Before I write about the Penny Grave, I'd like to share a little more about the Shackelford County court house pictured below that is on the main street of Albany.  The court house was constructed in 1883-84 and the clock tower was constructed in 1884.  An architect from Abilene designed the building and a crew of builders from Scotland were hired to build it.  The foundation runs two feet deep to a natural rock ledge, so it has stood solid for almost 120 years and it's second oldest court house in the state of Texas that has had no additions built on.

The clock in the tower was used by everyone in town if they wanted to see the true time.  The striking of the bell is what townsfolk used for mealtimes and times to go home, etc.  The sheriff and deputy climbed more than 80 steps once a week to wind the clock.  One Albany resident has been quoted to say, "The old clock has been ticking away the lives of Albany people since great-grandfather was a boy".  So true....

NOW......The Penny Grave:

In the Albany cemetary, there is a grave.  The grave is positioned in an "alleyway" between other grave sites and no one knows the reasoning of it's position.  Upon the grave is a headstone that stands four feet tall with the following inscription:

ISABEL ROSE, BORN 5-24-1817, DIED 1-5-1896.  Neither pain nor anxious fear can reach our mother sleeping here.

On top of the headstone, there was originally a fenial attached with a metal rod that ran down through the headstone. 

I had no recollection of my Dad ever mentioning the grave until he asked me to write his memories for him to be submitted to the school alumni association for their 50th class reunion.  He spoke of this grave by the name of "Penny Grave" and I was soon to learn why.

Back in his school days, particularly his high school days, it was a popular thing to take a car load of friends, or just the girlfriend out to the cemetary and as the girl(s) stayed in safely in the car, the boy(s) wound their way in the moonlight past the other graves to the alleyway where this grave was located.  They would then take coins (pennies back then) from the fenial.  But no one ever left the fenial empty and from the stories I heard, the same amount of money or more was then raked together out of pockets and purses to replace what was taken.

No one ever thought to vandalize the grave or it's marker and held it in proper reverence.  There were stories told about needing gas money for Saturday and loans were taken from the Penny Grave to be replaced just as soon as the money was obtained to do so. 

But it was never left completely empty.

When I went with Daddy to his 50th class reunion celebration that lasted three days, there were many stories told or written about the "Penny Grave" and the subject came up in many reminiscent group conversations that I was privilege to listen to.  It was such a wonderful experience for me.

Some time during our visit, we went out to the cemetary to visit the graves of Grandmother and Grandaddy and while there, I asked Daddy if he remembered where the Penny Grave was.  He said he was sure he could find it, so off we went and sure enough, he went straight to it.  The headstone was still there, although leaning just a tad.  The fenial had long since been destroyed and only a large piece of it was left perched on top of the headstone. 

I felt sad at the sight of the vandalizm that had obviously occured sometime in the recent years and I reached up and removed the lone piece that was still there.  My breath caught in my chest as I removed the piece to reveal a pile of change that was safely hiding underneath.  We stood there for a few minutes and Daddy told me a few more memories he had of this place and then, as if on cue, we both dug out a few coins to add to the pile.

I would imagine that by the time that weekend was over, there was probably a hefty amount of change atop the "Penny Grave", but I never once heard any of Daddy's classmates even visiting the grave, let alone contributing to it.  Just one of those unspoken things they did. 

But it spoke volumes to me of the quality of people that my Daddy went to school with in that wonderful old community called Albany.

Rest in Peace, Isabel Rose

My last post was about my favorite place as a child.  But what made that place so special were the people that lived there.  My roots were there, and still are.  That old screened porch was just part of it. 

I think of Albany a lot.  I'd love to go there and spend some time, rather than just pass through on my way to someplace else.  Sadly, the old home place is gone, but the memories remain.  So does that feeling of "home". 

I wrote quite a while ago about the town and the fact that it's one of the few true "communities" left in this hectic world we live in. 

This little town in the hill country of Texas possesses one of the few court houses that haven't been torn down and replaced with some modern building that can't even come close to the beauty of the original.  It's the pride of Shackelford County and every penny available has been poured into restoring and keeping it's original charm and beauty. 

Isn't that a beauty?  Even as I type and look at that beautiful old building, I remember vividly that it was the first thing to be seen after the four hour trip from my home town to Albany.  First, there was the "nine mine hill", then the "six mile hill", then finally the "one mile hill" at which Sis and I would be leaning over the front seat to be the first to be able to say, "I see Albany first!  There's the court house!" 

