The last few mornings, with the fog and damp, cool air, I have been reminded of a time back when I was a kid at my Grandma’s and Aunt Ruby’s home. Angelina County, Texas!
Morning in their home came early. Long before the sun rose above the tall, sleepy pines of deep east Texas. The creaking floor as we walked across the old wooden home, or the old trailer before. The smell frying bacon or sausage and a plate full of biscuits in the old gas oven. I can still hear the click, click, click then the sudden woosh as the flames ignited the gas. Rooster crowing outside. Ginnies making all the racket they are famous for making….
I remember the Oak Ridge Boys and the Statler Brothers, sometimes, even a very old Elvis Christian album playing softly in the background. That old Rugged Cross, Will the Circle be unbroken and Amazing Grace flowed through the house we called “Home”.
The heavy, solid wood door was hard for me to open sometimes. Big iron knob and a skeleton key hole, throughout. The old screen door would screech open every time and every time I could hear “Don’t you let that screen slam shut!” as I would run outside to a dog or two we had at the time. Off we’d go!
We’d walk together for miles, up and down the old oil top county roads or through deep wooded trails. The dogs, every now and then chasing a squirrel or some poor raccoon they rattled awake. Maybe even a deer, jumping up, startled by our intrusion into their forest.
Pines so tall, you could barely see the blue canopy of Heaven above, but you could surely hear the breeze flow and see the pine needles fall. Why, I can remember watching my step, as to not make so much noise by missing all the fallen pine cones and branches. Of course, the old dogs didn’t have sense enough to do that….they plodded along like a “bull in a china cabinet” as the old saying goes.
Then, we’d find us a small pond and throw a line in. The dogs would sit by me, panting and moaning because they wanted to run around some more. Never really mattered to me if I caught something or not…just being there watching the sun glisten down on the water and feeling the warmth on my face was all I was living for…day in and day out….well, till fall came and school started again.
Pretty much every day except Sunday was like this. Now, Sunday, that was something totally different. A story for another day, perhaps. Well, I can’t throw a line this morning and there were’nt any biscuits and bacon to get started with, so, I reckon I better get to work….I sincerely pray y’all have a great day.
If it gets to be “to much”, stop and remember like I just did…remember a time, a place, a person or two who, well, made your life like a chapter of Huckleberry Finn…..funny. Listen to that, will ya? Why, I can almost hear the old Charley Pride Song “Roll on Mississippi” playing……
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