Memories

There are always things, or even smells, in our life that conjure up memories.  Some memories may be bad, but hopefully most are good.  For instance, I love the smell of cut wood because it reminds me of my grandfather’s house in Osage, MN, where he owned and ran a lumber mill.  The smell of cut wood lingered in the air at all times.  We would often climb up the huge piles of sawdust…which now would probably be considered unsafe…so that smell would cling to our clothes.  There is not a lot I remember about my grandfather’s house, but this is the one thing that really brings his house and mill back to life.

The Blue Glass

Back in March, we lost one of the greatest sisters-in-law ever, Dar!!  Her heart and soul were the kindest and her smile ever present.  When we did see her, she always asked how the kids and grandkids were doing — so kind in that way.  She lost her battle to cancer in March.  When we headed back to MN in April this year, we stopped in Menasha at Dar’s house where her sons were now working to get it ready for sale.  She definitely liked to collect a lot of stuff which had to be sorted through.  Off the back of the beautiful house was an addition that was added with a huge fireplace and massive ceilings.  On each side of the fireplace, and all along the walls were windows that looked out over her wooded back yard.  Up on this high window cells were items of blue glass.  There were just amazing, and they really brought back the memory of the spirit of Dar.  Since the boys were going to sell most of the household items, I asked if I could buy one of the blue glass items.  Mark quickly responded to take whatever I wanted.  We did pick out 5 items that are now sitting in our AZ house above a kitchen window that gets the first sunlight of the day.  I know Dar’s spirit shines through that sunlight every morning.  My pictures (one taken in the evening and one in the morning) do not even come close to do them justice but this is where they are in the window which looks over the hills of Sedona.

The Chair

A few weeks ago, Jackie shared a picture of a chair that Jaxen was sitting in.  Turns out this chair had been passed down from Jaxen’s Grandfather, Phil, to Jaxen’s Dad, Jermar and now to Jaxen.  Although it does not generate any memories for me personally, it will be something that Phil, Jermar and now Jaxen will help remind them of great moments in their lives.

The Cross Stitch

My mother had a very creative side to her — her sewing projects were amazing and she also did crocheting, needlework, etc.   My mother was not really speedy with some of her projects having her own deadline in her mind.  Close to our 25th wedding anniversary, she presented us with this amazing creation!

Note I said close to our 25th and this says 20 years!!!  LOL…typical Mom!  Being a counted cross sticher myself, I know the number of hours she had to put in to this and it was just amazing!!!  She told us she started it close to our 20th knowing that few people in our family had made it that far in their marriage at that time.  It was really a very special gift and always reminds me how creative my mom was.  There are still days that I miss her and wish I could still talk to her at times.  Even with all of our downsizing over the past few years, this picture has not left our side.  It traveled in the moving van to Louisiana from Corcoran, traveled in the U-Haul trailer from Louisiana to Big Lake.  In Big Lake we had it stored away knowing that someday we would have a wall that was perfect for it once again.  That day came when we bought the house in AZ.  So again the hanging was packed up in the trailer from Big Lake to AZ where it will be hung (after we do touch up painting) on our wall once again in our bedroom.  20 years will now be 46 years in November so Mom can be even more excited that we have made it this far!!!  🙂

The Farm

Back in the early 70’s when I was working at the phone company, I worked with a woman that did oil paintings.  Trying to think of a unique present for my dad, I gave this woman an aerial view of his farm in Montrose and she created a fantastic painting that seemed so real you could hear the cows and pigs making their daily noises as you looked at the painting.  To put it into perspective, I really disliked the farm!!  My dad and step-mom purchased it just as I was entering my senior year in high school.  There was no way I was going to transfer to a different high school, so I opted to drive the 50 miles back and forth to school.  That did not last too long with wintery roads and unreliable vehicles so I eventually moved in with my mom near Lake Calhoun for my senior year where the drive was much better.  Back to the farm…it was really my dad’s dream to have a hobby farm like this so I tried to be happy for him.  It was really his, and my step-mom’s slice of heaven!!  As the years went on eventually my dad divorced my step-mom and he continued to live the bachelor life at his precious farm.  He had really enjoyed the picture and how it reminded him of what the farm was.  As the years went on the weather and years were not always kind to the farm.  One wintery day, the red barn in the picture collapsed under the weight of the snow.  But in that rumble of barn wood were the makings of a fantastic frame for this picture.  One of my aunts had the frame made for the very special picture and it delighted my dad!!

(This is a picture of the picture of the picture!)  This was taken by my daughter-in-law because this picture now hangs in my son’s office at his home.  It is only fitting that it is there with my dad watching over Jason as he and Jason were special buddies — always sharing privates jokes and stories….and probably close to getting in trouble like a couple of hooligans!   There were always scheming and planning something to do or build or buy!  There grandson/grandfather relationship was something very special.  Yes, this picture brings back great memories of my father (not of the farm….LOL) but I know it must also be very special to Jason.

Memories can be so many things to each person.  In this day where “things” are disposable, I hope that people can still keep things in their lives that bring back the memories of events or people in their past.  The past will always be part of us and as we get older (or as we have too many birthdays….LOL) these memories are even more precious.  So even though we may not like to keep things and clutter up our surroundings, I hope every one has something special that they hold near to their heart that will keep those memories strong.

TIFN

But first, we need a Halloween costume!!