The Big LC

We have so many blessings in our lives. Small town living is among my top favorites. I have been around the world and back and there is still no place like home. I guess everyone feels that way but I am here to tell you we should probably start issuing passports to come down here. I have heard so many stories from the “move ins” or “transplants” about how life here in Liberty County really is different from the surrounding areas.
One of the things that I boast about is our 1 red light, 2 caution light status. I know that most places brag about shopping centers and state of the art technology but not here. I am so proud of our little caution light in Hosford. I really can’t believe that it is still blinking. If I were a betting gal, and I have been known to place a wager or two, I would say that with all the hunters and outdoorsmen that have to pass by it umpteen times a day it wouldn’t have lasted more than a day or two. But it has and in my opinion there is a reason why. When I see that old caution light flashing in the dark night sky after a long day at work in Tallahassee I know that I am close to home and the comfort and peace that being there brings. I know that right there at the old silk petals there will be a “county mounty” or sometimes a trooper parked right outside the yellow glow, just watching the ramblers of the night. There on the other corner, ghost like in color and old plantation like in size is the Hosford School. Complete with the big old oak trees and hard wood floor gym. I can assure you, they don’t make’em like they used too! On the other two corners of course you got the Chevron, the local convience store and the Hoggly Woggly. I think it has a different name now but to me it ain’t changed a bit! It still smells the same anyway. No amount of scrubbing could get the greasy fried chicken smell out of that building and I don’t know a soul who would even try. Short of a fire burning it down I doubt that place will ever be anything than what it has been my whole life…..and that’s all right with me.
Another of my favorite things is the waving. Everywhere you look while driving down the road or standing beside it you see people waving and exchanging friendly greetings. A wave can be a simple “hey y’all” to neighbors or a hearty welcome to the thru traffic out on Highway 20. It can also be a not so nice, “you just run over my dog” message. We have seen and participated in both forms, each with their own benefit. There is no requirement to actually know the person you are waving at. Here everybody is “tater patch kin” as grandpa would say so you may as well wave; they are probably your cousin! When we were in high school we had to drive to Bristol to school. Elijah and I had a truck and would haul anybody who could fit with us. We usually brought the same crew home plus a few extras after all the practices and everything were done. With all the new people moving into town we started seeing how many we could get to wave to all of us packed in that truck. The log trucks blew there train horns and keep going not missing a beat, the pick up trucks were all just as friendly as could be but sometimes we would get a double take or a bug stare as we rolled on pass them 6 or 8 strong. I think they thought we were a little crazy…..and sometimes, I’ll admit, we kinda were.
The way you introduce yourself here in our area is a little different too. You can walk up to someone and say, “Hi I am Azie.” And I can almost guarantee that the answer you will get is, “Hello, I am Jamie Holcomb, from over on Hoecake road, Royce and Trish Holcomb’s bunch over that way. Who are your people?” So we learned quickly to introduce ourselves like this. “Hello sir, I am Azie Spikes, Crystal Musgrove’s daughter, she grew up out in Blue Creek, part of that old Geiger clan, married a boy from over panama city way, and we live in Hosford.” Just kinda helps keep the conversation moving a little bit and at the same time tell you who you can and cannot gossip about! If the person you are talking to is a Blue Creek Geiger then you know already that you can’t talk about the Musgroves, the Geigers, the Spikes, the Holcombs or the Duggars, because that is all their people! It really is a blessing to know who you’re talking to; it can keep you out of a lot of trouble. I guess you would just have to be from around here to really understand that.
Speaking of school, another plus for parents in our community (not necessarily the kids) is that when you go to school and something bad happens, you know in a New York minute. Us younguns could do something wrong and mama would know before we got home and she worked all the way in Tallahassee. On the other hand, when some body needed something or was hurt, they knew just as fast. We knew that no matter what we did we would always have somebody there in a hurry, to help us and take care of us, love us up or tan our hides depending on what exactly went on. I have been on both sides of the issue and I am grateful to know that my people we there when I needed them and when I didn’t. News travels fast here and bad news flies! Everything can be known in about 5 minutes if you know who to call. From who just got life-lighted to Tallahassee, to who the Homecoming Queen is, to what happened out on highway 20, the Grapevine is alive and well in our community. We have all been victim of it on our bad days, grateful for when we needed help and users of it when we accomplished something great.
The scenery around here ain’t too shabby either. Tall pine trees remind us of the heights we can achieve, old moss covered oaks remind us of our strong heritage and the pot holes and dirt help us to remember to slow down or at least enjoy the journey even if you do take it at 90 miles an hour. Rivers boarder us on 2 sides and creeks, branches, and sloughs crisscross the land like tiny little arteries in our hearts. The full moon rising at the back of the deer patch is what my memories are made of, tinted with the golden kiss of the hot summer sun on the bank of the river, and the vibrant colors in the flowers along the walk at grandma’s house. Michelangelo ain’t got nothing on the One who painted the view from my front porch looking in or my back door looking out. Even the poorest here are still so very rich.
A sense of pride, community and family is established in everything we do. Known for high school sports, our love of the outdoors and admired for fundraisers to help the sick and our beautiful scenery, the big LC is the place to be. There truly is no place like home.