As a young boy, Lou spent a lot of time with his Davis grandparents - Della and Harker. These are just a few of his recorded memories.
Grandpa Davis’ Meals
Charles Harker Davis was the head of a large family: 6 boys and 8 girls (7 living.) There was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who was “the man.”
After chores were done and it was time for breakfast, Grandpa took his place at the head of the table, and the six boys sat down. They didn’t bless the food (to the best of my knowledge), but there was a moment of waiting until Grandpa was served. It was a large meal as it often had to last until evening as he would often be gone all day on the open prairie.
Card Games – “High Five”
Whenever the family got together after most of them were married, it was customary to go coyote hunting in the morning and home to a big dinner.
After the dinner, Grandpa, who was always served first and finished first, would get out the card tables and the cards.
During the card games there was lots of teasing, joking, and good times. As teenagers we would give our eye teeth to get a seat at the card table. There would often be a dozen or more games going at one time – no smoking! Only one son and one daughter smoked, but not in front of Grandpa, who smoked, rolling his own. But he never smoked in the house.
Hiring Herders
It was always fun to go with Grandpa Davis when he needed to hire sheep herders or extras for lambing season or shearing season.
Outside of Las Animas was a place where people from Mexico would come and live in a little “barrio” which was a few long adobe building consisting of many small apartments.
This was during the early and middle 1930’s depression, and there were always many men looking for work, and they worked very cheaply.
We would drive into the parking area, and by the time we stopped there would be a huge crowd around the car. They would all be asking questions in Spanish and pushing.
I don’t know how Grandpa selected the ones he hired, but he did, and in just a few minutes they would be back with bags of clothes and be ready to go.
2 comments:
Mable, Lou's mother, said she had to wait on her brothers all of the time. Her brothers had slightly different stories. However, Mable said a woman would never have to wait on her sons. She taught them to cook, clean, wash, iron and anything else that had to be done for them to take care of themselves and help around the house. Lou was the type who would have helped regardless of what his mother did. He also taught his sons to work. Leona
I can remember being with grandpa Harker only one time. Thanksgiving dinner 1939 was in Pueblo instead of at the ranch. I think it was at Uncle Dick and Aunt Nora's home. I guess, because Lou took his girlfriend to dinner, we got to play High Five. Harker said I was so little that he could use me for a watch fob--whatever that was. I had just celebrated my fourteenth birthday, so I guess I wasn't very old. Later the older grandkids went to a show and left the high five game to the seniors. Leona
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