Big Hat Driving a Yellow Cadillac

Growing up in the country in East Tennessee was different than any other place in the world to grow up ,or so it seemed. I'll never forget about this one Sunday in paticular my Mamaw Bellamy ( who by the way is my dad's mother) awakened us by the bell. The Same bell she also used to call the farm help. This Sunday was no different from any other, I can still remember the smell of cat head biscuits, buckwheat pancakes, and coffee on the old stove. My mamaw also loved to get up early on Sunday morning's. That was her time with Jesus. She would talk to the birds and sing to her flowers, ironic as it seemed, it suited her well. These were not just any plain old flowers either they were Tennessee's finest iris, which also was Tennessee's state flower. She had thousands of them, every color, every size you could ever possibly imagine. I believe she won several awards for her iris maybe even a blue ribbon at the state fair. She would sing and pick them almost like God himself was leading her to the flowers himself was guiding her to each flower specificity.
After eating breakfast, we would get washed up with the water that had been drawn from the well out back. There was running water, but we only got about an inch or two in the bottom of the tub. Once we were clean then it was time to take out the bobby pinn curls, I remember looking in the mirror, I looked like Shiley Temple. Really, I did!! My dresses were the best , I always felt like Cinderella; they were usually big and bright, but the best thing about it were the bells I would sometimes have bells underneath them sewn into the slip. I was never sure why they were there, I just thought it was very cool.
Finally, it was time to go. I would go to get the door for her as she carried, those beautiful iris in her handmade vase to her Car. This car wasn't your everyday car either! It was a 1976 pale yellow Caddy , four doors, eight-track player and automatic windows . It was the coolest ride, I felt like I was in the nicest car in the worl; as if we were really loaded. She would set them in the back and we would hop in she would make sure Ollie ( he was my Mamaw's little dog) got into the front , because that is where he rode . In the front seat, as if he belonged there as much as anyone else.
This trip we took every Sunday seemed to be the best , there we were going down the old highway. My mamaw and I in our very loud clothes, with prize winning flowers in the backseat, a singing Chiuaua on my mamaw's lap and something a little differnt this time ; she had aon a hat the size of texas. That is what I remember the most about my mamaw if she did anything it was big and bold and you would never forget what it was she came to do.

This is dedicated to My Mamaw Lady Ruth Harkleroad Bellamy