Pap at the Coleman Reunion 2015
1. The second Sunday in August was the Coleman Reunion. It’s always good to see the family who attend and there’s plenty of good food to go along with all the fellowship. Although I’ve been enough times to know, I had forgotten they read aloud the names of family members who’ve passed away since the previous year’s reunion. As soon as the reading begin I knew they’d call Pap’s name and I knew I’d cry. He loved being with his people. I did cry, but I smiled through my tears.
I’ve been smiling and studying on the exact way Pap’s name was read since hearing it.
Jerry Marshall Wilson grandson of Carrie Coleman.
Grandson. How long has it been since Pap was called a grandson? A long long time. He loved his grandmother Carrie and had so many fond memories of her. I know he would have been happy to have been recognized as being her grandson once again even if he was no longer here to hear it.
The Deer Hunter scoping out a yellow jacket nest under Granny’s porch
2. This has been the year for yellow jackets and Granny’s back porch has been the place for them. First there was the nest I noticed in an old pair of shoes. Then the nest Granny discovered under the porch while she was standing talking to me and The Deer Hunter while we worked in her garden. Granny was standing over top of their nest and they stung her 4 or 5 times before she could get in the house. The next nest was in a paper box and just for good measure there was one more under the other side of the porch. Yellow jackets love Granny’s porch. Paul had to take care of the nest in the box after dark one night. Since I was the one who first noticed it I asked Granny if Paul got rid of it and if the nest was as big as the box was. Granny said “Yes and Lord there was enough bees in that box to sting everybody from here to Murphy and back and all the way to Copperhill TN.”
3. Over the years we’ve uploaded well over 100 videos to youtube. Every once in a while I’m reminded of a video I’ve almost forgotten about when someone comments on it. Recently I was reminded of a bloopers video I made back in 2010. I had high hopes of doing more blooper videos-but somehow I never got around to it. If you’d like to see the bloopers video-go here. Hard to believe how young the girls look-and that neither one of them played an instrument well enough to play and sing back then.
4. Earlier this month, Chatter opened her own Etsy Shop – Apothecopie. This is what she had to say about it:
Family gatherings on my side has never been a big thing, but on my Wifes Mothers family it was huge, we’d all try to gether in a 4 room house, (her Grandmother Terry) and there was near 70 immediate family. She had 12 kids.. But over the years Mrs Terry and the older Brothers past away, and the younger generation just don’t get together, except on Christmas.. But music would fill the air back in the day..
I received a sympathy card that read “Man’s immortality is being remembered in the hearts of those who care” — Pap certainly has that immorality. Hugs to all.
I have to chuckle at Granny’s description of the bees reaching all the way to Copperhill, TN — I was born in Ducktown! We had an bee swarm around here — they were under the flooring in the “Pop Shop”. I’m glad they weren’t yellow jackets.
Listening to Paul’s Down the Escalante today.
My little brother Stephen was the youngest child at the DeHart Reunion in (I think) 1955. They presented him with a little wooden heart with a mint condition 1900 silver dollar inlaid into it. Stephen was born with a Umbilical Hernia (ruptured belly button). Dr Bacon wanted Mommy to tape something over it until it had a chance to heal. That silver dollar was the perfect size, and because silver rarely causes allergic reactions, Mommy decided to take it out of the heart and tape it on his belly. Stephen had to wear it like that for a couple years but it worked. He has an outie but the rupture healed up fine. He was a baby then so he don’t remember any of it.
Tipper,
The days of the old timey Reunions are almost gone, as far as I know. When I was young, I went with Daddy to Burningtown Church and there was a Roper Reunion. I never knew that many Ropers existed, but it seemed everyone knew Daddy. Some asked about his brothers and sisters, but he was the only one there from his clan. Today’s kids don’t seem to care about things like that anymore. I don’t know if it’s just a product of the times nowadays or if the parents didn’t care enough to teach their kids. …Ken
Just ordered some of the sugar scrub for my best friend and a lip balm for myself!
