Chatter, Chitter, and Miss Cindy harvesting mulberries
Yes, we often walk through our days and lives without ever knowing the people walking around us. Quiet does not mean inconsequential. Sometimes the most profound words and actions come from the quiet ones. I know this because I’ve known a few of them, I mean really known them.
—Miss Cindy 2014
Miss Cindy always befriended those who were troubled. I believe it was because of the troubles she’d had in her own life. She understood intimately what it was like to be in despair.
Over the years Miss Cindy collected what some folks would call a strange assortment of friends. They were from different backgrounds and economic levels, but one commonality they had was either they currently had life problems or had previously experienced real battles in their lives.
Even when she moved here she picked up friends who struggled with one thing or another. Sometimes I worried about her, but she always told me she was caring but not stupid 🙂
She told me on more than one occasion that she had worked so hard to get beyond the hard times in her life that she felt compelled to share her knowledge with those who needed it.
Miss Cindy was a gentle soul and when she sensed someone needed her to befriend them she did just that. She became their friend.
Last night’s video: Garden Tour June 18: Deer Got in the Beans, But I’m Still In Love With This Year’s Garden!
Tipper
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Miss Cindy was truly what a good Christian should be in this world.
It sounds like Miss Cindy was a wonderful lady and a loyal friend.
TIPPER I FEEL THE SAME WAY AS LAURA LEE BAIRD. ANOTHER FINE LADY IS GETTING HER REWARD. ALLEN
God bless Miss Cindy’s memory.
Any loss is bad, but between you & the girls talking about her & the comments she made to each of your posts, Miss Cindy sounds like an unusually special person, one who doesn’t come around often. When they do, we hold them close, to learn & to cherish.
Tipper, this posting really touched my heart. I would loved to have known Miss Cindy.
Her being drawn to people who had had hardships in their lives and really needed someone who cared and wanted to help them reminded me exactly how my Mom was the same way. She too had friends from all kinds of backgrounds and they all were dealing with troubled lives both currently and in the past. Most of them became dear friends and adopted family members for my family.
We’ve been so blessed to have these remarkable women in our lives.
Thanks Tipper, Fred
Miss Cindy epitomized the message of entertaining angels unaware. She was beautiful woman with an even more beautiful spirit. RIP, Miss Cindy. We all still miss you.
Another lovely post about Miss Cindy—we learn something new and wonderful about her as we get to know her each day this week. Thank you for sharing her. I really enjoyed your walk through the gardens last evening. Everything looks so green and beautiful and growing like crazy. I am sorry some of the beans got nibbled. Deer are sweet little critters till they eat your garden.
What a lovely woman! I hope to one day meet Miss Cindy in Heaven so that I can thank her for her kindness.
One form of redemption for our hard times is to use them to give others encouragement and hope. Another is to make us more tender-hearted. It makes our trials so much harder when we can find no redemption for them. Job comes to mind. As far as we know, he never knew why his trials came. But we know.
Disregard my earlier comment about Sevin Dust and deer. While cutting grass this morning, I looked at my blue lake greens that were beginning to bloom, after the deer last night nothing left but the stems. Back in the 50&60’s, I believe families like mine that depended on a large garden for most of their year long food supply would have had a permanent solution for the deer eating up their garden. Unless it has recently changed, I think South Carolina has the longest deer season and bag limit of any of the other states-Aug. 15-Jan.1. The DNR will give farmers that depend on there crops for their income a permit to kill deer out of season. At one time it was 5 which wouldn’t be a drop in a bucket. Oh well, the SCDNR likes to brag how the deer back and how many they are, they could care less about the damage they do. Most likely every dead one you see on the side of the road means a tore up car. Deer everywhere, but very few rabbits and no bobwhite quail at all.
Shoot them when you catch them in your garden then toss them out beside the road. Roadkill with no tore up car. I have never killed a deer, in season or out, but I have popped more than one in the butt with my pellet rifle. I am sure that when and if I catch one destroying anything in my garden I can handle. God gave us domain over all the animals. That means we are to control them, not give them free rein to go and to do whatever they want. If a 6 foot fence won’t stop them then resort to what will!
There is an old saying: “strangers are friends we haven’t met yet.” Sometimes it turns out well, sometimes ‘they bite the hand that feeds them’ as it is also said, but we can’t give up – it is good to walk along side another who is hurting or needing someone to care. Miss Cindy’s compassionate, tender heart was such a blessing – a gift that often keeps on giving long after the person is gone.
What a blessing Ms. Cindy was to you and your family. I know this week is difficult as you remember last year and her passing. The hope we have in Jesus allows us to KNOW that she will be waiting on everyone when they get to glory. Prayer for comfort and strength as you find comfort in your treasured memories.
Miss Cindy, a remarkable woman with wisdom beyond most people. She was a blessing to you all, a gift from God, I’m sure. Prayers to you all during the anniversary of your great loss. Remember God will comfort you at all times, especially grief.
Miss Cindy sounds like a lovely person. One you would feel blessed to have as a friend.
The more I hear & learn about Miss Cindy, the more I recognize & appreciate her great wisdom. Thank you Tipper for sharing her with us.
I would have loved to have known Miss Cindy.
I love this The more I read about Miss Cindy, the more I wish I had known her.
