Ask Granny

9-5-98

Hello my friends, I wish you well. And I sure hope you’ve had more rain over your way than we have up here on the ridge. I can’t think of a "It’s so dry that—" old time saying that fits. It’s that dry. I tried to bring a good rain shower home with me when returning from a recent visit down your way- close but not the monsoon we needed. I noticed a cloud back my way then started seeing cars with lights on- then I saw a rainbow. A short run while admiring the lovely colours and I had to pull to the side and stop it was raining so hard. Some rain reached the ridge but not near enough to ease this long dry spell.

I had a short visit with sister Reba- caught her between naps. She works all kind of weird hours so I never know when to call her. We sort of got caught up on her family news and she told me about her recent trip to Hawaii as I looked at the pictures she brought back. We’ve taken a lot of trips together and the one place I’d really like to see in the whole U.S. of A that I’d really like to see she didn’t invite me! Well, there’s about a jillion places I’d like to see but Hawaii is near the top of the list.

Sister Joyce and I had a great visit. I brought along a good selection of cold cuts, cheeses and bread and we just visited instead of wasting a lot of time cooking. Trolingers there in the edge of Paris has become a stopping place going and coming. I couldn’t get down there in time for the Culver funeral but Joyce, Reba and Betty represented our family at this dear lady’s funeral and wake. "Miss Annie Bell’ was a friend to 3 generations of my family and will be sorely missed. She was my second school teacher and her home was often a stopping place on cold winter mornings on our way to Lamb’s school. We sort of adopted her and she came to our Reunions as long as she lived in the area.

I just couldn’t resist picking a big ‘bokay’ of wildflower’s as I headed over to visit my Barker cousins the next morning. I traded them for a couple of pieces of oven toast to Ralph and his wife and shared their brunch. He’s got the prettiest herd of ponies I ever saw! Now if Bear had something like that to keep him busy when HE retires he’d be a lot happier. I’m afraid those two bird dogs are going to get wore out with all the attention.

Cousin Glenn isn’t kicking very high these days because of his arthritis but he still has his sense of humor and I always leave his house in a more cheerful mood. I think I knew him very well in a former life, maybe as his older sister. He gave me a pkg of country ham to take home with me and I gave him a set of those jade enameled steel ball that have bells in them. As you roll them around in your hand they’re supposed to give your pressure points a workout. Sort of an Oriental worry stone type thing.

Cousins Herman and Ted Barker were watering their ‘ yard garden’. These guys are always trying something different and this year they have a part of their garden right there close to the outside faucet. Rows of 5 gallon buckets are holding flourishing egg plants, tomatoes, etc. Ted said they just used rich dirt and hadn’t used any fertilizer. He picked some of the lovely purple eggplant for me to take home—then he showed me one of the wierdest looking watermelons I ever saw. The deep green melon had yellow spots scattered around on it.

I didn’t quite dare ask to give this melon a taste test but I was might happy to see Ted coming out of the house with the salt shaker. spoons, a butcher knife and a broom straw. When he laid that straw on top of the pretty melon it swung this way and that, and he declared it ripe. When Herman ran the butcher knife down the rind it cracked and a little triangle popped onto the ground- reminded me of the good old days when Daddy would haul a load of "Dixie Queens" to the house from down by the Big Ditch. The hay filled wagon was driven up to the end of the hall and willing hands toted the striped melons in and rolled them under the beds to stay cool.

I sure enjoyed that polky dotted melon and everyone saved the seeds for an even bigger crop next year I’m sure. It sure was nice sitting out there under the shade, swing going lazily back and forth, as we talked about watermelon patches, " Yard gardens" and such. Reminded me of how folks used to visit back in the olden days before fast cars came along and did away with old time visiting out under the shade trees on a lazy summer day .It’s hard for cousin Eva to get a word in edgeways when we get to talking but we did visit a spell. She loves flowers and always has the prettiest old timey self sowing petunias I ever saw. They look so very lush this year I’m sure the men folk are keeping them well watered.

Herman gave me a dozen of those lovely colored eggs his Aracona hens lay and also some small eggs for the Grand Children. What a good combination with the country ham Glenn gave me! They can’t understand the fuss I make over these things that are everyday fare for them, but it’s like a bit of home to me away off up here like I am. Nothing from the sterile supermarket ever tastes quite as good as "home made" does

Bear brought an Express Mail package in with the Sunday paper. It turned out to be cookbooks from a very kind’ Meyers’ in Springville . On the front was written "Hope you’re feeling better" I started to, right then! Doesen’t it make you feel great when someone takes the time and effort to send you something in the mail? In these days of ' cheap’ phone calls, e-mail, etc. a personal item in the mail box makes for a red letter day at my house. Some of you write to tell me you like my scribbling and some share recipes, but I’m always hungry for more. You can reach me at 1417 Lakeview Ter. Clarksville, T.N. 37040 or at askgranny@juno.com

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