Hog Killin' Weather

Reading a post on our family web site written by my cousin Lynn brought back a lot of memories. I remember when it was hog killing weather which was usually winter when it was really cold outside.  It was an all day affair to process the hog, but everyone around would help. 

Me and my grandaddy, Edgar Loudermilk

 I have seen Granny can sausages. She and Granddaddy had a smoke house in which they hung the salted hams.   I don't remember them ever smoking the hams, but we still called it the smoke house.

Mama use to fry pork and after she took up the meat she would pour  hot coffee into the grease and make "red-eye gravy" which we poured over a biscuit.

One time Daddy had killed a hog and there was all this fresh pork.   Mama had been cooking and eating this fresh meat during the day, and during the night had a gall bladder attack.   She had to have major surgery.   She almost died from the combination of a highly infected gall bladder and the surgery, and it was triggered from all the fresh pork.

One of my favorite meals is fried fat back, small green onions, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and cornbread with fresh butter on the cornbread.   Add some fried potatoes and you have a meal fit for a king.

Wonderful memories of a time when we grew and processed our own food.  I would have no idea how to process the meat the way my parents and grandparents did.  Good thing we have a grocery store near by.

The "good old days" really means the "hard working days."  So thankful we don't have to depend on my knowledge of agriculture and food preservation.  My family would starve to death.

It is me again, Lord, thank you for the good memories of a time long ago.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  When you are given opportunities to have experiences or learn from your elders, make sure you don't walk away empty handed. 

Dreaming About Mama

The weather is more like spring than winter.  The little jonquil and daffodil blooms have already opened here in the North Georgia Mountains.  This makes me feel like spring has arrived.  Spring makes me miss Mama even more.  It was in Spring that she went home to be with our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I dream about Mama.  I have been dreaming about her on a regular basis since she died.  I want to sit and talk to her.  In my dreams the coffee pot is either brewing, or we are just putting on the pot.  She is not sick in my dreams.  The sad part of my dream is that she and I don't sit down and talk.  Isn't that strange?  One would think that I would be sitting with her, drinking coffee, laughing, and talking.

Maybe my dreams are really trying to tell me something.  Mama and I had unfinished business together. 

If your parents are still with you, clear the air of unfinished business before they are gone.  I always wanted my mama to be proud of me and my accomplishments, but I don't think she was.  I made mistakes in my personal life that haunted my relationship with my mom. The Lord has forgiven me, but I have a hard time forgiving myself.  Do you ever feel that way?  It is harder to forgive one's self than to forgive others.  

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for forgiveness even when I can't forgive myself.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Make sure you tell loved ones how you feel.  It's good for the soul.