J. CARTIER B & W PHOTOGRAPHY
(251)689-5594
DAPHNE, ALABAMA
(251)689-5594
DAPHNE, ALABAMA
jcartierphotography@ymail.com
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JOHN 3:16
Monday, December 14, 2015
Monday, November 30, 2015
A COUNTRY THANKSGIVING by J. Cartier B&W Photography
Over the River
(Thanksgiving Day)
Over the river and through the wood
To Grandmother's house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring,
Ting-a-ling-ling!
Hurrah forThanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow~
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood~
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
By Linda Maria Child
(Thanksgiving Day)
Over the river and through the wood
To Grandmother's house we go.
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through white and drifted snow.
Over the river and through the wood
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the wood
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring,
Ting-a-ling-ling!
Hurrah forThanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the wood,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go
Extremely slow~
It is so hard to wait!
Over the river and through the wood~
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for fun!
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
By Linda Maria Child
Thanksgiving Feasting
When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,
And the leaves have all fallen to ground,
When the air has turned windy and cold,
Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.
Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,
Pleasant pictures from past times appear
To dwell in each heart and each mind--
Then Thanksgiving is finally here!
The kitchen has scrumptious aromas,
The dining room looks oh, so fine,
Decorations with pilgrims and turkeys,
And now we are ready to dine!
First the napkins are placed on our laps;
Now the prayer for the meal to be blessed,
Then we stuff the good food in our tummies,
And we hope for it all to digest!
By Joanna Fuchs
When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,
And the leaves have all fallen to ground,
When the air has turned windy and cold,
Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.
Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,
Pleasant pictures from past times appear
To dwell in each heart and each mind--
Then Thanksgiving is finally here!
The kitchen has scrumptious aromas,
The dining room looks oh, so fine,
Decorations with pilgrims and turkeys,
And now we are ready to dine!
First the napkins are placed on our laps;
Now the prayer for the meal to be blessed,
Then we stuff the good food in our tummies,
And we hope for it all to digest!
By Joanna Fuchs
Funny Bird
(Author Unknown)
A turkey is a funny bird,
Its head goes wobble, wobble,
All it knows is just one word,
"Gobble, gobble, gobble."
(Author Unknown)
A turkey is a funny bird,
Its head goes wobble, wobble,
All it knows is just one word,
"Gobble, gobble, gobble."
More Than A Day
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.
By Karl Fuchs
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.
We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.
So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.
By Karl Fuchs
Harvest
(John Charles McNeill, 1874-1907)
Cows in the stall and sheep in the fold;
Clouds in the west, deep crimson and gold;
A heron's far flight to a roost somewhere;
The twitter of killdees keen in the air;
The noise of a wagon that jolts through the gloam
On the last load home.
There are lights in the windows; a blue spire of smoke
Climbs from the grange grove of elm and oak.
The smell of the Earth, where the night pours to her
Its dewy libation, is sweeter than myrrh,
And an incense to Toil is the smell of the loam
On the last load home.
Thank You, Lord, for Everything
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the breathe to say
Thank you for another day
Thank you for the eyes to see the world of beauty surrounding me
Thank you for the ears to hear your message of hope loud and clear
Thank you for the hands to serve and far more blessings than I deserve
Thank you for the legs to run the race of life until it's won
Thank you for the voice to sing
Thank you Lord for everything
HOW TO OBSERVE THANKSGIVING
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
~~Author Unknown.~~
We Gather Together
We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Amen
--Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn
(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851-1934)
BE THANKFUL
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~~Author Unknown.~~
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~~Author Unknown.~~
THANKSGIVING IS....
Thanksgiving is
a time of gratitude to God, our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care go before us...
and whose love is with us forever.
Thanksgiving is
a time to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too, grow and change
from one season of life to another.
Thanksgiving is
a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden
in Autumn's wake and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.
Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty of Autumn,
let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours...
let us think of our families and friends..
and let us give thanks in our hearts.
~~Author Unknown.~~
Thanksgiving is
a time of gratitude to God, our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care go before us...
and whose love is with us forever.
Thanksgiving is
a time to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too, grow and change
from one season of life to another.
Thanksgiving is
a time of changing seasons, when leaves turn golden
in Autumn's wake and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.
Let us remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty of Autumn,
let us acknowledge the many blessings which are ours...
let us think of our families and friends..
and let us give thanks in our hearts.
~~Author Unknown.~~
We Give Thanks
Our Father in Heaven,
We give thanks for the pleasure
Of gathering together for this occasion.
