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| February 21, 2005 A Strong Family Love
Another Valentine's Day has come and gone but I think we should keep the days love around all year. A strong family love helps a child or adult to keep love around all their lives. My weekly column is about strong family love. Does true love last forever? What is the foundation for a strong love? Is true love learned early in life like manners and morals? Yes, I learned family love long before romantic love. I also believe that is the reason for my long marriage (almost 37 years). Here is my true story of strong family love. Mine was a very loving childhood. I grew up in Southeastern Kentucky. My immediate family included my mom dad sister nephews and niece. Our extended family included my Grandmother Liz and Grandmother Sarah my maternal uncle and my paternal uncle. Our Cousin Leona and her children must be included. My sister and her children lived next door and cousin Leona lived just up the hill from us. My grandmothers lived in other counties in Kentucky. My maternal uncle lived in Lee County KY while my paternal uncle lived in another state. My dad and mom said that family was more important than silver or gold and ours was just one big happy family. My dad was a coal miner so we never had a lot of money. My parents taught me that we were rich in family love. This was especially important to me because they had taken me in as a sickly five month old baby. I always knew that I was loved and I can't ever remember being afraid as a child. Back when I was growing up parents used the Bible as a guidebook to parenting. The Ten Commandments were the foundation for discipline and the rule for living. Even my school used the Ten Commandments as a guidebook for discipline and for teaching life's daily lessons. My mother told me Bible Stories that I've told my children and grandchildren. My youngest grandson is five and he enjoys the Bible Stories as much as his dad did. I've had troubles heartache and loss in my life. My belief in God as made me go on when I didn't think I could. These beliefs were taught me in my early childhood as well as the strong love for my children grandchildren husband and family. My earliest memories of my mom and dad was that they had many friends. My dad always repeated from the Bible "No man is an island unto himself." To my parents friends were as necessary as the basic necessities of life. I believe this is the reason I need my friends and community in my life. My niece recently told me that I needed to live in a community and to be involved with all community events and happenings. My granddaughter Tasha is like me in that she must have friends. She and I have no trouble keeping love and friendship throughout each year. With so many bad or evil influences on today's children they need a strong family Foundation with love and moral training and a strong faith in God. Our children need many friends but it's the parents responsibility to know who these friends are and what influences they are bringing into their children's lives. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm preaching but this column is dear to my heart. Elizabeth February 8, 2005 My Most Romantic Evening February makes most people think of romance or it does me. My column this week is about what I think was my most romantic evening ever. Some years back my husband and I celebrated our thirtieth wedding anniversary. This was my most special anniversary because my two oldest grandchildren were responsible for it. I was feeling old and unloved because my husband hadn't mentioned a word about this special day. I noticed my two grandchildren hurrying in and out of the spare bedroom. I heard giggles and whispers. I have always tried to give my children and grandchildren privacy so I let them be. I told them that they had to clean up whatever mess they were making. My granddaughter wanted to cook dinner because it was my anniversary. I knew she enjoyed cooking small things but a whole dinner. I knew they would heat up a frozen dinner but that was all right. My friend who was a florist delivered flowers for my granddaughter. They were a pretty spring bouquet and I thought my husband should have sent them to me. I asked my granddaughter who sent them because I thought eleven years old was a bit young for a boy to send her flowers. She told me a friend had sent them so I let it be. At six p.m. the very time my husband and I were married thirty years before the children called us into the bedroom. It was beautiful. They had put pink and white candles and my lace tablecloth on the cedar chest. The dinner was baked chicken with rice and apple pie for desert. They had soft music on their boom box. They left so my husband me could eat our anniversary dinner alone. He had gotten me a beautiful pair of pearl earrings. He laughed when I told him I thought he had forgotten our anniversary. It was the most romantic anniversary we have ever spent. I thanked God that I had a wonderful husband and two loving thoughtful grandchildren and I don't think I've ever taken any of my family for granted after this. Elizabeth January 28, 2005 Sunday Dinner My mother's cousin died this past week. Her daughter called me with the sad news. We talked with love about our deceased mothers. She said she would always remember their Sunday dinners. This sure brought back a lot of happy memories. First let me say to those not reared in the mountains dinner is the noon meal. The evening meal is supper. When I was growing up we always had company on Sunday. So usually Sunday was our best meal of the week. On Sunday we always had country ham or chicken. Sometimes it was fried chicken, sometimes chicken and dumplings. My favorite was baked chicken (a big hen) with stuffing. (now called dressing) She always had mashed potatoes with brown gravy and green beans. She always had a homemade cake or pie for desert. We always had a tall cold glass of milk with our dinner. Sunday dinner really began on Saturday evening with mom killing a chicken. She would wring the chicken's neck with a flip of her wrist. Thinking back on this watching her wring the chicken's neck so easily kept my nephews and me in line. After the chicken was killed she would pour scalding water over it to loosen the feathers. It was my nephews niece and my job to pick all the feathers off the chicken. To me there has never been any food rival my mom's baked chicken and stuffing. She never used a recipe. She put in a little of this and a pinch of that. She never used a recipe in making her cakes either but they sure were light fluffy and tasty. This past Christmas my grandson couldn't wait to