Tomorrow is primary election day in Kentucky. Jeff and I will probably head for the polls before we go to work in the morning. The problem is, I'm still not entirely sure who I will pull that lever for. I think I know, but then something will be said or done that makes me wonder if that would be the right decision. It is not very often that the poor little state of Kentucky gets as much attention over a primary election as it has this year when the field is still so muddled and befuddled. By the time our May primary comes around, it's usually all over but the shouting and I usually feel as if my vote is just a perfunctory duty that doesn't really make a difference. Growing up in the shadow of a world famous political picnic and having parents who worked for years at the polls, I feel as if I should be adept at making political choices, not floundering in indecision. I do know that my criteria has nothing to do with who makes the best speech or the most promises or draws the largest crowds; because in the long run, the events that shape our country and the world are not dependent on one leader or their political spin. Even though I know candidate's personal lives should be respected; I believe it is in the individual actions of their private lives that we can see who they really are. With a little practice and the right coaching, anyone can get up and give a soul-stirring speech or make good sounding promises. I look for the character of the person I am voting for. Show me their family life, what they were like as a child, what shaped the principles they stand for, do they still respect their parents? I do not believe we can divorce our private lives from our public professions. We are who we are.
So I will step into that booth in the morning and try to vote for the person that I feel is the best, based on the criteria I have set for my own discernment.
I ran across the following video on YouTube that I find astonishing and very touching and thought-provoking. I plan to reflect on the lesson it portrays as I complete the decision making process for doing my citizen duty tomorrow.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Pictures of Spring in Ky
Today was the sort of windy, warm spring day that blew memories like a gentle breeze in my mind. It was impossible to stay indoors. I thought I would share some of the scenes and memories that this day brought to me.
The tractors were out in the field next to our house this morning, raking the first cutting of the winter hay. I am glad to still be so close to witness the seasons of planting and harvesting. I guess I will always be a farm girl at heart.
Finding roses blooming up in a tree on a climbing rosebush, hidden in the overgrowth, stretching towards the sun; waiting to be spotted and picked for a lovely smelling boquet. The bush came from a cutting off of a beautiful, old fashioned climbing rose that belonged to Jeff's grandmother. I had thought it was dead. It brought back memories of lazy Sunday afternoons spent in the shade next to the garden in his grandma's yard watching Sarah and Nathan play.
Replanting the flowers that I had planted earlier which fell prey to a very mischievious (evil) squirrel who tried to plant acorns in my fresh dirt. It may be war!!!
Weeding the coreopsis, just like dad would have done on his knees (except I didn't pull a pocket knife out of my pocket to help cut the weeds). These are all I have left of the yards and yards of the scattered yellow flowers that dad planted and loved so much.
Resting under the low-hanging limbs of the elm tree in our backyard and remembering all the times I played house under the huge tree at the old place when I was a little girl.
The tractors were out in the field next to our house this morning, raking the first cutting of the winter hay. I am glad to still be so close to witness the seasons of planting and harvesting. I guess I will always be a farm girl at heart.
Finding roses blooming up in a tree on a climbing rosebush, hidden in the overgrowth, stretching towards the sun; waiting to be spotted and picked for a lovely smelling boquet. The bush came from a cutting off of a beautiful, old fashioned climbing rose that belonged to Jeff's grandmother. I had thought it was dead. It brought back memories of lazy Sunday afternoons spent in the shade next to the garden in his grandma's yard watching Sarah and Nathan play.
Replanting the flowers that I had planted earlier which fell prey to a very mischievious (evil) squirrel who tried to plant acorns in my fresh dirt. It may be war!!!
Weeding the coreopsis, just like dad would have done on his knees (except I didn't pull a pocket knife out of my pocket to help cut the weeds). These are all I have left of the yards and yards of the scattered yellow flowers that dad planted and loved so much.
Resting under the low-hanging limbs of the elm tree in our backyard and remembering all the times I played house under the huge tree at the old place when I was a little girl.
I hope wherever you are, that you have a beautiful spring day, at least in your heart!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
By Request
When my good intentions fall prey to the treadmill of everyday life, sometimes it just takes a little push to get me going again. And so by request (thanks, Roger) I want to do a piece to honor my mom on this Mother's Day.
