In all sincerity today, I’d like to say, “God be with you!” He sure stands beside me…

Well, we’re getting our garden fired off. Although it still may be a tad early…I just can’t seem to hold off any longer.

Deb called this…putting the cart before the horse.

Regardless, I’m gonna fire this mutha up!

I’ve set about 400 tomato seeds, some squash, and today will be settin some cucumbers, onions, and probably a few other things as well.

We’re going to be gatherin up some oak leaves, spreadin a little hay, addin some cow manure, a little topsoil, and then turnin up the existing soil and putting everything on beds this go round.

Why beds?

It rained so dern hard last year…many plants simply drowned.

If it’s up to me, this won’t happen again…God willin! If the garden drowns this time…I’ll be wishin I’d of invested in a boat! LOL!

Actually, I’m lookin very forward to this year’s garden. This time around, I’m lookin at this whole scenario of havin a garden much differently than I’ve ever looked at it before.

The reasoning is pretty simple…

One Blessed Man

First, Deb loved to garden. She loved to set the seeds, to set out the transplants, and absolutely loved to nurture them, and watch em grow off. I always did too, but to Deb…this was very special.

She loved pickin the vegetables, she loved shelling the peas, shuckin the corn and making creamed corn to bag and freeze for later.

She loved to can the vegetables the best, though. This reasoning too, is pretty simple as well…she wouldn’t TOUCH…the pressure cooker! She designated the cannin to…MOI!

See why she loved the cannin process so well?

Anyway, Deb and I were kinda semi-retired, and we both spent a lot of time enjoyin a dern garden. It was in our blood, and we were fortunate enough to have a place that God had provided us the opportunity to do so.

We didn’t have money, but we had a dream…

A dream to one day have a place like we have. Through our work ethic, our ability to save some of what we made, which by the way, as most know…took sacrifice.

But this great Country allowed us the ability to…live our dream.

I won’t elaborate on this today, because it’s not what this post is about, but boy, oh boy, dern if I ain’t chompin at the bit TO ELABORATE on it some…

Another day perhaps! LOL!

Deb and I had always gardened, but we’d planned to one day grow vegetables here on our place as more than just tinkerin around.

We wanted to sell them, and plants as well. Do other things as too, but, God decided He needed her more than I, so…here I am now…chompin at the bit to live this dream that the two of us shared.

Deb, during her battle with cancer…talked WITH God. I’ve shared this with you guys in the past, and I’m here to tell you…God spoke with her too. Honestly, if you could have been around her, you too would have listened to her, and became acutely aware, that this woman, WAS holding a conversation…WITH God.

It was incredible to the end, but when she first started speaking with me about this, I was like, well, okay…if you say so???

As time passed, and I started REALLY listening to what Deb was telling me, it became so very apparent, that she WAS…talking with God.

Honestly guys, she was!

When she first was diagnosed with cancer, as most know, she did chemo once.

After this experience she told me…no more. We’ll research alternative treatment, and we’ll go from there, and…we did just that.

Her quality of life was absolutely amazing, and she never doubted, she never wavered. She never, for one second, didn’t believe, in her heart, that this was exactly what God had in mind for her to do.

Her work ethic , and her positivity, were both incredible.

But, one of her reasoning’s for doing alternatives was simple…to help the children!

It literally broke her heart to see these small children at the cancer clinic. These kids, their hair gone, and the chemo drips hooked into their little arms.

This broke her heart.

She told me, “Doug, I’m doing alternatives, and one reason is to try to find another type of treatment to combat this disease. I, at 54 years of age, can decide for myself…my treatment. Those little guys can’t. They don’t have the option of telling their parents, or their Doctors…I’d like to combat this in another way.”

“For them…this door is closed. SO…IF, I can find another way, a better way…this is my goal. I believe too, this is God’s plan for me.”

This is exactly what Deb did.

One other dream she had, involved our place.

She loved living on the lake we lived on prior to moving down here. She loved our neighbors, but she also told me on numerous occasions, that God had SO Blessed her with our living here, and not at the lake, during her fight with cancer.

Her reasoning for this too was simple.

