My Great Grandfathers

When I was a little girl there were two portraits hiding around the corner at Great Grandma's house. One was of Great Grandpa and the other was his father. Both these men were complete strangers to me, their photographs a curiosity.

My great grandfather, Joseph Shafer, was born on August 9, 1862. His mother, Mittie Jennings, died on Christmas day when Joseph was just four months old. Her parents eventually petitioned the court for custody of their two young grandchildren, my grandpa and his sister Hattie. By the time Joseph married Great Grandma, he was already 39 years old, she was almost 19. Together they had eleven children, 7 girls and 4 boys. Joseph was a farmer in the hills above Angelica, NY and raised horses. He taught my father to play the harmonica and loved to work in his garden. When he died in 1950, he left behind and old autograph book that found a home in Great Grandma's living room. When Dad took us to visit I would find the little book and read it.

I know very little of my great great grandfather, Garret Fred Shafer. According to my father's cousin, Janice, he was born in September of 1832 in Thomkins County, NY. Garret's own father disappeared when he was young and his mother was not well. The children were farmed out to other families and Garret was said to have been raised by the Van Campens. Garret married Mittie Jennings and they had two children, a girl and a boy. After his first wife died, Garret remarried and had other children. According to Great Grandma, the second wife was not kind to Joseph and Hattie. Garret eventually traveled west and died in April of 1905 in Altoona, Missouri.

Several years back my father was given the portrait of his great grandfather, Garret. The photo hangs in my parent's dining room and bears an uncanny resemblance to Dad. When Mom was still doing daycare the children often remarked on the picture of "Uncle Al."

Change is in the Air

The scenery is changing. In a few weeks time the colors have brightened and the world has taken on a golden hue. So pretty...
I think that maybe I will make the orchard across the street the focus of a seasonal survey. In another month or so it will still be beautiful, just covered with snow.

Looking Forward

I hope my mother comes with toys. She has a great little collection of Playmobil people and furniture that she shares on occasion. They are "play at the table" toys which helps to keep the pieces from getting scattered about the house. they are also one of Alicia's (Priscilla's youngest daughter) favorite things to look at while visiting Grandma.
Em had a great time one day when we visited Grandma's house back in the spring. I see some fun times ahead.

Hey, look, Rachel! Maybe we do have pictures of the china in the cabinet.

A Baking Day

It was a beautiful morning at the bus stop. It's almost too bad I had to put the girls on the bus as it would have been a wonderful day to go out gallivanting. The sun was bright and the temperatures comfortable, but I had no time to run about in the sunshine today. I had plans.

My Little Guy waved good bye to the bus as he does every morning and we headed back in the house. It was another pie making day and Bethany would be arriving before too long. While we waited I had some breakfast, made a pot of coffee, and set up the kitchen. Little Guy ate a couple of graham crackers.

Bethany arrived a little after 10 am, just after Hannah left to clean a house with Leta. (No Lucas and Simon today, they stayed home with their daddy.) We got right to work peeling, slicing, and spicing apples. When the bowls were full we started on the crusts. I mixed crust, Bethany rolled and assembled.

We made eighteen pies, all but two were apple. We baked six pies, four apple, a pumpkin, and a squash pie (special order). In the midst of the baking and assembling, Hannah returned home and my girls came back from school. We fed four children lunch, Hannah read them some stories, and they all went down for a nap. By 3:30 pm Bethany was wrapping pies to deliver or freeze. Would you believe there is not one pie left in my house tonight? Phew!

Just Fine China

Rachel brought Mom over today and together we unpacked, washed, and dried her china, and attempted to put it all back into the cabinet. Even Mom wasn't quite sure where everything went. I suppose there may be some rearranging of plates, cups, and bowls in the days ahead, but for now they are all safely ticked behind the door.

Please pray for Mom as she adjusts to another major change in her life. It can't be easy leaving her home of fifty-two years, but she has not complained. One day soon we will get her settled in and then maybe she and I can have some fun together. Maybe she'll teach me how to crochet...

ABC Wednesday- Letter N

N is for New; New Mexico. (Not to be confused with Texas or Arizona...)

I was raised in upstate New York a few miles from the southern shore of Lake Ontario, so when I got married and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, I found myself in somewhat of a culture shock. To my husband it was home, to me everything was new.