taste my turkey and dressing. (stuffing) I like mom never use a recipe in making my dressing. When my granddaughter Valerie was in first grade her teacher had the children write or tell her how they would cook their Thanksgiving turkey and what food they would have with it. Val said she would bake her turkey and make dressing. She said she would put everything in the dressing but the kitchen stove. Her mom had told her that I put everything in my dressing but the kitchen sink. The children's answers were published in the local newspaper. Everyone asked about my dressing. My mother was a wonderful cook. She always had homemade biscuits and gravy for breakfast. I simply cannot make biscuits. My husband used to say I could knock him out cold with one of my biscuits. My daughter is an excellent cook. She says just like her mam maw. Valerie can make biscuits and gravy that tastes so much like my mother's. My granddaughter Hannah Beth makes excellent homemade cakes and pies. So my mom lives on in her granddaughter and great-granddaughters' cooking. All this talk about food has made me hungry. Now I'll go make myself a sandwich or open a can of vegetable or tomato soup. Happy eating everyone! Elizabeth Just To Sleep 1-14-05 It seems every time I pick up a magazine a psychologist analyst or lay person is telling me how to analyze myself and others. One article states that the type of purse a woman carries tells all about her personality. Another article states that the position you sleep in tells all about your personality. If you sleep with your fists clinched you are trying to maintain control over aggressive or bad feelings. If you sleep on your back with your fists clinched means if a person is looking for a fight or trouble then they have found it. If you sleep with legs or arms crossed you don't want to let others close to you because you are afraid of being hurt. I don't believe this one because my middle son sleeps with his legs crossed. He is closer to his family and friends than anyone I know. Sleeping on your back means you are a generous and giving person. You are also a mature person that can confront the world on it's terms for what you believe is right. This also means people trust your judgment. The report states that sleeping with one foot over the edge of the bed means you don't like to sleep even when you're tired. The report says you are very active and involved in too many things to allow much time for rest. I wonder what a sleep analyst would say about my sleep habits? For years I've been an insomniac. Every night I'm awake while my husband and the the world snores peaceably. My doctor has prescribed many medications for this condition. Mostly they make me groggy or just plain out of it. I've tried over the counter remedies. To me they are a waste of money. I feel like my husband and the world is going one way while I'm going another. When I do sleep and wake up I may be on my back tummy left or right side. The sheet and blanket are on the floor in front of the bed. My pillow is at the foot of the bed or on the floor there. If I ever read what my sleep habits mean I will publish them in my weekly column but for now I just lie awake and listen to the traffic the night sounds and my husband snoring. Elizabeth Traditions of New Years Past 1-7-05 My husband and I had a quiet 2005 New Years as we usually do. Our daughter-in-law spent it with us this year. Our daughter always calls at exactly midnight to wish us a happy and special year. Then she tells me she has done everything her mamaw used to do to get ready for the New Year. This makes my mind travel back to New Years past. My mother had her own ideas of what or what not to do on New Year's Day. She would never take her Christmas Tree or decorations down until January 2 or later. My daughter keeps this tradition but I take my tree down a few days after Christmas. My daughter is keeping my mother's tradition and memory alive for her daughter. Mom started a few days after Christmas having us clean our house inside and out. She told us if we had a dirty house on New Year's Day then it would be dirty half the year. She brought this tradition to my nephews, niece and me. She also taught my children this as well as my oldest grandson. I give my house a good cleaning before the big day as does my daughter. I wonder if mom just thought this up to get the house cleaned or did she really believe what she taught us. Mom always knew how to get things done in our family. My oldest grandson told me on Christmas Day that he wanted to move to Berea. He said he wanted a new job he would enjoy. He said that his big mam mam (my mother) said what he did on New Year's Day he would do half the year and he wanted to be in Berea. He keeps mom's tradition alive as well as her memory. This makes me happy. Mom would go to the grocery store a few days before New Year's Day. She would buy the few things she needed. She would not go to the store on the big day. She said if you spent on that day then you would spend what you had half the year. She liked to have family or friends on New Year's Day for dinner. I knew she wanted family and friends around all the year not just half. Until her death she always wanted family and friends around her. She would never let my nephews, niece or me sleep late on New Year's Day. She would tell us if we were lazy on this day we would be lazy half the year. She would always say she didn't want her children and grandchildren to be lazy. She did the same thing with my children and grandchildren. My middle son really took this tradition to heart. He gets up between five thirty and six on work days and off. He was in yesterday. He got up at three in the morning to return to Georgia. Mom has been gone from us many years but she and her traditions live on in our family. Elizabeth 2005 Resolutions and Hopes 1-4-05 The new year is almost here. What it will bring none of us knows. We can only hope and pray for peace and happiness in our homes, state and the nation. This year I have a short list of resolutions. My world and the world around us is in such turmoil that a few resolutions is all I need for 2005. My Resolutions I. In the year 2005 I want to be closer to God and rely on Him to help solve my problems. II. This coming year I want to be closer to my family and more understanding of their their problems. III. In 2005 I want to be more thankful for what I have and not always seek what I don't have. IV. This coming year I want to be helpful to those around me and those I met and just maybe I can make a difference in someone's life. If I can keep these four resolutions in 2005 my life and maybe the lives around me will be happier and more peaceful. