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Porterdale Mill on the Yellow
River |
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Porterdale Mill on the Yellow
River |
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DOWN
MEMORY LANE |
| Let us dream a little. After you read this, close your eyes and visualize the setting I describe and you will almost smell the country ham. We are at Grandma Chapman's (Pearl) house and you have just been awakened and told breakfast was on the table. You walk to the kitchen and the aroma immediately makes you bright eyed and bushy tail. You see this very long table with chairs only at each end. One chair for Grandpa and the other for Grandma. Along each side of the table are benches for all the kids and visitors. As you approach the table, you see three large platters of fresh baked biscuits. one platter in the center and a platter on each end. Then you notice where that really good smell was coming from as you see two large platters of country fried ham. Then there are eggs, home made jellies (and one of my favorites, fig preserves), fresh churned butter, red eye gravy and of course two large bowls of grits. After you fill up on the main course, you sneak a couple of hot buttered biscuits and pour a little of Grandpa's home made sorghum or ribbon cane syrup over the biscuits. Of course, me being a little fellow I am loading up on fresh milk, while the rest are enjoying fresh perked coffee. Coffee that you can smell while in the making. As you look around you will find that you are in the company of some of the world's finest people. Of course there is Grandpa at the head of the table with Grandma at the other end, near the kitchen, so that she can get more biscuits real quick, if needed. On the benches you see Mattie, Gladys, Leonard, Rayborn, Emmitt, Harold, and any other folks that might be visiting, and there seemed to always be some. When I was old enough to remember the names, Grace had already married and moved out. Let me tell you these were some really great folks, if everyone today were as good as these folks you would think that you were already in heaven. Now just close your eyes and visualize this real country setting. Can you not smell that country ham? I can. I can also smell the roasting peanuts, which Grandma will use to make peanut brittle. I have often wondered what time Grandma had to get up every morning to prepare that much food and have it on the table by six-thirty. God Bless Grandma Chapman. For those of you that did not or do not know Grandma Chapman: She was born Pearl Thomason, on Dec. 26, 1890; Died Sep. 21, 1976, Married Grandpa Henry Franklin Chapman on Oct. 10, 1916. |