Being a child of the depression, mom believed in saving everything, including cards and letters. And so it is our good fortune to be left with a family history, written in a time before text messaging and e-mail; written in letters and on cards lovingly put away for a time in the future when they would be read again. I imagine she saved every letter and card she received in her life and also letters she had written to other family members, that somehow found their way back into her safe keeping. It is an archivist's dream, and one in which I have been periodically immersing myself, trying to sort out and organize these bits and pieces of our family past. Some of the most treasured letters I have found are those which Mom wrote to her first daughter to leave the nest and go out into the world. Encased in a time capsule of words, mom's wry humor and patient personality shines through as she shares the happenings of everyday life. She relates the details of a time long past, when manual labor was the norm and simpler pleasures were enjoyed. I can sense her satisfaction in a job well done as evidenced in the many, many jars of fruits and vegetables put aside to feed her family. Her words also reflect the pride she feels in the accomplishments of her husband and children, no matter how small. Little pieces of advice and admonishments are thrown in here and there, and you can almost see the worry lines on her forehead as she thinks of all the things that may befall the ones she loves. Above all, her faith in times of trouble and disappointment and her love for her family shine through in every line of every letter. And so, in her honor, and with a grateful heart, I am posting a few of her letters here for everyone to enjoy. The spelling and grammer I left intact, only adding punctuation here and there to make it easier to read.
May 31, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well, this is mom, dashing off one of her quick letter. Guess you are well settled now. We haven’t received your letter yet, probably will get here this morning. But I guess you got there alright as we haven’t heard of you being lost. It has rained off and on every since you left except yesterday. It is cloudy and is thundering now, so guess we will have another shower. Dad finally got all the tobacco set. He is barring it off now. Started after dinner yesterday and will get done by dinner today if it doesn’t rain. Jerry & Catherine are hoeing and Theresa is carrying out the roots and things. I got 29 jars of jam made Monday and Tuesday out of our part of the berries. Besides the Marshall’s, the Brumlow children & John & Bill picked on half, we also picked 9 qts and let Mary Grace freeze them on half for Leonard. Well you have received three packages since you left. I will send them to you later, but will tell you what they are so you can go ahead and send the Thank you cards anyway. You got a set of earrings and necklace from Sr. M. George similar to the one she gave you Christmas. They are both so pretty, it is hard to say which I think is. Then Uncle Bernard & Aunt Loretta sent a ½ slip like mamma only trimmed a little different and Uncle Charles & Aunt Aline sent a pair of stockings. I will wait a few days to see if anything else comes and then send them, but you go ahead and send those notes. I am sending the addresses. The Social Security card hasn’t come yet unless it comes today. I am not going to seal this until after Dad gets the mail as he can mail this this afternoon as he is going to Mayfield. Took Anastasia for the last shot Tues. It didn’t make her so cross as the other two did. Jerry told her you went away on a shoo shoo train and that is what she says when asked where you are. Ross & Christine came over a while Sunday nite. Bill came over after late Mass. Dad and him had one of their checker games. I didn’t get any peas canned as it rained all day Saturday and by Monday they were too hard. Will close, take care of yourself. Tell Sr. M. George hello and consider my letters to you as hearing from me.
Love & Prayers
Mom & all
Saturday morning
Well this is turning out to be a diary. Dad hasn’t been out anywhere yet and I haven’t any stamps so this is not mailed. They are planting corn today. We finished planting the garden Thurs. and 5 rows of peanuts down by the barn. The girls and I picked the last of the strawberries yesterday morning. It was only 8 qts. I had some for dinner and made 8 jars of jam. Well yesterday James B. & William E. got all the ripe cherries and is Dad mad. He was going to make ice cream tomorrow. I guess that will probably be the way with all the fruit unless he gets rough with them. Unless the S.S. card comes today it will not get here this week. I am hoping to get this mailed at noon as he is going to the post office to get Leonard’s tuition off. Guess Bob is landing today. Be sure you do not lose your two keys. Tell Sr. M. George she will probably think my letters crazy but I still have G. & M. to write. It keeps me on the go.
