Joe Diffie's Song Home

A few things bring back memories of my past life in that song.....Dad sitting in his easy chair and Mom hanging out the clothes while I sat on the back porch swing. Like Rena said, the smell of Sunday supper was usually beef roast, potatoes, and carrots along with beef roast gravy. On occasion we would have it on a different day....like Tuesday. But we would point it out to Mom that we were having a Sunday meal on Tuesday.

I also remember hunting mushrooms with both of them on Orrival Grant's farm. (sorry for the spelling) We didn't know what we were looking for, at first. But after Mom and Dad found the first ones, we were "hot on the trail". I always looked under the "May apples". Not sure if that was the "official name" but Dad called them that. We always found a big bunch.

Then there was always the rhubarb that grew in the back yard. People would always stop by asking if they could pick some.

I remember the only time that I went hunting rabbits for the first time without Pat and Todd with Dad. I never used to want to go hunting because of all of the sticker bushes. Jewel was tracking a rabbit and Dad and I had separtated. Jewel was "Pat's" beagle but was acually Dad's. I wasn't sure where Dad was when the rabbit appeared and I could here Jewel getting closer. I kept debating whether to take the shot or not. I knew that the rabbit was going to go over the hill and would be out of my line of shot, so it was now or never. I pulled the trigger and waited to hear the worst from Dad. The next thing that I heard was Dad yelling, "Did you get it?". I knew I had missed hitting Dad and said "I'm not sure" because a tuft of fall leaves had exploded into the air after I pulled the trigger. I went up to the area as I kept hearing Jewel barking. I found a dead rabbit and told Dad "yeah". Soon Dad had arrived, cleaned the rabbit and gave Jewel her "treat". (My brother's will know what that means.)
Mom was always, on the other hand, at home waiting to cook the supper and make sure the kids had their homework done before bed. She always made sure the home was a "home" for everyone in the house. She was always there to listen to our problems. She may not have always had the answers, but offered up assurance that it will not always be this way and WILL get better when we were down. Mom's birthday is today, May 21, 1938 and I will have her in my thoughts, as well as my Dad. Mom was the love of his life. Happy Birthday Mom. And thank you God for letting my Dad "stick around" for a little longer.