My SMITH side and my GRISSETT side has always rubbed against each other. SMITH side has the gift of laughing at ourselves, my GRISSETT side waits a bit. Both have good and not so good.
Example,
SMITH side could throw hissy fits on a regular basis. Smith hissy fits ease colic, dandruff, carbunckles, cough due to cold, festersores, lost dentures, or on one occassion a three day layover in Amarillo.. Just to name a few.
GRISSETT side, not so regular, but when it did, it was a fit to end all hissy's. Then a long grudgement took place.
Lawdhammercy, how they loved a good grudge.
SMITH side would come down with a case of winter doldrums, Grandma Minnie would boil some sassafras tea from fresh stripped off bark, force us to drink it down to strip off the linings of guts.
You were cured my friends, cured.
GRISSETT side would come down with a head cold, build up a liddard knot fire, call the family in for a vigil. All sat around Grandma's bed until everybody had told all about how bad the last bout was, tell things on each other, laugh themselves silly, go home exhausted, crawl into bed to rest themselves up.
" I think she's gonna be okay now ".
"Lord I hope so, the poor old thing does suffer".........
" But before y'all leave,
somebody know where the musterole salve is, I got stung hard by a wasp when I'es cleaning off cobwebs from round the rafters out there on the porch".
"Mama, musterole salve is for easing aches and joint pain".
" Find it, you think wasp don't cause pain"?
Maybe she just needed a visit from her children.
SMITH side would judge the hide off a rhinocerous and never feel guilty.
" You see how she wears her dress all hiked up"?
Smith women adjusted their hiked up dresses.
GRISSETT side would judge and make you agree without agreeing.
" Guess nobody gone bake a cake for dinner, I been thinking all week about a chocolate layer. "Folks jest don't seem to care about their mama much these days".
Grandma ate chocolate layer cake for supper.
Growing up I listened to table talk at home and away about the difference in my family's opinions on the other sides and all their doings. Feelings were hurt, words were spoken that imprinted on my heart. I loved both sides. They loved me back. That is what good Grandma's do.
Grandma SMITH took me on walks in the woods and fields to teach me things about nature and God's creatures. We picked blackberries from the fence rows, wild plums from the hollow, wild grapes from the tangles hanging from above. She taught me how to tell the difference between green or ripe persimmons. Wait until the frost falls on them and they become a bit soft and shriveled, otherwise you will have a puckered mouth for a long time. She taught me to be aware of my surroundings when I smelled a goat and there was no goats around.
Rattlesnake!
Move on with caution.
In her case, she moved big old iron rocks from the crumbling foundations of the homestead cribs and barns to find and kill that bad boy. I learned how to spit pretend snuff juice ( cocoa & sugar) by watching her. She could shoot a stream into the fireplace or off the front porch without a drop landing anywhere but her target.
I dribbled and slobbered my cocoa.
Grandma GRISSETT sat and talked with me about doings around the Barnett Crossroads. I learned who went shopping in Brewton for a new dress when the crops were in. She taught me how to fry a "runny" egg to mix into my plate of rice.
It was so good...............
She called me, "Shug". She was the only person who ever used the word "Shug" on me. I loved being her "Shug". She taught me how to sew on a button. She also taught me how to make a good pot of collards taste better. They are best after being frost nipped. If they haven't been, then put them into the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for a few hours, take 'em out to shred them up for the cooking. Cook collards in an iron dutch oven, season them with bacon grease, a bit of black pepper and salt, cook them on a slow simmer for several hours.
Manna from Heaven!
My SMITH side tanned my hide several times and hurt my feelings.
My GRISSETT side never moved the air from around me.
I loved them equally.
I find myself thinking about how I have both sides all balled up in my DNA and feel thankful for the good and not so good.
DNA will show up and show out.
