Today as I was driving back from Hilham I passed by a road all too familiar to me. The road that runs alongside my dear Flat Creek where I was raised. It was a beautiful sunny day outside and before I knew it my car had turned left onto that dear road that I knew so well. First memory that came across as I passed it was the baptizing hole where many a saved soul had come up out of that water a new born baby in Christ.

Next thing I noticed was the road was chip and oiled and no longer the dusty gravel that I had remembered so well while racing my pony alongside my siblings and trying to keep from eating their dust.

A few short turns later I remember the billy goat that had escaped from our farm and was chased down by Daddy and us in that little Datsun car. Daddy grabbed that goat and pitched him right in the back seat floor board right along side us as we headed home. I remember feeling all up close and personal with that goat with his wild eyes and long stringy beard giving me the stare down.

A few feet from there was our car washing spot where the creek crossed the road and we’d pull right in the middle of that water and everybody would  jump out and hand wash our car on those hot summer days. I was so disappointed to see that the road was now built up and the creek ran under the road…. no more showing this spot off to my grandkids.

I soon passed the home of Dude Gilpatrick and remembered how my siblings and I had dammed up the creek in his cow pasture to make us one fine swimming hole and how he came and gently scolded us and told us that his cows needed that water. He wasn’t mean about it and didn’t even tell Mama and Daddy. We soon put all the rocks back like we found them and the water began flowing again.

On up the road from there I remember the time my brother and I rode our horses off the beaten path up in the hillside and happened on what later in life we realized was a still. We wondered at the time what all the raucous was about and why the men chased us away.

Down at the foot of that hill was where my sister and I hid behind a big fallen tree with our knapsack kerchiefs tied to sticks the time we decided to run away from home. Mama and Daddy drove back and forth yelling our names and we heard them but never answered. We needed our butts busted!

As I pulled out on to Upper Hilham road there was Flat Creek bridge where my brother and I used bacon as bait when we fished from that bridge.

I drove on and I was almost to our farm. Everything looked so different and much smaller than I remembered. Where was the pond where my pony decided to lay down with me instead of drink? Oh, there it is! I thought for a minute it had dried up.

The next stop was our driveway and I had to get out and take that picture. That long winding road that led to the happiest place on earth and the place that made me into the person I am today.

Young parents we had who played with us like big kids. My siblings and I were so blessed to be raised the way that we were. We worked hard but we played hard too. We had every kind of animal you could think of and all our friends that came to visit never wanted to leave.

Today was such a good day of remembrance for me and I just wanted to share it all with you.