We are in the land of my birth, the valley of the Cumberland, for tomorrow’s Flying Monkey hunt in the Harpeth Hills. Tallulah and I spent the morning with Pappy surveying the hunting grounds. The longer I live, the more I am awed by the Big Chief’s gifts of creation. Though I will be, at best, monkey bait tomorrow, at least I will suffer in a jewel of nature.
After our survey, Pappy took us to get ice cream. At Tallulah’s suggestion, we got the ambrosia at a grocery store and brought it home so that my Sweet Lady and Glinda could also have a share. Nice of her to include everyone, I thought. It was also nice of Pappy to say “you may have as much as you want.” He’s having a good time being a Pappy, so I might as well let him. Now they are reading from Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz.
This book is not to be confused with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the first in the series. It is in fact the fourth, following The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. Pappy’s pappy read them to him when he was a little boy. Now he reads them to Tallulah. The very same books which he has no doubt carried to innumerable houses in 5 different states since leaving his boyhood home. Pappy may not have know why he carried them all over the country, until now.