1931: I’m just getting home from school. Home is at Grandma Wells’ house until school’s out. That’ll be a couple of months yet. I no sooner get home than I’m informed of the most exciting event of the season.

“Ol’ Pied had her calf last night. You can run down to the barn and have a look at the calf. It’s a heifer. That’s good; we can use another milk cow. Couldn’t tell you this morning cause it’d made you late for school,” Grandma informs me.

I’m trotting down the lane past the paw-paw patch to the barn. I stub my toe on a rock. That hurts. Good thing I’m not barefooted. I peek in through a crack in the barn door. Sure enough, I see a calf resting beside her mama. Fine looking baby Pied has. I go in for a better look. Stinks in here. I go out for a fresh breath. It’s not as fresh as I expected. Smells like coal smoke. A train must have gone by while I was looking at the calf. Thought I’d heard it but hadn’t paid much attention.

Another day at school and I’m heading home. It warmed since morning. Don’t need the coat so I take it off sling it over my shoulder and start my walk home. I’m on the steep part of the road. Makes my legs tired and my whole body hot. Seems farther to the top on a warm day. I finally reach the top and begin to breathe easier. I hear crows cawing and look up. Three crows fly across the hollow. I wonder if the ridge they’re going to is better than the one they left. I’m really warmed up by this time.

“Grandma,” I say, “is it all right if I quit wearing my long handles? It’s too hot.”

“I suppose so, but it may turn cold again this time of year,” she says.

“If it turns cold again I’ll just walk faster.” I press my luck, “Can I go barefooted too?”

“Oh yes, in another month,” she says, “but I have something you’ll like while you’re waiting. Kyle was up in the apple orchard this morning. He brought back a mess of morel mushrooms.”

I look at a bowl full of mushrooms. They look like a bowl of sponges. Grandma cooks them and serves them as part of supper. Boy, they sure taste good. I hope there are more where those came from.

It’s Saturday. No school today. I’m finally barefooted, thank goodness. Everything’s green and blooming. Grandma has some flowers in her yard. Nothing smells better than the lilacs. I see some wild flowers close to the house. I recognize the columbine. Grandma calls them tangle britches, a good name for them. School will be out soon and my folks will be coming to take me to Kentucky before long. I may as well enjoy the rest of my stay here.

1934: I try on my new shoes. They’re a mite too big; to allow for growing I think. Got them just in time for Easter. Ladies in new hats won’t be the only ones to sport new clothes.

It’s Easter morning. We’re not supposed to have snow today but there it is, two or three inches of it. Sure can’t depend on spring weather. Mama says I’d better not wear my new shoes today. Well the snow can’t last long; it’s spring.

The snow’s all gone and it’s a beautiful sunny day. From here I can see the mountain across the river. Some of the trees are beginning to show new leaves. The tulip trees are the brightest, light spring green. Smiling yellow daffodils are in bloom, outdoing the dandelions. A robin hops along looking for an earthworm. He flies up into a tree and delights me with his song.

My Boy Scout troop goes on a camping weekend today. Maybe I can finish my second-class badge requirements.

We’re at the scout camp. We will sleep in the lodge. Amster our scoutmaster has a fire going. Looks like he’s going to heat a pot of beans. The beans are hot and he has weenies to roast. We gather sticks, roast weenies and have hot dogs and beans for supper. I can imagine the sounds tonight in the lodge. 

It is nearly dark except for a silvery moon. All the boys gather around a campfire. It’s a pretty sight with flames reaching up to kiss the sky. The crackling sound and the whiffs of wood smoke make a pleasant relief from winter nights. We sing a few songs, and when the fire dies down to embers we head for the lodge. Nobody is ready for sleep. Hear lots of chatter for a while. A mosquito buzzes around my ear. Time passes and the boys finally quiet down. I hear an owl hoot in the woods. Tomorrow will be a fine day I think, before I doze off.

At home Daddy is busy planting his garden. Some boys are playing ball. Girls are playing hopscotch. Moms are getting ready to fix supper. Spring is a fickle time, bringing hope and disappointment, but always new life.