It would have been an honor for me to be considered one of Miss Cindy’s friends. I wish I could have known her.
Everyone should have a Miss Cindy on their lives.
I think I might have eaten some jelly made from mulberries from that very tree.
From the play Our Town, by Thornton Wilder. Emily asks, “Do any human beings ever realize life while they live every, every minute?” Stage Manager replies, “No.” (pause) “The saints and poets maybe, they do some.” Sounds to me like Miss Cindy knew what it meant to be in this world and made her own peace with it. Right on, Miss Cindy, Right on.
Because you shared her with us, Miss Cindy is a consequential blessing that keeps on giving. It’s hard to believe she’s gone when she remains so alive in all of you and all of us, too. Truly, we loved her because, how could one not?
Miss Cindy was a beautiful lady. I know you all still see her in your lives by the memories in your heart. I keep wondering what papaw Tony looks like. I wish he would make an appearance. lol Tipper. I love your expressions of wisdom that you share. These aren’t words of wisdom. but sayings my mom use to use about something that was ugly. It’s so ugly. it would have to slip up on a dipper to get a drink of water. She also said, it’s so ugly it would make a freight train take a dirt road.
Have you ever heard that? I am praying for your grandbaby boy #2 to arrive safely soon.
I love hearing baby Ira in the background. Katie is doing a good job in showing him to us while not exactly showing him. I respect that. You have 2 amazing daughters that you have raised to know and love Jesus.
Such profound thoughts coming out of Miss Cindy’s words. Miss Cindy was just doing what the Bible tells us we are to do. Love and help one another. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is how I was raised. I feel like I know all of you and I feel like I missed something valuable not knowing Miss Cindy personally. We all miss reading her posts. Seeing the girls and Miss Cindy picking mulberries brings back memories of my Grandma picking briarberries (blackberries) and grapes and making jelly and pickling peaches and cucumbers and all the fruits of the vegetable garden. Making memories that sustain us and teach us to love and appreciate those times we had. Love and prayers to Granny and the Little Mamas and all of you too.
My mother always said about my friends that I “brought home strays.” It was her polite way of saying they weren’t the friends she would have chosen for me. I imagine their moms felt similarly about me. I’m the same way at 62- drawn to those who are unique in ways that may get them extra attention from others, though not necessarily positive attention. (Trying to phrase this delicately.) Basically, my friends and I would be right at home on the Island of Misfit Toys (or whatever the phrase is.)
Miss Cindy was the perfect mentor for those whose lives she touched! Never having preconceived judgement and accepting folks at face value. That allowed her to reach out to others who might not have previously received any notice, understanding, and/or support. Might we all be so lucky to have such a caring soul in our lives. Kudos, Miss Cindy!
Wow! You ever know what someone you meet is going through. Which is a reminder to be kind no matter the situation. That store clerk, waiter or the driver who made you mad just might be having a day a lot worse than you. Thank goodness for people like Miss Cindy. Who knows how many people she touched and made life better — All of your readers for sure. Thanks so much for sharing her with us.
Such a testimony to love your neighbor.
Every single day this week the wonderful attributes of Miss Cindy have been absolutely inspirational to me! The wonderful words she wrote and the way she “took on” the ones from humans to animals who had been abandoned or mistreated speaks volumes about her strong character! I think she was beautiful, but I now know she was quite a wonderful soul and cared very deeply about others and wanted to help them on life’s difficult journey. When they made her, the mold was cracked for there are few like her now! I find myself missing her too! God bless you all as you reminisce about beloved Miss Cindy.I loved the photograph of the Pressley ladies picking mulberries! It’s just wonderful stuff, Tipper! So good for my soul!!!
Miss Cindy was indeed a blessing—while she was here, she was one of God’s earth angels!!!
She sounds like such a beautiful person.
Sounds like Miss Cindy’s life was the perfect example of why sometimes God allows us to endure bad/hard seasons, if nothing more than to help others who will also walk in those bad/hard seasons. He must’ve smiled down at her as she helped and loved were he knew she would. Thank you for sharing todays story of your MIL, it moved me….. our word has so many ppl who need a Miss Cindy.,,… prayin the Lord would make me strong enough to help someone as she did.
Good morning
The Good Samaritan story, the Golden Rule and the phrase “entertaining angels unaware ” come to mind after reading this.
God bless each of you.
It seems to me, when you help out the ones that are down and out they will sometimes be a better friend to you than the ones that don’t need your help. I believe God smiles on you when you help these people. This is Christian qualities.
I am fighting deer and now hot dry weather with my small garden. Very small chance of rain and mid to upper 90’s predicted for the next 7-10 days. For the last several years it has been hot and very dry throughout the summer months and it looks like this year is starting out to be the same way. I set on a knee high stool and tried to hoe some weeds out it a day or two ago. The deer are jumping a 6ft high chicken wire fence. The only thing I have found to help with them eating my green beans is to dust them with Sevin dust. I know to some this is a “no no” but it hasn’t killed me in 70 years so I don’t guess it will now. Because of my arthritis knees and my bad back along with the deer, dry hot weather and the cost of seed and fertilizer, I have about decided it is better and easier to just buy it at a farmer’s market or produce stand.
what a beautiful and caring person, you all are so blessed to have had her in your lives
What a sweet lady she was. Even now, she touches people through you telling us about her.