Though there were no language barriers, there were still many new experiences for me in the six months I lived so far from my own family. New Mexico is desert with cacti and tumble weeds. Most trees are short and stubby. Front yards consist of stone, rock, and dirt unless there is an sprinkler system installed. Most houses are one story and covered in stucco. The residents dine on a seeming constant diet of chile peppers; red and green. Tortillas are a staple, and restaurants serve sopapillas with the meal instead of rolls.

Although we haven't lived there for many years (We have been back in NY since Christmas of 1981), I have come to love New Mexico too. I love the chile, I love the cacti, I love the mountains. And I love the family from New Mexico who became mine so many years ago.

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Why We Should All Know CPR

Good Samaritans come to aid of ailing runner

Sruthi Gottipati • Staff writer • October 16, 2010

VICTOR — Good Samaritans came to the rescue in Fishers Park when a man running on an off-road trail suffered cardiac arrest this morning.

Brendan Byrne, 49, of Brighton was in the final leg of the annual Black Diamond Duathlon, which consists of a two-mile run, followed by a 10-mile bicycle course and a second two-mile run, when he was found unresponsive on the trail, according to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office.

Fellow race participants began to administer CPR and rescue breathing to him. An Ontario County Sheriff’s deputy who was directing traffic for the race administered one shock with a defibrillator before emergency medical crews arrived and brought Byrne out of cardiac arrest.

Officials said Byrne was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in guarded condition tonight, a hospital spokeswoman said.

SGOTTIPATI@DemocratandChronicle.com

I am blessed to know my brother in law was used to help save this man's life. What an incredible feeling that must be.

Looking Out the Window

There is nothing prettier than autumn in upstate NY. In another week or so the colors will be gone. The trees will be bare and the ground covered with a carpet of gold. It has been a beautiful weekend, brisk and sunny, with plenty of color. Maybe by the end of the week there will be enough leaves on the ground for the kids to rake up and jump in.

On Saturday afternoon Rachel and I took an hour or so to wrap my mother's china and depression glass in newspaper and pack it into boxes. Her china cabinet is now standing in the corner of my former dining room waiting to be refilled. The move has begun.

Feeding Frenzy

On Thursday morning when the girls got on the school bus, I was left with two little boys. Ben was gone to work, so Hannah and I decided to visit the farm market. We took the boys to our favorite fall place and Hannah made sure to bring along plenty of quarters so we could feed our friends.

My little guy wasn't nervous about feeding the animals. He thought it was great fun. I helped him flatten out his hand and keep his fingers straight, but these animals are so gentle that I don't worry much either, and all the animals come up to the fence looking for a handout; sheep, goats, donkeys, even the deer.

I was surprised to find some new friends at Powers Farm Market this year, a pair of alpacas. They look very much like baby llamas, but I think they are probably better behaved or they wouldn't be out where children are encouraged to feed them. Josh thought they were pretty cool too.

In the past we have typically spent a very relaxed day wandering about, feeding the animals, looking in the store, braving the giant tee pee, and musing over pumpkins. Sometimes we visit the fish hatchery or pick up a box of fried cakes and a gallon of apple cider, and spend a leisurely day enjoying the outdoors, but we needed to be home for the girls and so we cut our visit short. We did however, take a moment to stop on the way home for a few fried cakes and a gallon of cider which we shared with Grandma before heading home.

Twenty-Seven

Today is my son's twenty-seventh birthday. (He is the one with the frog... and I think he was seven at the time.) It has been a rough week for us, but I pray that things are getting better. Being a parent continually presents new challenges and opportunities for both failure and success, for pride and disappointment in both our own selves and our children. I have had to take a giant step backward and reevaluate my own heart this week and found myself severely lacking.

In spite of our trouble, and the fact that he is working both tonight and tomorrow and has plans on Sunday, I decided to make him a pie. I rolled and pinched the crust and wrapped it in plastic wrap and foil, mixed all the ingredients for pumpkin filling except evaporated milk, sealed it in a bag, and delivered it it to his home to be mixed, baked, and eaten. We might not be together this time around, but at least he has his pie. I can't let a birthday go by without pie.

Happy Birthday, Dave.
I love you.

Grapes

Our trip to Angelica took us through Naples, NY. Naples is famous around here for not only being a quaint little town, but for Widmer's Wine Cellars and grape pies. We missed the grape festival this year or our drive to the southern tier would have been increased by a half hour or so. The grape festival is very popular. On the way home we stopped at a farm market. The smell of grapes tempted me to buy a basket but since I am not feeling up to making jam and I do not care for grape pie, I resisted. Instead I tasted a couple sample grapes and decided I prefer to drink grape juice and eat seedless grapes.

