My Stompin' Grounds...the beginning!

My Stompin' grounds seems like a perfect place to start as I begin this blog. I grew up in a small town in Oklahoma. Most people refer to it as Dale, America. It sits near the North Canadian River and just over the railroad tracks. The baseball field backs to a cornfield...a perfect setting for a "field of dreams" or "Children of the Corn" if you were out there at night without the lights on lol. There were no open stores in town, although, I do remotely remember the post office being open but I believe it closed shortly after the memories I have of it started. No stoplights, only stop signs. Three churches, all within the same two blocks. The Methodist Church set across from the Church of Christ and the Baptist Church was down the road. The school was Kindergarten through Twelfth grade. We graduated approximately fifty in each class. We were well known for our 2A basketball and baseball.

This was home. Everyone knew each other, and everyone knew all about you...for better or worse. All of my family lived in the area. My little sister and I were 3rd generation(ers) in the school. It was nice to have my parents, my grandpa and my aunt at all of our events. I cherish the memories of having grandpa so close and involved, especially since we don't have him here with us any longer. I am sure there will be a time for sharing some great stories about him. This is where I grew up, it is where I started. Like many I was ready to "get out" as an anxious senior but I do look back with many fond memories of my original "stompin' grounds".

 I hope to use this blog as a way to document those memories..and share them with whoever may be interested as well as share many of the other stompin' grounds that I have journeyed through along the way. I, of course, will share about my three, very loved stompin' Grounds, capital 'G'...Benjamin, Elizabeth, and Isaac....and oh can they stomp! :) My desire is that you will be blessed, reminisce on your own past, thank God for your current blessings, and maybe even pick up a good idea or recipe along the way. Enjoy!

Pictures I took a few years ago...

Crossing the tracks coming into Dale.

Just over the tracks the road curves.

The Church I grew up in.

The Methodist Church across the street.

The front of the High School.

Many pictures taken with this archway.

This is one of the playground pieces that I

played on as a child. They still have several

originals out there..but sadly the tunnels are gone.

The softball field..it has came a long way

since we first started building it.

The baseball field from the corn field :)

A great American shot..many memories watching

baseball with a blanket around me on these bleachers.

The road out of Dale.