One thing about it… we have always had plenty of love to spread around for each other. And have always enjoyed each other’s company!
An Oldie… But A Goodie!
May 25, 2012 at 8:52 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Photos: Just for Fun, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
.39 Cents for a Super Jumbo Banana Split?
February 24, 2009 at 8:17 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Just for Fun, Nathan and Icy, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
In light of today’s stressed economy, I thought it would be nice to have a little flash-back to that great golden era….. the 50’s.
Do you remember what you paid for a coke and a sandwich at Woolworth’s in the 1950’s? (Do you even know what Woolworth’s was?) Try paying ten cents for a ice-cold King Size bottle of Coke and forty cents for a super deluxe sliced ham, stacked high on bread, toast or a roll… your choice! That’s a whoppin’ fifty cents for lunch, folks!
After that sandwich we could have them pour us a piping hot cup of that rich Woolworth coffee and then have them cut us a piece of that delicious “fifteen cent” layer cake… maybe chocolate! (These days, you couldn’t dust a cake pan with flour for “fifteen cents.”) Or, if you don’t want cake, perhaps we’ll just have an “extra rich old fashioned ice cream soda” for “twenty five cents?” I don’t know about you but it’s sure made my mouth water!
Oh, the good ole days!
Doodle Bug!
January 4, 2009 at 5:30 AM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Nathan had a nickname for Doc. He called his brother-in-law “Doodle Bug.”
Doc called Nathan “Jelly!”
When Nathan got off work, he and Icy would often load all the kids up in the car and make a track to the country to see Doc and Vivian.
Because it was usually late when he got off work, they were often arriving in the wee hours of the morning. On this particular trip, Nathan was not familiar with where Doc’s house was. They drove around for a bit and growing frustrated and tired, Nathan finally picked out the house he thought was his brother-in-law’s. He was sure of it… it just had to be Doc’s house!
Icy said, “Nathan, that’s not Doc’s house.”
Nathan protested, “I think it is, Icy!”
Back and forth they argued about it. Finally Icy said, “Well go bang on the door and see…!”
So Nathan pulled in front of the house and beat a path to the door.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!” (…at 2:00 a.m. in the morning!)
“Doodle Bug! Doodle Bug! Get Up! Open Up Doodle Bug,” Nathan hollered as he banged loudly at the door!
A very sleepy, grumpy man finally dragged himself to the door and said, “WHO IN THE WORLD IS DOODLE BUG?”
Nope! It wasn’t Doodle Bug! Yes, as you have probably guessed by now, they had the wrong house!
I wonder if Icy couldn’t resist telling Nathan, “I told you so!” (If she didn’t, I’m sure she thought it!)
Nathan explained to the startled, tired man who “Doodle Bug” was, and the man directed him to Doc’s house.
And if you are wondering where in the world Nathan came up with the nickname “Doodle Bug,” we can only guess. My wild guess is that it most likely came from his workplace. They used to call some of the trains…. yes, “Doodle Bugs!”
And “Jelly?” Oh, that’s easy! “Jelly Roll!”
Or was it from: 
Jelly Roll Morton – 1923/24
Huuuummmm….
LINKS:
Doodlebugs live on in historical train information
Memories at the ATS… Doodle Bugs
Popular Music
“Doodlebug” or “Song of the Doodlebug” – U.S., 1928
Echoing the children’s rhymes of American antlion folklore, the lyrics of this song claim that a doodlebug can be enticed out of its hole by putting one’s mouth near its pit and singing:
Doodle, doodle, doodle. . . hop up bug!
Doodle, doodle, doodle. . . hop up bug!
That doodle jump up and look all around
and doodle back in the ground.
