“The Woods” provided mystery. “The only patch of woods in our flat world of cotton and soybean fields passed the window in a dark blur.” Kids see the world through creative and colorful lenses, their imaginations pushed to high gear. If you’ve read my book, The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, you know about this particular stand of trees. Gracie Lee and her little sister, Abby, studied the woods from the back seat of Momma’s car each time they traveled to and from Boon Chapel—at a minimum, twice on Sunday.
Any place unusual in the Delta was considered interesting and worthy of extra thought and usually given a special name such as Thrill Hill or Dead Man’s Curve or Blue Hole.
But especially The Woods.
Tales of such places had been reinforced over and over by age-old fairy tales so important they came bound in books with golden spines. Little Red Riding Hood walked through the forest to visit her grandmother and found a Big Bad Wolf instead. Hansel and Gretel ran into trouble in a similar sounding place. Maybe right in Mississippi County? No one said for sure.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Any mysterious place in the #Delta was worthy of a special name. #TheAccidentalSalvationofGracieLee #mustread[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Taylor Swift, Out of the Woods
Numerous plots of woods like that throughout the Delta, generally those are areas that were too wet to clear and plough. A friend and I used to hunt one such scope of woods between Payneway and Old Weona back in high school. It was full of rabbits. They were all diseased so you couldn’t eat them. Think about that every time I drive by there.
Interesting. And now, I think if you level and farm land that hasn’t previously been farmed, you have to lay out other acreage. I wonder why the rabbits were diseased? That sounds like a story.
No patch like the one on the way to ” Boon Chapel”. I bet the whole book is chalked full of landmarks, rivers, trees & people relative to that area! I can’t wait to read it but I promised Beth I would wait so we could read it together. Looking forward to seeing you in Batesville.
Yes, I think you and Beth will relate to the book:) I’m so glad you are coming to Batesville! See you soon.
We have what I call “the woods” about a half mile from our house. When I was young, my mom took us there to visit Mrs. Dean who lived in the old house there. She fed the squirrels, and we were intrigued by their friendliness. For many years after I moved back to Whitton, I wanted to build a house in those woods. Now, however, when I’m out walking, I hurry past that area because it’s a little scary not knowing for sure if anyone still lives there! I want to go in and investigate, but I’m not as brave as Gracie Lee.
In some ways, I think we lose some of our bravery the older we get. If you go in, be sure to leave a bread crumb trail:)
I love your woods and the things Gracie Lee thinks about as they pass them.