Up and Down the Gravel

Last night Hattie and I went to visit G'ma Opal.
Hat wanted to take the 4-wheeler. I, conveniently,
have never really learned to drive it, so my 9-yr
old daughter aired the tires and revved it up and
we were off. When we drove home it was dark and
neither of us know how to turn on the lights...but,
no matter, there was a full moon and driving was
not a problem. Plus, since there were no lights,
we both saw our first firefly of the season. And
when we turned off the engine, there was a Whip-
or-will calling. That was the first Whip-or-will
I've heard yet this spring. I can almost live off
of a Whip-or-wills call. They are sustaining.

G'ma's arm is still bothering her, but she was just
cleaning up the kitchen from her dinner. Sunday she
went fishing and caught a few fish, so last night
she fried them; they looked yummy. She had just come
in from the garden and had put lettuce and onions
in her fridge.

Of course she imparted some of her great wisdom to us
as we played a game of Rummy.

1. Since tomorrow (now today) was May 1st, we needed to
get up before dawn and wash our faces in the early dew.
If we do that for nine days in a row, we will keep from
getting freckles.

2. We'd had Chicken and Dumplings for dinner and I was
complaining a little about all the mess I make when I
make them. G'ma told me to hold back on the flour a bit
and make them into drop dumplings next time.

3. She repeated one of her little ditties that I've heard
her say a thousand times, but this time I wrote it down
to save it. It is for choosing whose turn it is for a
game.

William Tremmeltoes
He's a good fisherman
Catches hens
And puts them in pens
Some lay eggs
Some none
He catches fishes
And puts them in dishes
Wire briar limberlock
Three geese in a flock
One flew east
One flew west
One flew over the Cuckoo's nest
Clock fell down
Mouse run around
And O-U-T spells out
Old dirty dishrag
You go out!

We also have new neighbors. The property to our north
sold and, though I haven't met them, there is already
a connection with them. The girl (I must call her a
girl, she will be getting married in June after graduating
high school) is my cousin's cousin. Only in Mayberry.

That reminds me of the time we were having dinner at
the home of some friends. During the discussion we
discovered that the husband was a step-brother to my
cousins's cousin. The wife jumped up and hugged me
and said, that makes us related! Truly Mayberrian! And
quite fun!











One last G'ma Opal note. During the month of April she
only killed 2 mice. I guess they are moving back outdoors
with the nicer weather.