This place provided her with many spots where she could walk, get up under a tree somewhere, hit her knees…and talk to God.

She told me numerous times of how she’d just wander around looking at the trees, the pasture, the cows, and the wildlife.

She spoke lovingly of hearing the birds sing, and just overall…the beauty of God’s creation.

She explained that although she loved living at the lake, and our neighbors, it would have been much tougher to deal with her cancer there. This place provided for her…privacy when she needed it, and the ability to just walk around…her, and God!

Solitude…

So, she came down one morning and expressed just that to me. How God had blessed her with being here, and it was in God’s plan, for her to build two small cabins, here on her place she loved so well, and to share this…with others.

To afford them a place to come, for 2-3 days, free of charge, after their own diagnosis, and enjoy these very same qualities this place provided for her.

A place to come, and clear their minds. A place to come to that would give them the peace…to plot their own course. A place to share our lifestyle, and hear about her decision to fight this disease the way she’d chosen to.

Our garden and it’s bounty to share as well…

Aren’t you guys beginning to see now, just how very blessed I am?

Good night a livin folks, what a wife God blessed me with! Her inspiration was, and still is a blessing to me each and every day!

God blessed us both in the ability to have her here, for her to spend her last days in her home, in her bed…with only her family and friends around her! This was only a small token of our love for her, in the ATTEMPT to show her the very same love she always had…for us.

We were ALWAYS first in her eyes, so how in the world could we not have done what we did for her?

We couldn’t have, AND, we wouldn’t have!

Not just that, but to be around Debbie, and see her total trust in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and believing in her heart, in her heart my friends, that exactly what she was doing was indeed…God’s plan for her!

She was the most incredible and inspiring witness of God’s love that I could ever have been around.

Through Debbie’s perseverance…I too became intrigued by…How DO I…get that very same??

Between Deb, and many of our friends, some even just as if appearing out of the blue through an unintended Facebook invite, or through a video they’d watched, or even through one of our posts, I’d like to thank every one of you!

I too have now become a true believer.

So now, FINALLY, I fully understand that God has blessed me yet still, another time.

Although I am new to Christianity, I have found a Book in the Bible that means so very much to me. I gotta say, the whole Bible, or at least what I’ve read of it so far is all great, but there is one particular Book that just stands out to me.

Isaiah 53 is one chapter I read that just…made it all come together! It is the most profound thing I’ve ever read! I read it often…

Isaiah’s Garden

Well, as I said, I’ve been chompin at the bit in regards to this year’s garden. THIS garden IS the start…of the plan Deb and I had in the back of our heads, in regards to our retirement, and spending the rest of our lives together.

The circumstances HAVE changed, but not…THE DREAM!

It still lives, and I must say, this dream, WILL come to pass!

I am a very driven person, and once I see clearly what I envision as, my destiny, for lack of a better description…I attack it.

Full bore, and head-on.

This is where I’m at with this garden. It is the start of something bigger than me. It is the start of what Deb saw, that I didn’t. It is the start of something that can, and will, benefit others.

Her little cabins will come to be. Her dream of sharing with others, this place she loved so well…will come to take place.

I promised her the day before she left us…this WOULD happen, and although she wouldn’t be here with us…she’d know all about it…AND, she will!

Pardon my “French,” but come hell or high-water…this will happen…

I’d been thinking of what to call this dream of Deb’s, this vision she saw as her destiny?

I considered strongly, “Immanuel’s Garden,” as I liked the meaning…God is with us.

Then speaking to a very dear friend of Deb and I both, Kathrine, I mentioned the name I had in mind.

Here immediate response was, “Doug, why not… “Isaiah’s Garden?” I know how profound the Book of Isaiah has been in your young walk with God, and I feel this more appropriate in your regard.”

I knew immediately that she was right!

“Isaiah’s Garden…” has been conceived.

Now…getting it up and runnin is the focus. I’m lookin forward to the challenge, and growin this off.

I WANT others to benefit from Deb’s vision, of good, nutritious food. Food grown from heirloom seeds, not genetically altered seeds.

