Sunday, February 16, 2014

The village of High shoals, #2

Continuing my experience in High shoals, I learned that dibbies (baby chicks) were ordered from Sears and Roebuck. Mama’s chicks came in a past board carton with holes in it, delivered by the mail man.  I watched her transfer them to the thing she called a brooder with a light bulb to keep them warm.   I remember she ordered, Rhode Island Reds.

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(Mamas chicken house in 1943)

My mama once heard a sound at her chicken lot she did not like. She got Shir and I up so we would not be scared, Opened the back door and fired a couple rounds out over the coop from dad’s shot gun. She had no more problems. 

Big event, my sister Kat got married, she was 15 or 16 years old. She married S.A.(Dick) Lankford 17 of Shelby, NC. Daddy and mama made the prettiest arch with flowers over it for them to walk thru.

Our closest neighbors were the Jones’s, who happened to be Black (Colored or Negro at the time). My mama  never allowed the “N” word in her home, that would get you a switching, we were all God’s people she said.

I remember on their farm catching ‘crawdads’ and watching as they made molasses. Mr. Jones let me ride the old blind mule that pulled the press round and round.

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Shirl registered herself in the first grade. Daddy was gone and mama was sick, and Shirl walked herself to school and got her shot. Mama had called to tell the principal that she could not be with Shirl (some female thing!)

Shirl fell with one of those glass pitchers, thin glass with a picture of an orange on it. She cut her had real bad and dad applied alcohol. That even hurt me. But my sister got over it but still has scars on her hand and fingers.

After signing herself up to school, the next year the teacher said if we had a bus, the class could take a field trip out to a dairy farm. My sister said, “Daddy said he would take the class, he has a bus.” She never asked daddy. But she was really daddy’s pet, and he said Okay when the teacher called to thank him and tell him when to be at the school. She is okay for a big sister but her middle name has always been trouble.Winking smile

We buried my mama’s mama, Granny Loyd while we lived in High shoals. That is the first burial I remember. Granny Loyd always gave us Big peanut butter crackers. Back then the soda crackers were the same size as the box today but one cracker scored for four sections were stacked in the box.  Mama broke them up for small crackers, but Granny used the whole thing, what a treat. I missed her.

We had our first indoor toilet, mama bought some Bed Time Story books from traveling sales man and had Shirl and my names on the books very small in gold. I loved it when mama read those stories.

High Shoals was a good time in my life. The war was still on and I remember hearing mama & Daddy pray for their sons safety and for an end to the  war.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite Shipslog

PS:

I did not make a life long friend there. I wish I knew that happened to the Jones’ boy.

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No American passenger cars were produced while we lived in High Shoals 1942-45. But the auto makers produced:

8 wheel troop carrierFord truck 1943jeep 1944war vehicle

10 comments:

shirl72 said...

Well you have told our life story.It would be fun to see if the Jones family is alive and where they live.

I can't remember who the girl was
but we learned how to come up through the woods and then a cow
pasture to get to her house and one cows chased up to the top of
the hill that was scary.

Mother would give us a talk when
we were going to visit Grandma
LLoyd not to ask for peanut butter
crackers. We would wait until she
went to the Kitchen and whisper could we have a cracker.

Jack I have a damaged calender
about our grandpa's store and the
name was spelled LLoyd. Mother was
so funny she said they lost an L
when they came over.

Good blog. We had a very good life with two loving parents.
I miss them.


Mevely317 said...

As a teen, my own daddy used to raise Rhode Island Reds!

What a gift you're giving your sons and their families, Jack, by recording life's snippets here. While neither of my folks kept a journal, he loved to talk ... how I wish I'd been a better listener!

Anyway, just wanted to say it's so relaxing to sit, absorbing your posts with a smile or nod. Lots of truth here.

Have a great new week!

Hugs,
Myra

Paula said...

Did they lay Grandma Lloyd out in someone's living room? I always thought is was unfair every time someone in our family died one aunt always fell heir to have the deceased in her living room and different ones came to sit up all night until the funeral. My how times have changed. Maybe city folks didn't do that, did they?

jack69 said...

Oh yes, Paula, that was a big thing back then. someone stayed up all night with the body, the kids tried to, but we never made it past midnight. I learned in our family, that was part of the social event to get together like a reunion. Thanks for the reminder...

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

You remember a lot from your childhood. I don't think I could do as well. I was born two years before the war ended so don't remember much about that except I had 5 uncles plus my dad in the war. So glad you are getting things down for your family . So much has changed. A little more snow here again today our big warm up hasn't started yet..Hope you both have a good Sunday

TARYTERRE said...

GOOD memories from your childhood. Wonderful stories.

Chatty Crone said...

Your memory is amazing - I don't have them.

Gosh Shirl was beautiful!!! What is her middle name?

Again you sound like you have some great memories. And your sister confirms it.

Would love to hear more.

sandie

Glenda said...

My first pet was a Rhode Island Red chicken, love your post, brings bittersweet memories. Love you two!

betty said...

I love the story of your mom shooting the gun out to scare whatever was near the chickens. One brave woman! Picture of Shirl is beautiful; loved the story of her registering for school too by herself. You wouldn't see that happening these days with all the stuff that needs to be completed. Great memories you have Jack! I know it wil be a wonderful legacy you are leaving for your family by recording these like this.

Just a thought, and you probably have already, have you marked old pictures so people know who are in them? I'm a big proponent of that, having shredded lots of pictures here as we were clueless who were in them.

betty

Jackie said...

I always can't wait to read your blog. I'm never disappointed. Loved all of this...and especially the tender comments about your Granny Loyd.
Made my heart smile real good.