Letters to my Grandchildren Summer 1951

Joan and George. 

While I loved to pick cotton, I was not too fond of chopping cotton, de-weeding, and thinning out the plants.  However, in the summer of 1951 I was chopping cotton for a neighbor down towards Pink Lovelace's store.  Donnis Ashley and I were working in a field down there.  For lunch, I would always go back home where Mama would have a great lunch ready for me, and then I might rest awhile and go back and chop some more if it got cooler.

When I went home for lunch that one June day, Mama had lunch but she was also all a twitter regarding a letter that she had received from my Aunt Elsie who lived in Maryland.  Elsie's daughter, Joan, my first cousin was getting married, and she planned to have the wedding in August down at our grandmother's house.  She wanted me to be her maid of honor.  I was more excited about it than Mama was.  I'm not sure I had ever been to a wedding and I know for certain I had never BEEN in a wedding.

Beautiful Joan. 

Many of our purchases in those days were from the Sears Roebuck Catalog that arrived at our house in the mail every season.  That was the source of the evening dress that I would choose to wear in the wedding.  It was a lovely pink dress with a few rhinestones embedded around the front of the bodice and a sheer cape covering the shoulders. We told Aunt Elsie that I would wear pink so she could choose a picture hat as an accessory for me to wear.  She and Joan came down several days before the wedding day, and when I opened the hatbox from Hecht's in Baltimore that they brought there was this beautiful pink picture hat.  The prettiest hat I had ever seen.  It matched my dress perfectly.  That hat was a birthday gift for me too, my birthday was on the 23 of August, and the wedding was on August, 25.  I had just turned 14.  Joan was only 20.

Cheryl, the flower girl, and me. 

My Dad built an altar that was placed out in front of the beautiful Spirea bush ablaze with white blossoms in front of Grandma's porch.  The piano was pulled out on the porch.  I don't remember who played the piano, but our cousin Virginia Greene, who was an accomplished musician, sang. Our little cousin Cheryl was the flower girl also dressed in pink.  Chairs were placed out on the lawn facing the porch where a large number of aunts, uncles, and cousins who attended sat.

The wedding party in front of the altar in front of Grandma Greene's front porch.

I was happy to be in the wedding, but at the same time, I was sad that Joan was getting married.  She always came down to Grandma's in the summer for a long visit, and I knew she wouldn't; be doing that now.

After the wedding, there was a reception up the road at our Aunt Edith's house.  Joan knew I was sad because she wouldn't be coming in the summers to play, but she told me that I wouldn't be interested in playing for many more summers.  She was right.  It wasn't too many summers until I became interested in boys.

Lavender Bistro, Tryon, North Carolina

When Dan and I were in Cleveland County back in May we had planned to take my friend PJ to the Ni Fen restaurant in Shelby for her birthday, but our plan did not materialize.  In July we planned to celebrate her birthday belatedly, but Ni Fen was closed for the Fourth of July holiday.

Peggy the birthday lady.

Determined to find a fine restaurant to celebrate her birthday, I called around and the Lavender Bistro, up in Tryon was highly recommended as a likely place to have a special dinner.  Tryon is at the foot of the mountains up toward Asheville about 40 miles from Shelby.  Upon calling we were able to secure a reservation so we took off for the hills. 

The Lavender Bistro.

Tryon is a lovely little town where a lot of folks choose to retire.  The Lavender Bistro is a charming little place right on the main street. 

After perusing the menu we thought we had made a good choice with this Bistro.

We shared a starter of baked brie with a wonderful roasted fig marmalade in puff pastry.Yummy!!

For our entree we each chose the trout almondine.  It too was delicious.

Carolina trout almondine.

 We were pretty sated after the ample entree, but wanting to at least try one of their desserts we shared a serving of the tiramisu.  It was light and delicate and flavorful.  We made the right choice there.

Tiramisu, the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

I'm glad to know of this little Bistro that's not that far from Shelby.  I feel sure we will venture up there again on one of our future trips to Cleveland County. 