June 13, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well I wasn’t going to write until about Sunday, being that Leonard wrote last night, but you got these papers from SS Mary’s & Elizabeth’s, so thought I would drop a few lines with them. Dad and the girls are in bed. Leonard & Jerry went over to Bill’s to go frog gigging. Hope you are still making it O.K. and the vaccination & shots have not got you down. Guess you still like the work. It has been pretty hot here but the nights are cool. We need a good shower. Everything is getting dry. Dad has been trying to work out the strawberries. I think he finished this evening, but the ground was very hard. Eulas got the ground broke there by the berries. Dad is going to put corn there.
Leonard looks good. I believe he is a little heavier than at Christmas and a little taller. You know his suit still fit him at Christmas. It is at his ankles now and he has also wore the pants of them out. Chris & Eugene brought a dark suit that Bub had outgrown to him. The coat fits him good but he hasn’t tried on the pants yet. Don’t know if he told you that his bags haven’t got here yet. They are supposed to go back tomorrow and see if they have come in. The agent wrote to Chicago to see if they were still there. Leonard is wearing those western’s that Bob bought & wore when home. They fit him good. He rolls the legs up about 2 inches. Guess if they weren’t here, he would have had to bought some.
Well, we got the check for the highway right of way yesterday, but as usual the Elder luck is not for the good. They were going to Mayfield yesterday to see about the bags and being that the man brought the check just as we were getting ready to eat, Dad decided to try to make the bank. Of course, by them being on Daylight time, he only had an hr. to eat & get up there. Well, as he got down here to the corner by Russelburg’s field; Eulas was coming from the other way and they hit. Didn’t hurt anyone. Broke the highlight and bend up the front of our truck. Anyway it cost over $47 to fix it, so there went some of the check. It tore up a front tire and bent a fender for Eulas. Anyway he came out a little better. They had 8 ½ doz. eggs and it broke over 3 doz. of them.
Dad had told the kids that if we got the check, we would go to St. Louis. Well I think that is all over too, as he said he would have to take the money and finish these two sheds on the barn. I never did get excited about going anyway, as I didn’t believe we would. Altho he hasn’t said we weren’t going, I almost know we won’t as it is only 2 wks or so till the 4th. Yes, tell Sister it will be 25 yrs in July. George will be 23, Bob 21, then you. Leonard 15 and Jerry 13. Catherine 9; Theresa 7; and Anastasia 2. It doesn’t seem 25 years, but time has a way of slipping away.
When will Sister leave for St. Louis? Don’t let her leaving make you blue. Remember time goes fast. Of course, you will miss her, but when a little blue as you say you are sometime, try to say the rosary. You know Our Blessed Mother was lonely too. That is fine that you are getting those things, as it will save you a lot. Thank Sister for doing it for you and us as that will certainly help you.
Love & Prayers
Mom & all
July 19, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Just a few lines tonight if I don’t fall asleep. I washed today, then when we finished milking, Dad wanted me to walk over to see the tobacco and other crops. He is very disappointed in the way Eulas has handled his this year. It is not the tobacco it was last year. Dad’s air cured is really pretty; he topped it Wednesday. Jerry has already suckered some of his. We are needing a good rain but doesn’t look like we can get anything but a few clouds and sprinkles. We are having corn on the cob and all the butter beans and tomatoes we can eat. I think I will be able to can about 2 gal. of tomatoes tomorrow. I got 12 ½ gal. peaches canned from that tree; the other one beside it is getting ripe now. I’m not going to can any from it, just eat them fresh and in cobblers. It is loaded too. We figured the first tree had around 9 bushels on it. Aline and some of her children have picked blackberries here twice. They picked about 10 gal. They are coming back Monday, then I guess they will be gone.
Dad and the boys are cutting bushes and mowing off the fields. He has got all on this side mowed except the field where the new pond is. They are over in Workman’s (?) today and will finish tomorrow. He is figuring on starting on the sheds again next week. Guess he will sell the 4 hogs Saturday or leastways he is talking about it.
Did you ever get your name tapes? Guess you are still busy. Had a letter from Maxine Wednesday. She said Allen was growing, already had a double chin. He will be 1 mo. old tomorrow. Guess he ought to be growing. I don’t know if they are coming down this summer or not. Thought I would ask them in my next letter. She said her & Geo. were getting along fine. Also had a letter from Bob. He didn’t have much in it, said he had went to a rodeo there, but it wasn’t any good. Said the horses were too tame to even buck. He is welding now, had the job by hisself, one boy was on mess duty and the other was in Japan for schooling. Am sending some clippings. Guess Sr. M. Geo. would be interested in as Rose Ella and Agnes & Sr. M. Geo are cousins. Mildred Ann gets married sometime next week.
