Dusty Roads to the Heart

Sometimes a person gets lucky and ends up living in a neighborhood where everyone is more like "family" than neighbors. That was the case with Mark, our children, and me. We feel so wanted here, so loved. Most of our neighbors are older than us. Sometimes those older ones can become your most valued friends. You have heard that saying "experience is the best teacher." They all faced life "head on" so they were wise and kind teachers to both Mark and myself. Our children have many "Grandpas, Grandmas, aunts and uncles. On nice warm days, Bret, Kate and I would walk down the road and across a little stone bridge, and up a lane to a cute little one story farmhouse. This is where "grandpa" Amos and "grandma" Ruth live. An old red chicken coop sits to the west of the lane. As we walk, hand in hand, we see chickens scratching in the ground. Their little heads are busy, going up and down as they move along slowly, picking up gr...

The bikes were loaded, and the suitcases in the trunk. We checked the house one more time, grabbed up our water bottles, purse and maps, pulled closed the door and locked it. As we drove out the drive way, I locked away all my everyday cares and all my concerns. The newspaper would pile up, the tractors are parked. In the mailbox is a note, "Hold the mail for a week." Life on the farm was on hold. We were heading north to the beautiful land of trees, rocks, lakes, biking and hiking trails, nature,....and yes....Amish. We stood on a high cliff. Beautiful oak trees rose up tall all around us. It was evening, the sun low in the sky. All is quiet as we stand hand in hand, starring out at the breathtaking view below. Way down beneath us and as far as our eyes could see, laid a beautiful valley between tree covered hills. In that valley two rivers flow together. The great Mississippi and the Wisconsin. Way below us you could see their ribbon of blue coming together and flowin...

Sometimes memories of yesteryear float like little angels in and out of sleepy little towns, or in one window and out through another of special buildings where little feet used to run, jump and play. Or where you held sick little heads on your lap waiting to see the doctor, or shared an ice cream cone with a precious little boy and girl. Where your husband deposited your first cattle check, or you would buy a bag of calf milk replacer, or dumped your very first load of wheat. Sometimes, beautiful memories are in the shape of people--your sweet, kind neighbors, or just friends who will live in your hearts forever. Sometimes they live in old homesteads that are over grown with grasses and weeds, forgotten at the end of a long lane, or in common little white farmhouses that are falling down and forgotten by everyone but you. There are a few of these sleepy little towns that play a very important part in grandpa and my young lives. There are a few...

"Bret honey, can you please help me." I was getting a bit frustrated. We had Kate's doctor's appointment this morning and I always seem to run late! "Here. aput on your coat....we need to be in the car....now!!" I swear he was the most easy-going, good natured little boy in our whole county! I bundled up Kate, grabbed the bag and headed for the back door. "We're going Bret....bye!" Here he came, happy as a lark, on past me and opened the back door and hopped in. Back in those days there were no such things as car seats and hardly no one wore their seat belt. I backed out the drive and started south, little Kate propped against me and Bret leaning over the seat messing her hair with his hand. "Well, here's Kate and Bret," the friendly receptionist said as we made our way through the door. "It looks like the doctor sees Kate this morning. It won't be long." I took a seat in one of the wooden rockers wh...

This morning someone posted a quote on facebook that got me to thinking. The quote was this: "I opened two gifts from God this morning....they were my eyes." Sometimes I am ashamed of myself. Well, maybe not ashamed, but I realize how much I take for granted. Yes...every morning I open two priceless gifts from God. When I do I see sunshine streaming in through the window. I see a small snap shot I have hanging on my mirror of a handsome farmer wearing a dirty work cap, a gray t-shirt, and a belt runs through the loops on his blue jeans. You can see the silver handles of his pliers stuck safe in his pliers holder, his cell phone in its pouch, all attached to his black belt. There is a smile on his beautiful face. I love this picture. It reminds me of how lucky I really am. Yes, I open my "eyes" but you know something? I'm a very lucky lady! I don't only have my sight, I have all five of my wonderful senses, and I would never want to give up one of them!...

Grandpa and Grandma's old blue pickup was all shined up, its camper was on and it sat ready in their driveway. Mark was over at Roy and Jeannie's getting the last minute milking instructions. It was late September. I felt a little alone in a way. Everyone was heading for a church convention. Mark, Bret and I were staying home to keep the home fires burning. We were staying home for a very special reason! Very special! I patted my tummy. "You know little one, you're well worth staying home for! We don't know who you are but we all three love you to pieces already!" I told my baby. Yes, Bret was three years old and we were going to have our second little baby! It was a month yet before we would see this little one, but my mother made me promise that I would stay home! There is something so comforting when a day's work it complete, and the family is all home. The lights go on, the curtains are pulled and darkness engulfs your little house. Inside I was...

She sat there on their couch relaxing for just a minute, trying to find the gumption to gather up her things and take a bath. She was hot, tired, and dirty, after a day on the tractor. All day she had dreamed setting there on the tractor seat. She had heard over and over that tonight there was to be a "blue moon." She LOVED full moons! To her they held a special kind of mystery. She had looked to the sky once in a while hoping that all clouds would stay away....for just this one beautiful night....please! The banging of the back door brought her back from her moonlite dreams. In he walks and sets himself down on a chair. His face is dirty, his old cap sat lopsided on his head of graying hair. He reached down to remove his boots. "Hi honey, are you in for the night too?" she asked smiling over at him. "Yea, I was wondering if I could take my wife on a date tonight? We could go to town and get one of those pizza's we both like so well. What do you sa...