Friday, February 29, 2008
My Ironing Board
Simply Libby is having a give-away today Feb.29 in honor of Leap Year. All you have to do is post a picture of your ironing board on your blog and comment
here.
There is a story behind my ironing board. When we were first married I didn't have an ironing board. We went to visit my husband's Aunt Annie. She knew we'd had a shower and asked if there was anything we didn't get that we needed. My husband said "An ironing board". She immediately said you can have mine and gave it to us. We protested and she said, "No, no, I want to do this. I have found that everytime I give something away, I get something better in return."
My husband's aunt had been in a accident and she was bent over at the waist and walked with a cane. She could not straighten up. This is a really old ironing board .. put together with wooden pegs. It was always too low for me and when I ironed a lot I sat in a high chair. I still have it. I still use it. To me it is a treasure because it belonged to my husband's aunt.
You will notice that the old cover is underneath the "not-as-old" cover. This ironing board stays sitting up behind my dining room dooor. Thank goodness I don't have to iron much any more! LOL
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Back in Time
In keeping with the post I did on Long, long ago, I decided it would only be fair to post another. In the last post I mentioned that gas was 20 cents a gallon. Some commented, wanting to see gas that low again. Well, maybe after this post, you will not feel that we have it so bad!
During the 1930’s, my husband’s grandmother corresponded with her daughter on penny post cards. I have some of those cards in my possession and thought I would share one with you. Be sure to notice how she was paid!Oct. 21, 1932
Friday. Dearest Darling Mary, Will write you again. I am well and hope you are the same and getting on all rite but am worried over not hearing from you. Don’t know whether you are dead or not or not able to rite. If you are able please write and let me hear from you. We are all upset over you. Afraid something has happened ever since we heard you were sick. But hope all is well with you. I am still at Tonys and tying tobacco for Dawson at 40 cents a day.That helps me some. Am glad I am able to. Maybe that have made over 5 dollars. Thinks that’s good for me don’t you. Bee is going to school now and likes it just fine. Glad he does aint you. Grace said she dreamed about you last night. Said we would get a letter from you today. Hope we will but will send this anyway. If you have not sent one do it at once. I am real anxious to hear from you and come if you ever can and we will do the same. Kelly and little Chalie was here today. Johnnie and all is well. So be a good little girl til we meet. From your loving mother. Parmele NC.
When I married my husband “Granny” was living with their family. He cannot remember when she didn’t live with them. From these post cards in the 30’s we know that she went from one of her children’s homes to another to stay for periods of times.
The Great Depression occurred in the 1930’s. Notice that she said she made 40 cents a day. If she bought a gallon of gas, that would have taken half her day’s work.
The picture posted with this .. is not this actual card. I just wanted you to see how much they could write on those post cards.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Penny's Yo Yo's
This is a yo yo runner my daughter made quite a few years back. At some point it got to my house. I have displayed it draped on a basket in times past. These are not the colors I have in my living room now, so it had been put away.
My daughter
Penny has a new toy. She calls it a yo-yo maker. Check it out on her post here. These yo yo's she made the old fashion way. I can't wait to see how the new ones will look when she uses the yo yo maker!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Saturday Photo Hunt = Wooden
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Long, long, ago ...
Long ago, before I was born, my grandfather ran a country store.
Benson Filling Station
In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s, my Grandfather, George Aaron Benson ran a country store at the intersection of HWY 102 and Norris Store Road. It was located just a few miles west of Ayden, N.C. The store is no longer there. Mr. Mac Whitehurst’s home is now in this location.
On one of my last visits to see my Aunt Jessie (Benson) Williams (d. 4/11/2002) she was telling about a big snow of 1927. She said she was never one who wanted to miss school. That morning it was snowing. She decided to ride to the store with her father, George Benson. She would get on the “school truck” there.
Before they got to the end of the road, the truck her father was driving slid into the ditch. He carried Jessie in his arms the rest of the way to the store.
It snowed all day. There was no school. There was so much snow they could not get back home. Jessie was sent to Mr. Mark Smith’s home next to the store to spend the night and the next day.