A Long and Winding Road

This week has already brought about as much as I can bear. There have been many tears and much heart ache. There has been a searching of the soul and a testing of the spirit. In the stress of these situations, communication often breaks down and there are words and actions on both parts that have been either misunderstood or simply unnecessary. I know God is in the midst, changing me and growing me in ways I never imagined. I only wish it wasn't so painful. I pray the worst is over and there are brighter days ahead. I hope I have learned something in the process.This morning all I could do was wrap my arms around my daughter in law and cry. There is a healing balm in tears.

PS. My Uncle Chuck came through his surgery which included a triple bypass. He is now in the hospital recovering. Thank you for your prayers.

ABC Wednesday- Letter M

M is for Mom. Mom is the word.

She was there long before my heart started beating and dreamed of me even before I took my first breath. She has always been there to calm my fears, to whisper in my ear, to wrap me tight and warm in her arms. She held me close and yet taught me how to stand. She took my hand when I was unsteady and walked along. She dried my tears and cried along with me. She gave me direction, encouraged me along the way, and answered many questions. Though I didn't always understand, she always had my best interest at heart. She applauded my successes, grieved over my failures, and forgave my offenses. She hasn't always known what to do or how to respond, but she has always loved me. She is my mom.

Through the years she has remained constant. There have been times when I have become angry and frustrated with her, and others when she has been my best friend and confidant. She has misunderstood and been misunderstood. She has prayed for me and offered guidance. Now the years have taken her youth, turned her hair gray, and left her tethered to an oxygen tank. Last year they took her best friend and left her a widow. She often asks the same question several times and finds it hard to remember little details. I don't always know what to do or how to respond, but I do know I love her. She is my mom.

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The Poo on the Shoe

Today I am the poo on the shoe. It's a stinky place to be.

Take a Hike

Part of our Sister Day this past Saturday included a hike at one of Priscilla's favorite parks. It was a good ending to our day out together.

We trekked up the hill at Onanda Park where Priscilla likes to take her dog, and looked out over Canandaigua Lake from a platform near the top. I could use a walk like this every day but unfortunately I don't have a hill quite like this within a short distance. I will have to settle for orchard walks instead, and you know, I really don't mind that too much.

PS. Please pray for Uncle Chuck who is having heart surgery tomorrow (Tuesday).

A Taste of Home

Tonight I am tired. It has been an exhausting day and I will be relieved to fall into bed when the time comes. In the meanwhile, I give you another little taste of yesterday...

The Angelica Bakery caught my eye yesterday. The bakery itself was not open, in fact it appeared as though it might not have been open for years, but there were sacks of flour stacked inside and bread pans covered the counter, waiting for the next baking day. A sign outside the building told me I might find a loaf or two of salt rising bread at the Sweet Shop across the street.

I tried to take a picture of my own salt rising bread, but then I found the Cuba Cheese Shoppe already had a really nice photo online. It's the real thing, baked in the Angelica Bakery. Mmm! Good!!!

Out Galavanting

We are back from the deep south, the south of NY state that is and we had a nice day together.

Stopping to Catch My Breath

It was a quiet kind of day. It may seem like I didn't accomplish much, but I did wash a whole lot of dishes. I also held a sleeping boy, read some stories, and kissed two little girls good night. I wanted to play outside, but the wind was relentless and cold. By the time the warm weather reached us, it was late afternoon.

Tomorrow I have plans to go out for the day with my sisters, both of them. We had planned to take Mom along, but she has been out several times already this week and is concerned about her oxygen supply. I think maybe we'll have to plan a trip for her a little closer to home.

More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys!

It was a busy day. These little guys kept Hannah and I hopping most of the morning. When it was lunch time, I pulled the high chair out and three small boys started getting excited. I have two booster seats, one of which is always strapped to a kitchen chair. I went in the other room to get a folding chair for the other one. On my return to the kitchen I found Lucas sitting in the high chair, tray in place...
I turned around to look for Hannah. She was sitting in the other room and had not put the him into the chair. I guess he got so excited about lunch, and so eager to not be left out, that he scrambled into the chair himself. He must have climbed right up the front and over the tray. (I'm kind of sorry I missed it...)

Pies in My Eyes

Many pies have come and gone. In the past three weeks my kitchen table has seen probably thirty pies. Most of them have been wrapped securely and carried out the door, but a few have stayed to be enjoyed by us.

