This Ole House
Every time I drive to Rice Lake, I pass this old house just before the Highway O and Highway 8 intersection. So often when I gaze upon an old, abandoned house, I wonder about the family who lived there when the house was new - those who loved it and called it home. My mind's eye can easily see the hustle and bustle of that family getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving - a couple generations ago. I see kids running down the steps from their upstairs bedrooms, eager to get outdoors to play. (It would be nice to write that they were eager to help their mom get ready for Thanksgiving, but let's get real. We are talking about human nature, and most kids would rather play than run errands.) I see a mom rolling out pie crust while listening to the radio. I see a dad reading the Drudge Report cleaning his gun in anticipation of bringing home a deer or a turkey.
So that takes me back to my great grandmother's generation and reminds me of her bedroom, where a record player stood in the corner with a stack of 78s in the cabinet. Among them was This Ole House by Stuart Hamblen.
This Ole House
This ole house once knew my children
This ole house once knew my wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As we fought the storms of life
This ole house once rang with laughter
This ole house heard many shouts
Now she trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin' walks about
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On my knees I'm gettin' chilly
But I feel no fear or pain
'Cause I see an angel peekin'
Through a broken window pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
Now this ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is a-gettin' feeble
This ole house is a-needin' paint
Just like me it's tuckered out
But I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
And my old hound dog lies a sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fire place
And he'd sit down, howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
This ole house once knew my wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As we fought the storms of life
This ole house once rang with laughter
This ole house heard many shouts
Now she trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin' walks about
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend no window pane
Ain't gonna need this house no longer
I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
On my knees I'm gettin' chilly
But I feel no fear or pain
'Cause I see an angel peekin'
Through a broken window pane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
Now this ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
This ole house is a-gettin' feeble
This ole house is a-needin' paint
Just like me it's tuckered out
But I'm a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
And my old hound dog lies a sleepin'
He don't know I'm gonna leave
Else he'd wake up by the fire place
And he'd sit down, howl and grieve
But my huntin' days are over
Ain't gonna hunt the coon no more
Gabriel done brought in my chariot
When the wind blew down the door
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer...
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Love those old country gospel songs! Old homes, long neglected, always make me sad. This house, pictured, was once grand and beautiful. I'm glad you pay attention - it's getting a little love, even as it fades away. Great post!!
ReplyDeleteThis seems to have been a beautiful house once. Have a lovely Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI often wonder about old houses too...that's a great photo btw.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
I see an old abandoned home like this too! I often wonder who lived there and think about how the place looked before it was neglected! So beautiful in a sad sort of way! On my blog I have a photo of my mom and her siblings! I often wondered what they were thinking of. Their faces were full of memories I know my mother had when she lost her older brother and daddy in a mining accident in 1927! She was 13! I wish I had asked more questions when she was a live!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! Blessings to you today Judy!
Hugs Anne
Are you sure you weren't lost and actually in Cole Camp, Mo? No kidding, that looks just like my Grandma and Grandpa's house! I remember so well as a little girl pulling up when we went to visit and there would be Grandpa sitting in his wooden rocker on the front porch waiting for us. Thank you for the beautiful memory.
ReplyDeleteGreg and I drove by there a few years ago to see if it was still standing and someone had bought it and transformed in into an antique shop. Even though the structure was still standing, it still made me a little sad to see how much it had changed.
I feel and think the same when I see an old home place. Wonderful post.
ReplyDeletei to look at old homes and barns and buildings, even in museums, i picture in my mind what they looked liked and what they did and wore. this is a beautiful home, i would like to see it restored. my grandmother lived in a cracker house much like this one and I loved it. my mother lived in that house until she was 18 and married my dad.
ReplyDeleteforgot to say, in my grandmothers house was a record player with stacks of 45's and this song was in the stack
ReplyDeleteLoved this post, what memories! I remember playing some of those old 78's on my grandmother's victrola on Sunday afternoons at her house.
ReplyDeleteThe ones I remember most were songs by the Carter Family and Jimmy Rodgers, such wonderful times were shared by many aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Lovely images and words. Old houses certainly can get our imaginations going, can't they? So many lives involved and so many stories.
ReplyDeleteHow delightful to read your post today. A friend of mine is related to Stuart. I'm going to share your blog with her. It will mean so much to her to read, thanks for sharing such a post that gave me remembrance of my own memories of times long ago as well.
ReplyDeleteKimberly
Wonderful post, I loved the song and the photo.
ReplyDeleteI remember that song. I never pictured the house with it though.
ReplyDeleteI have only heard Rosemary Clooney sing this song.
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad houses aren't as easy to collect as dishes! Lol! I would have a splendid collection by now....
A beautiful house!! Happy Thanksgiving! xo Heather
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful ole house...and a great song! I'll be humming it all day now! When we travel I always see houses that I wonder about the people that have lived there...or still do. I like to imagine and day dream. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a gorgeous old house - I bet that it could tell a lot of good old stories. It is so pretty. Sandie
ReplyDeleteI always wonder about things like that too... LOVE this post!
ReplyDeleteWow! What an amazing house! I love old houses so much! This one is a beauty! I agree, I wonder what life was like for them.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
Such a wonderful post Judy....so touching...I'm with you...imagining what life was like for those who used to live there. Beautiful image!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. I haven't heard or thought about that song since I was a young kid and my folks watched the Hit Parade on TV. I always wonder about the people that lived in those old run down houses, too.
ReplyDelete