Originally performed by the Georgia Yellowhammers, the “Song of the Doodlebug” appears on several contemporary folk recordings…
The Special Gift: A Labor of Love
January 3, 2009 at 10:46 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Cheryl writes: “During one of our family’s many trips to see everyone, I received an invitation to spend the night with Clynese’s eldest daughter, Sheila and her husband, Louis. I was thrilled. I have always loved Sheila and Louis. They were (and still are) brilliant in my eyes, never too busy to listen to my early teenage silliness or spend time talking with me. They always treated me as though I were an adult and I liked that.
So off we went!
We had a lovely time. Sheila and Louis have always been fascinating, as was their home. It was a warm, fun place to explore and to my delight I discovered that they shared the same love that I had for books. They had an entire wall covered with books. There were books everywhere! I was in heaven! I dreamed of having that many books of my own some day.
We shared a great evening, but nighttime came quickly…
They fixed a place for me on their couch and went off to bed. The only problem…. I wasn’t sleepy yet. So I stayed up, looking through more of their wonderful books. They wouldn’t mind…
I had never seen that many books before, except at the library back home. There seemed to be a book for every subject you could imagine. I must have flipped through them all. As the night ticked away… as I thumbed through book after book, I noticed that they didn’t seem to be arranged in any sort of way.
I had always arranged my books by size. Their books weren’t like that. There were big books next to little books… They were just all messed up. This was no good! It didn’t look “pretty,” I thought. So, I decided to rectify this problem immediately and surprise them the next morning.
I spent most of the night, working diligently into the early morning hours, arranging each books according to it’s size. From big to little, from the top shelf to the bottom shelf, and from left to right I stacked each books carefully. Once done, I stepped back to behold the “magnificent order” I had created! It looked beautiful and “so organized!”
I could hardly wait to show them what I had done for them! I slept hardly a wink in anticipation.
Morning came quickly, and when Sheila and Louis entered the room I proudly pointed to the bookcase to show them what I had done for them. They were so surprised! They thought it looked very nice and I was so pleased that they liked it and appreciated all my hard work.
Years later… they told me, with a smile, that they had their books organized “alphabetically.”
Opps!
Well… you gotta love ’em for how they handled it. They could have really devastated me, but instead, they chose to handle it with love.
And I loved them all the more for it.“
Sweet Memories
December 22, 2008 at 11:04 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Our Not-So-Extended Family, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
I can close my eyes and transcend back in time to ‘those two little white houses on Carnes.’ Such happy, safe places… embedded forever in my memory…
(Front Row) Debbie, Michael, Teresa; (Back Row) Johnny, Verna, Icy
Johnny, Verna and Nathan and Icy lived side-by-side there. Maybe that is why Johnny and Verna’s kids were so close to their Mamaw and Papaw! They saw them every day. They fed and cared for them just as their parents did.
Left to Right: Teresa, Debbie, Cheryl
Being a cousin who lived out of town, I was so envious of that. Not in a bad way. But I would dream of being able to walk out my front door and see my grandparents whenever I wanted. I thought Michael, Debbie and Teresa were so lucky…
Left to Right: Cheryl, Teresa and Debbie
We mostly visited around Christmas or Easter, so those times of year always brings back good memories for me. I remember the long drive in our blue stationwagon. Me and my brothers laid out a blanket in the back and played i-spy or games. We were always so excited to see the cotton fields and share croppers’ homes, because that meant we were getting close. And shortly after we would see the bridges stretched across the Mississippii River and be reminded that our grandfather helped build one of them.
I usually stayed at my Uncle Johnny’s house. And Debbie and I were absolutely inseparably from the time we arrived, until the moment we left. We are only one month apart in age and had so much fun together!
Left to Right: Debbie, Icy, Cheryl
Left to Right: Cheryl, Nathan and Debbie
At some point during our visit, all the aunts and uncles would come over. They were aunts and uncles who lovingly kept in touch with us throughout the year, always remembering birthdays or coming to visit with us at our home in the country. All the cousins seemed more like siblings back then.
My very sweet great aunts and uncles would come too. Uncle Abe and Aunt Gladys, along with my Uncle Doc and Aunt Vivian. We were blessed to have relationships with them, as well. And sometimes there were folks there I didn’t even know, the family and friends were so many! ‘The more the better,’ as far as our Mamaw and Papaw were concerned.
