Friday, July 6, 2012

Aunt Minnie and the Chicken

When I was younger during the summer,  my cousin Cathy and I spent  a week at each other's houses.  It was my turn to go to the farm and the week was always so much fun.  The only place we were banned from was the barn.  We would play house on the ledge across the road, we would explore the old abandoned house down the road, or we would spend countless hours playing rummy at Aunt Minnie's kitchen table.  When Aunt Minnie wasn't planning or preparing meals, she was cleaning the house, and in her spare time she sewed.  Some say I get my sense of humor and out look on life from her.  We were alike in many ways.  Some of her favorite quotes were: " When people ask you how you are, just say 'fine' because they don't really care anyway!"  Another quote about getting women to the Christian Mother's meetings, " feed 'em, make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, and a door prize doesn't hurt."  She had a handle on human nature.... 
One such visit to the farm is one I will never forget as long as I live.  It's the 'Chicken Story'.  My cousins have heard it many times, and now I'm going to share it with you.



Aunt Minnie was not much of a driver, and after she moved the garage off its foundation trying to get the car in it, Uncle Archie resigned to the fact that he would take here wherever she needed to go.  My cousins' attended summer religion class two or three mornings a week.  The church was about a half mile from the farm.  It was haying season and Uncle Archie didn't have the time to stop what he was doing to take Jimmy and Cathy to the church.  On the mornings of religion class, Uncle Archie had the old green Studebaker parked in the yard.  All three of us kids piled in the car and off to the church we flew.  Aunt Minnie mastered keeping the car between the ditches, and  made it to the church without incident.  Even at six I knew enough to be scared!! She dropped my cousins off at church and we  again flew home.  When she sped around the corner to make it in the drive way, there was a chicken in the way.  She didn't even slow down, that poor chicken didn't have a chance.  She killed it dead.  I was horrified and remember it like it was yesterday.  After the car quit rocking when she slammed it in park, we got out; she scooped up the dead chicken and  brought its lifeless carcass in the house, boiled some water, cleaned it and put it in the refrigerator.    Later in the morning again I was put in the car, for a return trip to the church to pick up my cousins.   

We spent the afternoon playing, and when it was time for dinner, Uncle Archie lead the prayer, and Aunt Minnie served us a great big chicken dinner.  Needless to say, all I could eat were the mashed potatoes and gravy.  

She was one hellofa woman!!!   I miss you, your antics, and most of all your wisdom.  I will always love you Aunt Minnie.



Aunt Minnie is in the red dress, standing next to my mom (green dress) the
old Studebaker is on the left.




And that is the way it is........................................



15 comments:

  1. When we were kids, my grandparents would take us to Aunt Bessie farm in Georgia every summer...we picked tobacco in the early mornings and then on the walk home we always stopped at the gardens to pick what we wanted for lunch and supper...Tomato sandwiches and quilting on a frame that hung from the front porch ceiling are my best memories...
    Enjoy

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  2. Oh my what a wonderful story . Aren't country folk strange ? I was raised on a hobby farm and the things we did back then ,you wouldn't do now a days, people would think ya'll were
    nuts ! Well , I am still nuts and livin in the country I am a who cares what they think type of person , got that from my mum & dad . Have a good day !

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  3. OMG -- too funny! Do you still refrain from eating chicken? When I was five, I visited my uncle's farm in Michigan. I guess I ate things unknowingly as well!
    Peace,
    Muff

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  4. What a great story and I love the old photograph! Funny how those early childhood memories are engraved so clearly in our minds. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. That's a knee-slapper!!! Had to read that to "Uncle A."!!! LOVE it!

    She's the one in the red dress. Yup, she looks like a *pistol.* And you surely remember her, more than the quiet/staid aunts and relatives, too. -grin-

    ♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡
    "Into the shadow-white chamber
    silts the white Flux of another dawn..."


    ~~D. H. Lawrence
    ♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡*♡

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  6. cute story! We are having a family reunion soon and can't wait to sit around with everyone and exchange stories we all remember about our older aunts, uncles and grandparents!

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  7. She sounded absolutely delightful and fun to be around, except in the car of course. Were you the only one that day who "knew" how the chicken got on the plate?
    We has a Studebaker just like that only maroon.

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  8. Hi Muffy ....What a hoot of a story "chuckle-chuckle"
    I remember my Grandmother's driving "Oh-Ya" !!
    I don't blame you for not eating the chicken..poor thing *sigh!!
    Grace

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  9. Great story! I enjoyed it! She must have been a real special lady..especially if you are just like her! :)

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  10. What a fun memory - but baul biting at the time! I wouldn't have wanted to eat that chicken either. My Mom never mastered driving either. She too took out a garage and who knows what else before retiring from the driving world. Actually she quit in a huff.

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  11. she didn't waste the chicken...good for her! that's the way it was done in the country when I was growing up...if a chicken was struck while crossing the road...then it became dinner! Aunt Minnie sounds like quite the lady...I like the garage moving off the foundation...your uncle must have been quite a man!

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  12. Aunt Minnie was a quick thinker! :))

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