A Memory of my Dad!

A horse track opened down the road from our house. I think it was Green Acres Race Track or something like that...can't remember. Anyway, Daddy being the horse lover that he was enjoyed going & watching the horses race. We went a few times and it was pretty neat. Daddy had a new, probably used, truck he bought. He was always turning off his truck & leaving it in gear. I really believe it could of been from having trucks that shifted on the steering column in his younger years.( I liked to have never learned how to drive these trucks!!) With those types of steering, you left them in gear so they would not roll. Well, one day he rode to the track to either visit with the people who owned the track or catch the next race. Foggy memory, but this is funny! He got out of the truck that was parked on a bit of a hill, left it in gear, prob. with the door open...as usual...and headed over to his destination....he looked back for a second to see his truck rolling....down the hill....I believe he started running trying to catch it...but it rolled into a tree, head on! Now, my Dad was forever laughing at us about not so smart things we would do. I can remember him laughing at us girls & saying you big dummy! What did you do that for? Well, let me tell you, from then on...our come back would be, well....at least we didn't leave the truck in gear & it run into the tree! We all get humbled some time in our life!! We did not have many mistakes on him, so we used this one often!!! We all got a laugh out of visualizing Daddy running after that truck! Love & miss you Dad!

A Little Nap

Today we had a couple of tired kiddos in Sunday School class. Here is Miss Jessica Holton getting in a nap. Ginny said that she woke up at 4:00 this morning. Bless her heart, she just could not hold her head up. Ginny had told me if she got sleepy, just let her lay on the pillow...on the floor..on the table...as you can tell it did not matter to Jess! Another young man laid his head down & rested a little also. Vicki said this class was just boring....and we had not even started the lesson yet!!Ha! They were decorating cards for their Dad's!!! Jess got her nap in, woke up & was ready to go!!! We just could not pass up a picture of this. I told them I was resigning as the teacher asap, if they were falling asleep this quick, there was no hope for me when I started the lesson!!! A sweet memory!!! Love these kiddos! Thanks to Vicki for her assistance....thank-you!!! We have had 13 the past 3 weeks!!! Great attendance!

Tales of a Pony named Flicka II

Back in elementary school, a friend of mine, Julie Branch came home with me. We had a great time, but the horses had to be fed! Well, everything was going great, I mean sometimes you would forget that this pony had a problem, because there would be long droughts of no chasing...then, boom he gotcha again! Well, we fed him...he was eating, so I figured he was distracted! I think we were running or skipping to the gate, when out of the shadows whom should appear......it was not a man & 8 tiny reindeer...it was the chaser! Now, I knew to hit the trees, but Julie did not..she veered off to the right, which was open pasture, as I veered to the left, the wonderful trees! Folks, I don't mean to laugh at her expense....although we have cackled many times about this......but that pony chased her all around that pasture, her long legs were turning as fast as they could and her long hair was straight out behind her as she was going so fast. All the while she was hollering , "Jill, Jill, help me..scream....Jill, scream.... what do I do?" Mean while, I am trying to tell her, between the screams, to head to the woods!!! I am also yelling for someone from the house to come & help. Julie did make it to the woods with Flicka blazing on her heels. She was shaking like a leaf! Then we did the tree dodge and Mom finally came to the gate & saved us......no sugar cubes for that pony today, no, no, no!!!

Tales of a Pony named Flicka I

Many moons ago, there was a man who loved horses. I don't really know why, but he did. The pony in the picture is Flicka, and oh my...the memories we have of this pony. (I will have to break this up, because there are lots of memories!) As long as I can remember, which is not that far, we had horses. Our Dad enjoyed them..I think he mostly liked to watch them, or maybe he liked watching us with this pony! Flicka was very smart, smarter than we were! Now, I must say that I was always a little afraid of these crazy animals. I had just as soon be on the back as to be in control...if you can control them!!! I mean, just look at this pony...do you see the look he is giving me & you???Ha! He bit my sister's ear one time, yep she was loving on Flicka & he just nipped her ear right quick like! That was enough for me to know that this animal could not be trusted. Next, every time you try to put a saddle on them...they blow their bellies up so the girth is not so tight on them...in hopes that you fall off & they get a break and laugh! One afternoon my cousin, Paula & myself decided we would ride double...well about the time we got by the grain bins, he decided he would just lay down...yep, he got us off his back right quick like! This pony was so smart he would wait until we were all tucked in our beds, in our night gowns, to inform Daddy that he had not been watered! Oh yes he did, the nerve of him! I don't think we had central air at this time or we might have gotten away with it. But, he would stand at the gate & neigh until Daddy would ask us, "Girls, did ya'll water the horses?"( yes there were 2, one did not belong to us...but we had to tend to it & he was meaner than Flicka ever thought about!) Then, would start..it was Lynn's turn, no it wasn't..it was Jill's turn! Then Papa bear would say...get yall's butts out there right now & water those horses...did ya'll feed them...uh...sure we did! We would say to each other...they will be o:k till morning...it was real dark up there at that barn! Besides that, you would have to play dodge the tree's with Flicka just to get to the barn!!! Yes, he would chase you!!! Most of the time it was o:k, but then he would decide to chase you...or get right behind you & follow you...just daring you to run. I mean, one would think, if someone is going to feed you, you would not try & play games with them. I have jumped from tree to tree, to a pile of ole criso posts, back to a tree, until I could get to the gate. He did not chase you all the time....just when he felt like it! Now, back to the water...it wasn't like we could just turn on a spigot & fill up the trough, no....that would be to easy....instead, we had to drag a hose across the road & fill it up, then drag it back again, imagine that! We tried leaving it across the road, but Daddy did not like that to well. We also tried to get Daddy to run a pipe under the road, he did not go for that one either! Flicka was always getting out, he was smart I tell ya. One time Daddy was tired of him getting out...so he loaded some bird shot in the gun & busted the hind end of that dumb horse. Well, after that...he ran straight to the gate & waited for Daddy to open the gate & let him in. I do not think he ever got out again.

Corn Memories II

I also remember picking a bunch of corn for Martha Jean Copeland, she only liked the field corn...I believe Burt & Scott came over & I helped them fill up a small truck...I was just glad it was not going to my house! We did some serious laughing in that corn field! They kept saying...that's enough, but I insisted they needed more! Fun memories!

Memories of corn

I have put up a few ears of corn this year, someone gave Winston the seed & he planted it. It is sweet corn & so good...right out of the field...raw! He laughs when I eat it like this...your not really going to eat that are you, he asks? Yep, I am...he just shakes his head. Now, you know he is an implant farmer.....that is... one taken out of the city or the berbs, is Dasher a berb?....and taught to farm, later in life. It really does not qualify one as being raised on a farm. The reason I know this is....1. the corn 2. he don't eat tomatoe's 3. nor watermelon! (Everyone knows that JB was the one that was always on the tractor with his Dad. He loved it, Winston worked in town at Sing Bro.'s & also painted...he hates to paint!) He does love to farm though! Sorry..got side tracked. The corn has brought back some childhood memories....Lynn, my sister, & myself would take the pick up truck to the corn field...usually just field corn not so much sweet corn...mom doctored it up! We were told to fill up the back end of the truck. Then bring it back to the house, sit under the carport, shuck and silk it, & Mom would not accept any silks! We had a metal tub with cool water to drop the ears in, Mom would come & get the ears....cut it off..cook it...cool it...bag it...and if it had a silk on it at the time of inspection we got to re-silk it! Fast forward 15 years or so........At one time our kids wanted creamed corn. We told them that was great, they could help put it up! Cole & Winston picked it, the girls helped shuck & silk it, Winston, Mom & I cut it off, cooked...cooled & bagged it. Our kids have never since asked for creamed corn. I told them we would gladly plant some, but they had to help...they said, it was not worth it! They sure do enjoy eating it at Grandma Bridges! Hmmmm!!!

What up on the farm???

A whole lot of rotten produce goin on roun here! The rain ruined the produce! But at least the lakes got their water replenished! We will pray for the fall to be better!!!

VBS II

The 1st picture..this boy came in late & Kylie made sure he was o:k! The pictures on the top row right...a song about being down in a hole & coming up, up, up with Jesus. 2nd row...the girl beside her is so cute & very busy...she was on the stage, off the stage..here I believe she fell off the stage..Kylie is helping & laughing! Next three..really getting in to the acting...I mean singing, even a little twirl....I don't know how she did not fall off the stage! Next shot....I believe she is giving her teachers the eyes! Bottom row, these two had performed so hard they just had to take a break...they finally looked at Mema J & Grannie Connie & got back on stage. Finally our certificate....Kylie must have really left an impression..the lady said that if you wanted to be entertained you just needed to talk to this little girl....oh my!

