Threshin' Time

Oh, for the great wonderful longed for day

When we heard dear father happily say,

“The wheat is ripe and the weather’s just right;

We’ll be done threshin’ tomorrow night!”

We kids were in an animated state

When the thresher came chuggin’ through the gate!

“Twas parked by the barn ....away a few feet,

And there it sat, waiting to thresh the wheat!

Men in overalls and wide brimmed, straw hats

Would drive the wagons past the tall straw stack.

To the big thresher, then pitch the wheat in,

and the grain poured out like bright, golden rain!

The big steam engine coughed, spit, chugged and blew

Smoke, steam and cinders as the straw stack grew.

As the golden grain poured into each sack

Pap would tie and another man would stack.

Out in the hot field the men smiled with joy

When the “jug” was passed by “the water boy”

They’d wet their big kerchiefs and wipe a hot brow,

Then back to loading the wagons, somehow!!

In the house’ neath the big silver maple

Mom and the girls were setting the table.

The old ‘cook-stove’ was roarin’, fiercely hot,

And cooking away were many good pots!

One pot held ‘hunks’ of beef for the noodles

That mom made by the ‘oodles and ‘oodles!

A pot held ‘gobs’ of mashed, fluffed, potatoes;

One held ‘gallons’ of red, creamed tomatoes.

A big iron skillet held rich,brown gravy

Which was stirred ‘till ‘twas smooth and savory!

I have the crock, on a shelf on a wall,

That mom would fill with sweet, creamy cole slaw.

Sugary yams stewed on back of the stove;

And creamed corn too from the ‘old sugargrove’.

From the kitchen came garden fresh green beans;

Mom had the best garden I’ve ever seen!

From the oven came Mom’s great pride and joy,

(Much to the glee of every hired ‘town-boy’)

Big loaves of fresh bread baked crusty and brown;

For days her cooking was ‘talk of the town’!

The fellows would eat ‘ till their eyes near popped,

Then hit the porch with a groan and a flop!

A cool rest and the guys would start again.. And finish threshing the ripe, golden grain.

As the long day wanned and the threshin’ done

There stood a ‘straw mountain’ for ‘sliding’ fun!

The folks were bone weary, dead tired but glad

To see what a rich, golden hoard they had!

I’m sure today we’d love to go back

And see a threshing and a big straw stack!

But time and the years have changed you and me ...

The only way’ back’ is in memory!