filled in the rows with new seeds. He was so happy with us there were tears on his lashes which he wiped away hurriedly. We learned and grew from our mistakes whether they be big or small. We learned from wonderful loving Parents who punished us when we needed it and loved us all the time. I'm so greatful for my up-bringing. YEP!!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
EATING APPLES
1-31-09...EATING APPLES
EATING AN APPLE
Brenda and I got in to a lot of trouble going in her Daddy's orchard. We knew we were not supposed to bother the fruit especially when it wasn't yet ripe. We were just fascinated buy the different fruits. Now it wasn't a big orchard. I think there were about 8or10 trees. There were apples, peaches, apricots, and plums. All used for canning, making jellies, etc for the winter food. We imagined that it was a big magical place. Loved to see the blooms then watch the fruit start to grow anticipating when it could be eaten. Did you ever eat a green apple pie? Yummy! I think the reason we were not supposed to play in there was because of the damage they knew we could do. We wanted to examine each fruit at different stages of it's growth. And we always ate some of it too soon. That didn't always make us sick but sometimes it did. Still we persisted in going in there. Stubbornness ran in our family. Still does. We even picked a bunch of tiny fruit one day to make us a fruit bowl for our 'table' in the play fort. Trouble was Ol' Pet (the cow) got in there and ate it. Darned ol' cow! We were not to even pick it when it was ripe. Brenda's Daddy or my Auntie did that. Then if they gave us some we could eat it. We wiped it off on our dress tails, boys on their shirt tails and we'd munch away.
Well one day I decided to get me an apple and eat it. The orchard was right across from my house, closer than to Brenda's house. I crawled under the barbed wire fence, across the lane and under another barbed wire fence. We were all skilled at crawling those fences without getting a barb in our back sides. Sometimes we would tear our clothes but very seldom did we get stuck on the prickly fence. I was in for much worse this time, at least to me it was worse. I should have known that I would be seen. While I was looking for the biggest reddest apple to pick Norman and Paul showed up. Next was Brenda. The fruit was ripe and to be picked that evening so we didn't think anyone would mind if we ate just one. We each picked one and sat down under the tree. We shined our apples. I noticed mine had a few holes in it but heck fire that was OK with me. I just bit in to that thing and started chewing. I ate two big bites, one on each side of the apple. When I started to take another bite I saw something in the apple that didn't look right. I took my fingernail and dug it out meaning to go ahead and eat my apple. "What's that" Brenda said. "Don't know it was in my apple" I said. I held my hand out and everyone started hollerin', "Clydene, it's a worm". "No it aint it's just a brown spot". "It's a worm Clydene look". I looked and it was not a worm. NOPE! It was half a worm!!! YEP! Half a worm meaning that I had already chewed and swallowed the other half. YEP! Sure nuff did. They all started giggling and pointin' at me, "Clydene ate a worm, Clydene ate a worm". "No I didn't" I hollered. "Here is the worm". They finally made me realize that I had indeed ate the other half of worm. Thats when the fireworks started. I started screamin', cryin', spitin' and gaspin'. I got sooo sick. I was just mortified. "Don't tell anyone" I spluttered. By then Mama had heard me screamin and here she came. She wasn't as adept at crawlin' under the fences as we were and in tryin' to hurry she skinned her back on a barb. She didn't spank us because really it was OK for us to eat an apple. She told us in no uncertain terms that we should have asked and she would have given us a apple from the house. I was still spitin' and splutterin'. When the others told her about the worm she laughed right along with them. Boy I was mad at them. Vowed I'd never speak to them again a long as I lived. Course I did. But heck fire they hadn't oughta' laughed at me. I was sicker'n'a skunk.
I can still picture that half a worm in my hand and I still get a queasy feeling just remembering it. I have never again been able to eat a apple without peeling and quartering it and checking for brown spots. NOPE!
EATING AN APPLE
Brenda and I got in to a lot of trouble going in her Daddy's orchard. We knew we were not supposed to bother the fruit especially when it wasn't yet ripe. We were just fascinated buy the different fruits. Now it wasn't a big orchard. I think there were about 8or10 trees. There were apples, peaches, apricots, and plums. All used for canning, making jellies, etc for the winter food. We imagined that it was a big magical place. Loved to see the blooms then watch the fruit start to grow anticipating when it could be eaten. Did you ever eat a green apple pie? Yummy! I think the reason we were not supposed to play in there was because of the damage they knew we could do. We wanted to examine each fruit at different stages of it's growth. And we always ate some of it too soon. That didn't always make us sick but sometimes it did. Still we persisted in going in there. Stubbornness ran in our family. Still does. We even picked a bunch of tiny fruit one day to make us a fruit bowl for our 'table' in the play fort. Trouble was Ol' Pet (the cow) got in there and ate it. Darned ol' cow! We were not to even pick it when it was ripe. Brenda's Daddy or my Auntie did that. Then if they gave us some we could eat it. We wiped it off on our dress tails, boys on their shirt tails and we'd munch away.
Well one day I decided to get me an apple and eat it. The orchard was right across from my house, closer than to Brenda's house. I crawled under the barbed wire fence, across the lane and under another barbed wire fence. We were all skilled at crawling those fences without getting a barb in our back sides. Sometimes we would tear our clothes but very seldom did we get stuck on the prickly fence. I was in for much worse this time, at least to me it was worse. I should have known that I would be seen. While I was looking for the biggest reddest apple to pick Norman and Paul showed up. Next was Brenda. The fruit was ripe and to be picked that evening so we didn't think anyone would mind if we ate just one. We each picked one and sat down under the tree. We shined our apples. I noticed mine had a few holes in it but heck fire that was OK with me. I just bit in to that thing and started chewing. I ate two big bites, one on each side of the apple. When I started to take another bite I saw something in the apple that didn't look right. I took my fingernail and dug it out meaning to go ahead and eat my apple. "What's that" Brenda said. "Don't know it was in my apple" I said. I held my hand out and everyone started hollerin', "Clydene, it's a worm". "No it aint it's just a brown spot". "It's a worm Clydene look". I looked and it was not a worm. NOPE! It was half a worm!!! YEP! Half a worm meaning that I had already chewed and swallowed the other half. YEP! Sure nuff did. They all started giggling and pointin' at me, "Clydene ate a worm, Clydene ate a worm". "No I didn't" I hollered. "Here is the worm". They finally made me realize that I had indeed ate the other half of worm. Thats when the fireworks started. I started screamin', cryin', spitin' and gaspin'. I got sooo sick. I was just mortified. "Don't tell anyone" I spluttered. By then Mama had heard me screamin and here she came. She wasn't as adept at crawlin' under the fences as we were and in tryin' to hurry she skinned her back on a barb. She didn't spank us because really it was OK for us to eat an apple. She told us in no uncertain terms that we should have asked and she would have given us a apple from the house. I was still spitin' and splutterin'. When the others told her about the worm she laughed right along with them. Boy I was mad at them. Vowed I'd never speak to them again a long as I lived. Course I did. But heck fire they hadn't oughta' laughed at me. I was sicker'n'a skunk.
I can still picture that half a worm in my hand and I still get a queasy feeling just remembering it. I have never again been able to eat a apple without peeling and quartering it and checking for brown spots. NOPE!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
MAMAS SHAWL
1-29-09...MAMAS SHAWL
We had no water in our house. Well we had water but we had to go outside and draw it up from the well. It was a drilled well. The bucket was a long cylinder type thing with a rope that fed on a pulley hanging above. You dropped the bucket down in the well and let it fill up then draw it back up and empty it into your water bucket from the house. Several times a day this had to be done. There was a hand made wash stand in the kitchen to set the bucket on. Beside the bucket was a wash pan for washing hands. A dipper was hanging on a hook to get a drink of water. Yep. We all drank from that dipper, out of that bucket. Germs? Maybe. But we all survived. When one of us was sick we got our water in a glass. Why not a glass all the time? Heck I don't know. Just the way it was. The bucket, the wash pan, and the dipper were all white with red rings around the rims. The wash stand was built by Daddy out of rough lumber. Grandma made a cover of sorts with feed sacks, gathered it at the top and put a heavy string through it so it could be tied around the stand like a curtain. The curtain was white. It was taken off often and washed, starched, and ironed, to be hung again. Quiet a production.
Mama went out one morning to get a bucket of water. She usually asked one of us to do it but this time she went. It was just coming daylight on a late spring morning. A few minutes later we heard such a screech, then a thump. Norman, Paul and I were in the house and we all three went running out there. We weren't sure what the sound was but knew Mama was out there so we were concerned. We ran out on the porch and there sat Mama on the ground way out in the yard. She was wet and shaking like a bowl of jello. The water bucket was in her lap, turned upside down. Her face and hair was wet. She looked so comical sitting there that we all got tickled. Mama tried to give us the look but it wasn't coming out like THE LOOK at all. It was even more comical. We went running to her saying, "Giggle, Giggle, whas'the giggle matter, giggle, giggle. Mama what giggle giggle haapenned, giggle. I couldn't have stopped giggling for my dear life right then. Giggle, giggle, aaree' you giggle, giggle, hurt?
I don't think we would have ever got anything out of Mama if we hadn't finally calmed our giggles and gotten serious. She finally told us the story. She had her bucket of water and was on the porch just reaching to open the door when she felt something hit her and something went around her neck. She looked down at the same time she was reaching up on her shoulder, and what she saw and felt sent her trying to run. slinging her arms, bucket and all, till she got off the porch and sat down suddenly in the yard, bucket still with her, water all over her. I was about to get tickled again but I saw that Mama was really scared and I squelched that giggle and asked again, Mama what happened?
When we finally got the story out of her and got her in the house this is what we found out. The eaves of our ol' house were the perfect place for birds to build. Seems there was a big black snake crawling up there trying to rob a birds nest. It fell right on Mama's shoulder and one end was hanging down on each side. She had touched and seen the snake at the same time. The screech and thump we heard was her, trying to scream and trying to move at the same time. The thump must have been when she sat down suddenly in the yard. We searched for the snake but it was long gone. Probably almost as scared as Mama was. I still get the giggles when I think how Mama looked sitting in the yard all wet with a bucket in her lap. It took a while for Mama to see the humor in this and I can't say I blame her. I can just about imagine what that thing felt like almost wrapped around her. Black snakes aren't poison but I still don't want one on my back. NOPE!!
