Today’s guest post was written by Don Casada.
Bob Reid, who graduated from Swain High in 1956, and I have talked several times in the last couple of months, in part related to photographs of his mother which were found among the second set of Bennett collection photos. Bob taught high school and coached football at Anderson High School, near Redding, California – in the northern part of the state, not far from Mt. Shasta, one of the state’s highest peaks. The local community got together and had the football stadium named for Bob out of appreciation for the lessons he had imparted to his students and players about work ethic, virtues and values he learned growing up in the mountains.
In one of those phone calls, Bob mentioned that one of the things he tried to relate to his students was that wealth was a frame of mind, and that he’d never been richer than when he was a boy with a quarter in his pocket, no worries, and an endless amount of time with nothing to do but whatever came to him.
I was thinking about that at dinner today.
I’d been outside to see if the garden was enjoying the sunshine after yesterday’s showers and took a few pictures. I tried something this year which I’ll not repeat – at least not in full – next year. I let zinnia volunteers come up all around the tomatoes. They’ve done really well and the tomatoes don’t seem to mind, but just getting to some of the tomatoes is like wading through dog hobble.
I came back in and fixed something that Mama loved – fried or creamed corn with tomatoes plunked down in it, and a good helping of green beans. I love raw onions on green beans – just like Mama did – but my stomach has started to rebel when I eat them, so it was just the beans. These were all Nantahala half-runners, so a step down from the turkey gizzard beans that I got from Peggy Lambert, but still mighty
good eating. I was late with everything this year, so am still waiting for okra – otherwise it would’ve been on the plate. But it was all very satisfying; then for good measure, I added a tomato sandwich.
Susan has been taking care of the dispensing of produce to neighbors and friends. One of her friends who she gave green beans to called to say she’d had five helpings of them that evening and was thinking about a sixth. Another said she’d had a tomato sandwich for lunch and that it was so good she went ahead and had another one for dessert. Some friends of her mother told her that a tomato she
shared with them was the best one they’d ever had.
Thinking on all of that brought Bob’s words back to me; rightly viewed during these dog days of summer, I’m about as rich as a feller can get; my cup (and bean-picking basket) runneth over.
I reckon an 80 year celebration is an octo-something as well as being four score. It was 80 years ago this year that Daddy would’ve made his first garden here on Black Hill. This little patch of God’s good earth provided pleasurable nourishment and the deep satisfaction brought by the work of growing, picking, preparing and putting up to Mama for 57 summers and Daddy for 68. I guess it did so for Jim and
Annette for around 21 years – both summer and winter – and it’s fed me for over a third of a century now.
A lot of sweat and released tensions have been left out in that garden, but not the first tear.
I hope you enjoyed Don’s thoughts as much as I do!
Last night’s video: Our Cabbage Harvest was Pitiful but Family Camaraderie and Sweet Popsicles Brightened Our Day.
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I have actually cried many a tear in my garden, & its got nothing to do with the garden. I have had a very difficult summer, with some mighty challenges to my marriage of 19yrs. We have spent all of the summer trying to decide if we would stay married or not. The garden is the one place that is ‘mine’ & I can be truly alone. When I weed or harvest, I work out my problems by thinking, thinking, thinking. I don’t always come up with answers, but at least when I am done I can stand back & see progress in the physical sense. I have sat out there and cried many evenings, praying to God that things would turn out all right & then dried my eyes, brought in the harvest & got on with dinner. It seems as though our marriage will survive, with some help. My garden is a bittersweet thing to me, because it the one thing that keeps me keepin’ on, but also absorbs alot of my painful feelings. With a garden there is hope & renewal; it starts over brand new each year, presents you with different successes & challenges every time, and brings a lot of nourishment along the way. I guess marriages are like that, too, as I am finding out. If anyone has a quiet moment, please say a small prayer for me.
Patty-I will be praying for you and for your marriage.
Good reading, leaves you with a smile and a remembering of times gone by. I bought Sidney Saylor Farr’s More than moonshine it’s a great book/cookbook have been really enjoying it. Thanks for the tip
Thanks for sharing, Don. You always seem to find wonderfully meaningful lessons in the simple things of life. God truly blessed me with the parents, brothers, and area that raised me!
