Going Home On New Year's Eve - I Remember I Remember

Yesterday as I was thinking

about the New Year I found

my mind wandering back to

the place where I was born

and raised,

Bradford County, PA.

I don't have many pictures

of my time there

but I came across some

photos that stopped me in my 

tracks.

Someone working for Google Earth

took stunning photos from our

farm setting and they are posted

for the world to see.

This is taken right in front of

our house- headed North.

Our farm house would have

set to the left about 100'

from the road.
You can see the shed my 
father and neighbor built
in the 50's on the right-hand
side of the road.
I remember playing with the
cut off pieces of wood and
sifting the sawdust through
my fingers.

I walked that road many a thousand  

and one times.

I remember when my father planted

the elm trees on the left and

they were just saplings.

My brother still owns part

of the old farm property.

From our kitchen window this 

is what we saw....

Our Lady of Perpetual Help-

the graveyard I wandered in

just across the road to the right.

To the far left and just out of sight

you can see the mountains and there

are seven counties visible on a clear day.

There used to be fences on both sides

of the road and the cows would be

pastured on the left side....

another road I walked thousands of

times as a child...one I only walk

in my memory today.

The old church is beautiful.

It's a replica of a larger European church.

I didn't go there because we were not

Catholic-but several members of the

families attended mass there.

I have many relatives buried in the

grave yard to the right.

You can never really go home again,

can you?

Yet, I do....in my dreams...

I remember the smell of ham in the

oven on a Sunday morning and

fresh baked biscuits on the sideboard.

There was always a pie or two

for dessert and 

GINGERBREAD for my father.

Click above for Taste of Home Recipes.

I remember laughter and love,

 flowing free and easy 

and covering us like a warm blanket.

But....there were also some sad times,

and trials and tribulations.

My parents have both

"gone home" now, 

leaving only my brother and I 

to relive the farm memories.

Leaving us to create our own memories

for the children that will follow us.

Someday they, too, will

"remember when"

and I hope their memories

are as happy as my own.

Happy New Year's Eve 

to all of you-

I hope you, too, can look

back and remember the 

good parts and that time has

dimmed whatever heartaches

and disappointments you have

encountered along life's path.

I wish you an Eve of 

Love and Sweet Memories.

ps.  I will  be back to my old
silly self tomorrow.