We had no water in our house. Well we had water but we had to go outside and draw it up from the well. It was a drilled well. The bucket was a long cylinder type thing with a rope that fed on a pulley hanging above. You dropped the bucket down in the well and let it fill up then draw it back up and empty it into your water bucket from the house. Several times a day this had to be done. There was a hand made wash stand in the kitchen to set the bucket on. Beside the bucket was a wash pan for washing hands. A dipper was hanging on a hook to get a drink of water. Yep. We all drank from that dipper, out of that bucket. Germs? Maybe. But we all survived. When one of us was sick we got our water in a glass. Why not a glass all the time? Heck I don't know. Just the way it was. The bucket, the wash pan, and the dipper were all white with red rings around the rims. The wash stand was built by Daddy out of rough lumber. Grandma made a cover of sorts with feed sacks, gathered it at the top and put a heavy string through it so it could be tied around the stand like a curtain. The curtain was white. It was taken off often and washed, starched, and ironed, to be hung again. Quiet a production.
Mama went out one morning to get a bucket of water. She usually asked one of us to do it but this time she went. It was just coming daylight on a late spring morning. A few minutes later we heard such a screech, then a thump. Norman, Paul and I were in the house and we all three went running out there. We weren't sure what the sound was but knew Mama was out there so we were concerned. We ran out on the porch and there sat Mama on the ground way out in the yard. She was wet and shaking like a bowl of jello. The water bucket was in her lap, turned upside down. Her face and hair was wet. She looked so comical sitting there that we all got tickled. Mama tried to give us the look but it wasn't coming out like THE LOOK at all. It was even more comical. We went running to her saying, "Giggle, Giggle, whas'the giggle matter, giggle, giggle. Mama what giggle giggle haapenned, giggle. I couldn't have stopped giggling for my dear life right then. Giggle, giggle, aaree' you giggle, giggle, hurt?
I don't think we would have ever got anything out of Mama if we hadn't finally calmed our giggles and gotten serious. She finally told us the story. She had her bucket of water and was on the porch just reaching to open the door when she felt something hit her and something went around her neck. She looked down at the same time she was reaching up on her shoulder, and what she saw and felt sent her trying to run. slinging her arms, bucket and all, till she got off the porch and sat down suddenly in the yard, bucket still with her, water all over her. I was about to get tickled again but I saw that Mama was really scared and I squelched that giggle and asked again, Mama what happened?
When we finally got the story out of her and got her in the house this is what we found out. The eaves of our ol' house were the perfect place for birds to build. Seems there was a big black snake crawling up there trying to rob a birds nest. It fell right on Mama's shoulder and one end was hanging down on each side. She had touched and seen the snake at the same time. The screech and thump we heard was her, trying to scream and trying to move at the same time. The thump must have been when she sat down suddenly in the yard. We searched for the snake but it was long gone. Probably almost as scared as Mama was. I still get the giggles when I think how Mama looked sitting in the yard all wet with a bucket in her lap. It took a while for Mama to see the humor in this and I can't say I blame her. I can just about imagine what that thing felt like almost wrapped around her. Black snakes aren't poison but I still don't want one on my back. NOPE!!
FEEDIN' THE ANIMALS
1-28-09...FEEDIN' THE ANIMALS
I always followed my Daddy everywhere. I was on his heels, in his way, and under foot always. I always loved to go with Daddy to feed the chickens, slop the hog, and feed our horse Ol' Dixie . I just loved to throw out that corn and watch the chickens scramble to snatch it up. If I got too close with my bare feet I'd wind up sometimes with blood coming out of a toe or two. Same with my hands when I searched under a hen for the egg. If the hen was wanting to set she never appreciated me taking her hatching egg.
Next would be the hog. Now those things were smelly and sloppy but that never bothered me. I likes to see them roll around in the mud and mire, and loved to hear them grunt as they stuck their snout in the slop. I'm not sure what the slop consisted of. The bucket sat on the back porch. Mama poured dishwater, potato peeling's and other things in it. Daddy would then carry it out to the pen and mix some kind of feed in it and pour it in the trough for the hog. I think that is where the phrase, A pig will eat anything comes from.
Next came Ol' Dixie and I liked this the best. I would run around to the other side of the barn and get there before Daddy did. I always reached in the big 100 lb. feed sack and get me a big ol' bite of that feed. I thought it tasted sooo' good. Still think it must have. What ever it was I guess it wouldn't hurt me cause' Daddy never said anything. One day I ran in there and was just about to put my hand in the sack when Daddy got me around the waist and hoisted me up and outta' there real fast. He put me down on the ground and said get the shovel. I ran and got it real fast and drug it back. Daddy didn't look away from the sack, just reached his hand out and I placed the shovel handle in it. I'd made the mistake before of handing Daddy the hoe by the wrong end and knew what to do this time with the shovel.
Now Get Back Clydene! By his tone I knew he meant Now, so I moved. "What's wrong Daddy", I said. "Be quiet Clydene", he said. I looked over at the feed sack then and saw it. I didn't know what kind it was then but was later told it was a Copperhead, a deadly snake. It had its head sticking up and its body coiled up ready to strike. I screamed then and Daddy didn't have The Look like Mama but he had the words and the way to say them and I clamed up. Since the sack was almost full Daddy had a clear view but by then I had my eyes closed and didn't see the whole scene but that snake met his 'waterloo', I do know that.
Later as I heard the grown-ups talking about the incident they all agreed that an instinct had made Daddy aware of the danger. I had always got a hand full of that feed before, sometimes before Daddy even got to that side of the barn. But that morning Daddy hurried and got there. Said it was just a feeling. And they say only Mama's have that protective instinct. Heck! I know Daddy's have it to if they love their kids. And my Daddy sure loved us bunches. YEP!!
I always followed my Daddy everywhere. I was on his heels, in his way, and under foot always. I always loved to go with Daddy to feed the chickens, slop the hog, and feed our horse Ol' Dixie . I just loved to throw out that corn and watch the chickens scramble to snatch it up. If I got too close with my bare feet I'd wind up sometimes with blood coming out of a toe or two. Same with my hands when I searched under a hen for the egg. If the hen was wanting to set she never appreciated me taking her hatching egg.
Next would be the hog. Now those things were smelly and sloppy but that never bothered me. I likes to see them roll around in the mud and mire, and loved to hear them grunt as they stuck their snout in the slop. I'm not sure what the slop consisted of. The bucket sat on the back porch. Mama poured dishwater, potato peeling's and other things in it. Daddy would then carry it out to the pen and mix some kind of feed in it and pour it in the trough for the hog. I think that is where the phrase, A pig will eat anything comes from.
Next came Ol' Dixie and I liked this the best. I would run around to the other side of the barn and get there before Daddy did. I always reached in the big 100 lb. feed sack and get me a big ol' bite of that feed. I thought it tasted sooo' good. Still think it must have. What ever it was I guess it wouldn't hurt me cause' Daddy never said anything. One day I ran in there and was just about to put my hand in the sack when Daddy got me around the waist and hoisted me up and outta' there real fast. He put me down on the ground and said get the shovel. I ran and got it real fast and drug it back. Daddy didn't look away from the sack, just reached his hand out and I placed the shovel handle in it. I'd made the mistake before of handing Daddy the hoe by the wrong end and knew what to do this time with the shovel.
Now Get Back Clydene! By his tone I knew he meant Now, so I moved. "What's wrong Daddy", I said. "Be quiet Clydene", he said. I looked over at the feed sack then and saw it. I didn't know what kind it was then but was later told it was a Copperhead, a deadly snake. It had its head sticking up and its body coiled up ready to strike. I screamed then and Daddy didn't have The Look like Mama but he had the words and the way to say them and I clamed up. Since the sack was almost full Daddy had a clear view but by then I had my eyes closed and didn't see the whole scene but that snake met his 'waterloo', I do know that.
Later as I heard the grown-ups talking about the incident they all agreed that an instinct had made Daddy aware of the danger. I had always got a hand full of that feed before, sometimes before Daddy even got to that side of the barn. But that morning Daddy hurried and got there. Said it was just a feeling. And they say only Mama's have that protective instinct. Heck! I know Daddy's have it to if they love their kids. And my Daddy sure loved us bunches. YEP!!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
MAGICAL MEMORIES
Memories ARE MAGICAL
Webster's defines Memories this way:
Definition of Memory
Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. 2. The process of recovering information about past events or knowledge. 3. Cognitive reconstruction. The brain engages in a remarkable re shuffling process in an attempt to extract what is general and what is particular about each passing moment
Whatever the definition memories are our most precious function. Memories never die. They may fade a tad bit but they are there whether they be sad or good. I tend to try to forget the bad ones but to no avail. A word, a smell, a sound, a place, and many other things can being memories flooding back. I like that fact.
I was just flabbergasted yesterday when hearing a conversation going on between someone else that this one came to my mind seeing that I was only two years when it happened. I was there again as it all flashed through my mind like a movie that I was watching. Clear as if It was happening right now. I made notes so as not to forget but it is still there. Now my Parents had told me the story before but this was like a instant replay in my mind that transported me right in to the scene again.
When I was two my Mama and Daddy took me on the train and we traveled from our home in AR. to Corcoran CA. where my Mama's parents lived. The train ride is vivid. I was of course restless and not wanting to sit still. There was a water fountain with these pointed paper cups that just fascinated me. I wanted a drink every few minutes and my doting Daddy always took me saving the cup so they were not wasted. I had to pee so Mama took me to the bathroom which also facinated me. Nothing was working though as it wouldn't with any two year old. I remember the man walking up and down the aisles (can't remember what they are called) giving me something and telling me "This is your train ticket, hold on to it because I will ask for it when you get off the train. You must have it or you can't get off". It was an attempt to help my parents who I suspect were worn out with me by now. I guess it worked for a while. I put the ticket' in Daddy's shirt pocket and told him to keep it for me and got rowdy again. "Gotta go dodo' I was hollering. This time they didn't believe me though. Daddy put me on his knee and started bouncing me up and down to pacify me. Well GUESS WHAT? Seems I did need to 'dodo' cause I proceeded to do it, right down Daddy's leg and in his shoe. YEP! Sure nuff did! I don't remember the clean up at all though I have tried but I sure remember the incident vividly.
