a baker boy: June 2008

Monday, June 30, 2008

Daddy and Mama's hands

These hands nurtured us and provided for us. We are thankful to them for giving their lives so that we could grow, become educated and enjoy a fuller, more comfortable life.

Grand Ma and Grand Pa Baker some time before 1935

Our Grand pa was killed in a truck wreck in 1935, none of us ever saw him. His name was Dowell George Baker. By all accounts, he was "much of a man." "Doc Baker," as he was called, was kind of the unofficial peace maker when trouble broke out in his area. He would be called to break up fights, or render justice if some bully was taking advantage of anyone who could not protect himself. My Dad always spoke of his Dad in tones of reverence, you just knew that he respected him very much. Daddy was with him on the truck the day he was killed. Grand ma Baker died in 1968, while I was in Korea. She had been buried for more than a week when I got the letter telling me she was gone. She lived for 33 years after his death and never was remarried. She was a very sweet lady!

Just some good ol boys

Me and my brothers in May of 2008, in Columbus Mississippi. We had a ball, bar-be-queing, Story telling and catching up. We allways include stories of brothe Jerry who was killed in 1986. He was a good ol boy too.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Bev and Jo at Prim

Two of my favorite girls at the Ben Pearson retreat at Prim Arkansas. Trevor and Jodi gave the family this trip for Christmas. We had a wonderful time.

Can you bear it?

This is a big old bear Brady had to pick up after an 80+ year-old man shot the bear while the bear was robbing his bee hives at 2:00 a.m. one morning.

Brady with the awful, terrible snake

Bluegrass squirrel

I'm teaching my pet squirrel to play the mandolin, he's nuts about the darn thing!

The Cathcart home place

This photo was taken @ the late 1970's or early 80's. We lived in this house in Rehobeth Alabama in the early 50's. I remember that we first heard of the death of Hank Williams Sr. while we lived in this house. Hank Sr. died on Jan. 1st. 1953, he was the same age as my Mama, only 30 years old. At the time, there were only three of us boys, Danny, Jerry, and myself. The Cathcart place was a paradise for boys, with creeks on both sides of the house and a veritable cornucopia of fruit, nuts and places to explore.