Wednesday, July 30, 2008

GOING SWIMMING IN THE CREEK















PAINTING BY STEVE ATKINS
When I was about eight or nine years old, my sister and I would sneak off into the woods and go swimming in the creek behind our house. Well, I didn't actually swim, I was afraid of the water but I carried my inner tube and floated on that. The boys ruled this place. They had rope hanging from a tree and would swing out over the water and drop off, splashing all of us. We thought they were so brave, we never complained.

We were told over and over again not to go but the minute the grown ups had their attention on something else, away we went. It was probably about a mile from our home and this was in the days before parents panicked when their child was missing. They just waited on us, mad as a hornet. Mama would switch our legs with a small limb from a tree. She even let us get it ourselves, so of course we got the thinnest one we could find. I know now, that one hurt more than a large one would have. We didn't have our little lives destroyed by a spanking. We thought we deserved it for disobeying our parents. They whipped us, we got over it and all was well.

The last time I remember going, we stopped off to pick some blackberries on the way home. That is when the big disaster happened. My sister reached in and grabbed a yellow jacket nest. She was covered with those stinging things. She ran screaming to the house. Mama saw her coming and got a washtub, filled it with all the kerosene she had and stuck my sister in it. She finally stopped screaming quite so loud but she was in pain for quite a while after that. I don't recommend this treatment because I don't have any idea what it was supposed to do. It must have worked though because she was back to normal pretty soon. We didn't sneak away for the rest of that summer.

13 comments:

Patti said...

cute story of a bygone era!

P.S. I like the cartoon on Monday's post.

Melissa said...

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch....

I sometimes wish we didn't go so nervous when our kids disappeared - I think we hang on too tight these days.

Nola said...

We didn't have a creek, we just swam in the tank where the cows drank. It was all muddy, and there were crawdads all on the bottom. yuk!
About those switches, if memory serves me correctly, peach tree switches stung the worst.

Jamie Dawn said...

We used to have to pick a switch too, also, as well.
I didn't get many spankings/switchings, but when I did, I knew not to do whatever I did again!
I grew up a city girl, so country living has always appealed to me. I love creeks and lots of trees. I grew up in CA and lived there most of my life. We moved to AR three years ago, and it is to pretty here. We live near a creek. Yippeee!
Very nice post. I enjoyed reading it.

CurtissAnn said...

What a great story-- and lovely memories of a happy childhood. You are blessed. Thanks for sharing.

Eve said...

Here you go JD..

Sweet tea ready, steak medium and sour cream for the baked potato. I have you cookies made from scratch and 100 per cent fat whole milk...thought I'd forget, didn't you? LOL

Liz Harrell said...

I grew up swimming in a creek too... nothing else like it. Until you step on a crawdad... ew. :)

Anonymous said...

What a lovely blog i really enjoyed it thank you .Angie

Donna said...

Ooooh!!! What a horrible way to learn a lesson!!! I wouldn't have left my Room for the Summer!!!lolo...Happy night Sweetie!hughugs

MSM said...

I love that painting; but that yellow jacket story is wretched!

Your mom sounds so competent and level-headed though; I would probably faint and be no help if my child showed up stung like that!!

Dawn said...

My hubby had to get his switch. Course, he chose the most brittle one, then got in trouble for that! When he was old enough they fined him money...it worked better.
Your poor sister, my son came down the hill in our back yard with 4 stings. Stepped on a bramble with a nest. That was enough!!! He could only slap himself so many times.

StitchinByTheLake said...

Oh my goodness I have fallen totally in love with your blog! I think we might be sisters. :) I remember too well switches on my behind when I needed it, Sunday drives to look at the crops (my dad sold farm equipment) and I loved what you had to say about blogs in general. I'll be back to visit you often. Blessings, marlene

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