I don't remember sleeping on the train which we probably did. Next thing is the train stopping and it was time to get off. I started yelling, "Daddy, where's my ticket, where's my ticket". I got up in his face and grabbed his head and started jerking it back and forth still yelling "Daddy give me my ticket". Well Daddy didn't have my ticket, and he didn't even remember the thing at all right at that minute. "What are you talkin' about Clydene? Get down, we've gotta get off the train". At this I started bellerin' and snotin' like crazy. "Daddy I gotta have my ticket or that man won't let me off. What didya' do with it Daddy"? I guess then I was about to tear the pocket off Daddies shirt tryin' to find my ticket and Daddy was so flustered he couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with me and got firm with me in the form of a spat on my butt. The man who had given me the ticket saved more pain by walking by and giving me my "Ticket". "Little lady did you lose this?" He said, and winked at my parents. I took my 'ticket' from him and through my snotty nose I thanked him. Now I could get off that durn train with my Mama and Daddy!
Our brain is an amazing thing. Our whole bodies and the way it all works is a miraculous thing. Who could not believe in a God who could do this, make this. We are the very first computers my friends. Manufactured by a Supreme being. Made like a fine oiled engine that no man could make. For a mind to bring back a scene from 62 years ago is indeed a miracle to behold and I am greatful and Thankful to the God who made me.
Like I said before, Old memories never die. And I am so happy to be able to draw mine up from deep in my mind somewhere. It perked up my ordinary day in a glorious way. Memories, whether they be good or bad, happy or tormenting. They made us what we are today. YEP!
Webster's defines Memories this way:
Definition of Memory
Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. 2. The process of recovering information about past events or knowledge. 3. Cognitive reconstruction. The brain engages in a remarkable re shuffling process in an attempt to extract what is general and what is particular about each passing moment
Whatever the definition memories are our most precious function. Memories never die. They may fade a tad bit but they are there whether they be sad or good. I tend to try to forget the bad ones but to no avail. A word, a smell, a sound, a place, and many other things can being memories flooding back. I like that fact.
I was just flabbergasted yesterday when hearing a conversation going on between someone else that this one came to my mind seeing that I was only two years when it happened. I was there again as it all flashed through my mind like a movie that I was watching. Clear as if It was happening right now. I made notes so as not to forget but it is still there. Now my Parents had told me the story before but this was like a instant replay in my mind that transported me right in to the scene again.
When I was two my Mama and Daddy took me on the train and we traveled from our home in AR. to Corcoran CA. where my Mama's parents lived. The train ride is vivid. I was of course restless and not wanting to sit still. There was a water fountain with these pointed paper cups that just fascinated me. I wanted a drink every few minutes and my doting Daddy always took me saving the cup so they were not wasted. I had to pee so Mama took me to the bathroom which also facinated me. Nothing was working though as it wouldn't with any two year old. I remember the man walking up and down the aisles (can't remember what they are called) giving me something and telling me "This is your train ticket, hold on to it because I will ask for it when you get off the train. You must have it or you can't get off". It was an attempt to help my parents who I suspect were worn out with me by now. I guess it worked for a while. I put the ticket' in Daddy's shirt pocket and told him to keep it for me and got rowdy again. "Gotta go dodo' I was hollering. This time they didn't believe me though. Daddy put me on his knee and started bouncing me up and down to pacify me. Well GUESS WHAT? Seems I did need to 'dodo' cause I proceeded to do it, right down Daddy's leg and in his shoe. YEP! Sure nuff did! I don't remember the clean up at all though I have tried but I sure remember the incident vividly.
I don't remember sleeping on the train which we probably did. Next thing is the train stopping and it was time to get off. I started yelling, "Daddy, where's my ticket, where's my ticket". I got up in his face and grabbed his head and started jerking it back and forth still yelling "Daddy give me my ticket". Well Daddy didn't have my ticket, and he didn't even remember the thing at all right at that minute. "What are you talkin' about Clydene? Get down, we've gotta get off the train". At this I started bellerin' and snotin' like crazy. "Daddy I gotta have my ticket or that man won't let me off. What didya' do with it Daddy"? I guess then I was about to tear the pocket off Daddies shirt tryin' to find my ticket and Daddy was so flustered he couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with me and got firm with me in the form of a spat on my butt. The man who had given me the ticket saved more pain by walking by and giving me my "Ticket". "Little lady did you lose this?" He said, and winked at my parents. I took my 'ticket' from him and through my snotty nose I thanked him. Now I could get off that durn train with my Mama and Daddy!
Our brain is an amazing thing. Our whole bodies and the way it all works is a miraculous thing. Who could not believe in a God who could do this, make this. We are the very first computers my friends. Manufactured by a Supreme being. Made like a fine oiled engine that no man could make. For a mind to bring back a scene from 62 years ago is indeed a miracle to behold and I am greatful and Thankful to the God who made me.
Like I said before, Old memories never die. And I am so happy to be able to draw mine up from deep in my mind somewhere. It perked up my ordinary day in a glorious way. Memories, whether they be good or bad, happy or tormenting. They made us what we are today. YEP!
Friday, January 23, 2009
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SHOW
1-22-09...SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SHOW
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOT EM UPS
On Saturday nights we all piled in Daddies car and went to Ozark to see a cowboy show. My goodness was that a big event. I remember Gene Autry and Roy and Dale on that screen as big as life. WOW! Before the show started we would walk up the sidewalk past the Oklahoma Tire and Supply on past Coleys store and Davis Barber shop. There we crossed the street and went in a fantasy land. Ben Franklin's five and ten cent store. Whooppee! What a wonderful place that was. Bright lights shining down on all those things. We thought we has walked into a wonderland. We walked the whole store ooing and awing and touching. There was always a clerk right behind us. "Can I help You?". To which we would reply," No just lookin'." That was a constant thing every few minutes. We didn't pay any attention to her, we had known the old lady all our lives. A spinster lady. Daddy said she just had to do her job. Now days you can never find anyone to help you in a store.
We already knew what we would buy anyway just loved to look. We usually had a dime to spend and that bought a lot. We would buy Evening in Paris perfume in a beautiful little blue bottle usually. If we didn't splash it all on us in the coming week then we'd buy something else. One week we bought a small bottle of nail polish then we were not allowed to use it except on Saturday.
One Saturday Mama and Daddy decided to go early and visit a friend before the show. We would rather have been walking around in the 5&10 but of course had to go with them. We took our nail polish from the week before but Mama didn't know we had it.
Now I can't remember this ladies name but I can remember what she looked like. Sweet little older lady. And I remember her couch. It was green plastic which was the rage then. She said she had just gotten it at Vardarman's Furniture Store and she was so proud of it. Brenda and I sat on it and the boys were in the floor. Mama and Daddy were on the other side of the room talking to the lady. We got our nail polish out. Brenda laid her hand on a magazine to paint hers but I laid my hand on the arm of that pretty green couch. Brenda got some on the magazine and she quickly closed her bottle. I sat my bottle on the arm of the couch. GOOFY! I knocked it over and spilled some on the couch. I closed the bottle and got a pretty pillow from behind me and started wiping up the nail polish. DOUBLE GOOFY!! Brenda was nudging me to tell me what I had done. (as if I didn't know what I'd done) I elbowed her back and hissed, "Shut up" to which she elbowed me and got the boys attention. I just laid my head over on the pillow that was covering up the nail polish and looked as angelic as I could. I knew if the boys saw it the jig was up.
I was so relieved when Mama said for us to come on they were going. We got in the car and Brenda whispered (a loud whisper I might add) "Clydene you got polish all over that ladies couch and her pillow." Brenda shut up I whispered even louder. TOO LOUD cause Mama heard us. I guess Daddy heard us too cause he pulled into a side road and turned around. "What cha' doin' Daddy" Norman asked. "These girls are going back an tell Miss ??? what they did", Daddy said. Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!! I started bellering and Mama turned around and gave me THE LOOK! No one said another word and I dried up.
They took us to the door and made me knock. The lady came to the door and the look on her face told us she had already discovered our deed. She had a bottle of something in her hand and a rag that was red with the nail polish. I was the worst one so I blubbered out that I was sorry. Brenda was next and told her about the magazine. Come on in she said. Mama and Daddy were telling her how sorry they were. The lady showed us that she had already cleaned the polish off the couch. She said the magazine didn't matter. Daddy kept saying what can we do and she kept saying nothing so I figgered' that was that. ONLY, That sure wasn't that. NOPE. We went on to the show that night. Daddy said it wouldn't be fair for the rest not to get to go, but I didn't get to go the next week either. Had to stay at Aunties while Mama and Daddy took the rest. Brenda decided to stay home with me. She really didn't do as much as I did and didn't deserve the same punishment. We both had got our tanning already and had to put our nail polish up till we knew how to use it. At least that's what Mama said. We figgered we knew how to use it already. I also had to give up my dime and the trip to the 5&10. That was bad. I loved those trips to wonderland.
As I look back on this I know how my Parents felt having to go back and face that Lady. I know they were feeling helpless knowing there was no way they could replace the ladies couch. I'm so ashamed of myself now. We can't go back and correct our mistakes though. NOPE! Just gotta learn from them. Heck I learned from a lotta them. YEP!!
SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOT EM UPS
On Saturday nights we all piled in Daddies car and went to Ozark to see a cowboy show. My goodness was that a big event. I remember Gene Autry and Roy and Dale on that screen as big as life. WOW! Before the show started we would walk up the sidewalk past the Oklahoma Tire and Supply on past Coleys store and Davis Barber shop. There we crossed the street and went in a fantasy land. Ben Franklin's five and ten cent store. Whooppee! What a wonderful place that was. Bright lights shining down on all those things. We thought we has walked into a wonderland. We walked the whole store ooing and awing and touching. There was always a clerk right behind us. "Can I help You?". To which we would reply," No just lookin'." That was a constant thing every few minutes. We didn't pay any attention to her, we had known the old lady all our lives. A spinster lady. Daddy said she just had to do her job. Now days you can never find anyone to help you in a store.
We already knew what we would buy anyway just loved to look. We usually had a dime to spend and that bought a lot. We would buy Evening in Paris perfume in a beautiful little blue bottle usually. If we didn't splash it all on us in the coming week then we'd buy something else. One week we bought a small bottle of nail polish then we were not allowed to use it except on Saturday.