Just behind it is the old jailhouse:

This old building has been restored and is now a very nice museum of art.  And just down the block is downtown Albany, with the bank on the corner with the drugstore next to it and just down from there is the grocery store that my Grandparents owned and operated.  There's the Aztec Theater across the street where, fifty years ago, my Dad worked as an usher in the evenings after the grocery store closed:

And on down the street and around the bend, turn left for one block and there is that wonderful old Methodist Church.  I spent many Sundays there with the grandparents, but Grandmother also cleaned the church every week and Grandaddy kept the grounds for many years. 

I still remember the smell of the classrooms and sanctuary and playing with the play dough and reading the books as Grandmother went about her work. 

Lately, I feel this place pulling at me.  I need to go back and spend a couple of days.  And get filled again with that feeling of "home". 

I went with Daddy to his 50th class reunion a few years ago and had the best time!  It was truly wonderful to see all the friends that he went to school with and listen to their stories.  There's a particular story they all shared about what is called the "Penny Grave".  I'll share that in my next post down memory lane. 

Pup

Lord, take me back just once more....

To that wonderful old front porch where I sat on the swing.  In the faint light, I can see Grandaddy over there in his lounger in the corner as he quietly smoked his pipe and gazed out at the fireflies dancing in the night air. 

Mosquitoes buzzed outside the screened porch as I sat in the swing and smelled the Mesquite and China Berry trees just outside and the roses that grew just behind me.

Crickets and tree frogs sang their endless song as I breathed in the cool dry air and wondered at the absolute one-ness I felt with this place I loved so much.  Grandaddy was a quiet man, and I was perfectly happy to be quiet there with him as I drank in my surroundings and felt totally at peace.

I thought those moments would last forever....wished and hoped they would.  Even at such a young age, that old porch was my sanctuary....the place that I felt totally at home.  It was a feeling of total belonging that I've never been able to explain, but it remains with me to this day.

Now Grandaddy is gone....

Grandmother is gone too....

As well as that old house......with the screened in porch.....

And the swing......

Oh, but I still go there often....in my mind....

Just kidding, of course I know it's the 4th of July.  But here in our cocoon, we barely notice.  We had a conversation yesterday concerning where we could go on a vacation that tops being here in our home, relaxing, listening to music, watching a movie, blogging, playing poker online, or various other "activities"  the mood strikes us to do.  I guess that's why we're so compatable....we both love being home together.  It's the most relaxing and healing place I know.  So we have a hard time coming up with a vacation spot that provides all that, so unless what we have can be topped, it's just not worth the expense of it. 

Anyway, this is a working holiday for me, since I have such a horribly hectic month ahead and can't (professionally) afford to enjoy so many days off in a row.  We both took yesterday off and although Ice did spend the weekend travelling, we've been able to be "off the job" for the last three days, which has been wonderful!

We've re-arranged a little around the house and hauled off the couch and one of the old recliners, leaving us needed space to spread the remaining furniture around in a more spacious and relaxing manner.  I hauled the kitchen table to the office to afford more space in the kitchen also.  We'll have to get used to strictly using the bar in the kitchen or the dining room table, but I'm already loving the more open feel to the room. 

We have accumulated a lot of "stuff" the last five years, not to mention the things I didn't expect to inherit, furniture wise, so I was feeling really closed in.  Some things you realize about yourself and work your life around, ya know?  One of those things for me is the fact that I can't relax in a cramped, cluttered space.  So I've hauled stuff off, donated a few things, and Ice has helped me eliminate some things too. 

One of the things that prompted some of the elimination is the addition of the new big screen t.v. and the large stand we purchased to put it on.  Talk about a sardine can for a living room!  Anyway, we also purchased two new recliners to replace the old ones, so prompt action was called for, to say the least.  Now I don't think I'll ever replace the couch and just make do with the loveseat and the chairs.  I don't miss that big ole honkin couch anyway.

I don't know how I got off on all that, but I just took a break from my work to read the preview to Ice's latest post and complain to him that just about the time I'm totally hooked and ready to settle in for a wonderful long read, it stops abruptly.  Oh, the agony of waiting for the next edition....It's like a Friday on a Soap Opera...you know when the hook you in and make you wait for Monday.  Oh well, I don't watch soap operas and Ice's posts are well worth the wait, but it's frustrating, lol.

I hope you're all having as wonderful a holiday as we are and I'll catch up on all of you later on this evening.  But for now, I gotta get back to this mountain of paperwork.  (sigh) 

Later!

Pup

No, no, no!  I wouldn't say anything, honest! 

My lips are sealed!

There's no way that I would tell ANYBODY that somebody.....I won't mention any names...

Is having a Birthday.  No, not me!  I wouldn't tell a soul.

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ICE!

Oooops!  Did I just say that?  Uh oh, I'm in trouble now.

I love you, Baby!