Sunday, January 15, 2012

Home sweet home

This is the actual home place where I lived until I was 12 years old. I have many fond memories from that place. If you look at this map you can see where the old home was located.  The picture in the center of the map in a actual picture from there.  Notice how it was really overgrown when I took that pictures.  We killed a rattlesnake or two about every year up there. For some reason they really like that holler.
If you enlarge the picture above you can see the old chimney from the house standing.  When we moved my brother and I (ages 12 and 15) tore down the old house and used the lumber in it to help build a barn at the new place.


This little stream run real close to our barn.  As a kid I loved to play in it, especially when there had been a lot of rain and it was overflowing. The road out of the holler was on the left side of this picture.


Here's a better look at the old chimney.  Notice the vines coming out of the top of the chimney.


This is the fireplace that was in our living room.  I can remember baking potatoes in the fireplace....yummy.


If you were sitting on our front porch this would have been to the left.  The woods is part of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.  It was our playground when we got a chance to play.  There was a hickory tree that squirrels really liked that we could see from the porch.  I can remember sitting on the porch and seeing a limb shake in that tree(which mean there was a squirrel) and my older brother would grab his shotgun and head out there. Normally, he would bring a squirrel back with him.


Looking straight ahead on our front porch this is what you would have seen.
Looking to the right this would have been the view.  It was beautiful in the fall when all the leaves were changing.  You can see the road right along the tree line on the left of the picture.

6 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

How far from where you live now is this? It must be a strange feeling seeing all this where you grew up. I love the little stream! When I was growing up, we had a creek out back that looked much like this. What is the difference between a stream and a creek, anyway? Everything just seems so perfect except for the rattlers! I wonder why that chimney is still standing while the rest is gone?

Ruth Hiebert said...

Precious memories. Childhood is such a wonderful time and the memories you have of that time are sweet. I love that little creek.

George said...

Thanks for sharing these pictures. I've heard you speak of your home near Cumberland Gap, and we had a general idea of the location of your home, but it is nice to see pictures taken from the spot. You've got some great memories of this place.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh what neat pictures, Neal... If your family still owns that land --you should build a cabin in that holler.. Wouldn't that be a great retirement getaway???? We'd come and visit you!!!!

I loved seeing and reading about your childhood memories... What a fabulous area.
Betsy

Carletta said...

Following up on Betsy's comment - I wonder if the land is still in your family. A little cabin would be wonderful to be able to visit.
Love that the clump of daffodils is still present.
Hard times but fun times as well I'm betting. :)

Rose said...

you are making me homesick!!!