Seeds once more, supplied to us, not by man…but by God!

Not only this, but good night what an opportunity to meet people, and share with them…Deb’s story, and what God brought about in her life, in my life, and what HE can bring to the table in their own lives as well!

This is going to be such an incredible experience!

In my heart I want this to be a fine example of a man and a woman’s love for one another, and the dream they shared.

Through this, hopefully I, “WE,” can help others to find God, and to show them, through my own faith, and my own example, what a difference HE does make.

“Isaiah’s Garden” is not just about Deb and I.

“Isaiah’s Garden,” is to symbolize the love and bond shared by all the others out there who have lost their spouse, and in this way, let others know who haven’t experienced this very same heartache, that even though the loss is tremendous, we will always remember them with love and affection.

Our lost loved ones will ALWAYS be a part of our lives, just as Deb will be walking around with me every single day, in…our garden!

Our garden is to be a part of, and shared with, Kathrine and Ronnie, Gerry and Eleanor, Billy and Karen, Ken and Trisha, Kelly and Kent, Chet and Sandra, “Uncle Dave,” and all the others whose spouse may be gone, but will never be forgotten!

As I am in the garden, I promise I’ll think of not just Deb, but all of you as well!

It too is to be shared by one other, very special friend, to Deb and I.

Her name is Judi.

Judi too, is a member of this fraternity we share, although in Judi’s regard, her experience with loss surpasses most of ours.

She is such an inspiration to me. What an incredible lady she truly is, and through her own generosity, she provided Deb and I an opportunity to meet so many of you good, good people.

I do have to question, just for a moment, her judge of character?? I have to believe that after her meeting “ole Dub,” she too has questioned this very same many, many times!!

In all sincerity though, what a blessing Judi has been to us, and what a blessing all you guys have been to us as well!

You guys have no idea how much you played a part in Deb… “Keeping that smile on her face, and one in her heart!”

God Bless you all!

Dub AND Deb

How bout today, we talk about blind dates. You guys remember them right? Yeah, me too. I don’t know about the rest of ya’ll, but my experience had never been too good in regards to a…blind date. But, at my age you pretty much take what you can get.

Last week I went out on my first date that had been set up by a couple I’ve known for years. They too went along. You know how it works, they took me over to pick this lady up at her home, introduced me to my date and…her seeing-eye dog, “Ray C.”

Yep, here I am goin out on a “blind date” and the woman I’m goin out with WAS…literally blind!

As soon as I could, I cornered my buddy and exclaimed, “For God’s sake man…the woman’s BLIND!”

He quietly said, “Dub, it’s okay, she’s as nice as they come.” I’m like, “Well, that’s all fine and good, but she cain’t see a lick!”

My buddy, by then becoming a little aggravated with me, says, “Look Dub, I know she’s blind, but great day buddy, ya looked in the mirror lately? I mean ya ain’t Brad Pitt, my friend! You’re older than dirt to boot! I mean the options my wife and I had of even FINDIN somebody to go out with you were very limited to say the least! Now just take ole Helen Keller over there and have a nice time, okay?”

Friends…aren’t they great?

Well, after dinner they went back by their house, dropped my date and I off at my vehicle, and I got to take her back to her home.

Well, I got her home, walked her to the door and was asked if I’d like to come in, talk and have a cup of coffee. I felt it the right thing to do and replied that it would be fine.

Honestly, this woman was very nice and I kinda got to enjoyin myself. After 30 minutes or so I asked if she liked to play cards and she said that yes she did, so I went out to the truck and as luck had it…I had a deck of cards in the console.

I asked when I went back in if she’d ever played 5 card draw and she said that no she hadn’t, but if I’d teach her, she’d play. I’m like…okay.

So I explained that when I normally played we’d have a fifty dollar limit, and she agreed to this. So after I explained the rules ,hee-hee-hee, and we’d played a couple “practice hands,” we got down to business.

In my entire life I’d never seen anyone with such luck. It was incredible, the hands just kept fallin her way. I couldn’t believe it.

I mean we’d play the hand, then call and lay out our cards. I’d tell her after each hand the results, and that she’d won, AGAIN!

