This was his favorite story for me to tell his kids. Unfortunately it is true.
I was at the local Pizza Hut with my friends when I was around 18 years old. In struts my brother (he was 16 or 17). He stands at the front of the restaurant in that Arthur Fonzerelli kind of way that anybody that grew up in the 70's knows all about. He looked around the restaurant, surveying the crowd in his usual cocky way. When all of the sudden he snaps his fingers (just like Fonzi) and immediately there were between 4 and 6 teenage girls surrounding him.
My eyes almost popped out of my head. It took every bit of self control that I had not to puke my guts up right there in the middle of the Pizza Hut - partly at the fact that girls would actually respond that way and partly because IT WAS MY BROTHER THAT THEY WERE RESPONDING TO!
IF I HAD NOT SEEN IT FOR MYSELF, I WOULD NEVER BELIEVED IT! The fact that I actually witnessed such a thing has always been a source of endless pride for my brother. Especially since he has always had a weight problem as far as his kids can remember and they are well aware that I would NEVER lie for him to make him look that good.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Remembering Granny Farley
After my granny died, I wanted to remember her in my own way. I put on a nice dress and stopped by my mom's house on the way to granny's house. Out of the blue my mom offerred to let me have the key to granny's house so that I could go in. This was something that I did not expect to happen because my mom doesn't usually do things like that.
I let myself into granny's house and went from room to room reliving childhood memories. The rooms were all empty because my mom had either sold or thrown away everything in the house. I went upstairs to my aunt's old room which had been granny's favorite. I stayed in there quite awhile just looking out the window at the view and remembering.
I started to walk out of the room and I thought to myself "no I can't leave yet." I turned around and went back in and just stood looking around some more. Then I walked over to the window and went I looked down there was a cross. I had just stood there for about 20 minutes and I hadn't noticed it. Yet there it was. The only thing of value in a house that had been stripped bare of everything.
My granny was a typical Aunt Bea kind of granny. She was very religious. She liked to act like Granny Clampett for fun - that's why we called her granny. She was always full of love. Everytime we went to her house there was a special cake or pie and my Aunt Mary Ann would have our favorite Lipton Lemon Ice Tea. I have no doubt that she left that cross there for me.
I let myself into granny's house and went from room to room reliving childhood memories. The rooms were all empty because my mom had either sold or thrown away everything in the house. I went upstairs to my aunt's old room which had been granny's favorite. I stayed in there quite awhile just looking out the window at the view and remembering.
I started to walk out of the room and I thought to myself "no I can't leave yet." I turned around and went back in and just stood looking around some more. Then I walked over to the window and went I looked down there was a cross. I had just stood there for about 20 minutes and I hadn't noticed it. Yet there it was. The only thing of value in a house that had been stripped bare of everything.
My granny was a typical Aunt Bea kind of granny. She was very religious. She liked to act like Granny Clampett for fun - that's why we called her granny. She was always full of love. Everytime we went to her house there was a special cake or pie and my Aunt Mary Ann would have our favorite Lipton Lemon Ice Tea. I have no doubt that she left that cross there for me.
My Most Humiliating Childhood Moment
We were going camping and stopped by my grandparents house on the way. It was always great to stop because I was pepaw's "pick of the litter" and of course my granny was "Aunt Bea" personified. I was about 5 years old. We got out of the car and I raced to greet my grandparents as they were coming from out back to greet us. I was instantly distracted from a huge "pile of sand" at the back of the yard!
Before anyone could say anything I raced toward the huge pile screaming "Saannd, Saannd!!!" I can remember people calling in the back ground "Pam, Stop!" "NO PAM NO!!" There was no stopping me. I raced to the pile and I took a flying leap and landed on all fours. As I sailed through the air and even before I impacted the massive pile I knew it was NOT sand. IT WAS TOO LATE! I landed a few feet into a huge truckload of cow manure that they had just had delivered for the garden! I was knee deep and elbow deep in COW SHIT! Fortunately my face was not in it but I was definitely face to face with the stuff as I immediately began to yowl as only a 5 year old can when faced with such an impossible situation. Even my pony tails were covered in the stuff!
I remember my pepaw pulling me out by my waist and my granny hosing me off because my mom refused to touch me. My dad and brother and sister thought it was the funniest thing ever and it took forever for me to live it down. We couldn't leave to go camping until my granny had given me a bath and my clothes were washed.
THE MORAL IS "LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!!!
