Labor Day

Labor Day at the Cole House, pre-marriage And other pre-things was a day of labor. After all, it was Labor Day. This was the day, usually hotter than everything to start gathering wood for the winter. I.e. pine knots in the morning a nd cutting oak in the afternoon. I don't remember a rain out--ever. The pine knots were gathered in little piles and then picked up with mule and slide to haul out to the road where the old rubber tired wagon awaited for loading. The wagon was drove to the house via mule and unloaded. We ate lunch. Cooled for a very minutes then back to the woods to cut oak. Using a heavy Sears chain saw, several trees were failed, cut into 30-32 in. Blocks and loaded on the old '49 Ford pick up. This was carried on until 4-5 o'clock in the evening. As the truck was loaded, we would haul to the house and unload. Later, after school started, we would split the wood for an hour or so, depending on what else had to be done. Later on, things got a little better. Labor Day became an adventure at Salmon Lake Park at Grapeland, Tx. For a family get-together and bluegrassing. Now, Labor Day has no special significance. Kind of sad, though, I am not one to relish the "old days". Tcole