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!! Elizabeth Forever A Gift 12-10-04 Recently my granddaughter asked me what my one most memorable and cherished Christmas gift had been. I thought of my childhood and memorable gifts. The most memorable and cherished gift was a book about the first Christmas. It was from my dad. Of course she wanted to hear the story of the book. So here is the story: The year had been a hard one for coal miners in our community. There had been strike after strike. Finally the coal company sold out to a non union company. My dad had worked for the old company most of his adult life. He refused to go back to work for the new company even though they said they had a private union and pension fund. He said it wasn't worth the paper it was written on. He finally found another job logging. This didn't pay much and on rainy icy cold days they didn't work. To add to our woes the spring and summer had been really wet. Mom and my dad didn't raise as much food. Mom canned what she could but had to go to the grocery store for a lot of food items. She kept telling me not to get my hopes up for a lot of Christmas gifts. Nevertheless I made a long list of things I wanted. I remember my niece only asked for a baby doll. In our family it has always been a tradition to open our gifts on Christmas Eve night. I had only a few small gifts under the tree. My dad pointed to a small gift and said "Open it first." It was a book about the first Christmas. It told about how Baby Jesus was born in a stable that housed animals. He didn't even have a crib. He was laid in a manger probably full of fresh hay or straw. Mary his mother didn't have any clothes to put on him so she wrapped him in swaddling clothes. My dad explained that this was probably rags she and Joseph had brought with them. I was disappointed to say the least. My dad then asked me did Jesus our Savior have a fine home or hotel to be born in? Did He have fine store-bought clothes? I had to answer no to both questions. My dad then told me that Jesus was born poor so he could understand and love the poor people such as us. Later my nephews niece and I talked about the book and the story as we emptied our Christmas stockings of their treasures. These treasures included an orange apple a peppermint candy cane and a few nuts. We ate these with a renewed sense of appreciation. This book has given me a lifelong appreciation of what I have and not what I wish I had. It has helped me have a deep faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. I guess this is what my dad had wished for me. Elizabeth December 6, 2004 The Joys of The Christmas Season My husband had eye surgery again Monday and he can now see much better. After surgery he looked out the window and was surprised that he could see the sky. This is truly an early Christmas gift for both of us. Later we went out to eat with another couple that have been close friends of ours for years. We talked about our families and the coming Christmas holidays. It seemed the time just flew by and before we knew it darkness had fallen. On our trip back from Johnson City, TN we took the back roads mostly. We looked at the many Christmas trees lights and decorations that people had put in their yards and around their homes. I can't remember when I've enjoyed myself more. This proves any experience is better when it's shared with friends and/or family. This has gotten me thinking about the things that make the Christmas season special to me. A fun event in our family is putting up our Christmas tree then helping our daughter and granddaughter put up theirs. It seems to me that this is something no one should have to do alone. I always wait until one of my children visit to decorate the tree. Another thing I love about the season is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I try to mail early. My daughter-in-law always seems surprised that I send so many cards. I send them to family and friends and new people I have met the past year. Last year I received a beautiful card from a woman I had grown up with and had not heard from in years. She said that she had been thinking of me and had gotten my address from someone back home. I truly enjoyed the card and her note. My youngest granddaughter has a December birthday. I always send her birthday gift early so she can enjoy it before receiving her Christmas gifts. This granddaughter always writes a thank-you letter after her gift so I know she appreciates it. I also love to drag out old photos and think of the Christmases through the years. It's really good to remind ourselves of special holidays and seasons of our lives. Every year I add more photos of Christmas and each holiday. The things I've written about aren't about money or how much we spend. These things are about sharing a wonderful experience/experiences with those you love. Spending time with the people we love makes us happy memories for the rest of our lives. So this holiday season let's make some wonderful memories. Elizabeth November 29, 2004 Post Thanksgiving Blues Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I spent so much time preparing for it and then too soon it's over. The family's Visiting time is just too short. Now that it's just my husband and me I get depressed. A TV talk show host compared post-holiday depression with having a baby. He said that we anticipated the big event so much then suddenly it is over. I was never depressed after my three children were born but after this Thanksgiving I'm just blue. This doesn't mean that I don't love and am not thankful for my children. It seems after the children and grandchildren come and leave the house is just too quiet. In the quietness I think about my life. I do have so much to be thankful for. I've spent another holiday with the ones I love and the memories will linger on for the rest of my life. So with a few more thoughts like this maybe these blues will disappear and I'll be my old self again. Elizabeth Being Thankful 11-19-04 We had company from my home town yesterday. We talked about our children and grandchildren. We talked of happier times when the four of us (the couple my husband and me). In the past we did many things together. I sure miss those times. After they left I thought about our conversation and the past good times we had. I could have become sad, but I made myself just remember the past. Then I thought of Thanksgiving and all that I have to be thankful for. Here are just a fraction of the things I'm thankful for: Our three children and my step- daughter are healthy and have good jobs. They call and visit us as often as possible. It would be terrible not to have the