The Aloe Vera plant these days is popular and commercially well-known.
When I was around fourteen, the plant was not as widespread by mainstream and heard of by everyone.
My mother and I used to purchase Aloe from the Nursery many years ago.
The plant is, of course, a natural healing remedy- great for burns, cuts and scars. The juice of the plant is also good for providing health in maintaining overall soothing and integrity of the skin.
There were a host of activities I was involved in from childhood on up.
At about seven or eight years of age I knew how to play quite a few card games including Bid Whist (that some used to call Big Wisk), Five Hundred Rummy.
Later, it was spades and so on. My mother taught me early.
I remember a time our cousins came up from down south Virginia to spend a week or two with us in New York.
My grandmother’s niece was disappointed that I taught my older thirteen-year-old cousin who was her son how to play Whist and he loved the card came.
He had never learned to play because his mother was trying to shelter him. It was her way of trying to raise her boy in a strict religious fashion.
I enjoyed the games my mother and I used to play together and with others when we had get-togethers.
Whether it was Dominoes, Backgammon, Monopoly, The Game of Life, Upwards, Boggle, Clue and the rest of pastimes that kept us pleasantly occupied we had a lot of engaging fun!
People will smile in one another’s faces then talk about each other like dogs then call one another friends, or they are supposed to be friends.
I have seen and watched this among many, including family members, throughout my life.
As one naturally a loner who never looked for or depended upon friendships since I was never crazy about people in general, if or when people talked about me it did not matter.
People talk about people and tell lies about people every day- people they do not even personally know.
Either they assume things, make up things, or hear things through others (the grapevine) that may be unreliable yet they may want to believe or enjoy the nosy talk as it is within some people’s nature to do so.
It is fantastic to be aware but I never went around calling everyone who sometimes hung around or kept company a friend.
Instead, I called them associates.
Yes, everybody talks in one way or another at some time about someone or something, but not everyone is a gossip, rumor spreader, or slanderer out to spread harm.
Some merely have discussions while others are spiteful, deceitful and/or eager to hear or gather dirt.
I am an individual who does not need to talk behind one’s back. Whatever I do have to say when anyone is not around, I will tell one my words straight to their face.
Why be bothered with someone who one does not like or appreciate if one does not have to?
Some stick around others for the ulterior motives they may have such as to use them etc….
I did not get involved in nonsense/bullshit of that nature. Though I have seen plenty of it go on.
There is nothing wrong in instances when people come to tell you what someone said, spoke about, or heard about you. A lot of it is done in good faith with good intentions and one can learn and evaluate life situations as they come up in the world by being kept alert/informed, avoiding certain mistakes, preventing unfavorable situations, so on, and vice-versa.
But what is the point of those who claim to be friends when all they really do is dog one another out in all type of circumstances?
They are not really friends- genuine friends are not intentionally cold, hurtful, or malicious toward one another.
Spring and summer are my favorite times of the year- these two seasons always have been.
Trees start to sprout out their pretty light-green leaves before their shade turns dark.
Flowers bloom vibrantly in the most eye-catching of colors.
The weather is warm- a variety of invite to the enjoyment of the outdoors.
My mother and I were both born in the Spring. She was born in April, and I in May.
Our zodiacal signs fell under Taurus– a sign we were proud to be born under and both shared the characteristics of trustworthiness, reliability, determination, understanding and strength.
My mother and I had a lot in common and could relate to one another harmoniously, yet both of us were different, encompassing our own style of individuality.
P.S. My beloved ♥ dog 🐕 was born in April- she also was a Taurus baby! 🐂
As a child, after disconnecting the makeshift basket I created to transport my furry friend around with me for a day- I would hold Brandie while she was still small inside the comfort of my left arm while I steered the handlebars to my bike with my right arm on other days.
Brandie loved to run in the street beside me while I rode my bike. I had her on her leash, grasping the head of the strap against the grip of the left handlebar to my bike.
Brandie also loved to run beside me in the street while I rolled on my roller-skates. I loved the way she pulled me as I held onto her leash supervising every moment to make sure the both of us never got hit by any car within our neighborhood block.
As an adult-years later- I took Brandie to the park without her leash. She was a well- behaved dog familiar within the area and did not need to be restrained. I let her walk and run around free- she never bothered anybody- people liked and loved Brandie.
I stopped off at the park to take a quick breeze upon a swing.
