Fall Exuberance

The Small ones went at it and soon had a pile of leaves raked in the driveway. A 5' pile. Just right for jumping in to. And jump they did . . . on a bright, crisp Fall day.

31 May 1818 - 29 January 1909

A hundred years ago come January, my Great Great Grandfather, John Brown Hilliard, was probably visiting his daughter in Shannon City and died. Or might have been sick and so went to his daughter's to live out his days. Back then, there were no old age pensions, no Social Security. If you couldn't work, you went to family or friends or to the Poor Farm.

Mary Frances Hilliard, daughter of John B. Hilliard, married Robert B. Austin, Sr. and they settled in Shannon City, IA for a spell. Times were hard and these folks, poor. When John B. Hilliard died there was no money for a gravestone.

One day a hundred years later, John Brown Hilliard's Great Great Grandson had an idea. He would find a stone, have it engraved and would set the stone all before the 100 anniversary of the death.

Gary Lewis Austin, G. G. Grandson of John Brown and Philena Moulton Hilliard, did find the grave site, found a stone, had it engraved and with the help of his children Robert Lewis Austin and April Grace Austin and two granddaughters, Robi and Ashley, set the stone this fine day, 23 November 2008, two months shy of the 100th anniversary of his death.

Run like the wind!

Miss Morghan took a nose dive. She was being chased by . . . boys! Yes, I said boys.

She tripped on a crack in the cement and down she went and like dominoes, Morghan said, down went the boys and Maya.

I think Morghan took the brunt of it!

The inside of her bottom lip is cut.

Gosh, she's so cute! even with a skinned nose!

oh hey! Is that an Orb in there?

Cleaned Out!

I cleaned out the computer room today. Literally. I had been thinking about moving the computer into the fireplace room as we hardly ever use this little room at the front of the house. Himself was resisting. We talked about it a few times and finally this past week, he said "OKAY! JUST DO IT!" LOL I'm kidding -- but then you know how he is. So today, we just did it. Himself has a project going in the upstairs bathroom. He worked there and I worked at cleaning, sorting, throwing! YES, I said "throwing out!"

(There are few leftovers up there. Who wants a paper shredder? There's a color printer if someone wants the expense of those ink cartridges! There's several bulletin boards and lots of miscellaneous. Hey, just come on over and have a walk-through. Take any of it! Take all of it! )

So finally, middle of the afternoon, Himself helped me carry and we moved the big desk, file cabinet, printer and cupboard all into the fireplace room. The hardest trick was getting all the computer/printer/keyboard/mouse/speaker/device cables plugged back into the modem/computer/power surge protector. Finally though, with Himself's assistance, we are up and running again. whew . . . and I'm going to like it!

That plant is strategically placed between me and the neighbor's window!

Little Boy

I've been scanning photos as I've been cleaning off this office desk.

This is the last one (for now).

I asked Himself, how old?

He couldn't tell me but this must be the Kindergarten picture or First Grade.

He started Kindygarden (as we used to say) at age 4.

He's just a little boy in this picture -- a cute little boy!

It's all about memories, isn't it?

Had the day off for Veteran's Day and Dad thought he had to work so I started in cleaning the computer room. There were a thousand pieces of paper on the desk from family history, interesting or useful information, family email and newspaper clippings about births and deaths and milestones.

So Family Tree Maker got updated, my Word.doc address list was modified, a few photos got scanned and then 900 pieces of paper got filed or thrown out. Tonight, I have two to-do files on my desk and my "password" notebook. Oh wait, there is the latest version of Family Tree Maker still waiting to be installed, a newspaper clipping of Dad's Army days needs put back in the scrapbook and a handful of photos to be scanned or filed.

