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Well, we made it to Frogville today on our way home. We arrived around 2:30. We called Uncle Thomas to let us in. Him and Luda arrived and told us to stop back by his place after we finished exploring Grandma and Grandpa's old farm. Now, it is no longer the farm it used to be by any means. The trailer has since burned to the ground many years ago. Thomas has leased a pasture out to someone with 40-50 head of cattle. It is so grown up though we only saw the cows when leaving and did not see that many.
We had a really great time. We looked at the spot where the trailer had been first. It is so weird to see it unkept and overgrown with just the bones of the trailer that once held all 7 children and all the grandchildren that came along and then great grandchildren. We had many a Christmas, Thanksgiving, and summer fun there. We played many Turkey bowls out in the pastures...our Super Bowl of sorts with all of us joining in; adults and kiddoes. We would all pile in that trailer for holidays and even sleep on the floor or one Christmas our own Suburban....=) It really was great times and I so much wanted my kids to know what it was like out there with my Grandma and Grandpa. They have probably 200 acres when we were younger but the Red River has since probably made it grow to 400 acres or so. The Red River backs up to the farm and it gives and takes away land as the years pass. Grandma maintained 2 gardens. One was probably 1/2 an acre and the large one was at least 1 acre...as I remember it. She grew everything!! She even had peach trees, pears, and plum trees. I remember watermelon, cantelope, beans of all sorts, peppers, onions, potatoes, corn, okra...you name it. She would can and freeze everything. She was a wonderful Christian woman who worked hard taking care of everyone else. My grandfather took care of his family well and as I remember him kept to himself a lot. He would walk the bank of the river after fishing for a short amount of time. He could not sit still for long. They were wonderfully, hard-working people and I cherish every memory I have of them. They both passed away...Clara Mae in '88 and Elzy in '95.
I think I am a farm girl (wanna be) at heart. I love the idea of having cattle, chickens, goats, gardens and the fruit from it all....but then reality hits in and I realize how much work it takes to have all of that. Maybe one day I can have a small taste...but we shall see.
Okay....I digress....We walked around the trailer and I tried to get pics to show you guys how much it has changed. Grandma's flowers still grew amongst all the overgrowth....it is really neat to see them all around. We saw a King Snake probably 4-5 feet long. He left us alone and we admired him from a distance as he made his way away from us. He wanted nothing to do with us. We then made our way out and down to the old chicken coop. I remember going to collect the eggs with Grandma. The coop is still there but it is so overgrown. Grandpa's workshop/shed is still standing. We then made our way down to the creek. Thomas had said he thought we would be able to make it to the river by going way of the creek on the back pasture. We went right instead of left to go behind the barn towards the back garden. Did that make sense?? Anyway....it was easy to get to the creek b/c a truck had obviously been going down there. We got in there and made our way down the creek. We were hauling a large bag, Clara, and our boots. Clara loves the water so as long as she was in the creek she was a happy girl. Clay carried the heavy bag on his shoulders being careful to not get it wet as my camera was in it. Christian and I broke off from the group to see if we could go further down and eventually find the river. We never did find it!! =( We did have a great adventure along the way though. Christian and I ran into some beavers that scared the mess out of Christian. It was hilarious to see his face and hear him. We are in the middle of this creepy creek out in the middle of no where and no telling the last time humans had been in the middle of it. Anyway...all the sudden I hear this HUGE splash and Christian saying...."Get me out, get me out.....!!!!" Then I turn his way and see another beaver come running off the bank and leap into the water. I told Christian don't worry....they are just BEAVERS keep swimming. There were at least 3. We watched one more come down after that and waddle his way down into the water to safety away from us. About the same time as the commotion dies down....what do we see on the opposite bank coming to take a look at us....a COYOTE!! He just sat there and looked at us as though he were thinking what were we doing. He stayed about a minute and went on his way. Christian and I went over to that bank to take a look and he had already left. It was like we were on our own animal adventure safari. Christian and I LOVED it!!! Chrisitan is my little explorer just like I was and still am. He kept saying the whole time we were swimming..."this is so much fun, mom!" Exactly the reason I wanted to go so badly even if it is not the same place.
We never found the Red River, but I am determined to do so. We are trying to make plans to go back to go camping and hopefully take a flat-bottom boat to take down the creek and find out now where it dumps into the Red River. Years ago I felt like I knew it like the back of my hand....it is amazing what a river can do to the landscape. Eats up the land and then spits it back out something totally different.
We made our way to Thomas' to say hi and bye. A quick good bye tuned into a couple hours. Of course he got his truck out to drive us around his farm. He has about 1000 acres and 150 so head of cattle. He also has a I think an approx. 40-acre lake on his property. It is really neat to see land like that with nothing even close by. We appreciated our tour but had to get on our way as Clara was hungry and worn out as were we all!!! To say the least we were EXHAUSTED, but I would and plan on doing it all over again!!!
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