Left to Right: Joe, Geneva (back) Clynese (front), Jimmy, Sara, Michael
If the weather was good, the day was filled with everyone playing horse shoes or washers (played the same way as horse shoes but with great big washers) in the back yard. Nathan was pretty darn good… weren’t too many that could beat him. He laughed a lot. It was something he loved almost as much as fishing. (He would stand ‘knee- deep’ in a pond and fish with a metal fishing pole during a lightening storm! I know that because I saw him do it.)
If the weather was bad, everyone just crowded in the house. There were people everywhere. Everyone was ‘just happy to be together’ and there was lots of catching up to do. It was fun just to be in the midst of it all. Usually there was a card table or two set up or they were gathered around the kitchen table, playing cards and dominoes.
Left to Right: Winnie, Dave, Johnny, Joe, Jimmy (Child, Larry)
Oh how they loved to play cards! They say that Gladys, Nathan’s sister also had a love for playing cards and that as she played, she would just ‘chew that gum as she kicked that leg! ‘ She was pretty, from photos I’ve seen. I can just see her doing that, and I hear them saying, “…go to the bone yard!” Nathan and Abe, laughing together, smoking on their pipes or fat cigars… I have one of those pipes and ‘I treasure it.’
We little girls learned early that if we jumped up on their laps as they sat around the table, ‘pretending to be sweet’ and they would usually give us a quarter! That quarter bought a lot back then! We would run down the block to the little store on the corner and buy candy.
Left to Right: Nathan, Icy
The women, I remember, sometimes sat around talking while they snapped beans, preparing the meal. As a young girl, I can remember being recruited to look through the beans and pick out the little rocks. I didn’t like beans much but I loved the process of getting them ready to cook.
The women were usually in the kitchen, cooking up the big dinner. Mamaw always put on an apron as she cooked. The food was always good. Makes my mouth water to think of it.
The men were served first (…I think the men came up with that rule) at the big table, the children were next, and then the women finally ate. And, of course, the women had the chore of clean-up. (These were two traditions that really needed upgrading!)
Mamaw Icy would ask Papaw where something was and he would say, “Right cher!”
Icy always had a lot of puzzles and things for kids to play with. And she loved to work them with us. Nathan loved puzzles too! And oh, how Nathan loved babies. But when they got bigger, he didn’t know what to do with them.
After dinner someone would put some music on. Usually Jimmy, because he has always loved and collected music! Sara and the sisters would start jitterbuggin, pulling whoever they could grab out on the floor and the kids would watch in amazement. They could really “cut a rug!”
I usually stayed at Uncle Johnny’s with Debbie. Michael had the little room in the back that I thought was just the greatest! I loved going back there and hanging around him. I thought Michael was ‘it!’
I remember a closet we kids would crawl through, from one room to another when we played hide-and-seek. We were forbidden from going into Uncle Jimmy’s room…. it looked so inviting! His room was always so NEAT! Everything in it’s place. The forbidden was so intriguing! But sometimes we were ‘invited in’ and that was a special privilege. We’d sit on the floor, look at his pictures, talk and listen to the oldies!
Best of all, I remember sitting on the front porch or sprawling out in the floor (in everyones’ way), coloring with Debbie with the gigantic box of colors I got for Christmas (that had a built in sharpener and every color in the rainbow).
The two houses were always so safe and warm because love dwelled there. Christmas time was extra special… the tree decorated with shiny, silver ice sickles and big, glittery Christmas balls dangling… the glittering tree towering over the many presents stacked high beneath! And the smell of sugar cookies and laughter was in the air… Oh how I wish I could be there, playing, laughing, talking… just one more time, surrounded by everyone, including all those who have since crossed over. I think we would all appreciate it more…
I hold these memories deep in my heart. No one can ever steal them. It is a place I can go to renew myself at any time. It reminds me how richly blessed I am to have a family bound together by love. I know our family is not perfect and we have had our bumps in the road. But as the Garth Brooks song says… “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance…” So, I put any pain away, and say thank you for the dance!
