Three Years Ago She Went Home

This month marks three years since Mom passed away. Even though it has gone quickly, I still think of her when I read an obituary she would have called to tell me about. I can hear her voice on the phone now. When I meet people she would have known, I want to tell her about it. Her skirts, aprons, knick knacks and many possessions grace the walls of our homes and hearts. I'm so glad we took this four generation photo to keep the memory alive. Here's to a great, patient and wonderful mother. Thank you and Love you forever.

Vicarious Vivacious Valentine

I ran across this beautiful tri-fold, colorful Valentine card while looking for decorations to use this month. It was one Mom probably bought that says, "With Love, Mother On Valentine's Day. Affectionate greetings on Valentine's Day And a wish for life's best things too... For only the best is good enough For a mother as dear as you! Happy Valentine's Day" I hung it up in the entry and cherished its presence.

Clarinet Comes Full Circle

I have been saving this old nickel clarinet for many, many years hoping to one day have it restored and begin to play it again. 

My first experience with the clarinet was in fifth grade band, which only lasted one week.  Everyone else had a fancy black one, with a sheik new case.  Fearful of being teased because of my metal horn and the masking taped edges of the case, I dropped out.  Yes, I regret it. 

 Recently, I took it to a music shop for a bid.  "These clarinets were junk, from the beginning." the repairman said, bursting my hopes of becoming a renown artist.  My thought to be priceless item, was nothing but a hunk of metal.  He went on, "Bugs loved the pads and ate them up, he pointed to the tiny skeletons in my blue lined case.  Oh, so that is what those little white things are. 

Perhaps not valuable to them, but my Dad once played this and so did I, for one week. 

Nick Nice and Hot But Not Now

Nick has a winter job doing snow removal.  On wintery snowy days, he can think about working at the nursery when he was nice and hot surrounded by lots of green.  Yeah!  He is thankful to have a job now. 

Grandma Park's Quilt

 Just over forty years ago Grandma Park made and presented this beautiful quilt to Allan and I for our wedding.  I loved red at the time, so the big red and pink flowers along with her lovingly hand quilted stitches has been a treasured item. 

 

We used it as our bedspread for many years, but eventually, it was replaced by several fancier styles.  They have all worn out or didn't fit our second-hand king size bed.   After tiring of a steel gray spread, I pulled out the old trusty quilt, which fit!  Notice the pink glow on the wall that says, Hey, welcome back!

The bright red leaves from our flowering pear trees out the bedroom windows make the cozy autumn reflection.   The rosy glow makes you feel Grandma Park is welcoming us with open arms upon entering the room.  Thank you Grandma. 

Facts From Down on the Farm

I went out to the old family farm this week to see a shed someone had taken down and carted off to his place to build a 'Pioneer village'.  We were happy to ablige him and the place looks better for it. 

He asked about some small buildings, too.  Here are a few I remember. 

 The 'Egg House' had thick walls and no window, to keep the inside cool for the storage of the eggs until we took them to market.  We also cleaned, sorted and boxed the eggs here as well.  I have many fond memories of awaking early every day to feed the chickens and gather the eggs before going to school.  Sometimes we had as many as seven large pens of chickens with up to 500 in each pen.

There is the 'Mash House' were we kept the chicken feed that was delivered monthly.  An opening in the top allowed an auger from the truck to shuttle the feed from his tank into the shed.  Mash was a mixture of ground corn, grain, nutrients and such to feed fowl and livestock.  I remember Dad saying it cost a lot when the Intermountain Farmer bill came, possibly several hundred dollars, which was a lot of money back then. 

We filled buckets full from the Mash House, then carried them to each chicken coop dumping it into long troughs.   

I have great memories of the chickens and being their caretaker.   If only I had appreciated the work more.  It is in maturity that we grow through our past experiences. 

The Crafty Cranes

Mom was always coming home from Relief Society meetings with beautiful homemade treasures to decorate our walls with.   

It made me want to go with her whenever there was a night out to create.  Consequently, I picked up her bug for handmade items.  Here is a scrapbook paper 'FALL' hanging I taught in a class recently.  Most of the siblings, cousins and neices all got that great give of Crane craftiness.  It not only is a blessing, but occassionally a curse with too much stuff and not enough walls/room to host it.