The way it was-Where & when i grew up.From pigs to ''pot licker''.

This is my first entry on my new blog. i do hope you find it enjoyable.a place to relax and at times to drift back,to a simpler time.A time when we worked hard and had simple fun.To a time with fiddles and banjo's filling the summer nights,a time of friendship and socials.When grandma's made their own meds.,and outhouses were the norm.A time that we all may be living in again.This is a blog of love ,yet survival.I see bad times coming for us as a nation,and i fear most would not be ready for this.God gave us each a mind to use.He also warned us of hard times,and to prepare.Not just spiritually(although that is a must) but physically and mentally.To be prepared ,no matter what.So i do hope you will continue to return.I will blog almost daily as i can.I welcome any ideas and your imput..thank you for stopping by.

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This is the time of year that my mind wanders back in time often.Winter and the Holidays..A time that i cherish.Childhood and all it's innosence,imaginations,and dreams.A time before we really knew what we all would one day face.Mine was a little different than some of the friends i made as i grew older.I thought life consisted of what we knew and everyone was the same.WOW! does school change that idea..lol.
But that's for a different time.I was born in 1963,in rural south central alabama.I am one of 4 kids,lived next door to my grandparents.My great,great ,great grands homesteaded this land in 1846.Our family still owns most of it.
As I grew up things were simpler..yes,simple yet hard.A simple life with a lot of work,but somehow most of the time we had fun with it.As Summer drew down,the days got shorter,with just a nip in the air right before dark.It signaled time to finish the summer crops,bury the onions and potatoes,gather wood quicker and start chopping on the lightard stumps we had found in the woods.The fallow had just been bundled and stored in the corn shed for winter feeding for the horse,mule and cows we had.That really came in handy about jan. and feb. each year.Most of the time it meant the difference in being able to feed our livestock or sell.By working hard,we never sold.They were there for the planting and birthing come spring,when life would start all over again.
We had some hogs grandpa kept,big tall white ones.They were certainly not the friendliest animals at our house but more times than one,they came in handy for a good laugh terrorizing our ''city cousins''..lol..They were not ever meant for pets,a few times each year we would have a ''hog killing''.The big iron syrup kettle would have a huge hot fire underneth it until the water boiled.That was for the hog cleaning.I never joined in that ,but i always watched.I knew this meat would feed us over a period of many moons.
The corn had been taken to Finks griss mill,the meal was ready to be picked up.It did always make the best fried cornbread and was great with the ''potlicker'' as grandma called it. Nothing but greens(turnips) with roots cooked with plenty of juice,and poured over the baked cornbread.Man ,was that good.i still enjoy cooking that.
Most of the old people that i remember as a child have gone on to be with Jesus,only a few remain.Mr. Buster,who is 95 now,and mrs. Gracie who i believe is about that same age.We passed by Mrs. Gracies yesterday and her daughter and son in law waved in the yard.Still makes a smile come on my face.
I am lucky to live at my grandparents home now,the place where i grew up.The new generation of kids and their friends,while teens, nicknamed it ''The Old Place''.My grandparents have long since passed,but their spirit remains with me.I love this land,i love my home.Not because of the material good of it,But because it was built,cared for and struggled with out of love.An enduring love that i will carry always with me.It made me who i am.I learned who God was here,about Jesus and the Holy spirit.I learned what honesty was,and what sharing was.My grandfather use to say that he had kept all the old hand plows,seeders,etc.long after he needed them, because one day his greatgrandkids may need them.Said to take care of all of it.That one day their very lives may depend on it..I use to think that was a little crazy to come from such a smart man..I don't anymore.
I do see a lot of people that one day very soon may be in a whole lot of trouble...The economy is getting really bad,and i only see it getting worse.I see a time very soon when my family may very well need those plows for a garden.When the fireplace may be the only heat we can afford(mainly use it now anyway).
In the last few years i have found a lot of sence in beginning to stock up on extra things,just in case.Lot of family members would depend on us if it got this bad.My grandkids may need me ...And in the words of grandad lee...Their very lives may depend on it...

betty