Making Memories...

This past weekend my Mother, Buzz and I visited my 

Grandparents old home place...

It was sad to see it abandoned and beginning to crumble...

especially with all the loving memories

that came out of this home.

 

This was a simple Farmhouse

When you walked into the front door you were in the living room, with wallpapered walls and linoleum floors.  The furniture was modest, a simple sofa and a few odd chairs and tables; however it was the upright piano that I remember most.  

Even though some of the keys had chipped ivory, 

that didn't hinder the sound that 

filled the house as one family member played

 and others gathered around to sing.

 (mostly from hymnals) 

 Whether we sounded good or not, I can't say, 

but we sure enjoyed the moment 

and no one was the least bit timid!  

Just behind the living room was the kitchen 

(the hub) of our many family gatherings...  

where there would be platters and bowls of food on every 

flat surface in the room.  

After our main meal we would graze all day long

 in between games of dominos, cards, monopoly 

... or whatever the game of the day happened to be.  

The house was filled with chatter, laughter and a few screaming kids  from time to time... but mostly it was laughter.

 On the right side of the house... 

there was once a windmill with a large stock tank that we

 dangled our feet in on hot summer days.   

A couple of us tried climbing to the top of the windmill 

only to get a good licking from Grandma...

we probably scared her to death.

This is my Grandpa in his Sunday best ... 

he usually wore overalls ... best I remember anyway.

Notice the windmill in the background

I remember sitting on that porch shelling peas, 

or getting other summer vegetables ready for the canning jars.  

The breeze was always good there!   

It was under those trees that Grandma would help us girls

gather rocks to make the outline of a house... 

each room laid out on the ground ... we even made furniture.  

 Simple entertainment for little girls!

The tree on the left had a swing... I can still feel it now...

the bough moving along with the swing in perfect harmony.

On this side of the house there were fruit trees, 

a chicken coop and some other odd buildings... 

Including an outhouse

(which I remember being in use when I was little)  

Thank goodness one of my Uncles built onto the house adding an indoor bathroom, a sunroom/storage area and a garage.  

We all appreciated that upgrade! 

Just behind the house was a large vegetable garden, more 

out-buildings - some for farm animals and some for storage.  

Everything was in order and had purpose and each building was an

exciting place to explore when we were all growing up.

My Grandparents 

(affectionally know as Grandma & Grandpa)

left us with more good memories than bad...

I still remember them so fondly...

I can hear their voices, smell the milk 

on their clothes from milking cows...

(after all, this was a working farm)

but mostly I remember 

their laughter and encouraging words.

Of course I could go on and on sharing memories of them 

and this home long abandoned ... 

but the more I'm remembering the more I'm realizing

that it's my turn to make a few memories for my family.

 ":o)