VBS Take 1 @ Pauline Church

Last week Kylie visited with her Spencer family. Grannie Connie took her to one of the country churches for VBS. Kylie came home Friday morning, she was so tired, but their program was Friday night. Casey had to work, so I took her to the program! It was so cute and what a performance she & a few others entertained us with! You can see as the pictures progress some of them got quite comfortable on stage. I will post two collages. This is the beginning of the program! One of the songs was about keeping your eyes on Jesus. She was a beat behind on her actions, but I loved it.

Mimosa Tree

These trees bring back many childhood memories. We had some of these in our yard. I was a tree climber when I was young and these were some of my favorite to climb. I would spend hours playing in these trees. The blooms were also pretty! I will never forget the day they cut these down, I was so upset....why would anyone cut down such a great tree? I believe I asked them what trees I was going to climb....these were by far the best in the yard!! I think they had some disease of some sort...they were probably scared I was going to break something!!!Ha!

New Frig

New Frig...yep, had to get a new frig, now my appliances will match again. Had replaced the oven & dishwasher previously. Now I need someone to install the range hood! An electrician I suppose!

Wireless

This afternoon I was on the phone for about 3-4 hours with tech support about my wireless device. Of course I could not understand her & I know she could not me either! I was giving her the numbers & letters off of certain things she needed, she just couldn't understand. I decided I would help her out...you know like the patrol officers do...f as in frog etc. Well, I really did saw f as in frog, it must have really confused her, she just got real quite! I guess trying to figure out what a frog was, do they have frogs in India? When she repeated it back to me..she said f as in friend....why didn't I think of that one? Ha! She also kept saying I as in India! I did ask if their was someone else I could talk to, no answer, I just had to tough it out! I did get tickled a few times, but we did get it working!!! Since I have sat & reflected on our conservation, I have really gotten quite a laugh about it. I also told her we were going to have to have supper together if we did not soon get through. After I said that, she asked me if she could put me on hold for a minute! Ha! I said sure, then I finally figured out one last problem & when she got back on the phone, I told her its working, its working!!!! Thank goodness, I did not want to go to India for supper!

Congrats to Dalton!

for making the All star team!!

Definitely Time

After stopping by the mail box the other day and the door falling completely off, it was definitely time for a new one!!! Yes, I knew that we needed one & had looked at some but could not decide about the post. Plus, it was still working & I just kind of liked my big ole rusty one! So, I just kept comming home without one! Last night we decided we just had to get one so we went to Lowes & got it & a post! This morning we put it up, even put it in cement! After getting the mail out....we had a notice from the post master that our box needed some attention! Ha! That was an understatement! I will just have to remember when giving directions that I won't be able to say...just look for the rusty mailbox!!! I even splurged & sprayed the weeds & put out some pine straw...maybe I will put the numbers on this one! I bet the mail carrier will think she is at the wrong box!!

Heading Home

It is bitter sweet when you have to leave family behind. You leave one family to go back to another family. You want to stay, but you want to go! It was a fun weekend & I so appreciate sharing in a small way, some time with my niece & nephew, sister & brother-in-law. Thanks WB for encouraging me to go & take a few days off from the stress! I love you! David, Missy & kids, thanks for sharing a weekend with Aunt Jill, I really enjoyed everything! I did get a little turned around again when I tried to get back on to I-20!!! I also snapped a few pictures out the car window as I drove home!

SC Day Three

Off to school for the kids, sleep in for me, stay up to late at night! I decided I would stay another night & catch Dalton's ball game! Missy & I headed out to some Antique stores. Boy, did we walk down memory lane! We saw several items that were used during our childhood! I bought a glass juicer, we remember Mom making orange juice & lemonade with one of these. Childhood memories just came rushing back as we looked through the store. I also picked up a butter dish for Martha that was very pretty. We ate a burger at the Happy Frog, we were starving so it was good! Then it was time to go & pick Alex up from school. Dalton rides the bus home. Then we relaxed, enjoyed the kids & got ready to go to the game. We won! I enjoyed watching Dalton play & loved taking a few pictures!