Remembering...

When you look at this picture, you see a sunrise coming up behind 3 big oak trees. You see an old run down ranch house, that might have been a house to someone back in the day. The land is dry, obviously nobody is taking care of it.
When I look at this picture, I see more. I will share with you what I see and feel.
I see that before you even come down to that old ranch house, you drive down a long road after exiting the freeway. I am starting to feel the anticipation of "We are almost there!!" I am in a 10 year olds body. 
One final hill...There It Is!  We are there!  We are there!
See that little ditch that we are about to cross?  That is the ditch I like to swim in.
Over the cattle guard...giggle giggle...that tickles my bottom! :)  HA!  Right beside the cattle guard, thats the cattle truck.  It is pretty old!
See the oak tree in the middle? (It might look like the right oak tree, but there is one more right behind it that you can barely see.)    That is where all the tack and the extra fridge is kept.  Sometimes I like to sneak out to the extra fridge...shhhh!  We drive in and the cars basically circle around the middle oak.  Yeehaw!!  Cousins are here!!  We only have 2 cousins...but...YEEHAW!! :)
Looks like everyone is out past the house.  Just on the backside, is where we will get together.  There is a tire swing back there.   Pretty soon we will all be eating watermelon and having seed spitting contests!
Into the house we go first...we go to the left side of the house (that you see in the picture).  That is the kitchen.  As you enter, you walk passed the old wood stove.   Kind of loud.  Yes...I have a loud family. 
"All Kids OUTSIDE!" , is what we soon hear.  
Gonna take a drive!  Hop in the back of the white truck...going fishin' up at the pond!  
"Duck!!"  Whew almost got swiped by that big oak branch!!  Grandad is driving...I love the feel of the wind as it blows in my face..."Duck again!!"
After fishing, we go back to the house.  Going to go out and see Old Whitey...feed him a carrot or two.  OUCH!  He bit me!  
We are going to head out to the corral for awhile.  Going to take a look at the cows.  See that water trough right beside the corral?  I like to run my hands in that trough.  Nobody cares.  See that cow pie?  Don't really mind if I walk right through it!!  :)  Won't be branding or butchering this time...maybe next time.
Well, looks like lunch is ready soon...better get on back.  Time to shuck the corn.
As always...a great meal!  Watermelon will be out soon!  
The kids are going to play "Annie Annie Oxen Free"...(Not sure if that is the real name...but that is what I remember.)  A few kids on one side of the house, and a few kids on the other side of the house, and we throw a ball back and forth over the house.  Don't remember the rules or how to play...just remember playing!
Woohoo!  Time for WATERMELON!  Everyone goes out behind the house.   We talk.  We laugh.  We yell.  Old friends come.  Family is family.
Kids are silly.  Sometimes we fight.  Adults are having a great time.  Sometimes they argue...but nothing serious.  It's all in good fun.
Time to get going.
Can't wait to come back!! 
Goodbye!  Goodbye!
Circle around the oaks.
Drive over the cattle guard.  (Tickles again...:)
Up that road, and onto the freeway.


I remember. 
That is what I see when I look at that picture.  It is sad to look at...and sad to see what once was, is now gone.  But really...is it gone?  Aren't we the people we have become because of what we once lived?
I didn't grow up in that house.  But when I hear the song by Miranda Lambert..."The House That Built Me"...(This is the first song that plays on my blog when you come here...)...I think of this house.  These memories to me...are the best memories.
I remember.
 In my eyes...the eyes of a child...this was the BEST place to ever be!

(Painting by Buck McCain)

R....is for Remembering.  Hope on over the Jenny's place to see who else is playing in Alphe-bet Thursday...
http://www.jennymatlock.blogspot.com/