But the intent of this evening's entry was my visit with Granny. After lunch, I went to Afton. Wasn't sure about taking Mom out in the dreary, drizzly day but after hearing her relate a tale about the lost boy next door and then trying to scrape up enthusiasm (on my end) to sit in her stuffy room and read, I said "do you want?" and she said "yes" . . . so we ran. We were off and away for a short ride. We had to stay on the pavement today and off the mud roads so we only rode to Arispe, then Shannon City and around Afton where I have learned to say "you know that is where Mary lives" instead of "do you know who lives there?" There is the Junk Yard house. There is the Green House.

And Mom talked the whole way. Some talk was about the trees and ponds and cattle. She mentioned the hay bales and the rain. She answered questions "were her feet cold" . . . no, she had socks AND shoes on, she told me. Her feet were not cold. Was she too hot? No, she was just opening her coat. Some of the sentences made sense, in fact, a lot of it did, tho simple and brief. Some words wouldn't come or sentences didn't make any sense at all but it didn't matter! Because Mom was out, looking, enjoying and talking and I was so glad we'd gone to the trouble (Mom's trouble) to get out and ride and "blow the stink off!"

Once when I grumbled about others not taking Mom out, a daughter reminded me
that I have been given a precious gift - time alone with my Mother to make special memories . . .

And wasn't that what my whole day was about -- sorting, polishing, sharing memories
both on my desk and computer and then, better yet, with my Mama.

Memories

This was a good day. Kristy and I had the day together (a rarity!) and visited Granny and cemeteries in two or three counties. And a good photo of Kristy and her Granny.




OMG(gosh)! there are ghosts in this photo! I think you two are "sensitive"!

1966

Traci, we need you in here too!

Here's the sad part, you children don't even remember 1966!

Here's a good part. Aunt Linda had her hair exactly like this in one school picture.

That "yearbook.com" or whatever looked pretty fun but I never got there to try on any hair. I did have fun viewing the rest of yous!

Bright Corner

Nature did most of my decorating for me. The tons of pretty yellow leaves were blown up and around. Little volunteer gourds and small volunteer pumpkins that sprouted on their own in the backyard, I threw in the basket and plopped on the chair. I bought a couple of bigger pumpkins and one large yellow Mum. It all added up to equal one bright spot of color.

605: isn't this pretty?

This big ol' Maple tree is the last one to leaf out in the Spring and the last to lose its leaves in the Fall, usually . . . HOWEVER if the conditions are just right, our tree is just plain glorious in Autumn. It is a spendid shade of Gold.

Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Jerry

Jerry and Carolyn were married in March of 1947. This picture is dated June 1947 so they were still newlyweds. Aunt Carolyn was vivacious and lively and Uncle Jerry smitten. He called her "Dolly" the rest of his days.

Carolyn Hope Austin

3/2/1929 - 11/2/2008

Jerry Dean Austin

1/30/1928 - 8/20/2008

My Aunt Frieda

After Uncle Jerry's funeral, I started this entry. I put in this photo of Aunt Frieda but never got anything written. I think Aunt Frieda is lovely and looks exactly like an elderly grandmother (great grandmother and yes, even a great-great grandmother) should look like. When I quit working, I'm going to let my hair grow out and wear it up in a bun. Of course, it won't look as pretty as blonde Aunt Frieda's. Mine will be gray. If I'm really lucky, mine will turn silver like my mother's lovely hair.

Anyway, just this hour I learned that Aunt Frieda's husband, my funny Uncle Joe, died yesterday. Aunt Frieda and Uncle Joe were always my favorite aunt and uncle. Besides the fact that they were both nice, gentle and always had time to talk to a little one, they were sort of fairy tale characters in my life story.

I was the 8th of nine children and born in 1950. Whopping cough was a serious threat to little children, babies and elderly folks. There was no vacination and not much medicines to cure the disease or ease the symptoms. When I was born, my folks thought the older children had been exposed to whooping cough. They couldn't take me home from the hospital for fear that I might be exposed.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Frieda had two boys, probably 5 and 7 years so they got the job of taking home this week-old baby girl. I was always told this story and must have known that Aunt Frieda would have gladly kept and raised me . . . but of course, my parents went and reclaimed me after the threat of the whooping cough.