I really enjoyed Don’s story and love how he talked about how Bob said he tried to teach his students that “wealth is a frame of mind”. I love that! Great memories for Don and we appreciate you Tipper for sharing his story with us. Thank you!
Being retired with a comfortable income, I certainly do feel wealthy. And I can travel some, most recently to W VA where I was able to indulge is a favorite pastime of mine, playing old time mountain banjo.
BTW, please thank the girls for “Johnny Don’t Get Drunk.” I worked it out from their version on one of your posts a few months back. Great tune.
What a wonderful story! Don, that garden has brought lots of joy, and is is true there will be no tears in a garden. I have always thought a garden brings multiple blessings to everybody with above average food for the table, sharing makes great neighbors, great exercise, and so much cheaper than going into therapy. It is so easy to forget all the troubles of the world when we are trying to harvest all those vegetables. We need always enjoy that short space between planting and harvest. I have been saving more seeds than usual, because I keep hearing there might be less variety next spring. Can’t hurt!
Sorry about the cabbage.
What a sweet story! I can remember my Daddy teaching us to appreciate what we had which wasn’t wealth in money and possessions but good health, family and a bounty of good food. You worked hard for what you had and when you did get something you really wanted, you appreciated it so much more. Most years when he grew watermelons, he would plant enough that we would take the extra into town and sell them for 50 cents. We’d split the money between my brother and myself. I was never prouder than when I had my own “spending money.”
I like that “wealth is a frame of mind” and it is so true. He did his students a good turn to teach them that. There are a lot of wise sayings that are just a restatement of the same idea, such as “count your blessings”.
In my mind I have never been wealthy in dollars, but I also know there are those who would see my circumstances differently. Those selling often want us to feel like we will feel wealthy as soon as we get their “stuff”. Anyway, I have always been wealthy in wealth that is not dollars. Among that wealth is a productive garden.
When Mama was old–one of the last times she visited us, we got a folding chair for her to sit on while she picked the cayenne pepper. She couldn’t bear to waste it, plus she loved pepper sauce. I always made several pints for her. I have shed some tears in my garden while picking pepper.
I thought about you this weekend. My youngest daughter turned 26 on Saturday and we went up to Ridgecrest in Black Mountain for a couple of days. We decided to drive on up to Pigeon Forge because she wanted to go to the Titanic Museum and I saw the sign for Waynesville on the way. Such beautiful country, I can truly see why you love living up that way so much!
Love the phrase ‘ a lot of sweat and released tension left out in the garden, but not the first tear’. It seems a fitting thing to put on a little sign and stick it at the end of a particularly difficult area of the garden. Released tensions are so true but missing is the hope that is planted for tomorrow (next year). I think I’ll add that to the phrase and make a cute sign for a Christmas present to another dear gardener friend of mine.
I always enjoy reading Canada’s thoughts. He’s an inspiring writer for sure. I do think wealth is in the mind as well as poverty. “I’ve got more than my share. I’m moving to mansion just over in glory. Hallelujah, I’m a millionaire! “ I have friends who have millions and live like paupers getting REDUCED internet and free meals from neighbors. He himself would NEVER make a meal for others and he would never give too much. He will eat steak if you’re buying and declared a 2 hot dog meal from Hardee’s is a real deal. (Gross.) When his mom died, the flowers were the puniest, paultriest and meager I’ve ever seen. She was buried like a mongrel. Anyway, he won’t be taking it with him and he poorer than dirt!!! Now he can take his big wad and you guessed it- shove it where the sun won’t ever shine!!! Lol When I leave here I want to be spent out, loved out and plumb popped out!!! When you have to count the cost, you’ve already done way too much and are a greedy miser…
As I read this I could hear Don’s voice telling the story and see his expressions. It’s been several years since I’ve seen Don, but he will always be a good friend. Thank you Don for sharing.
Life in the mountains, that’s what this is about and it’s a wonder as well as a wonderful thing! Thank you, Don! I’ve read it several times this morning and am touched deep down in my soul. Again, Thank you!