FROM NOTES I FOUND THE OTHER DAY

THE OTHER DAY I FOUND SOME HANKIES IN A DRAWER. I WONDER HOW MANY OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION KNOW ABOUT THESE PIECES OF CLOTH.
THE STORY THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS HOW MOM ALWAYS HAD ONE TUCKED IN A POCKET OR HER BOSSOM. THEY WERE USED TO WIPE PERSPIRATION FROM A BROW ARE CLEAN A RUNNY NOSE, ALL BEFORE KLEENEX.
ANOTHER USE FOR A HANKIE WAS FOR CLEANING SMUDGES ON FACES. THE POINTY FINGER HAD A LITTLE SPOT OF THE HANKY OVER IT AND WITH A LITTLE SALIVA FROM A MOTHER THE UNLUCKY CHILD GOT THEIR FACE CLEANED UP BEFORE GOING INTO CHURCH OR A STORE AND MAYBE JUST BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A WET WASHCLOTH HANDY!! MOM WAS GOOD AT DOING A QUICK CLEAN UP ON HER CHILDREN.

MENDING
OH HOW I LOVED TO SIT ON THE FLOOR BY MOM AS SHE MENDED CLOTHS. I STILL WONDER AT HER SMALL EVEN STITCHES.
BAKER WAS ALWAYS PROUD OF THE PATCHES ON HIS JEANS AT THE KNEES. NOW WHEN I SEE KIDS WEARING JEANS WITH HOLES [THE STYLE] I THINK OF MOM'S MENDING OUR CLOTHS AND THE STORIES SHE TOLD OF HER CHILDHOOD HOME. NOW I THINK THOSE MUST HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN SHE MISSED HER SOUTHERN HOME AND FAMILY. BY TELLING HER STORIES I SUPPOSE SHE FELT CLOSER TO HER LOVED ONES. THAT HELPED US KNOW THEM A LITTLE BIT ALSO.

GARDEN
I'VE ALREADY WRITTEN SOME ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS BUT WILL ADD WHAT I WROTE IN THE LITTLE NOTE BOOK SOME TIME AGO SO DON'T GET TOO BORED.
SUMMERS BROUGHT LOTS OF FUN AND LOTS OF WORK. I THINK OUR GARDEN SPOT MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST AN ACRE IN SIZE. CORN ON THE NORTH END ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN ROWS. CUCUMBERS IN THE NEXT TWO ROWS WINDING IN AND OUT OF THE CORN WHERE EVER THEY WANTED TO GO. GREEN BEANS CAROTTS AND I THINK A FEW PEAS, RADISHES AND TURNIPS. I OFTEN HELPED PLANT THE VEGIES. WE HAD TWO STICKS WITH STRING ROLLED UP ON ONE STICK. MY JOB WAS TO WALK TO THE FAR END OF THE GARDEN AND POKE THE STICK IN THE GROUND. NOT JUST ANY OLD PLACE BUT JUST THE RIGHT SPACE BETWEEN ROWS. AND AS STRAIGHT A LINE AS POSSIBLE. THEN MOM WOULD OPEN THE GROUND INTO A TRENCH AND JACK AND I WOULD PLANT THE SEEDS. NOT TOO MANY IN ONE SPOT BUT SORTA SCATTERED THIN ALONG THE TRENCH. ALONG WITH THE GOOD PLANTS THERE WAS WEEDS THAT MANAGED TO PEEK OUT ALSO. MOM TAUGHT ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GOOD AND THE WEEDS. I PULLED WEEDS AFTER A FEW TRIALS AND ERRORS. WHEN THE TURNIPS CAME UP OUR COUSIN VERNON SLACK SEEMED TO KNOW "MILLIE'S" GARDEN WAS GETTING READY TO EAT. HE WOULD RIDE UP ON HIS BLACK HORSE AND HELP HIMSELF TO A TURNIP. OUT WOULD COME HIS POCKET KNIFE AND HE WOULD TAKE THE SKIN OF AND ASK FOR THE SALT SHAKER SO HE COULD ENJOY THAT FRESH RAW TURNIP.
WHEN THE CUCUMBERS CAME ON I LIKED TO TO THINK I GOT AWAY WITH PICKING ONE AND PEELING IT WITH MY TEETH IN THE CORN PATCH AND EAT IT. A FRESH CARROTT WITH THE DIRT CLEANED OFF ON PANT LEGS OR APORN COULDN'T BE BEAT FOR FLAVOR. WHAT WAS A LITTLE DIRT BACK THEN IT PROBABLY HELPED MY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. AT 83 NO ULCERS. [ AND AT 84 STILL NO ULCERS.]

