Stan Yates'

Memories In the Out Of Doors

Growing up in the Liberty Area

I remember fishing and hunting trips from my earliest years with my Dad and with many of my friends and family.

I remember the first rabbit I killed just behind our house on Beattie Street in Liberty. I had a borrowed 410 shotgun and shot the rabbit while it was still in his bed. This was a skill that My Dad was good at. You had to walk slowly and look carefully to see the rabbit before it jumped up and ran. Another bed “kill” I remember was at Roddy Merck's place in Six Mile. I was probably 12 -13 years old. Brother in law Marshall Merck, Dad, brother Wallace and I were rabbit hunting with Marshall's Dad's beagles. We had already killed at least one rabbit. We were walking up the bottoms of a creek bed in the woods, watching the dogs work. We stopped for a bit while the dogs tracked a cold trail. My Dad called for me to come over to where they were..saying they had found a rabbit in his bed. I ran over to shoot the rabbit. As I had been taught. I took careful aim at the nose of the rabbit, so as to not ruin any meat. BOOM..I picked up the “rabbit” and found nothing but pieces of fur. They had skinned a rabbit, leaving the head in tact and planted it to appear as if it was live, in its bed. Dad, Wallace and Marshall rolled on the ground laughing at me.

I remember once Dad and I were bird (quail) hunting on Mr Norton's land in Anderson county. Dad was a rabbit hunter, so he was looking for a rabbit in the bed all the time we were hunting birds. Dad said, ”here's a bedded rabbit” Knowing he wanted to shoot it, I told him to wait till I got my bird dogs out of the way. I didn't want to encourage my dogs to trail rabbits. In just a little while I heard my Dad's Browning 12 Guage speak BOOM, then another Boom. He had missed the rabbit in the bed and then when it jumped missed it the second time. I did laugh at him just a little bit...remembering the planted bedded rabbit from a few years prior.

A guy a grew up with, once shot a rabbit he had found in the bed, and when he picked it up it was stiff as a board. It had apparently died the night before. I have killed one rabbit with a rock. Found him sitting in his bed threw a rock and killed him. When I was growing up on the mill village, all of the boys had rabbit gums (traps) It wasn't at all uncommon for us to take (steal) each others traps. I remember the first rabbit I caught in a trap. I was afraid to take it out. I had never watched anyone remove a live rabbit from a rabbit gum. What did I do...got up on a terrace and jumped down on the wooden trap killing the rabbit inside and of course destroying the rabbit gum. On Saturadys or Sundays in the winter we would have 10 or so boys and a pack of rabbit dogs and hit the woods. No guns just boys and dogs. Rabbits didn't have a chance, every way they turned there was a boy or a dog. We would run rabbits until we caught them.

We had beagle dogs and rabbit hunted a good bit. Sam was the best of the three we had. He was not registered as were his kennel mates Kate and Pete. Sam was also a great companion dog. My Mom would walk to town to do shopping and Sam would walk alongside her. If she went in Fedders, Sarlins, or the Food Palace, Sam would patiently wait on her just outside the store. Sam was hit by a car while running a rabbit on the road behind our house. He was a good dog.

My brother-in-law, Dole Chastain gave me my first bird dog. She was an unregistered English Setter named Molly. She had a litter of puppies and I kept one male that we named Gus. He was an excellent bird dog he would point, back, and retrieve. I remember the first covey he pointed. I was hunting behind my present home in Norris. Gus was just a pup of about 6 months and would tag along with me for a while and then go with Molly for a while. I was standing watching Molly work...Gus was just standing near me. All of a sudden all bird-dom broke loose as the covey that Gus had pointed got up. Gus was pointed and I didn't even realize it. I was so shocked that I didn't get a shot off. I killed one of the singles in front of him later that day.

I remember bird hunting with Dole and one of his brothers, I believe it was Earl. One of Earl's dogs picked up a bird we shot and promptly ate it whole. Earl called the dog several names you don't hear in church, stomped the dog and further explained to his dog that dogs don't eat birds, people do. He patted the dog on the head and sent him on his way. The next bird killed was retrieved by the offending dog. He brought the dead bird gently to Earl. Earl squatted down and the dog put the bird in Earl's coat pocket.

I remember Dole, and my nephew, Al Chastain and me going to 6 and 20 creek duck hunting. On the way there Dole asked Al...Do you have your hunting license. Al responded...No I forgot them they are in Mama's pocketbook. We did have a successful duck hunt killed our limit of wood ducks. Al's Dad did fuss at him pretty good for not having his license.

