Well, I now have a blog. I am using the Finch app for my depression. One of the goals today was to create a blog.
I live in the Ozarks. I am a senior citizen. Since this is my first blog I’m sure there are mistakes. Hopefully, as time goes on, I will learn how to fix any problems there may be.
I grew up in these hills. My family unit comprised of my parents, my brother and me.
My family spent weekends at one of two places. We would be on the banks of a creek, river, or lake. The other would be with our grandparents.
I grew up fishing and camping with my mom, dad and brother. My brother got taught how to hunt. My dad not considered teaching me to hunt. We all knew how to handle firearms from a very early age. We were taught to consider all firearms as loaded and ready to fire, at all times. We were taught to never point a gun at someone.
I tromped the hills and valleys with my grandmother. She taught me many things as we walked. She taught me to gather plants to use in food or medicine.
In the Ozarks you never used your given name. We all had nicknames. My dad was known as Pete. My mom was known as Vee. My brother was Pea Rascal, and I was Sissy.
My family have been in the Ozarks for at least seven generations. We have a five generation picture. Something of a rarity these days.
My maternal grandparents were known as Buck and Olee. My grandmother would gather plants such as snake root, black root, blood root and ginseng. She would dry them in the herb house to sell. My grandfather would hunt and gather furs to sell.
We rode to town on a buck board pulled by two ginnies. We would shop for an entire month so we didn’t have to go to town but once a month.
The normal items my grandmother would purchase would be a fifty pound bag of flour, coffee, oats, and sometimes lard. The meat would be whatever grandpa could get when hunting.
They had a smoke house that would be used for smoking meat. A hen house for chickens. A barn for the farm animals. Grandpa could make haystacks that would channel the water and snow. He kept the hay good all winter. He would store what he could in the hayloft of the barn. There would always be two or three haystacks as well.
My grandmother started teaching at a very young age to cook on a wood cook stove. The first thing she taught me was how to fry eggs. Breakfast would consist of a cup of coffee, eggs, bacon potatoes and gravy. Sometimes she would make oatmeal or pancakes. She would maker her own syrup. She made bread every day.
She was known for her biscuits. There was always enough left over for the day and for company. When people visited she would offer a cup of coffee and the guests would say, ” and a biscuit too, if you have any”
My grandparents had a special ” holler” to use if they were separated or if it was time for supper. She would holler, using her own holler, which echoed through the trees, hills, and hollers. Grandpa would answer back with his special “holler” to let grandma know he heard her and he was on his way home.
They had a hand dug well which would go dry during the hot summers. We then would go to the spring and haul water back up to the house.
Standby for more reminiscing.
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