CANNING
MOM CANNED LOTS OF BEANS AND CORN PLUS SHE DRIED CORN BY MAKING BAGS OUT OF CHEESE CLOTH. THE CORN WAS CUT OFF THE COB AND PUT IN THE BAGS TO BE HUNG ON THE CLOTHS LINE TO DRY. WE TOOK THEM IN AT NIGHT SO THE EVENING DEW DIDN'T SET ON THEM AND CAUSE MOLD. THEN OUT TO THE CLOTHS LINE EACH MORNING UNTIL THE CORN WAS DRY. I HAVEN'T EVER TASTED BETTER CORN THAN THAT WHEN MOM COOKED IT ON COLD WINTER DAYS.. SORRY I DIDN'T GET HER RECIPE.
IN THE FALL WE'D GET HOME FROM SCHOOL AND DAD WOULD HAVE EIGHT ARE NINE BUSHEL BASKETS OF PEACHES READY FOR THE CANNING PROCESS. IT TOOK LOTS OF BLANCHING PEELING AND PUTTING THEM ON THE STOVE TO COOK IN SUGAR WATER. THAT WASN'T ALL HOWEVER. BOTTLES HAD TO BE WASHED AND BOILED GOOD FOR STERILIZING. BEFORE THAT PROCESS THE BOTTLES HAD TO BE BROUGHT UP FROM THE OLD DIRT CELLAR AND REALLY CLEANED GOOD. LOTS OF SOAPY WATER AND HANDS THAT FIT INSIDE THE BOTTLES WITH EAZE. THE LIDS WERE ALWAYS NEW AND HEATED IN A PAN BEFORE SEALING. AFTER THE PEACHES COOKED THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME MOM FILLED THE TWO QUART JARS WITH THOSE WONDERFUL PEACHES. OH DID I MENTION WE ALSO ATE PEACHES AND CREAM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ALL THE PEACHES WERE BOTTLED.
IN ORDER TO FEED THE FAMILY MOM WORKED VERY HARD. ALL THIS WAS DONE NOT ON AN ELECTRIC OR GAS RANGE BUT ON THE OLD MAJESTIC WOOD BURNER. IT TOOK A LOT OF WOOD CHOPPING AND A WHOLE LOT OF CARRYING IT INTO THE HOUSE. I REMEMBER BAKER SPLITTING WOOD AND MOM SOME TIMES NEEDING SOME SHE'D USE THE AX. JACK INHERITED THE JOB AS WELL AS SOME OF US GIRLS MANAGED TO SWING THAT AX.
CANNING SEASON BROUGHT MORE STORY TIME AS WE SNAPPED BEANS AND CUT CORN OF THE COB. I TRY TO THINK WHAT ELSE BESIDES THE BOTTLES OF PICKLES AND THE WOODEN BARREL THAT WAS COVERED WITH A DISH ON TOP OF THE CUCUMBERS TO HOLD THEM IN THE BRINE WITH A CLEAN ROCK ON TOP OF THAT. OVER THE BARREL WAS A CLEAN PIECE OF CANVAS TO KEEP THE DIRT AND OTHER STUFF OUT OF THE BRINE AND CUCUMBERS THAT EVENTUALLY BECAME PICKLES. OH HOW I LOVED THOSE SOUR PICKLES. THERE WAS A FEW APRICOTS AND PEARS CANNED ALSO. CARROTS AND POTATOES WERE STORED IN THE FAR END OF THE CELLAR FOR WINTER USE.
WELL I NEED TO GET READY TO GO VISIT TEACHING SO WILL CONTINUE THIS ANOTHER TIME.