One Saturday Mama and Daddy decided to go early and visit a friend before the show. We would rather have been walking around in the 5&10 but of course had to go with them. We took our nail polish from the week before but Mama didn't know we had it.
Now I can't remember this ladies name but I can remember what she looked like. Sweet little older lady. And I remember her couch. It was green plastic which was the rage then. She said she had just gotten it at Vardarman's Furniture Store and she was so proud of it. Brenda and I sat on it and the boys were in the floor. Mama and Daddy were on the other side of the room talking to the lady. We got our nail polish out. Brenda laid her hand on a magazine to paint hers but I laid my hand on the arm of that pretty green couch. Brenda got some on the magazine and she quickly closed her bottle. I sat my bottle on the arm of the couch. GOOFY! I knocked it over and spilled some on the couch. I closed the bottle and got a pretty pillow from behind me and started wiping up the nail polish. DOUBLE GOOFY!! Brenda was nudging me to tell me what I had done. (as if I didn't know what I'd done) I elbowed her back and hissed, "Shut up" to which she elbowed me and got the boys attention. I just laid my head over on the pillow that was covering up the nail polish and looked as angelic as I could. I knew if the boys saw it the jig was up.
I was so relieved when Mama said for us to come on they were going. We got in the car and Brenda whispered (a loud whisper I might add) "Clydene you got polish all over that ladies couch and her pillow." Brenda shut up I whispered even louder. TOO LOUD cause Mama heard us. I guess Daddy heard us too cause he pulled into a side road and turned around. "What cha' doin' Daddy" Norman asked. "These girls are going back an tell Miss ??? what they did", Daddy said. Oh My Gosh, Oh My Gosh!!! I started bellering and Mama turned around and gave me THE LOOK! No one said another word and I dried up.
They took us to the door and made me knock. The lady came to the door and the look on her face told us she had already discovered our deed. She had a bottle of something in her hand and a rag that was red with the nail polish. I was the worst one so I blubbered out that I was sorry. Brenda was next and told her about the magazine. Come on in she said. Mama and Daddy were telling her how sorry they were. The lady showed us that she had already cleaned the polish off the couch. She said the magazine didn't matter. Daddy kept saying what can we do and she kept saying nothing so I figgered' that was that. ONLY, That sure wasn't that. NOPE. We went on to the show that night. Daddy said it wouldn't be fair for the rest not to get to go, but I didn't get to go the next week either. Had to stay at Aunties while Mama and Daddy took the rest. Brenda decided to stay home with me. She really didn't do as much as I did and didn't deserve the same punishment. We both had got our tanning already and had to put our nail polish up till we knew how to use it. At least that's what Mama said. We figgered we knew how to use it already. I also had to give up my dime and the trip to the 5&10. That was bad. I loved those trips to wonderland.
As I look back on this I know how my Parents felt having to go back and face that Lady. I know they were feeling helpless knowing there was no way they could replace the ladies couch. I'm so ashamed of myself now. We can't go back and correct our mistakes though. NOPE! Just gotta learn from them. Heck I learned from a lotta them. YEP!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
SNOW CREAM AND TOILETS
1-20-09...SNOW CREAM AND TOILETS
WINTERS IN THE SOUTH
I was always sickly when I was a kid. So even though I dearly loved winter snows I was not allowed to play outside much. When I did my Mama would always say, "Now, Clydene do not eat any snow it will give you a sore throat". I don't know if it did and to be truthful I just didn't believe it so I always tried to sneak a bite of that fluffy white snow. Mama usually was watching and stopped me. I was just sure Mama had eyes in back of her head. Someone (probably my Papa) had told me that. I know I did have a lot of trouble with sore throats and fever. (They call that flu now. Then it was just a sore throat and fever). I was sick a lot even in the summer. Mama made snow cream for us when she had what she needed to make it. Daddy would always say, "Now Lucille don't make it outta' the first snow cause' it's poisoned from the stuff in the air. (Today that is probably true, and just as true then as far as My Daddy was concerned).
One day I had to go to the ol' outside toilet and there was snow on the ground. I knew Mama would be watching so I just ran right on out there and went in the toilet. When I got in there and sat down I looked in the floor and there was a mound of beautiful white fluffy snow. WHOOPPEE! I got me two bites of that snow and really enjoyed it. Yep, Sure Did. Right off the floor of that toilet. Now I think YUKKY! but then it was a treat. By the way it was the first snow no less. HE HE!! I went back to the house just pleased as I could be cause' I'd got me some snow. I had no more than got inside the door when Mama said, "Clydene I told you not to eat snow". "I didn't Mama". "Yes you did, I saw you", she said. "No Mama I ran out there really fast and didn't stop, weren't you watchin"? " Yes I sure was watchin' and you got a bite of snow off that dirty toilet floor". Well now good grief howd' she know that? I thought. Even with eyes in the back of her head she can't see through a toilet wall. "Mama you can't see inside that toilet from here" I argued. "Clydene did you eat snow in the toilet? I know you did so tell me the truth". Well heck fire I guess Mama could see through toilet walls too. I had to fess up and I got a spankin' but I puzzled over that for a very long time. I was braggin to Brenda one day that my Mama could see through walls and we got in a squabble over it, hittin' and scratchin'. She went and asked my Auntie and Auntie said, "Sure Mama's can all do that".
We didn't have enough smarts to just let it go, we started askin' our Mamas, Did you see us do this, or that, or something else and just kept gettin' ourselves deeper and deeper in trouble. Heck we told everything we could remember that we had done to our Mama's in the next few weeks. They never said, "Yep I saw You", didn't have to cause' we were confessin' it all not even knowin' we were doin' it!!
I has that dreaded sore throat and fever soon after that. Did the eatin' the snow cause it? Well I was convinced that it did and so was my Daddy. We got another snow that winter and I never ate nary a bite outside. Nope! At least I don't remember it if I did. But I got snow cream a couple of times and boy was that good. We were all sittin' there one night around the stove shiverin' and eatin' snow cream and Mama said, "Now Clydene aint that better than that bite of snow you ate outta' the toilet"? "Yep sure is Mama". But You know? Even now I'm not sure that bite of dirty snow wasn't worth all the trouble. NOPE I AINT SURE!!! Still like a bite of snow now and then. HEHEHE! Aint Mamas smart????
WINTERS IN THE SOUTH
I was always sickly when I was a kid. So even though I dearly loved winter snows I was not allowed to play outside much. When I did my Mama would always say, "Now, Clydene do not eat any snow it will give you a sore throat". I don't know if it did and to be truthful I just didn't believe it so I always tried to sneak a bite of that fluffy white snow. Mama usually was watching and stopped me. I was just sure Mama had eyes in back of her head. Someone (probably my Papa) had told me that. I know I did have a lot of trouble with sore throats and fever. (They call that flu now. Then it was just a sore throat and fever). I was sick a lot even in the summer. Mama made snow cream for us when she had what she needed to make it. Daddy would always say, "Now Lucille don't make it outta' the first snow cause' it's poisoned from the stuff in the air. (Today that is probably true, and just as true then as far as My Daddy was concerned).
One day I had to go to the ol' outside toilet and there was snow on the ground. I knew Mama would be watching so I just ran right on out there and went in the toilet. When I got in there and sat down I looked in the floor and there was a mound of beautiful white fluffy snow. WHOOPPEE! I got me two bites of that snow and really enjoyed it. Yep, Sure Did. Right off the floor of that toilet. Now I think YUKKY! but then it was a treat. By the way it was the first snow no less. HE HE!! I went back to the house just pleased as I could be cause' I'd got me some snow. I had no more than got inside the door when Mama said, "Clydene I told you not to eat snow". "I didn't Mama". "Yes you did, I saw you", she said. "No Mama I ran out there really fast and didn't stop, weren't you watchin"? " Yes I sure was watchin' and you got a bite of snow off that dirty toilet floor". Well now good grief howd' she know that? I thought. Even with eyes in the back of her head she can't see through a toilet wall. "Mama you can't see inside that toilet from here" I argued. "Clydene did you eat snow in the toilet? I know you did so tell me the truth". Well heck fire I guess Mama could see through toilet walls too. I had to fess up and I got a spankin' but I puzzled over that for a very long time. I was braggin to Brenda one day that my Mama could see through walls and we got in a squabble over it, hittin' and scratchin'. She went and asked my Auntie and Auntie said, "Sure Mama's can all do that".
We didn't have enough smarts to just let it go, we started askin' our Mamas, Did you see us do this, or that, or something else and just kept gettin' ourselves deeper and deeper in trouble. Heck we told everything we could remember that we had done to our Mama's in the next few weeks. They never said, "Yep I saw You", didn't have to cause' we were confessin' it all not even knowin' we were doin' it!!
I has that dreaded sore throat and fever soon after that. Did the eatin' the snow cause it? Well I was convinced that it did and so was my Daddy. We got another snow that winter and I never ate nary a bite outside. Nope! At least I don't remember it if I did. But I got snow cream a couple of times and boy was that good. We were all sittin' there one night around the stove shiverin' and eatin' snow cream and Mama said, "Now Clydene aint that better than that bite of snow you ate outta' the toilet"? "Yep sure is Mama". But You know? Even now I'm not sure that bite of dirty snow wasn't worth all the trouble. NOPE I AINT SURE!!! Still like a bite of snow now and then. HEHEHE! Aint Mamas smart????
Friday, January 16, 2009
MY PAPA
1-15-09...MY PAPA
Papa was my Daddies Dad, my Grandpa. He was quiet an old gentleman. He was just full of tricks. He didn't like anyone not being up with the chickens working . Everyone called him Papa even his kids.
Papa could not hear at all. You would have to get down close to his ear and cup your hands and holler for him to know what you were saying. He smoked a pipe, dipped snuff, and chewed tobacco each morning in that order after he ate breakfast. It was quiet a production to watch him as he went through the same ritual morning and evening. He would never get on to us but he talked loud enough that we heard him telling our Parents what they should do to us. My Grandma had died when my Daddy was only a few months old so Daddy never knew her. I am told I look like her. She was Cherokee.
Papa loved to watch TV. I was 14 when we got our first little black and white set. We only got one, sometimes two channels. Papa could not hear a word but you would have thought he could. He got such a kick out of the Red Skelton show. Would laugh till he had tears running down. That was easy to do with Red Skelton. When someone would come up behind Red and goose him, Papa would jump and say. umph! It was so funny to watch him.