To each of you, I say thank you. The best gifts you gave me could never fit under a tree… but they are forever tucked in my heart.
Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans…
Take time to enjoy the journey this year!
Icy and Nathan’s Love Story
December 21, 2008 at 10:53 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Genealogy Related, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
When Nathan first saw Icy, he knew he wanted to marry her. Love at first sight. She was singing in church. He said she looked like an angel, standing up there singing in the choir!
Left to right: Gladys Hollaway (Nathan’s younger sister who died at a young age) with her husband Allen behind her (their children: Melvin, Bobby and Junior) When Gladys died, Allen was a very gentle and sweet man. He married again and lived in Buntyn, making a living by working on and selling sewing machines; center front is the beautiful, sweet Gladys, wife of Abe Wright with Abe standing behind her. What a beautiful couple they were, both so handsome and stylish; right front is Icy with Ken standing behind her. No finer people were there than these two amazing people.
He was friends with her brother. He discovered that she was ‘ornery’ and he like that about her! He also thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
Grandma Hall didn’t like him at first. Actually, she despised him. She forbid him from taking her daughter out. She thought Icy was way too young to be dating. He worked hard and finally won her over.
Their courtship was sometimes rocky. They quarreled a bit when they were dating. But nothing serious.
Nathan asked Icy to marry him while driving in his car. Her first answer to his proposal was ‘NO!’
But… he obviously got her to say ‘YES’ at some point!
Nathan and Icy were married for 55 years until Nathan’s death in 1976. They had a wonderful, blessed life together. Icy passed away on December 4th, 1997, the day before their wedding anniversary. I guess she was just ready to celebrate their anniversary together once again! But gosh, how we miss them!
Nathan
December 19, 2008 at 6:33 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Nathan was short in stature, but was a giant of a man and the most wonderful dad anyone could have. He was very polite , always tipping the hat he always had on. He would say “How-dee doo,” as the southern gents always did. He would say “roast-neers” for corn-on-the-cob (short in the south for roasting ears). He would say “might-neer” for almost.
Granddaughter, Cheryl and Nathan (1959)
Although he only went to the 8th or 9th grade because he was needed on the farm, he was an extremely smart man. He could do plumbing work that was passed by the city inspectors, working under master plumbers’ licenses. He could do electrical work on new homes and did it to perfection. He could do carpenter work, building rooms onto his house. He could fix his vehicles, regardless of the problem.
His job was a railroad watchman. With his limited education, it was all he could find. He also cut hair for 25 cents all around the neighborhood and it was great to have the extra cash, as there were 6 kids to feed, cloth and get through school.
Bums, as the homeless men were called in those days, were usually nice people who were just down on their luck. They would knock on our door and were never turned away. Icy would insist they sit on the steps outside because she had so many children to take care of. She would give them cornbread, beans and milk and they seemed to really appreciate her friendly manner towards them. They usually said “God bless you” as they left, fed well and rested.
Nathan rode a bike to work, with a place to fasten his lunch box on the back. He loved to eat egg sandwiches. Folks didn’t know that was not good to eat so much of, but the bike probably helped him to live as long as he did. Perhaps he could have lived into his 80’s if he hadn’t eaten some of the things he did.
They had two cows named “Tiny and Daisy.” Nathan loved those cows and would sing to them, while milking. One day Daisy caught her horns on the telephone pole and Nathan had to cut her horns to free her, while all the children watched and cried.
Icy and Nathan’s ‘Half-a-Dozen’ Kids
December 19, 2008 at 6:02 AM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Nathan and Icy had ‘half-a-dozen kids and loved every one of them.
