This photo of Ellis, Mattie and me was taken in the Spring of 1958.
This page is dedicated to my loving grandparents, Ellis and Mattie BURKE Christmas.
I fondly remember my childhood with my many times spent with these two on their farm in Cottondale. So many have no idea the names of their grandparents while I realize how lucky and fortunate I was to have gotten to know and love these two.
Nearly every holiday, weekend and all my summers were spent with Granny and Granddaddy. We always had a wonderful garden and every summer we shelled peas and beans and put up okra, corn, squash, etc. I'd pick blackberries while Granny made her blackberry jelly. She always canned her famous nine-day pickles. She'd make breakfast for me every morning; grits, eggs (I got from the chicken yard), home-made biscuits, and bacon. She would make me her delicious chocolate pound cake.
Almost every Easter & Christmas, my cousins would visit. Granny went all out preparing a meal of chicken pie, ham, peas, corn, okra, cakes, pies, and much more. She would fill her large dining room table and overflow the desserts on the kitchen table. Then she would always say that it wasn't much. What a wonderful woman.
In all my years and times with her I never ever heard a bad or ill word from her about anything or anybody. She was well-respected in the church and always put her family first. She made tremendous sacrifices to feed, clothe, and educate her many children. She was a talented woman who rarely did anything at all for herself.
Granny's Music
I remember going to her house late one Friday evening. Mom used to take me over to visit for the weekend either on Friday night or Saturday morning. My sister and I always wanted to go on Friday night so we could go to the grocery store and dime store with Granny and Grandaddy on Saturday morning. This one time, Granny's brother Charley (and others), were visiting. When we came in they were all sitting in the living room playing various musical instruments. I don't know exactly what type of instrument Granny had, but it was something that fit in her lap and she would strum it with a pick. It was smaller than a guitar, kidney-shaped and it was laid flat.
Anyway, the old-time gospel music filled the air with love and joy. But, knowing that she had more company (my Mom and sister and me) Granny put away the music and commenced her duty to host and take care of her grandchildren.
Granny loved gospel music. We played an album by the Chuck Wagon Gang every Sunday afternoon after church. She'd sit and tap her feet while we took care of the blisters made by fire ant bites on her feet and ankles.
Granny's Car
I lived with her for a year when I was about 14. I took a part-time job at a local fast food restaurant. Granny had never learned to drive. My Uncle Ben (and others possibly) helped her to buy a little car. She was so proud of that car and her newfound independence. I remember quizzing her on the driver's handbook and helping her to learn to drive that car. Though I was only 14 I knew how to drive and knew some basic car maintenance (thanks to my Dad and Mom.) Granny was so excited at driving herself to church on Sunday.
Little Things...........
Her favorite color was pink (rose). She loved Fritos corn chips but was not supposed to eat them because of her blood pressure. She loved caramel creme candies. She loved to drink vanilla milk shakes. Sometimes I'd give her a milkshake when she picked me up from work.
Christmas Holidays
She was a very giving woman as well. That year I lived with her we had very little money for Christmas. Somehow every year she always tried to get something for all of her grandchildren; at that time there were about 28 grandchildren and at least 2 great grandchildren. It was cold that November and early December but we (mostly she) got out and picked pecans from this huge tree on my Uncle Earl's land down the road. She sold the tubs we had picked for $40 and gave me half. I was able to buy all my Christmas presents (nearly 10 of them) with that $20 at the dime store. She bought each of us something too.
The Washtub Dollar
Speaking of washtubs, in 1970 Uncle Hamp installed a bathroom in the house. Before that we used an out house and bathed in wash tubs. I remember Grandaddy buying three new washtubs and losing a $1 when he paid for one. He could not find it anywhere. We loved filling the tubs with water and playing in them....plus we got clean too, I guess. One of us, I think it might have been my sister Sheryl who found the dollar after she had been in the tub playing a while.
Farm Animals
We always had animals on the farm: the typical chickens, hogs, horses, cows, and dogs. Once we had a calf that for some reason we had to bottle feed. Some of my cousins named him Moo-moo and wouldn't let Grandaddy take the calf to be butchered when he was ready. I guess Grandaddy just sold him.
When I was about seven we had two puppies and realized my sister was allergic to them. One, the collie, we gave to Granny and Grandaddy. Grandaddy got so attached to that dog. Though I had named him Fluffy, for some reason Grandaddy or Uncle Early began calling him Ted. Ted always knew where all the cows and horses should be and watched over things like any good farm dog. When he wanted to show you something he'd gently pull you by the wrist using his mouth.
One night one one of the horses had gotten into a different pasture. The next day Grandaddy could not find Ted. Finally, after searching he found him lying in the back of one of the pastures. Grandaddy called and called but Ted wouldn't come. So he walked over to him (Grandaddy was partially crippled) and found that Ted had been bitten on the paw and snout by a poisonous snake.
Grandaddy picked up this large dog and carried him to his car then on to the vet that was more than 10 miles away. The vet said that he doubted the dog would survive the night because of how much venom the dog had received and how badly he had been bitten. Grandaddy was crushed. He brought Ted home and cared for him; placing him carefully in the back yard on soft grass with an ice pack on his paw.
Later that evening a neighbor came over and Ted barked at him. It was a sign Ted would be okay. He was. Ted finally died a few years later.
Grandaddy
Grandaddy wasn't much of a conversationalist unless he was remeniscing; then he would talk for hours. What I would give right now to be able to remember all of his stories of his life and families. Sometimes Grandaddy would go to Willie T's store and just sit around with the other "menfolk". As a child I loved going to Willie T's store for penny candy.
Grandaddy loved watching wrestling on Saturday nights. He would get so excited and yell at the wrestlers.
I guess I underestimated Grandaddy's hearing and sight capabilities. Once my cousin Yolanda and I had managed to collect enough crickets and worms to go fishing at Uncle Earl's pond across the street. We had been told to stay out of the boat and just fish on the bank. Of course we knew what that meant. Not too long after we had gotten the boat into the middle of the pond we heard Grandaddy yelling at us. We both were surprised he could see us. When we got home he told us that he had heard us and that was why he went to check on us. We were very surprised because we made sure to keep our voices low so as to not get caught. Guess I learned something that day.
Thank
you for the wonderful memories. I miss you
both.
I have just written of a few events that took place over 13-18 years with my grandparents. I hope to add more later as well as more dedication pages (one will be forthcoming on my Mother.)
