When I was rummaging around in the box with my late uncle’s flag, I found this photo at the bottom of the box. I don’t recall ever having seen this picture hanging in Grandma’s house. The frame is long gone…broken along the way somewhere with no money to replace it. When I looked at the photo in person, I didn’t notice a name written anywhere. But, now that I look at the snapshot I took of it, there may be some faint writing along the bottom of the woman’s white dress shirt. I’ll have to take a closer look when I go back to the farm on Sunday and maybe my uncle will recognize her.
I brought another truckload of stuff home yesterday. The boxes were so heavy and cumbersome and by the time I loaded and unloaded, I hit the wall and ended up sleeping for a couple of hours. This health issue has knocked down my typical go get ‘em stamina down a peg or two. I hope to build that back because there is much to be done around here and finishing up at the farm.
As I was bringing the last of the tubs for this load down from the upstairs bedroom, I noticed a huge scrapbook tucked behind an old mirror leaning against the wall. It was in a white plastic trash bag. I pulled it out and my aunt had stuck a note to it with my mother’s name. I put it in the truck with the rest of the stuff and looked at it when I got home.
When I was cleaning out mom’s house after she died, there were countless scrapbooks with newspaper clippings that caught her fancy glued into them. Articles from the local newspaper about people she knew or happenings in the valley that were interesting to her. She loved to cut out patterns or stories from magazines. It was certainly a treasure trove of stuff that interested her. I looked carefully and the only thing that was familiar to me was an announcement for my first in-law’s 25th wedding anniversary celebration. That I’ll cut out and sent to Hubby #1. I’m sure he’ll enjoy that. It’s a shame to toss something like this scrapbook, but if I hold onto everything anybody I’ve ever known has owned or loved, there won’t be any room in this house for US. Things have to go. Much of what I’m bringing home from the farm will go. I just need to take the time to go through it and I didn’t do it out there. Now I’m out of time.
When I finished packing up the truck, I went to check the mail. As I walked down the driveway, I noticed a white car pull up to the big sign announcing the impending auction. It was the neighbor from down the road. Jean used to walk with my aunt several days a week when Grandma was still living. She told me it just broke her heart to see the farm leaving the family. We sat there along the roadside for a good half hour…reminiscing and sharing stories. She loved my family and, like many who watch their contemporaries pass before them, she expressed her loneliness. I try to call her every time I’m at the farm. Now I’m going to set a reminder in my phone since I won’t be going out there after the farm changes hands.
My uncle is coming to the farm on Sunday with one of his granddaughters and her family to get another load from the barn. I’ll be there to help and we’ll go through the house to figure out what to do with the furniture that’s left over. It’s not worth much but maybe someone can get some use out of it. My cousin will come next Wednesday to get some more of my aunt’s things. It won’t be long and everything will be gone. I’ll sweep it all out…and that will be that.
On a brighter note, I received the extra yarn I ordered for the shawl I’m knitting and I’m making great progress. Mr. FixIt kept the home fires burning while I was gone and he started cleaning out the pool last evening to prepare for summer. Time marches on.
Today is May 1st! Happy May Day!!!
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“Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.”
Zechariah 10:1 ESV