BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Monday, June 27, 2011

Where I am from

I am from skating rinks and disco balls, from Pac-Man and spreading oak trees and wide, green lawns.

I am from a house with a big, homey kitchen, echoing with the babble of a big family, from creek houses with rooms crammed full of beds and people, from porches with screens and early morning’s quiet sunrise over the water.

I am from the banana trees and Indian Paint Brushes and Black Eyed Susans growing wild in the field.

I am from Sunday dinners and short tempers, from Sanna and George and Creppon’s and Boillin’s. I am from a tendency to hold grudges, depression baby frugality, and the willingness to give the shirt off your back to help a stranger.

I am from mind your manners and act like a lady, from clean your plate because there are starving children in Ethiapoia, from stand up straight, you’re ruining your posture, from try a little harder to be friendly and everyone will like you, and also from flashing porch lights.

I am from strict Catholic parents, from church every Sunday, first communion, first confession and confirmation. I am from ashes smeared on foreheads, dried palm fronds and candle blessings.

I am from Texas, from southern accents, from piney woods, muddy creeks and warm beaches and sand.

I am from Friendswood, from England, Ireland, Germany and Spain, from fried chicken, gumbo and corn on the cob.

I am from a mother who loves to play games and tell stories, from a father who survived losing his own father as a child, from grandparents I never met but still knew, from aunts and uncles and cousins innumerable, from cut-throat games of cards, from Friday night bingo, from salty popcorn and ice cold snow cones at Camp Manison, from cake walks and white elephant booths and books and books and books.

I am from photos that could not be contained in a single album, from pictures on walls and spilling from drawers, of a family too large and complex to contain.


*I got this from Avitable, and if you would like to create your own you can use a template of prompts found here.

9 folks speakin' their mind:

Susan said...

Love this! It makes me think of home - home that I left so long ago and wish was still there.

Thanks for a wonderful post.

Anonymous said...

How surprisingly vivid -- I went to the your link and looked at the template. Gonna give it a try :-) The question that stumps me all the time is, "What's new?"

fiwa said...

Thanks Susan - I am missing Friendswood right now, can you tell?

Anne - I hope you do it, I'll look forward to reading it. I love how it comes out almost like poetry in every one I've read so far.

Mo said...

Mo likey. Mo will do soon. Mo speaking in third person cavewoman speak and doesn't know why.


Mo's word verification is moica. Mmmhmm. Sho is. Schwenty.

meno said...

It IS a poem. I think i'll try it.

Oh my, i swear to god! My word verification is "prose."

Cheryl said...

I loved this! Sounds like a life I might have loved, with some exceptions. You can guess which ones! The "...piney woods, muddy creeks and warm beaches and sand." really spoke to me. One of my best vacations was at Edisto Island, at a creek house. I write this from my perch on the balcony, overlooking the warm ocean with the dune grasses and palm fronds swaying in the breeze and the waves rolling in from the ocean. Wish you were here!

PS. My word verification is offshor

fiwa said...

Mo, because you're just you, that's why. I'm looking forward to reading yours though. xoxo

Meno, I hope you do. And that is so weird on the word verification!

Cheryl, our creek house was decrepit and funky, and owned jointly by all my dad's brothers & sisters. The bedroom was honestly one huge room crammed full of beds, so you knew everybody's business. But it was cool in a lot of ways too. I hope you're enjoying your vacation sweets!

Sis said...

Just reading your comments here, I know what you are talking about with the creek house. At my grandfather's huge farm, there was the "camp house" and it had 2 bedrooms with 1 double bed in each room, and a huge living room with 3 double beds scattered around it, and a couple of sitting areas where we would always play cards. Good old days, I have just been hit with nostalgia really hard. lol.

Anyway - I was so enchanted, reading about where you are from, that I did it too. I'm not as creative as you, though. I feel like I know you a hundred times more intimately now. :)
XOXOXO

dawn said...

this post is your best ever. wish i had a dollar every time i checked your blog for a new post.

i missed your fiwaness.
xox