Isn't is amazing how it seems our every day, same old thing life just isn't worth talking about? It isn't newsworthy. We are either celebrating our up, up, ups...soaring with something exciting and special in our lives, or, we are walking around with our jaw dragging the ground, moaning and groaning about our heavy loads....sigh....
What about the middle? You know, that "hey God, thanks for letting me wake up this morning....thanks for the air I breathe and the food I eat...thanks for the sun that shines and the grass that grows, the birds and bees, and the rivers that flow. Thanks some more for letting me watch my children grow and for a family that loves me so. We see a beautiful life every, every day, that beautiful life is wrapped up in the common, mundane things of everyday living.
The Ups are wonderful and the Downs can be very stressful, but the Middle....that's where we find peace, comfort, security, happiness.....and on and on.....That's where we find who we are, that's where we're comfortable being who we are....
So, Lord I pray, always keep me in the middle of life's road.
Your Friend,
Mary
<: ))><
~But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
♪ ♫ The Background Music of My Life ♫ ♪
Hello again !
As most of you who read this blog know, I am married to a "guitar picker," but he's more than that, his music has been the background of my life for 50 years ! ! For our first date he took me to a party, set me in a corner, and preceded to "pick and grin." (I grinned back) As a young girl of 16 I was very impressed, didn't mind that corner at all because I was so mesmerized by his music. Now, I must say that was at 16, by the age of 26 it was a whole different story. "Would you put that guitar down, I need help with the kids....hey you, would you put that guitar down, the car needs gas"....I think you get the picture! When 36 came along the kids were older and it was party time. By then he was playing in bands and the weekends were spent with him on a bandstand and I at the "band table" with the other "music widows." Another 10 years and I'm now 46...and we are what is known as "empty nesters." Dean now headlines in his own music room and his music is even more beautiful. And now it's 20 years later and I know.....
When something has always been a part of your life you sometimes fail to recognize it's there. During these years, I have had the pleasure to hear beautiful music in the background of my life. Didn't matter if it was cleaning house, cooking a meal or just relaxing at home, his music has serenaded me and given me a sense of comfort. From Johnny Cash and Chet Atkins, to Lara's Theme, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Mr. Sandman, What a Friend We Have in Jesus and many many more, they have all been my life's melody.
Thank You Lord for setting this in motion all those years ago.
* * * * * * *
By the way, I have had my coffee this morning...tried the Sugar and Spice...ugh...sounds good, certainly not for me. My Gingerbread Latte is still at the top of my list. Have you tried it yet?
Have a great day,
Until next time,
Your Friend,
Mary
As most of you who read this blog know, I am married to a "guitar picker," but he's more than that, his music has been the background of my life for 50 years ! ! For our first date he took me to a party, set me in a corner, and preceded to "pick and grin." (I grinned back) As a young girl of 16 I was very impressed, didn't mind that corner at all because I was so mesmerized by his music. Now, I must say that was at 16, by the age of 26 it was a whole different story. "Would you put that guitar down, I need help with the kids....hey you, would you put that guitar down, the car needs gas"....I think you get the picture! When 36 came along the kids were older and it was party time. By then he was playing in bands and the weekends were spent with him on a bandstand and I at the "band table" with the other "music widows." Another 10 years and I'm now 46...and we are what is known as "empty nesters." Dean now headlines in his own music room and his music is even more beautiful. And now it's 20 years later and I know.....
When something has always been a part of your life you sometimes fail to recognize it's there. During these years, I have had the pleasure to hear beautiful music in the background of my life. Didn't matter if it was cleaning house, cooking a meal or just relaxing at home, his music has serenaded me and given me a sense of comfort. From Johnny Cash and Chet Atkins, to Lara's Theme, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Mr. Sandman, What a Friend We Have in Jesus and many many more, they have all been my life's melody.
Thank You Lord for setting this in motion all those years ago.
* * * * * * *
By the way, I have had my coffee this morning...tried the Sugar and Spice...ugh...sounds good, certainly not for me. My Gingerbread Latte is still at the top of my list. Have you tried it yet?
Have a great day,
Until next time,
Your Friend,
Mary
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
More from Uncle Billy
Today we will find how Uncle Billy made his journey to Lacy's Fort and safety...
When night came, the women started for Lacy's Fort, traveling as best they could, as they had to leave the path often on account of Indians coming up all through the night. There was on serious drawback to them, one that might have proven fatal to them at any time. They had an infant one year old and a small dog, the cry or bark of the other would have been fatal, but it seems that both knew there was something wrong for, when they would stop, the dog would hover under their skirts like he was trying to keep out of danger. In starting, they didn't know what to do with the dog, they could not leave it, and didn't have the heart to kill it, not anything to kill it with.
The third day, in the morning, as they had been without anything to eat, they concluded they should travel by day (they had been hiding in the day-time) they had not gone far, when they heard a noise behind them; they turned and there was an Indian with his gun to his shoulder ready to shoot. As some of the women screamed, he ran up and showed them there was no powder in the pan (all guns were flint and steel then.) The path forked at that place and the Indian wanted them to turn to the left, a dimmer path; they refused to at first. (He could not speak English and had to use signs.) As they would not go, he got in the trail ahead of them and loaded his gun. They concluded it was death anyway, so started his way. They had not gone far before they came to an Indian hut and about 200 painted Indians. They were killing a beef.