Well, if you know me at all, you know I’m a pretty conservative guy, though most use the term…tightwad.

Anyway, with the price of gas today, along with I’d bought everyone’s dinner earlier, and with what I was losin to this lady, my evening was becoming very, very costly, very, very, quickly, and it was obvious that her luck…was NOT goin to change.

Then…the light-bulb came on.

I was out a couple hundred at least, and the losses were adding up quickly by now. All I could hear in my head was…Ka-ching, Ka-ching!

Honestly, I kinda hate to admit it, but really, ya do what ya got to do, and the reality that she couldn’t see a lick became too appealing for me to overlook any longer, so…I started lyin!

The next hand, after playing it out, we once again laid our cards on the table. Once more, the dern woman throws down a fullhouse! Well, I’m sittin there with two pair.

She asks, “Hey Dub, did I win again?”

I replied, “No Ma’am, I’ve got three of a kind and you just have a pair of Jacks. Boy, it’s about time my luck changed! PHEW!!”

Well, this continued for the rest of the night, with my letting her win one out of every four or five hands, just enough to keep her interested! Plus the hands she’d win I’d fold or call before the pot started growin too large.

Well, by the time we threw in the towel, I’d paid for my gas, dinner, and was about three hundred and forty five in the black. Not a bad night’s work, huh?

I honestly can’t say that I was too proud of myself, but if you look at my wording I just stated that I wasn’t TOO proud of myself, and not at all, NOT proud of myself! LOL!

Well, none of this actually took place of course, but I was thinkin this past weekend that something like this would be bout par for the course in my regard.

Datin at 56, sure doesn’t have the appeal that it did when I was 26, or, at least it doesn’t seem too.

I don’t know nothin about nothin when it comes to datin anymore, and that thought in itself is kinda uncomfortable. Then there’s the “time frame” equation. When is it time to even start datin again? I mean, I’d never even considered this…didn’t think I’d ever have to??

Deb and my life together was not always “peaches and cream,” but it was filled with love and respect for each other. What I experienced in our regard was absolute, total conviction of two people being in love. It was wonderful.

Then the wheels came off so to speak…I was lost.

Now though, my heart is healing, my life is pretty much back together again, and in all honesty, life is good! Time, I can see already, is a great healer, and I gotta say I truly believe my Deb has and is, a major part of this…she told me would be, and once more, her word was her bond!

I still love her, and that will never change, but I’m beginning to understand life does go on, and I know in my heart she wants, even expects, me to be happy.

THAT, brings us to the set of 38 year old twins down the street a couple miles…with 38 not only being their age, but also their IQ’s. So at the moment…I’m very, very happy!! God IS great, isn’t he?? LOL!

In truth though, our God is a great and a very loving God, and he has blessed me in so many different ways throughout my life.

How I could ever be deserving of the blessings he has bestowed on me through the years is totally unfathomable. So I guess what I’m saying at this point is simply this. You have a problem? Trust in God, he’ll see you through…thick or thin!

I hope each and every one of you guys have a great day, a great week, and a great life. So many of you walked with Deb and I through her ordeal…right alongside of us. I’m forever indebted to you all for you love, concern and prayers…they meant so very, very much to both of us.

One chapter of my life has closed, yet another lies ahead. I now am ready for this one to begin…wish me luck!

God Bless you guys, and remember always…to “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”

Dub AND Deb

I have to tell you guys what a pleasure doing this site has been. Yeah, there are times it seems as if there just aren’t enough hours in the day in regards to all the irons Deb and I have in the fire, but that’s part of life.

I know without a doubt that what I have to say suffers from time to time on account of other things going on, but I have to tell you…all the good we’ve received by doing this, far, far outweighs any bad. You guys have been just great!

When I let out about Deb’s cancer, I was stunned by the goodness you guys put out there for us. Your thoughts, concerns and prayers, literally overwhelmed us! On top of this, I know, in my heart, that your kindness has helped Deb immensely in her fight, and is one of the reasons she’s done so well! Thank you all again!

