Not much has changed since I was a child. I think it bothers my grandmother, but to me and to my father when he was alive, there is comfort in the consistency. So many things, from the sound that the old doors make when they open and close, to the taste of the water back when their water came from a well, not to mention my grandmother's homemade blackberry jelly, these are all things that are embedded in my memory.
Sitting on the front porch, you can hear so many different varieties of birds chirping; my favorite is the Bobwhite. They have a beautiful veggie garden, a compost pile, a clothesline (which makes me want one every time I visit them), and a swing set with big metal slide that my grandfather made himself! I remember my dad saying they would get wax paper and slide down to make it as slippery as possible.
The kids (including King) love walking down to see my grandfather's cattle.
My grandmother and I talked about what might happen to the place when she and my grandfather are gone. She says she doesn't much care and that my grandfather won't discuss it. I wonder just how many of us cousins would love to keep the property in the family. I know there are at least two of us.
During this visit, I overheard my grandfather describe some folks they knew as "good country people that enjoy being together". The words echoed in my ears; so much so that I had to write it down. It just perfectly describes the family I come from.
Good country people that enjoy being together.
Sort of like what I imagine Heaven to be.
3 comments:
I love the images you painted. Especially the clothesline :) And your grandfather sounds like an amzaing man.
The smell of hay, the sound of the slamming back screen door, the hot sticky afternoon glow, the hum of the tractor, the splash of the catfish, the coolness of the evening shade under the pines, the taste of food grown nearby, the late afternoon feeding of the cows, the laughter from the front porch at dusk, kids playing in the side yard and plahouse, Mawmaw in the corner of the kitchen, Pawpaw at his seat at the head of the table. Don't have to live there. Just the memories make me know it's home.
we are all so fortunate that our kids also get to know the comfort of f'ton. i will say, i much prefer the new county water than the ole well water. it kinda tasted like machine oil.
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