At Uncle Jerry's funeral, both Uncle Joe and Aunt Frieda knew and recognized their many neices and nephews . . . and I think Uncle Joe even threatened to chew on a few ears!

Uncle Joe

I took a picture of Uncle Joe at the dinner following Uncle Jerry's funeral. He knew he was frowning . . . or at least Uncle Joe knew he wasn't at his best . . . and he said, "take it again".

I did.

He smiled.

And here he is at his best.

Family Tree

My family gave me this for Mother's Day. I am into genealogy and searching the family tree, big time, so this gift meant a lot to me. I should have taken it to a framing shop and had it matted and framed right. Instead, I stuck it in this frame to protect the photo until some later date when I'll get it matted and framed professionally. Meanwhile, it is up and I'll enjoy seeing it every day . . .

Attention: Daughter #1

Sorry about the glare but please read this cereal box. "Lower your Cholesterol 4% in 6 weeks!" okay, my exclamation mark. If you haven't done any reading or research on how to naturally reduce your Cholesterol, just tell your Mama. I'll get started.

It must be Fall at Too

Fall at Too means cleaning the gutters. There are so many trees over/around the cabin that the eve troughs get full of leaves and then the rain water can't run down the spouts but washes over the edge of the troughs and makes mud around the cabin.

There is only one way to get those leaves out . . . and Himself gets the job done!

Roughing it

Visiting Too is not sitting in the the lap of luxury.

Visiting Too is roughing it, making do, doing without.

Here is little Audri, making do at Too . . .

sitting on a pan with a dish towel around her neck for a bib.

But she didn't complain!

Bigger than baseballs

Dad and I cut back the Wisteria vine last fall, on the south side of the house. The vine that grows 20' in a few weeks time. We have worked at keeping it cut down this summer which opened up the side yard to sun. Lots of sun! Gardens like sunshine and we planted a couple of tomato plants in there. I grew, successful, peas and cilatro against the cement wall. We had fresh lettuce and spinach from the side garden and it was there, I tried (unsuccessfully) to grow and harvest from the hot bed. sigh . . . it snowed and snowed and wouldn't warm up and I had to pull the plug . . . but maybe next winter.

Look at these tomatoes! This is what we grew in the south garden this summer. The tomatoes prospered and we enjoyed them (especially me!)

Now the vines are begining to die back but I have a volunteer tomato on the ground with twice as many tomatoes waiting to ripen. The vines are still green and growing. I am going to save seed from this hardy tomato. I'll grow them next year! Someday I hope to have vine ripened tomatoes twelve months of the year!

Missed some of this . . .

What a crazy summer; seems as tho it just got here and now it has got up and went!

I have been doing some sorting, organizing and filing some of the thousands of digital photos I have.

Here is one that I enjoy from summer of 07 . . . an inquisitive, brave little girl. She has a fascination with fish, I think. Comes by that naturally tho!

Better than Gramps'!

Still in Iowa, we found this swinging bridge and couldn't resist! It is so long, they had tie-down cables to keep it safe in a strong wind. Thank goodness you children weren't along as you probably would have bounced me clean off!

It has been too long

but I've been away. So just to put something in, I'll post a picture or two from our vacation . . . yep, we've been to the Dells and rode the Ducks!

The last Austin brother

January 30, 1928 - August 20, 2008

This was a hard one. I wasn't ready to let Uncle Jerry go. I always thought I would have time to sit at his knee and listen again to the family history. I wanted to hear Uncle Jerry's version. I didn't get to hear enough.

Uncle Jerry loved family. He loved and knew the family history and the genealogy. Jerry was the youngest, the baby. He had 4 older brothers and two older surviving sisters. As a child he loved hearing his folks and aunts and uncles talk and he took it all in. He told me once that he didn't want to be the last child in the family to die. He wouldn't be able to bear that, he said. He wasn't the last to go. He left that to his sister, Frieda, who is my mother's age.

