The View from Another Ridge

My last post was about the Proctor branch of my family tree, I feel I must pay homage and praise to the other branch I swing from as well, my Reed side. My grandparents Commodore and Lucy Reed were married in 1943 both after previous marriages where my Grandpa Reed had a daughter, my Aunt Marian Jean. My dad, Donald was their first born child followed by my aunts; Linda, Lillian, Doris and Cheryl. I am the second oldest grandchild out of ten which includes Lori, myself, Mike, Joanna, Terry, Danny, Jimmy, Kathy, Mark and Kathy Jo. Between us grandchildren we gave our family twenty great grandchildren, in comparison to my Proctor family, my Reed family is quite small. This smallness really created a very close-knit family, I knew my cousins so very well and grew up with them on Scott Ridge. We played together exploring the hills around the house, making trips to the baby’s grave that was buried on a remote section of the farm (the family eventually moved the grave to the Beckley area), walking the cow paths, visiting Aunt Alma and Pauline Boice (Aunt Alma’s husband Uncle Harley was my Grandpa Reed’s uncle on his mother’s side, my great grandmother Myrtie) – where we always loved to pick mulberries and eat them until our bellies were full. Playing in the hayfields and yes working them the old timey way with horse drawn implements (ummm Terry…what happened to the ring? – lol) – no tractors on Grandpa Reed’s farm. We also learned the value of hard work here as well, they grew a huge garden and we were required to help with the hoeing, harvesting, and preserving – many fights had broken out over the years on who was picking up their fair share of potatoes as Bill and Dolly (grandpa’s horses) plowed through the rows unearthing them. Grandpa taught us the art of separating the tobacco leaves that would be taken on a special trip with him to the market in Huntington, only two grandchildren at a time could go and we fought for that position as well, it was a great day to spend with him. Then there were the endless days chopping down iron weeds because Grandpa told us we had to – a job that never ended and no matter how long we hoed them down it appeared we made no progress. We shall never forget the joys of a fried treat sandwich, penny candy from Casto’s Farm Store or grandma’s candy drawer, where a Pinwheel, Cracker Jacks and Hershey Miniatures could usually be found. Our Reed house on Scott Ridge was one of the Nitro cottages that had been moved there, our family was the 2nd family and last family to occupy that special six room home. We got our water from the cistern with a rope and a bucket and our bathroom was the outhouse over the hill under the cherry trees. Of course a few years later grandma added a bathroom in one of the bedrooms and had Gilbert (my Cousin Lori’s dad) add a bedroom. All following our family’s construction of “the reservoir” that added running water to our home. There was a huge barn and a smokehouse as well as other buildings and sheds we loved to play in as children. My brother and I are the last two Reed’s to actually carry the Reed name (Spicer Reed line), while our family’s legacy does go on; our Reed name ends with us. Sadly for our name I had girls and Mike had no children, unless my daughters force their husbands to change their names to Reed it ends here. However many times I have had to point out to my “girl” cousins…There is an “R” on that screen door…don’t forget it (the screen door had ornate metal work with a large “R” in the center). Yes I did get clobbered a few times by those “girl” cousins! A long standing tradition was Sunday dinner at Grandma Reeds, everyone was there if they could be and we spent the entire day together. There was always a herd of pets to love on and play with too, Grandma was the forerunner activist for taking care of dogs and cats, especially dogs. My earliest memory was of her German Shephard, Yogi, we loved that gentle beautiful dog. Our lives were simple and we shared our bounty with one another, I remember strawberry picking at Hoffman’s, blackberry picking at Wegert’s, slaughtering hogs, gathering eggs from the chicken coop, helping pick beans and tomatoes, corn and squash. We will never forget Tammy the beautiful black gentle pony that had her own field named for her. Grandma loved us unconditionally and would do anything in her power to support us. She worked diligently at the Kanawha Glass Company in Institute operating the communion glass machine – one of only a few in the world. She worked and saved and remodeled her home with her own savings and the home she created made us a home whenever we were there. Every year she managed to get every one of us a Christmas gift, she made the holidays special with her blue light lined porch and her bird laden beautiful tree, Bloomer peanut – vanilla cream clusters sadly the company closed a couple years ago) she would buy in bulk from the hardware store in Ripley, all of sneaking into her closet to swipe a piece or two when she wasn’t looking. The sweet smells of fudge and sea foam candy she and Aunt Lynn would make tickled our senses every Christmas season. We grandchildren loved helping her in the kitchen, especially at Thanksgiving as she put us in charge of toasting the loaves of bread for her Sausage Stuffing, a dish I continue and must have for every Thanksgiving. My Reed branch of my family tree may be slightly smaller than my Proctor branch but it is also full of love, family and wonderful memories. What I wouldn’t give to sit one more time on that long front porch with family, or for me, with Aunt Linda, sharing a Sunkist and a Kit-Kat. My grandparents, my Dad and Gib have been gone for over twenty five years now and our wonderful life long memories of growing up on a ridge named Scott will last us and our generations for years to come. Rest in peace Grandma, Grandpa, Dad, Gilbert, Jim, Ma, Johnny, and Bob we continue to be a part of your loving legacy.

Every year I make my Southern Style Sausage Stuffing for Thanksgiving just as my Grandma Lucy taught me…I am so thankful to have grown up in two loving families! Thanksgiving will be here soon, so I’m sharing my version of her recipe for you.