I had a Lab named Buck during my duck hunting years. Once when I got home from a successful hunt I thought I'd let ole Buck retrieve a duck one more time. I had felt the duck move a bit in my hunting coat. Any way, I asked Buck to sit at my side and then gave the mallard a toss into the back yard and to my (and Buck's) suprise, the duck took flight and escaped back into the wilds, with Buck in hot pursuit for about a 100 yards.

Fishing was our recreation during warmer months. The first question settled when Dad and I went fishing was “are we weighing them or counting them” We always were aware of who caught the most or the biggest. My sister Evelyn sent Dad and me bamboo fly rods from Japan and we really got the good out of them trout fishing. Our favorite place to trout fish was on Eastatoe creek in upper Pickens County. We also fished in pay ponds. Mr Gilstrap had a pond on Ruhama Road. Mr Reeves had one not far from Easley, and Lem Head had Lake Diana in the mountains. I remember going to Lem Head's Lake Diana in the mountians. We were fishing for catfish. There was a black man fishing not far from us. He began ranting and became pretty excited with a “fish” he had just reeled in. He was screaming snake! snake! snake! My Dad sent me over to him and I discovered he had caught an eel. I took it off the hook for him and we put it on our stringer with our cats.

Joe Watson rode our bikes down Black Bottom Road and fished Hunter's lake. We were fishing for catfish. Joe was working like the dickens keeping bait on his hook, but catching nothing. Joe “exclaimed” if that's one of those litty bitty brim, and I catch him, I'm gonna bite his head off. He did and he did. He spit for a while. I didn't think he would do it.

When my kids were small, I came home from work one day and told Susan..”I'm going down to Hartwell and crappie fish for a while.” David was about 8 years old and promptly said...I want to go. Karen 7 years old, chimed in..I want to go too..Jason 5 years old, of course...Me too. I told Susan I can't fish and take three kids. She said Well I'll go with you. I was fishing from the bank behind Clemson and the crappie were really biting. I was winding one in and Jason was sitting on his Mom's lap, she was on a camp stool. Jason was holding a fishing rod and was about 5 years old. His float went out of sight. I said..Jason wind him in, you've got one. Jason being left handed started winding the fish in...winding the reel backwards. I told Susan..reel that one in for him, and she did. Wouldn't you know I looked down the lake and who do I see but the Game Warden. He fined Susan for fishing without a license. IT WAS HER BIRTHDAY...I did everything but cry trying to persuade the rascal to not fine her. Can you imagine what a romantic I was years ago when a carried my wife fishing with me and my 3 kids to babysit..on her birthday??

HOUSE ON 5th ST. Our A-Model Ford - I believe it was green. Daddy having to drain water out of radiator and having to put water in when we got ready to go anywhere. Lots of visits to Aunt Essie's in Greenville.
Playing with our neighbor Emma Grace Lovell and someone hit Johnnie R. in head with hoe and it bleeding. I don't remember her doing much crying - she had a hard head. Mama curling our hair with strings about 1" wide and 10" long to make long Shirley Temple curls. Rember Mama asking me to go under the house that was not underpinned to get Evelyn. Don't know what Evelyn had done but she ran from Mama and Mama was going to whip her.

Grandma Yates was blind and she chewed tobacco.
Wallace was playing with ;a brick for his car at the front porch where Grandma was sitting and she spit over the banister onto Wallace's neck.

Walking a long way to school and back wiht my cousin Mildred Yates. I remember school let out one day and it was raining and very windy - I was by myself - It was all I could do to put one foot before the other with rain and wind pounding in my face. Seems I ran all the way home. In those days we walked to school and the kids in the country rode buses. Poor Evelyn was almost always late. Day I graduated from High School and Daddy was near the front in the audience grinning at me. One down and 5 more to go. MOVING TO BEATTIE STREET not long before I married. Remember Evelyn throwing her nice clothes across the banisters upstairs - wouldn't hang them up. Two years after marrying Al was born and when we would go to Liberty, Dole would say just before we got out of the car "Now don't let them hurt this baby". My sisters would meet us at the driveway pulling him apart to see who could get him first. Then five years later we decided we wanted a little girl - my beauty queen. We wouldn't be normal if we all didn't think our childred were special. Great memories of all the sweet little nieces and nephews coming together at Mama's and Papa's house especailly at Christmas time when we all went around the dining room table partaking of all that good food. Daddy buying new Ford - probably 1950 and I would be so glad to see them coming to see us at Pelzer and here in Piedmont. Mama would bring food she had cooked - good soup, cornbread, macaroni pie and banana pudding. She love to do for her children. She always wanted to give you something when we would leave to go home. Dole loved them very much and we very seldom let two weeks go by without going to Liberty to see them.

