a long story

I just wanted to say thanks for all the compliments about the Farmall under the tree. I can not take credit for the pictures I take in PA,the area is so beautiful you can not take a bad picture. I wanted to say that the farm that I took that picture is below our place in a valley. I wanted to type a little memory I thought of when i drove through the valley.For many years after my dad passed away I would take my mom to PA on weekends.Sometimes my wife would go,sometimes she would stay home and take my young daughter all the places she needed to go as she was growing. As years went on my moms ms got worse. One weekend a lady who helped my mom went with us to PA.On the way in to our place is a country church,They had a picnic with a country music band that weekend .We managed to get my mom there and she enjoyed the music.The ladys from the church sold baked goods.There was one grey haired lady who was selling a huge table full of pies and cakes,she homemade everyone of them.The lady that came with us was amazed how many pies and cakes were on this old ladys table. When we were ready to head home I drove through the valley to show some pretty scenery.I cant tell you how surprised my moms ladyfriend was when she saw the old grey haired lady that was selling all the pies and cakes at the church,backing up a farmall to hitch it up to a hay rake!

That's real special Larry. The Farmall pic, country church picnic, grey hair and pies and all - you tell it well! Now I not only have an appreciation for your pics but your stories too - oh and your music too! Thanks for sharing!

Farm wives today have grit and guts to do about anything they have to. However, farm wives of that generation were truly in a league of their own. I would be willing to bet she raked a perfect field and then went inside to make the flakiest pie crust she could manage.

I am not a cake baker to any degree but I have learned to make pretty good pie crust over the last few years. We have our own lard, so that helps too. Used to take me an hour to put together a pie when I started learning, now about 15-20 minutes, I am sure a lady with that much experience could do it half the time.
Zach

The farm Ladies of that generation were the back bone of the family, farm, community and the churches. The lure of out side jobs and "careers" have killed that. So now the kids are raised by a baby setter and the food is take out picked up on the way home. Plus the "farm wife" is working in town now for the health insurance.

We have traded many things for shinny bobbles and lost an important part of the family and community.

My grandmother never had a drivers liscence. She was born in 1910 and lived 90 years. My grandmother was the head cow milker till her late 50's. Kept about a 2 acre garden. Washed clothes with a wringer washer her whole life and never owned a dryer. She did not get a lawn mower with a engine till she was 70. I wish her sewing machine would have had a hour meter on it. I think it would have set some records.

My wife drives 25,000 miles a year and only works one day a week. No garden. No clothesline. She will drape pants over the deck rail once in a while. I can't think of the last time her sewing machine has seen daylight. She does mow lawn but I think it would be cheaper to hire it done.

You got that right. James is at the farm and I am stuck working in Dallas for the health insurance. If I quit, neither of us would have health insurance.

Larry,
Really neat story about a neat lady. She sounds like the kind of woman that both my Grandmas were.

JD Seller,
AMEN to that!

Sadly, women almost have to work off the farm today.

Another sad fact... with all of working off the farm, we no longer know our neighbors either.