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MEMORY LANE PAVED WELL!

Good Morning Foodies!

I don’t know why, but this time of the year brings very strange but happy memories for me as I was growing up in the country. I think of the small things that occupied my time, and it was nothing that was bought from a store—it was all right outside in the yard.

I grew up on what you would call a RIVER ROAD. The front of my house faced the country highway across from the BIG LEVEE that hopefully held back the GREAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

We were probably the only people that were happy when our neighbors to the north were inundated with snow and ice in the winter, because when it all melted, all the water flowed down the Mighty Mississippi in front of my house! The spring thaw brought along much debris, which was basically logs and tree limbs. We would venture out and walk on the logs and wave as the ships passed, hoping that we would “catch” a big wave! OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS OUR PARENTS WORSE NIGHTMARE! As a parent today, I see the wisdom in their concern.

Another fond memory of living next to the levee was when someone in the neighborhood bought a new appliance like a refrigerator, freezer, washer or dryer, which always came in a huge cardboard box. Yep, that was our slide down the levee! The other NIGHTMARE FOR PARENTS—HOPEFULLY THE SLED WOULD NOT COME TO REST IN THE ROAD! Somehow, we all survived and had the best fun.

Other fond memories, I remember, include picking buttercup flowers in the ditch and being the first to smash it into someone’s nose and smear the pollen all over them. Funny how we did not need ZYRTEC back in the day!

Today, I look around and see all those THISTLE BUSHES growing. As kids, we were required to go and cut the thistle. The cooks used the stem of the bush like we use celery today. Must say, it was a tricky, sticky business.

How about picking blackberries. Loved that chore. It makes me so mad when I see all that poison sprayed in the ditches killing the weeds along with the berries. I think they should cut the grass, not poison it!
My grandmother had 3 huge MULBERRY TREES in her back yard. I could actually walk with my head tilted back and the berries would pop in my mouth. Of course, everyone was always barefooted and the bottom of your feet looked like you worked in a grape-stomping factory. You only had two pair of shoes for the summer: A PAIR OF WHITE KEDS AND WHITE SANDALS! If you were lucky, you got some nice WHITE PATENT LEATHER SHOES FOR EASTER!

This past weekend being with my GRAND PEEPS, SOPHIA and GABRIELLE, brought back a very specific memory. Making marvelous necklaces, crowns, bracelets, etc. with those clover flowers. The GRAND PEEPS knew it was my birthday and made numerous Clover Jewelry for me to wear, which I did proudly.
That was one of the most enchanting moments I can remember when the sun would begin setting, there was always a nice cool breeze—I would lay on my back in the fresh clover. I would take the flowers and make a braid. The braid was my crown that fit just my head. I’d lay back with my crown with a jar to catch the lightning bugs—yes, I was QUEEN FOR A DAY!

DIDN’T NEED ONE ELECTRONIC GADGET! WHAT A LIFE!

Have a great and productive weekend!

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