Way back before we had REA or electric tosters-we still wanted toast. Solution:--the wood heating stove in the living room. I can't remember the name of it but the front was flat and made from cast iron. The sides and back were thinner steel with the sides rounded and the back rather flat. One could take a slice of bread [or 15 if they wanted] and slap that dude on the back of the stove. It worked even better than today's tosters! Came off easily with a butter knife so you could turn it over and toast the other side too. Home-made butter with some home-made grape jelly would really taste good. In the spring of the year it was always "clean up" time. Cutting brush, filling in holes in the fields, yard and barn yard. While cutting brush and dead limbs, we would stack them up in a big pile to burn. Sometimes we'd wait until a cool, wet or damp day before burning the brush pile. When we would burn it -it was always a treat to take BIG taters [not like you find now in the stores] and coat them with damp clay. Throw those raskels in the hot coals and let'm cook all day. Boy! talk about gooooooood! Easy to clean the mud off as it would dry out and all you had to do was just knock it off, open the spud and EAT! No need to even go to the house for any silverware, knives or butter. Sometimes we'd take some hog meat and wrap it in tinfoil, then mud and cook it the same way. Folks now think it's just wonderful to go "eat out"---at a resturant- in town. We were blessed by Almighty God to live in the country with a gem of a dad and mom and then to be able to "eat out" like this. I sure miss those days of the close family but time changes everything -and not for the better sometimes. The Gibson family usually does have a big get together about every year where we build chowder in a 40 gal. iron kettle--outside over a wood fire. In case you don't know what chowder is---it's veg soup with all veggies, cabbage and the meat of cow and chicken. No hog, turk, squirrel or any game anymore. Cook that dude all day while stirring constantly with a white oak paddle and keep adding water so's it won't burn or stick. If you have never had any and would want the recipe---holler. I'll post it. The donut recipe has been found and I'll pick it up [along with some donuts] tomorrow. Mom is a makin me some--without sugar on the outside. I can hadly wait! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 18, 2000

Answers

Mr. Hoot, I again, enjoyed reading history through your words. But I only stumble upon your gems by accident (it seems), can you write a book, so it is one package? Thank You..

-- Reader (of@Foxfirebooks.com), July 20, 2000.