There are only about a thousand stories I could tell from this one picture, but I’ll try to stay focused. As we all know, years ago (as my Daddy would say), most folks farmed for a living. There wasn’t a lot of monetizing within farming one-hundred years or so ago. The main intent of many of these farmers was to put the fruits of their labors directly on their family’s table. I’m sure this middle buster on my mail box helped fill many plates. I have always wished that I lived back in those days of working to live and not living to work; that is until someone reminded me there was no indoor plumbing.
Middle busters were used with what is called a Georgia stock plow. The Middle buster was one of a few different “sweeps” that could be used with the plow. The middle buster, with the help of a guided mule and plow, created the rows and the furrow in which the seeds were planted. Another sweep was used to cover the seeds up after they were, of course, planted by hand.
The stock to this middle-buster would have been made of wood and is probably long rotted away. I had the pleasure of stumbling upon this piece of history a few years ago while treasure hunting in the woods around my house. I am sure the person who used it long ago never thought it would be put on display and be considered such a treasure to someone.
The majority of the antiquated “decorations” inside and outside my home are not just adornments. They are all prized pieces with stories begging to be told. Until the next treasure speaks to me……….
That's so cool..I love having things around that tell a story.
ReplyDeleteI love this Haley! You are quite the writer.It's amazing what we can learn if we just listen.I love to hear the stories one tells of a forgotten way of life. I have been fortunate in my nursing career to learn valuable lessons from the very young to the young at heart.Although I cherish them all, nothing tugs at my heart as much as the memories I hear and the looks I see in the eyes of those that have lived to share the past with us.Life today as we know it is too fast. Kids are trying to live adult lives and adults have forgotten the simple things in life. If only we took the time to, as they say, stop and smell the roses perhaps we wouldn't be in such a hurry.I can't remember how many lightening bugs we caught and put in jars or the june bugs we tied to strings for fun.Ahhhh...the little thing in life! I find that in Chandler my 15 year old, he too has an old soul. I realized this when he was very young. He was very fortunate to have a poppa who told him his life stories, of the struggles, the hard work, and the simple things in life that made them happy..His answer to all of this was simply, " I wish I lived back then." I'm so very thankful that we live a simple life and he does take the time to listen to those who have stories of the past. I know your daddy and moma are proud of the woman and mother you have become today Haley. Always listen to what your " old soul" says because I'm sure it will lead you to great things. By reading your blogs, maybe when someone stumbles across a piece of the past they will stop for a minute and wonder what stories could be told if they closed their eyes and opened their hearts and listened.I love you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sylvia!!! It is so nice to hear that Chandler takes to heart the days long gone. Your childhood memories and my Mom's are much more interesting than mine! I want my kids to have a childhood more like Mommas....minus the tobacco picking from sun up to sun down of course! We just continue to slip further and further away from the "simple" things, the lightning bug catching.. the june bug flying... ;) Folks were much happier then. People that had very little, were proud to have what they did and rarely complained about it. I know Mom talks about how excited she was when they got a pair of shoes. If they were lucky they got one pair a year, but were barefoot for the main part. The more time that goes by...the more we want and they less fulfilled we are.. the instant gratification nation as I like to say. I love you too and miss all of you tremendously!
ReplyDeleteLove it, as I have told you many times before you are a true credit to your generation...
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