Wednesday, September 29, 2010

When I Stop I Really Stop…

I guess I thought that since I missed my 30 day goal I’d just get back to doing it whenever…  And here I am. 

I think that maybe I bit off more than I could chew at a stretch. Perhaps I need to think in smaller increments since I’m pretty distractible.  Maybe start off with 3 days in a row or some such and then go to 5 days and so forth.  All I can do is try.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… no, literally, the ranch.

Madisonville homestead

This is where my grandmother Lucy was raised, if I get the story right, down outside of Madisonville, Texas.   That’s her on the right in the white blouse and dark skirt.  She was a school teacher and she made my granddaddy wait seven years before she would marry him.  She wanted to be sure that she got all her brothers through school.  Her daddy, my great granddaddy, was shot and killed by three men in front of one of her brothers when they went to town one day.  Two men held him and a third man shot him and they lit out for the hills.  My grandmother and everyone else knew who the killers were but they were never caught.  I guess they left Texas for parts unknown but Lucy carried a gun in her apron for years and if she’d ever seen them she would have given them a taste of frontier justice.  My oldest brother spent a lot of time with grandmother and granddad and he said she was a crack shot.  She taught him how to shoot.  She would give him a single shot .22 rifle and one bullet to go out and get a rabbit or squirrel for dinner.  He said if he missed there was no meat on the table.

2685 Since none of these photos were dated, we just have to kind of guess about ages… this photo looks to me to be probably about the time she finished school.  She was younger looking than in the following photos.  If any of my sibs or my cousins correct me I’ll let you know…

Grandmother and her school kids This is a photo of her taken with her school children.  She taught first through eighth grades in a one room school.  You can see her there on your left with her school bell in hand.  She was a pretty determined woman from what I gather and didn’t truck too much foolishness, at least where getting an education was concerned, but I have to think from knowing my mom, my aunts and my uncle and my great uncles that humor was a part of their lives.

Lucy Irene Morgan I think this photo was probably taken the same time as the picture on the ranch at the beginning of this story.

Grandmother Venable As near as we can figure this was probably taken about the time she and granddad got married. I was only six when grandmother died and I can say that I only have two memories of her other than the stories that I was told.  One was at their home in Konawa, Oklahoma, where they lived in their old age, and the other was one time I went with momma when grandmother was in a nursing home and didn’t know anyone, but I have loved grandmother stories all my life. 

That’s all for now folks… I’ll try to get back sooner rather than later and continue this epistle.  It’s a beautiful day here, about 80 degrees (F.) here and I’m going to go do some things outside.

9 comments:

Sara said...

I really enjoy seeing these old pictures and hearing the stories even though I don't know the family. You're fortunate that so many photos exist.

Laura ~Peach~ said...

i do believe i would have loved her! love one shot or no meat... what a way to make a great shot!
love the pics too!

Laura ~Peach~ said...

oh and blog when you can its not fun if you do it when you really dont want to it is always worth the wait to me :) love ya

Debbie said...

I told Jojo we were coming down to wring your neck! Just kidding. I agree with Laura. Blog when you want to. I did enjoy it though!

I love the old photos and stories of grandmas too. Such a difficult time back then but somehow to me, so much simpler.

xoxox

hetty said...

I really love your photos and family stories. Blog when you feel like it. That's the best way to keep those stories interesting. And you certainly did that!

Tipper said...

Loved hearing about her-and I loved loved the old pics too!

Reddirt Woman said...

Sara I never realized how fortunate we are to have all the photos that we do have. We have quite a few more of my daddy's side of the family, but what we have of both sides all of us cherish. My Bro and I have been trying to get photos from our sibs and cousins so we can get copies to everyone. I really need to go down and spend some time with our oldest brother because he remembers more about our grandparents than I do. Being 14 years older than me and 17 years older than our baby brother he remembers more about the grands...

Laura from what my big brother said she was real steady with teaching him before she turned him loose with the rifle but said that she was really good with a gun. And thank you all for reminding me that blogging is more fun when I want to do it than feeling I have to do it.

Debbie I would have probably welcomed you and JoJo to wring my neck! Fighting depression is tough enough but when you are moving and trying to help do stuff it makes it hard. I want to do the things I've started but I wish I could get things done quicker and I get down on myself. Things will settle down though.

Hetty thank you reinforcing that blogging is more interesting when you feel like doing it. I love to tell the stories but sometimes I feel like I "have" to get them out to you all and I don't want the stories to feel forced.

Ness said...

My mom died waaay too early for me to get in on family pictures and my dad's side with his multiple marriages...well, it's too energetic for me. I love looking at your pics and hearing the stories.

Terry said...

Howdy Helen
Oh these are all so fabulous !!!!!
How lucky you are to not only have them in your family but to share them and their stories here with us in blogland is awesome .
I wish someone in my family would come across some old photos .
Again thank you for sharing .
Until next time
Happy Trails