Brandie followed me inside the playground stood a few seconds to watch me then she must have said to herself “This may take a few minutes. Let me chill” because she sat down at a distance to patiently wait.
Two female youngsters entered the section of the playground we were in while I swung and realized my dog was no threat as they also hopped upon the swings.
One of the girls said to the other, “I want a dog just like that- who will sit and wait for me”.
I awoke bright and early, still excited over having adopted a brand new seven to eight-week-old puppy from North Shore Animal League during the summer of 1986.
The sun shined, the air was crisp, the day clear and I wanted to go bike riding.
Yet, I did not want to go alone.
I wanted the company of my new furry friend-just me and her, no one else for that moment in time.
I was the type of child who often played with other neighborhood kids but took out time to enjoy being alone when I preferred to.
There was one problem surrounding this event.
I needed a basket that I did not have to place Brandie in while I freely rode her on my bike.
So, I creatively made one.
I went to find a crate that I fastened to the handlebars of my bike with rope then securely placed Brandie inside.
A neighborhood guy laughed at the situation when he saw me in action because he thought the effort and determination was cute. My mother had informed this information to me about the neighbor’s reaction later
Off I went through the streets of my neighborhood steering out of the way when cars drove up from behind and up ahead.
Brandie enjoyed her first bike ride in the comforts of the crate with the warm summer breeze enhancing her mood.
I will never forget that wonderful day of bonding sweetly with my baby.
I remember a great dream I had years ago.
In the dream, I lived in a spacious home that was shared with relatives of mine that I had not met yet in the awake state.
The home had so much room and was built off in a section way where my relatives and I would only run into each other occasionally or not so often inside the large-sized kitchen we also shared.
We all got along and went about our business in parts of the house that we resided and occupied.
The only person I told this dream to was my mother after I had it.
So, it was coincidental or suspicious when someone mentioned in a comment on one of my blog posts (Symptoms of Voodoo Black Magic by Mony Singh) years after I had the dream that they lived in a big house with the same or similar circumstances. I do not recall every detail within the person’s comment (and there are far too many comments to search through to look for it).
However, it was too close.
Of course, I do know that whatever we can think can happen or exist. And that whatever we may experience, someone else somewhere around the world will or may experience it too.
It is not that my dream and her claim of reality seemed impossible, it was just uncanny of her to mention the instance.
On Christmas morning, after opening presents, I washed and got dressed to accompany my mother to a department store.
She went to purchase some accessories for the home.
Along the way in one of the aisles I came across a pink colored toy Cadillac that could entirely sit barbie dolls inside the two front seats.
Even though I had already received Christmas presents at home my mother kindly bought me the car to take home to play with along with my other toys when I asked If I could get the item.
My mother was so kind and sweet to me.
A few years before, during the late 1970’s around Christmas, my mother’s childhood friend from high school took me to FAO Schwarz toy store located in Manhattan, New York.
There, we stood outside with a crowd of onlookers, gazing through the window of FAO Schwarz, admiring the beauty of the lit-up Christmas village toy community that had a running trainset and/or Santa Claus riding amid the town.
It was a gorgeously cute showcase displayed for the attraction.
I remember as a kid when I attended the day care center down the street on a corner from the block where I lived.
It was a 3k and pre-k early learning center -“the first step towards college and career readiness”- their logo reads- that is still in operation today at the same location.
During the late 70’s or early 80’s, they scheduled a school trip for us young students to explore. Our parents were welcome to come if they desired.
My mother attentively came along.
A school bus picked us up directly in front of the Charles Drew Day Care Learning Center.
We were all headed to the Pumpkin Patch!
There was a large farm field of pumpkins that were laid out all for us children to choose from. Our very own to take back home.
I ran my little body out into the open land, not afraid to journey independently to hunt.
I will never forget that day. It was exciting, educational, inspiring- and mommy was right there beside me for the experience.
I picked out a cute, perfect little pumpkin that was just right for me.
When the time came one day at home, because I did not cut into my adored pumpkin right away, my mother guided me as I carved open the head of the pumpkin to take out the pulp, fibrous strands, and seeds. My mom instructed me on how we did it together.
Afterwards, I carved two eyes, a nose, and a mouth into my pumpkin, then placed the stem back over the pumpkin as a hat.
My pumpkin lasted for a long time, from the beginning to the time it was finally ready to be thrown away.
The first time I remember riding on a boat I was very young, about seven or eight years of age.
It was on the Manhattan Circle-Liner I rode with a group of family members.
They had come up to visit from Virginia. They wanted to tour around the New York City waters to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, and other attractions.
During childhood I also visited Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania where I rode numerous water-rides all day. The fun I had! I loved water-rides back then.
I have been on boats a few times as an adult. There is no excitement to it unless I feel myself moving on the vessel.
At the age of sixteen I was bored as can be down inside the Staten Island Ferry as I rode with friends while we hung out in Manhattan on Independence Day.
My friends at the time and I were chaperoned by an adult.
We all came to see the fireworks that year in the early nineties. We walked the streets of Manhattan enjoying ourselves until one or two in the morning.
It was not until I came up to the top outside of the Staten Island Ferry that I was able to feel the boat as it swiftly moved upon the waters.
We rode the Ferry just for entertainment that night. Years later, the guy who chaperoned us (a longtime family friend) took me into Staten Island by driving on the Verrazano Bridge when I was in my early twenties.
There was a CruiseShip planned for a family reunion years ago, I did not attend that gathering, though.
My mother was a major influence in my world she made a huge impact on my life. Where would I be without the love, attention, and teaching that she gave to me?
Her and I were both smart academically, talented and gifted spiritually, able to learn on our own, to be self-taught without anyone having to train or to inform to us the certain significant matters of life and society. The Lord created us the perfect match for one another.
God played a solid role within my mother’s growth and maintenance. She told me he did a lot for her.
My mother went through a lot from an early age. I wonder how she came through so sufficiently to then endure further hardships with family and other jealous and troubled folk all the while continuing to be a phenomenal mother to me.
Aside from I recognizing God himself proving to be extremely faithful in most of our life circumstances, my mother is the reason I am able to put my hope and trust within the Lord.
Thank you, mommy, for teaching me to pray as a little girl. Thank you, mommy, for all those years of being there for me, always believing in me, always encouraging me. Thank you for being someone I could deeply and genuinely admire, look up to, respect and love ultimately.
Your sense of humor was out of this world, we both cracked each other up. You were funny without trying to be, you had that natural knack for inciting laughter. I get my gaiety from you.
I loved the fondness and ear that we had for different types of music and all of the moments we enjoyed together listening and jamming to the beats. The gospel music you used to play for years was also very inspiring and still motivates me to this very day.
I am so honored and glad that I was born to you, I could not have asked for a better parent. You deserve all the best reward for everything that you have done for me and other undeserving people, and for all that you had to go through in this crazy, twisted world we call a society.
I love you so much, the love you gave to me was untouchable. No one but God can surpass it. Your love highly contributed to my strength, self-worth, and security. You kept me full, never lacking or needing anything other than the nurturing I was supplied with.
I am a survivor, a complete woman due to the fierce and selfless woman in you. Mom, you sacrificed yourself as a true mother does always putting me first.
You were never last to me. You are my number one. The best woman I ever knew. You are my best friend, you and Brandie! Forever, and ever, and ever.
I love you.
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. -Psalm 139:13
I’m not at all ashamed to say that the only ones whom I truly, dearly and completely (wholeheartedly) loved out of my entire household was my mother and my dog (Brandie).
They were, still are, and always will be the loves of my life.
God blessed me with them and he blessed them with me. God made no mistake in placing each one of us into our lives together. We were all made for one another.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. -Psalm 139:15
I wonder how I was so lucky to have such loving and beautiful individuals not only to cross my paths, but to be the innermost part of me through a family relation.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. -Psalm 139:16
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me! -Psalm 139:17-18
I remember when I had wanted another puppy so badly as a young child after my very first one was cruelly given away by my grandmother. Two or three years later my mother took me to adopt Brandie, and she was perfect.
It was worth the wait through all of my impatience as God provided us with an exceptional pet. His plan was perfect!
I am very grateful and thankful for my mother and dog and all of the great years we enjoyed. Our bond is extremely special and forever cherished. God had made us three uniquely compatible.
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. -Ephesians 1:4
I was nine or ten years of age when my great-grandmother first taught me how to crochet. At the time, I didn’t have the patience to learn to knit.
My great-grandmother use to design clothes for my mother’s dolls when she was a youngster, and when I was a baby, my mother knitted and crocheted beautiful blankets to adorn me in.