July Fourth Party at Louie and Cece's

When we were gadding about in Cleveland County over the Fourth of July weekend, we attended a party hosted by my niece and her husband, Cece and Louie at their lovely home on Chatfield Rd.  It was a great opportunity to visit with family and friends.

Louie welcoming guests. 

Dan and Andy (my grand nephew).

Cece and Louie's daughter Laura.

Sisters: Kelly and Cece.

 And to have some delicious barbecue prepared by my brother-in-law, Hal.

Barbecue and other delicious food.

The children especially enjoyed the pool, and even the smallest ones were able to float around safely and some of the small ones were already jumping off the diving board.

Brayton enjoying the water.

Cason ready to jump. 

Kristen and Brayton (my great grand nephew).

Cason (my great grand nephew) out of the pool.

What's a party without a game of cornhole?

Thank you Cece and Louie.  We had a marvelous time!

Blackberry Picking Then and Now

Blackberries ready for a pie.

When I was back in Cleveland County recently, wild blackberries were ripe, and I was reminded of the days I picked berries when I was a kid growing up there.  My sister, our friend and I would go out early in the morning on a July day and pick berries where they grew along the railroad track near our house.  Often we would encounter black snakes and always we would be bitten by chiggers.  We didn't mind, because we knew by lunch time Mama would have made a blackberry pie or cobbler from our bounty.  And how we loved blackberry pie! 

I passed by the railroad track where now the sides of the track are sprayed and there are no blackberries growing there today.

The railroad track where I picked berries as a kid.

We lived out in the country near my grandparent's farm.  The farm and the one adjacent have been bought by a blackberry company out of Georgia and the fields that were once planted in cotton have been replaced by fields of commercial blackberries.  I stopped and took some photos and I must say there was a bumper crop of berries. 

Blackberry fields where cotton once grew.

A bountiful crop of commercial blackberries.

I did have a chance to pick a few berries though over along the road near my friend Peggy Jean's house.  Not enough for a pie though.

Picking a few wild blackberries over near Peggy Jean's house.

When we returned to Raleigh, I kept thinking about those blackberries and about a blackberry cobbler.  I went right over to the Farmer's Market and bought enough berries to make a pie---no black snakes to worry about and no chiggers.  It's not quite the same though.  As a child I felt a great deal of accomplishment in picking a bucket of berries to take home for a pie.

Blackberries from the Farmer's Market.

As I was looking over recipes for a blackberry cobbler on the internet, I discovered the Pioneer Woman's blog.

The Pioneer Woman's blackberry cobbler. (Photo from her blog site.)

I'm going to use her recipe when I make a blackberry cobbler later this morning.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

That Old Cotton Field Back Home

Logo from Walker Woodworking website. 

I've written about picking cotton in a blog a did a year or so ago, but this post is about a cotton field that has disappeared.  We were in Cleveland County last week, and I went over to visit my former next-door neighbor (Janet Walker).  Janet was just a little kid when I used to go down to her house to pick cotton with her mother, Selma Withrow*.  I loved that particular field because at the end of the field there was a wonderful honey locust tree that in the fall produced brown pods that had a sweet pulp.  One could squeeze out a bit of sugary treat which was nice after a day of picking cotton.  This was better than sucking on a lollipop.

I knew that Janet's son, Travis, had a woodworking shop, but I had no idea that what he really has is a 10,000 sq. ft. woodworking "factory"  that occupies most of that former cotton field.  In 1996 Travis was working as a paramedic when he began woodworking as a hobby.  He borrowed a few thousand dollars from his grandmother, hoping to turn his hobby into a small side business. From the little garage where he was the only woodworker, in eighteen years he has expanded and now has a successful business that employs 28 people.  Cleveland County must be very proud of this local entrepreneur.

Travis, founder and CEO of Walker Woodworking. 

Travis took Dan and me on a tour of the "factory".  Here are some of what we saw.  It was amazing.

3/4″ domestic plywood is the very best and most expensive material you can use for cabinet construction.

