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Nostalgia

2010-11-01 13:31:00

Remember...

Answer: What great memories they were for me…and I’m sure…for lots of folks. Probably the first thing I think about each year is how quickly summer turns into Thanksgiving. I guess this year it seemed to happen even more quickly because there has not been a frost, keeping most of the leaves green and the weather has been so beautiful. But, signs of Fall are all around us. The kids are back in school, the swimming pools are closed, you have to have a jacket and you have to begin thinking about your holiday schedules. So many of us travel to other parts of the county, and now, because we are even more global than we’ve ever been, even other countries when Thanksgiving rolls around. My fondest memories of Thanksgiving took place back in the 40s when we would head out to my grandparents farm in the Freeport, KS area. My mother would cook so many different dishes to take to the get-together. We would carry them out and pack them in my Dad’s ’40 Hudson. I remember it so well. It cost $700 brand new…and it was built like a tank. The whole family would get in the car and head for the farm. We drove south on old Highway 81 which did not have a speed limit at that time. Sometimes my Dad would show us how fast that Hudson would go. It seemed back then we were really moving. The highway at that time was just two very narrow lanes. After what could be called a very precarious journey to the farm, we would all unload and greet all of the relatives. My Dad had a large family. The older children had married and all of their children were always there. I remember at one family reunion, we had so many people we had to rent the city building to get everyone in. At the farmhouse…the smell of turkeys roasting, the pies baking and all of the good food everyone brought was something I still remember to this day. While the women were preparing the food, the men were outside showing off their cars. One would have overdrive. Another would have a rear seat speaker. All of them were different colors, but none of them had air conditioning or power steering back then. Then, one by one, the men got into each car and take a ride around the section (one mile square) to see how easy each car rode and how fast each car would go. That was what was known as the “inspection trip.” It’s funny that most of the brothers had bought the same model Chevrolet, but they all had to go for that ride. Finally, the great dinner was ready and lasted about two hours. My Dad prayed before the dinner, thanking our Lord for all of the blessings our family had received, and for this glorious feast. After the meal, everyone went outside to inspect the smoke house, the barn and how much water the creek had in it. The creek always reminded me of the poem, “Over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house we go.” Finally, came the horseshoe pitching. I remember how each brother warmed up, swinging his long arms back and forth until it seemed as though all of the kinks were out. One of the brothers was a champion horseshoe pitcher. He won most every match. After this the entire family would talk and talk and talk, until the sun went down, telling all kinds of stories and watching the grandkids perform on their musical instrument, or demonstrate a talent of some kind. Then we would head home, going north on old Highway 81 These are always great memories of Thanksgivings gone by. November begins the holiday season. I wish each of you the happiest and safest ever…Happy Thanksgiving!