Am sending a few of those pictures that Jerry took, but send them back as he wants them. They didn’t turn out very good. Don’t know if we will go to St. Charles picnic or not. Haven’t heard anything more if Daddy & Mamma were coming or not. Guess I better close and go to bed. I’ll have to get up early so Leonard can go to Mass. This morning we slept later, as dad didn’t feel very good yesterday and was restless all night, so I didn’t get up so early. That will make me lazier tomorrow morning. Next week Leonard serves all week, so that means 4 o’clock every morning.
Tell Sr. hello for us. Grandpa & Grandma are doing O.K. I haven’t seen them since St. Denis picnic as I’ve had to go to late Mass the last two Sundays, but Dad & the boys have been up there. They were talking to Billy this evening. He told them old Pluto died this morning so guess Pappy will miss him.
Love & prayers,
Mom & All
Anastasia doesn’t like tomatoes & peaches fresh, but she sure can put away apples. We have three trees of early transparent and she will eat 2 before she stops. I haven’t canned any of them as we will have plenty of late apples and Dad likes them better.
Oct. 12, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well a few lines tonight to let you know we haven’t died yet, nor forgot you. Guess you’re wondering why I haven’t wrote lately. Just being busy. Since I wrote you, I have canned 91 qts. Of green beans, 42 jars of damson jam and 21 qts. of butter beans and since Monday night of this week, we have peeled and cut off 5 tubs and 1 bu. basket of apples to dry. Yesterday Dad & I started at 8 o’clock and finished at 9:30 last night and with the kids help after school we peeled 3 tubs of apples. We have about 12 ½ lbs. already dried and in the sack. We are just hoping that it doesn’t rain before the others get dry. It will be about 8 lbs. ready to take off tomorrow. Dad put up tobacco scaffolds and laid board across them up between the lilac trees and the meat house. I didn’t get any peas canned. They dried up while I was working with the other beans. I may have another canner of butter beans if it doesn’t frost anyways soon. Dad bought a pressure canner. I wouldn’t take anything for it. I only had to cook the beans 25 mins. and the butter beans 55 mins. If I had used the old water canner, they would have had to boiled 3 ½ hrs. besides they would had to stay on high all time; but with the pressure canner, I put it on 6 and it held the pressure. We gave Aline enough damsons to can 18 qts. and gave mammy a dishpan full. I don’t know what she got out of it. Dad picked the geese this week and got a feed sack of feathers. He also has finished the sheds.
How are you liking school & work now? Hope you are still pleased. Don’t get discouraged if it does get a little hard. Just keep plugging away. You can get it. The children didn’t have school today. It was teacher’s meeting at Paducah.
I don’t know if I have wrote since Mildred’s baby was born or not. I have even forgot when it was born, but it was a day or two before they finished cutting tobacco. It’s a girl, they name it Agnes Barbara, at least Dad said he thought Albert said Barbara. I haven’t seen any of them. Mary Grace is still holding on. Her mother is with her now. I think she has to stay in bed all time or she was having to last week. Had a letter from Sr. M. Geo. She wanted that picture of Bob’s and his address. Said she was going to send him some cookies and a fruit cake. She send Leonard some cookies by Mr. Holler (sp?) the first Sunday. I know Leonard liked that. Haven’t heard from Bob lately. Had a card from Maxine last week. They were all O.K. I owe everyone of you a letter, so am trying to get them wrote tonight. I guess when I wrote you last that is the last I wrote any of you.
Catherine was wanting to write, but Theresa is wanting her to come to bed, so she said tell you she got 100 in Geography. Mission starts Sunday, 1 wk. for women and 1 for men. Guess that will rush us for awhile. I only milk 1 cow of the morning now and 2 at night. Mammy said to tell you hello and to write when you could. Guess I better close if I am going to get any more wrote.
Dot & Dubber were in wk. before last, but I didn’t get to see them. Am sending you the clipping of the woman that won the car. The key was hidden on the Mayfield & Benton Highway about 5 ½ miles from Mayfield.