Left to Right: Debbie (child), Clynese, Johnny, Sara, Icy, Geneva, Jimmy and Teen
The oldest was a beautiful red head, who caused guys to drive up on a sidewalk looking at her (still has it, too!). Her name is Clynese. The next was Johnny. He was like their daddy and could do ‘anything.’ (Still can!) He and the next-in-line daughter, Sara, went to a lot of movies together. Johnny always had Sara pedal the bike! He could get her to do anything. (Still can!) Sara is equally as talented.
The next was a daughter who was ‘the life of the party’ wherever she went. Nothing has changed. And actually, ‘she IS’ the party! Everyone loves to be around Geneva. Sara and Geneva worked together at a store called Robinson’s in downtown Memphis.
And then there were the youngest two. They must have watched the older ones and learned how to avoid trouble; because both were very good kids. They were always together (and still are). Teen (the baby), having lost her wonderful husband, Dick, of 35 years, lives with Jimmy, who never married. And big brother Jimmy takes care of his baby sister ‘as he always has.’
What a family. There was never sibling rivalry which is the result of having great parents and letting love ‘rule.’ Everyone should be ‘so blessed.’
Nathan… How much do you know about him?
December 18, 2008 at 11:34 PM (Clynese and Winnie, Genealogy Related, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Nathan was born in Woodville, Alabama. His mother was about 23 years old when she had him. He looked like his father.
He recalled that his best birthday was when he was 23, just after getting married.
He said the tooth fairy never visited him when he was a kid. Nor did he ever get an allowance.
It was his father who did the spanking when he needed it. He said the naughtiest he ever was, was when he put his dirty feet on the churn to keep the lid down. And yes, he got a spanking.
A man by the name of Mr. Thomas was very influential in his life, giving him a lot of advise. And his advise to others was to always be honest and work hard.
He never had to go to the hospital for broken bones or stitches. And he was never afraid of doctors.
He got around mostly traveling by horse, wagon and finally a car (right before he got married). He never ran away from home but when he got frustrated at home, he would go visit his married sisters.
His favorite color was ‘blue.’ His favorite book was the ‘Holy Bible and mysteries.’ His favorite move was ‘Gone With the Wind’ and his favorite song was ‘John Henry.’ His favorite sport was ‘wrestling.’ His favorite hobby (…more of a passion, I would say) was ‘fishing.’ His favorite season was ‘spring.’ His favorite holiday was ‘Christmas.’ His pie of choice was ‘chocolate’ (must run in the family…) His favorite candy was ‘peppermint’ and his favorite cookie was ‘sugar cookies.’ His favorite ice cream was ‘vanilla.’
His father had a bad temper and threw his plow in the river one day.
He rubbed a bee hive once with his brothers. Notice he said it was only once….
He remembered that his dad got on to his brother one tiime for knocking his plate into the floor and his little brother looked up to his dad and asked him who was going to switch him!
Nathan said all the Wrights were happy, friendly people.
When he was growing up, they lived in a plain country house that had ‘no paint!’ They had a small yard. The light in the house was oil lamps and they heated it with a wood stove. They washed their clothese in a kettle over the fire. It had 4 large rooms.
He said his mother and sister made one Christmas extra-special! They bought him a lot of fishing equipment.
Nathan said the main thing he remembered about his mother was that she was always a thoughtful person.
Her cooking? He fondly remembered her mixed vegetables. He said she was a good cook.
When it snowed, they would make a snowman and of course, he had the duty of chopping wood.
He said the worst job he ever had was laying down railroad ties. At one time, he also worked as a cook and had to mop floors for a living.
A funny story he recalled from the first year he was married was when he was going real fast in the car and ran off the road. Icy said, “I guess you will stop NOW!”
They lived and had children in Burnsville, MS, Corinth, MS, Glenn, MS, Winnasoga, MS, and Memphis, TN.
He never made or handed out Valentines Day cards but said he did give candy and flowers to a girl. (He didn’t name the girl!)
