Mama's Lap

One of those snapshots in time that has stayed with me ocurred at about three years old no more than four.

This is short and sweet but real.

The primitive farmhouse where we lived not far from Alma, Georgia had a porch across the front. It was nothing fancy -no railing, just a porch with a simple homemade settee.

The Kodak moment simply this: I was sitting beside Mama and leaned over and laid my head in her lap.

I experienced a comfort, security and feeling that 'this is the best place in the world to be.'

There are no new words or phrases in my vocabulary with which I can draw a verbal picture for you.

Remember, you cannot choose what memories a small child will carry with them through life.

When you hold or rock that little one or snuggle close you just may be 'snapping a moment' that will always be real and treasured in that precious child's heart and mind.

Hold them close..while you can.
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The Rolling Store

The weather can often be inconvenient. Rain All Day days like today will keep most people at home and out of the stores. Shopping is not usually what I think of doing on a rainy day. I sometimes think of major house cleaning [yeah, I know, that's strange too.] but rarely shopping.

Back when I was a young child the weather didn't always mean no shopping. There were a few Stores that actually came to us. Yes, that's what I said. The one that was really significant was the grocery store. It was an old Bus called The Rolling Store and My Dad's brother Uncle Dewitt Williams drove it along a route in the country. This was only a part of his business. He had a real bonafide grocery store in town and he and aunt Lennie and their brood lived next door about 10 inches away. Well, not quite that close. My uncle was always in the grocery business as were other Williams cousins in Alma [Ga.]

When my family lived with my mother's parents in Mershon I recall Grandma Mobley and Mama carefully making a list before the rolling store came. We looked forward to the store rolling up the lane probably more than children today anticipate a trip to the shopping mall. I believe the store came once a week. I am not quite sure about that but it was without question the highlight of our day, perhaps week. Uncle Dewitt was every bit the business man. He'd rather work than anything I think and when it came to taking care of the customers he knew what he was doing.

If we stay on this subject for a while we'll come up with more chapters to this story. This is just a friendly challenge to a really special cousin "grannyO" to put in her two cents worth..She will have different parts to this puzzle picture because you see it was her Dad that owned and operated that Rolling Store.

Justa note: Other stores had routes in the country too. Some sold Coffee, some sold Candy, and all kinds of cleaning brushes etc

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Additional Thoughts from Janell Overstreet. Janell is my first cousin and it was her Daddy and his ROLLING STORE that my post above discusses.

"Things I remember about the Rolling Store.

Me and Daddy would go up to Bacon Grocery Company in Alma when it was in a big tin warehouse building before daylight and we would buy groceries by the cases and load them into the Bus.  Then we would stop by the ice plant where  Farmers' Supply is now and purchase ice to put in wash tubs to keep sodas cold. Each day we would take a different route,but the same day each week we would  go back the same route so the people would know exactly what day we would be going by. I remember stopping at Tobacco barns, cotton fields and the workers would literally run to the bus to get mostly R.C. Colas and MOON PIES.  They also bought Vienna Sausage, Potted Meat, saltine crackers and a soda.  That would be their lunch.  Also passing by men would be dipping tar [ from pine trees] and we would stop.  I remember when families would buy groceries from Daddy and charge on a weekly and pay up in August of the following year.  That is when share croppers got their money or other folks would be able to sell their tobacco.  The bus had a small porch on the back and that is where we would put peoples groceries.  You could come onto the bus and choose your groceries but inside was very crowded with one tiny isle and there were shelves on the inside where the groceries were put up and wash tubs of drinks and feed on the floor. People would buy groceries and did not have money  we would trade groceries for Eggs and chickens.  The chickens would be in a wire cage on the little porch. Daddy would always keep his money he collected in  his shirt pocket . One day he dropped it out we guessed it was in somebody's grocery bag.  We never found it.  That was not a good day for sure. I would put up the groceries on the shelves as  the bus was traveling down the road to the homes.  To this day I have a bad toe nail because a can of pineapple fell off the shelf and hit my toe.  I guess I will never forget that. Also on the Bennett Still highway close to the Bacon County line there was an old old wood bridge that We had to cross to get to Appling county. I would always walk across that bridge.  I was so scared that the bus would fall in.  Sure enough, one day Daddy almost got across it and the front of the bus was on the road and the back was hanging down in the bridge.  I remember I wold always sit up front of the bus beside Daddy where he drove. Even though it was our little business I would never get a drink, candy or anything to eat unless I asked him.  Folks did not go to town often  in those days. that was the only way most farmers could get things they needed.  If you could go to town you went on Saturday. I went along on  the grocery bus until I was to big to go; I mean too old.  Oh, by the way, I still like Vienna Sausage and potted meat occasionally.

Thank you my dear cousin Janell~I knew your viewpoint would be different. You were the "town girl" same as "city girl" I guess and your family owned and operated the grocery business. It was a demanding business. I know because we saw how long and hard your parents worked that business [the one in town and the rolling store].

My viewpoint was the other side of the story.  My Dad was one of the sharecroppers who made their list and watched for the grocery bus coming down the lane.