My mother also made lovely patterns and clothing with her sewing machine from the age of fifteen on up.
As a person with innovative ideas I was always extremely creative, having a natural flair to invent and to express.
I’ve indulged in an array of arts and crafts which I took great pleasure within and that occupied my time.
I enjoyed cross stitch, lanyard, and painting. I even constructed my own plaque at a workshop when I was fourteen years of age.
I sawed off a large piece of wood, sanded the surface to smooth out the texture, I then engraved words onto the wood, and polished the finishing touches out with shellac.
My mother kept the plaque hung upon her bedroom wall for years.
Talent and skill is big in my family, especially among some of us in particular. I know it is in my blood, as well as within my heart and soul to produce.
After all, I come from a maternal family of business owners who self made and who self asserted themselves.
I am an entrepreneur deep inside.
The little girl who caught on instantly to the fun and styles that attract the attention, and the vast interest within those who love to form and to design through the various and colorful materials of yarn, is the woman today who still likes to crochet until her finger burns, and gets tired from looping.
I love all the different type of hooked needles, combining the different type variety of threads, the different type of stitches, and the elaborate fashions of tedious yet challenging sets of needlework.
After my mother gave birth to me she didn’t want to have anymore children, and I’m glad to be an only child.
My mother invested a lot of time and energy into caring for me and raising me, and she did a spectacular job.
I can’t believe all of the effort and patience my mother had, she was a natural, my mother championed parenthood.
After having gone through so much as a child herself, and taking on the certain responsibilities of her own mother by practically raising her baby sister, my mother deserved much credit.
Although she took on duties that were not her obligations my mother still had a reasonable childhood and healthy upbringing thanks to her resilient spirit and solicitous other family members.
As it is a priority for a loving parent to nurture and to protect their child, the one most important thing my mother told me that she desired when I was an infant and a toddler, was to live to see me grow up and be able to fend for myself.
My mother wanted me to reach into adulthood safely and individually established.
My mother had gotten her wish, and even better than what she hoped for under our particular set of circumstances which came to test us every now and then through the discontentment of unsavory people who envied our lifestyle, and relationship together.
I turned out good, and enduring, all the way through.
For a while, during my mid teenage years, I wondered how things within life would be once I entered into my twenties, and my experience was also even better than what I had myself expected.
My mother and I had divine intervention looking out and watching over us. We beat the obstacles negative people tried to set before us.
I have a beautiful wish for my mother that I’d like her and I to both live to see develop, and eventually happen.
There was always music within my household. I’m listening to gorgeous tunes right now at low volume as I write.
My mother made sure I had my own Walkman, Record Player, Organ, Boom Box, and giant set of Headphones as a child growing up.
My mother enjoyed listening to her own complete stereo system that included the tall speakers in which she’d blast.
I have other relatives who adored music and some were even talented within the skills of writing notes and playing musical instruments professionally.
We had loads of albums, cassette tapes, and CDs to engage in as we loved all types of music from soft rock, pop, jazz, rhythm and blues, particular rap, alternative, gospel, and whatever sounded good to the ears.
When I was eight years old my mother and I got up one day and headed to an area of queens village where we use to shop at, eat at, go to the movies at, and frequent a favorite discount store of ours.
We use to go out all of the time.
On this particular day we stopped off at the discount store and purchased me the original board game Monopoly.
Then we headed to Burger King where she got her a whopper and me a whopper junior with fries.
Then we headed to the movie theater.
The year was 1983 and Scarface with Al Pacino was showing as the film had just came out. Back then, at that particular time, the movie theaters use to show double features.
Scarface was about three hours long and such a good movie that the whole entire audience stayed to see it a second time because also back then nobody had to pay an additional fee to watch a film over again.
Everyone sat through a boring hour and a half long movie until Scarface replayed on the screen. So all of us within the theater sat for approximately seven an a half to eights hours.
After viewing Scarface for the second time my mother and I took a cab home. We arrived at our house around one am in the morning.
Instead of going to sleep my mother stayed up and taught me how to play the board game Monopoly in which she had bought for me earlier the day before.
I had thought the gesture was so nice and we played until I understood and got the hang of the game.
Such a fond memory of the love, care, and fun my mother shared and displayed to me.
We always had activities to occupy our attention.
Another game my mother was enthusiastic about teaching me to play was the board game Life (The Game Of Life).
