From roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Tue Jun 27 10:29:37 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k5RGTbjb025555; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:29:37 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l.rootsweb.com [66.43.16.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k5RGTZBQ025125 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:29:35 -0600 Received: from roots-l.rootsweb.com (roots-l [127.0.0.1]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id k5RDqoFI032249 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:52:50 -0400 Received: (from roots-in@localhost) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.8/Submit) id k5RDqopg032248 for roots-approved@rootsweb.com; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:52:50 -0400 Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com (lists5.rootsweb.com [66.43.27.41]) by roots-l.rootsweb.com (8.12.10/8.12.10) with SMTP id k5RDnqFI032229 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 09:49:52 -0400 Received: (from slist@localhost) by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) id k5RGQQWo024312 for roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:26:26 -0600 X-Envelope-From: therigdons@i-55.com Tue Jun 27 10:26:25 2006 Received: from mail.rootsweb.com (mail.rootsweb.com [192.168.65.34]) by admin.rootsweb.com (8.12.8/8.12.8) with ESMTP id k5RGQPjb024236 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:26:25 -0600 Received: from exit1.i-55.com (exit1.i-55.com [208.231.96.22]) by mail.rootsweb.com (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id k5RGQKNu023266 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:26:21 -0600 Received: from long01 (nosp1-209-205-161-141.i-55.com [209.205.161.141]) by exit1.i-55.com (8.13.6/8.13.6) with SMTP id k5RGWDca019909 for ; Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:32:13 -0500 Message-ID: <000f01c69a06$6b2d4cd0$8da1cdd1@long01> From: "The Rigdons" To: Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:26:17 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1807 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1807 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.52 on 192.168.65.34 X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by lists5.rootsweb.com id k5RGQQWo024312 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by roots-l.rootsweb.com id k5RDnqFI032229 Sender: roots-in@roots-l.rootsweb.com Subject: [ROOTS-L] Monday Morning Memories Prince Albert Prince Albert When I was in the fourth grade, I had the opportunity to spend a few days with my grandparents in the country. We were having Christmas break and I couldn’t wait to get on the road I made the trip to their place on a big bus. I like that bus; it had a big dog on the side, both sides. The trip to their place went kind of smoothly. I sat right up front by the driver and he answered every question I ask, and then some. Traveling on a bus is great, and getting to see everything in the best seat. Gramps met me at the bus house, you know the place where you get tickets to ride the dog bus. This was an exciting time. All alone by my self and Christmas just around the corner, what more could I ask for. Well around the corner just seamed like it would not get here in time. The bus arrived later in the afternoon and it was a short ride in gramps truck. Gran was waiting on the front porch, though the temperature as a bit cold, she just stood there smiling, boy this was a great day. Gran had to get in her allotment of hugs and kisses, it had been a time since she had that opportunity, so I let her fill up her cup. Seamed like she would never get enough, and to top it off she had a piece of candy for me at the end, peppermint hard candy. I was taken back when I went into house and found no Christmas tree near the fireplace. They usually had a Christmas tree right nest to the fireplace all dressed up and pretty. The tree was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, except my mom. My disappointment was put to rest when gramps said that he and I would go out tomorrow and get a tree. He said he knew where we could get one just big enough to fit next to the fireplace. That was great, we were going Christmas tree hunting. I had never been Christmas tree hunting, I hoped it would be like trying to find black berries along a fence line. GREAT. Gramps said we would have to do all the chores the next morning and later that day we would eat our midday meal and then get on the road. I could hardly wait. I fell asleep in a chair in front of the fireplace, thinking of the Christmas tree hunt. And as usual, the morning did arrive. At first I thought of it just as another day. Then I remember this was the day we went Christmas tree hunting. Now this was going to be a much better day, me, gramps, Boo, gramp’s dog and the Christmas tree, along with the snow that had come our way during the night. This was going to be a great day. I helped gramps get thru the morning chores, before too long it was noon and time to eat again. They put on a great meal there at gran and gramps, and that’s alright with me. Gran was a good cook, real good stuff, greens, cornbread, porkchops along with a glass of tea, with mint in it. I did not remember getting stuff like this at home. I wonder why. After the noon meal we all took a short rest and then we set out on our way. Going out the door, gramps call Boo, his dog. He was right with us. We stopped by the barn to gets the ax and we were on our way. Gramps kept his eyes on the sky, he would not tell me why. Occasionally several snow flakes would fall. We did not notice much but it became to fall faster. I mentioned this to gramps, and said it was nothing. He said in the winter it does that. We went out past the barn and into the big field beyond. Boo was right in every step, following our trail. Our destination was the hill over beyond the fence line. Gramps seem to think that is where the better trees would be found. The further we got away from the house the more it snowed. I wasn’t troubled thought, gramps was a good woodsman and he could find our way back home. Occasionally I took a look back to see if I could see the house. With the snow coming down pretty good, several time it looked like we had gone out of sight of the house. The snow was beginning to cover the ground and making it look like a cotton field, but deeper. We entered the tree line and began to climb up a little. At this point gramps began checking the trees and told me to do the same. The trees were begining to become all covered with the snow, it was sure falling now. And then it hit us real hard. The wind began blowing strong, and the snow was almost going parrell with the ground. This was a quite stronger than gramps had planned on, but we kept our pace. Gramps, me and Boo, Boo sometimes would get ahead of gramps. I guess Boo had not been on a tree hunt either. Gramps finally said that we better look for some place to get out of the weather. We looked around a little and found what would be our cover from the weather. Some time last year a storm had past thru here and blown some trees down. Gramps found one that been blown over and had carried the root system with it. The tree was being held up by several trees, so the root system was shaped like a lean too. Gramps began cutting down some trees about 8 feet tall. He showed me how to put the trees against the top edge of the roots. In a few minutes we had a pretty good place to get out of the weather. We had put some of the pine tree limbs on the floor and once we got in it was fairly good. Boo got right in and indicated that this was better than outside. We could hear the wind and snow whirling around out side. Gramps had several matches in his in a Prince Albert can and we began the process of making a small fire.The Prince Albert can carried several things gramps thought he may need when away from the house. The pine straw from the trees was great kindling. In a short time we had a small fire going, now to keep it going. With his knife gramps would cut off some small limbs to put on the fire. Great. Just like back at the house, some warmth and some smoke to keep us aware of our situation. Boo kept his nose right up to the warmth. I guess he was trying to keep the nose warm. He figured it his nose was warm so would the rest of his body. It was during the snow storm that gramps and I got to have a good talk. I never knew gramps was that smart. I sat there listening to the wind, and to gramps somewhere along the way I fell asleep . I don’t know how long we were there but many hours later the wind broke and the snow stopped, gramps indicated we just well go back to the house, but we did get a beautiful tree Gran was waiting on the porch. She had been sitting by the window looking. Well this occasion call for more hugs and kisses for the both of us. For me this was an exciting trip to be doing the Christmas tree hunt. I had a good bit of time spent with gramps, just he and I. From this time forward gramps made sure he had a few things in that Prince Albert can, which was his constant companion, he stored it in his bib overalls chest pocket. This is the way it was in 1943 when we went Christmas tree hunting. Gramps past on a few years ago, but the Price Albert can was left to me. On the bottom of the Tobacco can was scratched the date Dec.22, 1943 Harry Rigdon April 14, 2006