March 27, 2023 - Actually. the little pond belonged to our landlord, Mr. Jim Boothe. In 1947, Daddy moved our growing family to the old Jim Boothe rent house across the railroad tracks in East Center, Texas. The house‘s porch had collapsed and had rotted, but we kids loved living there. We all loved to fish and we were within walking distance of several creeks and stock ponds. Weaver’s Pond, The Brick Yard Pond and Carrol’s Pond were only a short walk away.

March 13, 2023 - When I was growing up in the 40’s, it was hard to find a squirrel in my home town of Center, Texas. Any time we saw a squirrel we’d grab our gun and try to kill them. The reason for such few squirrels back then was the fact that so many people hunted them (even some women)… and ate them.

February 27, 2023 - Considering the fact that our family was large (10 children) John was the only one of us that ever broke a bone. And not only did he break his leg while walking through a planer mill, he was the only one of us that was shot….. twice.

February 13, 2023 - I was six years old when I drank my first “sodie water”.  As I walked past Jess and Bob’s Café in Center, my Uncle Travis Watson (part-owner of the Café) stopped me and asked, “Henry, do you want a sodie water?”  It was my first one ever and my reach into the icy water produced a powerful, eye-watering bottle of 7-Up.  After a short coughing spell, I thanked my Uncle  and ran home to tell Mother.

January 30, 2023 - I woke up at 2:00 this morning and recalled something that happened to me years ago…. in Center, Texas. My earliest life memories began when I was three years old and I ate my first ice cream on June 19th of that year. My parents made home-made ice cream on that day every year to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Mother was 15 years old and Daddy was 20 when Daddy eloped with her, drove to Mansfield, La. and got married by lying about her age. And every year…without fail… on June 19th, they got us kids together to make ice cream.