I enjoyed her story and I was excited to check it out. I had been given the ledger that my grandfather kept for the year 1927. There it was—written down—the store had no recorded transactions for March 2nd. or 3rd. And the words “Snow” and “Closed” were written on those lines.
In the picture that accompanies this article, there is a large sign over the door that says CASH ONLY. In the ledger there are pages that tell us that friends and neighbors charged their purchases. Many of the people named, I remember from my childhood. They have all passed on.
Yet, they are still here—in George Benson’s handwriting. Will Griffin, Joe Norris, Albert Mozingo, D. J. McLawhorn, M. E. Carman, C. C. Sumrell, L.J. Manning, M.L. Smith, Thad Brown, Lewis Brown, Clifton McLawhorn, Henry Barrow, Leona Cannon, E.G. Harget, Levi Pierce, and others.
Cigars were 5 cents. Gas was 20 cents a gallon. Chewing tobacco was 10 cents. Cigarettes were 15 cents. Pork and Beans were 10 cents. Coca Cola was 5 cents. The customers bought flour, sugar, candy, tobacco products, gas and oil for their families. Everyone’s page looks about the same.
Other people operated the store in later years. Two that I remember were Mr. Will Tripp and Mr. Mark Moore. The last time I saw the old store it had been moved and Mac Whitehurst was using it for a storage barn.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
I Am From
I was visiting Meggie, and I saw that she had taken a challenge from Molly Bawn. I decided to try my hand at what they are doing.
I AM FROM
I am from quite dusty roads, deep roadside ditches, rich black farmland, magnificent red cedar trees, whispering pines, and swinging vines.
I am from the old family home place, never painted, weather boarded, with the long front porch and the two front doors.
I am from the yellow daffodils, wild grapes, sweet plum trees, blue berry thickets hidden in the woods, wild roses, and sweet green clover.
I am from hard working people, independent, and fiercely private. Some land owners, some share croppers, some merchants, some preachers.
I am from the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, American by birth, Southern by the Grace of God! Never forgetting when the Yankees came through and where the money and the moonshine were hidden.
I am from immediate family who didn’t believe, and other family members who were deeply religious. I thank GOD for loving and saving me.
I am from small town eastern North Carolina in the USA, with ancestors from across the big seas and natives from the homeland. I was raised on collard greens, pork, potatoes, and corn bread.
From my father, I get my dark brown eyes, dark hair, and my easily tanned skin. I get my smarts from my blue-eyed grandfather and my temper from my grandfather’s mother. I get my love of family from my blue-eyed mother and my father’s mother. Other traits, I can only wonder about. My mother’s parents died when she was a child.
I am from tobacco fields, long rows of corn, strawberry patches, garden plots, easy summer breezes, sand holes, canals, farm ponds, and ancient grave yards.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Saturday Photo Hunt = Heavy
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Cropping
One last look at my neighbor's wall! If you click on the pictures they will appear larger.
Above the wall you can glimpse a little of my neighbor's house.
And at the end of the wall closest to my house you can see an old barn.
If you look down the road you can see my neighbor's mailbox. It is the same color as the house. I expect one day the wall will be the same color.
I hope you can see all the curves in this wall. My talented neighbor did not just make a straight wall. It curves in and out all along his property.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Tuesday
There's this place not far from my home.
This is an old picture. Today, though, on my way to pick up some more high dollar milk for the little goats, I passed this place. Today I could see about a dozen daffodils blooming. By Easter it will look like that picture. People come from everywhere to take pictures among those flowers.
Sping might be coming early despite what that groundhog said...LOLSunday, February 3, 2008
Monday
That was fun! It was so interesting to see how many different pictures went up depicting NARROW. I've been skipping around looking at everyone's entries. My favorite so far was a needle stuck in an apple with the eye of the needle being the focus of the picture. I wish I could remember who's that was. But I've visited so many blogs I cannot remember!
But while I was out and about I also visited some old friends. Over at Imac's I saw the most interesting picture of a sleeping giant. If you have time check it out at Imac's blog. I would love to have one sleeping at my house.
Two good friends passed away last week। They will be missed। But I have blessed assurance we will meet again.