2/26/11

Cousins-Mine & Yours~

None of either of my parent's  siblings are still living.  Aunt Lila Mae & Aunt Josephine were the last of Mama's to pass away during the past 2-3 years. 
Growing up in South Georgia during the 1940's & '50's we could never have imagined how we would one day be scattered across the country not even seeing each other for 5, 10 even 20 years - As children we spent Sundays together, gathering for Sunday Dinner [lunch] and playing "all  over creation" all afternoon until everyone went their separate ways.  We spent weeks together during the summer.  We all gathered together for Christmas & Thanksgiving and family reunions in Mershon every October. Grandpa Mobley's birthday was in October and so was Aunt Laura's and my cousin Eugene's. Some of these folks we never saw any other time except those October reunions..but it was so memorable or perhaps they were such remarkable people that pictures of them, their voices, personalities remain a permanent part of my inner photo album.  Over the years as we grew up I realized they didn't all live worlds apart..many were just in the next county-almost all definitely within the same state of Georgia.  There were a few stragglers who wandered off to the north part of Florida.  Funny, they always came back.
When we gathered for these special times it was usually at Aunt Laura and Uncle Jack's [Mobley] place in Mershon. In front of the old farm house there was that wonderful sandy lane and between there and the first corn field with a fence was still more open space with those ever so handy Sycamore Trees...convenient for both shade and setting up tables for all the food.  There was no entertainment, no planned activities except a time when the big Birthday Cake came out and pictures were taken of groups of parents and siblings..thanks to Aunt Josephine we all have some of those pictures. She's the only one I remember who always showed up with a camera. Then in later life she spent an enormous amount of time and money making copies of all these pictures and sending them out to her nieces and nephews. 
We Mobley cousins all have most of these same memories because we were always together..of course sometimes we may conveniently forget some of the kid stuff..all of us born just before and during WWII have been blessed to have lived in the best of times in this country.  We had the hard times from which to learn and grow and the decades of plenty and bounty to make our hearts tender and thankful for such a wonderful life.  It can't get much better than that. I would not want to "wish away" the hard times when having nothing was so common-I have always been so thankful for those years.  We of my generation are better off for having those hard times. It's our children who missed out on such blessing..most of them, but especially our grands have had too much and too easy and our families and our country is now reaping the harvest. 
Now here we are settling into the 21st century with four of us [Mobley 1st cousins] already passed away and the rest of us scattered from Oregon to Ohio, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky,  with some still at home in South Georgia-Pierce county but we can't seem to realize that our time is mostly past...as my husband often says at almost 74 yrs old " he's on borrowed time now".
While we have been apart so many years it's still so sweet how there is that precious bond still there when we are together.  Now the challenge is for all of us to make the time and opportunity for quality time together. 

Time is precious~

5 comments:

  1. Beverley Turner WhiteFebruary 26, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    Jonell,
    I just want you to know that I LOVE this. I have always THOUGHT IT. You, on the other hand, verbalize it so well. The memories are so very true.
    Love,
    Cuz Beverley from Florida

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is sad that people are so scattered now. I have cousins I have not seen in fifty years and probably never will again, and my children of course have never known them. I agree that our children and grand children have had it good. I worry about what is going to happen to them in their later years. I think times are only going to get tougher.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is so touching to know someone connects with this..both my real cousin Bev and the blogger whom I have never met..I almost cried when I read your note Bev. I JUST HAVE to get it down in print. as I said we have lived in the very best of times including the rough times for which I am just as thankful as the bountiful years!We have to make some time together..just have to!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I adore you and love reading about your past. You are an amazing woman!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Omy Heather how sweet of you to leave me a note..in the interest of "full disclosure" I must confess here that you are one of MY GIRLS...and we have a history! Speaking of "about my past"..hey I have so much "PAST"..I'll be 70 this month-remember what I said about "those awful Mirrors"..

    ReplyDelete

This is much more fun if you participate so join in and share your thoughts on any given subject. I look forward to reading what you have on your mind. Additionally, I would be honored to have you join me as a "Follower"
~All In Fun,
Jonell

BLOG RENOVATION-my excuse for unfinished housekeeping

-[I have to enter something here or it won't "save"]

A Note From Me

I am so glad you stopped by-whether accidental or intentional. Some days my posts will be entirely inspirational and other times quite random but the time we share can be worthwhile. My initial intent was to use this space for my Mobley Family notes { james n mobley line } I know one can only write when inspired to do so. With that in mind I caution you to expect various twists and turns in the conversation as we wander Down the Lane and Around the Curve. If you have a clue what a Lane is then you already know that a walk down the lane can be a solitary walk, ambling without the company of another or it can simply be a leisure experience with someone who's company you enjoy, working out the world's problems or just soaking up nature and God's spectacular creation surrounding you. There is enjoyment either way. I say all that to say this: "Our walk down the lane will be much more interesting if you come along with me from time to time. I am not the only one with something to share so please join in as you are motivated or inspired.
Please know that I have not abandoned my first blog Down the Lane. I still drop in to read comments and check my tracker to see who's reading or even if there might be a new Follower. I have noticed when I check the traffic on Like Gramma's House and come over to DTL I am seeing apparently the same visitors are checking in on both sights..based on the city and state and time frame of the visitors..That's Great! Thank you faithful few who are inquisitive enough to click on the links and come over. Let me explain ...in case you have missed it earlier: This is my original blog. At a point in the process of this project I began to drift in a new direction creatively and hence Like Gramma's House was birthed. By way of continued explanation for what looks like an orphaned blog here..I simply have not come up with a way, an idea for either following through with Down the Lane or closing it out. One cannot write without inspiration. I just don't have a clue where to go with this one. The only glimmer of a creative twist I have is to invite my cousins to contribute to the family stories, pictures with their own quirky takes... looking back Down the Lane.There has been no encouragement leading me to think they would pitch in. They all have wonderful memories to share.. and I am confident it would be worth while. Apparently just don't think what they have to share would be blog worthy.


My Gramma's House~


Time changes so many things. Loved ones are no longer here. Landmarks dissappear from the landscape. Entire communities are seemingly erased. Homes have burned leaving scarcely a footprint in the earth where they once stood. Even so, we still refer back to things 'the way they once were' as being ~Like Gramma's House~ http://mygrammashouse.blogspot.com/

Cousins

Cousins
There comes a time in LIFE when our COUSINS AGAIN become very important. I think that time has arrived. jwh