Before anyone could say anything I raced toward the huge pile screaming "Saannd, Saannd!!!" I can remember people calling in the back ground "Pam, Stop!" "NO PAM NO!!" There was no stopping me. I raced to the pile and I took a flying leap and landed on all fours. As I sailed through the air and even before I impacted the massive pile I knew it was NOT sand. IT WAS TOO LATE! I landed a few feet into a huge truckload of cow manure that they had just had delivered for the garden! I was knee deep and elbow deep in COW SHIT! Fortunately my face was not in it but I was definitely face to face with the stuff as I immediately began to yowl as only a 5 year old can when faced with such an impossible situation. Even my pony tails were covered in the stuff!
I remember my pepaw pulling me out by my waist and my granny hosing me off because my mom refused to touch me. My dad and brother and sister thought it was the funniest thing ever and it took forever for me to live it down. We couldn't leave to go camping until my granny had given me a bath and my clothes were washed.
THE MORAL IS "LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!!!
Princess Aracoma
This is the story of how my hometown, Logan, West Virginia was settled:
As I remember the Aracoma story when I was a kid, the white settlers befriended Chief Logan and Boling Baker married his daughter, Aracoma. Then the settlers massacred the indians and built the town of Logan. What I have printed in this blog is what the Princess Aracoma website that I found says. The truth has been whitewashed (so to speak). It is sad that people feel the need to rewrite history rather than acknowledge it - then again, maybe I just remember the story wrong.
Logan County, West Virginia, lays claim to one of America's most romatic legends, the story of Princess Aracoma. The story grew in Logan County around the authentic details of an incident in the history of the region more than 200 years ago.The story asserts that Princess Aracoma and Boling Baker moved into this valley sometime close to the year 1760 and lived in peace on the island (today's City of Logan) until 1780.
In 1915, while the Abdoney Building was being constructed on the 100 Block of Stratton Street, workmen uncovered a grave that was eight feet deep which was considerably deeper than other Shawnee Indian graves in the county. In the grave was a skeleton of a young woman wearing a necklace of buckhorn beads. The string had rotted away, but the necklace was still arranged around her neck. The gravesite was located at the bend of the Guyandotte River, almost exactly where the old and half-forgotten folklore claims was the final resting place of Princess Aracoma.
"The Aracoma Story" blends tales of the Shawnee Indians with the story of young love. Boling Baker, a scout from General Braddock's Army, is captured by the Shawnee who are led by Chief Cornstalk. He is rescued from death by Cornstalk's daughter, Aracoma, and adopted into the tribe that moved to the island in the Guyandotte Valley. The drama tells how Baker and Aracoma's people were weakened by disease and how a raid, lead by Baker to steal horses, ended in the destruction of this adoptive tribe.
This is the story of how my hometown, Logan, West Virginia was settled:
As I remember the Aracoma story when I was a kid, the white settlers befriended Chief Logan and Boling Baker married his daughter, Aracoma. Then the settlers massacred the indians and built the town of Logan. What I have printed in this blog is what the Princess Aracoma website that I found says. The truth has been whitewashed (so to speak). It is sad that people feel the need to rewrite history rather than acknowledge it - then again, maybe I just remember the story wrong.
Logan County, West Virginia, lays claim to one of America's most romatic legends, the story of Princess Aracoma. The story grew in Logan County around the authentic details of an incident in the history of the region more than 200 years ago.The story asserts that Princess Aracoma and Boling Baker moved into this valley sometime close to the year 1760 and lived in peace on the island (today's City of Logan) until 1780.
In 1915, while the Abdoney Building was being constructed on the 100 Block of Stratton Street, workmen uncovered a grave that was eight feet deep which was considerably deeper than other Shawnee Indian graves in the county. In the grave was a skeleton of a young woman wearing a necklace of buckhorn beads. The string had rotted away, but the necklace was still arranged around her neck. The gravesite was located at the bend of the Guyandotte River, almost exactly where the old and half-forgotten folklore claims was the final resting place of Princess Aracoma.
"The Aracoma Story" blends tales of the Shawnee Indians with the story of young love. Boling Baker, a scout from General Braddock's Army, is captured by the Shawnee who are led by Chief Cornstalk. He is rescued from death by Cornstalk's daughter, Aracoma, and adopted into the tribe that moved to the island in the Guyandotte Valley. The drama tells how Baker and Aracoma's people were weakened by disease and how a raid, lead by Baker to steal horses, ended in the destruction of this adoptive tribe.
My Uncle Bud
I stopped by to see my Uncle Bud yesterday. I only get to see him about once a year or so. As soon as I pulled in he greeted me with a big smile and told me he had a present for me (this is what he always does) He went into the house and came back out with a couple of key chains for me. One was a miniature sudoku game (I am a sudoku addict by the way) and the other one was a little miniature guitar hero game. Uncle Bud loves miniature stuff and I think that is where I probably get my love of the same stuff.
