Happy Birthday Little Granny!

Howdy Howdy was the greeting that my grandmother, Granny Wray, would use to welcome anyone who entered her home. It was a greeting that rang with sincerity and love. It always made me feel warm inside. We called her Little Granny.

Little Granny would have been 88 years old today, February 19th, 2004.

She died October 3rd, 2003, after a period of declining health including a fall that broke her hip.

Granny Wray was without question the greatest human being I have ever known. I am a better person for having known her. She understood the importance of family. Through example she made sure we did too.

She grew up in an era marked by the depression and World War's I & II. I can only imagine by what I learn from history what that must have been like. Yet, in spite of all she endured throughout her life I never once heard her complain... Not even on her deathbed when I know she was in great pain.

Granny's faith had a lot to do with her character. I think some people migrate to church when they get older because they fear death. It wasn't like that for Granny. I never knew her to be anywhere else but church on Sunday. I can pretty much count on one hand the number of times she was too ill to attend.

Granny had a work ethic that would run circles around anyone who considered themselves a hard worker. She rarely asked anyone for help and worked tirelessly throughout her life. Regardless of whether she was working in factories to make ends meet, raising, selling & canning vegetables, keeping house, raising children, cooking meals, keeping up the yard, etc. I get tired just thinking about how hard she worked.

She was a cook that could humble any chef. It didn't matter what time of day or night you dropped in, Granny would insist on finding you something to eat. Chocolate pies, homemade biscuits, chicken & dumplings, beef hash, sugar pudding... I could go on and on. She could also grow the best tomatoes and had a knack for keeping fresh tomatoes well into the fall. She knew her family well and if there was something you particularly liked, Granny made sure to have it when you visited.

For me it was her chocolate pies. I miss the smell of them on her kitchen table having just been warmed in the oven.

Mostly, I just miss her.

So Granny, I know you're watching. You know me... I'm a much better writer than a talker.

Happy Birthday. Your spirit will live within me forever. I thank you for that.

I'll always love you for that.

Michael Allen