 |
|
|
| First thing first..Blue Bell Farm was a working dairy farm. That was in Powhatan , Virginia. The farm is gone now. In its place is Blue Bell Farms a housing sub division. But I remember the farm days. A farm can be a magical place when you look through the eyes of a child. It can also be a huge scary place when looked through the same eyes. My grandparents lived there with my Aunt Frank, her son Woody, my mom(Dot) and my older sister Debbie. We had this big green apple tree in the yard. The apples were bitter when you first bite into them...but with a little salt they tasted so good. I remember a few things about my life on the farm that I'll share with you. The first thing I remember is my wonderful grandma(Beulah Elizabeth Slate) I was named after her. One day we had to go up to the dairy barn. Which meant we had to go through the pasture. It had cows in it. The cows looked so big...to a 3 year old. After I talked to mom about this I found out the cows I remember were calves. Still calves are big to a 3 year old. I held tightly to my grandma dress and she never let any of those big mean calves hurt me. I remember my grandpa(Crocket Slate) I'd jump up into his lap after he came in from his long day at work. He'd give me nuggies(rub his fist across my head) and he would beard me(rubbing his 5 o'clock shadow across my cheek. I loved it and hated it. Christmas Eve I remember my grandparents told us kids to go to bed if we wanted Santa to stop by. They told us they had heard Santa coming. As we headed up the stairs...I heard something..I don't know what the sound was or where it came from. But that Christmas I got my first Raggy Ann. My grandparents gave her to me. I still have her. Her arm and one leg have been resewn and her eyes have been replace with pearl buttons. My grandma pasted away in 1974 when I was 10 years old. I didn't go to her funeral. I was to young. My grandpa pasted away in 1984 when I was 17 years old. I went to his funeral. My first one. My grandparents were layed to rest for eternity side by side at Old Powhatan Church in Powhatan Virginia. I go with my mom to pay my respects to them. Every time we go I find myself asking my mom questions like: Do you think grandma or grandpa would have thought about this or that..Would they have been happy or proud of me? My mom always has an answer for my every question. Mom will stand there looking at their headstones not saying a word till I ask another question. I guess it's hard not having your parents around. I don't want to find out what that's like anytime soon.....So Grandma and Grandpa please watch over my mom for me. I love her so... I love you Mom. |
 |