Some of my Mom Memories

I made homemade vegetable soup yesterday and that made me think of Mom. The summer/fall days spent cutting corn off the cob, chopping cabbage, shredding carrots, and the lists goes on. Mom also cooked ground beef and included in the last soup fixings she made. The time devoted to this chore was enormous, but the result can never be duplicated, yet my soup made me think of Mom.

Another “chop job” Mom and I did together was sauerkraut. Lord, my first memory was taking evaporated milk cans, heating one end over a gas burner and prying off the lid. This became the kraut chopper. It took so much time and energy to chop enough cabbage to fill a dozen jars, but it was worth it. Pushing cabbage into (preferaby wide mouth jars), adding 1 T salt, filling w/boiling water, and inserting a case knife, wriggling it around to make the water get to the bottom, wiping jar clean and sealing. Now my biggest fan is my brother-in-law, Pat Sorge. It’s easier to make now, but still takes time, but I always try to keep kraut supplied for Pat.

I make some pretty good fried chicken in the skillet, oven, or on the grill, but I have never been able to make it like Mom. (Marnee named my chicken “killer chicken”, what a compliment!) One thing Mom always wanted me to make for her was fried chicken livers. (Now that was the ultimate compliment!)

Speaking of chicken…when I bought my little farm in 1990, I was gifted by a local farmer, 245 chicks and 5 turkeys. Oh my goodness, that’s a lot of birds! Initially they were free range birds. I’d come hom from work and this brood came running down from the barnyard because they “knew” it was feeding time. (I wish I had a movie camera but I don’t think I’ll ever that sight!) The point of this story is that there were lots of chickens/roosters that had to go by that fall. Mom was the teacher of killing chickens. After we caught the chickens, she’d take the bird by the neck, swing it around, put the head under her foot, and pull the head off. All of us got into the act and I must say it was so funny to watch those birds flop around with no heads. We killed, boiled, plucked, and froze about 100 that day. Isn’t it amazing the memories that are burned into your mind!

That’s just a few of my wonderful memories of my Mom!

Larry’s Birth

Larry Lee Cox born January 12, 1949. Robert and Goldie’s 5th child and 3rd son was born in Paintsville, Kentucky at home.

I remember that day. Me and Shirley were locked in a bedroom beside the room Mommy was in. We were four and five years old. The midwife was in the room with Mommy. Of course we could hear some “goings on”. We tried to peek through the keyhole. I remember seeing the bed and Mommy in the bed, but couldn’t see anything else. Then I remember the Midwife coming to the door and letting us see the baby and Mommy. I can’t remember if Daddy was there or where Carl and Tommy were. Maybe, they were in school. Maybe Tommy will remember this.

More Pictures

Goldie standing next to Lundy's coffin June 24, 1973

Woodie, Wathalene, Danielle, & Woodena (Danielle's graduation May 2004)

Woodie, Danielle, Donald Ray (Woodena's husband) at Danielle's graduation 2004

Rick, Kaitlyn, & Wathalene (Woodena's son-in-law, granddaughter, and daughter) — Rick, Kaitlyn, & Wathalene (Woodena's son-in-law, granddaughter, & daughter) 2008

Woodena & Kaitlyn (Woodena's granddaughter) Aug. 2008

Danielle & Kaitlyn (Woodena's daughter & granddaughter) Aug. 2008

pat on mrs goldie

I will never forget meeting mrs goldie. I was very nervous the whole way from south carolina, to ohio, but gary kept telling me what a crazy wounderful family he had, and how they would all like me. mrs goldie gave up her bed to us, and in the morning very earley she went to marthas house to be with marney. ABOUT seven she called gary and said for us to get up and to make sure i made up that bed.I knew right then this lady was going to be one of my favorite people,

Happy Birthday to Vickie and Larry on January 12

Larry – born 1949! Oh My Goodness!

He can’t be the BIG 60!

Then there is Little Vickie born in 1954.

She can’t be 55 – she is too little!!

Larry and Vickie sharing birthday in 1981

Hope you both have a Happy Birthday

no matter what in 2009!

Aren’t Memories Fun!

Larry about 2 years old

: Shirley, Mom, Myrtle, Bobby, Dad, Larry

This must be about 1954.

Mom, Vickie at 7 months, Bessie

Mom holding Vickie and Bessie's dog — Mom holding Vickie and Bessie's Pekingese

Clay Cantrell – Goldie’s Brother

Clay Cantrell- Mom's Brother — Clay Cantrell- Mom's (Goldie) Brother

Here is a picture of Clay Cantrell, in front of an ambulance. Don’t have any idea when or why. Wonder what relationship the ambulance played in his life.

Maybe we can locate Gwendolyn, his daughter. I do remember, when I was 10, I went on a trip with Gwen, Clay, and Janny, Clay’s wife. We drove to somebody’s house. I think it was Johnny Vanover’s mother and father’s house in Kentucky or it could have been Janny’s parents. Clay and Janny lived in Dayton. I remember Gwen was studying tap dancing and demonstrated her tap dancing. She even had her costume on. I thought that was pretty. I remember sitting on the porch and feeling so homesick.

I know Clay was shot. I don’t know the date nor for sure who shot him.