Mother’s Pound Cake

This is Donna.  I am the one who bolted after mother’s funeral.  I was with her when she passed away and the memories are huge and will always be.  I happened to be the one who the following morning was searching for the funeral arrangements.  You know your favorite writer was always preparing.

She had at one time worked for Badger Meter Co. in Atlanta and her boss taught her the adage “to plan your work and work your plan.”  I have heard her say this one time after time, and this funeral time was no different.  In the file cabinet under “F” was a folder with no label; in the folder were two sheets of notebook paper with raw edges after having been torn from a spiral notebook.  I chose the one labeled Billie Crumly funeral.  I began the process.  Beth and I did not discuss who would do what, it just seemed that each of us picked up what needed to be done and off we set out to get the necessary arrangements made.  Beth had an ophthalmologist appointment for Monday morning and there was nothing that a few hours would have changed.

We had made an appointment with Harris Funeral Home to meet them at 2:00 p.m. which allowed enough time for Beth to drive the four hours she needed to arrive and group with the family.  Mother once said of one of her great-granddaughters that she was from a long line of strong-willed women.  Well, it is yet another happening that both these prodigies and her strong willed hubby were all in tune.  We were all on the same page with the plans and decisions that had to be made. Times were decided, plans set in place and back home we went.  I had been in Alabama for five (5) nights and we all know that no bed sleeps like your own bed.  I opted to drive the two (2) hours back to my house and sleep in my own bed while gathering the clothes that I would need for the next two days and returning on Tuesday about noon.

I also need the loving arms of my sweetheart around me.  Funny how I just needed to be held and no words were necessary, because so much can be communicated with a touch. But before motoring toward Atlanta, I needed to contact those on her list.  She had the people she had chosen to sing at her funeral as well as the songs that she desired them to sing and she had included telephone numbers too.  She had the preacher noted for her funeral, that she had grown to love over the past years, who had moved away and she had his mother’s telephone number there.  She had been good friends with Bro. Harvey’s mother and with both he and his family.  Since he had moved to another larger town and had a bigger church, it was yet another miracle that he had the Wednesday available for us.  The new preacher at Crossville First Methodist Church also knew Bro. Harvey.  Bro. Mike and Kathy had been so good to the family.  They had only been assigned to Crossville Methodist for 2 weeks and in that time Bro. Mike and Kathy had visited mother in the hospital and Bro. Mike stopped by on Saturday night on his way back from a trip to Birmingham, then before they had taken the body the two were back praying with us.  God Bless the new friends.   So back to the list, I go.  Mother had said on many occasions that she had chosen twelve (12) pall-bearers for her casket and would you believe she really did have a large list although I did not count them.  I believe the reason was more that she knew people get caught having to do other things or they are out of town or as her great-nephew whom she loved so much was the only pharmacist on duty as his partners were out of town.  Life goes on and there are reasons why some are just not available.  My sweetheart even said that if she was missing one he would fill in where needed, that is the kind of person he is.  But as God is still in control, the list with names and telephone numbers provided the exact six (6) pall-bearers which were needed.  Funeral director said that more than six caused their feet to get tangled.  We must give our heartfelt thanks to each and every person who worked to make the funeral a marvelous celebration of Billie Crumly’s life.

But now today, I have this urge to bake Mother’s Butternut Pound Cake.  This recipe baked by your favorite author so many times I think it would have been impossible to count the times it has traveled on many vacations of both family and friends.  This particular pound cake has Vanilla, Butter, and Nut flavoring which makes the cake a vibrant yellow.

Billie’s Butternut Pound Cake

1 lb. butter or margarine                           3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup Crisco                                                    2 tsp. butternut flavoring
2 2/3 cup sugar                                             1/2 cup cream
8 eggs                                                                Pinch of salt

It has always been baked so daddy could have a slice in his lunch box when he was working at Lockheed and most always there was one of these in the glass covered cake plate where the lid had been broken and re-glued but still utilized.  Bro. Harvey talked of this pound cake while preaching mother’s funeral and just how much he loved the taste of her cake.  I guess this makes my desire and need to use her recipe and bake the cake so both he and daddy could have same.  This cake takes 8 eggs, which brings to mind the sweet egg family which was so free to give mother and dad culled eggs.   It is these special friends which that come to mind because they gave the eggs and mother baked and gave the cake so freely.  This community was/is such a giving loving community.  They will continue in the giving spirit and thus will continue the legacy that Billy Crumly has left with the community.  This is just one part of Country Living and it lives on.

NOTE…See Mrs. Crumly’s blog of this Butternut Pound Cake tomorrow.