Family Friends Friday

I grew up in a small neighborhood, in a small town, in the 70's & 80's. The road we lived on created a circle of sorts, coming in off of the larger road and going around to exit back onto the same road just a short way down. Until my junior year in High School it was a dirt road, with a clay base.

The picture above is from Google Earth and shows the area as it looks now. I think there were about 10 homes total in the whole neighborhood during the time I was growing up. I'm kind of guessing, memory not to clear on the exact number. Everyone knew each other. We didn't lock our doors during the day, except for the front door; all family and friends knew to come to the back door anyway! In fact, most times we would call out "knock, knock" and walk right in.

Our little neighborhood was surrounded by woods then, which made for great summer time play. My sister and I grew up playing with the 3 boys next door. Many a summer game of hide and seek, Red Light - Green Light, climbing trees, and riding bikes.

Neighborhood cookouts held at one family or the others back yard. Papa Joe's BBQ, Mr. Whitfield's catfish stew, churned ice cream, card games, playing in sprinklers, and sometimes music provided by The Mills' family musicians. Many a happy memory of times gone by. Holidays & Birthdays celebrated together and enjoyed by all. July 4th always at Papa Joe & Gigi's house, because it was also Gigi's birthday! On Christmas morning we were back and forth between houses seeing what each had gotten and exchanging gifts. Easter Sundays, dressing up and going to church and then coming home to hunt Easter eggs.

Mathews & Whitfield Family Easter Picture

probably between 1974 - 1976

Some of those neighbors have passed away now, some have moved (after my sister and I married Mama sold the house and moved also), us kids have grown up and have our own family's now but the memories remain. And the special place in my heart that each of those childhood neighbors and friends hold will ensure that they will always be carried with me.

~Michelle
© Michelle Deal 2014 All Rights Reserved

A Woman of Grace and Beauty

My Maternal Grandmother was a quiet woman. What I consider a "true southern lady". I never heard her say a bad thing about anyone.

I remember visiting my grandparents when I was a little girl in Beaufort, SC. We would spend a week to two weeks with them in the summer. I didn't realize then what a small home they had, it was just home. My sister and I would sleep on the pull-out sofa and Mama slept in the guest room (her old bedroom). There was an eat-in kitchen, and Grandmama always had grape juice and ginger snaps for treats. She would give us each a special tiny glass and fill it with, what I thought, the sweetest grape juice ever!

The back yard was filled with wild flowers of every kind, that danced in the breeze. My sister and I would pick bouquets and bring them to her, she would always exclaim over them and get a glass with water to put them in, and place them on top of her kitchen cabinets. I guess I thought it was a place of importance, to keep them safe and to be seen. Now I know that Grandpapa had asthma and high allergies and she was putting them somewhere that wouldn't bother him, but she never turned them down or made us take them away.

We would take at least one trip to the beach, Hunting Island, and gather sea shells and play in the surf. Grandmama always wore her sun hat and worried that we were getting out to deep. She didn't swim so anything past your ankles was too deep. She would hold my hand and we would walk along the wet sand looking for special shells, and watching the shrimp boats in the distance.

When my family takes a trip to Hunting Island now, the minute I can smell the marsh I know we are there. As children, my sister and I were always asking "Are we there yet?". If you have ever been you know the marsh smell is present before you actually are in Beaufort, but to me that's when you are there.

I can hear her voice even now, "Now Edith (my Mama), they are just babies". I knew I was loved and that she would always.

Mamie Catherine Williams Cole (b.1922 d.2003)