MORE RAMBLINGS

SUNDAY IN CHURCH ONE OF THE RELIEF SOCIETY COUNCELORS TOLD OF A FELLOW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING RAISE CHICKENS AS A CHULD. IT MADE ME THINK OF THE SPRINGS WHEN THE LITTLE BABY CHICKENS WOULD BE DELIVERED TO OUR HOUSE. THE BIG BOX WOULD BE OPENED UP AND THE LITTLE CHICKS WOULD BE CHATTERING FOR FOOD. I'M NOT SURE HOW FAR THEY TRAVELED BUT SOON WE ALL WORKED TOGETHER TO GET THEM IN THE MAKE SHIFT COUP. THERE FOOD WAS ALREADY IN THE FEEDERS AND WATER IN GLASS JARS THAT WERE TWISTED INTO A METAL TRAY THAT THE CHICKS COULD DRINK BUT NOT DROWN. I REMEMBER OFTEN BEING ONE OF THE FEEDERS AND CHANGING THE WATER SO IT WOULDN'T GET STAIL AND PROBABLY GROW THINGS IN IT SINCE WE USED DITCH WATER. AS THEY GREW AND GOT FAT MOM COULD HARDLY WAIT FOR THEM TO BE BIG ENOUGH TO MAKE SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN.

THAT ALWAYS TOOK MOM ONE OF THE KIDS AND THE AX. THE CHICKEN WAS HELD BY THE LEGS AND WINGS WITH ITS POOR HEAD ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. THEN WHO EVER WAS HOLDING BETTER HOLD ON WITH THE CHICKEN HELD OUT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM YOUR BODY ARE YOU'D GET BLOODY ALL OVER. SOME TIMES A WING WOULD GET LOOSE AND WHAT A MESS THAT WOULD BE.IF YOU PER CHANCE DROPPED THE POOR BIRD HE FLOPED ALL OVER THE YARD TILL FINALLY HE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO MOVE. THEN A POT OF HOT WATER TO DOUSE HIM IN AND LOOSEN THE FEATHERS. HE'D BE CLEANED OF FEATHERS AND PIN FEATHERS AND INTRALS. WASHED SEVERAL TIMES IN WARM SOAPY WATER THEN RINSED SEVERAL TIMES IN WARM CLEAR WATER AND THEN MOM WOULD CUT HIM UP AND FRY HIM AS NO ONE ELSE COULD. WHEN ALL THE ROOSTER CHICKENS BUT A COUPLE WAS USED THE REST WERE HENS AND PUT IN THE COUP TO LAY EGGS. HOW OFTEN DID I HEAR THE OLD ROOSTER IN THE MORNING ANNOUNCING TIME TO GET UP.

EVEN IN THE DEPRESSION YEARS WE HAD SOMETHING TO EAT NOT ALWAYS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT FOOD BUT AT LEAST THERE WAS FOOD FOR A GROWING HUNGRY FAMILY. SO THE CHICKENS BECAME ROASTING CHICKENS AS THEY GOT TOO OLD TO LAY EGGS. MOM HAD A WAY OF MAKING EVEN THE TOUGH OLD BIRDS GOOD TO EAT.

DAD USED THE DERICK TO HANG THE SIDE OF BEEF ARE THE HALF OF PIG THAT WAS DIVIDED WITH SLACKS. I SUPPOSE UNCLE JOE AND AUNT LEAH AND VERN AND LUCREICIA SHARED THE OTHER HALF. DAD MADE OUR BACON BY USING SOME KIND OF TREATED SALT MADE FOR THAT PURPOSE AND WOULD RUB THE SIDE OF BACON FOR NUMEROUS DAYS MAYBE EVEN WEEKS TO CURE THE BACON SO IT WOULD KEEP AND BE GOOD ALL WINTER. SO WITH THOSE THINGS FOR MEAT AND MOM'S HOME BOTTLED FRUITS AND VEGGIES WE DID MOST ALWAYS EAT.

AS FOR THE MEAT BEING HUNG ON THE DERRICK THAT WAS TO KEEP IT FROM THE DOG AND ANY OTHER ANIMAL THAT MIGHT HAVE COME INTO THE YARD. BEFORE THE MEAT WAS ELEVATED TO AS HIGH AS IT WOULD GO MOM HAD SEWED FLOUR SACKS TOGETHER TO WRAP IT IN THEN DAD HAD A PIECE OF CANVAS THAT WENT OVER THAT TO KEEP IT CLEAN. THIS ALL DONE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE THE MEAT. OUR OWN FREEZER.

ANOTHER USE FOR THE FLOUR SACKS WAS TO MAKE OUR UNDER PANTS. THE DESIGN THAT WAS ON ALL FLOUR SACKS WAS SCRUBBED BLEACHED AND WHAT EVER IT TOOK LIKE LOTS OF ELBOW GREASE SO THE SACK WAS WHITE. MOM DIDN'T BELIEVE IN SENDING HER GIRLS OUT IN BLOOMERS THAT ADDVERTISED THE FLOUR.

RUTH SOME TIMES PLAYED WITH ME SHE BEING FOUR YEARS OLDER GOT BORED WITH PLAYING DOLLS AND MAKING OUR OWN PLAY HOUSE BY DRAWING OUR WALLS WITH A STICK IN THE DIRT. WE USED A ORANGE CRATE BOX FOR A CUPBOARD IT WAS PETITONED OFF TO HAVE TWO SPACES AND MADE OF WOOD. WELL I GUESS I'LL CALL THIS QUITES FOR NOW AND TRY TO DO MORE NEXT TIME.

TO BE CONTINUED ANOTHER TIME