Is It Time Yet?

Is it time yet mama, can I go barefoot? That was the number one question come spring. We’d see the dogwoods in bloom or the redbud trees and always commence to pull our shoes off. The older people always said wait till the first of May or you’ll catch ye death of cold. I know for a fact my daddy never pulled his long johns off till the first of May. He still wore his long sleeve shirts till mama made him change to short sleeves. He always said he was afraid he’d take cold. It didn’t matter if it got ninety degrees in the shade and in his older years he had such bad circulation that we might see him put his overcoat on in the middle of the summer.

As for going barefoot, when the shoes came off they stayed off all summer long till school started. When we hit the door in the evening, off came the shoes. We’d toughened our feet so and stumped our toes off so bad it was hard to put on a pair of shoes and wear em all day. We walked the paved road so much going to the store or getting milk from the neighbors that we stumped our toes till there was nothing left but a stub.

It wasn’t that we didn’t appreciate a new pair of shoes when school started we just couldn’t stand wearing em and it hurt our stumped toes and calloused feet. We knew we had to make them shoes last as long as possible cause there was no money to run back and forth to the store buying a new pair. The boys were more rough on their shoes than me and my one and only sister which happened to be a lot younger than me was the biggest tomboy to ever come along. She wore out as many pairs as the boys and had her head stuck in something all the time.

We run through the thickets and brairs till our feet were tough as a pine knot. Those mud holes just about did us in. We’d bust every one of those suckers dry and that toe itch was a killer. Mama would say, “don’t complain to me, ye know what did it.” That never stopped us none cause those mud holes were hard to resist.

I never see or hear of a young’un anymore going barefoot and it’s a shame. I even admit in my older years my feet are so tender I can’t stand to walk on the ground to save my life. I walk around barefoot in the house all day long but I gotta have an old pair of flip flops on when I go outside.

I sure do miss those days of going barefoot even if we wore our feet out and the joys of running through those big, grassy fields will last a life time.  And every spring I still hear those words, is it time yet mama, can I pull my shoes off ?

                                            © Susie Swanson, 2016

Plenty More Left To Tell

Seek a cool, green hilltop close to the sky

Where the refreshing winds of heaven blow

And the birds spread their wings as they pass by

Seeking some destination that they only know

Then close your eyes and listen…… You will hear

Calling, calling out your name

Old voices that you once knew so dear

Calling you back to where they laid claim

Upon the mighty land they loved so well

Across this beautiful Blue Ridge they called home

There’s so many stories they are waiting to tell

Left behind for all of us, to share and carry on

Winds of time sweep many golden memories

Paths of ancestors become streets of gold

Like the tall, tall mountains born from the trees

These are the things to cherish and lay hold

They tell their stories of hard work and sacrifice

With plenty of satisfaction, joy and pride

Knowing those big fields of corn was suffice

Putting bread on the table, knowing how to provide

Riding a wagon on an old gutted out road

If we look closely the roads are still there

Those mules worked hard and pulled many a load

Can’t ye hear the Gee’s and Haw’s still in the air

And when the noon time sun was mighty hot

They snaked out wood for the winter’s cold

Always thinking ahead and on many a trot

A way of life that should never become old

The gardens were a plenty and always bountiful

Leaving a harvest of knowledge behind

Going by the signs is a priceless jewel, so beautiful

For planting and canning from a mastermind

When the fog lays stretched across the horizon

Remember a father’s feet hit the ground at dawn

His work never done, even at setting of sun

Leaving his footsteps and pathways to travel upon

 A mother’s calloused hands scrubbing the way she knew

Washing clothes on an old rub board many a day

 Toil and labor for her family only grew and grew

  Love and dedication became her reward in every way

And they set an example of people coming together

On hog butchering days everybody was akin

Neighbors helping neighbors through all kinds of weather

When sickness hit, help was just around the bend

 There’s nothing as spiritual than an old timey meeting

Many a spirit-fed soul is now walking through eternity

 Can’t you still hear those old church bells ringing

Music to our ears, food for our soul through all adversity

 And when we drift far away and travel many miles

Let’s not forget where we came from, our ancestral plan

Our great heritage will surely bring tears and smiles

If we but only go back to where it all began

Seek a cool, green hilltop close to God’s creation

Climb on up and let’s sit a long spell

Mountain hospitality needs no invitation

Believe me, there’s plenty more stories left to tell

© Susie Swanson, 2016

Older Mothers

They draw me to them

these women of old

A rare polished gem

more precious than gold

Wisdom from the wise

through the years have grown

So much certainty in their eyes

long-suffering they have known

They have prayed long

and surely learned how to pray

For everything that’s wrong

in each and every way

They are always there

through darkness of night

With each humble prayer

until the first morning light

With a patient heart

down through the years

To many burdens from the start

they’ve shed to many tears

They’ve conquered many things

with such beauty and grace

Captured what life brings

like the beauty of white lace

Such a gentle soul

and life’s most loving friend

Caring they surely do hold

on them you can depend

Many have been their days

through long countless time

They walk with God’s praise

in heaven they will shine

When their life is at end

and they’ve drawn their last breath

An angel God will send

to walk with them in death

© Susie Swanson, 2016

Conversations In the 1950"s

'I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going

the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a

week's groceries for $20.00.'

'Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It

won't be long before $2 ,000.00 will only buy a used one.'

'If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going

to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous.

'Did you hear the post office is thinking about

charging a dime just to mail a letter?'

'If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will

be able to hire outside help at the store.'

'When I first started driving, who would have thought

gas would someday cost 29 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be

better off leaving the car in the garage.'

'Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair

cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you

know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls.'

'I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any

more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying

DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new

movie has either HELL of DAMN in it.'

'I read the other day where some scientist thinks

it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the

century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts

preparing for it down in Texas .'

'Did you see where some baseball player just signed a

contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It

wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making

more than the President.'

'I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen

appliances would be electric. They are even making electric

typewriters now.'

'It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I

see where a few married women are

having to work to make ends meet.'

'It won't be long before young couples are going

to have to hire someone to watch their

kids so they can both work.'

'Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those

Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced

at the drop of a hat.'

'I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open

the door to a whole lot of foreign business.'

'Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when

the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes

wonder if we are electing the best people to congress.'

'The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice

weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.'

'There is no sense going to town anymore

for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel.'

'No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a

day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood.'

'If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut,

forget it.'

Author Unknown