Unique Good Montana Folk

My Aunt Achsah was there when I was born at home. She was my mom’s closest neighbor and between the two of them they had more than a passel of kids. So I suppose she was the midwife at my delivery.  We lived just north of my Aunt Achsah and my Uncle Fred’s house at that time in a little grey house. They could holler at each other in the yards, we were that close. My mom’s first husband Hollis was my Uncle Fred’s brother so technically they weren’t my Aunt and Uncle but my sisters. This made no difference to me growing up they were my Aunt and Uncle.

My Dad, Bill who was my Uncle Fred’s and Hollis’s cousin went to help Uncle Fred one harvest. Dad always delighted in this tale. When he showed up Uncle Fred had broke down machinery in the Harvest field. He was sitting dejected against the large wheel of the pull behind combine. Dad visited awhile before Aunt Achsah showed up with lunch for the crew. Uncle Fred never moved but said to my Aunt,

This is what broke down..

Real modern in the 60’s, self propelled..

The interpretation to all this was his shirt beneath his bib overalls was missing all the buttons except one and his grease gun for greasing the combine and tractor was out of grease. Montana speak..

When I was little I loved to go to my Aunt Achsah’s. I was fascinated at the coffee that never went dry and the endless cigarettes smoked. My Aunt had a wonderful way of expressing herself, but the one thing I knew is that despite the rough exterior she had a heart of gold and loved me as well as scores of others.