The family reunion season is here for both sides of my husband’s family. So many of the old folks are gone and some of the younger ones too. They are missed so much. Hope the young ones will continue the tradition. It’s a wonderful tradition to name those that are gone and such a treasure to have Pap’s childhood memories. Mama’s memories of her childhood are in my heart forever even more than those of my own childhood.
In fact, one of Mama’s memories was of her and her sister getting in a yellow jacket nest while bringing water up from the spring. Their little dog started yipping and then her sister started getting stung. Mama didn’t know what to do–finally threw her two buckets of water on her sister and ran away. She said her sister was stung so bad her eyes swelled shut.
Chatters lip balm is wonderful! I’ll always know them by chitter and chatter. I really haven’t met them but bought they’re products! Plus they’re twins and Twins in my family my dad & his brother are both in heaven but just watching them interact as dad & his brother never ceases to amaze me! I do hope meet all of you someday!
My family reunion they reader family members who’ve passed but also add members of family that have added a baby!
Blessings,
Carol Rosenbalm
I just wanted to send a thank yo. Life stays busy and I usually don’t get a chance to read your blog every day, so I tend to read a few days at a time. I always smile and your words take me to where you have been and to where I have been. It is one of my favorite times I spend. It reminds me of the value of time. I like quotes and little sayings and I print them and have them on the wall of my office, I call it my wall of wisdom. I will share one about time:
Thank You For Today
This is the beginning of a new day.
I can waste it or use it for good.
What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever –
Leaving in its place something I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain, not loss: good, not evil; success, not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for today.
What lovely memories, well maybe not the hornet’s nest, Simple happenings with family. Love it!
I was so happy to see Corie start Apothecopie – I favorited the shop right away! Does she have any plans for jewelweed salve or other skin salves? My fingers are crossed 🙂
Tipper, I just emailed you a crochet pattern- thought I’d better let you know because since replacing my laptop, some other computers are seeing me as a threat and dumping my messages and comments. (Sigh.)
I enjoyed reading so much “5 Things” this morning. And I will comment about # 1, since I, myself, am so much into “Family Reunion” and for 26 years have tried to follow in the giant footsteps of my first cousin, Watson Benjamin Dyer, who compiled and published five books of our large family’s (and various branches) history, and had me elected (without my permission, by-the-way) as family historian when he was ready to give up the job in 1989. At our annual Dyer-Souther Heritage Association Reunion, held now the third Saturday in July each year in Choestoe, the place where our ancestors settled in North Georgia away back in the early 1880s’, we, too, read the names and have remaining family members stand to honor those who have died since the last reunion. This year, among the other names, the name of my sister, Annie Louise (Dyer) Dyer [she was a Dyer and married Ray Dyer] was read. We usually read, too, who the parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents (or farther back) were. It is a time to honor the one who has died, as well as to show the long line of ancestry from which the person descends. As we honor each who has passed every year, we have fond memories and also tie them back to our family roots. With the death of Louise, it gave me a very solemn time to know that I am the only one remaining of the four children born to Azie Collins Dyer and Jewel Marion Dyer. So I can identify with you, Tipper, in hearing that your Pap was “the grandson of Carrie Coleman.” My sister Louise, was “the daughter of Jewel Marion Dyer and Azie Collins Dyer, the granddaughter of Sarah Souther Dyer and the great granddaughter of Bluford Elisha Dyer III and Elizabeth Clark Dyer and John Souther and Mary “Polly” Combs Souther. And so we number ourselves among the faithful who have gone before. All too soon, when it is my time to go, maybe someone will read my name and remember that I descended from stalwart people who settled Choestoe Valley and made good, loving homes for us. Selah!
Copie’s soap is the best, I’ve tried several other homemade soaps but non felt as good on my skin as Copie’s!
Those are some wild looking socks Granny made!
I’ve had a lot of bee’s at my house this summer but I don’t think it’s as many as Granny has had.
I miss Pap’s beautiful calm spirit!