Oh, we had delightful pastimes.
I’ve always been a free and bubbly spirit, strong and Independent, smart and confident.
Everything I achieved I’ve done on my own no one helped me to get where I’m at as I took the initiative and never accepted or needed any handouts and I am proud of myself.
Since I was in my early twenties just like a lot of young women do around that age I desired to have my own home and to live by myself.
I wasn’t exactly denied the preference. Sometimes life doesn’t give one what they want at the cost of vacating another.
My leaving a shared nest is not necessarily abandoning certain family members depending on the intention. Of course, it’s completely normal and healthy to desire to spread one’s wings and to live a life of their own.
Yet when a loved one may need us life may intercede at what can seem like a burden until we are compensated in ways that operate on the behalf of both parties when the situation is just and commendable.
We learn to accept within specific conditions and make allowances in which turn out to benefit one another at the same time maintaining an independence and individual mode of living.
When we’re decent and good, the universe recognizes, and rewards us special blessings.
When people do right by me I always remember them and I will have their back, as I am loyal, genuine, and solid.
When people do wrong by me I always remember them and those people better watch their back, as I am trustworthy, authentic, and vile. – Miss LaToya
For a lot of us our parents are the first people we bond with when we enter into this life.
Some of us have good experiences with our folks and some of us have bad experiences with them.
Fortunately, I was exceptionally well taken care of by my mother, especially under the circumstances and burdens in which she was put through by unsavory individuals and the unnatural trials of life (Witchcraft/Black Magic).
Through out it all and no matter what occurred nothing ever prevented her from being an excellent mother to her child.
I’ll never forget how well I was taken care of and how much I was loved and respected by my very own mother as a child on up until the present and the regard goes a long way.
My mother can always count on me to be in her corner and to always look out for her and not out of obligation but out of an enormous appreciation.
My mother, Patricia, made herself some potato salad earlier today and had fried chicken wings to go along with it.
The meal satisfied her fancy as her preparation turned out just the way she wanted.
She told me her food tasted good.
So my mother and I both prepared two of our own separate meals in which our appetites craved and took pleasure within.
I had an awesome breakfast and she had an amazing lunch.
Simple things like this make us happy and content.
When I was a little girl I use to love doughnuts and munchkins.
The pastries were so nice to look at and so delicious to eat. Although I don’t need or desire anything simply because it appears attractive.
Everything in which looks good may not be good or healthy for us all within general.
Nevertheless, when it comes to the enjoyment of certain foods and occasional particular cravings why not indulge if the edibles are prepared with decent and nutrient based ingredients?
Even desserts can be made healthy and we can eat moderate portions or balance out the sweets with other sources of nutrition with foods such as vegetables, fruit, protein, and healthy oils.
An even distribution is key to maintaining healthy levels of what our bodies intake.
I remember when I got older my mother and I use to go to the bakery and I’d buy my cheese danish and I’d get her the black and white cookies that she loved.
She’d also go to the bakery on her own and bring me and her both back our own slices of cheesecakes.
Then, my mother began making her own home-made cheesecake which came out great. And, nowadays we have non dairy cheese cakes available for those of us who live on a vegan or vegetarian diet!
One of my dogs I had years ago loved to drink milk and luckily never had worms (parasites) as a result. She loved milk and Ice cream and she would sit and chill out with me as we both ate delectable batches of oatmeal cookies together. We often did this (eating and snacking with each other) during our times of bonding within our own inviting and “sweet” moments.
I’ve always loved me some milkshakes and I definitely still drink them as well I just use soymilk and non dairy ice cream/frozen desserts.
My favorite type of shake is french vanilla, my mother loves her german chocolate shakes, we’d have a ball engaging within our appetites as we delighted in one another’s company, too.
We’re all entitled to treat ourselves to innocent pleasures.
I also still love certain pastries, cookies, and cakes, they just have to be vegan with natural and non gmo ingredients in order for me to eat them.
When I was fourteen my mother use to buy me from time to time a tasty vegetable rice meal diced with mushrooms from a diner. The order was kind of expensive due to the food being of quality.
I had first became a vegan/vegetarian between the age of twelve and fourteen and would only eat certain things.
Around twelve and thirteen I’d eat dairy here and there but absolutely no meat. When I was fourteen going on fifteen I became a strict vegan. Then at eighteen, I’d eat a little seafood and poultry but still never any red meat or pork. So once in a while I’d eat a pollo pescetarian diet.