Mama made my first kitchen curtains from some of her drapes. They were white with yellow rick-rack trim and she helped us put them up. She also fixed several pot plants for our first front porch and steps.

I never left MaMa and PaPa's empty-handed. Maybe just a piece of cornbread, cupcake, roll of paper towels or new mop head!

Papa raking Hook over the coals for breaking his car window before we were married and then saying it was okay when he found out it was me that broke the window.

Watching Days of our Lives with Mama before Hook and I were married.

Papa saying I was on my "high horse" when I got on to the kids.

Mama working so hard to clean and repaint Al's highchair for David.

Mama sewing and making the kids pajamas, dresses for Karen and shirts with zippers for the boys. She also made them coats and caps.

The joy in Mama and PaPa's eyes over our children.

Jason wearing Papa's felt hat when he was about two. Papa loved it!

MaMa and me sharing a bed when I came home from the hospital with David while Hook was on second shift.

All the wonderful meals and sweet fellowship with them under the trees in the yard.

The respect they both had for my parents.

Mama's laugh.

Papa's kiss.

Jumping in the kudzu in the Devil's Den behind MaMa and PaPa's house.

Being scared to go upstairs because Hodge-ie Fodge-gie ( I knows that one is spelled wrong) lived in the crack in the wall in the closet.

Lot's of candy, etc : Circus Peanuts, Vanilla Wafers, Little Debbies, Sugar Wafers, nanner puddin, red velvet cake.

I remember when I asked PaPa what he did today he told me that he took a nap in the morning but in the afternoon he just sort of rested.

I remember walking with PaPa in their backyard, going inside the two white buildings (PaPa called it his shop), one of them smelled like pecans and one smelled like dirt. He had all these little peanut cans with bolts and washers in them. It seamed that he was always fiddling with his lawn mower. I remember him having a white and green riding lawn mower, now that was an antique, a white lawn mower.. I remember one time when PaPa was working on his lawn mower in the back yard and I really wanted to cut the grass on the riding mower (mostly because I had never driven any thing before, I was about 7 years old I guess). I never really asked him to cut the grass, I just sort of volunteered to do it. Of course PaPa could not say not, so he let me ride the lawn mower around the yard. He never told me that he never turned the blade on, which I guess was for my safety, a few years later when I really had to cut grass for my Dad I realized that PaPa let me ride around that big yard on his lawn mower just because it made me feel happy.

That big tree in their yard near the bench swing. For the longest time that was the biggest tree I had ever seen. MaMa would cut up peaches for us while we were swinging.

Playing in the garden was always fun. I remember the dog lot behind the garden, but I never remember any dogs, just some garden tools (he always put a water tub turned upside down on top of his garden tiller so it would not get wet. PaPa always got his money's worth out of any thing he bought and the lawn mower and tiller were no exception.

I remember MaMa not being able to let us leave with out giving us kids some money for candy, PaPa would always "pretend" to that he didn't want MaMa to give us anything and of course MaMa would say "Johnny, you give them babies some money". PaP would just shake his head. Once it was time to go PaPa would always meet us on the porch on the way out and give us some money but he would say "take this, but don't tell your Granny"

I remember spending the night at MaMa's and PaPa's house on their fold out couch or on a pallet on the floor. MaMa letting me stay up late and watch Johnny Carson.

Two words: Fried Fat-back (o.k. maybe that's three words)

PaPa letting me comb his hair was always a fond memory. Of course I would always comb it straight back because I thought it was so neat that his hair line looked like a vampire. Little did I know I would have a vampire hair line also one day :)

David: Please put them all on a website. That way all of them will be
together. We can also print them for our children and grandchildren to
have.

Thank you Lynn for putting all this together. It's been wonderful
reading all of these memories. We ought to post these on a web page
where we can all read them in one place.

My memories:

Chocolate Yohoo drinks and Tab in the fridge;

Circus peanuts;

chewable viatmin C tablets MaMa would give us like candy;

PaPa's shop out back with all the neat stuff in it;

MaMa's glasses;

MaMa's spit can;

The white Christmas tree;

PaPa's lawn mower;

PaPa and jason and I going to the Silver Sheer barber shop in Liberty;

Tom Thumb barber chair booster chairs, pull out coke bottles, and glass
Lance snack canasters.

PaPa picking up hitch hickers on the short trip from his house to
downtown, and then acting like he went asleep at the wheel. (I think he
did this for my amusement more than for the passenger he picked up);

PaPa and MaMa coming to visit us. MaMa coming inside to see us kids
first, while Papa would stay outside and torment the dogs just long
enough for MaMa to give us each some money. Then PaPa would come in and
MaMa would make PaPa give us some too, acting like she hadn't given us
any money yet.

