Page 41 - barefoot-in-the-sand-remembering-the-waning-days-of-the-hopewell-community-(1998)-bruce-c-gragg
P. 41

Barefoot In The Sand: Remembering the Waning Days of the Hopewell Community (1998) Bruce C. Gragg  37/123




            anyone. If it was technical in nature she was lost in a flash, if it
            required some plain ole common sense reasoning she could figure it
            out soon. I learned very early in life don't get in her way when she
            decided to do something. Most importantly she had a Faith in God that
            carried her through her many trials and tribulations over her
            lifetime. Mama was quite unique, petite in stature, she could relate
            to Jerry Clower, in as much as she was Country. An example, she knew
            just how much soda to put in a pot of collards while cooking to get
            rid of the bitter taste, and how much cane syrup to add to them after
            cutting up to make them taste "just right” without having a sweet
            syrup taste. Her pecan pies were so good, made with fresh nuts and
            homemade syrup, I have never found anyone to make one that equaled
            hers. Her worst accident was when was riding Maude (June's mother)
            looking for some cows a limb or something scraped her in the side and
            she threw Mama. This resulted in a painful injury, it broke her hip
            from her backbone. Maude ran home empty saddled and Papa hitched her
            up to the wagon and went for Mama. Maude went right straight to where
            the accident happened. She was laid up for a while. The injury place
            gave her problems the rest of her life.

            She could plow a field of corn better than some men could. Around
            animals she had a way or knack of knowing what had to be done to
            bring them back to good health. When egg shells began to get too thin
            she would bring out the oystershells to feed the chickens, the extra
            calcium would help thicken them. She usually kept an assortment of
            chemicals and over the counter drugs to treat many of the livestock
            illnesses. When we went to the farm supply store she always stopped
            by the "Dr. LeGears" display to see if there was anything she might
            need and not have at home already. Most of all she didn't like to see
            people or animals suffer. She was extremely emotional and had very
            deep feelings about her beliefs. I come by it naturally, for I am of
            very much the same temperament. When getting ready to plant she
            believed like Papa, bring out the almanac when you bring out the
            seeds and plant at the right time. As she was growing up they had to
            do what was necessary to survive and they couldn’t afford to hire
            much done. She had strength very few her size had and a mind to go
            with it. Some people called it being hardheaded, guess that’s where I
            got my stubborn nature. While I could always remember events more
            readily than Vera, time is beginning to take its toll and I find it
            harder to recall facts, once on "Instant Recall."























                               www.LakeCityHistory.com LCH-UUID: B98DC69E-ADC1-4EE7-8817-CA941114D897
   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46