Without a doubt, the main reason we keep on with our site…is the ability to converse and share with so many wonderful people. The sharing of ideas, recipes, and even laughter. But far more than anything else is the ability to share prayers in each of our regard!

Sadly yesterday, we’ve found out that one of our very good, well actually, a very dear friend is once more faced with adversity from this terrible disease. I won’t use their names as I’m not sure yet if they’d feel it appropriate at the moment.

Most that have read our column for any length of time will know immediately who she is, but once more, I’ll keep it under hat for now. If she feels okay with it, I’m sure she’ll let you know, but I just would like you to say a prayer in their regard.

God too knows who I’m speaking of, and he will know where these prayers are directed!

The reason I’m letting out this news is that throughout Deb’s fight, she has been standing beside Deb since day one, and as she likes to say, “Holding Deb’s hand from afar.”

Because of this, and the type of person this lady is, I humbly ask you guys for prayers on her behalf as well. She has been through a long struggle in her own right with this disease, for years and years, but several months back was given an all clear!

Deb and I were ecstatic over such great, and deserved good fortune! It couldn’t have happened to a better person! Yet, we just found out that her husband was just diagnosed with cancer as well, and as far as we know at the moment, his prognosis is not good.

So once more, say a special prayer for this family. They have been through adversity before, and now it just tears our hearts out to find that once more, they are faced with this disease again.

I want her to know this morning just how much she’s meant to us since we’ve been blessed by her reaching out to us, and her literally becoming a part of our family, just as we feel we’re a part of her own.

Her thoughts, her laughter, her advice, concern and prayers were, and still are such a blessing, and this morning Deb and I both feel, not only feel, but KNOW, prayers are so helpful!

So to our friend, please know that this is but one way we feel we might could help you guys out…through prayer. Prayers from all our other friends out there strung together to help you guys through a tough, tough time.

Miracles happen daily. Keep the faith, look up, and know in your heart that you are loved by so many! God Bless you and yours! We love ya’ll, and are only a phone call away.

“Holding your hands from afar…”

Dub and Deb

This memory comes from our good friend Gary. He sent this to us, and Deb and I enjoyed it so much we had to share it with you guys. Granny Aggie…and her apple tarts.

This morning around 4:00 a.m. (yes, I do get up pretty early…) I was leaving the bedroom and just stopped and stared. I have walked by it many, many times but for some reason I had Granny Aggie on my mind. Granny died back in 95’. What a true “Southern Lady” my Granny was. She was dirt poor all her life but held vast treasures in her heart. In so many ways she was certainly richer than all the Vanderbilts, Kennedys and Morgans put together.

Now what did I stop and look at? Granny’s old pie safe that my Grandfather built for her just after they got married sometime around 1916. I remember this old pine pie safe in their sharecroppers shack down off Brooklyn Road just out of Andalusia. Granny would bake a pound cake or some fried apple tarts and place them in the pie safe to keep the flies away. If I was real good Granny would take an apple tart out of the safe and I’d sit at the old pine table and slowly taste what seemed the nectar of life. All of us grandchildren knew and loved Granny’s cooking but especially those apple tarts.

I think it’s time to move the old pie safe back into a real kitchen. That also gave me an idea. Why not make some of Granny’s wonderful fried apple tarts? It was still three hours till sunrise so why not?

OK, I got busy. I peeled and cored several apples. Put them in a small saucepan on low heat and added some water and some local honey. Touch of cinnamon…

Got out the flour and other ingredients and made up the dough.

Rolled the dough into 9-10 round balls and started with the rolling pin to flatten them out. Then made sure the apples were cooking just right without getting too hot and scorching.

Then I went to work loading the dough with the apples and started frying the first Granny Aggie apple tart I’d had in many years.

Here’s the whole pile. Guess I better get off this dang computer. Looks like I got some serious eatin’ to do. Granny, I love you and will always cherish your memory. Wish I could share one of these with you…

Thank you Gary…we enjoyed your sharing this with us. Granny Aggie sure must have been one special lady. We’d be willing to bet your frying up those apple tarts this morning was looked upon by your Granny Aggie…with a big smile on her face!