His real name is Lloyd, but the family calls him Bud. He is the 2nd oldest of four. Edna Ruth is the oldest, then Bud, then my mom and last but not least is Mary Ann. Bud was considered to be a genius growning up. He was the spelling bee champion of West Virginia. After he graduated he came down with tuberculous (a common ailment in the fifties) and he had to go to a sanitarium for awhile. He was never the same after that.
NOTE: A SANITARIUM WAS A PLACE THAT THEY SENT SICK PEOPLE TO GET WELL IN THE FIFTIES - IT WAS NOT AN INSANE ASYLUM WHICH IS WHAT I THOUGHT UNTIL I WAS CORRECTED IN HIGH SCHOOL
He spent years hiding in his room, playing his guitar and doing a little gardening. He also only ate fudge and fried potatoes for years too. Even though he was having these problems he was always a good uncle. We would visit him in his room or play while he worked in the garden. (he has an amazing green thumb) I remember he had 2 dogs once named boy and girl. When we would leave the house he always stood on the porch and waved to us until we were out of sight.
One time my parents went on vacation and left us at my granny's house. Every night all night long for a week we had to listen to Bud play the rift of "Smoke on the Water" ALL NIGHT LONG. I couldn't listen to it for years after that without getting irritated. Now when I hear it, it brings a big smile to my face. It has turned into a funny, happy memory.
In my early 20's I happenned to be driving by when I observed Bud getting in a car. I watched him as he reached over with his right arm and actually picked his leg up and put it in the car because he couldn't raise it. Then he took his right hand and picked up his left hand and placed it in his lap and used his right arm to then close the door. I knew something was seriously wrong so I went straight to my mom. She forced him to go to the doctor and he was diagnosed as having a massive brain tumor. It was as big as a grapefruit. The doctor said it could easily have been growing 30 years or more and would account for Bud's strange behavior. They did surgery and he recoverd beautifully.
The problem was after all those years of not acting normally, he was not going to act normally ever. Even so, he is a wonderful uncle, who lets me know that he cares about me every time he sees me.
I love him too.
His real name is Lloyd, but the family calls him Bud. He is the 2nd oldest of four. Edna Ruth is the oldest, then Bud, then my mom and last but not least is Mary Ann. Bud was considered to be a genius growning up. He was the spelling bee champion of West Virginia. After he graduated he came down with tuberculous (a common ailment in the fifties) and he had to go to a sanitarium for awhile. He was never the same after that.
NOTE: A SANITARIUM WAS A PLACE THAT THEY SENT SICK PEOPLE TO GET WELL IN THE FIFTIES - IT WAS NOT AN INSANE ASYLUM WHICH IS WHAT I THOUGHT UNTIL I WAS CORRECTED IN HIGH SCHOOL
He spent years hiding in his room, playing his guitar and doing a little gardening. He also only ate fudge and fried potatoes for years too. Even though he was having these problems he was always a good uncle. We would visit him in his room or play while he worked in the garden. (he has an amazing green thumb) I remember he had 2 dogs once named boy and girl. When we would leave the house he always stood on the porch and waved to us until we were out of sight.
One time my parents went on vacation and left us at my granny's house. Every night all night long for a week we had to listen to Bud play the rift of "Smoke on the Water" ALL NIGHT LONG. I couldn't listen to it for years after that without getting irritated. Now when I hear it, it brings a big smile to my face. It has turned into a funny, happy memory.
In my early 20's I happenned to be driving by when I observed Bud getting in a car. I watched him as he reached over with his right arm and actually picked his leg up and put it in the car because he couldn't raise it. Then he took his right hand and picked up his left hand and placed it in his lap and used his right arm to then close the door. I knew something was seriously wrong so I went straight to my mom. She forced him to go to the doctor and he was diagnosed as having a massive brain tumor. It was as big as a grapefruit. The doctor said it could easily have been growing 30 years or more and would account for Bud's strange behavior. They did surgery and he recoverd beautifully.
The problem was after all those years of not acting normally, he was not going to act normally ever. Even so, he is a wonderful uncle, who lets me know that he cares about me every time he sees me.
I love him too.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
My Granny's Apple Stack Cake
I found my granny's recipe for apple stack cake. She used to make this cake for us and we would have to wait until after Sunday dinner before we could eat it. (pure torture for a kid) Usually she would make it on Friday or Saturday because it only gets better when it sits!
The only difference between this recipe and hers is that she liked to use applebutter or Whitehouse applesauce between the layers. She also said you had to bake each layer in an iron skillet. To make it extra special she would warm it up and slather butter on it! Delectible!
My Granny's Apple Stack Cake
4 cups dried apples
2 2/3 cups water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups white sugar
5/8 cup buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried apple slices for garnish
Directions
1 In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups of dried apples and water. Bring to a boil, and let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until apples are very soft. Mash the apples slightly, and stir in the sugar. Set aside to cool.
2 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3 In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ginger. Mix in the flour about 1 cup at a time to form a stiff dough. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Pat each portion of the dough into a 9 inch circle on greased cookie sheets.
4 Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Carefully remove layers to a cooling rack. 5 Stack the layers onto a serving plate, spreading about 3/4 cup of the apple filling between each layer. Spread the rest of the filling over the top layer, and arrange dried apple slices on top for garnish. Let stand overnight before serving. Makes 1 - 9 inch round stack cake
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The only difference between this recipe and hers is that she liked to use applebutter or Whitehouse applesauce between the layers. She also said you had to bake each layer in an iron skillet. To make it extra special she would warm it up and slather butter on it! Delectible!
My Granny's Apple Stack Cake
4 cups dried apples
2 2/3 cups water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups white sugar
5/8 cup buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried apple slices for garnish
Directions
1 In a large saucepan, combine 4 cups of dried apples and water. Bring to a boil, and let simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until apples are very soft. Mash the apples slightly, and stir in the sugar. Set aside to cool.
2 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3 In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ginger. Mix in the flour about 1 cup at a time to form a stiff dough. Divide dough into 5 equal portions. Pat each portion of the dough into a 9 inch circle on greased cookie sheets.
4 Bake for 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Carefully remove layers to a cooling rack. 5 Stack the layers onto a serving plate, spreading about 3/4 cup of the apple filling between each layer. Spread the rest of the filling over the top layer, and arrange dried apple slices on top for garnish. Let stand overnight before serving. Makes 1 - 9 inch round stack cake
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
"I'll give you a house and three rooms of furniture if you'll marry me"
That's what my Pepaw Farley said to my Granny the first time he ever saw her. She was living with her brother, Sherman, and his family (this was in 1938) because it was winter and she had no where else to go. She was walking to the outhouse, barefooted in the snow, when my Pepaw, who was living in the boardinghouse next door saw her. She told him that if he would let her sister live with them that she would marry him and that was that. They got married and he bought her 3 rooms full of furniture and my Granny and Aunt Edna had a home for the first time in their lives.
My Granny Farley, Anna, became an orphan when she was 5 years old in 1925. Her mother died in childbirth. She was not married and she had 5 kids by 5 different men. (My Granny didn't like to discuss her mom because she was a loose woman. My Aunt Edna Ruth told me these things about a month ago) There was nowhere for the 5 kids to go so they roamed southern West Virginia and lived with whomever would take them in. (Usually they were separated) They would work helping to plow gardens in the spring, hoeing gardens all day in the summer, harvesting crops in the fall and helping to can the vegetables or whatever other work could be done. Usually they would get kicked out of the house in the winter because nobody could afford to feed an extra mouth back then.
One time when Granny was 12 years old, she and her sister Edna were living with a family. Edna was younger than Granny, so she looked out for her. They had worked hard all day as they always did and Edna was crying because she was hungery. Granny went into the kitchen and took a biscuit and 1 piece of bacon and gave it to her little sister. The next day the woman kicked them out for stealing. She knew Granny had taken the bacon because there was a mark in the fat where the bacon was laying.
Granny used to speak kindly of a black woman who lived on Hart's Creek. She let her stay with them longer than anybody and Granny appreciated everything she ever did for them. She worked hard but at least she had a roof over her head.
That's all I know about my Granny's early life. She was an Aunt Bea kind of Granny and I was lucky to have her.
My Granny Farley, Anna, became an orphan when she was 5 years old in 1925. Her mother died in childbirth. She was not married and she had 5 kids by 5 different men. (My Granny didn't like to discuss her mom because she was a loose woman. My Aunt Edna Ruth told me these things about a month ago) There was nowhere for the 5 kids to go so they roamed southern West Virginia and lived with whomever would take them in. (Usually they were separated) They would work helping to plow gardens in the spring, hoeing gardens all day in the summer, harvesting crops in the fall and helping to can the vegetables or whatever other work could be done. Usually they would get kicked out of the house in the winter because nobody could afford to feed an extra mouth back then.
One time when Granny was 12 years old, she and her sister Edna were living with a family. Edna was younger than Granny, so she looked out for her. They had worked hard all day as they always did and Edna was crying because she was hungery. Granny went into the kitchen and took a biscuit and 1 piece of bacon and gave it to her little sister. The next day the woman kicked them out for stealing. She knew Granny had taken the bacon because there was a mark in the fat where the bacon was laying.
Granny used to speak kindly of a black woman who lived on Hart's Creek. She let her stay with them longer than anybody and Granny appreciated everything she ever did for them. She worked hard but at least she had a roof over her head.
That's all I know about my Granny's early life. She was an Aunt Bea kind of Granny and I was lucky to have her.
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