The Easter Bunny never came to see him but they would have a picnic on July 4th. No firecrackers, though.
Nathan went to grade school at Mt. Olive, Alabama and went to high school in Glenn, MS. He made good grades and his favorite subjects were History, Geography and Math. He walked to school and he said the thing he thought about most was girls!
His family never went on vacations, so he didn’t travel when he was young. When he was grown, he went to Washington State with his daughter, Teen and her husband, Dick. They also traveled to Cleveland and Canada. Nathan would go to the State Fair too.
When he started dating Icy, Nathan said his parents liked her right way!
Oh, one more thing. They called him Nate sometimes… and sometimes they called him ‘Jelly Roll.’
Daddy’s Red Wheels
December 18, 2008 at 8:03 AM (Clynese and Winnie, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Sara remembers: “When I was in about the 10th grade, daddy bought a nice car, it was bigger than any car we ever had before. It was a Buick, I think. It was black and looked nice, so I thought “now we finally have a ride to school.” After all, we had to walk about 2 miles to Messick.
BUT ..low and behold, he painted the wheel spokes RED. I was so upset that I told daddy I could not ride in that car because all my friends would laugh. All the rest of the kids seemed OK with it. But not me! I took off walking, and as daddy passed me he would smile, honk and wave. That was daddy! He just enjoyed his car… and I walked!
Another thing happened with the car and daddy: Geneva had been riding with daddy and noticed a run in her hose,not panty hose, the old hose. (What’s up with nylons and Geneva? Ha! See previous post: The Wedding Nylons) So she pulled them down and threw them out the window. Dad looked out and saw one was wrapped around the wheel, and they laughed all the way home. I would have been absolutely devastated, totally embarraced and definately NOT laughing!”
Guess Nathan wasn’t the only person that liked red wheels…
Icy: How much do you know about her?
December 18, 2008 at 12:06 AM (Clynese and Winnie, Genealogy Related, Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Jimmy, Johnny and Verna, Nathan and Icy, Our Beautiful Branches, Sara & Dave, Teen and Dick)
Icy’s family
Icy was born on a Sunday in Ittawamba, MS. She weighed about 5 lbs., had blue eyes, golden blond hair and a ‘hot’ temperament.
She had 7 brothers and 3 sisters. She said Harve was the nicest of the brothers. Doc was the youngest and was a bit spoiled. They had to share everything.
Left to Right: Doc, Sara, ___?, Icy, Cheryl (back), ___? (Email me please on this!)
One of the fads she remembers from growing up was that they would look in the water on the first day of May to see who we were going to marry. They told fortunes with a key in the Bible. The key was supposed to turn to give them their answers.
She wanted to be a school teacher when she grew up. They had an organ, and she said she always wanted to play it but never learned how.
Her favorite games were hide and seek and ball. Her favorite toy was a china doll. She didn’t like sports much, so she never sledded, went skiing or skating.
Her parents didn’t play with them much. Her father died when she was 6 and her mother had no time to spare, due to taking care of the children and all. She did teach Icy to cook though, when she was very young. She learned first to cook corn bread and sugar cookies. And she said she never had a cooking disaster! Her favorite food was her grandma’s chocolate pies and also fried fish.
Her chores were pickin’ cotton, hoeing, drying apples and fruit, weaving cloth, and making homemade soap.
Candy was a penny a piece, so you could get 25 for a quarter. When she earned a little money, she remembers buying a kelly green sweater, but it was hard to get ahold of any money in those days.
She had a pet sheep named Lee. It was special to her because it minded her so well.
Her best friend was Earle Allred. They always played well together. The big bully was Stuart Benick. He was mean to her.
She never had a room to herself growing up. There were 13 people in their house. They warmed the house with a fireplace in the Winter and they air conditioned the house by opening a window!
Santa would come to visit at Christmas and leave candy and fruit in their stockings.
Icy was 19 years old when she learned to drive. Nathan taught her. She never had her own car.
