This time of
year takes me way back to the times when it was so exciting, as the weather started to
get a chill and it was time for the first fire in the grate fireplace ,the only
form of heat, other than the coal burning
stove in the kitchen, that had been covered
with plywood during the summer. It was my
job to pick up chips from around the wood chopping block to help start that
first fire for the winter. Once it was started as the weather got cold it was
kept burning using coal to keep us from freezing. Sometimes we would bake whole potatoes by
putting them in the ashes, so good when they
were done, covered with real "cow" butter.
Fall brings more
memories than I could mention, like gathering black walnuts after the first frost, smashing the green hulls that left a stain on your hands
that couldn't be washed off for quite some time.
After this they were put on the top of a shed,
maybe even on the outhouse, to dry. Then there was cracking them and getting them
ready for delicious cakes, candy or just
eating.
Lots of other
work to be done, besides
all the canning, pickling, making preserves, jelly
etc. to have food for the winter. There
was dried corn to be gathered and shucked, fodder
shocks to keep the cow, horse and chickens
fed. It was all done the hard way for all the
people I knew. All this seems like not so long ago, until I think of all the "in betweens" during those years.
I enjoy
"remembering" most of the time except for the sad times and the
mistakes I've made and the things that can't be amended. These are the thoughts that
keep me awake at night. It would be so nice to
have a switch that I could turn those off kinda' like the delete on a computer.
It's not all
bad, still
caring about others, trying never to
judge or change anyone else, just always being
thankful for the life here at Creekside Terrace. Wishing ALL a wonderful
EVERYDAY of THANKSGIVING!!
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