Today, after my girls climbed on the school bus, I put on a pot of coffee (decaf, of course), and began the task of peeling and slicing apples. Bethany arrived soon after I started, and we proceeded to mix and assemble pies. There were apple pies (of course), elderberry pies, blueberry pies, and even a couple of peach pies. Most of it went along with no trouble, but I did manage to burn a pot of elderberry filling. At the end of the day I had two pumpkin pies wafting their goodness through my house. One is still here, purchased by Ben and Hannah. I hope they'll share a piece...

I must admit I scarcely feel as though I really completed any pie making today. It must have been the house full of "foliage" that kept me slightly distracted. There were squabbles to be settled, snacks to be distributed, noses to be wiped, and a bottle to be held. While Bethany took Ben to his class I fed little "flowers" their lunch, changed a diaper or two, read a couple of stories, and kissed a few foreheads. Everyone got a nap today except for my "sleepless one." His mother came and took him out of bed and home for a nap instead. Bethany really did most of the work. She rolled every pie crust and put together every pie. She is a master pie maker. I wonder where she got it?

ABC Wednesday- Letter L

L is for "Little Kid Television Shows..."

I am feeling rather lazy and lethargic this evening. I hope you don't mind one of my wanderings down memory lane...

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Apples in My Eye

The apple trees are gradually being relieved of their burdens. On Sunday afternoon James and I went for a short walk back behind our house. We hadn't gone far when we noticed we had company. Jasmine our wayward, three-legged dog was hobbling down the road behind us. She spends more time away from home now than she does with us. She is not pleased with the fluffy white addition who came to live with us over two years ago and has found herself a "home away from home" down the road. Though I don't worry about her like I once did, her difficulty in getting around as she ages is a concern. She can on longer easily manage long grass and once we got off the dirt road she fell on her face repeatedly. James finally took pity on her and carried her up the hill and back to the road. Yesterday she decided she had put up with Sofie long enough and went back to Martin's house.

The apple orchards surrounding our house are a great incentive to get out there and buy apples (or pick a few). I think I bought a few too many and may have to convince Bethany to use some of mine in her pie making, fundraiser endeavors. I've already baked two pies of my own this week, one yesterday and one today, and they are just impossible for me to resist eating though I do eat the "diet" version, the one with no ice cream.

Missing of the Miracle

I missed the miracle, but assume it occurred sometime yesterday when the sun was bright, the air a touch warmer than today, and the wind less boisterous. I have yet to witness firsthand the birth of a monarch, the one where a butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, and it is slightly disconcerting to me that I missed this particular butterfly's appearance.

"... when summer is over and temperatures drop drastically, a special generation of Monarch Butterflies is born; this new group will have to assume the titanic mission of traveling to Mexico, to warmer latitudes so they can hibernate, feed, mate, and then travel back home. This different kind of Monarch is known as the Methuselah generation."

Today the chrysalis is but a papery leftover twirling in the wind, a sign that life goes on and another Monarch generation is headed for the mountains of Mexico. Maybe I didn't miss the miracle after all.

Saturday

The morning was bright and sunny with a bit of a nip in the air. It was tough to decide what to do on my only full free day of the week. This time of year I begin to panic as I realize just how few bright, sunny days are left before the long winter sets in. I tossed four 20 ounce apples in a bag and headed to Mom's house. It is my mother who years ago taught me how to make pie. She was pretty particular about how to make the crust and I have found it wise to follow her instructions without question. Mom also always used 20 ounce apples in her pies and so I have done the same.

I had Mom help me peel the apples. I cut them into slices and mixed up the filling while Mom measured flour for the crust. When the shortening was cut in, I added water to the dough, rolled it out, and put the pie together. Half an hour later the aroma of baking pie filled her house as we worked on a puzzle together. I left without cutting the pie but I do know it was enjoyed with vanilla ice cream this evening.

Tonight, after making pizza for my family, I whipped up another apple pie. It's in the kitchen cooling right now and my house is smelling quite yummy too.

Auntie Martha's pie making slide show can be seen here.

Too Much To Take

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Ever felt like life was just too much? Too many things weighing you down? Got a burden you just can't bear? Maybe you have taken on more than you could handle?