Brenda and I sometimes got jealous of each other over our Papa and would squabble about it verbally. He likes me better, Nope he likes me better!!
We had an older cousin who we thought was mean and honery, which he was. He would go up behind Papa and goose him and scare Papa, well we didn't like that at all. No siree! Sure wasn't a bit funny to us or anyone else except his Mama. He was 15 and his Mama's baby. Spoiled rotten and everyone knew it and avoided him. Well Brenda and I had had a couple of run ins with him already and we were tired of him pestering our Papa. That big spoiled Mama's baby was even more jumpy than Papa so it wasn't hard to get him. And By george we got him good. YEP!
That big baby was scared of the dark and we knew it. He was at Brenda's house one night and Brenda and I were at my house and the time was right. We knew he would have to come out to go to the toilet sooner or later so we told Mama we were going to Brendas for a while. We walked on out there and sat down behind the toilet. Several others came out. Finally he came out. His Mama (our Aunt) came on the back porch to wait on him. The big old baby kept looking back to see if his Mama was still there and tripped. Down he went and we had to bite our tongues to keep from giggling and alerting him. It was so funny watching that almost 6ft. baby wallering there on the ground and his Mama saying, Oh! Oh! My goodness are you OK? But we waited quietly. When he got in the toilet we heard him latch the door and this was it. We took sticks and racked them up and down on the toilet and groaned a ghostly groan, OOOooooooOOOOO! My gosh we heard him scramblin around in there, heard some bumps and umps, and whimperin'. Then we heard MMAAMMAA!!! Our Aunt was hollering Oh My Oh My are you Ok as she ran toward the toilet and believe it or not she cane tumblin' down to the ground too. We could hear him trying to open the door. Guess he forgot he had it latched. He was shrieking now and so was our Aunt. Everyone came running out of Brenda's house and Brenda and I took off for my house. We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe and run at the same time so had to stop down the lane a few minutes. We ran on in my house and Mama asked what the commotion was. Oh ------, just locked hisself in the toilet was all we said.
Next day I'm sure my Mama and Daddy figured out what had happened when they heard the story, but they just smiled and never said a word. HE HE Great Parents YEP!!
Papa was my Daddies Dad, my Grandpa. He was quiet an old gentleman. He was just full of tricks. He didn't like anyone not being up with the chickens working . Everyone called him Papa even his kids.
Papa could not hear at all. You would have to get down close to his ear and cup your hands and holler for him to know what you were saying. He smoked a pipe, dipped snuff, and chewed tobacco each morning in that order after he ate breakfast. It was quiet a production to watch him as he went through the same ritual morning and evening. He would never get on to us but he talked loud enough that we heard him telling our Parents what they should do to us. My Grandma had died when my Daddy was only a few months old so Daddy never knew her. I am told I look like her. She was Cherokee.
Papa loved to watch TV. I was 14 when we got our first little black and white set. We only got one, sometimes two channels. Papa could not hear a word but you would have thought he could. He got such a kick out of the Red Skelton show. Would laugh till he had tears running down. That was easy to do with Red Skelton. When someone would come up behind Red and goose him, Papa would jump and say. umph! It was so funny to watch him.
Brenda and I sometimes got jealous of each other over our Papa and would squabble about it verbally. He likes me better, Nope he likes me better!!
We had an older cousin who we thought was mean and honery, which he was. He would go up behind Papa and goose him and scare Papa, well we didn't like that at all. No siree! Sure wasn't a bit funny to us or anyone else except his Mama. He was 15 and his Mama's baby. Spoiled rotten and everyone knew it and avoided him. Well Brenda and I had had a couple of run ins with him already and we were tired of him pestering our Papa. That big spoiled Mama's baby was even more jumpy than Papa so it wasn't hard to get him. And By george we got him good. YEP!
That big baby was scared of the dark and we knew it. He was at Brenda's house one night and Brenda and I were at my house and the time was right. We knew he would have to come out to go to the toilet sooner or later so we told Mama we were going to Brendas for a while. We walked on out there and sat down behind the toilet. Several others came out. Finally he came out. His Mama (our Aunt) came on the back porch to wait on him. The big old baby kept looking back to see if his Mama was still there and tripped. Down he went and we had to bite our tongues to keep from giggling and alerting him. It was so funny watching that almost 6ft. baby wallering there on the ground and his Mama saying, Oh! Oh! My goodness are you OK? But we waited quietly. When he got in the toilet we heard him latch the door and this was it. We took sticks and racked them up and down on the toilet and groaned a ghostly groan, OOOooooooOOOOO! My gosh we heard him scramblin around in there, heard some bumps and umps, and whimperin'. Then we heard MMAAMMAA!!! Our Aunt was hollering Oh My Oh My are you Ok as she ran toward the toilet and believe it or not she cane tumblin' down to the ground too. We could hear him trying to open the door. Guess he forgot he had it latched. He was shrieking now and so was our Aunt. Everyone came running out of Brenda's house and Brenda and I took off for my house. We laughed so hard we couldn't breathe and run at the same time so had to stop down the lane a few minutes. We ran on in my house and Mama asked what the commotion was. Oh ------, just locked hisself in the toilet was all we said.
Next day I'm sure my Mama and Daddy figured out what had happened when they heard the story, but they just smiled and never said a word. HE HE Great Parents YEP!!
MY GRANDMA
1-15-09...MY GRANDMA
Grandpa died when I was eight and I was the only Grandchild that he ever saw. Grandma came from California to Arkansas to live with us. I know now how selfish I was. As far as I was concerned she was in the way. I had to sleep with her and I hated that. Grandma had a gruff voice that scared some babies. She was a huge woman. 250# and only 5'3. Quiet a sight. Of course I loved my Grandma but I didn't know her well. Hadn't seen her a lot till she came to live with us.
I thought she was too bossy, thought she was too big, etc. Mama shamed me for it and I would keep my smart mouth in check for a while then I would get aggravated again.
Grandma didn't have anything but the big box of her things that were shipped from California. She lived with us and that was that. Another mouth to feed, more clothes to buy, etc. I never heard anyone say a word in complaint. That was the way of it then. No Nursing homes, no welfare, no help. Families took care of their own.
Grandma worked though. She cleaned, she cooked and canned, drew water, just anything else there was to do she was there helping.
My fondest and best memory of my Grandma was sitting in a rocker sewing. I can still see her there. She had a cardboard box sitting by her chair, along with a paper sack. The box contained all her scraps, the sack contained what she was working on that day. She embroidered such beautiful things and made pretty doilies that she cold starched and ironed up just so frilly. She even made our clothes, sheets and bedding. We covered in the quilts she made. But still I got aggravated with her from time to time even all the while being ashamed of myself.
Grandma had problems. Now I know it was diverticulitis because I have it too. Then it was a nuisance. Grandma was in the old one seater toilet a lot of the time when I wanted to go. She rolled and smoked cigarettes. Used a bobbi pin to hold it so none was wasted. I was mad about having to wait and then the smell in there was horrible what with that nasty smoke combined with whatever else.
I went out to the toilet one day when Grandma was in there. I thought Heck fire she's just sittin' there smoking cause Mama didn't like the smoke either. I'll scare the tar outta' her. YEP! I'll sure show her. I caught me a lizzard and threw it in a crack on the side of the toilet. It landed in her lap. Now Grandma wasn't afraid of lizzards but it startled her when it fell on her and she came outta that toilet in a hurry. I was prepared to giggle my head off but Grandma stumbled and turned her ankle. Heck I tried my durdnest not to laugh but there stood Grandma with her back to me and she mooned me when she bent to retrieve her panties that were around her ankles. I got tickled again and couldn't stop. I saw Grandma was hurting. I was saying, giggle, giggle, I'm sorry Grandma, giggle, giggle, let me help you. giggle, giggle!!! Well my gruff Grandma got tickled too. Here we were standing outside the toilet with Grandma's britches down just gigglin our heads off and crying at the same time when Mama saw us and came running. Giggle, giggle, Mama I need a Giggle . giggle whipping I cried.
We got Grandma to the house and through my Grandma's protest I sure nuff got my tanning. Yep! Grandma and I were still laughin' and Mama got frustrated with us and walked away. It was in the evening before we both settled down enough to tell Mama what had happened. She said she knew I had done something. Grandma soaked her ankle and it never swelled up just hurt a little she said. Later when I realized that I had "Asked" for a tannin' it somehow made me feel good. I needed it and guess I wanted it. Oh I was learnin' fast the right of things. Yep!
Over the next few days I really got to know my Grandma. I loved her before but it was a deeper love now because I also knew and understood her. That was Great!!! Yep!
Grandpa died when I was eight and I was the only Grandchild that he ever saw. Grandma came from California to Arkansas to live with us. I know now how selfish I was. As far as I was concerned she was in the way. I had to sleep with her and I hated that. Grandma had a gruff voice that scared some babies. She was a huge woman. 250# and only 5'3. Quiet a sight. Of course I loved my Grandma but I didn't know her well. Hadn't seen her a lot till she came to live with us.
I thought she was too bossy, thought she was too big, etc. Mama shamed me for it and I would keep my smart mouth in check for a while then I would get aggravated again.
Grandma didn't have anything but the big box of her things that were shipped from California. She lived with us and that was that. Another mouth to feed, more clothes to buy, etc. I never heard anyone say a word in complaint. That was the way of it then. No Nursing homes, no welfare, no help. Families took care of their own.
Grandma worked though. She cleaned, she cooked and canned, drew water, just anything else there was to do she was there helping.
My fondest and best memory of my Grandma was sitting in a rocker sewing. I can still see her there. She had a cardboard box sitting by her chair, along with a paper sack. The box contained all her scraps, the sack contained what she was working on that day. She embroidered such beautiful things and made pretty doilies that she cold starched and ironed up just so frilly. She even made our clothes, sheets and bedding. We covered in the quilts she made. But still I got aggravated with her from time to time even all the while being ashamed of myself.
Grandma had problems. Now I know it was diverticulitis because I have it too. Then it was a nuisance. Grandma was in the old one seater toilet a lot of the time when I wanted to go. She rolled and smoked cigarettes. Used a bobbi pin to hold it so none was wasted. I was mad about having to wait and then the smell in there was horrible what with that nasty smoke combined with whatever else.