This added post: September 13, 2010

Rainy Days

Daddy-1958














Rainy Days like today remind me of some of those 'snapshots in time' as a child.
I recall a scene when I was less than 4 years old. I was outside in a garden with my dad [ "Daddy" ] As it started to rain we ran into the house. I still remember in that primitive farmhouse [ a dog trot ] at Rockingham, [GA] lying across the bed beside Daddy and watching the rain through the window... LISTENING TO THE RAIN ON THE TIN ROOF.

It's one of those "you had to be there" stories. I don't remember a conversation.
I do remember enjoying the sight and sounds of the rain. It was a good place to be. I was a happy little girl who felt safe and loved by my Daddy.

Take note - you who have young children now.
You never know the ordinary moments that could stay with your child for a lifetime. And we don't get to choose those memories that 'stick'.

That was more than 60 years ago!

Now Let's Get Into The Dirt!

That's me . . Inside I am still that little barefoot farmgirl who so loved to walk in the cool freshly plowed fields in south Georgia.

We seem to store many 'snapshots in time' over the years; it is both peculiar and amusing the kinds of things that get filed away.

I remember "me" [the BFFG] when I walk out in the yard barefoot. Dontcha love it when the grass is freshly cut [assuming it is thick and healthy and not filled with sand spurs]. That same BFFG shows up when I choose to sit on the floor instead of trying to find another chair in the living room. I am often barefoot indoors..OFTEN. Well, yes I do have house shoes, nice soft ones.. I make no excuse-unless I blame it on my country 'roots.' lol

Another snapshot in time is nearby those plowed fields in front of Grandma Mobley's house [ old primitive dog trot ] Under the big Sycamore trees my cousins and I often played .. [ in the dirt again] we built what we called "playhouses" in the sand. Wondering what kind of construction this involved??
mmmmm how can one explain something so primitive to our 21st century contacts/especially those younger than myself? It went somewhat like this: We used sticks & twigs to outline the rooms and whatever we found around us-bottles, lids, acorns, you get the picture? and we used our imagination & conversation to create life & drama. We had no real toys, used nature, God's creation and the intelligence and imaginations He gave us. IMAGINE that??

I don't want to leave you thinking: "O those poor children-that's so Sad" If you are thinking that You Are just wrong. True, our lives were not cluttered rooms and closets full of plastic toys [that end up in garage sales] but our lives were filled with freedom, time, space, nature and exploration..actually so few limitations. When we left the yard we were never told "watch out for strangers" or "careful crossing the road" or "don't get hurt"..rather we usually heard "don't be late for supper." Imagine such freedom!!! Back at ya later :^)

My South Georgia Roots

For many years I looked at my south Georgia roots as a time and place to get away from. I was so sure everywhere else was better & bigger. It was about 10 years at least before I began to realize EVERYONE is FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE..usually somewhere smaller and less significant.[or so we think] It was an enternet exchange with a Williams [my maiden name] family researcher that helped me realize "That's My History" my story, and it is unique to me and that time. The 1940s and & 1950s won't be repeated. They are our treasured History. I have memories that can only be told by me and all those other Mobley & Williams cousins from South Georgia & specifically Pierce and Bacon and Liberty County. I learned about the Liberty county connection later in life.

Maybe next time we'll get into the dirt :^)

In the Beginning- My Way Back When!

That's Aunt Laura left, our Nan center and me, Jonell on the right. It was here in aunt Laura and uncle Jack's house where we had this conversation about the location of the house where I was born: Down the Lane and Around the Curve, on the Youman's place.

About Life-Then- Now And The Years In Between.  Come Along, Walk With Me Down the Lane & Around the Curve!

This is your invitation to join in this conversation-Add your comments in response to my posts or use your comment space for your own entry -thoughts that come to mind as you are reading mine. This is not intended to be a one sided Conversation.

My life's 'journey".. began "Down the Lane" and around the curve in the little 3 room share cropper's house on the edge of the Youman's Place [Mershon, Georgia] That was March 1941 when my twin brother and I were born.

How do I know that? Because Aunt Laura Mobley told me..or I should say she reminded or refreshed my memory back in 1990 as we visited and talked about when I was born she said "Right over Yonder". I asked "Where aunt Laura?" and she responded: "Down the Lane and around the curve" over yonder on the Youmans Place.

And there it was. It didn't take us long to make that little trip-lol. Yep, there it was a little wood frame 3 room house still standing actually wasn't unsafe to enter. [ one of those ceramic white door knobs is my treasure now & yes we did ask permission ]

As we looked around in the back room I realized that had been the Kitchen and hey look at that window...they would have thrown their dirty dishwater out through that window!

Thanks aunt Laura for giving me back those things I had forgotten about my personal history. I didn't know [ or recall being told] that aunt Laura had sent for my Grandma Williams in Alma [Ga.] to come help with the delivery. I've learned since that Grandma Williams helped a lot of women have their babies but she slipped up on this one-about 24 hours or so later there was a second baby..my twin brother Jurel who only lived about two weeks.

That's the beginning of my journey. Can we continue? I'd be glad to share this with  more Mobley & Williams cousins . [ btw: Participation is not limited to real cousins-all others related or not are welcome and encouraged to come along as we stroll "Down the Lane."]