In my mind I'm always going home

"Home was a swimming hole and a fishing pole and the feel of a muddy row between my toes Home was a back porch swing where I would sit and mom would sing amazing grace while she hung out the clothes, Home was an easy chair with my daddy there and the smell of Sunday supper on the stove My footsteps carry me away but in my mind I'm always going home" -Joe Diffie, "Home"

I was pleased to open an email from my cousin Danny last week, that contained several old pictures. His parent's lived beside my papaw, Lorn Chesney. You can tell that these pictures were taken from their driveway. In the background you will see my papaw's old farm. This is where I grew up. If you look really close, to the left behind papaw's big 2-story house, you can see some of my parent's house peaking out from behind the trees. Unless you are familiar with our place, you probably can't get a good grasp on it.

These old pictures sure do bring back lots of fond memories for me. The old barn where I used to play and help put up hay. The muddy pond that I accidentally drove Lorn's mule and sled into. Clyde, the old draft horse that Lorn used to plow our garden with. The cows that Pam and I accidentally gave diarrhea to by feeding them green apples. Lorn and Bessie's old 2-story house where I would on occasion spend the night and look out the window longing for home. I can see Lorn's old garage that was always cool and musty smelling. He would hang pieces of hog meat from twine from the eaves.

Also in these old pictures I see my cousins. Patsy, the one that stumbled upon my nakedness when I was talked into climbing into the dog cage in her parent's garage. My tormentor and cousin, Danny, holding a nice stringer of fish, looking so innocent. I'll bet he's not grinning because of the fish though. He's probably happy because he had just put me in a small package and rolled me down the hill behind his parent's house! ;) The fish he is holding look to be a little larger than what we used to catch out of Roseberry creek (which is in the background of some of these pictures).

Gosh, I could just go on and on daydreaming and reminiscing about old times. These pictures sure have been a comfort to me on this cold January day.