Sunday, June 8, 2008

FUN MONDAY - Those were the days

This week’s FUN MONDAY HOST is the effervescent Molly - from Retunofthewhiterobin.

The ASSIGNMENT - to describe a happy memory from your childhood. If possible, include pictures with your reminiscing. Perhaps, for some us remembering the past may bring back some unhappy times too. But, for today, let us remember the good times.



All in all me young childhood was pretty happy - while I come from a large family I was the last of the litter and many years after the rest in someway like being an only child with absentee parents. We all know that while there are hundreds of pictures of the first child, and some of the second child, the third child only with the other two. By the time I show up we are down to group photos at school, camp or those taken by the neighbors took of their ones or twos. But the assignment was happy memories. Almost every memory I have for my Grandfather is happy. Having sweet hot tea with a cracker in a saucer at the kitchen table, walking around the woods, building stuff, play in the garden. I spent so much time with that old man, I was know as “Jake’s Shadow”

Below is a photo of my Grandfather, with my Dad back when Daddy first went off to the Army, This photo was taken just a little before WWII almost twenty years before I was even a gleam in his eye. But it is Gandpa that I want you to notice.

Did you notice the flowers in his right hand? In my memories Grandpa was tall (he was 6’ tall so I guess my memories were right) and thin and always wore a white shirt - suite and tie on Sunday, for church. In my eyes he was wonderful, and he made me feel as if I was extraordinary. We had a special relationship that only kids and Grandparents can.
In his younger days his was a grounds keeper for a local high school and when we retired he came and lived with us. We were always either out in the woods or out playing in dirt. He was the unofficial grounds keeper of the neighborhood. We would weed gardens, trim bushes, prune trees and we sometime would add flower, shrub, or tree to a neighbor's yard and on occasion transplant plants from one neighbors yard to another. I recall a day when we took clipping from a particular (snotty) neighbor’s bush and propagated it to another neighbor yard. Well the said neighbor got all upset and inform Grandpa in not so kind words that he did not appreciate him giving the other neighbors his special exotic plants. Well Grandpa just smile and said he understood what he was saying and he herd what he said. As soon as he left we took three more clippings. I looked at him and he told me sometime you have to do what you think is right. The bush was going to die where he planted it, and it wasn’t some exotic plant, it is was native to the area and at one time there were lots of them around. Man is his hurry to build bigger houses killed most of them off in there rush. We needed to restore the balance. He didn’t lie he never said he wasn't going to take any more clipping he only said he heard and understood what he was saying. He wasn’t deaf and he has a pretty good grasp on the English languish. Yep Grandpa was a character.

Thanks for Stopping By for my humble offering.
You can see other FM post form over at Retunofthewhiterobin.

24 comments:

Faye said...

I assume you don't know who the flower was for, if anyone? Perhaps just another clipping from a plant that needed a new home? Lucky you to have a grandfather who understood how to "grow a grand daughter as well.

I once knew a grandfather who shared coffee milk with his grandchildren. That's a splash of his coffee in their milk--just enough to make them feel grownup.

Anonymous said...

Your grandfather must be an angel sent from the heavens!

So this is where your good manners and *patience* come from. I bet you were a pleasure to guide.

Just out there playing with the dirt, eh!

karisma said...

Your Grandfather sounds like quite an amazing human being!

Hootin Anni said...

Oh my oh my....this is an absolute fabulous tribute and memory of your grandfather! [I like how you also added 20 years before you were even a gleam in your daddy's eye]

He was truly amazing and I can see you loved and respected him as well.



My Fun Monday is shared too, I hope you can stop by and read it, if you haven't already --since I'm just now going through the Mr. Linky's at Mollys before I get to my own comments to read who has visited!! Take care, have a great day. [PS --you have to scroll below my 'walk in the park' photos to reach my F M entry!!]

SwampAngel65 said...

Your Grandpa sounds like my kind of guy. Now I know where you get it from... ;)

Gattina said...

Reading all these memories, I notice that the most happiest once are always with a grandparent, lol ! My grandparents were also very special to me.

ChrisB said...

Your grandfather was a very wise man.
There has been a lot in our media about the role of grandparents and these posts today are showing just how important they are in the family.

Jan said...

I love your tribute to your Grandfather. You are very lucky. When I was born, one grandfather had passed and the other was pretty old, so I loved reading your memories.

Sandy said...

Great memories! Thank you.

ellen b. said...

What a great memory and a fabulous photo!!

Molly said...

Thank you, that is a wonderful story with a wonderful message,"sometime you have to do what you think is right." You must have learned his lesson to remember the story so well.

Pamela said...

I was #8. Same with the pictures. None with my mama, that I know of.

I love your grandpa... I adore him.

Grand Life said...

Great memories-- I had a grandfather much like yours. I never remember seeing him without a tie. Even working in the orchard he had a long sleeved shirt and a casual tie on. And there was never a speck of dirt on his 52 Pontiac.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Your Grandpa sounds wonderful and very wise. Some people are so snotty aren't they? I love that he was able to deal with the situation so calmly and then spread the plant anyway without going against what he'd said.

daddy d said...

I would like to think that grandpas alway do the right thing. Yours did.

the planet of janet said...

awesome story. your grandfather sounds like a pretty special guy!

Alison said...

I would have loved to meet and know your grandpa..I never had grandparents and I know I missed out on an important relationship as a child!!

Beckie said...

What a wonderful post and a tribute to your grandpa. My grandparents were all gone by the time I was born - you were a lucky one.

Peter said...

Grandfathers Rule!!!!

Hula Girl at Heart said...

Oh, great story! Funny, the lessons we remember as children. Thanks for sharing this sweet story.

Nikki said...

Grandpa sounds like a wonderful man. Thank you for sharing him.

nikki

Anonymous said...

grandparents rock, thanks for sharing

Cazzie!!! said...

I absolutely love this story because your grapa did what my grandma did. She also used to take clippings from gardens and care for everyone's front of garden. No one really minded because they could see her front yard flourished...withy their clippings!!!
Thanks for reminding me and sharing your great story!

Melanie said...

Your grandfather sounds like a wonderful man.

Who was the flower for?
Our Happy Happenings