Anastasia says you are going to be a nurse and shoot the baby. She’s still a corker. Stays out with Dad all time like Theresa.
Will close and maybe I can get to write sooner now that the canning is caught up with, except I have 9 half gallon jars I want to put in apples.
Love & prayers
Mom & all
May 31, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well, this is mom, dashing off one of her quick letter. Guess you are well settled now. We haven’t received your letter yet, probably will get here this morning. But I guess you got there alright as we haven’t heard of you being lost. It has rained off and on every since you left except yesterday. It is cloudy and is thundering now, so guess we will have another shower. Dad finally got all the tobacco set. He is barring it off now. Started after dinner yesterday and will get done by dinner today if it doesn’t rain. Jerry & Catherine are hoeing and Theresa is carrying out the roots and things. I got 29 jars of jam made Monday and Tuesday out of our part of the berries. Besides the Marshall’s, the Brumlow children & John & Bill picked on half, we also picked 9 qts and let Mary Grace freeze them on half for Leonard. Well you have received three packages since you left. I will send them to you later, but will tell you what they are so you can go ahead and send the Thank you cards anyway. You got a set of earrings and necklace from Sr. M. George similar to the one she gave you Christmas. They are both so pretty, it is hard to say which I think is. Then Uncle Bernard & Aunt Loretta sent a ½ slip like mamma only trimmed a little different and Uncle Charles & Aunt Aline sent a pair of stockings. I will wait a few days to see if anything else comes and then send them, but you go ahead and send those notes. I am sending the addresses. The Social Security card hasn’t come yet unless it comes today. I am not going to seal this until after Dad gets the mail as he can mail this this afternoon as he is going to Mayfield. Took Anastasia for the last shot Tues. It didn’t make her so cross as the other two did. Jerry told her you went away on a shoo shoo train and that is what she says when asked where you are. Ross & Christine came over a while Sunday nite. Bill came over after late Mass. Dad and him had one of their checker games. I didn’t get any peas canned as it rained all day Saturday and by Monday they were too hard. Will close, take care of yourself. Tell Sr. M. George hello and consider my letters to you as hearing from me.
Love & Prayers
Mom & all
Saturday morning
Well this is turning out to be a diary. Dad hasn’t been out anywhere yet and I haven’t any stamps so this is not mailed. They are planting corn today. We finished planting the garden Thurs. and 5 rows of peanuts down by the barn. The girls and I picked the last of the strawberries yesterday morning. It was only 8 qts. I had some for dinner and made 8 jars of jam. Well yesterday James B. & William E. got all the ripe cherries and is Dad mad. He was going to make ice cream tomorrow. I guess that will probably be the way with all the fruit unless he gets rough with them. Unless the S.S. card comes today it will not get here this week. I am hoping to get this mailed at noon as he is going to the post office to get Leonard’s tuition off. Guess Bob is landing today. Be sure you do not lose your two keys. Tell Sr. M. George she will probably think my letters crazy but I still have G. & M. to write. It keeps me on the go.
June 13, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well I wasn’t going to write until about Sunday, being that Leonard wrote last night, but you got these papers from SS Mary’s & Elizabeth’s, so thought I would drop a few lines with them. Dad and the girls are in bed. Leonard & Jerry went over to Bill’s to go frog gigging. Hope you are still making it O.K. and the vaccination & shots have not got you down. Guess you still like the work. It has been pretty hot here but the nights are cool. We need a good shower. Everything is getting dry. Dad has been trying to work out the strawberries. I think he finished this evening, but the ground was very hard. Eulas got the ground broke there by the berries. Dad is going to put corn there.
Leonard looks good. I believe he is a little heavier than at Christmas and a little taller. You know his suit still fit him at Christmas. It is at his ankles now and he has also wore the pants of them out. Chris & Eugene brought a dark suit that Bub had outgrown to him. The coat fits him good but he hasn’t tried on the pants yet. Don’t know if he told you that his bags haven’t got here yet. They are supposed to go back tomorrow and see if they have come in. The agent wrote to Chicago to see if they were still there. Leonard is wearing those western’s that Bob bought & wore when home. They fit him good. He rolls the legs up about 2 inches. Guess if they weren’t here, he would have had to bought some.
