Freda's Garden:

Welcome to my Garden:
This is my maternal grandma. Rosie Neal Johnson. She is sitting
on her well box holding a can of fresh canned blackberries from
their pasture. Today would have been her birthday. She was one of
the most courageous women I've ever known. She lost two daughters
and and her mother, from influenza right after World War 1. She  had
a big black iron stove in her kitchen, it had a warming oven at the top.
I used to love to sneak a piece of ham and a biscuit from it. She also had
a pie-safe that was always filled with good things as well.

MY COURAGEOUS GRANDMA
I had a courageous grandma,
Who loved her family, so dear.
She always served them gladly
And wanted them to be near.

She had no favorite grandchild,
We were all her cup of tea.
She never made us wait for meals
While she served the grown-up family.

She fed us first...
Out the old, back screen-door.
We ate sitting on the hillside,
We could always go back for more.

She was a gatherer...
She knew every edible thing that grew
She was also an herbalist.
And nursed folks back to new!

She suffered much sorrow in life,
As was seen on her dear, lined face,
But she always saw the cup half full,
With mercy and with grace.

Freda Fullerton
November 2, 2011