Wood is cut from a digital design. 

I love these beautiful dovetail joints in the drawers.

Part of the assembly room.

A large screen where the customer can see the proposed kitchen design.

Little did I know when I was picking cotton some 60+ years ago that one day a successful woodworking shop would occupy the space.  I know that Selma would be very proud to see what exists in that former cotton field where she and I spent many happy days picking cotton. Happy for me anyway, because I got paid and that's how I earned my spending money in those days. 

This blog post shows only a mere hint of what Walker Woodworking creates.  Check out their current website and a new website  that is under construction to see the wonderful cabinetry they have designed and constructed, the many awards they have won and meet the wonderful staff of the company.

* Not only did I spend many a day with Selma Withrow picking cotton, but she was also my piano teacher, the director of the youth choir in my church, and the glee director at my high school. 

One of my Talented Cleveland County Cousins

Birthday cake by Debbie Bridges.

Debbie Wilson Bridges is known for her famous cakes, and I finally had an opportunity to savor one.  Oh soooo good.  Debbie is my second cousin, once removed. (Debbie's grandfather and my father were first cousins, so Shelva, Debbie's mother and I are second cousins, and that makes Debbie my second cousin, once removed, if I remember the genealogy correctly.) 

Dan and I were planning a trip to Cleveland County to coincide with my friend, Peggy Rhyne's birthday, so I asked Debbie to make a birthday cake for PJ, and while she was at it, to make another one for Dan and me to bring home. 

Both cakes were a delicious, moist pound cake with chocolate fudge frosting.

Pound cake frosted with chocolate fudge frosting.

Peggy Rhyne enjoyed her cake and later shared it with some of our former classmates at a luncheon.  Rave reviews from all!!!!!

Peggy is happy with her cake.

Peggy's birthday cake. 

The cake that Dan and I brought home was frosted with chocolate fudge frosting and topped with pecans.  It was half gone before we even got home with it, with a little help from friends and family.

Only half of our cake left when we got home. 

A wonder if Debbie made her own wedding cake????

Debbie and Eddie enjoying their wedding cake a few years ago.

When the cakes were delivered, Debbie sent along a beautiful crocheted doily for me.  Not only can she bake, but she creates lovely crocheted things.  The doily has found a new home on the little round side table in our dining room. 

This intricate crocheted doily is perfect on this little round table.

Isn't this lovely? 

Debbie the cakes were beautiful and delicious and the doily is exquisite.  Thank you O Talented Cousin of Mine!

The Hawkins Reunion (Part Two): The Food and Fun

The food!

At the Hawkins Reunion last Sunday not only did we reunite with a lot of cousins, but we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner prepare by cousin Jerry Scruggs with the help of cousin Shelva Jean and the D's. (Donna, Debbie, and Deedee).

The food ready to eat.

The main dish was grilled turkey.  Jerry sliced, marinated, and grilled 49 pounds of turkey breasts.  Delicious.  I must get Jerry's marinade recipe.

Jerry's grilled turkey breasts.

Side dishes included:  sweet potato casseroles (Jerry's two and Shelva's one).

Sweet potato casseroles.

Slaw, green beans and macaroni.

Green beans.

Jerry's yeast rolls made in advance, frozen and reheated.  So yummy!

Jerry's rolls ready to heat.

Sliced tomatoes, Shelva's pear relish---must get this recipe too. 

Sliced tomatoes.

Shelva Jean's pear relish.

And of course, dessert, Jerry's peach cobbler.

Peach cobbler.

Enjoying the dinner.

After lunch Bingo was enjoyed by young and old. 

One of my winning bingo cards.

My prize.

 But no, we weren't through.  Finally, the pièce de résistance---old fashioned homemade ice cream. There were five freezers (the hand-cranked type) of ice cream---each a different flavor. This really took me back to my childhood. 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Old-fashioned home made ice cream.

Oh I do hope we will be on the invitation list for next year's 25th Hawkins Reunion. I'm already looking forward to it.