Almost Like Moving

You know those magazines that tell about home improvement, the ones women like to read? Well, my Dorothy is no exception. She got hold of one that show pictures of a dining room that was opened up to the foyer by removing a piece of the wall. And that put her mind to moving at supersonic speed. When she settled down and a plan was in place she called Cyrus and Dyrus Simmons, these twin boys that do renovation around here, for an estimate. And darn if they didn't make her a good price so we're in for a lot of work inside the big house. She wants doorways raised and that means new doors, walls cut out and that means moving air ducts and some wiring and of all things she wants the entry hall ceiling lowered (it's one of those that go all the way to the second floor ceiling) and a storage room built in the space over the new ceiling.

The money ain't the thing that bothers me and I can get by with the dust and noise of the work. It's the packing up and moving stuff that really irks me. All the paintings had to be taken down and gently moved to spare bedrooms. The drapes were moved and placed gingerly over the spare beds. Figurines, or whatever you call those little statues of people like Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, were wrapped in bubble-wrap and lowered carefully into packing boxes, All the furniture that could be moved was moved and the rest was covered up.

Now we're ready. Cyrus and Dyrus think they can finish before Thanksgiving. And I hope so. That will be one more thing to be thankful for.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

A Very Happy Man

One of the things we do at the Harper Barber Shop is get a haircut. But that's not the main reason men go there. A lot of people enjoy the camaraderie they share with the other fellows. Some go to get a few minutes away from their wives.

 Yesterday, Claypoole Hen was standing right outside the shop. His wife was with him and from what we could see through the plate glass window she was reading him the riot act. Her hands swept up and down and from side to side and her mouth was moving so fast it was just a blur to our vision.

After about fifteen minutes of this browbeating Claypoole came in the shop smiling to beat the band. Seems like he's always a happy guy. Frank Lee, the fellow I've told y'all about speaking his mind, said,
"Claypoole, tell me how you can be so happy after getting dressed down by that woman like that."

"Well," said Claypoole. "I've learned not to let it bother me and she seems to enjoy it so much."

Not a bad attitude if you ask me.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

Nothing Fuzzy About These Peaches

Ledbetter Marlowe had things stirred up again this morning. He came into the barbershop with about a dozen peaches he had fresh picked.

"Y'all got to taste these," he said. And he begun to hand out the biggest peaches we had seen this year. "Now I got to warn y'all you need to eat them leaning over a garbage can they is so juicy."

Wendell Wash wanted to take his home but Ledbetter insisted everybody try one on the spot.

And they were delicious, about as good as any I have ever tasted.

When all the compliments were passed out and all the partakers had cleaned their chins and were in the little state of comfort that comes after a satisfying treat, Herbert Blend spoke up. "How do you do it, Ledbetter. What do you do to produce such a fine peach?"

"Well, I reckon I might as well share my secret. Them peaches all come from the tree that I planted next to my outhouse."

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

Report on Hollis

Some people who are new readers of this little blog may not know just who Hollis is. Hollis is my great nephew. He is the one who first started this blog when he wanted to share some of the stories I tell around here. When I preform I use the dialect and voice of some of the old timers who are not necessarily a slave to the rules of proper grammar. Now, my wife, Dorothy, helps me post each day and is not keen on that method of communication. She was an English major in college, doncha know? But she will still let a few things slip by for the sake of emphasis and realism.

Hollis is a sophomore at the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss. His major is journalism, but his aim in life is to be a writer. Like so many southerners he wants to write the great American novel. I have read some of his work and feel he may just make it as a writer, particularly if he will be true to his creativity and not slant things toward the popular view.

Hollis has the ability and the right to post on this site and does so occasionally, mostly reviews of the books he is required to read in his studies. He has several lists of "best books ever written" and is making progress in reading them all.

God bless Hollis.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

Great Expectations (Hollis)

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Pip - file and a pie - convict Magwitch - jilted bride - decaying mansion - companion for Estella - secret benefactor - London gentleman - infatuation - return of Magwitch - fire - escape - resolution.
There was an original ending that was changed before publication. The outcome was not so rosy.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

Everything Has a Use

Mary Lou Rattenhoe, a woman who lives down the road, is one of those people who try to find a use for everything. She had this course in college that emphasized recycling and stuff like that and she brought home the philosophy of never letting anything go to waste. For the most part I agree with her but with all the good this brings there are also consequences to be considered. Early this year we had a lot of rain and the grass grew quickly and needed to be cut often. Biff, Mary Lou's husband, had a lawnmower breakdown and the part he needed to fix it was a long time coming. So their yard and field grew waist high during the wait. The result was a ton of grass clippings to be disposed of. Mary Lou got the idea that the grass would be good to feed to their horses. Not a good idea. I wish she would have asked me before she tried this. I have heard of people feeding grass to their horses but only after it is dried correctly. Correctly is the operative word here because grass can rot quickly. There is a great danger of giving a horse colic when the grass is not dry enough or if the grass rots. Don't worry we spotted the symptoms and were able to treat the horses but not before they suffered needlessly.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle

Lake Song

One Sundays the lake comes forth with a different song. Things are quieter and the various sounds take on a more pronounced significance. I like to walk out on my dock and just stand and listen. A bird now and then adds a few shrill notes and leaves just enough silence between them to allow for anticipation of more. A fish now and then leaps and comes down kerplop to give tempo to the arrangement. The  hum of the power plant down the road is a constant and pleasing sound. Buzzing insects, the wind easing its way through summer branches, and the measured pumping of my oil well (just far enough away so as not to overwhelm the melody) all combine to form a near perfect harmony. I am transfixed by this Sunday tune.

Only the sweet voice of Dorothy calling me to lunch is enough to bring me out of my involvement in the music of the lake. A ham and cheese sandwich and a large sweet tea await.

Tales of Harper, short stories and poems about the fictional town of Harper, Mississippi is available on Amazon Kindle