Grandaddy Conway McCaghren

This post was prompted by my visit to Diane's home yesterday. I was sitting there and saw Grandaddy's hand-carved chain with the fully functional swivel. I remembered that I had found an old photo of Grandaddy and had repaired it digitally. Thought I'd share it with those of you who would appreciate it. So here is a photo of his chain and of him sharpening saws in front of the old shop in Livingston Texas.

Every summer when we stayed with Grandaddy and Grandmother, I can remember a several things very distinctly. The smell of the shop and the house, the cane patch, the fig trees, Grandaddy sipping coffee from an overflowed saucer and that laugh, his prayer at meals, Grandmother's snuff cornered mouth and her jolly laugh, the quietness of their house at night with the lights of the passing cars on Hwy. 146 streaking across the front bedroom, the sting of that leather strap, and Grandaddy sitting in front of that shop filing saws. 

This is the chain with a working swivel joint. It doesn't look that perfect until you compare the links. It is pretty amazing that he could whittle like that. Something to shoot for!

The Walters Thanksgiving at Diane's

This year, Diane wanted to have Thanksgiving at her newly remodeled home. All 50+ of us showed up in the rain at Diane's and it was grand! Unfortunately, this year the Larry Walters family couldn't make it due to a beach outing (it was 45 and raining:-) with the Crawford Family. Sorry Larry you had to be at the beach in such horrible weather. Anyway, we had a great time and no doubt some of the finest home-cooked food on earth. Someone even used Mimi's plain cake recipe and did a fine job. I had two pieces.

Sue and Diane working in the kitchen. They get it honestly. Mother would have been in there with them if she were still with us. Not sure what Sue was doing, but Diane was working on doubling the Chicken-N-Dumpling batch to accommodate the hungry hoards awaiting the feast.

Keith and Cary Castleberry and John Dial. Probably trying to figure out how to swipe a coconut pie from the dessert bar.

Me, Sue, Diane and Llewel. If Larry had been there, he'd have to poke his head between Sue and Diane. We pretty much fill out the photo:-) We all had a great time together and enjoyed ourselves with family fellowship. We'll do it again Christmas.

Thanksgiving at Go Away with the Sumrall Family

Thursday, the Sumrall family met for Thanksgiving at Go Away. We had traditional Thanksgiving fair with Mikki providing the dressing. It was fabulous! The Turducken was wonderful as well. Wayne and his family came up later in the afternoon and spent the evening. On Friday, we all went over in caravan to Homestead Heritage to their Crafts & Children's Festival. Very cold but a good time. The only family that didn't get to go to Homestead were David, Preston and Gay Cale. They were rewarded with a prize bass out of the small swim lake. Check it out!Caroline and Jack at Homestead Heritage. Very cold day!

Galen with the Hahn Firetruck that he and Mikki donated to Homestead Heritage recently. After 21 years of sitting patiently in a warehouse and over 8 years since being started (best I recall), Andrew from Homestead's Garage added a little gas to the carburetor, one new battery and a booster on the second one, and it fired right up. They drove it on the trailer. Since getting to its new home she has new brakes and a bath and was out dressed for show. Its in good hands with Shahar Yarden and his competent team at Homestead's Garage.

Kevin Sumrall was accompanied by Lauren Gibson, his girlfriend. 

David caught this largemouth bass in the small swim lake on an earthworm! Even though it looks like about a 4 lb bass up to David, its actually about 8 lbs+.
David got Preston to hold it so he could add some much needed dimension to the same fish. Preston gave it a good frame of reference so you could see just how large it really is. Looked like a 4 lb'er up to David:-)

Brody, Caroline & Jack

At the Pastors Retreat and Dedication, our kids came up and brought the babies. We wanted them all there if they could possibly make it happen. These photos are from Friday and Saturday.  

Caroline and Brody are growing up too fast.... 

Jack is getting so much character now! He is Jonathan made over but looks like some Walters' is showing through:-)

Playing and singing at Granny's

When Allen Wayne Shirley passed away, we all gathered at Granny and Millards for a small memorial service. We gathered around the piano and sang hymns. Caroline loved that piano. Maybe there's a pianist in there somewhere. Four generations in this photo.

Citrus at Go Away doing well!

Isidro brought us an orange bush a couple years ago and this year it has 7 very large oranges ripening at this very time. They are huge and beauties! In my orchard class a few weeks back at Homestead Heritage I learned that we are on the borderline for citrus. Sure enough! The first time we've ever had citrus at Go Away Farm.

Halloween 2007 was a Treat!

This year we had our Trunk-or-Treat at church. There were about 15 or so cars that had their trunks decorated for Halloween. The place was swamped with people. Lots of fun for the kids. Bicycle give away's and lots of free food. No problem drawing a crowd:-)

Amber & Bryan with Brody and Caroline.

Mikki was a pirate and had her Suburban fully decorated with pirate character, Black Bill and Hillary and all their booty!

Caroline was a prisoner with a teardrop tattoo. Brody was the police officer with the night-stick and walkee talkee. So cute!

Amber and Molly tried to find a pumpkin patch. After failing miserably, they created their own in Amber's front yard. Caroline and Jack (as a cow) in the pumpkin patch.

Brody in the pumpkin patch.

Molly and Jack at Molly's "ring-toss" trunk.