Memories
By Deborah Lynn Van Horn Ousley
Prestonsberg, KY 2005
As the granddaughter of Georgia Virginia Muncy and Brigham Van Horn, I have many fond
memories from childhood. We lived in Prestonsburg and after my daddy (Phenious)
along with my mother was killed in a car wreck, my half sister and I lived with our
mother's dad (papaw Stephenson) until my sister got married.
Every summer I would go to Granny and Papaw Van Horn’s farm to spend a month with
them. During the time I was there, many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins would come
to visit. Sometimes some of the cousins would stay all night too. Whether they
did or not, I still had the most wonderful time. Granny would make the most
beautiful quilts. One time she gave me one that on each square was the
name of the state and that state's bird and flower embroidered on it. It was so
wonderful, I loved it! I used it so much and for so long that I wore it completely
out.
Granny would work so hard feeding the farm animals and working in the garden, but she
would cook the best meals with her good ol' home cooking that you would ever touch
your lips to. Granny and Papaw had many trees and grass because they had such a big
farm, but there are certain things I remember best. I would spend as much time with
her as I could and when she got too busy, I would go back on the hill where the cows
grazed and sit under a huge tree.
She had a tree in the front yard that I remember well also. Sap would run down the
bark and it made you want to eat it, but I never did. We would catch June bugs and
tie strings around them to hear them buzz loud and make rings on our fingers with the
lightning bugs at dusk. I loved to eat Granny's home-made jam, apple butter, ice
cream, and everything she made. I always loved to help her string up the beans to
dry out for her to fix later in the fall, they were delicious. I also remember in
the evening before dark she would sit down in a chair out in the yard and let me take her
bun down and comb her long hair. I really loved doing that. I remember one
time taking a comb and rolling it up in her hair not realizing what would happen.
When I couldn't get it to roll back down, I panicked. I started screaming and
crying that it was stuck and I didn't know what I was going to do. She calmly told
me it would be okay and slowly proceeded to work it out with her tender hands. Shew!
Was I relieved, right then and there I said I would never, ever do that again to
anybody.
She was always so patient and kind with everyone. I don't see how with all the kids
in the family running around---from her kids to the grandkids. But she loved us all
and she surely let us know that. My grandparents both worked so hard all their life
and raised their family; I miss them so much. I am married and raised 4 children
myself (daddy was a twin and my last 2 girls were twins). I also have 8
grandchildren (4 girls and 4 boys ranging from 8 months to 9 years). My grandmother
was always my idol, she was what I always wanted to be. My family says I look and
act so much like her, but even though I have had my share of hard work, heartaches, and
strife, I know that it could never compare to the struggles my grandparents had and I
could never be the woman that she was. But they were wonderful, salt of the earth
people who loved and were loved by those who knew them. They have left a legacy of
which I am proud to be a part of, and I know deep in my heart she is looking down and
smiling on all her flowers in her garden she left behind and is still watching over and
taking care of them, just like the angel she always was and still is.