Zach wanted to practice driving his jeep. He turns 16 in a week and will be taking his driving test soon. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to visit some old family homesites.
The door into the wood shop. It amazes me that these buildings are still standing. The old logs have not shifted. The foundation under each building is simple stacked stones. Nothing fancy. They used what what they had. One building was still filled with firewood kindling in anticipation of winter. This generation had lived through the depression and summers were spent canning and storing up supplies for the winter. A trip to town was considered a luxury. You had to rely on yourself. While my generation feels secure with a safe retirement fund or a healthy bank account, their security came from having plenty of canned goods, firewood, and a firm belief that God would provide everything else.
Old doorknob at my great-uncle's house. He lived in this house until his death just a few years ago. It is a very primitive house. He never had hot water in the house. Several family members offered to install a water heater and he refused. The old wood stove where he heated his water is still in the living room. He was very self-sufficient. I admire that in a person.
The old rock wall at my great-grandmother's home place. The house has long since disappeared but the new owners have left the old rock wall and steps.
There are 4 different buildings and the old house still standing on this property. Inside one building is an assortment of old glass jars. I don't think they ever threw anything away. I saw several old tin canning jar lids that I would have loved to brought home. I was too afraid of snakes and cutting myself on the glass to go into the building.
The door into the wood shop. It amazes me that these buildings are still standing. The old logs have not shifted. The foundation under each building is simple stacked stones. Nothing fancy. They used what what they had. One building was still filled with firewood kindling in anticipation of winter. This generation had lived through the depression and summers were spent canning and storing up supplies for the winter. A trip to town was considered a luxury. You had to rely on yourself. While my generation feels secure with a safe retirement fund or a healthy bank account, their security came from having plenty of canned goods, firewood, and a firm belief that God would provide everything else.
An old truck still parked at my great-aunt Bessie's house. When I was a little girl, I would ride with my grandmother on Sunday afternoons to visit my great-grandmother. As soon as we got there, we would call Aunt Bessie to come over and make hot chocolate. I never remember a time that she didn't come over. She was never too busy to make us hot chocolate.
She'd take Hersey's cocoa, add a little sugar, heat the milk in a pan and mix in the sweetened cocoa. Then she would serve it in a coffee cup with a saucer. All my great-grandmother's family would drink their coffee by pouring a little into the saucer and drinking from the saucer. Once the coffee in the cup cooled, they would drink the remaining coffee out of the cup. My sister and I would imitate the adults with our hot chocolate.
Old doorknob at my great-uncle's house. He lived in this house until his death just a few years ago. It is a very primitive house. He never had hot water in the house. Several family members offered to install a water heater and he refused. The old wood stove where he heated his water is still in the living room. He was very self-sufficient. I admire that in a person.
The old rock wall at my great-grandmother's home place. The house has long since disappeared but the new owners have left the old rock wall and steps. Sweet memories.
1 comment:
Oh I loved seeing all of these pictures and hearing about your family. This is so special.
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