There were carried into the hut and given something to eat, the first they had in 48 hours. They sent off for an interpreter, and when he came, he told them they were safe. Had the women gone one-half mile further, we would all have been killed, as the Indians in the town ahead were on the warpath.
They were kept there until the next morning, when they were furnished horses and sent on to Fort Lacy. They came very near being shot at the Fort, as it was night when they reached there, and all were excited. They were hailed three times, finally they answered "Women from Saline" just in time to save themselves.
* * * * *
Uncle Billy, who was only one at the time, remained in Cherokee County and died at the age of 81. He is not buried at the Killough Monument but at the Larissa Cemetery, just a short distance away. He served the Confederacy in Granbury's Texas Brigade, 17th Texas Dismounted Calvary seeing action in the Battle of Arkansas Post, Chickamauga, Ringgold Gap and Tunnel Hill.
My GGG Uncle Nathaniel, who also escaped the Massacre, joined the expedition that was sent in pursuit of the Indians and was wounded in the Battle of Kickapoo. He later led a detachment to search for the bodies of his kinsman. He went on to become president of Larissa College, which is the ancestor to Trinity College, now in San Antonio, Texas. With other Killoughs he helped establish the local Presbyterian Church and Masonic Lodge of Cherokee County.
My GG Grandmother, Narcissa, returned to her home state of South Carolina, where she met and married John Reed Sammons. They had 7 children and eventually settled in McGregor, Texas.
Hope you have enjoyed my little piece of family history....There are many sites online about the Killough Massacre, what I shared came directly from the hand of Uncle Billy himself....
Until next time,
Your Friend
Mary
When night came, the women started for Lacy's Fort, traveling as best they could, as they had to leave the path often on account of Indians coming up all through the night. There was on serious drawback to them, one that might have proven fatal to them at any time. They had an infant one year old and a small dog, the cry or bark of the other would have been fatal, but it seems that both knew there was something wrong for, when they would stop, the dog would hover under their skirts like he was trying to keep out of danger. In starting, they didn't know what to do with the dog, they could not leave it, and didn't have the heart to kill it, not anything to kill it with.
The third day, in the morning, as they had been without anything to eat, they concluded they should travel by day (they had been hiding in the day-time) they had not gone far, when they heard a noise behind them; they turned and there was an Indian with his gun to his shoulder ready to shoot. As some of the women screamed, he ran up and showed them there was no powder in the pan (all guns were flint and steel then.) The path forked at that place and the Indian wanted them to turn to the left, a dimmer path; they refused to at first. (He could not speak English and had to use signs.) As they would not go, he got in the trail ahead of them and loaded his gun. They concluded it was death anyway, so started his way. They had not gone far before they came to an Indian hut and about 200 painted Indians. They were killing a beef.
There were carried into the hut and given something to eat, the first they had in 48 hours. They sent off for an interpreter, and when he came, he told them they were safe. Had the women gone one-half mile further, we would all have been killed, as the Indians in the town ahead were on the warpath.
They were kept there until the next morning, when they were furnished horses and sent on to Fort Lacy. They came very near being shot at the Fort, as it was night when they reached there, and all were excited. They were hailed three times, finally they answered "Women from Saline" just in time to save themselves.
* * * * *
Uncle Billy, who was only one at the time, remained in Cherokee County and died at the age of 81. He is not buried at the Killough Monument but at the Larissa Cemetery, just a short distance away. He served the Confederacy in Granbury's Texas Brigade, 17th Texas Dismounted Calvary seeing action in the Battle of Arkansas Post, Chickamauga, Ringgold Gap and Tunnel Hill.
My GGG Uncle Nathaniel, who also escaped the Massacre, joined the expedition that was sent in pursuit of the Indians and was wounded in the Battle of Kickapoo. He later led a detachment to search for the bodies of his kinsman. He went on to become president of Larissa College, which is the ancestor to Trinity College, now in San Antonio, Texas. With other Killoughs he helped establish the local Presbyterian Church and Masonic Lodge of Cherokee County.
My GG Grandmother, Narcissa, returned to her home state of South Carolina, where she met and married John Reed Sammons. They had 7 children and eventually settled in McGregor, Texas.
Hope you have enjoyed my little piece of family history....There are many sites online about the Killough Massacre, what I shared came directly from the hand of Uncle Billy himself....
Until next time,
Your Friend
Mary
Monday, November 15, 2010
Uncle Billy
Hello...
So glad you're here. Today is picture day, hope you enjoy.
Uncle Billy is sitting on a stump from a cedar tree he had planted many
years before.
W. B. Killough
"Child of the Massacre"
"And, as a hare whom horns and hound pursue,
Pants to the place from whence at first he flew."
Uncle Billy's Fiddle
The Killough Monument
Old Larissa, Texas
Picture Taken
September 1998
I am so sorry to say maintenance of the grounds has become an impossible job.
Because it is so remote young people go there at night and drink, do drugs and party.
They break beer bottles and leave litter strewn.
They have pulled down the chain link fence
and continually push over the marble marker at the entrance.
The care of the monument has been the responsibility of
family members for many years, but the job is getting to be
very expensive and time consuming.
It's a very sad situation.
I hope to finish Uncle Billy's story in my next post..
So glad you stopped by, hope to see you again.
Your Friend,
Mary
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