I was telling my Mom about this the other day, of Gary sending us this, and she started telling me about her Mama, Nanny Murphy, whom I’ve talked about before.

She was telling Deb and I about how Nanny would make them, those same types of fried fruit pies in the morning, and how good they tasted when she did. She said her and her brothers and sisters just loved them.

So Gary, by your sharing your memories of Granny Aggie with us, well, it kind of got the ball to rollin, and next thing we knew, Mom, Dad, Deb and I were reliving old times too!

Granddaddy Troy taking me to the camp for the week. This starting when I was just 3. The first time he took me, Mom and Dad came down, it was about an hour ride, right after dark to get me. They thought I’d be squallin by then. Shortly thereafter I was…cause they were haulin me back home!
Dad-gum I loved that man!

I’d get down there in those woods with Granddaddy, just him and I…and it was ON! Suddenly we weren’t Grandfather and grandson any longer…we became equals in those woods together, best friends!

I loved him with all my heart, and he loved me back just the same! He’d light up an ole Chesterfield King, and I’d fire up one right along with him. Cuss? He’d let me cuss like a sailor. I could sling em your way pretty good if you’d aggravate me very much.

Drive? Shoot by the time I was 6, there wasn’t anything down there at the camp I couldn’t drive, including his ole Chevrolet truck. He’d let me sit in his lap, he’d work the gas, clutch, and brake, while I’d be shiftin that ole 3 speed on the column like an ole pro, steerin it this way and that.

I’d of drove it by myself, but my dern feet couldn’t reach the pedals and me see over the dash at the same time! I bet we were a sight!

He pretty much taught me to hunt and fish. I killed my first turkey with him, and coon hunt…that man would rather coon hunt than eat, and I wasn’t much better, but Granny kept me fed pretty good while we were at their house.

I guess that’s why him and I would go off to the camp…there wasn’t any women there to mess up our schedule!

I’ve seen that man just slaughter bass on numerous occasions…BIG BASS! Nothin under 8-9 pound bass, again, several times.

He used an old lure he called a dual spinner. He’d get an ole cane pole, a big un, long and thick, put about 3-4 feet of line on it and tie that dual spinner on.

He’d then have me paddle along the bank of those irrigation canals for the orange groves, and he’d drag that dern spinner back and forth, right up against the shoreline. They were actually big ditches, maybe 60-70 feet across, and deep, real deep, to insure water for the wells to pump and water the trees during dry times.

But he’d drag that thing along, and BAM, they’d just hammer it! EVERY ONE of them at least 8-9 pounds and larger, and that’s the truth! He told me the little bass just wouldn’t bother it. When those ole lunkers would slam it, he’d snatch that cane pole up, and sling that bass straight into the boat. He didn’t mess around.

Really, looking back now, that was one of the most amazing things I’ve witnessed in my entire life…Granddaddy standin in the front of that boat, workin that dual spinner slingin them dudes into that johnboat! I’ve never seen anything like it since.

Then there was Nanny Murphy. She was tight! She had to be. Her husband was killed after movin their family down from N. Alabama to Kissimmee, Fla.

She never had a driver’s license, yet walked to work, or the store daily. She was a nurse, and after Granddaddy Doug was killed, she raised her 4 children, and one other that just came along. A girl that had a rough time of it at her own home, and Nanny just took her in and raised her too!

So you see, Nanny HAD to be tight with her money.

I got in her change purse one time in her kitchen while her and Mom were in her living room. Well, I spilled the change out of that change purse and it hit the floor. Mom said Nanny’s ears went up like antennas, and to the kitchen she went.

Mom said she just knew Nanny was gonna beat me once she got to me, so she said she ran in first, grabbed me, and took off outside. She said Nanny hit that kitchen floor and went to pickin up change, countin it as she was pickin it up.

Mom said she thought everything was gonna be alright till Nanny kicked open that screen door and hollered, “Shake heem down Ruth…there’s a dime missin!”
True story!

But, we’d like to thank you once more Gary, because again buddy, your own memory triggered ours as well, and boy what a big time we had reliving them again!

We hope you guys can do the same!