I went out to the toilet one day when Grandma was in there. I thought Heck fire she's just sittin' there smoking cause Mama didn't like the smoke either. I'll scare the tar outta' her. YEP! I'll sure show her. I caught me a lizzard and threw it in a crack on the side of the toilet. It landed in her lap. Now Grandma wasn't afraid of lizzards but it startled her when it fell on her and she came outta that toilet in a hurry. I was prepared to giggle my head off but Grandma stumbled and turned her ankle. Heck I tried my durdnest not to laugh but there stood Grandma with her back to me and she mooned me when she bent to retrieve her panties that were around her ankles. I got tickled again and couldn't stop. I saw Grandma was hurting. I was saying, giggle, giggle, I'm sorry Grandma, giggle, giggle, let me help you. giggle, giggle!!! Well my gruff Grandma got tickled too. Here we were standing outside the toilet with Grandma's britches down just gigglin our heads off and crying at the same time when Mama saw us and came running. Giggle, giggle, Mama I need a Giggle . giggle whipping I cried.
We got Grandma to the house and through my Grandma's protest I sure nuff got my tanning. Yep! Grandma and I were still laughin' and Mama got frustrated with us and walked away. It was in the evening before we both settled down enough to tell Mama what had happened. She said she knew I had done something. Grandma soaked her ankle and it never swelled up just hurt a little she said. Later when I realized that I had "Asked" for a tannin' it somehow made me feel good. I needed it and guess I wanted it. Oh I was learnin' fast the right of things. Yep!
Over the next few days I really got to know my Grandma. I loved her before but it was a deeper love now because I also knew and understood her. That was Great!!! Yep!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
BLACKBERRY PICKING
1-13-09...BLACKBERRY PICKING
We used to pick the wild blackberries that grew thick along the fence between the garden and the railroad track. Every evening after supper we all lined up and filled buckets. They were plentiful but so were the big wasp nests just covered with big ol' red wasps. Now let me tell you those darn things were mean. They would chase you to get to sting you. The boys were too little this particular time so it was My Parents Me And Brenda. Of course we were not doing much work. I suspect they had us with them to keep an eye on us. We kinda got sidetracked as usual. We poured what berries we had picked in to one bucket and took turns sitting on the other bucket. Well that got old fast. We knew we'd better stay close to my parents so what the heck could we do sides' pick berries. We decided we might as well pick some more and both picked into one bucket for a while.
We were going on pretty good till a wasp started buzzin' round' our heads. We spied a big ol' nest in the vines and decided to knock that sucker to kingdom come. Yep, we sure did! We found some rocks along the edge of the garden and took turns throwing them at the wasp nest. Daddy'll be glad we got these rocks outta his garden was my thinking. We didn't have very good aim and we were just makin' them' wasp mad I guess. I took my turn at throwing and decided to get a little closer this time. It was becoming a game of wills. We both wanted to be the one who knocked the nest down. Brenda was ready with her rock and she threw it before I got backed up enough. By Golly she knocked the nest down, and the race was on. Those things came outta' there like a bomb. I was still close so guess who they nailed first. Yep ME!!! I turned to run and hit head on with Brenda who was standing there proud of herself for knocking the wasp nest. We both were knocked backwards by the force of the hit. Brenda went on the ground and I landed in the bucket of blackberries. I can still feel myself sinking down in there, squashing berries as I went. For some reason the wasp went after Brenda instead of me. She was tearin' out across the garden screamin' with my parents following saying "What's wrong" I guess they figerered' out what is was cause' I saw them slappin' and jumpin' around swattin' off the wasps. Well I got the giggles. I started to get up and found out I was stuck tight in that bucket of berries. No way, no how, could I get up and I had laughed so hard I peed in my 'britches'? Well really I peed in the bucket of smashed berries. Oh My gosh, now what. Brenda, Mama, and Daddy were fightin' wasp and here I am stuck in a bucket of berries. Good Grief!!! I got tickled again but it didn't last long when I looked and saw a few wasp seemed to be comin' back where I was. At the same time Daddy started back to get me. Well let me tell you I got up then bucket and all and duck walked to meet Daddy. He picked me up bucket and all and started toward the house. The bucket jarred loose and hit the ground spillin' those smushed' up berries. Off we went and the wasp decided to stay with the berries saving us any more indignities from stings. We all had a bath with rubbin' alcohol poured in the tub. Course I had to be cleaned a little more than the rest cause' I had a purple butt! Did we ever try and knock a wasp nest down again? Well Sure we did. YEP!!! Just made sure our parents were not around. Didn't want them stung again. NOPE!!!
We used to pick the wild blackberries that grew thick along the fence between the garden and the railroad track. Every evening after supper we all lined up and filled buckets. They were plentiful but so were the big wasp nests just covered with big ol' red wasps. Now let me tell you those darn things were mean. They would chase you to get to sting you. The boys were too little this particular time so it was My Parents Me And Brenda. Of course we were not doing much work. I suspect they had us with them to keep an eye on us. We kinda got sidetracked as usual. We poured what berries we had picked in to one bucket and took turns sitting on the other bucket. Well that got old fast. We knew we'd better stay close to my parents so what the heck could we do sides' pick berries. We decided we might as well pick some more and both picked into one bucket for a while.
We were going on pretty good till a wasp started buzzin' round' our heads. We spied a big ol' nest in the vines and decided to knock that sucker to kingdom come. Yep, we sure did! We found some rocks along the edge of the garden and took turns throwing them at the wasp nest. Daddy'll be glad we got these rocks outta his garden was my thinking. We didn't have very good aim and we were just makin' them' wasp mad I guess. I took my turn at throwing and decided to get a little closer this time. It was becoming a game of wills. We both wanted to be the one who knocked the nest down. Brenda was ready with her rock and she threw it before I got backed up enough. By Golly she knocked the nest down, and the race was on. Those things came outta' there like a bomb. I was still close so guess who they nailed first. Yep ME!!! I turned to run and hit head on with Brenda who was standing there proud of herself for knocking the wasp nest. We both were knocked backwards by the force of the hit. Brenda went on the ground and I landed in the bucket of blackberries. I can still feel myself sinking down in there, squashing berries as I went. For some reason the wasp went after Brenda instead of me. She was tearin' out across the garden screamin' with my parents following saying "What's wrong" I guess they figerered' out what is was cause' I saw them slappin' and jumpin' around swattin' off the wasps. Well I got the giggles. I started to get up and found out I was stuck tight in that bucket of berries. No way, no how, could I get up and I had laughed so hard I peed in my 'britches'? Well really I peed in the bucket of smashed berries. Oh My gosh, now what. Brenda, Mama, and Daddy were fightin' wasp and here I am stuck in a bucket of berries. Good Grief!!! I got tickled again but it didn't last long when I looked and saw a few wasp seemed to be comin' back where I was. At the same time Daddy started back to get me. Well let me tell you I got up then bucket and all and duck walked to meet Daddy. He picked me up bucket and all and started toward the house. The bucket jarred loose and hit the ground spillin' those smushed' up berries. Off we went and the wasp decided to stay with the berries saving us any more indignities from stings. We all had a bath with rubbin' alcohol poured in the tub. Course I had to be cleaned a little more than the rest cause' I had a purple butt! Did we ever try and knock a wasp nest down again? Well Sure we did. YEP!!! Just made sure our parents were not around. Didn't want them stung again. NOPE!!!
THE TATTLETALE
1-12-09...THE TATTLETAIL
I had never realized how very Blessed I was until I started to school and became more aware of my surroundings. I learned very young that it is not 'stuff' that you have but the 'stuff' in your heart that really counts. That was a lesson I learned at home and how was I to know that everyone didn't know it. HUH?
I've always heard that kids can be so cruel. Well that is not necessarily so. It is what you learn as you are growing up that shapes your character. I learned from wise wonderful people, my parents, my Pastor, and other family and friends that we were close to. Not everyone I was to come in contact with had the privilege of that.
Yes kids could be nasty which I very quickly found out. When I'd go home telling my experiences my Parents would say to me "Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, Don't judge a book by it's cover, when others are talking about someone always find something good to say about them" . What can I say Mama? Well just anything say what a pretty blouse she has on, or how pretty her hair is. Well there was this one girl that just irked me out. My friends and I were talking one day at recess and she walked by. Her clothes were ragged and dirty. I said Oh what a pretty blouse she has on!!! My friends looked at me like I had two heads. Coulda' been cause she had a dress on and no blouse in sight. Thing is it kept them from talking about her at that moment. Hey it works I thought.
But now it is a differer story when you are the one being rediculed. There was a girl who started making fun of me and my parents advice went by the wayside for a spell. YEP! Hey this was different. I didn't tell my parents about this and later I wished I had because they would have helped me handle it in a better way.
She had pretty frilly clothes, always had a nickel to spend at the candy store, and was a little snot nose as far as I was concerned. It was raining one day and I came to school with a bread sack over my head like a head scarf. Now I thought it was pretty. Mamma cut it open and it tied under my chin. On the wrapper was red, yellow, and blue balloons. I thought I was up-town now. The cats Meow!!!! When I proudly wore it on the bus she said, "Well look at the poor little hillbilly Clydene, can't even afford a real rain coat". Tears welled up in my eyes but also red fire mad welled up inside me. I looked at Brenda and saw a mirror of what my face must look like. I whispered to Brenda, "We are gonna get her! Yep Brenda answered. And get her we did!!! Both got spankings in school and again at home but by golly we shut that little smart elec up good!!!
Now we never intended to hurt the little snot nose but it happened that we did. JUST A LITTLE He he.
What we decided to do was take her goofy ol' raincoat and hide it from her. We didn't have cloak rooms in our little school. We had to hang all our coats in the hall on hooks. We watched where she hung that ol' raincoat and hung our coats over it. We planned to get to it before she did at recess and take it out with us. Which we did. So far so good. Someone saw us get the durn' thing and told her, she told the Teacher and the jig was up!! We were on the playground just giggling and feeling proud of ourselves as we watched for her to come out without her raincoat, gettin' all wet and we were gonna holler, look at stupid ol' _ _ _ _ _! Cant afford a raincoat. She did come out but she had on a pretty rain hat and the teacher was waiting on the porch, (without Her rain hat). She ran up to us and was gonna' snatch the raincoat gutta'' our hands. "Teacher said come right there, she said. Well of course we were stubborn and wasn't a gonna turn lose of the darn thing. It ripped and she went berserk. She flew at us and we were too fast for her. One of us threw the raincoat over her head and spun her around. She stumbled and fell face down and busted her lip and the howl was on! She kept thrashing around there on the ground and succeeded in ripping the raincoat and her stupid arm. We were laughing till we saw the Teacher comin' tward' us and figured we'd better just be quiet and sweet as we could. Didn't help, still got spanked at school and again at home. Heck fire anyhow! She was just a spoiled brat. It wouldn't a hurt us. She was just one of those snooty little girls that couldn't take it. YEP!!!
