Sweet Appalachian Memories.....

I have a million different ideas in my head that I someday want to paint.  It's funny, though, that I can't paint something unless it's time for that painting to exist.  I know that sounds bizarre.  But, to my crazy little mind, it makes perfect sense.

What needs to be painted, right now, is all the memories in my head.  And my head, lately, seems to go back to Kentucky quite often.  It's where I grew up.  We left when I was 11 but when I think of my childhood, I have virtually no memories of Hampton, VA where we moved to......not of my childhood, anyway.  All memories are of that beautiful home in the Appalachian mountains.  When time was really simple and easy.  

My family was never poor but we definitely struggled a little for a time when my father was out of work.  It was stressful for my parents but I found my solace in the mountains......and climbing trees.....and swimming in the river......and playing on the swinging bridge that crossed 20 feet above the river.......and putting pennies on the train tracks for the train to come by and smash......and catching tadpoles and keeping them in mason jars until they grew legs........and 'catching' green slime in the creek bed.......and a host of other wonderful things a kid with no agenda could do.

I remember waking up at 6:00 a.m. sometimes hearing my uncle singing songs while walking down the train tracks, black as night, still dressed in his coal mining garb.  I think he was probably drunk but I didn't know that at the time.  I just thought he was happy.  I was happy so I thought everyone was.  Doesn't everyone sing when they are happy?  

I went to a million church picnics in the mountains.  I loved them.  They were a real highlight.  Our little baptist church only had about 70 members so I knew everyone.  There was no one I couldn't go up to who didn't know who my parents were.....and knew my name.....and cared for me....and asked, 'now, Krissy, have you eaten?  Go git yourself something to eat!'

When I think of Kentucky, I breathe a little easier.  It relaxes me.  It reminds me of that wonderful time when I had no responsibilities and my only real plan on Saturday was to bathe early enough so I can be in front of the t.v. in time to catch 'The Dukes of Hazard' at 8:00.

Life is so different now.  It's wonderful, don't get me wrong.  But, its fabulous to ponder upon those magical memories of having few things I HAD to do and instead, waking up and thinking, 'What do I WANT to do today?'

Oh, I hope I can give my kids that same kind of childhood, even though there are no mountains to climb in Davidson and no river to swim in (we do have Lake Norman......but it's super gross).  I hope my kids can look back on the childhood they have been given and breathe a sigh of relief in it's memories.  I hope they can look back on mine and Kevin's parenting and know we did the best we could......and we loved them.......and we didn't give them too much to worry or wonder about.

I hope they remember having no real plan on Saturday morning except to wake up and think, 'What do I want to do today?'  

And I hope I get a chance to introduce them to Bo and Luke Duke, even though I now can see how super cheesy that show really is.

And I hope they never want to wear Daisy Dukes.  Yikes.

'Church Picnic' by Kristen Feighery.