Down An Old Dirt Road

Old dirt roads remind me of walkin to church come Sunday morning and walkin back come Sunday night. They remind me of walkin to the little country store with mama's list in hand. Those early morning walks to catch the school bus and walkin back in home at end of day, stoppin long  enough take our shoes off and wade across the little creek come warm weather, is priceless.

The fresh morning smells of honeysuckle, wild roses, mountain laurel or crabapple blossoms drifting in the spring time air, or walkin in those big snows that were knee deep in the winter, rollin in the snow and throwin snowballs at each other along the way.

Taking refuge under a big tree come a hard, summer's rain and still takin a wettin and lovin it to no end. Then runnin through mud holes with our bare feet, bustin em wide open, never thinkin about gettin the toe itch till it was to late.

Ahhhh, how can I forget the huckleberries and that sweet taste. We knew exactly where they came up and picked em fast as they ripened, along side the road.

And those delicious blackberries we picked  for mama to can and lookin forward to that fresh blackberry cobbler, all the while eatin more than we picked. Never thinkin twice about the chiggers or poison ivy till it was to late.

Climbin over barbed wire fences and rippin our clothes to pick poke salat for mama. She didn't take to kindly to the ripped clothes or the dangers of gettin snake bit but the poke salat changed the subject really quick.

  Ridin an ole, rusted bicycle around every curve and bend, with nary a brake knowin we'd hit the ditch or the creek. It's a wonders we hadn't broke our neck or worse.

And tryin to outrun the others to get the mail every day and stumpin our toes along the way. They never did have a chance to heal. When cold weather settled in and we had to wear shoes we'd still hobble down those ole roads.

I couldn’t count how many trips we made to and fro carryin gallons of milk from the neighbors when we were between cows, hungry for some good cornbread and milk to go along with supper, sometimes making a complete meal out of it.

 And how can I forget  takin a few poufs off of a cigarette butt after snatchin it outta the yard when daddy threw it down. Ahhhh, the sickness and turnin green that followed, I'd sure like to forget and is still a reminder today. I said then and there, "never again". Whewww.

It didn't matter the season or the weather, we made memories to last a lifetime and those ole dirt roads paved the way.

There's so many memories that still linger. I go back quite often and listen to the echoes of a childhood full of many seeds that's been sowed. How can we ever forget an old dirt road.

                                                 © Susie Swanson, 2016

This is just a little something I wrote from the picture above. I figured ya'll may be thinking I'd flown the coop so I better post something.. I usually take a lot of pride in my Writing and enjoy Blogging, etc. but I've been laid up, so to speak even more so since last week. Ongoing Thyroid issues and trying to adjust without a gallbladder, has just about done me smack-ka-dab in. Most folks get by fairly easy without the Gallbladder but I should've known it wouldn't be easy for me, nothing is.. It all works together. When you have Thyroid problems and the lack of a thyroid it all goes haywire.. Sorry for the Poor Me Trip but I'm feeling rather lousy and praying really hard this all will soon pass or I'll lose what little mind I got left.. Thanks for all of the prayers and I'll be back soon as possible.. ~Susie