Well, we got the check for the highway right of way yesterday, but as usual the Elder luck is not for the good. They were going to Mayfield yesterday to see about the bags and being that the man brought the check just as we were getting ready to eat, Dad decided to try to make the bank. Of course, by them being on Daylight time, he only had an hr. to eat & get up there. Well, as he got down here to the corner by Russelburg’s field; Eulas was coming from the other way and they hit. Didn’t hurt anyone. Broke the highlight and bend up the front of our truck. Anyway it cost over $47 to fix it, so there went some of the check. It tore up a front tire and bent a fender for Eulas. Anyway he came out a little better. They had 8 ½ doz. eggs and it broke over 3 doz. of them.
Dad had told the kids that if we got the check, we would go to St. Louis. Well I think that is all over too, as he said he would have to take the money and finish these two sheds on the barn. I never did get excited about going anyway, as I didn’t believe we would. Altho he hasn’t said we weren’t going, I almost know we won’t as it is only 2 wks or so till the 4th. Yes, tell Sister it will be 25 yrs in July. George will be 23, Bob 21, then you. Leonard 15 and Jerry 13. Catherine 9; Theresa 7; and Anastasia 2. It doesn’t seem 25 years, but time has a way of slipping away.
When will Sister leave for St. Louis? Don’t let her leaving make you blue. Remember time goes fast. Of course, you will miss her, but when a little blue as you say you are sometime, try to say the rosary. You know Our Blessed Mother was lonely too. That is fine that you are getting those things, as it will save you a lot. Thank Sister for doing it for you and us as that will certainly help you.
Love & Prayers
Mom & all
July 19, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Just a few lines tonight if I don’t fall asleep. I washed today, then when we finished milking, Dad wanted me to walk over to see the tobacco and other crops. He is very disappointed in the way Eulas has handled his this year. It is not the tobacco it was last year. Dad’s air cured is really pretty; he topped it Wednesday. Jerry has already suckered some of his. We are needing a good rain but doesn’t look like we can get anything but a few clouds and sprinkles. We are having corn on the cob and all the butter beans and tomatoes we can eat. I think I will be able to can about 2 gal. of tomatoes tomorrow. I got 12 ½ gal. peaches canned from that tree; the other one beside it is getting ripe now. I’m not going to can any from it, just eat them fresh and in cobblers. It is loaded too. We figured the first tree had around 9 bushels on it. Aline and some of her children have picked blackberries here twice. They picked about 10 gal. They are coming back Monday, then I guess they will be gone.
Dad and the boys are cutting bushes and mowing off the fields. He has got all on this side mowed except the field where the new pond is. They are over in Workman’s (?) today and will finish tomorrow. He is figuring on starting on the sheds again next week. Guess he will sell the 4 hogs Saturday or leastways he is talking about it.
Did you ever get your name tapes? Guess you are still busy. Had a letter from Maxine Wednesday. She said Allen was growing, already had a double chin. He will be 1 mo. old tomorrow. Guess he ought to be growing. I don’t know if they are coming down this summer or not. Thought I would ask them in my next letter. She said her & Geo. were getting along fine. Also had a letter from Bob. He didn’t have much in it, said he had went to a rodeo there, but it wasn’t any good. Said the horses were too tame to even buck. He is welding now, had the job by hisself, one boy was on mess duty and the other was in Japan for schooling. Am sending some clippings. Guess Sr. M. Geo. would be interested in as Rose Ella and Agnes & Sr. M. Geo are cousins. Mildred Ann gets married sometime next week.
Am sending a few of those pictures that Jerry took, but send them back as he wants them. They didn’t turn out very good. Don’t know if we will go to St. Charles picnic or not. Haven’t heard anything more if Daddy & Mamma were coming or not. Guess I better close and go to bed. I’ll have to get up early so Leonard can go to Mass. This morning we slept later, as dad didn’t feel very good yesterday and was restless all night, so I didn’t get up so early. That will make me lazier tomorrow morning. Next week Leonard serves all week, so that means 4 o’clock every morning.
Tell Sr. hello for us. Grandpa & Grandma are doing O.K. I haven’t seen them since St. Denis picnic as I’ve had to go to late Mass the last two Sundays, but Dad & the boys have been up there. They were talking to Billy this evening. He told them old Pluto died this morning so guess Pappy will miss him.
