Porch living - May 1997

Grammie & Grampa loved sleeping outside on their porch.  Each year they would try to get out as early in the season as possible - April maybe - and stay out as late as possible - into November sometimes.  You can tell from her writing that she loved nature and the outdoors.

May 5, 1997

It was a bit frosty this morning when we woke up so I just buried my head under the blankets & stayed there for awhile.  Grampa puts on his winter jacket over his bathrobe, his hat & gloves - a cup of coffee in hand, and goes out to sit on the patio, where he talks to the birds and squirrels.  When I get up I put on the intercom and call him in for breakfast.  It was good to hear from you on Sunday, and I'm looking forward to your coming home, even for only a week.  Now I must get dressed and get outside & do some garden work, before the rain comes again tomorrow.  Lots of love.

These two postcards had art prints on the fronts; the one pictured below is The Betrothal II by Arshile Gorsky.  I love how Grammie doesn't hold back her thoughts on these abstract works!

May 12, 1997

Here is more art?  Sometimes I wonder what's inside people's heads.

The other afternoon I lay on the couch out on the porch, and watched the clouds roll by, a deep blue sky as a backdrop.  I looked thru the binoculars at the dead tree in the neighbor's yard.  There are lots of holes in the tree and I was hoping to see an owl peek out - but - no such luck.  I even was able to see into the neighbor's clothes pin bag & I looked for some "ya-buts" - but couldn't find any...

A hummingbird flew into the porch when Grampa opened the door.  He knocked himself out trying to get out.  I stood on the table & was able to reach him.  He was so so tiny & soft.  I set him outside on the rail and watched him for a half-hour.  He finally came to and flew away.  My good deed for the day.

When my sister and I were younger and Grampa would tell us a 'tall-tale' or the like, we would want to set him right.  So we would often start our counter-arguments with "Yeah, but..."  Grampa immediately stopped us to tell us that "ya-buts" were just little creatures that lived in grandma's clothes-pin bag. It frustrated us to no end!  We would have to come up with a different way to counter his tales!  Looking back, I can see it was a way he was teaching us to think carefully before we spoke and to reason out our arguments clearly.  Grampa was a jokester, but he was a thoughtful, intelligent man who deeply cared about people and the world.  Although he was actually my dad's step-father (Grammie's third husband), he was the only grandfather I knew, and I was very glad to have him in my life.

Birthdays - April 1997

When you have 8 kids, and they have kids, and your husband also has 8 kids, many of whom have kids.... Well, you end up going to a lot of birthday parties!  What's funny to me here is the mention of 'froth' that Grampa would be drinking.  I remember Grammie was trying to get him and herself to lose some weight, so they would drink Ensure or other protein-type drink.  Grampa didn't really like it - he loved to eat!  So they called it 'froth' because it seemed so insubstantial.  I don't know if it ever really did the trick in terms of losing weight though.

April 21, 1997

This morning we went to a 90th birthday brunch - so much food; and then in the afternoon we went to Grampa's granddaughter's (10 yrs) and grandson's (11 yrs) birthday party - more food!  Grampa was in hog heaven.  Now it's back to drinking froth and losing a bit of weight before his big day. [He was having surgery.]

April 27, 1997

We are just back from the 30th birthday party - our 5th birthday party in a week.  We are all 'caked out!  Hurrah!  We are finally sleeping out on the porch.  It really is nice... In the morning, Grampa goes to give a unit of blood and then in 2 weeks he gives another unit before his big day.  You will be home in about 3 wks.  Do you have your new room yet?

We went to Uncle Harry's 60th birthday dinner - just kids, Grampa & I.  But it was good to see all the kids - grown up and I don't see them too often, so it is good to catch up...

Little things - April 1997

As I have mentioned before, Grammie would often write about the little things that happened daily and her honest reactions to them.  Here she talks about the weather, the porch, birthdays, driving, food, and writing cards.  It's the last bit that I love the most - you can tell why card-writing was so important to her.  It was a way to connect with her loved ones.  She liked receiving cards in return, but it never really mattered to her if we responded.  She would write us just the same.

 April 6, 1997

Well weatherwise, a lot has happened since your last letter.  Out here we got 9".  Uncle Dick [in Granby, CT] got 24" - trees uprooted - no power for 2 1/2 days, and he & Bette were just back from Fla.  What a rude awakening they got - good old New England weather.  Hope we have seen the last of winter.

I talked to Mick - they got 30" in Hopkinton, MA.  The porch is almost finished except painting - hope it doesn't take another 3 mos. to get it all done - I'm anxious to get out here.

There were 13 squirrels in the yard this A.M.  The birds are singing - sure sign of Spring.

April 14, 1997

The new observatory [Class of '51 Vassar College Observatory] sounds great.  I'm glad its finished while you are still there.

The porch is most finished - a bit more.  Yesterday, Grampa & I were painting some strips & he said, "OK, let's turn it over."  Well, we did, but the paint can was in the way & it splashed all over me before hitting the floor.  We used our brushes to soak it up from the floor & painted lots of strips from what was on the floor.  As for my pants - well - guess they'll stay that way.  It is generally Grampa who is all paint - but the tables sure turned this time.

We went to Mick's house on Sat. for Zach's 4th birthday party.  There were about 15 kids - mostly under 4.  What a madhouse, especially after it started to rain & the kids all had to come in.

