Old country roads remind
me of walking to church come Sunday morning and walking back come Sunday night.
They remind me of walking to the little country store with mama's list in hand.
Those early morning walks to catch the school bus and walking back in home at
end of day, stopping 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 walking in those big snows that were knee deep in the
winter, rolling in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other along the way.
Taking refuge under a big
tree come a hard, summer's rain and still takin a wetting and loving it to no
end. Then we ran through mud holes with our bare feet, busting em wide open,
never thinking about getting 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 looking forward to that fresh
blackberry cobbler, all the while eating more than we picked. Never thinking
twice about the chiggers or poison ivy till it was to late.
Climbing over barbed wire
fences and ripping our clothes to pick poke salat for mama. She didn't take to
kindly to the ripped clothes or the dangers of getting snake bit but the poke
salat changed the subject really quick.
Riding an ole, rusted bicycle around every
curve and bend, with nary a brake knowing we'd hit the ditch or the creek. It's
a wonders we hadn't broke our neck or worse.
And trying to outrun the
others to get the mail every day and stumping 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 carrying 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 turning 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, 2018
You have so many wonderful memories from those days, Susie. This was a happy post to read. Made me smile. Hope you're having a good day. :)
ReplyDeleteSusie, I can relate to so many of these memories! Wild blackberries are in full bloom here now; there surely will be a good crop of berries! I remember those chiggers!
ReplyDeleteSusie, Your words make me see you walking those roads. Of course being from a barefoot generation myself...It's not hard to envision. I wish things tasted as good as they did when we were kids. Blessings, xoxo, love you, Susie
ReplyDeleteI'd sure like to walk with you down that old dirt road, Susie. We could eat blackberries together and see so many interesting things. Loved your story today. I can't tell you how many times I walked down the street to get a gallon of milk for my mom when she was out. We never had snow like you though; that would have been so neat.
ReplyDeletelove, ~Sheri
Some of my sweetest memories are of old dirt roads up in the country at my grandparents' farm. Thank you for reminding me. Love you my friend!
ReplyDelete