Love & prayers,
Mom & All
Anastasia doesn’t like tomatoes & peaches fresh, but she sure can put away apples. We have three trees of early transparent and she will eat 2 before she stops. I haven’t canned any of them as we will have plenty of late apples and Dad likes them better.
Oct. 12, 1956
Dear Daughter,
Well a few lines tonight to let you know we haven’t died yet, nor forgot you. Guess you’re wondering why I haven’t wrote lately. Just being busy. Since I wrote you, I have canned 91 qts. Of green beans, 42 jars of damson jam and 21 qts. of butter beans and since Monday night of this week, we have peeled and cut off 5 tubs and 1 bu. basket of apples to dry. Yesterday Dad & I started at 8 o’clock and finished at 9:30 last night and with the kids help after school we peeled 3 tubs of apples. We have about 12 ½ lbs. already dried and in the sack. We are just hoping that it doesn’t rain before the others get dry. It will be about 8 lbs. ready to take off tomorrow. Dad put up tobacco scaffolds and laid board across them up between the lilac trees and the meat house. I didn’t get any peas canned. They dried up while I was working with the other beans. I may have another canner of butter beans if it doesn’t frost anyways soon. Dad bought a pressure canner. I wouldn’t take anything for it. I only had to cook the beans 25 mins. and the butter beans 55 mins. If I had used the old water canner, they would have had to boiled 3 ½ hrs. besides they would had to stay on high all time; but with the pressure canner, I put it on 6 and it held the pressure. We gave Aline enough damsons to can 18 qts. and gave mammy a dishpan full. I don’t know what she got out of it. Dad picked the geese this week and got a feed sack of feathers. He also has finished the sheds.
How are you liking school & work now? Hope you are still pleased. Don’t get discouraged if it does get a little hard. Just keep plugging away. You can get it. The children didn’t have school today. It was teacher’s meeting at Paducah.
I don’t know if I have wrote since Mildred’s baby was born or not. I have even forgot when it was born, but it was a day or two before they finished cutting tobacco. It’s a girl, they name it Agnes Barbara, at least Dad said he thought Albert said Barbara. I haven’t seen any of them. Mary Grace is still holding on. Her mother is with her now. I think she has to stay in bed all time or she was having to last week. Had a letter from Sr. M. Geo. She wanted that picture of Bob’s and his address. Said she was going to send him some cookies and a fruit cake. She send Leonard some cookies by Mr. Holler (sp?) the first Sunday. I know Leonard liked that. Haven’t heard from Bob lately. Had a card from Maxine last week. They were all O.K. I owe everyone of you a letter, so am trying to get them wrote tonight. I guess when I wrote you last that is the last I wrote any of you.
Catherine was wanting to write, but Theresa is wanting her to come to bed, so she said tell you she got 100 in Geography. Mission starts Sunday, 1 wk. for women and 1 for men. Guess that will rush us for awhile. I only milk 1 cow of the morning now and 2 at night. Mammy said to tell you hello and to write when you could. Guess I better close if I am going to get any more wrote.
Dot & Dubber were in wk. before last, but I didn’t get to see them. Am sending you the clipping of the woman that won the car. The key was hidden on the Mayfield & Benton Highway about 5 ½ miles from Mayfield.
Anastasia says you are going to be a nurse and shoot the baby. She’s still a corker. Stays out with Dad all time like Theresa.
Will close and maybe I can get to write sooner now that the canning is caught up with, except I have 9 half gallon jars I want to put in apples.
Love & prayers
Mom & all
Audrie and I have been working on a project to remember GGma. We are making a little pillow decorated with buttons from mom's button jar. I can't help but smile everytime we work on it and wonder what mom would say if she knew I was teaching Audrie to sew without using a thimble!!!
I enjoyed a near perfect Mother's Day, starting with church with all my family and later being treated by them to a delicious dinner at Olive Garden. And they even brought the Wii over, so that I could sneak in a little bowling!!!
I wish every mother in our family all the joy of the day and the best blessing I can offer you is that you may be the kind of mother that my mom was and that you will know the same love that she shared.
And Roger, thanks for the nudge!
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