Stories from the hills of Kentucky

Be good for goodness sake

Like my grandma in Missouri, my mother-in-law often went to take care of sick neighbors. While she was gone, my father-in-law and I would slyly use some of her eggs and bake him some sugar cookies. He would eat them before they cooled. Every trace of our mischief had to be gone before her return. She wanted every egg so she could buy thread and chewing tobacco.

Christmas Day

“Gal,” (That was what my father-in-law lovingly always called me) ”would you make me some eggnog if I tell you how?” For him it just wasn’t Christmas without that once-a-year treat.

I beat until smooth, three eggs and added ¼ cup sugar and two cups creamy milk. I continued beating while slowly adding ½ cup whiskey while cooking the eggs. After the eggnog had heated through I sprinkled with nutmeg.

I dislike whisky and drunkards, but I like eggnog.

New Year’s Day

My mother-in-law always made me laugh on New Year’s Day morning. She truly believed the old saying that the first visitor determined what luck she would have with chickens. If a male were the first visitor, most of the eggs hatched would be little roosters. If a female were the first visitor, she would have a lot of hens. A man meant most of the little roosters would either be fried or sold.

The first year on the mountain I had forgotten who the visitor was but I sold $3.85 worth of fryers and that was the only cash we had that whole year. All our share of the tobacco money had gone to pay what we owned at the store.

NOTE: For those of you who raise chickens, you had better watch for your first visitor on New Year’s Day. 

The note below may still be true. I have never tested the test. I just look at the expiration date labeled on the carton of eggs I purchase at the grocery store.