Gravel and Grit
Childhood Memories of Life on a Kansas Farm
by
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.Rags took notice of Minnie walking along the gravel road. Since she was covered from head to foot in sun-shielding garb, she made a funny-looking figure. Rags began to bark at her as she approached. I didn't stop Rags; but instead, I yelled out "Cigar her, cigar her.". I must have heard the word "sic" in a western movie at the Major Theater in town or when Daddy was herding cows. I knew that it meant to charge at the object; but I felt that I wasn't using "that" word. I was using another word that kinda sounded like "sic". Surely Rags would know the difference. He was a smart dog. As Minnie came nearer to the side of our yard, I continued to chant "Cigar her!" Rags followed my command and took after Minnie and nipped her just above the heel. I was shocked that he would actually bite someone. I never thought that the word "cigar" would get the same response as "sic". I was scared and ashamed at what I had done; but I wasn't brave enough to apologize to Minnie and to see if she needed medical aid. I ran! Rags ran with me to the porch and we crawled under the breeze-way. The dirt floor, spider webs, and daddy long legs made for an uncomfortable hiding place. I hugged Rags and told him I was so sorry that I had commanded him to do a bad thing. I peeked through the wooden lattice and watched as Minnie got her mail and walked back to her house. Thank goodness she didn't stop in to speak to my parents. Maybe she was going to ignore what had happened. Rags and I hid out until Momma called me to lunch...
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About the Book
Rosemary is a spunky, outspoken little girl growing up in Kansas. She and her family don’t have a lot of material things, but that doesn’t mean Rosemary is missing out on life. She has much to enjoy on the family farm, including her dogs and the assorted farm animals she takes under her wing.
In Gravel and Grit, author Rosemary Coplin Dahlberg takes us back to the Kansas farm where she grew up in the 1930s and 1940s. These were the days of radios instead of television sets, games that required imagination instead of joysticks, and party lines instead of cell phones. Homes often had the unique smell of Lava soap and Spic and Span cleanliness instead of potpourri.
Dahlberg shares her memories of how she met life’s issues head on. Life lessons involving her beloved dogs, her classmates, and her neighbors are experienced and lessons learned, sometimes the hard way. World War II, a tornado, and family loss all bring changes to Rosemary and her family. But through it all, God is always present, giving Rosemary faith and a moral compass for her future.
About the Author
Rosemary Coplin Dahlberg is a retired teacher. She is active in her church and the GFWC Civic Club. She also enjoys reading, writing, playing computer games, and lounging outdoors with her husband, Fred, and her poodle, Jazz, in their Rolla, Missouri, home.