MaMa and PaPa each in their lazyboy accusing each other of not being
able to hear. "Granny can't hear" Papa would say, just a few seconds
before MaMa would say "He can't hear". Neither of them heard the other
say it.

MaMa telling me to get down from the big oak tree in front of the swing
before I fell and ruptured myself. It was several years before I knew
what she meant.

The metal swing on the front porch and MaMas and PaPa's, the rockers,
and the wrought iron railings. The concrete on the proch was always
cool.

Spending the night and MaMa making a pallet.

PaPa's chicken pen/dog lot. I vaguly remeber it not being empty once, I
think.

PaPa's 64 Malibu smelled like PaPa.

PaPa always saying when I ask him how he was doing, that he had a case
of the lazys he couldn' get over.

Praying for years as a family nightly for MaMa and PaPa to be saved, and
watching it happen.

Feeling blessed that they were alive for my wedding.

Never remember either of them ever fussing at us.

I will never forget MaMa telling aunt Ressie to "shut up". MaMa had got
to come home from Roger C. Peace hospital after one of her strokes.
Ressie was running around the house worrying over MaMa. Ressie looked so
hurt. I knew that MaMa wasn't herself. It stuck me as being funny
though.

MaMa calling my Daddy Stanley.

I remember December of 1988, Jane and I had been dating and we had just
broken up. MaMa always thought the world of Jane, she loved her like one
of her Grandchildren. MaMa had already had one stoke. We were all at
Catherine's house when MaMa asked me where Jane was. I told here that we
had broken up. MaMa told me Jane wasn't good enough for me. Jane and I
got back together 2 or 3 weeks later. Jane was worried at first that
MaMa didn't like her anymore. I told her otherwise. MaMa proved to Jane
otherwise as well.

The love I felt everytime I went to MaMa and PaPa's. Whether it was just
me visiting them alone, or if there was a house full of cousins, aunts,
and uncles, I always felt so much love. A sense of belonging that just
felt right. I remember thinking how much I loved being a part of the
family. i looked up to my older cousins probably more than they will
ever know.

PaPa would come to the house early Christmas morning right after we had
opened our presents, and he would make over the empty plate that Santo
had left. I remember wondering of PaPa knew Santa when they were kids.

Taking PaPa to get his hair cut when he became unable to drive.

PaPa never missed a chance to torment dogs with his cane, waving it in
the air and making whistling noises without his teeth in, whenever he
would take us for walks around the block.

We would always stop at the Mill's waste pond/lagoon and watch the black
water on our walks around the block. Jason or Karen one was always
scared of that place.

Mowing Papa's grass when I got old enough.

Playing in the Devil's den.

Always eating something when we came to visit.

Mama eating "butter-me" bisquits (butter me not's) with a stick of
butter.

PaPa eating oyster stew.

PaPa fussing about how much the nurse taking care of MaMa should be
paid.

Always feeling like I had never left their house each time I returned.
It felt like a second home.

Staying up late laying on a pallet watching Johhny Carson with MaMa and
Papa till I fell asleep.

Being very very scared when PaPa had his first heart attack.

Hurting inside seeing MaMa in Roger C. Peace after her strokes.

I remember PaPa's funeral being special. It was sad of course but I
rememeber being glad inside that PaPa was with MaMa again. I look
forward to seeing them in heaven.

dear david, how sweet your memories are!!! we all have different ones, and it is good to know what others remember. we are so blessed with our memories. i remember what mama said when your and jane broke up. i was there and knew immediatly "mama you shouln't say that" but she wasn't herself after her strokes..she said things that wasn't her. she loved you so much.. i remember when she was in the hospital and you came in and she took your face in her hands and said "my boy my boy".. Thank god we will all be together again in a better place. i am so glad that we did the memory thing. what do we have to do to get a website where we can perserve them? i don't know much about computers so you & lynn get together and see what needs to be done. Hope jane and girls are doing good. Hope you have a wonderful birthday.

