Her Buggy Can Fly

After we had eaten too much of Grandma's delicious fudge, she looked at me to see if I was calmed down. Satisfied, she decided instantly that we would go for some more supplies for her Garden Club meeting. Grandma said we would go to Maysville, as it was closer than Commerce. Grandma did not drive a car, so we'd have to hitch up Nellie Belle to the buggy.

On this visit, I had ridden on Nellie Belle bareback (under the careful watchful eye of Grandma) and I had been in the wagon pulled by the faithful Nellie Belle, but I had never been in a buggy. I was beginning to get all excited over our little trip. I assumed it would be a nice leisurely ride I had figured out this would take the place ofher rest today that was interrupted by Jeb.

I was soon to learn, to my utter amazement, that my four foot eleven inch Grandma was a speed demon with the reins in her hands! Her solemn face betrayed her excitement as we raced along! Nellie Belle had always appeared so docile, but I got a good look at her, and she was as reckless as Grandma!

My nerves were beginning to fray by the time we reached the little town. Grandma tethered the reins to a nearby pole, rather expertly, I might add, in a favorite spot in front ofthe store.

Once inside, Grandma casually mentioned, "Oh by the way, Katie, tomorrow in addition to my Garden Club that will be meeting at our house, it is to be combined with my Bible Study group."

I looked with interest at my Grandma, but thought to myself, "Please don't let their subject be Revelation!" (I shuddered.)

Grandma continued, "We will be studying the book of John, which is a favorite ofours."

"Who will be teaching that day?" I just meant to join in the conversation.

"Well, I am afraid it will be me. I was appointed to teach the whole book of John over a few months time. We have great discussions at the end of each chapter.

"To get on to the Garden Club part, everyone's petunias are at peak just now. We always give aprize or two to the best ones." Was that a smug look I saw cross Grandma's face? I was later to leam from several of the club members that Grandma usually won first prize for her petunias!

Grandma got back to the business at hand. "l will need a few things from this store. I've already made the fudge which we sampled." She gave me a quick searching look and we both shuddered - not at the fudge but at the recent memory it brought to mind. Kathryn Bush

"I need to make something tasty using cheese. Can you give me any ideas?

I was flattered for her to ask me, so I said quickly, "While we are in the store, I'll think of something special. My Mother makes several cheese things for her circle that always disappear before us kids can get to them."

"Excellent," Grandma said pleased.

We managed to find all of the things we needed in the friendly little store, and we took our bags to the buggy. Nellie Belle was fidgeting impatiently, probably wondering what had taken us so long.

On the buggy ride home, I braced myselffor the Pony Express type speed we had experienced on the way to Maysville. To my surprise, it was a complete about face! Nellie Belle struck a comfortable gait, and we were actually able to chat leisurely about the meeting tomorrow.

We had just passed the fence post marking the beginning of "our" farm. Grandma suddenly pulled the buggy over to the right side ofthe road alongside a heavily loaded clump of blackberry bushes. She smiled brightly and said, "They are finally ripe!"

"What's ripe>" I asked with sudden interest.

"The blackberries. Would you hand me those two buckets behind you there?" At the prospect of eating fresh blackberries - whatever they were- I

scrambled around and found the baskets. I gave Grandma one and kept one for myself.

After I eagerly tasted one ofthe plump blackberries, I said, "This is good, but it tastes so different from Grandpa's Scuppernongs and Muscadines!"

Grandma explained patiently, "Well, they are of the grape family, and blackberries belong to the berry group. These make delicious jam and jelly though, and I'll have to do just that about Friday''

"Can I help?" I asked excitedly.

"I was counting on you," Grandma said with a contented look.

"Grandma, now that I think about it, haven't you sent some of this kind ofjelly to Daddy before? I believe I remember eating some really delicious jam made from blackberries. Is that right?"

"It certainly isl That is one ofmy specialties, and you certainly know that your mother puts up some fine fig preserves."

I grinned" "That is, if she can keep me from eating most of it. I really do love those fig preserves. Buck and I make it our special business each summer to keep the birds out ofthe two large fig trees."

'And how do you do that?"

"Well you see, we have this old air rifle and Daddy taught us to hit the limb just below the bird so that we can scare them out of the trees. Sometimes, we miss the limb and knock a bird or two out now and then, but that makes is feel bad. Most of the time, our aim is pretty good and we scare them away for a while.