Until next time, take care and God bless! Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb…and Gary too!

You’re probably sick of hearing me ask it, but I swear I don’t know where the day goes anymore? The weeks are just rolling by. Shoot, it seems like Christmas wasn’t that far back, and you might as well say its April already.

Maybe it’s just me?…yeah, right! I KNOW I’m not THE ONLY person out there, “getting old,” or maybe I should say, getting older? Sounds better doesn’t it? Almost………nice, huh? Well it ain’t! But you know who you are, so just face it…we’re getting old. Ain’t that right JC?

JC’s a buddy of mine, and a great guy too! I met him while we were going to different schools together. Actually, we DID go to the same school, it’s just that we were like on…different schedules.

His schedule had him AT school, every day of the week, ALL day! Ya believe that??? ALL day, EVERY weekday, the man was IN school! I know, I know, it’s hard for me to believe too…and I WAS there! I saw it! LOL!

I was more like, hmmm…let’s see, what’s today…Monday? You know, I think I just might take a ride out to Rock Springs, which is a State Park that has a large spring flowing out of the ground and is the origin of the Rock Springs River. So it boiled down to school…or Rock Springs? In my eyes, back in “the day,” this was literally a no-brainer! LOL!

Anyway, I’ve know this guy for years and years, not only him, but his entire family. I’ll always remember his Dad, Harry Haskell, hollerin for his son, JC, to, “Hit em a lick,” back when we played football. I mean you could hear his Dad over everybody, “Hit em lick, JC!”

You know, they have PA systems announcing the game, but when Jeff’s Dad went to hollerin, I swear…the man WAS the PA system! Once he yelled out from the stands…it got quiet for a moment or two.
People were like, “WHAT was that?” Then somebody would speak up that had been to the Apopka High school football games before and heard Harry Haskell yell, and they’d say, “Aw, it’s nothing, sit back down and watch the game! It’s just JC’s Dad!”

His Mom and Dad, shoot, when I was over there, they WERE, my Mom and Dad. Same with his brother and sister, Ronnie and Tina, also.

In reality, we were really, just family. Well, cept for JC, he was always like family too, but more like, a Cuzin. Naw, not like your Mom and Dad’s brothers and sisters kids, but something a lot farther removed, kinda like great, great, great, great….great, great, great…great uncle…or aunt’s children!

JC’s one fantastic guy, and I’m just pickin at him this morning. Growin older and thinkin back on “the good times, with friends.”

I remember my Grannie Margaret, Granddaddy, and Nannie Murphy, bless em all. I can only fantasize of them coming back through the door, or goin out to their house and spending the weekend, or Granddaddy taking me down to the camp with him for the week.

Me and him in my eyes we were equals. God I loved that man, and there’s no question that he cherished me…I was the first-born grandson, and that man was proud of that fact.

So there was so much bond or love between us, that it literally exuded out of him at times, so that in itself, to me, was almost as if…we were just buddies…equals! Just being around Granddaddy were some of my most enjoyable times in my whole life. Plus…he taught me to work.

Nannie Murphy, God rest her soul, loved me just as much, but no more, or no less than any of her other children and grandchildren.

She never had a driver’s license, yet worked her entire life as a nurse, and raised 5 children, right by herself. How’d she get back and forth? She walked.

4 of the children were hers, and one she raised on account of the child’s bad home life. Nannie took her in, and raised her as one of her own! That was how Nannie was.

Nannie, till her dying day, NEVER once called and didn’t ask, “Son, are you warm? Do you have enough underwear and socks? Have you got plenty to eat?” Then, after I assured her that I was fine, we’d talk about any other thing that happened into our minds.

Grannie Margaret, for some reason, I was always tryin to aggravate her, and in many cases was successful in my attempt! She was Granddaddy’s wife, and it seems Granddaddy had taken it upon himself to teach me a few things. One of which was…how to cuss!

I have to say that evidently I’d learned how pretty well, because from the time I was 3-4 years old, man, I could sling em out at ya! I guess I talked so dirty around Grannie was that, simply…Granddaddy wouldn’t let her whip me! LOL! I had…a free pass out at their place!