Love
Auntie Nan

My Memories Of growing up in Liberty
I went to see Mama in the hospital after she had surgery & when I saw her
I started to cry because I had never seen Mama sick before. Remember when
Nancy & Stanley was born ,( Stanley on by birthday. the best present I
ever got on my birthday) We were all sent across the st. to stay with the
Watson until they were born. After Stanley was born Mama told Daddy, John
keep your pants on from now on, I don't want anymore kids, 6 is enough. He
did as he was told. They were so glad they had Stanley, for he
was the apple of their eye. Remember going to allnight singings with Uncle
Walter & Mildred. Going to spend the night with Grandma & Grandpa Yates
with no lights & no inside plumbing( boy that was fun) We would try to
fool Grandma about who we were was the last grandchild she saw. remember
going to see Aunt Essie in Portsmouth, Va. That was some trip for the
family, don't think we had been out of S.C. before. Kathryn was keeping us
while Mama and Daddy worked & Daddy wanted to see how we would react if
someone came to the door, he came to the window & knocked & it scared the
fool out of us (it was after dark) he didn't try that again.Going to spend
the week with the Chapman cousins & getting head lice, what a job for poor
Mama with all our thick hair, but she got rid of them. Evelyn's & Wallace
having fight & throwing things at each other. Evelyrn wasn't afraid of
anything, she got me into lots of trouble, we got into a fight on the way
home from school(she started it) & we got a whipping at school the next
day & one at home.When Daddy would whip Evelyn she wouldn't cry & that
would make Daddy mad. When Mama went to spank Stanley(which was once or
twice) Evelyn would get him & run.One night Evelyn & I stayed out past 11
0'clock one night
just riding around with our cousin & Daddy came looking for us. I remember
her leaving home (she got mad at Daddy for something)
& I really missed her, this was after Kathyrn married.She didn't stay too
long & I was glad she was back home. She was also good to me, she help by
me my Jr. Sr. gown & would let me wear her clothes (she was working & had
money)I got best dress my Sr. yr. on her clothes. I still miss her dearly,
but know they are all having a great time in heaven & we will see they
again. Can't forget when Daddy let me fire his shotgun & it knocked me
down & I said DAM in front of Daddy. That was the last time of using a
gun.We were the only one that Mama & Daddy saw get married & Daddy let us
borrow his car to use on our honeymoon, Stanley was worried about our
friends messing up his Daddy's car. That It for now Johnnie

This will more than likely come to me in pieces since I am just writing off the cuff this Sat. AM. More than that not everyone is up. Here goes.

I remember the BIG kitchen sink full of dirty dishes with MY hands in the water!!!! HA
Everyone go ahead and say it."Rita never did the dishes!!" Lynn is right, she and Lisa and I bonded for life at that sink. Oh, I remember the Boys playing outside the kitchen window.
Ya'll ate a lot.
There are more thoughts besides all our home cooking that I remember. I would remember more a feeling of love and acceptance more, I think. It seemed a safe place for me to be.Familar things around the yard and places in the house.Oh,wow that rubberband thing around the doorknob,Lynn.That made me laugh out loud.
I most can still feel the heat of the stair carpet on fresh children's behinds as we slid down each stair step bumping alll the way.How noisy we must have been. I recall there was another set of stairs the removed-spoiling our fun!

I think they let us all rummage through their home....
The front desk drawers
The gum drawers
The false teeth place,oops,I swear I never tried them on!!!! Really, no
Never the little shed-bugs and spiders
Mama's hope chest
The kitchen cabinets and gum cabinet FIRST

The things Lynn recalls are my memories-the general feeling of their home
I shall never forget our family vacations!!
Daytona Beach,Epsion Salts taken Before a family stroll on the beach is not something he would probably recommend again.Well,if you insist,you have to take a bath towel along with to to place between your legs to get you back home.He would probably laugh along with me.Such a character.

Mama and Papa were great. They loved us all and there are just too many things to say right now. I amy send more a little later. My cousins are in my memory and not any of you are left out. Not even the aunts and uncles.

I need to run now. I have to freeze some koolaid in cubes (for some strange reason)
I really love you all. Warts and all, Rita

I was born, the youngest of six children, in 1944 when my Dad was 39 years old,. We were close from my early childhood. I did all the things that mill hill kids did growing up in the fifties in Liberty, South Carolina. Rode cog wheel wagons on Cinder Hill, dammed up the branch to make a place to swim, played in caves dug in the banks of the local 100 feet deep gully..”The Devils Den”, drank water from any creek that flowed or from the “Indian Springs”. Well almost any steam. There was one that ran from the Old Mill toward the houses south of the mill that you did not drink from. They called one section “The Slick Rock”. It was obvious what made the rock slick.

There is a big rock, about 12 feet long by 6 feet high and 6 feet wide on the south west side of the Devil’s Den with “In God We Trust” carved into the stone. I often wondered who did this and when.