children and worse if they never visited or called. All the grandchildren are healthy. The four grown ones either go to college or work. The younger ones are a joy to us. Each has a personality all his/her own. All the younger ones attend great schools and seem to be happy and carefree. My husband is doing some better and I'm very thankful for this. He and I are both are thankful he will be able to eat Thanksgiving dinner with his family in our own home. My health is good and I'm able to care for my husband and our home. We have friends that travel a long distance to visit us and we are truly thankful for them. My friend from Texas calls regularly as does friends from back home. Friends are great and I am thankful for each of them. My two half-sisters are great and caring as is my niece. I am so thankful for them. My extended family has always been great. Family is one great thing to be thankful for. Yes, this Thanksgiving I have so very much to be thankful for and being thankful is what Thanksgiving is all about. I pray that I will be thankful throughout the coming year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Cold Day Hot Soup 11-12-04 I awoke to a 30 degree temperature one day this week. This made me think of my mother's homemade soup. Memories came flooding back of how much I enjoyed coming home from school to mom's soup. Mom never used a recipe. She didn't or couldn't go to the grocery store to get what she needed to make the soup. So she made it from ingredients she had at home. She cooked her soup on her old coal stove in a huge pot. This pot was used during the fall as a canning pot. Mom mostly used pork, sometimes beef, that had been home slaughtered. This was cooked until almost tender. Then she put in potatoes. When the potatoes were almost done she added tomatoes or tomato juice carrots green beans corn and peas. The soup simmered until my nephews niece and I got home from school. She canned the tomatoes and the tomato juice as well as all the vegetables she put in the soup. The potatoes were taken from the potato hole in the yard. When the potatoes were dug in the fall my dad and nephews dug a deep hole in the yard and lined it with straw. Then they poured in the potatoes when it was almost full they covered them with straw and the dirt taken from the hole. Back to mom's soup we seldom had crackers with it. We ate it with her delicious cornbread baked in the old coal stove oven. I can remember we always had crackers and peanut butter for a snack. On this cold evening I just open two cans of vegetable soup for my husband and me. It sure doesn't taste as good as mom's homemade soup did during my childhood. Elizabeth Time Change Hard On People and Cats 11-8-04 This is the first week of the time change. I wonder if it's possible to repel daylight savings time? In my mind I know what time it is but my body just won't accept it and neither does my cats POE and Raven. My cats and me aren't the only ones. I've seen it on faces in my community. Jessie at the post office the Piece Brothers at the general store and restaurant. We all have dull eyes and a tired look. My oldest son is on vacation from Georgia this week. He and I have hollow looks and we are irritable. Fortunately it's not terminal. I know we'll be over this in a week or so. My cats will return home by this weekend. They knew they could find mice to eat in the neighbor's barn. Mice don't know about daylight saving times, so I imagine POE and Ravel ate well. What bothers me is that it is almost dark before Mountain News is over. My husband thinks when it gets dark it's time for his medication and bed. Before retirement he and I were always glad for the fallback time. This meant an extra hour of sleep for both of us. I really miss those times. In a few days we'll have forgotten about the time change until the first Sunday in April. Then we'll lose the hour we have gained. Then I'll will gripe again, but POE and Raven will enjoy it because they will get to eat an hour earlier. Happy daylight savings time everyone. October 30, 2004 Fall and The Old Fireplace The nights are becoming cool and some have been plain cold. It's already frosted and my outside flowers are dead. In memory I travel back to the Novembers and the cold weather of my childhood. In early November mom would take me to vote with her. We had to get up bright and early for this. This was done to keep me from seeing local bootleggers buying votes for whiskey. I learned about this from other children in my community. Our parents never dreamed that we knew who the local bootleggers were or that some people sold their votes for whiskey. As I got older my dad would say "When a person sells their vote they are selling their birthright." This happened in my home county and I'm not saying Breathitt County was like this. I heard last week on Mountain New they were having a vote buying trial in another county. A man said this had always gone on in that county. So I guess there are other counties like my home county. I loved our big old fashioned fireplace on cool/cold nights and days. My dad taught me to read in front of that fireplace. He cut out toy soldiers and a sword from pieces of wood in front of that old fireplace. He and mom taught me to dream in front of it. We always had a big Sears Roebuck catalog. I would sit and wish for all the pretty things in it. The would tell me to get a good education and work hard and I could have all the pretty things and a beautiful home. They would remind me that all the things in the world or a fine home couldn't truly make a person happy. My dad would say that to be truly happy a person needed God and family love. I learned to prepare for my future in front of that old fireplace. My parents prepared for cold winter weather by stockpiling coal and groceries. There were times when the snow and ice stayed on the road for weeks. My dad and mom always bought extra coffee and tobacco for those times. Sometimes our neighbor would borrow coffee from them. He would say "If you don't lay-up for winter and hard times you'll be like the grasshopper." The grasshopper was from the old story "The Ant and The Grasshopper." He and mom always tried to save a little money for hard times. When they passed away I had no expense except having mom's death date put on her tombstone but this is another story. I learned all these lessons in front of an old fashioned fireplace. I also learned family love and a deep faith in God there. Elizabeth This week I'm using the column for two Halloween poems. These are two of my grandchildren's favorites. I do hope you will like them. 10-24-04 HALLOWEEN CREATURE Rises the full yellow moon, Against the dark night sky, Well lit streets are filled with, Colorful costumes and many sounds Everyone safe inside their, Warm cozy homes, Never guess that in the streets, A ghastly creature roams It moves to a row of houses, Knocks on the door of a dark house, A tall man looking like Dracula, Drops treats into the creature's, Bright red pouch , Quite suddenly the creature jumps, At a pretty lady in the parking lot, And then it screams... "Mommy, look at all my treats" FOG Up near the old cemetery, The fog moves across the mountain, And engulfs silent tombstones, Our car passes through the icy cold, With icy fingers it tries to penetrate, The fog wants to entomb us forever, In the stillness of the cemetery October 15, 2004 A Home Church Matthew ch. 6 v. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you My granddaughter, Tasha, searched for just the right church. She told my daughter and me the type of home church she wanted to attend. She said she didn't want to attend a quiet church. I thought this was odd because all the churches she had attended were quiet reverent places. She explained that a church can be reverent and yet be a happy place. She visited quit a few churches but wasn't satisfied. I remembered The Reverend W. Pope once saying, "When you find the right church, you'll know it then make it your home church." So Tasha searched until she found just her right home church. It is a small church, not even in her home town. She seems to truly enjoy services, young people's meetings and Sunday school there. It's made a huge difference in her personality. She was never bad, but like all teenagers she wasn't always polite, and could be a little smart mouthed. Now she is polite to family and everyone around her. She is seldom rude and if she is she will ask to be forgiven. I knew that it was the home church that has caused the changes in her personality. Her parents nor I realized what a profound influence this church and it's Bible teaching had on her until recently. She works part-time and carries a full academic load at school. She is taking some classes that will give her college credits once she graduates high school. She has little time to socialize with her friends now. Two of her friends had given her a rough time over this. Teens and even children can really be cruel, when they want to be. She announced last weekend that she was taking one of these past friends to a ballgame. Her father and mother were shocked to say the least. They told her so and reminded her of some of the things this girlfriend had done to her. She told them that she forgave the girls, because that is what Jesus wanted her to do. She said the minister said she had to forgive for God to forgive her. She said she now had a clean conscience and a clean heart. She also said that the Bible said do good for evil, and that was why she was taking her girlfriend to the ball game. This proved to me what a remarkable granddaughter she is. I also give her home church and minister the credit. A church, it's minister or the congregation never know what an influence they may have on a person's life. This Sunday, let's all try to attend our home church. Elizabeth October 8, 2004 Halloween The Halloween season is upon us. I thought my readers would be interested in some facts about the day. One magazine reported that American consumers spent more on Halloween candy, decorations and costumes for their children and themselves than any other holiday except Christmas. When I was growing up we dressed in a costume or mask for school, and maybe went to show our nearest neighbors or relatives our costumes or mask. Times sure have changed. Halloween had it's roots in Anglo-Saxon and Celtic traditions. October 31 was the eve of the new year for these two ancient cultures. It is celebrated on Oct. 31 on the eve of All Saints day, a religious holy day to honor Christian saints. It is observed by the Roman Catholic Church. From the Anglo-Saxon and Celtic cultures came the idea that Halloween was associated with the dead, who were supposed to revisit their homes on this day. They had fall festivals or observances that were of a sinister nature. These cultures believed ghosts, witches, hobgoblins and demons roamed the earth on this night. These customs and ideas came to the United States with the arrival of the immigrants. The Irish introduced Halloween customs that are popular today. One Irish custom that has passed away is the hanging of garlic across windows to keep out evil Sprits. Can you imagine the smell? Speaking of Halloween, an intelligent person posted on the Breathitt online message board that Halloween is what we make it -- good or evil. An evil part of it is destroying Private property. Examples of this are: burning someone's car or home. Another bad thing is throwing eggs either fresh or rotten. It is really evil to block highways with trees, debris and even burning tires. "Details" magazine tells us that most animal shelters refuse to let anyone adopt a black kitten or cat from one week before Halloween until Nov. 3. This is to prevent the animals from being abused in satanic rituals, this is a major evil. A good part of Halloween is trick-or-treating by children. My children and grandchildren really enjoyed this. My grandchildren enjoyed going to every house in our small community to show their costumes as well as to receive treats. I enjoyed taking them to talk to everyone. So let's make Halloween a safe and good day this year. Elizabeth October 8, 2004 Superstitions We are into the month of October. October makes me think of superstitions and scary things. If I see a spider in my house, I spend hours looking for more of the creepy things. This is silly of me, just as being afraid of a black cat crossing the road in front of me. I know this doesn't make sense to a lot of folks. Superstitions are not supposed to make sense. There are many good luck superstitions, but it seems more are for bad luck. Here are just a few of the old and new superstitions, I've heard: A horseshoe hung over your front door will bring good luck. It must be hung upside down or your good luck will run out before it reaches your door. Superstitions holds that the iron in the horseshoe repels evil spirits. Remember a pure silver bullet or a silver sword will kill a vampire. Wonder if iron will repel him? If you spill salt, you must throw some over your left shoulder or bad luck will soon find you. Heres a really old one: If you think an evil person or witch is going to visit you, throw some salt on the open fire. The burning salt is supposed to stop their evil from affecting you. A sign/signs of company coming are: your nose itching ... the right side itching means a man is