mud crawlin, catfishin, pond swimmin and ridin down trees.

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Startin in about 48 bro and I would go mud crawlin in the creek north of the house. We couldn't swim yet so's we'd just get in the water and crawl around in the shallow water and mud. It worked just fine unless we just happened to get too close to the catfish hole and slide in it. It was over our head but wasn't abut 5 feet across. After scarin the livin daylites outta us we would just walk out. He and I both learned how to swim in the neighbors cow pond. We'd have to watch carefully for the Herford bull before we'd cross the fence and make a mad dash across the pasture of about 100 yards then into the water we'd go. The pond was full of snakes, turtles and catfish. Seems like everytime we'd go swimmin there we'd step on a catfish fin. It was always a treat to climb a tall slender tree that wasn't very big around. It was even better if it was on the creek bank---climb up about 15 or 20 feet and then just hang on with your hands while kicking your feet away from the tree. If you were high enough and the tree was small enough-then it would just bend over and gently go to the ground. Sometimes, if you didn't go high enough, the tree wouldn't bend and you would be hanging in mid-air. Very embarrassing to say the least. At other time if you went too high and swung out the tree would bend too quickly and you'd hit the ground or water rather hard. That was embarressing also--but a lot of fun. The creek is all but dried up now, the fish are all gone and no small trees line it any more. I've got too big, too lazy and too clumsy to be even thinkin about any of those things anymore. Memories still remain of the hot summer days when we were just kids and would sneak off and go swimmin or mud crawlin. The kids of today have really missed out on a lot of that kinda fun. They have also missed out on the things that weren't any fun also. Sickness, death, injury's etc. That part of the good old days wasn't all that good and I wouldn't ever want to see it happen again. Too many precious people suffered when there wasn't any help available. I wouldn't take a hundred dollars for my past but wouldn't give a penny to do it all over again either. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 12, 2000

Answers

thanks for the chuckle you brought out in me while reading your post!!

you ever sit down and use a tape recorder to tell of all the stories you have from "years ago" for your kids and grandkids? I try to get my father-in-law to do this with all his logging stories but he just shrugs it off these stories are an awful thing to waste - think about it!! would mean alot to your family after you're gone and also will help with family history for the next generation

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), July 12, 2000.


Hoot, Thanks ever so much for your stories. Many of them remind me of my past, the chuckles & the hurts too. I sure do hope you consider putting all of this down for your family, as has been mentioned many times before, a book sounds good, you have a wonderful start! I've been keeping a journal type book for several years & I want to pass it on to my grandkids when I'm gone, so they'll know what their granma was like in her younger days, also some of the happenings during that time. Keep a postin'! You're an inspiration.

-- Phyllis (almostafarm@yahoo.com), July 13, 2000.

Dear Hoot, I grew up on a creek bank, also! We had a seat on a pulley- -& at the high bank of the creek we would pull the seat up--crawl in & let her rip--down to the low side of the bank--or jump into the water as you went! My brothers were 10 & 12 years oldier than myself-- they would have friends come out to visit & they were afraid to try the pulley swing--my brothers would say, if my little sister can do it, will you try? Then they would stuff me in the swing & off I would go! I always said, I would have taken better care of myself if I would have known I would live this long --but with my brothers I never expected to make it this long! ha! My brother broke horses for other people--I wish I had a nickel for each time he had a colt snubed up to his horse with a saddle on it & take me out to the plowed ground--put me on the colt & see how it reacted to someone in that saddle! They had a barrel on a rope & cable-they would work that barrrel with a rope--my brother rode saddle bronks in the rodeo--this was his practice--their friends would visit--& you guessed it-if sis can do it, will you try? I have scars from head to toe from all those experiences! (I have a sister who never went to the barn--as I get oldier --I now see why, she didn't!ha--but she sure missed out on a lot!) Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), July 13, 2000.

Enjoyed your little story. I grew up in the late 60's early 70's and believe it or not, even in the suburb outside a large city where we lived we played in the creek. Even had a tire swing from which we could drop into a deeper pool with a big splash.

NOw in the area where that creek is an adult can't even walk around safely much less a child. I'm thankful I wasn't born later, and hope to give my own children at least some taste of a country childhood by living beyond the sidewalks.

-- alana potter (lester@erols.com), July 18, 2000.


Sonda, I love your story. I, too, had two older brothers and I always wanted to tag along with the one who was closest in age to me. Luckily for me he was more the bookworm type so I didn't have "adventures" like you did but you reminded me of how much fun it was to be a tagalong.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), July 19, 2000.


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