I had never realized how very Blessed I was until I started to school and became more aware of my surroundings. I learned very young that it is not 'stuff' that you have but the 'stuff' in your heart that really counts. That was a lesson I learned at home and how was I to know that everyone didn't know it. HUH?
I've always heard that kids can be so cruel. Well that is not necessarily so. It is what you learn as you are growing up that shapes your character. I learned from wise wonderful people, my parents, my Pastor, and other family and friends that we were close to. Not everyone I was to come in contact with had the privilege of that.
Yes kids could be nasty which I very quickly found out. When I'd go home telling my experiences my Parents would say to me "Always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, Don't judge a book by it's cover, when others are talking about someone always find something good to say about them" . What can I say Mama? Well just anything say what a pretty blouse she has on, or how pretty her hair is. Well there was this one girl that just irked me out. My friends and I were talking one day at recess and she walked by. Her clothes were ragged and dirty. I said Oh what a pretty blouse she has on!!! My friends looked at me like I had two heads. Coulda' been cause she had a dress on and no blouse in sight. Thing is it kept them from talking about her at that moment. Hey it works I thought.
But now it is a differer story when you are the one being rediculed. There was a girl who started making fun of me and my parents advice went by the wayside for a spell. YEP! Hey this was different. I didn't tell my parents about this and later I wished I had because they would have helped me handle it in a better way.
She had pretty frilly clothes, always had a nickel to spend at the candy store, and was a little snot nose as far as I was concerned. It was raining one day and I came to school with a bread sack over my head like a head scarf. Now I thought it was pretty. Mamma cut it open and it tied under my chin. On the wrapper was red, yellow, and blue balloons. I thought I was up-town now. The cats Meow!!!! When I proudly wore it on the bus she said, "Well look at the poor little hillbilly Clydene, can't even afford a real rain coat". Tears welled up in my eyes but also red fire mad welled up inside me. I looked at Brenda and saw a mirror of what my face must look like. I whispered to Brenda, "We are gonna get her! Yep Brenda answered. And get her we did!!! Both got spankings in school and again at home but by golly we shut that little smart elec up good!!!
Now we never intended to hurt the little snot nose but it happened that we did. JUST A LITTLE He he.
What we decided to do was take her goofy ol' raincoat and hide it from her. We didn't have cloak rooms in our little school. We had to hang all our coats in the hall on hooks. We watched where she hung that ol' raincoat and hung our coats over it. We planned to get to it before she did at recess and take it out with us. Which we did. So far so good. Someone saw us get the durn' thing and told her, she told the Teacher and the jig was up!! We were on the playground just giggling and feeling proud of ourselves as we watched for her to come out without her raincoat, gettin' all wet and we were gonna holler, look at stupid ol' _ _ _ _ _! Cant afford a raincoat. She did come out but she had on a pretty rain hat and the teacher was waiting on the porch, (without Her rain hat). She ran up to us and was gonna' snatch the raincoat gutta'' our hands. "Teacher said come right there, she said. Well of course we were stubborn and wasn't a gonna turn lose of the darn thing. It ripped and she went berserk. She flew at us and we were too fast for her. One of us threw the raincoat over her head and spun her around. She stumbled and fell face down and busted her lip and the howl was on! She kept thrashing around there on the ground and succeeded in ripping the raincoat and her stupid arm. We were laughing till we saw the Teacher comin' tward' us and figured we'd better just be quiet and sweet as we could. Didn't help, still got spanked at school and again at home. Heck fire anyhow! She was just a spoiled brat. It wouldn't a hurt us. She was just one of those snooty little girls that couldn't take it. YEP!!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
CHOCOLATE PUDDIN'
1-9-09...CHOCOLATE PUDDIN'
This little caper was brought to my memory yesterday and I have been pondering on it. Brenda and I played in a thicket between our homes. It was rather a special place to us. Secretive we thought. We had made a playhouse of sorts. Made a table from boards sitting on a 5 gal. bucket. Had chairs out of more buckets. We pretended we had parties. Elegant affairs if I can say so myself. Very few ever got invited to our 'parties' either.
Brenda's older sister liked to aggravate us of course. Don't all older siblings do that? She would show up and we'd chase her away. If she didn't leave we'd 'Tell on her' and let my Auntie take care of her. She would come without us knowing sometimes and listen to our childish prattle, as we served 'tea' to our imaginary guests. Then she would laugh at us and tell everyone how"SILLY" we were. Boy I tell you she could get our claws out fast. That is the reason when she showed up one day with our 'dinner' on a tray we were really flabbergasted. Didn't know what to think. There were two sandwiches. (Auntie had sent them) We had our mugs of tea. (Water). Also on the tray was a big bowl of Chocolate puddin'. Just off the stove she said. all creamy and yummy lookin'. We were still not trusting her very far though. Nope. We knew her well. Yep! She would do anything to get us mad. We inspected the sandwiches real good. But not the puddin'.!! We knew dessert was not to be eaten till last. She had a sandwich too and we decided to let her eat with us. Boy, now wasn't she being nice today. We couldn't hardly believe it. Shouldn't have believed it!! Nope! Sure shouldn't have!!
We all ate our sandwiches. I can't remember what kind they were now. Didn't much matter then either. We were eager to get in to that chocolate puddin'. Yummy our favorite!!!
She had brought two spoons from the house. "Aint you gonna eat no puddin" we asked. "Naw, I brought that for you". Heck fire we had never seen her so sweet. "You will have to eat outta the bowl", she said. Heck that was OK with us.
We both dug our spoons in. "What are those lumps" we asked. "Oh it probably just has a few lunps in it, wont hurt nuthin" she said. The anticipation was gettin' the best of us so we put a big bite in our mouths at the same time. Spit, Splutter, gag, OH MY GOSH!!! What is that? She started gigglin' her head off. I mean she was outta breath from gigglin'. We still didn't know what she had fed us but we knew it was not edible and our claws were out big time!!! One of us, or maybe both, can't remember, threw that bowl of chocolate, whatever it was, right in her face and it rolled down all over her. We ran to tell on her but she got there first. "Mama look what they did to me" she whinned. "What in the world is that stinkin' stuff" my Auntie asked. Heck we didn't know what it was. "She told us it was Chocolate puddin Auntie" I said. Well Auntie knew what it was. "Did you girls eat this"? She asked. "We just took one bite and we spit it out Mama" Brenda said.
Auntie looked at big Sister and started laughin'. Well Heck Fire, What is she laughin' for we thought. We were madder n' hornets. Sure wasn't funny to us.
Auntie only laughed for a few seconds and she turned deadly serious. "You two go in the house and wash out your mouthes real good" Which we were glad to do. From the back porch we could hear Auntie light in to older sister. "You deserve that horse manure (Auntie called it what it was) in your face and you can wear it for a while." "But Mama" she started. "NO BUTS. You get out there on the grass and sit there for one hour". "NO Mama, please let me wash off". "NO, not till I say you can, now do as I say".
Well now we knew what we had eat a bite of and we did some gagging of our own. Auntie gave us a glass of kool-aide and a cookie. We basked in our glory as we watched big sister sit out there with horse manure dryin' on her. YEP!! She just hadn't outta' done that! NOPE!!!
This little caper was brought to my memory yesterday and I have been pondering on it. Brenda and I played in a thicket between our homes. It was rather a special place to us. Secretive we thought. We had made a playhouse of sorts. Made a table from boards sitting on a 5 gal. bucket. Had chairs out of more buckets. We pretended we had parties. Elegant affairs if I can say so myself. Very few ever got invited to our 'parties' either.
Brenda's older sister liked to aggravate us of course. Don't all older siblings do that? She would show up and we'd chase her away. If she didn't leave we'd 'Tell on her' and let my Auntie take care of her. She would come without us knowing sometimes and listen to our childish prattle, as we served 'tea' to our imaginary guests. Then she would laugh at us and tell everyone how"SILLY" we were. Boy I tell you she could get our claws out fast. That is the reason when she showed up one day with our 'dinner' on a tray we were really flabbergasted. Didn't know what to think. There were two sandwiches. (Auntie had sent them) We had our mugs of tea. (Water). Also on the tray was a big bowl of Chocolate puddin'. Just off the stove she said. all creamy and yummy lookin'. We were still not trusting her very far though. Nope. We knew her well. Yep! She would do anything to get us mad. We inspected the sandwiches real good. But not the puddin'.!! We knew dessert was not to be eaten till last. She had a sandwich too and we decided to let her eat with us. Boy, now wasn't she being nice today. We couldn't hardly believe it. Shouldn't have believed it!! Nope! Sure shouldn't have!!
We all ate our sandwiches. I can't remember what kind they were now. Didn't much matter then either. We were eager to get in to that chocolate puddin'. Yummy our favorite!!!
She had brought two spoons from the house. "Aint you gonna eat no puddin" we asked. "Naw, I brought that for you". Heck fire we had never seen her so sweet. "You will have to eat outta the bowl", she said. Heck that was OK with us.
We both dug our spoons in. "What are those lumps" we asked. "Oh it probably just has a few lunps in it, wont hurt nuthin" she said. The anticipation was gettin' the best of us so we put a big bite in our mouths at the same time. Spit, Splutter, gag, OH MY GOSH!!! What is that? She started gigglin' her head off. I mean she was outta breath from gigglin'. We still didn't know what she had fed us but we knew it was not edible and our claws were out big time!!! One of us, or maybe both, can't remember, threw that bowl of chocolate, whatever it was, right in her face and it rolled down all over her. We ran to tell on her but she got there first. "Mama look what they did to me" she whinned. "What in the world is that stinkin' stuff" my Auntie asked. Heck we didn't know what it was. "She told us it was Chocolate puddin Auntie" I said. Well Auntie knew what it was. "Did you girls eat this"? She asked. "We just took one bite and we spit it out Mama" Brenda said.
