A lot of people might remember the smells and taste of a favorite food or some comfort received from their mom. I have those memories but a rather different recollection springs to mind when I think of my mom. Rocks! Yes, rocks. I am not sure if we were two kindred souls or if I picked up my like of rocks from her, but we were always on the look out for a good rock. Mom made walls from them and I just collected them. I can remember building those rock walls on hot, humid summer days. She was on a quest to “wall in” the entire Lockert Fortification atop Valley View Drive. Heck, Dad even gave her a concrete mixer for Christmas one year. It stirred some distant castle building instinct in me because even though it was hard work, I rather enjoyed it. We quickly exhausted the ready supply of rocks nearby and thus the quest was born. Find rocks. Not just any old rocks but ones that would look unique and add flare to the walls.
graded’ gravel road. The rainstorm the night before had been a "gully-washer". As we turned a curve, a perfect rock presented itself. Mom stopped the car and I hopped out to gather the rock. I placed it in the trunk and was about to close the trunk but mom said, "grab a few more". I did as I was told. As I picked up the last rock, I saw a round rock the size of cannon ball that had been unearthed by the rain. I grabbed this round, smooth rock and put it in the car. We continued to whatever function that was our destination for that day, mom with a few more wall rocks and me with a smooth, round rock. I still have that rock today. I have often thought of cracking it open to see if it contains a geode. I just can't do it. I have passed this rock on to one of my sons because he likes it. I guess some rocks are meant to build walls and some just build memories.
Historical / Landscapes
Ladies
Shawn Lockert, #2 Son
Ceramic Tiles
Now mom may have not thought of it as a quest but she rarely passed up a good rock. I can remember driving to Clarksville on a ‘just
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