Friday, March 3, 2017

Going Barefooted

Each spring Rondy Ledford (my father), looked forward to the jonquils blooming in the Matheson Cove.  That's when he and the young'uns could kick off their brogans and go barefooted!


"Ma, when I got a bucket of water at the spring this morning, I saw the jonquils coming up," said Rondy.  "Can I go barefooted?"


"No, son.  It's too early to pull off your shoes.  You young'uns would get the flu.  Wait until the flowers bloom."  She smiled and patted his curly black hair.


A joint groan came from Rondy, Reba, Ralph, Robert, Reuben, Robenia, and Rena.  Even baby Ray whined.


"Hush your moaning," said Ma.  "You boys go to the front porch.  Robert just got his barber's kit from Sears and Roebuck catalog."  She shooed them out the door with her apron.


"Ain't no way old Doe's going to cut my hair," yelled Reuben.  "He would scalp me."


Reuben took off to the outhouse with Rover howling at his heels.  Ralph and Rondy caught Reuben and dragged him to the "barber's chair."  He kicked and squealed as they held him.


Doe's razor hummed as he mowed off red hair.  It piled up on the porch like hay.  "Let me go, Doe!" pleaded Reuben.  At last he finished the hair cut.


Reuben looked at his reflection in the living room window.  "Oh, my Lord!" he hollered.  "I'll have to wear a toboggan the rest of my life.  I'm ruint!"


The other boys jumped back like rabbits from the "barber's chair."  But Pa gave them a stern look, and they reluctantly let ole Doe lower their ears.


That afternoon it got so warm the boys broke out sweating as they planted taters in the field.  They begged Pa to let them go barefooted.


"Don't tell Minnie," said Pa.  "You can go barefooted just this afternoon.  Careful and don't stump your toes.  You'll have to let Ma Minnie put some rags and Red Rose salve on them if you get hurt."


The boys peeled off their brogans and headed to Hyatt-Mill Creek.  Ralph climbed a sourwood tree and swung on a fox grape vine and splashed into the cold water.  The other boys grabbed vines and sailed like flying squirrels through the trees.


As the sun set like beet juice over Shewbird Mountain, the boys put on their brogans and trotted to the log cabin.  They never told Ma about their going barefooted that afternoon.


by:  Brenda Kay Ledford


I wish all my blogger friends a beautiful and peaceful spring!






14 comments:

Susie Swanson said...

I love this Brenda and it brings back so many good memories. I wish you and your mother a nice spring as well.

magnoliasntea said...

I loved your beautiful story, Brenda. It brought back lots of memories for me. I wore brogans in the wintertime and went barefoot in the warm weather. And oh, I loved swinging on grapevines with my brothers. Such fun.
Have a great weekend!
Toni

Connie said...

What a fun story, Brenda! Going barefooted was a celebration of the return of spring and warmer weather. Beautiful flowers in the photo. Hope you have a nice weekend.

lil red hen said...

I love this story, Brenda. It shows the closeness of brothers in a large family.

Henny Penny said...

Oh my, this reminded me so much of when I was young. Early early spring we would start begging mama to let us go barefooted. Usually, this happened while visiting our cousins that lived in the country near Seagrove. Getting tired of our begging, mama would say, well go ahead! and if you catch pneumonia, don't come running to me. We would wade in the cold spring water. Thank you for bringing back these memories!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

What wonderful memories, Brenda! Those first days of going barefoot were always a treat.

Anonymous said...

So nice of you to drop by the blog. I enjoyed your poem. Sweet memories and lovely photos of the jonquils.
God bless you this Spring.

Hootin Anni said...

Beautiful daffodils...
And one GREAT story. I go barefooted, so I really, really COULD feel their joy. And I'll keep the secret from Ma too.

Hill Top Post said...

A great little step back in time! Looking back, I now wonder why it was such a big deal to go barefooted, but it was! My mother always said, " If you go barefooted before May, they'll lay you in the clay."

Unknown said...

I really liked reading your beautiful post!!! So many nice memories you have:) Thanks for sharing.
Jessi

janet smart said...

What a wonderful story. We were never allowed to go barefoot until the first of May - then off came the shoes!

Glenda Beall said...

Love you story about the boys getting a haircut and going barefoot. Your pictures are just too beautiful. I look forward to your reading at Coffee with the Poets and writers on April 19. Hope all who can will drop by the Moss Library in Hayesville to hear you.

Eggs In My Pocket said...

I love your wonderful story! Your photos are so pretty. Are these flowers from your garden?

Hootin Anni said...

Going barefooted is my idea of bliss!