Auntie looked at big Sister and started laughin'. Well Heck Fire, What is she laughin' for we thought. We were madder n' hornets. Sure wasn't funny to us.
Auntie only laughed for a few seconds and she turned deadly serious. "You two go in the house and wash out your mouthes real good" Which we were glad to do. From the back porch we could hear Auntie light in to older sister. "You deserve that horse manure (Auntie called it what it was) in your face and you can wear it for a while." "But Mama" she started. "NO BUTS. You get out there on the grass and sit there for one hour". "NO Mama, please let me wash off". "NO, not till I say you can, now do as I say".
Well now we knew what we had eat a bite of and we did some gagging of our own. Auntie gave us a glass of kool-aide and a cookie. We basked in our glory as we watched big sister sit out there with horse manure dryin' on her. YEP!! She just hadn't outta' done that! NOPE!!!
THE 'SNIPE' HUNT
1-8-09...THE 'SNIPE' HUNT
I was remembering the time Norman and Paul put fish in the well, then proceeded to put my cat in there so he could eat the fish. Oh My Goodness, these boys were learning fast. But Brenda and I never did anything like that, and the Boys never did again either! They said they thought the cat could eat the fish then crawl out. The fish and the cat of course died and a while later the smell was horrible. Daddy had to draw the well dry and let it fill back up several times to take care of that problem. It was just an old well that went dry and we did not use anyway. But Heck Fire!!! Daddy finally capped the well off with concrete.
They didn't like my cat. One day he was off up the road and came home with a tin can tied to his tail. He was scared to death and ran under the house. Brenda and I crawled under there to rescue him but the poor thing was so scared we couldn't touch him. Now Brenda and I were honery but those boys!!! They were double honery I tell you!!
We all did things together too. Like catching june bugs and tying a long string of thread to one of their legs. We turned it loose and it would fly as far as the thread reached then come back. We were convinced the bug loved us and wanted to stay with us. We all did that but we turned the bug loose without hurting it very bad I suspect.
Summers were long and hot but they were magical to us. So much to do and see. We could all walk over to Hall Parks little store (about a mile I think) and just have a great time. If we had a nickle we bought penny candy, or maybe a pop sicle that melted before we could eat it all usually. Sometimes we all didn't have a nickle. Then we would share. If no one had a nickle that was OK too. It was just so much fun to walk over there.
We also all got our turn at 'snipe' huntin'. Bigger kids took younger ones on these 'hunts' down in the pasture, through the trees, bushes, and briars. They said the 'snipe' only came out just at dark so we had to be there at just the right time.
What is a 'snipe'? we asked when it was our turn to go. Oh we can't tell you they said but you will like them. How do we catch em' we asked. Well you get a big paper sack, and get you a stick. You stand in the woods and beat on your sack with the stick. The 'snipes' will hear it and they will come and jump in your sack. It might help if you holler, Cum'mer' snipes. Well heck that sounded easy nuff'. OK Lets Go!!! I know now that there were lots of instructions from our parents and also a threat if those instructions were not followed.
We climbed over the barbed wire fence and walked quietly down amoung the trees. It was dark but I think we all had cat eyes back then and we also knew every rock on the trail. Now be real quiet and listen we were instructed. HEAR THAT? I don't hear a thing we all whispered. Thats cause you don't know what a 'snipe' sounds like was our answer. There they are! Get ready! Now!!! Man we started beatin them sacks and hollerin' cum'mer' snipes!!!
Now the jist of it was while we were beatin' and hollerin' the older kids would take off and leave us there. We were supposed to be scared spitless then they would come get us. YEP!!! They just hadn't counted on our team out smartin' em'. Nope! Shoulda known, but they were not as smart as they thought they were. HECK NO!!!
We were beatin and hollerin and didn't know they had left but I told you we had cat eyes. When we spotted them off in the trees with big smiles on their faces we caught on. Well Brenda and I caught on. We had been told to stand right there and not move or the 'snipes' wouldn't come. We whispered and made up our plan while we kept beating. Slowly we started moving forward. We'd beat and holler a while then we'd move forward a little. Well those smart elecs didn't seem to know what to do. Without them knowing it we watched them. They were talking amoung themselves and decided they'd better follow us. Well That is what we counted on. There were four of us and only two of them so we had em'.
The boys sneaked to the side a little at a time. We started runnin' now to get ahead of the big kids. When we couldn't see them then we knew they couldn't see us. All this time Brenda and I were still beatin' and hollerin'. When we had veered off to the side enough we got real quiet and watched for them. Here they came and we knew they were scared they'd lost us. They started calling us. "Where are you"? Come on, we gotta go". Where are they? do ya think they went to the creek? Oh my gosh we better find um'. Oh My Oh My"!!! They were gettin' loud now so we just made our way back up to the house ans waited. We were sitting at the kitchen table gigglin' when they came thunderin up on the front porch. "Mama' we lost the kids, we can't find um' nowhere, they drowned for sure". They were cryin' and splutterin' just scared outta their gourds. We sneaked out the back and came around to the front and saw them there on the porch with Auntie. They were ringin' their hands and snot was flyin'. The four of us sneaked up behind em' and we all grabbed them and hollered, CUM'MER 'snipes'. Wooopppeee!!! One of them wet her pants, I thought the other one was gonna' pass out.!! Now They Were Scared so bad they couldn't even talk. We four laughed so hard we wet our pants. At least I know I did. Auntie was laughin' too. Boy Howdy We got em' good that time. Wheee! That was fun. There was never another 'snipe hunt' though. No more little ones for us to take, durn it!!!
We had so much fun down there by the RR Track on that dead end road. Love, Laughter, and Blessings really were overflowing in those good ol' days. YEP!!
I was remembering the time Norman and Paul put fish in the well, then proceeded to put my cat in there so he could eat the fish. Oh My Goodness, these boys were learning fast. But Brenda and I never did anything like that, and the Boys never did again either! They said they thought the cat could eat the fish then crawl out. The fish and the cat of course died and a while later the smell was horrible. Daddy had to draw the well dry and let it fill back up several times to take care of that problem. It was just an old well that went dry and we did not use anyway. But Heck Fire!!! Daddy finally capped the well off with concrete.
They didn't like my cat. One day he was off up the road and came home with a tin can tied to his tail. He was scared to death and ran under the house. Brenda and I crawled under there to rescue him but the poor thing was so scared we couldn't touch him. Now Brenda and I were honery but those boys!!! They were double honery I tell you!!
We all did things together too. Like catching june bugs and tying a long string of thread to one of their legs. We turned it loose and it would fly as far as the thread reached then come back. We were convinced the bug loved us and wanted to stay with us. We all did that but we turned the bug loose without hurting it very bad I suspect.
Summers were long and hot but they were magical to us. So much to do and see. We could all walk over to Hall Parks little store (about a mile I think) and just have a great time. If we had a nickle we bought penny candy, or maybe a pop sicle that melted before we could eat it all usually. Sometimes we all didn't have a nickle. Then we would share. If no one had a nickle that was OK too. It was just so much fun to walk over there.
We also all got our turn at 'snipe' huntin'. Bigger kids took younger ones on these 'hunts' down in the pasture, through the trees, bushes, and briars. They said the 'snipe' only came out just at dark so we had to be there at just the right time.
What is a 'snipe'? we asked when it was our turn to go. Oh we can't tell you they said but you will like them. How do we catch em' we asked. Well you get a big paper sack, and get you a stick. You stand in the woods and beat on your sack with the stick. The 'snipes' will hear it and they will come and jump in your sack. It might help if you holler, Cum'mer' snipes. Well heck that sounded easy nuff'. OK Lets Go!!! I know now that there were lots of instructions from our parents and also a threat if those instructions were not followed.
We climbed over the barbed wire fence and walked quietly down amoung the trees. It was dark but I think we all had cat eyes back then and we also knew every rock on the trail. Now be real quiet and listen we were instructed. HEAR THAT? I don't hear a thing we all whispered. Thats cause you don't know what a 'snipe' sounds like was our answer. There they are! Get ready! Now!!! Man we started beatin them sacks and hollerin' cum'mer' snipes!!!
Now the jist of it was while we were beatin' and hollerin' the older kids would take off and leave us there. We were supposed to be scared spitless then they would come get us. YEP!!! They just hadn't counted on our team out smartin' em'. Nope! Shoulda known, but they were not as smart as they thought they were. HECK NO!!!
We were beatin and hollerin and didn't know they had left but I told you we had cat eyes. When we spotted them off in the trees with big smiles on their faces we caught on. Well Brenda and I caught on. We had been told to stand right there and not move or the 'snipes' wouldn't come. We whispered and made up our plan while we kept beating. Slowly we started moving forward. We'd beat and holler a while then we'd move forward a little. Well those smart elecs didn't seem to know what to do. Without them knowing it we watched them. They were talking amoung themselves and decided they'd better follow us. Well That is what we counted on. There were four of us and only two of them so we had em'.
The boys sneaked to the side a little at a time. We started runnin' now to get ahead of the big kids. When we couldn't see them then we knew they couldn't see us. All this time Brenda and I were still beatin' and hollerin'. When we had veered off to the side enough we got real quiet and watched for them. Here they came and we knew they were scared they'd lost us. They started calling us. "Where are you"? Come on, we gotta go". Where are they? do ya think they went to the creek? Oh my gosh we better find um'. Oh My Oh My"!!! They were gettin' loud now so we just made our way back up to the house ans waited. We were sitting at the kitchen table gigglin' when they came thunderin up on the front porch. "Mama' we lost the kids, we can't find um' nowhere, they drowned for sure". They were cryin' and splutterin' just scared outta their gourds. We sneaked out the back and came around to the front and saw them there on the porch with Auntie. They were ringin' their hands and snot was flyin'. The four of us sneaked up behind em' and we all grabbed them and hollered, CUM'MER 'snipes'. Wooopppeee!!! One of them wet her pants, I thought the other one was gonna' pass out.!! Now They Were Scared so bad they couldn't even talk. We four laughed so hard we wet our pants. At least I know I did. Auntie was laughin' too. Boy Howdy We got em' good that time. Wheee! That was fun. There was never another 'snipe hunt' though. No more little ones for us to take, durn it!!!
We had so much fun down there by the RR Track on that dead end road. Love, Laughter, and Blessings really were overflowing in those good ol' days. YEP!!
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