Growing up in the 1940-50s, the 4^th of July was when we had “Graveyard Workin’s” at the Sample’s Graveyard in Shelby County, TX. It was a gathering of all the family in reunion and a cleanup of the graveyard where relations were buried. This was where Grandma (“Little Mama”) Duncan’s relations (Metcalf) were buried.

We’d drive over from Dallas, and family came from all over. There was dinner literally on the grounds. The women folk would spread table cloths on the grass in the shade of the pines, and after the work some of the best country cooking you can imagine was there in abundance, and more cousins that you could shake a stick at.

I’d give a Yankee dollar to be at another one of those gatherings.