NANA'S MEMORIES

The farm Grandma and Grandpa lived on, and where most of my childhood memories are from, was torn down several years after they moved back to town. There had been two huge barns, a dark, loud, and scary pump shed, a smoke house, a storm cellar, a hard-to-cross-for-a-kid cattle guard, and green pastures all around the small house I then thought was so big. Grandpa took care of the cattle on the farm for Mr. Wish, who also owned the feed store where Grandpa had worked for years. It stood where the new High School is now. I wonder how long I will call it the "new" High School?  We usually caught the bus at the farm and could see the bus coming down Spadra Road far enough away to get to the stop in time. I would cut through the pasture rather than having to run across the cattle guard and then downhill to the road. That climb back up the hill used to be so much steeper than it is now. I remember missing the school bus one morning and walking with my uncle all the way t...

It's funny how a chance encounter can form a relationship that may affect lives for generations. Sixty one years ago, as the Korean Conflict was heating up, Piney born Jackie Sanderson became acquainted with the Redlick raised Harvey Sanders when they were inducted into the U.S. Army and stationed at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas.  From the initial processing center's various tests, physicals, and immunizations and further continuing with their bunk and duty assignments, chow lines, and inspections, their names alphabetically linked them throughout their stay at Chaffee.  A bond was formed in those early Army days that has lasted a lifetime. Harvey is second row and second picture from right. Jackie is lower left Jackie was an amiable, easy going, and good natured young man who had led a somewhat sheltered life along the Arkansas River. His mother had been quite ill most of his childhood and he had been primarily raised by his twelve years older siste...

I just happened to think of a little snippet as I was writing about Auntie's move to Alaska. My Grandma was in her forties when she had her last baby just two years before her first grandchild was born. That made my youngest uncle close enough in age and usually near enough in proximity that we grew up together, enjoying an almost sibling relationship that has remained today. I have another uncle three years older than I and an aunt nine years older. When you are only eight, a grown-up seventeen year old seems aloof and sophisticated. My aunt was that. She had boyfriends, she colored her hair, she wore sweater sets, she never had to go to the storm cellar, and she could play the piano. Although I am sure this teenager was not happy sharing her parents and home with a dozen younger nieces and nephews, she seemed to tolerate us well. Most of the time we rode the school bus to the farm where Grandma minded us until Daddy or Mama got off work. I don't remember Auntie hanging o...

I remember Daddy's old 1950-something dark green car parked in a gravel driveway behind the asbestos siding covered duplex apartment we lived when I was six or seven years old. I was sitting in the front seat watching the tiny dust motes floating in the warm springtime sun that was brightly shining through the car's windshield.  It was not unusual for me to play alone outside while Mama cared for my three year old brother. I had my blanket wrapped baby doll with me when I noticed the cigarette lighter Daddy and Mama used to light their Pall Mall cigarettes. Actually, I think Daddy smoked Camels. Daddy would show me the front side of the Camel package and ask if I would rather live in the small tent, the large tent, or under the camel. After I chose the larger tent, Daddy would flip it over and say he would choose to live in the Turkish Palace. As I usually rode standing...

Mama's treadle machine A lost art among girls today is sitting with her legs together. I think it is probably because they rarely wear dresses. But in the 1950's, girls wore full skirted dresses with pinafore bodices and puff sleeves. Mama made me a lot of pretty little dresses on her old treadle sewing machine. Actually this machine was probably not that old when I started to school in 1957. 1950's dress pattern I remember playing one hot summer afternoon at the farm.  I was wearing a shirtwaist dress fastened with tiny buttons and a wide sash tied in a big bow in the back. I was having so much fun playing with the many cousins gathered at Grandma's house that I almost waited too long to go to the toilet, which at this time was outside. After having my aunt unbutton my dress, I quickly ran to take care of business.  It wasn't until I returned to have the dress buttoned and tied again that I realized dresses do not have to come off to use the bathroom....