On weekends, her and her friend would go to ice cream suppers, candy breakings and singings. She never had a pajama party! She never teased her teachers or played jokes on them. And she never played hooky!
She was on the school ball team. Baseball. She said they called it country and town. In town when you batted and country when you were out in the field.
She said they had lots of homework. She went to school from 8 to 4.
She said her wedding day was horrible! They got their license at the wrong place. They were married on the railroad tracks and she remembers they got stuck in the mud! Her mother didn’t even get to see them because they had a lot of people waiting to see them.
For their honeymoon, they went to an Aunt’s house. An Aunt she had never met! And her Aunt had a lot of children.
Later, when Icy had her own kids:
She said Sara was a cute baby, but very stubborn (imagine that…)! She said one time she took her shoes off and wouldn’t pick them up, so Icy had to take her hands and make her pick them up!
Singing to the Baney Roosters
December 17, 2008 at 12:43 AM (Growing Up Years, Jimmy)
Jimmy was such a good little boy. Never got into any kind of trouble. He was a quiet boy and sometimes would just disappear…
The Wrights had ‘baney roosters’ for a time. And little Jimmy was crazy about those roosters.
Whenever they couldn’t find him, all they had to do was look outside and there Jimmy would be…
.
.
.
.
….singing to the roosters!
.
Jimmy wasn’t any bigger than a minute! Perhaps he related to the roosters because they were “small but mighty” too!
What is a baney rooster?
Banty is the common name for a Bantam. Bantams are simply small chickens, but they can be of a number of varieties. They are bred to be small, whatever the variety. The Banty roosters can be quite colorful, depending on type, and sometimes very aggressive, as though they are trying to make up in fierceness what they lack in size. Here are a few examples of Banty roosters:
Want to read about roosters? Go here:
http://www.mybackyardchickenfarm.com/roosters.html
Geneva Books Two Dates
December 16, 2008 at 9:22 PM (Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years, Sara & Dave)
Geneva accidentally booked two dates one night. She scheduled a date with Joe (the guy she eventually married) and another guy. Oh boy. Hardly a bad problem to have several men to chose from… but two dates scheduled at one time! She was in a panic!
The first guy arrives to pick up Geneva. And, then here comes Joe, into the house. She had scheduled them at exactly the same time! Not a good situation!
Sister Sara was quickly “to the rescue!” Sara said to Joe, “Come on! You and I are going to the movies.”
Joe, being a gentleman and not wanting to make matters worse for Geneva, shook hands with the other guy and took on the role of “cousin.”
Geneva headed off with her date as Joe and Sara headed off to the movies. Well, that was easy!
It seemed that it was all going to work out… at least until Sara and Joe bumped into Kermit… a high school boy Sara had been dating. More quick thinking was necessary!
She calmly turned to Kermit, introduced her “cousin Joe” and all was fine once again!
That Joe…. what a guy! What a sport!
And I imagine… shortly after that night, Geneva rushed out to buy a date book!
Geneva Runs Away
December 12, 2008 at 12:11 AM (Geneva and Joe, Growing Up Years)
When Geneva was a little girl, she told her moma, Icy, that she was going to run away from home! She had “had enough!”
Icy told her to be sure to write her a letter when she got to where she was going! 
She told Geneva she would miss her.
Geneva packed her bag and left. She walked down the street… and after a bit of time had passed, she began getting cold and hungry!
It wasn’t long before she was sheepishly coming back through the front door, ready to warm up and get fed.
Icy looked up and said, “Oh…. your back!”
That was Icy! She knew just how to handle kids!
Peanut Butter Sandwiches and Paul
December 11, 2008 at 10:48 PM (Growing Up Years, Nathan and Icy)
A boy by the name of Paul and his mother lived with Nathan and Icy for a time.
Paul loved to fix himself peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
His moma feared that he was using way too much and would say to him, “Paul you’re using all the jelly!”
Paul would answer, “Maw, you mess with me, I’ll heap it up.”
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