Spending the first six years of my life with my grandparents in the Prairie Grove Community was wonderful. Once I was school age, my folks thought I was old enough that my mother's seizures would not endanger me any longer, and I was sent to Houston, TX, to live with my parents and attend school. Nevertheless, this did not mean that Christmas was meant to be in Houston. Christmas meant longing to get to Arkansas and a Prairie Christmas. A Prairie Christmas meant asking my granddaddy where he had seen the best cedar tree growing when he had either been cow, hog, or deer hunting. (There was not stock law back then, and animals roamed all through the back woods.) Then, we loaded up the ax and got in the truck and went to get the tree. Usually, we wound up with one that had at least one "wopside," but this problem was alleviated by putting that side next to the wall. Memmaw always waited for me to get there to get the tree and decorate it. Those two weeks during the Christmas break were glorious. I got to ride horses, go hunting with Grandie, pick mistletoe from the tree tops, and gather holly branches for the tables. Also, Uncle J. D.'s family would arrive sooner or later. I had two cousins who were two years older and two years younger, which put me right in the middle, and I loved to act as if I were queen of the country because they were from Ohio, and neither knew anything about being a "country girl." Herding cattle, separating the milk cow's calf before milking, hooking up the slide and harnessing the horse, as well as saddling the horses, all made me look knowledgeable, and this bossy (having lived with the grandparents) grandchild took advantage of it. Besides, they never had any real play clothes that they could afford to mess up. Theirs were too nice, and I always had to loan my younger cousin some of mine. (My older cousin was too busy reading books.*smile*) Then, of course, there were trips to the lower end of the Prairie to see Brenda and Jane Graves. We always exchanged gifts...a box of chocolate-covered cherries for a buck a box. Also, we rode bikes, built forts, and best of all: popped lots of firecrackers. Once we nearly blew Jane's head off because my cousin Karla was not used to doing anything athletic, and she threw her firecracker into the hood of Jane's coat. Fortunately, it was a dud. Of course, the most active day was Christmas Day. Aunt Sook, my great-aunt who never had children, came, as did Memmaw's brother, Latner Lagrone and his wife...they were Unk and Auntie. They came all the way over from Eldorado unless Auntie's kids happened to be coming to her house for Christmas. There were bunches of pies, cakes, and Aunt Maxine always made lots of divinity. Also, Memmaw always had a ham, a roast, bunches of vegetables, and of course, the turkey and dressing. Then, at night, we sat around and played dominoes and other table games. When the weather was really cold, we backed up to the fireplace and fought over the warmest place in the room away from the drafty spots. However, I can truely say that to this little Prairie Chick every place on the Prairie was a warm spot because just being there and away from Texas made my heart warm all over. Merry Christmas to all you Drew County connected. BETH THURMAN....granddaughter of Dan and Lizzie Lagrone Wolfe and Charley and Pearl Wells Thurman