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My Other Blog

Sunday, September 20, 2020

A re-Post

 The following was posted over on my other blog a few years ago...I really debated putting it here, but thought why not.  The photo was part of the view from around home.

About Me

Click to enlarge.

I am Rose, or Rosemary, depending on who you are talking to, 
the daughter of Sarah and Ellison, 
youngest of eight children that survived to adulthood, 
of those eight I am one of the two that was born in a hospital, 
and probably the only one that does not actually remember living without electricity. 
 
I lived in the shadows of the East Tennessee mountains till adulthood 
Claimed by them as if a part of the evening shadows that filled our yard so quickly come evening, 
Filling me with their peace till no place else can ever totally claim me.
I feel as if I were a part of the very earth from that place that will forever be home. 
 
I grew up knowing how to sew on treadle a sewing machine 
and do the wash with a wringer washer, 
and sit by the fire and dream. 
Helping to raise about all the food that we ate, 
Planting, hoeing, picking, cooking, eating, canning, freezing,
Making sure every jar on the place was full and the freezer so full it was almost hard to close. 
 
I ate mustard greens and cornbread, 
and still do to this day 
And ate fried taters and soup beans and considered them as fine a meal as could be had 
Grew up watching my mom make biscuits from scratch, 
never measuring a thing 
She made pies and dumplings and cornbread the same way. 
Oh, what I wouldn't give for some of those biscuits or the chicken and dumplings... 
the cornbread I actually make myself--the same way--never measure a thing. 

 For entertainment there were swings in the tree, 
Barns to play in with hay in the loft 
Creeks to wade, 
a pond to swim in,
fish to catch 
Calves to play with a horse to love, dogs to hug, 
And each other 

We had hide-n-go seek on summer eves after dark, 
Sitting on the porch and talking, 
Listening to the whippoorwills 
While planning the work for the next day. 
 
And there was ball--baseball, basket ball, football, and whiffle balls. 
I must have drove my brothers nuts, 
But with four of us, we could always play something 
We didn't own a baseball bat, 
but would find a stick or short board and whittle a handle, 
That served the purpose just fine. 
 
The three siblings that were close to me in age were my brothers George, Neal and Robert 
So some of what I like about myself is due to them 
I am not a woman that is afraid of her shadow 
I can use an axe or gun or rifle as easily as my sewing machines
 I come from a home that had guns and hunting and that was just a part of life. 
We were taught to be responsible from a very young age... 

 We didn't get fireworks on the fourth of July--too afraid of starting a fire 
Our time for firecrackers was Christmas--at night. 
We always hoped for snow, but it didn't matter 
Just build a fire and have a brick of firecrackers and a few M-80s to made a big bang 
Specially when you collected the firecrackers that didn't go off the next day --
unroll them and collect all the powder, 
get a piece of fuse,
 bore a hole in a chunk of wood, 
pour in the powder, place the fuse, and make or find something to make a plug and Presto, you have an even bigger bang
And we survived it all!

24 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

How wonderful to read! I am glad to know more about you. You are the stuff of the true America, pretty much a pioneer woman who can do a bit of everything!

CheerfulMonk said...

Thank you so much! I love your story. ❤️

Bill said...

No need to explain-- I'm sure most of us did not see this post the first time around. This is a wonderful post--- the picture and the words!! Really wonderful.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
Lovely getting to know you, Rose!!! YAM xx

eileeninmd said...

Hello Rose,

I enjoy your story, pretty scene and photo. We were taught responsibility at a young age too. We did have a place to go and watch the July 4th fireworks from a distance. Take care! Enjoy your day, have a happy new week!

Ann said...

I'm glad you decided to post this. It's nice to read a little bit about what it was like for you growing up. It sounds wonderful.

Hootin Anni said...

Love this! You could write a book I bet!!

A Left-Eyed View said...

What a gorgeous view to enjoy throughout all of the seasons! A splendid capture. Thank you for the informative prose as well.

Nancy Chan said...

Beautiful view. Beautiful post about yourself. You have a wonderful childhood and you get to learn so many things which most don't have a chance to do so.

Martha said...

Wow! The photo is beautiful but the story is incredible. I can only imagine growing up like that, and always wished I did. Instead I was born and raised in city life. I love this Rose!

MadSnapper said...

I am so glad you reposted this, because I never read it before and I have known you for 10 years.. what a story and it helps me know you so much better. a lot of this is just like my life, but Georgia and KY not TN.. and i never lit fuse in my life or used and ax, but i can shoot but not animals. and we canned our veggies because we had no freezer. we did get one in 1961 while i was in highschool, then it was stuffed like yours.. all of this story is why you and i feel a connection... i never lived without electicity either, but did have outdoor plumbing and haul drinking water from a well... hugs and love

Stevenson Q said...

This is such a beautiful piece of yourself to share with us dearest Rose. I am so proud of the lady you had become, it does help to be exposed to strengthening life experiences just as you have experienced. I really love the part when you said you know how to use an axe or a gun as much as you know how to use your sewing machine. I, coming from this new and lazy generation, does not know any of those especially on how to use them.

So happy I have met somebody like you here on the Blogworld.

Ruthie said...

My grandparents lived in Middle Tennessee. Many of your memories I share from when I visited them during childhood. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed it very much.

Eleftheria said...

I really enjoyed reading it again Rose :) It's a wonderful post and the photo gives us an insight into the place you grew up...a beautiful place.

ushasurya said...

Thank you for posting this Rose.
What a lovely piece...a Multifaceted Lady you are !!
I feel proud to be visited by you:)
God bless you.
Hugs
Devi :)))

Jeevan said...

Wow! Your childhood sounds awesome and seems u lived life through the experience of the same. I loved reading the way you grew up unlike today's young world lost in gadgets and we play similar the way u dealt with firecrackers.

You live in a lovely countryside! Love it 

happyone said...

Sounds like a great way to grow up. Lots of work and fun too. You sound like quite a woman and it would be so nice to meet you in person!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Rose, I am glad you posted this, as i can't recall reading it before. Your growing up sounds very similar to mine,except that I had only one sibling, a sister, 7 years younger than I.

ElaineH said...

This is just beautiful! You are a talented writer. This is a wonderful narrative and I feel like through this I have gotten to know you better! And the picture is gorgeous. Such a beautiful and peaceful place!

Kodak said...

What a beautiful and well done description of your growing up days. Thank you for sharing that with us.

Michael Rawluk said...

A lovely photo but the best thing was reading about your life. Wonderful.

Hill Top Post said...

This describes very well the way I grew up. There were five of us, and I was stuck right in the middle. Thanks for posting this for it surely did stir up some wonderful memories for me.

harry said...

beautiful panorama - looks more like Tennessee than Indiana, but when you get close to river country it can get hilly. also a fine prose/poetry saga of you

Red Rose Alley said...

It's nice to know a few things just about you, Rose. It sounds like you had a happy and lively childhood with all your three brothers, always on the go and doing fun things. I smiled when you mentioned your mom making biscuits from scratch and never measuring anything........I do too. ; ) What wonderful memories you have as a kid growing up in the Tennessee mountains.

~Sheri

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