Journey with John Stokes

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Grapes

John my neighbor came over and he put supports on the grapes making the poles not pull inward and tightened the lines.

I took that

Yes, Johnny is notorious for only posting my photos but never the words. I think since he is a writer he is loathe to recognize another? This time he didn’t even attribute my name to the photo.

October Bluefild Sky

October Bluefield Sky

John Clare Stokes

When a little boy in a Florida fall

Mamma would gather my sister

and we’d go down to the Y in

the Sopchoppy 319 road,

my little blue suitcase

packed for a stay or two

to board the Greyhound bound

for Bluefield, West Virginia

to see Monnie and granddaddy

Richard

the retired Crumpler to Northfork

bus driver

to see chain smoking and gin

Sipping Andy Ford salesman

in the new Mustang

Uncle Kermit

Who drove mamma

In fifty five in the January snow

To deliver me

and to see his brother Don

up on that steep Castlewood

drive with the cool Army gear

which cousin David and I

would play

While Paula and Donna Lynn

thought of ways

to escape Aunt Mabel’s fussing

over

To run up the cow fields with the

Daniels dairy boys

The dank sweet smell of the

Cold milk stored in bottles

For the route

Or play Fred Biletnikoff football

with the red headed Thompson

twins

Florida State seldom winning

To climb the black cherry tree

In front of Grandma Carrie Ethel’s

And eat more than I picked for

Monny’s pie.

Then high on East River Mountain

behind the brick house with the

dark basement with the real little girl

Stove my mamma had as a girl

The Red Ridge Runner narrow gauge

train would whistle

and we’d beg someone to take us up

For a ride in the black Buick

Uncle Kermit couldn’t

He was smoothing out next door

Uncle Don couldn’t

He was down at the telephone plant

Monnie wouldn’t

She had a cherry pie in the oven

But mamma would

And up we’d go

Down Cumberland road

To turn and go up just out of

Bluefield

to see everyone way down there

as Aunts and Uncles and Cousins

And friends below.

Monday, October 14, 2024

Carson

Paula bought Carson by today to shoot the Glock 19 BB pistol i got. He's a good shooter. Went through 2 co2’s.

John Sauls

My neighbor John came by late and bought me two measuring beakers he bought. He said he would come tomorrow to get the armaryllis and help straighten the grape vine poles.

I took the tarp off the round mower house to put the outer tarp on the inside due to tears. At first I was lamenting my weak and vertigo state, but I stuck with it and got the tarps up and zip tied. It is a satisfying feeling not to have to depend on someone to help.