183. - 188. The Farm
183. The Farm - “What a great way to raise kids?” my stepfather commented while relaxing under the Maine sun on the working-farm owned by his cousin. Mom agreed. Adults leave for dinner, 10kids uncover shopping-bags of pot to be sorted, dried and bagged for sale.
184. Bruce - I felt so cool. You were the first drug dealer I ever met! More impressed years later when you straightened your life out. We lost touch over years but I pray you are still the happily married family man I last knew.
185. Jamie - I knew you and I could be a match made in Heaven. Even after you married and became a wife-beater. I hoped for the opportunity to change you. Opportunity never came. I’m glad I chose to believe in SantaClaus instead of you. (Not that I had a chance anyway he liked my sister!)
186. Michelle - Loud and crass. Making noise to get attention. It didn’t surprise anyone when you joined the military. But oh the gossip when it was learned you married a black man. Your wedding day, now 20 years past, is still a hot topic.
187. Theresa - A flower among weeds. So out of place on that farm with family (which included 9 siblings) and the strays (persons and animals) that your Mormon-parents took in. Such contrast. Shy and subtle among the hard, callous backdrop of farm-life. Try-as-you-may to blend, your differences made you more noticeable.
188. Little Kenny - An infant when I started spending summers with your family. I watched you evolve into a pesky-diaper-wearing rug rat to a fun-loving teenager to a responsible-caring young man. The only person I know that started filling deer-tags at the age of 2!
*I spent many a summer vacation, holiday and hunting season at "The Farm". Many lessons in life were learned teaching ducks to fly and walking barefoot through cow fields. The physical farm was sold years ago when it's proprietor built his log cabin in the woods and decided to retire. The spirit of The Farm lives on*
184. Bruce - I felt so cool. You were the first drug dealer I ever met! More impressed years later when you straightened your life out. We lost touch over years but I pray you are still the happily married family man I last knew.
185. Jamie - I knew you and I could be a match made in Heaven. Even after you married and became a wife-beater. I hoped for the opportunity to change you. Opportunity never came. I’m glad I chose to believe in SantaClaus instead of you. (Not that I had a chance anyway he liked my sister!)
186. Michelle - Loud and crass. Making noise to get attention. It didn’t surprise anyone when you joined the military. But oh the gossip when it was learned you married a black man. Your wedding day, now 20 years past, is still a hot topic.
187. Theresa - A flower among weeds. So out of place on that farm with family (which included 9 siblings) and the strays (persons and animals) that your Mormon-parents took in. Such contrast. Shy and subtle among the hard, callous backdrop of farm-life. Try-as-you-may to blend, your differences made you more noticeable.
188. Little Kenny - An infant when I started spending summers with your family. I watched you evolve into a pesky-diaper-wearing rug rat to a fun-loving teenager to a responsible-caring young man. The only person I know that started filling deer-tags at the age of 2!
*I spent many a summer vacation, holiday and hunting season at "The Farm". Many lessons in life were learned teaching ducks to fly and walking barefoot through cow fields. The physical farm was sold years ago when it's proprietor built his log cabin in the woods and decided to retire. The spirit of The Farm lives on*
posted by B Kiddo | 2:34 PM
7 Comments:
B.K.- Great post. I can imagine how this experience shaped you. Loved it all even if Jamie did disturb me a tad.
P.S. I'm serious about this 365 get together. I;ll be the one that orders that pond scum drink at your bar.
Lisa
I think the get together is a great idea... Let's make "a list" of what it would take to happen! POND SCUM ALL AROUND!
I was 16-17 years old, sleeping on a cot in the hallway at the farm, when I learned what kind of husband Jamie had become. He woke me up from the next room hitting his pregnant teenage wife with a brush. They divorced three kids and years later. He stopped (that time) when I suggested in a mildly loud voice that he do so.
PS - That's only five of the "farm crew". I still have 7 to go! I wrote about the farm as an entity because in fact it was.
Can I comment yet? Blogger's been blockin' me again.
Ooo, I can! I love these! I said something deeper yesterday, but it wasn't accepted.
Just loved that ... grew up on a farm myself, but not quite so colourful!
Yikes. I didn't know Jamie grew to be a wife beater - I spent one of those summers making out with him in the barn...figuring hey...we're only cousins by marriage!
These entries are fabulous! And observant!
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