I remember Mama throwing a quarter out of the window of the mill to me so I could go to the movies. In the fifties we, in Liberty had a movie theater, run by Mr Albertson and his family. Kids form the Mill Hill usually went to the movies on noon every Saturday. The admission was 9 cents. You could go to the movies, eat popcorn and a Coke and get an ice cream from Hunters Drug Store on the way home. Do you remember when the movies had a cartoon at the end and a “continued serial” to keep you coming back next week. My favorite was “Captian Video“.

Hunting and fishing were a big part of growing up on the mill hill. The back side of the community where I lived (The Big Mill Hill) was heavily wooded and a haven for rabbits and squirrels. I have memories of 10 or more boys and an equal number of dogs going to the woods hunting. No guns…. just boys , dogs and sticks, sling shots and maybe a few hand made bows with arrows fletched with feathers from Tom James’ chickens. Fishing was done in the Eighteen Mile Creek, which was about a mile from my house as the crow flies. Small yellow bellied, grunting , flat headed catfish were plentiful and we used red worms as bait. My dad and I were avid fishermen during these times. It was a given, that when my Dad came home from work that I would have the bait ready. It was unknown to buy fish bait in those days. Getting the bait was almost as much fun as catching fish. Redworms were plentiful in Tom James’ milk cow stall, roller worms were abundant in the branch we swam in, and in the summer the red wasp larva were the best bait for bream that we found in Rice’s Creek across town. Dad would take my 22 rifle with us fishing and shoot songbirds and use there guts for catfish bait

I remember Joe Watson and me riding bikes to Rice’s Creek to fish. A man upstream had a pond that had busted and all of his fish were in the shallow creek. Joe and I really had a time in the newly “stocked” creek. Joe and I also fished in Furman Blacks lake off Ruhamah Road. I remember once, Joe had a problem with a fish getting his bait over and over with no luck at catching it. Joe cursed ,and said :if that is one of those little bitty bream , I’m gonna bite its *#**&@ head off. Joe did catch the small bream and to my surprise did bite the fishes head off before throwing it back into the lake.

In the days before Lakes Hartwell, Keowee and Jocassee, my Dad and I fished in the Seneca River behind the Clemson Football Stadium, at Shallow Ford on the Keowee River, Eastatoe River, Lake Secession, and in a few of the “pay to fish “ lakes that were popular in those days. Pay to fish lakes were Gilstraps’ in Liberty, Pilgrim's near Six Mile, Lake Dianna (Lem Head's) near Salem, Blacks between Liberty and Easley , and our favorite was Reeves' Lake located between Liberty and Easley. Mr Author Reeves had a beautiful small lake stocked with cats, bream and a few bass. Mr Reeves was very particular about the rules. It cost a dollar to fish for three hours or until you caught eight fish. Any bait was okay except leaches. Mr Reeves, knew that with leaches you could quickly catch your limit of eight.

I remember hunting rabbits when I was about 12 or 13. We were going down a hollow with the dogs working out in front of us. We had killed several rabbits. My Dad was good at finding rabbits setting in their bed. I was on one side of the line of hunters Dad, Me, brother Wallace, and Marshall Merck (Brother-in law). They hollered over to me that they had found a rabbit in the bed and naturally I came a running. As I had been taught, I aimed my 410 on the rabbit's nose so as not to spoil edible meat. I pulled the trigger and when I picked the rabbit up, all that was there was a little bundle of fur. My hunting companions were rolling on the ground laughing. They had skinned one of the rabbits from their bag and planted the head and fur for me to shoot. I never lived that one down.

Time went on, with my Dad working the standard 48 hours every week except the one yearly week of vacation (July 4th week). With the passing years, my Dad’s interest in fishing waned. About 1960, when my Dad was 55 and I was 16, his interest in fishing was about gone, After working in the card room all week he needed afternoons to rest. I too had varied interest beginning in my mid teens And our fishing trips all but ceased. My dad retired at the normal for that day age of 65 in 1970 and it was at that time my Dad and I started back with our outdoor activities. I remember once we were bird hunting at Mr. Norten’s place in Anderson County. My Dad with his love for rabbit hunting was constantly looking for rabbits in the bed. He found one and looked at me with that "I’m gonna shoot it” look in his eye. I told him to let me get my bird dog out of the way (you don’t encourage a bird dog’s interest in rabbits). A few minutes later I hear a 12 gauge BOOM…Small pause…another BOOM…….small pause…another BOOM. My dad had missed killing a rabbit setting in the bed. I ribbed him about that for years.

My Liberty memories are:

Going to Liberty and playing in the driveway without
shoes and barely
being able to walk
because it hurt my feet
Sleeping up stairs with MaMa beside me in the bed
The cool breeze blowing in the roll out windows from
all the tress
Sitting on the front porch eating cucumbers with
MaMa
Peas, potatoes and dumplings
The closet in the bedroom that PaPa kept locked - it
had stuff in it that
we never knew about.
Playing on the steps going upstairs
Clothes patterns laying on the dining room table
The smell of gum in MaMa's pocket book
Watching her "Stories" and "The Price is Right"
Helping our plates going around the Dining Room
table
Me, Rita and Lisa always had to clean up the dishes
Walking to the "Speedy Mart" and downtown Liberty -
sometimes MaMa would
go
Combing MaMa's hair
PaPa pulling out his little change purse from his
pocket when we left to
give us money
Watching PaPa being baptized
PaPa always had a chore for daddy when we went to
visit
Mom had to do Ethel's hair but Johnnie Ruth could
always do it better -
ha.
and the best thing - to keep the bedroom door open
you had to wrap the
little piece of elastic around
both door knobs to make it stay open
Aunt Ressie coming to visit and bringing something
to eat that nobody
really wanted to eat - it was the
thought that counted. She's a good woman, we always
knew she would take
care of John and Ethel !!!!
And the most wonderful thing - knowing that MaMa and
PaPa were going to
church together.

I guess that's the fondest memories that I have of
Liberty. What about
the rest of you cousins?????

Karen's memories:

Red Velvet Cake
All those dress MaMa made for me and Jennifer (usually
matching dresses)
Walking around the block with PaPa and him barking at
all the dogs.
Of course, Hotchie Fotchie.
I especially remember the sound of the blinker on
Papa's old tan Malibu -- as a child it always reminded
me of the same sound he made as he chewed Juicy Fruit
-- only the car was much louder.
PaPa's hats
MaMa's shoes laying in the floor by her chair(I just
realized I must have inherited that from her)
After spending the night, I can remember waiting to go
to the breakfast table until after PaPa had finished
giving himself his insulin shot --I just couldn't
believe anyone could actually do that to himself!
MaMa always bought circus peanuts (those orange
marshmellow-y candies). She also usually had fried
pies from Winn Dixie.
Another treat she often had when we spent the night
was Chef Boyardee (sp) Raviola (sp). I guess we never
had it at home and it was a major big deal.
At Christmas, when EVERYONE was there, you knew you
were really lucky to if you managed to get a little
piece of the coffee table to put your plate on.
Devil's Den
PaPa's garden
Playing in the plum trees.

I have a few that are unique to me, having lived with Mama and Papa for
quite some time after "the divorce."

going into the woods with Mama to get her black gum tree twigs to clean her
teeth after she dipped snuff......

having Mama send me over to Irene Bigham's across the street to borrow a dip
of Tube Rose (snuff)....

Watching the old soap opera after school called Dark Shadow's, then being
afraid to play outside anytime near dark, for fear of vampires and
werewolves.....

Hearing Randall Bigham's mother, Irene, outside at dark yelling for
him......."ran-DALLLLLLLL, RANNNN-dalllll" What was that habit Randall's
father had?? Twitching of the shoulder and yawning?

Sleeping under five quilts upstairs in the winter, and with a fan going in
the summer.....and having a "pee bucket" to keep from going downstairs.

Speaking of sleeping, having occasion where either Jennifer or Karen (yall
remember her BLANKET????? the one she kept until she was, what, twenty??)
spend the night, and them sleeping in a drawer (this day and time, would
that qualify as child abuse????? LOLOL) Speaking of KAREN, when she was
ALL OF TWO, she tells me some joke that ONLY a two year old could or would
understand, and looks at me, and says, "Isn't that FUNNY, Johnny?", to which
I MUST have responded, "Yeah, Karen, that's real funny." She put her little
two year old hands on her two year old hips, and said, "Then WHY AREN'T YOU
LAUGHING?!?!?!??!"

the Cash family next door - need I say more? What were the son's names??

Wallace (and I say this with love) staggering upstairs, saying "BEEEED,
BED!!!!"

Mama helping me with my homework after school, and Papa coming home from
work each day and asking me first thing, "Doogan, did you do your
homework??"

Going uptown with Papa to get my haircut, hair tonic and all........and
walking on Main Street in Liberty with him and seeing the elderly black
gentlemen tip their hats to him, and say, "Mo-hnin, Mister Yates."

After I moved to Atlanta, being back in Liberty sometimes on the 3rd of the
month, and Papa saying to me, VERY SHORTLY after the mail (Social Security
check) arrived......."Doogan, run me up to the bank."