When the Austins got together, they sat up late. They talked until the wee hours. They held on. The Austins had come through rough times and they celebrated and appreciated the good times.

As a child, when my dad and his siblings got together at Gramma and Grandpa Austin's, we children knew it would probably be a late night. We knew we'd end up asleep on the floor or in Gramma's iron bed, 6 or 8 children, patchwork, on the bed. I think that is why even now, I love to listen to "talk" while I go to sleep. Now it is the TV or talk radio. Then it was the grownups visiting and laughing in the next room. Talk is comfort and security.

I bet Uncle Jerry, as a child, went to sleep in the warmth and comfort of the grownups talking. I hope he is sitting atthe kitchen table now, with his brothers and sisters, remembering the good times.

Father / Daughter In Law

I really like this photo.


This photo reminds me of your Grandpa Dale and the respect and mutual admiration he and I came to . . . after getting to know each other. When I first married into the Hofmeister family, I thought that my dear mother-in-law had to be a bit too "mean", too frugal. She "turned her sheets". (Ask me, if you want to know what that means.) Later, looking back, I realized that anyone that came through the Great Depression was very careful with their things, their clothes, their money.


I really like Lisa, Kurt's wife. She is down-to-earth, practical. She has a sense of humor. I think Uncle Lefty likes her too!

PS: Watch out! Next reunion, Lisa is bringing Super Soakers!

School starts

I thought a lot about my grandchildren today, while I worked. Miss Morghan, the oldest and wisest, was starting 4th grade. She was just about chomping at the bit to get back, get social, get "learned"!

Jack managed kindergarten like a breeze last year, and now in First Grade, had graciously allowed big sister Morghan to show him the ropes -- but just until he got used to it, mind!

Maddie Mae was so excited as her friend, Chloe Marlin, is in her very classroom! However, the local newspaper caught them on film, looking a little forelorn; lost -- probably early in the day. But still, Maddie told me she had a good day!

Gabrielle Nadeen told her Nana she liked it! She like Kindergarten and she had a good day! But she was so tired! Kindergarten is hard work, I said. She sighed and agreed.

Joey Austin had a big day today, too! He turned Five Years Old! and that is enough to wear any child out! We hope you like preschool, Joey!

Audri Lu got to go back to the regular babysitter today and to play outside. She is an outdoor girl; a natural little rock washer.

Nana just loves them all to pieces! May every school year be exciting, fullfilling -- and something to look forward to!

One More Game!

Which is Craig and which is Kurt? The resemblence isn't that exact . . . but still a bit uncanny, do you think?

Kurt was born in 1968 so what, does that make him just eight years older than Craig?

New Game

At family gatherings, relatives would say "which one are you?" or "are you Linda or Nancy" You know, I don't remember our cousins having trouble with it, but the adults would ask. I was taller for my age and Linda small boned. We were both fairly blonde but Linda blonder than I. I could have told the relatives to check out the skinned knees. Nancy. Is there a smudge on the dress or a rip? Nancy. Unruly hair? yep. Nancy. I didn't care though! I was carefree and happy and wanted outside! Yes, I was a tomboy.

Now, is that me on the right? or on the left? Baby Mary is in the middle.

I think there was March wind, 1955.

October 1951

Bet you can guess these.












































I was fourteen months and Linda 2 years, 2 months. Taken at the farm north of Peru.

Again?

Mary is the smallest. Which one Linda? Which one Nancy?

1956 with Daddy

Nancy / Linda?

Linda / Nancy?

With Mama

Linda, right or left?

Wasn't Granny pretty?

With Unc

Which one is Linda? Which one Nancy?

Life Second's Numbering

This was Granny just 3 years ago according to the date on the photo. This was just when we were starting to fuss about her living alone. Before she broke her hip, the hospital stay and the nursing home. It is hard to believe that just three years ago, Granny was well enough to go to Missouri and stay overnight. She wasn't herself but still with help, could go and do and enjoy. Wish we could wind the clock back for Granny.