James and I like to walk way back into the orchard. It gives us a chance to be alone, to talk, and to share our hearts with each other. When we moved here nearly ten years ago the orchards were filled with old apple trees; gnarly, yet majestic, old, yet fruitful. Walking back into the orchard was like stepping back in time to a day when life was simpler and folks were a little bit closer to God and nature. There was a certain calm and peace that couldn't quite be explained.

In recent years many of the old trees have been removed and replaced with new stock. This is the way of life. The torch is always passed from one generation to the next, but we're finding this next crop of trees to be struggling.


These trees are meant to be small and bear as much fruit, or nearly as much, as the older varieties. Because of their size, more trees can be planted in the same amount of acreage, at least that is how I understand it. The problem is the trees, though expected to stand up, aren't always able to do so. It is not at all uncommon to find them sprawled on the ground, covered with the fruit that so obviously is the cause of their struggle.

The sad thing is that I can see a correlation between these poor trees and people. Whether it be sports, education, or other responsibilities, many of us just aren't able to bear the load. We drag and droop, we struggle and sag, and sometimes we break. We often carry a load we were never designed to bear...

I am thankful for a God who knows just how much I am able to bear, and when the burdens grow too heavy, He is there to carry them.

Apples to Apples

It is pie making season; apple pies and pumpkin pies. Today is not a good orchard walking day and therefore I am considering a trip to the farm market down the road. I need a box of apples... or maybe two, and Brownell's on Lake Rd is where I typically go. Once in a while I gather a few from the orchard behind my house but not boxes full.

It is forecast to rain all day. Whoever is manning the farm stand would probably enjoy a visit and my family always enjoys fresh apples and baked goods. My "flowers" like them too, except for Andrew who refuses to eat apple pieces. One day I bet he'll decide he likes them too.

ABC Wednesday- Letter K

K is for kinfolk.

Up in my bedroom closet is a box full of old family photographs. I'm glad the pictures aren't all taken in a studio because so many bring a smile to my face and give me a glimpse into the lives of my relatives and ancestors.

My grandma grew up on a farm in the hills of Allegany county in southern New York state. She was the third of eleven children and was about eleven years old when this photo was taken in 1916. The back of the picture says "Shafer's Nine."

I am guessing about the next photo. It looks to be several of the same group out on the farm with some animal friends. I'm fairly certain the young boy on the end with a chicken under his arm was the baby in the previous photo.

My great grandpa dressed in his raggedy coat really makes me smile. He reminds me a bit of my own father; it's the eyes and hands. Grandma said that Grandpa "didn't know enough to come in out of the rain." He loved his vegetable garden. (Maybe because it was quiet out there...)


I don't know the story here either but I'm pretty sure I could make something up. I love the overalls, the bare feet, the dirt on the dress, and the little ring on the girl's finger. She is one of my father's many aunts but I'm not sure which one.

This is a photo I asked my dad about. These two look like a couple of moonshiners, but were actually my great grandma's brothers, Herb and Charlie. Dad thought they were old bachelors but my research showed that they had both been married and were widowers. One lost his wife in the flu epidemic along with an infant son.

Finally, one of my favorites. Uncle Al holding a piglet. When my father was a little boy he climbed into the pigpen where he was once chased by an angry sow. He ran screaming from one end of the pen to the other, jumping up on the fence before rushing back to the other side. His mother came running out and saved him.

I wish I knew more about these people of my past and their stories. I love the character that shows through in the photos and find it interesting that many of my father's aunts were artists. Some even painted pictures of childhood scenes.

K, kinfolk.

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One Year Ago...

It has been a full year since Dad crossed the finish line. I have not been feeling particularly melancholy, but it has been on my mind. I suppose there will be more firsts without him yet to come, but we have now already faced the major events. Maybe my biggest fear is that I will allow those thoughts and feeling from last years to dissipate. I want to hold them in my heart for the rest of my life and never forget the lessons I learned. I want to pass them on to my children and grandchildren and I want to one day face my own mortality with the same determination that my father did. I want to keep my eyes on Jesus as he did and have full confidence that all is in His control. I want my last words to my family to be those of encouragement in the faith. Last year I said he was a hero, and though he may not agree, he will always remain a hero to me.

I stopped at the store this morning and bought a card. I wanted my mom to know she is in my thoughts today. I want her to know that she is loved and treasured. I want her to be assured that we intend to take care of her and are honored to do so. On my way out of the store I bought a Mylar balloon with butterflies on it. It said "Thinking of you." I know Lucas will want to claim it as his own, and I'm pretty sure she'll share it, but I hope it makes her smile.