Then we came home in the pouring rain & fog.  Grampa was so sleepy that I had to drive.  We made it just in time - before it got too dark for me to see.  An angel sat on my shoulder.

I just made some pea soup - I do love homemade pea soup.  Hope it lives up to my expectations.  It is chilly out today and yesterday we had a thunderstorm that lasted forever.

Well, Jes - I must send a card to Chris, Bob's grandson, who is now stationed in Az in the Airforce.  He has never been away from home for more than 4 days - so he needs mail to keep the "homesicks" away.  Till next time.

Snow in Late Winter 1997

Ah, snow!  Grammie loved it - to a point.  By late winter in New England, she (as most of us were) was ready for Spring.  Traveling between Vermont and Connecticut, she was constantly - and viscerally - reminded of the ways the seasons progressed.  Spring creeps in slowly in New England, peeking around corners and tiptoeing along.  As Grammie would likely agree, it makes the actual arrival all the sweeter!

February 18, 1997

The snow snowed all around - on the trees at Rowen Farm [in VT] and even on the ground.  There was already 2 ft of snow and then we had 6 inches more.  If one wanted to go into the mowing, you would need to use showshoes.  It was also down below 0, and did not get above freezing.  Like being in another world!  It was pretty and I took some pictures - BUT - it is good to be back home even if the porch still is not finished.

The first night in Vt. I put some chicken bones all wrapped up, in a foam 'doggie bag'.  That night, I heard a sound, like someone having a gnawing good time.  I got up and sure enough, there was a country mouse looking for a picnic!  I threw the bag over the barrel and he continued to gnaw - then quiet - he wanted to sleep.  But he continued in the morning - and then quiet again - he must have had his fill and off he went to his country mouse home.

March 2, 1997

We have been having some beautiful sunsets and the clouds have been very changeable.  I'm a cloud person too, as well as a tree person... The birds are beginning to sing and the trees are even budding.  But today, Sun., is a bit on the gloomy side - even tho it is warm.  Mon. - tonight we are supposed to have 2-5" of snow and a bit chilly, but, I guess, this all goes to making Spring.

March 24, 1997 - from Vermont

Here we are in snowland - like the North Pole it was 8 deg this morning.  When we arrived yesterday, we had to put on our boots to get to the door.  First Grampa had to plough our way thru the snow at the end of the drive that the snow-plough had left.  After I got Aunt G's boots on her, I started to the front seat to put on mine - and down I went - flat on my back.  It was slippery and I couldn't grab onto anything to pull myself up.  Finally made it.  Aunt G & I, holding onto each other made our way to the door.  The snow was very crusty and every step we sunk down above our boots.  So this morning we are going back to Spring.

Frustrations, Jan/Feb 1997

After a hiatus, I am back to transcribing Gram's letters.  This series from early 1997 reveals some frustrations that we all experience: unpleasant weather, unwanted advice, unfinished home projects....  As usual, Gram writes about them with humor and matter-of-factness.

 Jan. 16, 1997  

Welcome back to school!  Just as I began writing this the lights went out.  So now I have a bunch of candles lighting the way.  It sure is pouring.  Glad it's not snow.  I was going to clean off some of the shelves today, but doing things such as that by candlelight, won't work out too well.  Our backyard looks like a swimming pool, only it's kinda chilly to go swimming.

Jan. 20, 1997
I finally found a "hutch" for those beautiful rose dishes.  I had lots of fun putting things in it, but Grampa was sitting there giving unwanted advice.  Today while he is down cellar, I'll fix things as I want them.  It was so nice and sunny out and I'm sure it is warming up.  I can't wait to get outside  Maybe we'll have a January thaw.  The outdoor fireplace is full of wood so we'll have a hotdog roast.

Jan. 27, 1997
It looks like such a beautiful day, but the paper says snow.  Guess we will have to take what we get.  Grampa has just finished making a couple of birdhouses out of some old tree "knots."  Guess the birds won't mind.  Our porch is still not any further along, although the man did come out to measure for insulation.  He just didn't say what month he would be back to install it.  Now I must get dressed and see what mischief I can get into today.

Feb. 3, 1997
Yesterday was such a beautiful day, and we went to Scotland, Ct. for breakfast - a very pretty ride in the county.  The fields are all brown now and all the stone walls were in such good repair.  It all looked so neat.  I like the brown fields as well, if not better, than the green fields, with their promise of Spring.

There is now insulation in the porch ceiling - but no sheet rock yet.  I am getting very impatient, and I'd like to crack a few heads - but I guess that won't get me anywhere.

 Feb. 10, 1997
Your letter took 12 days to get here.  I think it came by wheelbarrow.  We have had some pleasant days but because we are going to Vt. on Thurs. - WATCH FOR SNOW!  It's generally like going into another world.  Yesterday we went to see Uncle Donald in Farmington, then stopped to see your Mom, Dad, and Beth.  Then it was on home to Lebanon but we stopped at a restaurant in Hebron for supper.  The smell of frying food was awful.  I had to take off most of my clothes as soon as we got home - I smelled!  Don't think we'll stop at that place again.

The porch is NOT finished.  I would like it done in my lifetime.

With the benefit of hindsight I can assure you that the porch does eventually get done!  :)