Grannie told me several times that while I was out at their place she’d be in the kitchen cooking supper. Their living room sat kinda catty-cornered from the kitchen, and although she couldn’t see me physically, she COULD, hear me in there just cussin up a storm.

Well, she said she’d gotten to the point that she figured if she just ignored me, I’d eventually…just shut up. Not me, she said. They had a rocker that if you rocked hard enough, you could bend forward in it, and see into the kitchen.

Grannie claims, and since she’s now gone I consider that all it is, is “a claim,” that I’d get that dern chair rockin as hard as I could, and when it rocked forward far enough, I’d holler out, “Sh..”
She’d be in the kitchen tryin her best to ignore me, hopin I’d get tired of her showing no response, and once again, I’d just shut-up.

She’d say at that point, I’d go to rockin even harder, all the time peerin around the corner, getting louder and louder, just a hollerin, “Sh..!” Once she finally had enough, she’d come flyin into the living room givin me “the what for!”

At that point, I’d stop. Mission accomplished. I’d… “pis… Grannie off, and it showed! Now, on to something else!

My reasoning behind sharing this with you guys today is simple. I used to dread the thought of growing older. That’s no longer the case. I cherish growing older now. It allows me the opportunity to go back in time, and relive my favorite memories.

Yes, these memories are just that…memories, but, my God, at all the wonderful people I’ve known that are no longer here, but still today, they can put a smile on my face, and because of this, I keep one in my heart as well.

I have truly been blessed, by the people our Lord saw fit to put into my life, to share those wonderful times with.

I love them all, and yes, I do miss them!

I also like the opportunity of enjoying the truly simple things in life that age, furnishes us with. I guess a word that while younger didn’t seem to be in my vocabulary ,but has become now, not just a word, but a virtue…it’s called, PATIENCE.

I look at many things today from an entirely different perspective than when I was, “still wet behind the ears!” LOL!

The beauty God put here for us to take note of. 20 years ago, I couldn’t give a hoot about the birds singing, or watching the rain roll off the roof while sitting in the porch swing during an afternoon shower.

Deb and I were in the greenhouse just this past week, and we must have spent 10 to 15 minutes watching a butterfly work. Can you imagine that at age 25? Me either! Yet, what a pleasure it is anymore to take the time and just…observe. Life truly is a wonderful gift, isn’t it? Growing older is a gift as well!

Well, that’s about all I have to say for today, and I hope possibly, it inspired a few of you guys out there to stop, smell the roses, and to give thanks to our creator for blessing us with this truly tremendous gift…the gift of life!

Oh, I almost forgot. Our good friend, Gary, asked for Aunt Ann’s Squash pickle recipe, so this is for you Mr. Gary! Along with an added bonus…her pickled okra recipe too! Enjoy, my friend!

Squash Pickles

• 2 POUNDS YELLOW OR SUMMER SQUASH
• 3 MEDIUM ONIONS
• 1/4 CUP OF SALT
• 2 CUPS WHITE VINEGAR
• 2 CUPS SUGAR
• 1 TEASPOON CELERY SEED
• 1 TEASPOON TUMERIC
• 2 TABLESPOONS MUSTARD SEED

Wash squash and slice thin. Peel onions and slice thin. Cover both with water and add salt. Let stand one to two hours. Drain

Bring vinegar, sugar and seasonings to boil and pour over vegetables. Let stand 3 to 4 minutes. Bring to a boil, stirring and boil 4 minutes.

Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Aunt Ann’s Pickled Okra:
• 2 pounds tender, small, fresh okra
• 5 pods hot red pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 quart white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon celery seed

Wash okra and pack in 5 hot sterilized pint jars. Put one pepper pod and 1 garlic clove in each jar.

Bring remaining ingredients to boil. Pour over okra and seal. Let stand 8 weeks before using.

Serve chilled.

Note: If pepper pods are not available, use 1/4 teaspoon crushed, dried, hot red pepper for each jar.

Yield : 5 pints

We want you guys to have a great day, and God Bless! As always, my better half Deb, advises to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb