Mr. Peabody's Coal Train in Paradise, Kentucky ~ Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

My Mom & Her Brother, my Uncle Paul

I mentioned in my post yesterday that we had company this past week. One of the visitors was my Mom's brother, my uncle Paul. He was born in 1926 and lived through the Great Depression. He used to have to go to school with rubber bands around his shoes to try and keep the soles on them. 

Paul brought us some of the sweetest Georgia peaches I have ever tasted. One of the things we talked about when they were here was the price of groceries. Paul has started buying animals to raise for meat because he says they can't afford meat in the grocery stores anymore. 

Back when he was growing up during the depression, they used to visit with my great grandparents on the family farm.  Bordie Fox was my great grandfather and his farm was in Muhlenberg county, Kentucky in a little town called Paradise. 

Francis Peabody was buying up the small farms in that area for Peabody's coal company, which supplied electricity for homes as far away as Chicago.  My great grandfather was the last holdout in that area and his farm was the last one sold to Mr. Peabody in the 1960s.  

Have you ever heard the song, Paradise by John Prine? The song is about Paradise, Kentucky...the same place my great grandfather had his farm. 

The song tells the story of a man who as a young child would travel down to western Kentucky where his parents were born. And he asked to be taken back to Muhlenberg County and his dad said he was sorry, but "Mister Peabody's coal train has hauled it away". 

Here is a link to the lyrics. 

My uncle Paul loved going to the family farm because there was always plenty of food to eat, which was not always the case at home. 

My great grandparents raised and preserved most of their own food. They had cows, which meant there was always fresh milk and butter. They grew a big garden and preserved most of the food they ate back then. 

My great grandfather knew a lot about raising animals and slaughtering animals for meat. Paul used to have to help when it came time to butcher the animals. 

Paul told us that he wished he had paid more attention back then because now that he is raising meat for food he doesn't remember how to butcher them, and he is going to slaughter them himself to save money.  My great grandfather knew how to do all those things. 

Wouldn't it be great if we could take ourselves in the autumn of our lives and go back in time and give ourselves advice? 

How many times have you heard, "If I only knew then what I know now"? My dad has always told me hindsight is 20/20 and I know that's true. 

How much better our lives would be to have the wisdom that comes with age and the vitality that comes with youth. 

In the Frugal Workshop kitchen today...

I've been busy in the kitchen this morning. I boiled one dozen eggs to make egg salad for lunches this week. I put a bag of the beans from a 15 Bean Cajun Soup bag on to soak overnight. 

We will have those for dinner on Monday night. For dinner tonight, I am making green beans with onions and potatoes, sausage, and cornbread. 

I'll also serve the last of the Rice & Cheese and Brussel Sprouts from Saturday night's dinner. 

I received my first issue of Cooking Light magazine in the mail yesterday. This is one of the rewards I signed up for from Recycle Bank. 

Have any of you signed up for this Rewards Program yet? You can read my post about it here:  Recycle Bank

We made a quick trip to pick up newspapers today (they do not deliver them this far out from Chattanooga). 

There are $105 worth of coupons in our local paper today. 

One of the coupons is for $5.00 off a package of Tena liners. Walmart sells these for $4.99, so all we have to pay for them is the tax. Can't beat a deal like that. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. 

Belinda

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without”

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle