I was up and at em early this morning headed to Brownfield to the annual Macedonia Baptist Church BBQ! The goal was to beat the heat today. Its supposed to be 93 degrees, which is not bad considering the temperatures earlier in the month. The drive up is thru some of the prettiest county you'll ever set your sites on. I love looking at the cows, horses, old weather beaten barns, ponds, and farms that have been in families for generations. There are a lot of churches along this stretch of highway too.
As I turn off the highway, I pass my aunt's old school house on the right. I try to envision her playing out in the yard, or sitting on the steps talking with friends or eating her lunch. I wonder where she sat inside, whether it was by a window, did she get caught daydreaming, instead of concentrating on her learning? As I drive on, I see old family friends who are no longer here, and boarded up old houses that once housed families with echoes of life lived in the past. As I pull into the church, I see the familiar merry-go-round that my sister and I used to ride for hours on end as kids, at previous BBQs. I see the cemetery where many of my relatives on my mother's side of the family are buried. I see the church where every BBQ they have service. And then, my favorite, the BBQ shack where you can buy Cracker Jack Carmel popcorn, candy, can drinks, chips and of course the best BBQ ever!
This is the first year I have driven up by myself as a full fledged adult. Usually its always been in the backseat of family cars loaded with lawn chairs, sweat towels, ice chests, and traveling fly swats, and spray cans of Off repellent. My dad asked me to call him when I first woke up, so he and mother could be on the road too. We took separate cars, cause they like to stay and hang out with friends. Me, I'm out and about with no set schedule or destination. I can't be bothered with staying put, its Saturday after all.
I walked to the old familiar white, painted shack to place my order behind, none other than my dad. We laughed, and he asks how did they beat me there? I tell him of all my errands I had to run first. I'm quite surprised they beat me there too. Dad ordered mutton, mom loves mutton and talks of how she never gets there in time, before they sell out. But this year she scores big-2 pounds of BBQ mutton. I score a large bottle of their BBQ sauce, which is notorious. I'll use it sparingly throughout the year on my own grilled chicken, oven baked pork chops, and occasionally on my oven ribs. I buy enough BBQ to eat off of during the week, for lunch, and to freeze for special days in mid-winter when I'm wishing for county drives in the summer with my windows down, and my favorite radio station on.
I decided I didn't want to take pictures today. I just wanted to live in the moment, enjoying old friends, and traditions, without the distraction of a camera. I want to relive the moments in my mind when I'm older, with the camera in my mind.
COME TO THE PURPLE DOOR WITH FLOWERCHIC again. I like sharing my life with you through my blogs. I hope you enjoy reading them. Have a blessed life.
FLOWERCHIC
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