coming. If the left side itches then your Company will be a woman. To accidentally drop your dishcloth, means coming is coming soon. How many of us still pull the wishbone of our Thanksgiving turkey or chicken? If we get the smaller piece then good luck is headed our way. If an unmarried woman gets the short piece and places it over her door, then the next man who enters will be her husband. I wonder what happens if he is a married fellow or a close relative? Also if you are unmarried and someone sweeps around you then you won't get married that year. Speaking of a broom did you know a broom placed on a bed causes major bad luck? Opening an umbrella inside the house or store will cause you bad luck. If a garden hoe is brought into the house then bad, bad luck will befall that house. If your dog howls at night, you will have bad luck. I've seen the time that I wished my neighbors dog would have bad luck, because he howled every night. If you own a crowing hen then major bad luck is on it's way. A rooster that crows at night means bad luck for it's owner. Two people that speak at the same time at the table will both have bad luck. Never cut your toe or fingernails after Wednesday. To do so will cause bad luck. Never look at the moon through the leaves of a tree, if you do then you're sure to have really bad luck. We think these superstitions are funny, but I once knew a Catholic Num teacher that believed in the bad luck of the full moon. She would warn us that the next day would be a full moon, and bad luck would happen. She was an excellent teacher and strict diciplanarian. She would march an unruly or bad mouthed student across the ball field while taking every step he/she did. The student would be required to say a prayer until the end of the marching. My son always repeated the Lord's Prayer, but that is another story. I can't remember her ever marching a student across the field on a full moon. She enjoyed playing baseball with the students, but I can only remember one time she played on the day of the full moon. She fell and her habit came up. So if a Nun has her superstition about the full moon then I can have mine about a black cat crossing the road in front of me. I hope all of you enjoy the old and new superstitions and I would like to see some of yours posted on Breathitt Online. Elizabeth September 17, 2004 Fall Seasons Of My Childhood This past week has made me realize that fall is here. I I awoke one night really cold, and had to get a quilt to put it over our bed. It seemed like forever before I got sleepy again, and I began to think of the fall seasons of my childhood. These were a time for harvesting and for fun. Mom always put away our spring and summer clothes on the Labor Day weekend. She then removed our fall and winter clothes from storage. I can remember one year she had sewn some new dresses for me. I will always remember her sitting at her old Singer sewing machine making a new dress for me, or maybe a pair of curtains for the house. She always bought a couple of sweaters to go with the new dresses. I loved wearing my new clothes to school. Fall was a time to get ready for winter. My dad always told us the story of "The Ant and The Grasshopper." In this story, the ant worked and stored food for the winter while the grasshopper played. When winter came, the ant had food while the grasshopper was cold and hungry. I've always used this story as an example, as I've prepared for hard times and for my golden years. My mom, nephews and me cut corn stalks and blades and placed bunches in fodder shocks. The fodder was fed to the cow in the winter. My nephews, niece and me then carried pumpkins and squashes from the garden. My dad would give my nephews a pumpkin to use for a jack-a-lantern. He and mom would carve one for my niece and me. The rest of the pumpkins would be used for food that winter. Today I see bales of straw, small fodder shocks and pumpkins in yards for decorations. I have to smile when I think of what my dad and mom would say about this. They would say it is wasteful. I also wonder if they could adjust to our present time. My nephews dug the remaining potatoes from the garden. My niece carried them, in big buckets, to our front yard. My dad dug a deep hole and lined it with straw, then he poured in the potatoes. After this he would cover them with straw and the dirt taken from the hole. He also did some fall apples this way. The apples and potatoes were sure good to eat in the the winter. He also used the straw to line the cow barn floor. He used the rest of the straw to put in his two dog houses. He always had a couple of hunting dogs. He believed in caring for his animals. In the fall, we would string green beans. This was done with a large needle and strong thread. Mom would then hang the strings of green beans on the clothesline and let the sun dry them These were called "shuck or shucky beans." My stepdaughter comes from North Carolina to Kentucky each fall to get "shuck beans." My mom and dad bought most of our winter coal in the fall. My nephews, niece and I would carry it across our walking, bridge to the back yard. The coal was used in our two fireplaces and a huge coal cook-stove. The fall chore I liked best was raking the leaves in our big yard. We would rake huge piles then jump in them. My fall seasons have changed over the years. Today, I sit and watch some of my grandchildren rake the leaves and them jump in them. I don't gather a harvest or carry coal for winter. I know life is easier, but I still miss the fall seasons of my childhood. September 11, 2004 Psalm 18-6 In my distress, I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God Joys and Sorrows of Life I haven't written my column in awhile. It's been a hard summer. My husband's health has worsened so much. He had eye surgery two weeks ago, and it didn't go as well as we had expected. He had his last stitch taken out a few days ago, and today he received his distance glasses. We are sure hoping it get better for us. The past three years have been the hardest of my life. I Know I could not have made it without the help of God. He has given me strength and guidance to go on so many times. My children, especially my daughter and her husband have been wonderful. They have opened their home and hearts to us so many times, and he does better when he is with them. My friends have also been wonderful. One friend from Texas's sends me cards that have a religious content or some-times, a comical card that makes me laugh. Another friend tells me stories about her mother and we laugh or cry together. The times are hardest when my husband and I are alone. The silence makes me want to cry. He seldom talks anymore, so