Being back at Mama and Papa's after we moved to Atlanta, and Mama took a
turkey out of the freezer. Papa threw a John Yates, and said, "Ethel, we
ain't taking that turkey to Kathryn's. Wallace give us (sic) that turkey."
And an hour or so later, being out on the back porch with Mama, and noticing
that she had NOT put the turkey back into the freezer. I must have said
SOMETHING like, "Mama, I thought Papa said to put the turkey back into the
freezer." She busted out laughing, and said, "I know how to handle your
daddy." (I NEVER ONCE corrected her when she referred to Papa as 'your
daddy'........) And by the way, I am in my late twenties (anyone catch that
one?) and to this day, I have NEVER EVER had baked chicken or fried chicken
any better than that Mama (God rest her soul) could make.

Coming home from school, only for Mama to be crying, since Laura Horton or
some other member of the Horton family on DAYS OF OUR LIVES was having
troubles (one thing we can all agree about our Mama, she had a heart of a
SAINT)

Being upstairs with Lisa laughing, and having Mama yell up the stairs for us
to "quit our snickering"...........

making a tent out of a quilt draped over the coffee table (kids nowadays
have no idea what they are missing, eh?)

Susan Yates SO BIG when she was carrying David, that I was afraid she was
GOING TO POP!!!!!!!

A couple of sad ones, yet touching........After Dole's funeral, overhearing
Mama tell someone, "I feel just like I've lost a son." Hearing Papa say
shortly after Mama died, "This is the biggest cross to ever go over me."
And remembering just how frail he was at her funeral. THAT'S LOVE for his
SOUL MATE, huh???

I SEEM to have a couple of memories of the Yates clan that do not
necessarily involve Liberty,

such as Dole Chastain chasing all the yunguns around the back of his house
with a burned newspaper over his face, with us screaming bloody murder....

Lynn, Lisa, and "Johnny" playing on some swings outside of a "fish camp",
having our parents tell us to "come on, we're leaving", not paying
attention, and the next thing I remember is chasing our parents as they
pretended to drive off in the car.

Rita and I playing in their OLD house in Piedmont, and her accidentally
spitting on me....Dole asking me if I wanted him to whip her, and me
whimpering "uhHUH", only to have him give her a butt burner...I am sure,
Rita, that the PHYSICAL scars healed.......Rita, if you like, I can help you
find a therapist for the emotional ones (YUST YOKIN!!!!)

LAST, but certainly not least, visiting with my cousins at their old home in
Mauldin, SC. Lynn had some HIDEOUS head gear that went with her braces,
which was way way ahead of its time....Her neighbor that lived behind her
yelling at her to "go home, looking at that head-gear makes me want to
VOM_ICK!!!!!!!!" Remember that one, Lynn?????

JJ

O.K., here are Lulu's memories, somebody will have to forward these for me cause I don't know how. Some of these go back a ways.
Papa's garden with the bird dogs in the fence behind
Papa chasing us with his belt, and Johnny not knowing him that well after moving back South, being scared to death
Being at Mama and Papa's house and Hook and Susan driving up. Me, Johnny (sorry, you will always be Johnny to me) and Lynn would go running up to the car hollering which one of their babies we were fixing to grab. Now that I'm a mother I'm pretty sure Susan couldn't stand us, but she never let on. They were so cute we couldn't resist. Still are.
Me and Johnny going to stay for a few weeks in the summer so we could go to Day Camp at the YMCA in Easley. Papa would drive us to the old High School so we could catch the bus to the YMCA. We were finally promoted to Junior Councillors.
Walking to the Speedy Mart with Mama.
It was always freezing upstairs in the winter so we would sleep under about 12 quilts. They were so heavy you couldn't breathe. Now, when I go to the dentist and they put that lead vest on me to take x-rays, I have flashbacks.
Mama saving money to replace those front doors.
She always loved to cook your favorite foods, cherry yum yum and for Daddy, she would make banana pudding.
Papa eating cornbread and milk (was it buttermilk?) and then taking a bite of a raw onion.
Their 50th wedding anniversary. The times I would see them taking their offering to church the week of their birthdays, and then going up together the week of their anniversary. They would put it in a little church building on the altar of the church to help raise money for their new church building.
Mama always fussing about Kathryn and them being late for dinner after church while she watched the brown-n-serve rolls cook.
All the little presents and envelopes under their Christmas tree. That pink bathtub.
Being there when Papa had his heart attack and riding in the ambulance with him. Then, when he had his surgery.
One anonymous uncle (Hook) who never let me forget that I once had a booger stuck in my nose.
Love to all, I have enjoyed reading everyones memories. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.