She would also bring me doughnuts and pizza too yet it was of good quality, no junk. We’d always get the good stuff ever since I was little. My mother took well good care of me.
And I am so into taking good care of myself.
Spirit will lead us into healthy modes of living in which is compatible and within accordance to our nature, and evolution.
Ever since I was a young child I knew that if there was something that I didn’t want within my life then the situation was not going to work out.
Only the things that I preferred and under the circumstances in which I truly desired would instances turn out favorably and long lasting to my concordance.
I was never the type of female that ever hoped to one day get married and have children. I didn’t initially yearn to be a mother, when the idea later on within young adulthood came into mind to have a child it was with the intention of being a single parent, yet I eventually changed my mind about having a baby altogether and it was the right choice for me.
If I did have a child, though, it definitely would have been on my own without a man involved in the picture.
I fortunately grew up in a home without my father present and that is the way I liked it as I grew up strong, confident, independent and liberated-not implying that females that are raised in homes with their father’s can’t turn out that way-it was just an advantage that served a great purpose for me.
When I was little I never wished for or thought about having a dad around and when I saw other children that parents were married or together as a couple it was a situation that I didn’t require to be in I was very content and accustomed to my family order with me and my mom.
I wasn’t alone either there were other kids like me whose mothers raised them without a father it was normal to us. I can’t speak on how they actually felt about the matter, however, everything suited me just fine.
My mother never had any problems out of me I was a good child.
One thing I hated though was when guys were attracted to me or interested in me whether their intentions were good or bad I didn’t care, I wasn’t flattered by any of the attention I was genuinely turned off by it.
And it feels so good that I don’t have to go through undesirable and unsavory individuals who use to send to me the annoying invasions of mind transference through voodoo/black magic.
They had been doing it within many ways for many years within different techniques but with the same motives and that was to bring me down to their level.
Whether it was to attempt to lower my self esteem or to get me to have feelings for a man they worked hard at it and failed miserably.
These people were jealous and resentful because I’d never been hurt or dogged out by a man as so many of them had even the guys were envious and jealous of me they all figured if I was in the same predicament as they were I couldn’t or wouldn’t think that I was better than any of them.
They were also jealous and envious of my intelligence and knowledge and where I could go within life if and when the opportunity arose.
They had such a warped sense of mindset that didn’t correspond with mine in the least if they had succeeded in their designs I’d still be the person who I am today with the same mentality no man could ever break me or kill my spirit. I wasn’t built within that fashion.
If I were interested in men I’d be able to get a good man and would only deal with one that was on my level, however, I’m proudly asexual and am fulfilled and complete as a woman and an individual.
My mother Patricia Lawrence came from a very good and loving solid family, although, her mother wasn’t a good example of what a parent should be my mother received a lot of love, care, and guidance from her grandparents, uncles, cousins, and her father.
On account of her own mother, as well as a few of her envious and jealous siblings, Patricia had it rough growing up yet succeeded within many of her endeavors and became a very responsible and very sufficient adult.
Patricia was a very intelligent woman who had many talents of her very own.
She use to play the saxophone, write music, sewed and design clothing, mastered the art of short hand (Gregg and Pittman), enjoyed and was very skilled in the fields of typing as she once attended college to become a stenographer.
During adolescence Patricia savored the periods of time she’d spend down in Halifax, Virginia with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins on her mother’s side of the family.
Down there in the south she worked on the farm, milking the cows, and attending to all of the other animals her family owned.
Our family had mules, bulls, cows, pigs, hens, roosters, baby chickens, turkeys, horses, dogs and cats.
The elders showed my very young mother along with her brother work ethics and responsibility.
At the ages of nine and ten they were taught how to labor numerous tobacco fields on the lands in which her family also owned.
They picked out all varieties of family grown crops in the gardens which some were sold to buyers and the rest was kept for our family to eat as they were established farmers who fed on their own natural and healthy produce.
Our family had their own businesses.
Patricia’s grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee indian woman who made her own soaps and other handmade and homemade items.
Patricia’s grandfather was an african american man who headed their farm that he with the help of his wife, daughters, and sons kept prosperous.
Patricia’s great uncle, who was her mother’s uncle, owned and conducted his very own funeral home. When he died he passed the establishment on down to our close relatives.
Daily Living, By Miss LaToya 