We give thanks for this food
Prepared by loving hands.
We give thanks for life,
The freedom to enjoy it all
And all other blessings.
As we partake of this food,
We pray for health and strength
To carry on and try to live as You would have us.
This we ask in the name of Christ,
Our Heavenly Father.
--Harry Jewell
'TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING
Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn't sleep.
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned--the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees.......
happy eating to all---pass the cranberries, please!
~~Author Unknown.~~
Twas the night of Thanksgiving, but I just couldn't sleep.
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned--the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees.......
happy eating to all---pass the cranberries, please!
~~Author Unknown.~~
The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)
It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell
Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;
But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know
A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,
When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,
With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head,
The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,
With mother running in and out and laughing all the while.
It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day
We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;
Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;
It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone.
It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;
There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,
Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,
Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.
I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad
To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;
The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin,
And whether living far or near they all came trooping in
With shouts of "Hello, daddy!" as they fairly stormed the place
And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face
Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,
Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.
Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, Oh, the jokes they told;
From Boston, Frank brought new ones, but father sprang the old;
All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,
The struggles we were making and the hardships we'd gone through;
We gathered round the fireside. How fast the hours would fly--
It seemed before we'd settled down 'twas time to say good-bye.
Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew
When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)
It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell
Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;
But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know
A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,
When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,
With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head,
The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,
With mother running in and out and laughing all the while.
It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day
We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;
Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;
It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone.
It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;
There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,
Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,
Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.
I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad
To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;
The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin,
And whether living far or near they all came trooping in
With shouts of "Hello, daddy!" as they fairly stormed the place
And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face
Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,
Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.
Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, Oh, the jokes they told;
From Boston, Frank brought new ones, but father sprang the old;
All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,
The struggles we were making and the hardships we'd gone through;
We gathered round the fireside. How fast the hours would fly--
It seemed before we'd settled down 'twas time to say good-bye.
Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew
When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.
Oh, What a Feast!
Deborah P. Cerbus
Turkey and gravy
Corn on my plate.
Oh, what a feast for me.
Cranberries and stuffing
I can't wait.
Oh, what a feast for me.
Bread and potatoes
Dessert is great.
Oh, what a feast for me.
I love Thanksgiving
Fill up my plate.
Oh, what a feast for me!
Deborah P. Cerbus
Turkey and gravy
Corn on my plate.
Oh, what a feast for me.
Cranberries and stuffing
I can't wait.
Oh, what a feast for me.
Bread and potatoes
Dessert is great.
Oh, what a feast for me.
I love Thanksgiving
Fill up my plate.
Oh, what a feast for me!
Thanksgiving
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway~
Thanksgiving comes again!
~Old Rhyme
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway~
Thanksgiving comes again!
~Old Rhyme
All in a Word
By Aileen Fisher
By Aileen Fisher
T for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.
H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.
A for autumn's frosty art, and abundance in the heart.
N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.
K for kitchen, kettles' croon, kith and kin expected soon.
S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that abounds.
That spells ~~~THANKS---for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.
H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.
A for autumn's frosty art, and abundance in the heart.
N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.
K for kitchen, kettles' croon, kith and kin expected soon.
S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that abounds.
That spells ~~~THANKS---for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.
At Grandma's House
I like the taste of turkey
Any time throughout the year
But it never
seems to taste as good
As when Thanksgiving's here.
Could be it's all the trimmings
That are cooked with it to eat-
But I think it's
eating at Grandma's house
That makes it such a treat!
~Author Unknown
I like the taste of turkey
Any time throughout the year
But it never
seems to taste as good
As when Thanksgiving's here.
Could be it's all the trimmings
That are cooked with it to eat-
But I think it's
eating at Grandma's house
That makes it such a treat!
~Author Unknown
Thanksgiving
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)
Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.
Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an men.
Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.
Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
~Robert Frost
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
~Robert Frost
The Feast-time of the Year
(Dora Read Goodale)
This is the feast-time of the year,
When plenty pours her wine of cheer,
And even humble boards may spare
To poorer poor a kindly share.
While bursting barns and granaries know
A richer, fuller overflow.
And they who dwell in golden ease
Blest without toil, yet toil to please.
I Ate Too Much Turkey
by Jack Prelutsky
I ate too much turkey,
I ate too much corn,
I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.
I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies, and jams
that my buttons are starting to pop.
I'm full of tomatoes
and french fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more.
by Jack Prelutsky
I ate too much turkey,
I ate too much corn,
I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.
I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies, and jams
that my buttons are starting to pop.
