Bonnie Lou Cochran
Growing up in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the 50''s was quite a challenge at times, Growing enough food to feed the family and farm animals was hard work, yet rewarding. We not only grew enough food to feed us during the summer, but had to “put up” enough to get us through the long cold winter. We made some of our clothes as well as the mops and brooms used for house cleaning.
Public jobs were scarce so other means of making a few dollars ranged from cutting pulp wood to catching spring lizards.
Times were tough but love for each other and faith in God “saw us through”.
The names mentioned in this book are those I remember as a child growing up in the Needmore/Hightower Community back in the fifties. I feel honored to have been acquainted with these wonderful people. You have heard the saying “It takes a community to raise a child”. This is true.
Trusting God came natural for my mother. She taught me to have faith at a very early age. That faith kept our family through many hard times. At times our mere existence depended upon it.
Growing our own food and “putting it up” for the winter was our way of life. We also learned to identify foods found in the “wild” and depended upon them to increase our food supply.
Some of the methods and recipes are included in this book.
If you asked Bonnie Cochran what is most important in her life, her answer would be , first God then family and friends. This is the first book written by Bonnie. She is presently working on two other books. On Wings of Faith (miracles happening to ordinary people) and We Laugh at the Funniest Things (true life experiences.) Bonnie is a retired L.P.N. She is active in her Church and involved in mission work including disaster relief. She has made several trips to the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina hit. Other interests include Grandchildren, sewing, crafts and gardening
DADDY KNOWS BEST
My little brother Charles was about six or seven years old when someone gave Daddy a tricycle to take home to Charles. All Charles ever had was what was left of the tricycle that me and Marvin had fought over many times. Charles was so proud of his “new old” trike.
Charles was inseparable from that trike. He was on it constantly riding everywhere he went. His legs were working really hard to give his butt a ride.
Daddy was going to go up in the woods to cut some firewood and the boys had to go with him. Charles got that trike headed toward the pasture, peddling away. Daddy said “son leave that thing here, you will get it torn up in the woods” Charles said no, I will be real careful I won’t tear it up. Daddy said “you had better leave it like I said.” Charles had a mind of his own; He had no intentions of leaving the tricycle to the hands of Linda and Ann.
Charles was peddling as fast as his legs could go. The pasture got steeper the farther you went. It was straight up farther on. Charles rode as far as he could and then he pushed the trike the rest of the way to the woods. Daddy was firm this time; he made Charles leave the trike at the edge of the woods.
The men folk worked a few hours rounding up and cutting some wood. On the way back Charles ran on ahead and jumped on the tricycle and headed it in the direction of home. He did not have to peddle. It was straight down hill. The trike rolled on its own. The farther, the faster. Charles was just “going with the wind”.
