My first real loss was when my maternal grandfather passed away. My Pop Pop was the absolute light of my life and when he died the summer I graduated from high school, I was devastated. Pop Pop showed me how to do everything he did on the farm and, being a bit of a tomboy, I took to it like a duck to water. I know this house like the back of my hand, but it’s been a long time since I’ve walked the property lines of this farm and I was in for a workout.
Last week I was told the timber was stolen off the farm. I was so upset…not only at the loss, but that it allegedly occurred on my watch. I told my uncle (who owns the farm) and he came yesterday to check it out. We walked a good portion of the seventy acre property. My childhood memory had the orchard and spring on the opposite side of the farm.
It was so cool to spend the afternoon with my favorite uncle in the whole wide world. He told me so many stories. Like, the one where the old Model A they turned into a farm truck threw my Pop Pop out and rolled on top of him. This uncle and his brother, my Uncle Bob were there when it happened. Uncle Bob ran down and literally picked up the Model A so my Pop Pop could get out from under it. They went back later to get the tools out of it and the two of them together could not budge that thing. Adrenaline creates superhuman strength.
As it turns out, the only timber missing were some oak trees that had fallen during an ice storm. No one had clear cut our farm. I can’t tell you how relieved that made me. I love our woods. I’ll be keeping a close watch up there to make sure folks know there’s someone around and I’m not to be messed with. When they see tire tracks they know someone is watching.
I once toured the Philadelphia Museum of Art with an artist as my guide. Yesterday afternoon was much like that with story after story of this land and those that have spent a lifetime loving and caring for it. What an amazing experience.
❤️
“To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
Proverbs 21:3 ESV