Holly Ridge Happenings

Rest is a weapon given to us by God! The enemy hates it because he want to to be stressed and occupied! Thank God fo the seasons of Rest and Refreshing. God will carry you through the storm. Nothing that has happened to you is a surprise to God. God will still get you to where your are supposed to be.

 

Uncle Claude 

Holly Ridge got its name from a high ridge and holly trees that were about a half mile wide running north and south about 20 miles. This ridge ran through our 80 acres of land that was very fertile, that most people planted (cotton, corn) and received. a good yield from their crops.

Dad would always rent his land out to other farmers on halves. Well John & 1 would always help Uncle Claude since he was alone and always needed the help, especially during cotton chopping. (We would thin out the cotton on the rows).

We liked to work for uncle Claude because he loved to tell stories especially at the end of the long cotton rows, before he started the story he would first get his red Prince Albert tobacco can out of his cover-alls. Then he would fill his paper to roll the tobacco into and lick the paper with the tobacco inside and then find a match to light his homemade cigarette. After he had it lit, then he would start the made-up story, you can imagine how long  this would take, besides he stuttered continuously.

John & I really enjoyed the rest, and knowing we were making a lot of money ($2 a day).

Uncle Claude’s 80 acres were next to our land, but on the other side was Mr. Hub Robbins. He always wore cover-alls with no shirt and no shoes, he was a big man (big head), John and I noticed as we were working Uncle Claude’s field that Mr. Hub Robins had some nice big ripe water melons. So .... one evening after everyone had left the field, we slipped over to Mr. Hub Robins watermelon patch and busted the biggest one there and ate the heart out of this delicious, sweet red melon; It tasted so good. Years later when Uncle Claude was in the nursing home, Mr. Hub Robins was in that home also, so John and I got to confess to Mr. Hub and told him how good his watermelons were, he laughed and said that he knew we were getting them and said that was the reason why he grew them. (Boy that made us feel better.)

Uncle Claude had a name for most people, he called John (Blue-John), me (Half-pint), Carey (Cotton-Top), I’m not sure about Bobby?

Uncle Claude had a big horse named Grey-Buck, that was the best riding horse that I had ever ridden, he had a smooth fox-trot, he would let me ride him ever so often, Grey-Buck had only one eye, but that didn’t affect him at all. It was a step down having to ride our ponies, Smoky, Black Beauty and Blanche.

I guess we were the only close relatives that lived close to him. He would show up every Sunday at our house to watch a baseball game in our pasture next to our house. There would be people coming from all over to watch a game, it became routine during baseball season.

After church when we got home, we would mow the infield and put sacks with sand in them for bases. We took a pasture and made a baseball field. Choose up sides and start playing, pick anyone to umpire and call bases, we didn’t care who won, we just had good clean fun. Everyone loved to play baseball in those days. That was the American Game. Dad was such good sport in having these games at our home.

Most Friday nights Dad and his Brother, Uncle Claude, would go fox hunting with about 20 fox hounds (walker dogs) that Uncle Claude housed in his front yard and fed scraps from the Holly Ridge Cafeteria . One Friday John and I were invited to go with them. They always would take a big jar of pickle boiled eggs to snack on at this outing. We heard all the stories about this dog being out front, Miss Kitty was bringing up the rear, Matt Dilland was hot on the trail of the fox, Fastus was treeing the fox. Uncle Claude named all of the dogs, everyone had a name.

John kept eating the eggs, yes ,and guess what? He got sick. I don’t think John has eaten a boiled egg since. We finally went home about 1 a.m. Dad and Uncle Claude spent all day looking, and picking up dogs. The dogs feet were swollen and sore from running all night. I don’t think we ever went fox hunting again.

 

Happy Birthday this week to: Taylor Vaughn, my great grandson Maddox Rawls, Mrs Ruth Odom (94) years, Tiffany Greer, April Smith on April 16th, Wes Stell, Nisa Johns, Heath Rawls, Kennety Sanders on April 17th, Monica Cheek Smith, Will Cheek on April 18th, Tammie Pitman, Tyler Blaylock, Kansas Nappix on April 20th, Alen Nettles, Gracie Marsh on April 21st, Ryan Clack, Donna Jones on April 22nd. May these celebrate many more happy years together.

Anniversary wishes to Dana and Matt Kennedy (22) years on April 17th, Diane and Jerry Cobb (56) years on April 18th. I wish for these many more years of happiness!

Have a great week! Stay safe. Dont forget your donations to the cememtery funds. Thanks for you all who have given.

Remember:  In Christ, your past is settled; your present is covered; and your future is Secured.

Richland Today

603 Louisa Street
Rayville, LA 71269
Phone: (318) 728-6467
Fax: (318) 728-5991