Thursday, August 27, 2009

Where I'm from




I'm from a high desert plateau painted in technicolor, the red water of the Little Colorado River and Kodachrome canyons.

I'm from the little farmhouse my parents built (with a winebottle in the cornerstone).I'm from irrigation ditches,laundry hanging in the yard, pigs and chickens and a cow. I'm from 'Pretty Butchy Bird' squawking "Shut that back door".

I'm from Rose bushes, Mesquite and Palo Verde Trees and tumble weeds blowing in little pink dust devils.

I'm from dinner in the dining room on Blue Willow dishes. I'm from a family of Ruths. I'm from Hyrum Morgan and Ruth Amanda Daugherty clan. I'm from the Richards and the Hill families.

I'm from hilarious gregarious people with a gift of the gab and laughter.

I'm from lullabys and love notes in lunchboxes.

I'm from Sunday School, strict moral up-bringing, obligations and religious dogma. I'm from wandering off the straight and narrow path.

I'm from adventurous folks that settled the west,from Irish roots, from the warm cream skimmed off the top of a freshly milked cow. I'm from homemade bread.

I'm from a grandfather who drove a race car and made his own corn whiskey. I'm from a disowned grandmother who sold her vegetables from a roadside stand. I'm from Railroad workers and school teachers. I'm from a Dad who wrote a book on Arizona history and from a Mother who was the love of my life.

I'm from the Ruth's who inherited the family silver, from dirt poor folks who never sold it. I'm from antique Railroad watches, rubber band balls,and quirky
endearing eccentrics.I'm from hikes in the canyon and picking wild onions.
I come from love.
If any of you would like to try this WHERE I COME FROM, the template is at :
http://www.swva.net/fred1st/wif.htm
xo


This was originally posted in 2007. I am posting this again for TAW

21 comments:

  1. BEEEautiful. I enjoyed this immensely. Especially Blue Willow and Ruths.

    I like where you come from.

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    1. I come from a family of Ruth's. My mother was Ruth Lillian Randall and I am Cheryl Ruth Sweet. Us Ruth's need to stick together.

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  2. I'm so glad to see that there is a template. I was enchanted about halfway through and decided to do this too. I'm off now to the template.

    Oh, and - what a background - rich, earthy, and solid.

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  3. This gave me a real sense of you. Lots of enchanting contradictions, light and drifting, and yet definitely rooted in the earth.

    Congrats on a lovely piece of writing!

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  4. I absolutely love this...I remember seeing a post about this a while back...I am going to try it. It is one of the best ways to understand a person.

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  5. What a gorgeous piece of writing. Thanks for sharing it.

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  6. What a great way of sharing with your readers. I loved it. Maybe I will go see that template you talk of. Thanks so much for a wonderful read.

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  7. These things that make you up are just wonderful! xo

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  8. What a fabulous post! I so wish I had such a family history! I've always wanted blue willow dishes. I read a book as a little girl and the main character was a little girl. In the book she cherished a blue willow plate...I cannot quite remember the story though...

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  9. I loved it the first time. You inspired me so much with this piece of wrting. thanks so much for sharing yourself again xo

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  10. Such colourful, detailed memories. :) Lovely picture.

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  11. I'm from lullabyes and love notes in lunch boxes...

    How lucky you are to have such great roots.

    That line is my very favorite of this wonderful writing.

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  12. Wow! Your first sentence is pure poetry. What a beautiful exercise in self-discovery. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Hello Kindred Spirit! I could swear we come from the same place!
    I adore this!

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  14. Oh this is truly wonderful, heartfelt and moving. I can see and feel your experiences and stories so clearly from this beautifully written piece that reads like a love note.
    Hugs
    Kat Xx

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  15. I love this. So visual and reading it made me feel warm and comforted xx

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  16. I love this so much! I love blue willow china, it reminds me of holidays and my grandma and my mother's oldest sister.

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  17. What a beautifully romantic and poetic piece of writing. Cute pic too! Thank you for sharing :-)

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  18. Gorgeous post. Thank you so much for sharing it!! My family has deep roots in Flagstaff - I can feel the desert simmering in your words <3

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