I'm full of tomatoes
and french fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more.
Ode to Autumn
By John Keats
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,---
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir, the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
By John Keats
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.
Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,---
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir, the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
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jcartierphotography@ymail.com
JCARTIER.COM
All Photography By:
J. Cartier B&W Photography
Freelance Photographer
Daphne, Alabama
(251) 490-3212
(251) 490-3212
jcartier.com
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jcartierphotography@ymail.com
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JOHN 3:16
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Saturday, October 31, 2015
KINFOLK MEMOIRS FROM THE FARM
 |
One of my fondest memories as a kid, growing up in Alabama, is our
trips to the farm in Washing County. The
farm did not belong to us but to my mother’s sister, Aunt Mae and her husband,
Uncle Doug. Just about, every Thanksgiving or Christmas, we would load up the
car, along with our grandparents and my mother’s brother and his family that
lived next door to us and took the drive to up the country. Up the country was
by way of Highway 43, a two lane paved highway at that time, leading northward,
away from Mobile. This was fine until you met a slow moving vehicle or farm
equipment. Dad would then weave in and out to the center line to see if there
was on-coming traffic. If not, then you would floorboard it and pass as fast as
you could to keep from hitting oncoming cars. You knew you were getting close
when you saw the old barn roof on the left hand side of the road that read, “See
Rock City”.
|
The trip was approximately 50 miles from our house but seemed like an
eternity for a kid waiting to see the open spaces of the farm with cows,
chickens and sometimes a horse. The journey did not end when we reached our
turn off. Aunt Mae and Uncle Doug lived close to two miles back in the woods.
Reaching their home meant traveling a single lane 2-Rut dusty road for those
two miles. Dust would infiltrate the car from every possible crack in the car.
Everyone would roll their windows up to keep out as much of the dust as
possible. Cars did not have air conditioning at that time, at least at my hose,
so everyone road with the windows down or cracked for ventilation, this
included the little triangle vent window on the drivers and passengers side of
the car, which pushed out. This was, also, the longest 2 mile ride from the
highway to the end of the road where the farm was located. You knew you were
entering the property when you reached the cattle-gap, cut up train rails spaced
apart to prevent the cows from leaving the property. A long downhill curve to
the left led you to their red brick home, under some large trees. The farm had
roads and trails leading to various areas from the house. Out behind the house my uncle Doug had built a
large barn which opened with large heavy sliding wood doors. The barn housed
equipment and feed while the loft was filled with hay this time of the year. To
reach the barn, you had to pass through the chicken yard. The barn was enclosed
on two sides with milking stalls and other bins for storing equipment or things
like dried corn. To the left of the front of the barn was a well with a pitcher
pump attached, to fill the watering tub for the various animals that passed by.
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My Uncle Doug was truly a salesman, if there ever was one, you could
say a Con-man, in that he would invite us city cousins up to the farm in the
summertime. His invitation was always, “I’ll let you drive the tractor”, what
kid wouldn’t want to drive the tractor. He kept his word and always let us
drive. Makes you wonder if our country cousins were thinking how stupid we were
for doing things that were every day, normal for them. Uncle Doug did not mention we would, also,
have to pick peas, install and repair barbed wire fences through the wood and
swamp. Not to mention Red Bugs and Tics. Aunt Mae was always glad to see us and
we her, unless she was getting after one hers with the Fly Swatter and she
should miss and hit me.
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The aroma of food was always coming from the kitchen. Aunt Mae started
before sun-up with breakfast, then farm chores, usually way to early for this
city boy. I would follow my cousin Larry out to milk the cows and of course, he
tried to teach me this skillful art. “Put my hands, where?” There was always a
cat around to catch an intentional squirt.
One of my Uncle Doug’s favorite sayings, that I remember, was, “Early
to bed, Early to rise, makes you healthy wealthy and wise.” On the farm night
time meant night time. It was darker here than I had ever seen before and
loader than the sounds of the city with an enormous choir of critters and
whippoorwills making their night time sounds. It made it hard for this young
boy to get a restful sleep. My Aunt Mae would put us boys on a number of old squeaky
spring beds, placed around the basement. Now, I grew up in a home where my Dad
enjoyed watching horror movies. Every Saturday night we sat together to enjoy
Frankenstein, Dracula and the Weir wolf while mom went to bed. I swear I heard
all of them, along with the squeaking of the springs on each bed while they all
slept soundly. As Bill Cosby said, “Monsters can’t get you under the covers”, I
guess he was right. That is where I stayed until, I guess, fainting from fright
and waking up to the smell of an Old fashioned Country Breakfast, upstairs. It
didn’t matter that the sun was still asleep. I didn’t have to put my clothes
on, I slept in them.
I could go on and on but time passes, we all grew up, then off to
college, work, or Viet Nam, to different parts of the world. By the Grace of
God, we all returned to marry and raise families of our own. Our parents have
since taken their places with their Heavenly Father and we are now the senior
adults with grown children and grandchildren.
Ginnie and I woke up one morning…, which is a good thing. She had seen
some decorations using Deer Antlers and asked if I knew where she could get
some. I knew of one possible place, so I sent a message to my cousin Carolyn,
to see if she knew the where about of any deer antlers there on the farm, for
Carolyn and her husband, James, had moved from the city back to the farm and
built a beautiful house in one of the upper pastures. She messaged me back,
informing us that she knew where some were and would love for us drive up for a
visit. Ginnie had never been to the farm before and was excited to have the
opportunity to visit and also get some deer antlers.
Two days later, Ginnie worked a half day while I washed the Jeep and
put the top down, since we were headed to the country. I picked her up and off
we went. The two lane highway is now a four lane highway and the dirt road to
the farm has since been paved. The cattle gap is gone, there are no more cows
to escape but the road down the hill to the old home place is still dirt.
Other siblings have returned to their roots on the farm. Ella and her
husband John have built a beautiful home on the north side of the pond. It
looks like a Southern Home Magazine Cover, especially with all the Oak leaves
changing color. We continued past their home further up the single lane dirt
road to the north pasture where we arrived at another Country Living Magazine
cover home, surrounded by pine trees in the front and thick woods in the back, only
the sounds of the Bugs and Whippoorwills.
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James dismantled his old home place and has installed the old pine
flooring in their country paradise, here on the farm. A wood stove fireplace
centers their living area on raised brick. The accessible wood bin in the house
has a life size movie cutout of John Wayne in his cowboy duds guarding this
corner. No one would enter knowing John Wayne was the alarm system. We moved
from the inside to a red rocking chair lined front porch. Ceiling fans were
spaced the entire length to make a breeze if one was not rustling through the
Oak leaves. We spoke of our children, our parents, our retirement and just
general conversation before heading off to the barn in search of deer antlers.
On our way to the golf cart for Carolyn and Ginnie or the 4-Wheeler for
James and I, we stopped in to investigate their honey processing room in an out
building. All the gadgets and gizmos for processing honey were inside. While moving
towards the barn through pathways and across other pastureland, we passed the
collection of Bee Hives buzzing and busy with their own honey production.
Arriving at the barn where my cousins and I had played hiding go seek
over 50 years earlier, was just as exciting now as it was then. James gave
Ginnie some deer antlers and then we climbed up the steps into the old hay
loft. The hay was gone, but the memories still lingered from my childhood. Ginnie
had been raised along the beaches of Panama City, Florida, so a barn with a hay
loft was as good as visiting the Smoky Mountains, for her. We then walked over
to the Old home place. Ella had arrived with her camera not living very far
away, to see the rattlesnake, my cousin Larry had laid out across the tailgate
of his truck. We had earlier heard the gun shot after Ella and John spotted it
as they were walking around the grassy banks of the pond. Ella called Larry to
bring his gun to remove the venomous snake. Ginnie would only view from a
distance and hoped this was not going to happen again today. Another brother
had driven in from Mobile to spend time at the old home place, this is Harry.
Harry had retired from the hardware business. While in college, Harry called
one day. He had gotten two tickets to see “Jesus Christ Superstar” and had
invited me.
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We then hopped on 4-Wheelers and golf carts and rode to a place I had
never been before. My Uncle Doug had named this cabin South Fork. It seemed as
if we had stepped back in time. After more visiting at South Fork, we headed
back to the load the Jeep with Ginnie’s new found treasure of deer antlers and head
back to the city. Carolyn and James needed to get home and get ready to meet
friends. On football nights, they enjoy watching the local high school football
game; we were climbing in the Jeep, when Carolyn did as had been done many
times before by her parents. Before pulling away, they fixed us a goody bag of
peas, jelly, figs and a bottle of James’” Scuppernong Wine. Being very
grateful, Ginnie and I headed home, having enjoyed every minute with everyone
living on the farm.
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All Photography By:
J. Cartier B&W Photography
Freelance Photographer
Daphne, Alabama
(251) 490-3212
jcartier.com
Send your comments to
jcartierphotography@ymail.com
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