Granny & Granddaddy

From what she told me, Mother said that Granny taught me to whistle before I could talk. Granny was usually singing her silly old songs, working in the kitchen with her apron always on, and from what I remember most always happy.. (although she ruled).  Sometimes she'd get in the mood to 'dance', and she'd flip that apron up, sing, and prance around the kitchen into the dining room. One of her favorite songs (I guess it was, because she sang it enough) was 'Sally Get Your Hair Cut'.. never heard it since. I personally think she made up most of what she sang.
 She cooled her homemade pies in the kitchen window on Sunday mornings..(waiting for Granddaddy and Mother to come in from church.)  I never knew my Granny to attend church, though she always had her bible nearby to read when she was resting. She always made fresh biscuits with every meal and always said the best part of the chicken was the part that went over the fence last..I tasted the tail one time..wasn't too bad!
Her favorite (and only) dirty word was "dung", and when she said it she'd just giggle.
Granny could hand stitch the finest linens and add her intricate designs. She took orders for handmade tablecloths, napkins and pillow cases, and when they were sold she'd tuck the money safely away for hard times.  She always had a little 'spare' cash
 She could get testy and feisty sometimes if we didn't behave. I loved her so dearly.
 Granddaddy, on the other hand, was easy going and calm; a beautiful man. Everybody was 'dahin', 'sweetheart' or 'precious', and I never heard him raise his voice..he left that up to Granny..:). They were total opposites.
 He was the man in my life; so caring, loving and patient. He most always had a pipe in his mouth; always wore a three piece suit with his pocket watch hanging from the fob from his vest.  My older brother now has that very watch.
 Granddaddy always went to church on Sunday, in his old T-Model Ford. Sometimes he'd let us ride on the
running board to the end of the street, then we'd run back home. When we got a little older, he took us to church with him. We weren't too old, because he passed away when I was six. (Granny poured all the wine she had made him down the toilet when he died.)  Mother said, years later, "I don't know why in the world she did that, she knew that everybody loved her homemade wine."

 Granddaddy would sit on the back porch and mix up laying mash for the hens, and when he did I'd go out there and watch him. We had a little joke going..I'd ask, ' What you making Granddaddy?' and he'd answer, ' Sweet Potato Pie, you want a taste?' and we'd just laugh. In the evenings he'd sit me in his lap and we'd play the finger game, 'William Come Trimbletoe'. I was heartsick and confused when he died, I wondered why I wasn't crying, because everyone else was. I ended up crying over his passing, and all the time I would miss not being with him, when I was 56 years old. That is odd to me. Things may have been very different for me if he'd lived just a few years longer. I loved him with my whole heart.
Above is a photo of my grandparents on their wedding day. I still miss them both.