I have to think of the past. These are the times I cry unto God, and he gives me strength and I go on. I've never broken down and cried in front of my children or grandchildren, and I Pray that I never will, but I cry unto God so many times. I need the prayers of my readers so much at this time. Maybe my next column will be a happier one than this weeks. August 8, 2004 Remembering My School Days My grandchildren are into yet another year of school. This makes my mind wander back to my school days. My first school was very different from any school my grandchildren have ever attended. In those days, we had to walk to school. The school was down the road about a half mile from my house, then up a little creek road about one and a half miles. The school was two one room white buildings. The larger building housed first, second and third grades. It sat beside the road. It had several long windows toward the road. The chalkboard was on the opposite wall. The smaller building housed fourth and fifth grades. It had about six steps leading up to the heavy wooden door. Our teacher would have us lineup, and walk up these steps in a single file. The teacher sat on a stage in front of the class. The chalkboard covered the entire wall behind him/her. Some years the school had plays for the parents on the stage. Some years the plays were in the larger building. Almost every parent in the community attended these plays. There was long handled pump at the front of the playground. It was an honor to take the water bucket outside and get drinking water. The old pump had to be primed with water to get it started. When a student/students brought the water bucket back into the classroom, our teacher would have us stand in line with our drinking glass to get a drink. We brought these glasses from home. I can still remember the dipper being orange from water stains. The playground was covered in grass when school started in fall, but by spring there was very little grass left on it. All the children had recess together. We had one recess in the morning, perhaps about ten o'clock. The other recess was about two in the afternoon. The older children, mostly boys, played baseball. The girls jumped rope or played other games. We played games like "Red Rover, Red Rover we dare you over, I lost my handkerchief yesterday, Mama's Little White Lily or follow the leader." The little girls played house with their dolls. We had an hour for lunch. I walked home and ate, as did my niece, nephews, cousins and any child/children that lived near enough to get home and back to school in an hour. Sometimes mom would let me take my lunch, in a little red red lunch pail. It usually consisted of a hard boiled egg, sandwich of whatever meat we had for breakfast, an apple and Kool-Aid or in winter a small jar of milk. I usually swapped some of my lunch with other kids. It seemed all the kids that brought their lunch did this. Once we reached sixth grade, we rode the school bus to a larger community and a large elementary school. This new school consisted of a large brick building. I liked and enjoyed school there, but I will always remember my first school. I tell my grandchildren about the school, and they say, "How primitive or how did you stand it?" I know there were disadvantages to the one room school, but there were many advantages also. We never had a student intentionally hurt another student. We learned the Ten Commandments, and how to live with other people successfully. We also learned that we should grow up to be working and voting citizens. I will always remember my first teacher, Miss Ruth Carter. She taught me in grades one, two and three. She taught her students book learning as well as manners, personal cleanliness, and Bible Stories. She installed in me the love of learning, the need to go to high school and college. When I meet her today, she tells me that the students and the one room school was her favorite time in her teaching career. I think each of us that attended this school should thank our first teacher, Mrs. Ruth Carter-Hubbard. Elizabeth August 6, 2004 Being Thankful and Happy Each morning in the solitude of my back porch, I think of at least five things that I'm thankful for. The last few weeks I have had so much to be thankful for, that five is just a starting number. I am thankful for the Breathitt online newspaper. They've given me an opportunity to share my writings. A few years ago, a couple of friends and I attended a writing workshop - "Writing a method of therapy for children." Writing is my therapy with my husband being so sick. I notice magazines now call it a release for stress. I am thankful for our children and extended family. They have helped me so much, either physically or emotionally. My daughter calls at least two or three times daily to check on us. She lives in another state, this makes me appreciate her so much. I am thankful for my half-sisters and niece. They call or E-mail almost daily to ask how my husband and I are. We are keeping our family ties strong even though we live long distances from each other. This strong family ties make me thankful and happy. My husband's last E.K.G. was "fair" the doctor said. This is another blessing. I am so thankful he is able to walk around the house. Another blessing is that I'm able to care for him. His younger brother of eight years recently fell and broke his hip. If this had been my husband, I could never have cared for him in our home. This is a special blessing to me that I can keep him in our home. I also thank God for my friends, who give me words of encouragement. One special friend is Jeanette, an old high school pal. She cheers me with funny stories about her elderly mother. She cares for her and works a full time job. I think of these funny stories, as I go about doing my daily chores. I then thank God again for her. Friends are such a wonderful blessing. Being thankful helps me stay happy. Doctors say being happy makes a person healthy, and as far as I know I am very healthy. This is another blessing. No matter how dark and stormy our lives are or become, there are many things to be thankful for. We just need to sit quietly and think of our blessings. Elizabeth July 30, 2004 Family I didn't write my column last week. We have had company the last two weeks. My stepdaughter and her two teenage daughters came last Friday. My youngest son and his wife then came. My daughter and her husband also came for a visit. My oldest son and his three children came this week. So, we've had a full house. We've really had a good time and stayed up late and just talked. We also ate too much, as families do when they get together. My husband always enjoys