My Column
COUNTRY LONGINGS
September/10
There are two parties very
excited about the first of September’s arrival—Mom’s with grade school
children, and the people of Arizona.
Now, I’m not complainin’
about this beautiful sunshine state after livin’ on the coast of
Washington thirty-three gloomy years, where ya might see the sun two
months outta twelve, but one shouldn’t count on it!
I can
smell the change comin’ though even down here where the temps will drop
only to the even hundreds, or slightly below in this new month, (a real
cold spell for we die-hards who suffer through three months of blazin’
hot days in the Arizona summer with no reprieve.)
I sure
remember how September brought huge changes to ranchers, farmers,
school-age children, the weather, and so many other wonderful things
when I was young. I also remember feeling the tiniest bit of dread when
Labor Day would pass since east of the Cascade mountain range in Twisp,
Washington where I grew up in a beautiful little valley with the Methow
River running right through it only half a mile east of our town’s main
street, we knew a long, hard winter was comin’ soon when September
rolled around.
Tall mountains surrounded our valley, and the
trees along the river changed colors with four strong seasons, and it
was just a matter of time, after Labor Day, ‘til snowflakes fell,
(always by Halloween) and didn’t stop blowin’ in flurries ‘til after
the first week of April, in most cases. That’s why I chose, in my old
age and aching bones, to leave the cold dampness of the coast, and
freezin’ dryness of the valley for warm air and sunshine ninety-percent
of the year down south!
I’ll admit, I do miss the gorgeous
colors of fall in our valley, and the white Christmas’ we always
celebrated, but sitting on our patio to eat meals and play games from
September thru April with friends and neighbors ‘til all hours, (with
no coat or sweater except in December and January) wins out on my
priority list now.
*************
I received a call from
my next door neighbor yesterday telling me her oven had taken its last
breath just as she was going to bake two casseroles for her son’s
birthday celebration, (in his late fifties) at their house that very
afternoon. I had a similar emergency when ours blew a few months
earlier, and she came to my rescue. Like she did for me, I came to her
aid this time, and happily baked her casseroles in my oven.
This
incident reminded me of growin’ up in the Methow Valley where poor was
the norm, and a helping hand was always available. We called it
bartering back then, or horse-tradin’! It didn’t have to be something
of equal value, but more of equal need.
It could be work farmers
traded, or clothing at the rummage sale for free if you needed some and
had no money, food brought to folks at the holidays, (or anytime) who
were even less well off than you and would have no Thanksgiving or
Christmas dinner, nor gifts for their children without help. We were
raised to share and trade from the cradle up because that was the kind
and right thing to do. No thanks needed, no questions asked.
I
know for sure, when folks would lose everything in a house fire in my
hometown, they were given immediate shelter in someone’s home,
re-supplied with furniture, house wares, food and clothing in order to
get their own place when it was possible. It wasn’t brand new stuff,
but it was all each household could spare if they had extra. And there
would be a jar at the bank for contributions, and a dance at the old
grange hall with all proceeds going to the destitute family. We did as
the Good Book commanded, and took care of those in need in those days.
I
remember once, our neighbor had to have a serious operation in the
spring of the year, and that meant all the money he would make plowing
up everyone’s garden spot would not be earned, and the family would
suffer financially.
Though my Dad was already a workin’ fool,
I don’t know to this day how he found the time, but he took Ernie’s
tractor on weekends, and worked morning ‘til night plowin’ all the
gardens folks in the entire valley had asked Ernie to plow. He took not
one thin-dime for his efforts, (and if I know my Dad, he probably
supplied the gas for the tractor outta the two big hundred gallon
barrels he kept on our property for his loggin’ trucks- and D-8 cat.)
If
you think that wasn’t a lesson we kids could watch and learn from,
well, ya got another think comin’! He said nothing to us about it, just
did the right thing that needed to be done. I overheard him say to Mom
afterwards, “Ernie had tears in his eyes when I handed him the money.”
I guess Dad was surprised because he knew Ernie would do the same thing
for us if the shoe were on the other foot.
Is it any wonder half
the kids today are selfish, sociopathic brats? They weren’t raised to
want for anything, honor our flag and the men and women who died for it
and this great nation, or learn the history of how our forefathers
fought to make America the greatest nation ever! It breaks my heart to
see how apathy has destroyed what this and the last generation have
been given without one drop of sweat from their brows………FREEDOM, the
real endangered species of our time!
Even my kids, in their late
forties now, take far too much for granted, and choose to ignore what’s
happening to this country. Everyday there is more erosion of THEIR
FREEDOMS and MINE they refuse to recognize until it will be too
late…Yes, I get frustrated with them, but who listens to their mother
‘til it’s far too late? Not my kids, nor I when I was young. These
scary circumstances cannot be ignored much longer though…
God help us!
Ok, enough advice from this ol’ gal…Here’s a poem to maybe set ya straight.
LIBERTY BELL
Patrick Henry said it best,
“Give me liberty,
or give me death!”
But do we heed
those words today
in the same determined, stoic way?
We have the symbols all around
where soldiers died—
now hallowed ground.
Our flag—Ol’ Glory, let it freely wave
on land and sea,
o’re the home of the brave.
Words on parchment brave men signed
though threatened—cursed
by loyalists—blind.
Statue of liberty—standing tall
greeting travelers,
one and all.
Civil war battlefields strewn with cannon—
only the ghosts
have not abandoned.
Indian monuments carved on hills—
they counted coo—
too many kills.
My favorite monument—The Liberty Bell
makes me remember,
and my heart swell.
Our forefathers sacrificed to set us free
fighting hard
for true victory.
With strengths untold, they forged ahead—
their children inheriting
not fear nor dread.
A land made free of king or fool
who sought to conquer,
repress, and rule.
So ring that bell of liberty—
it represents FREEDOM
for you and me.
Tamara Hillman
©2010