Your Mom's 7th Grade

This is in the internet. Your Granny always encouraged her children, to write the names of our classmates on the back of the group picture. As I don't have this photo -- or don't think I do anyway -- I can't flip it over and see which one is me. There are two possibilities. Which one am I?

Granny

Aunt Virginia and Uncle Dick came up in July, to visit Granny. They camped at 3 Mile Lake, north of Afton. Your dad and I picked Granny up on Tuesday, as usual, and drove out. Granny looks happy . . . as though she knows her family is gathered 'round.

KWITCHURBELYAKIN

Gramps might have seen a sign like this, or similiar, on vacation sometime;somewhere. When he was at Shagbark with the printshop out back, he printed up some cards (the size of business cards) with this on them, KWITCHURBELYAKIN.

I found this sign at a garage sale and (for once) Himself approved and said I should hang it at Too.

Virginia Creeper Moth

I want this to be a Virginia Creeper Moth but I think it is really a Pandora Sphinx Moth. Johanna, Audri and I were coming back from a hot, breathless walk this evening and found the little guy on one of my house plants, outside for the summer. He is in camouflouge but my eyes are being trained to see "nature" and he caught my eye.

When we lived up to Orient, we used to have Lunar moths come visit our 4 o'clock flowers. They are a big moth and their little wings beat a million times a minute, just like a hummingbird. In fact, we thought they were hummers for the longest time.

Oh, I want this to be a Virginia Creeper Moth just because I like the name . . . we have Virginia Creeper vine growing around our yard.

ANTICIPATION

Wow, a vacation. Working vacation but am looking forward to it. Sometime Sunday we will head for III, pick up some tools and the trailer and head for II. After we put the cement footings down to stop the cabin from settling, which it did, we found that the porch was still settling and pulling away from the cabin. So, we will prop up the porch roof, tear off the old porch and rebuild with pressure treated lumber. The old barn boards have been on there 20 or 30 years and really no sign of rotting, and if I can get them off without tearing them up, we may try to re-use them just for the ambiance. This will all be work, but fun work as we will have 5 days to complete this project. Will let you know later how this all worked out.
Boi

It is that time of year

1925, southern Union County, IA. The Wilson's got together. That is my g.grandfather George Washington Wilson and his (2nd) wife, Mary Willis Wilson. They had 7 children but only after Geo W had 7 children with his first wife. I think that may be my Grandmother Austin, nee Mattie Jane Wilson, front row, first person.

My dad, your Gramps, would have been 11 years old in 1925 but as you see, this picture was for adults only. Doesn't old George Washington Wilson remind you just a bit of your Gramps? George dubba was 88 years old in this picture and he went on to live a couple more years. Mary Willis Wilson was 70 years old here and died at age 82. Gramma Austin, Mattie Jane, was only 35 years old, the mother of 5 living children and two lost little souls. She had two more children after this.

This weekend the Hofmeister's get together. We'd better take some photos so that in another 80 years, descendents will be admiring our photos.

Cottage Garden

this garden, above, is Barbara Zellweger's. Isn't it beautiful? Himself and I took Granny up to look at all the wonderful flowers.

This is my little cottage garden. It is starting to take shape but it has a long way to go to equal Barbara's. I'm not discouraged tho and now I have lots of new ideas!

1 Lucky Woman

Himself is a talented man. He can smoke meat, meat good enough to win contests! Meat tender enough to fight for and to die for (tho I don't like that expression)!

He has, in the past, smoked an excellent brisket or two, chicken and pork loins on the old charcoal smoker at Too and it is always good eating! Then he got to smoking babyback ribs on the gas grill here at home and each time, I thought they were better than the last -- couldn't get any better! But Himself wasn't satisfied. He said on the gas grill, the meat wasn't cooking slow enough so he went out and got this baby. This is his new home boy smoker. This is a "non-professional" model. It is a beaut! And so are those tender, juicy babybacks that just came up out of that smoker this afternoon. Mmmm umm mmmm!