the children and especially the grandchildren. The youngest grandson, age four, always wants his papaw to go fishing. They just talk about it and also about going hunting. This grandson and his oldest step-cousin cousin really enjoyed each other's company. My oldest son just enjoys being home and having all the family around him. I believe he is more like me in that aspect. There is nothing that I enjoy more than having our children and grandchildren come for a visit. My mom and dad used to tell me that when their family came home they were the happiest ever. I used to think other things would make me happier. Some of the things I thought would make me happier was having a lot of money, beautiful clothes and a long vacation. Now that I have children and grandchildren, nothing makes me happier than when they all come home. I also remember an old cliche' that is very true. "After everything is said and done the most important thing in this world is family." Everyone just love and enjoy your family. Elizabeth July 16, 2004 A Simple Hello I recently saw an E-mail that made me smile. I thought my readers would enjoy it. So here it is: Do you know that a simple hello can be a sweet one? The word means: H - How are you? E - Everything all right? L - Like to hear from you. L - Love to see you soon. O - Obviously, I miss you...so hello. A simple hello with a smile can sure brighten my day, and I bet yours too. So today let's say a happy hello to those we meet. You never know what troubles that grouchy person may have. A simple hello may brighten his/her day. Why not try it on that person you're angry with, or that person that recently hurt your feelings. Maybe, just maybe they didn't mean it the way you took it. Even if they did mean it, it will make you feel better. I've tried it and it does release the anger. Even doctors say anger can make us sick, and this is an excellent method to get rid of it. I also like to see people smile and a simple hello with a smile will do it. Just try it, by sending the hello E-mail. Elizabeth July 9, 2004 Picking Blackberries A couple of weeks ago, I was visiting my daughter. My granddaughter asked permission to go down the hill and pick blackberries. This brought back a flood of memories. When I was growing up, blackberries were picked to provide winter food. In my community, there were two socials a year. This was a time when all folks got together and worked and talked. The first was blackberry picking and the other was hog killing day. The difference in the two was on blackberry picking day/days the woman and children did the work. On hog killing day/days the men did most of the harder work, but women and children got together and worked too. On blackberry picking morning, we would rise before daybreak. Mom would always have a hot breakfast. My nephews, niece and I would dress in old overalls, long-sleeved shirts, and boots and socks. My oldest nephew would always hurry us up. He would yell, "Come on or the best spots will be taken." Mom would be wearing my dad' s old overalls. She never wore slacks except on blackberry picking and to go hunting or to ginseng with my dad. We would walk across our narrow bridge then across the two-lane highway. We then walked across a large field and upon a hill. The bottom and hill belonged to the Carter family. Their daughter was my first teacher and also taught my daughter in second grade. There were always a few women and children on the hill, when we got there. My best friend, Lillie, and her mom were always there. Lillie, my niece and me would choose a spot away from our moms, her brothers and my nephews. We would pick the big juicy berries. I had a large milk pail. Lillie had a gallon bucket as she called it. We picked berries and talked about boys and other girl talk. When our pails were full, we took them and poured them in large pails or buckets our moms had brought. I can remember the sun coming up hot, but the few trees provided shade. We would pick and sweat. I always got chiggers, when we picked berries. The best time was when our mothers would yell, "Come and eat." It was just a sandwich, an apple and maybe a piece of fried chicken. Mom always brought a big jug of Kool Aid. This food tasted delicious to us children. When berry picking was over, we trudged back home. Mom would can most of the berries. She would also make blackberry jam. I had to always wash the canning jars, because I had the smallest hands. Usually my niece would rinse them with clean water. Mom would always bake a big blackberry cobbler for supper. At the supper table, mom would tell my dad the latest happenings, in the community. He would ask us children who we saw and how many berries we picked. We all tried to talk at once. It was plain to see that all of us had enjoyed blackberry picking. I can't imagine my grandchildren enjoying picking blackberries for half a day or more. We always hear how families should spend quality time together. We did that years ago, but we didn't call it quality time. It was just good times to us. Elizabeth Taking Time For The Sunrise 7-5-04 I make a pot of coffee the first thing upon rising in the morning. When it is finished I take a cup and sit on my back porch. I enjoy watching the sun rise over the Eastern hill. To me, this is the most peaceful time fo the day. It is a time before man has time to disturb nature. Often as I sit, the birds will come into the yard. There is a tiny mountain bluebird that sits on the electric wire. As I watch the birds, I thinkd of God's love for the me and the World. "not one bird will fall to earth without our Father's will", think how much more God love you than he does the birds. As I sit I try to think of 5 thinkgs I am can thank God for. This helps me to get through the day. After my day is done, I like to sit and watch the evening shadows fall. I do this on my front porch. The shadows seem to move from the West to my front porch. This is a time I can really pity myself. Sometimes I will sit along and have a good cry. Then I think back to the news. It seems there is always someone worse off than I. Then I try to see something pretty,like the tiger lilies blooming in my yard or the growing cherry tree my son planted last year. One evening a woman in a car waved and said hi. This gets me into a better mood before going to bed. Sunday will be the 4th of July. I will sit on my back porch and thank God for my freedom and the freedom of my Country. This weekend we should all remember those that have given their lives for this freedom we all have. We all should also try to enjoy our freedoms every day of the year and never forget those who have sacrificed everything for it. Elizabeth McKINNEY |