Morning Adventure

As I walked outside early this morning, I looked up at the full moon shining ever so brightly. The ground all around me was lit up as if someone had placed much brighter bulbs in the street lights that line the street in front of my house.  I began to think about my grandpa Pone and the stories I have heard about his morning hunting adventures. How did he see in the darkness so very early in the mornings? Maybe he used a lantern. Surely they didn’t have flashlights back then! How I wished that there was a phone in heaven so I could call and ask him questions about his morning adventures and of course let him know that he was on my mind and always in my heart. Now wouldn’t that be ever so neat? Just think how busy that phone line would be.

I remember my mother telling me that many years ago, when she was a young girl, how he would get up first thing every morning and go hunting. He would always hunt squirrel, rabbit or some other breakfast meat to put on the table for the morning meal. And interesting enough he would always come home with results. He and my grandmother Doris would then clean the game and she would cook it up for the same day’s breakfast meal; without fail they always had meat on the table.  I am told breakfast was their main meal of the day.

So let me ask you, where has life taken us …to boxes of cold cereal, instant microwave meals, snack bars, fast food at a drive thru or some other quick solution for our family’s breakfast meal? Have we lost the art of yesterday? If only we had a time machine that would give us access to the past. How different it would be to see for ourselves what it must have been like….back in the day. The day where everyone had to farm, hunt and supply for there families off of the land. Can you even begin to imagine what a typical day would be like? Can you imagine your man having to get up so very early and go hunting before you could prepare breakfast …before he went off to work? I personally think this generation might have some challenges surviving in such grueling times. And for certain, our children would be late for school! Can you imagine only for a moment?

Well, one of the things I really enjoyed about Pone’s hunting adventures is that he had two pet squirrels. Their names were Emma and Bill. I would say those were two really smart squirrels! Why, because they chose to be at the opposite end of the barrel…if you know what I mean. Actually the squirrels were given to Pone by a neighbor there in Ruskin and he named them after his best friends, Emma and Bill. I am sure that was an honor in those days. I can’t say that I would think it was an honor….but obviously, times were different then. I guess you really had to be there to appreciate such a thing.

Mom tells me that he would take the two pet squirrels hunting with him. There’s probably nothing like having ‘live decoys’ with you when you hunt. Of course I am not a hunter and I can’t say that I have even known any true die hard hunters in my time, but I could imagine using live decoys. No wonder he was so successful at bringing home the game… squirrel that is!

Well I bet if he were alive today he could tell us some real stories (some real doozy’s is what I would call them) of his hunting experiences. You know….like the one that got away. I can just hear him now going on and on with his stories.

So yes I think I have to agree, when I heard my parents talk about…. “back in the day, when times were so tough….I use to….”  I would think, here we go again! Surely you have heard those very words. Maybe you even rolled your eyes back into your head and had the same thoughts…. ‘Here we go again, another hard time story’. Much like me, you may have even thought they were making it up. They were trying to make you feel sorry for them or for some other unknown psychological reason. But truly, we should sit down and ask them about their childhood, about our grandparents, great grandparents, and alike. I am sure you will be amazed at some of their stories; you may even believe some of those stories you rolled your eyes at. You may find even the simplest of stories are interesting and very entertaining.

Gosh how I wish there was a phone in heaven! But at least I have a story and a photo to cherish…. And I can share with you the story about my grandpa Pone and his two pet squirrels, Emma and Bill.

This article is dedicated to: Amos Venson Turner “Pone” (Dec 23, 1908 to June 5, 1967) …my grandpa Pone.

I offer my services to write memoirs and life stories of you and your loved ones. It’s as simple as sitting on a front porch sharing story after story about your life and your loved ones as you relax in a rocking chair, chattering away about what you know best….your loved ones.

Please continue to read my blog  http://rockingchairchatter.com and be sure to keep a watch for my new website  http://www.myfrontporchfriends.com/ as we continue to write our stories.

Enjoyed the chat,

Lorraine

Lorraine McFarland lives in Plant City, Florida. She is a professional writer specializing in memoirs, life story writing, and capturing memories of your loved ones.

Copyright, April 2011 by Lorraine McFarland. The author retains sole copyright to her contributions to this article.

Life Stories