I REMEMBER BACK IN THE LATE 60'S, EARLY 70'S ,WE LIVED ON THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FARM, ABOUT THREE AND A QUARTER MILE FROM TOWN. THE HOUSE SAT BACK ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE ROAD. IT HAD A HUGE FRONT YARD WITH HARDLY ANY GRASS AT ALL.
ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL WEEPING WILLOW, STANDING SO TALL AND GRACEFUL, SWAYING IN THE WIND, LIKE A HULA DANCER'S SKIRT SWAYS, WITH THE MOVEMENT OF HER HIPS. AND THE SWEET SMELL OF HONEY SUCKERS FILLED THE AIR, AS THE BREEZE BLEW GENTLY!
THERE WERE AN OLD OUT-HOUSE OUT BACK NEXT TO A FENCE THAT SURROUNDED A PASTURE FULL OF HOGS. HUGE TREES STOOD IN THE MIDST OF IT: OAK TREES, CHINABERRY TREES, FIG TREES, AND A TINY PEACH TREE FILLED WITH TINY GREEN PEACHES.
ACROSS THE ROAD THER WERE A FRESHLY PLOWED FIELD, ANDYOU COULD SMELL THE FRESH DIRT FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE MILES AWAY; AND IN THE SUMMER, AFTER THE CROPS WERE FULLY GROWN: THE CORN, THE PEAS, THE COLLARDS, MUSTARDS, BUTTERBEANS, AND A PATCH OF WATERMELONS, THEY BROUGHT OUT THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND THAT THEY OCCUPIED!
AT NIGHT THE STARS SHONE SO BRIGHT, IT WAS AS THOUGH SOMEONE TURNED ON THE LIGHTS OF HEAVEN. ANT THEY SEEMED SO CLOSE, THAT YOU COULD REACH UP AND TOUCH THEM.
EVERYTHING WAS SO CALM AND PEACEFUL, EXCEPT FOR THE WHIRLING OF THE COOL BREEZE THROUGH THE CORNFIELD AND THE TREE TOPS. OCCASIONALLY, YOU MIGHT HEAR A CAR PASSING BY, OR THE HOOTING OF AN OWL IN A FAR AWAY DISTANCE.
I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT BEAUTIFUL PLACE. ESPECIALLY THE KITCHEN WHERE MOMMY WAS ALWAYS BAKING BREAD. AND OH, THE AROMA THAT CAME FROM MOMMY'S KITCHEN! IT SMELLED LIKE SOMEONE OPEN A BAKERY RIGHT IN OUR FRONT YARD! THOSE WERE HAPPY TIMES FOR ME, TIMES I SHALL NEVER FORGET!..........LILLIE