I Remember "The Farm"

I remember the three hour drives each trip. How impatient I was to get to to the Tree Farm. After hours of waiting in the car, we were finally getting close. I could see it. It was an indicator because of the narrow road. It was an indicator because of all the tall trees hanging around the sides. It was an indicator because we came into the tiny familiar town. "Don't blink or you'll miss it", my parents commented every time we were on approach.

And there it was. I took it literally, and tried my hardest to keep my eyes open. The first thing I see is the church, that old white building, that was a sign saying that we had entered Colton. Next is the Post Office and directly across the street is the Colton Cafe- the place that we would always go for morning breakfasts on lazy days. I can still see the small place, with the light blue boothes along the sides and a few tables in the middle of the cafe. I can smell the morning coffee and the smell of scrambled eggs and various other breakfast items.

As we drive past, I notice the one other landmark of the tiny village- the Market that has groceries and various other items. Then, we take our right-turn onto Hult Road. This road, although only a few miles away from the grand destination, seemed like it went on forever. By this time, the whole family is tired of driving and ready to get out of the car. As my siblings and I look for the landmarks, the interesting houses along the way viewable from the road, the big hill that used to be full of huge trees, and now empty from clear-cutting (most likely now, there are some trees there once again), and of course, the point in the road where you come out of the curves and the forrest into a straight road with tree farms all along the road, we are finally there. We can see the final destination- Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We have to really look back away from the road to see the old farmhouse. As we turn onto the clay-red-dirt driveway, we are so excited that we can't contain it anymore. We are finally there.

As always, Grandma and Grandpa have been looking out the window and when they see us driving down the path (and they hear the dogs barking, proclaiming that someone has arrived) they get up to meet us in the yard.

I can still see the old farmhouse inside and out. I remember the huge window in the front room that gives a vast expansive picture of "The Farm". The wood stove that the shoes go by. The hat rack next to that, of which is filled with caps from everywhere. The stairs leading up to the door entrance to the two extra rooms. The kitchen that has a table at the end of it and a small 13" TV on top of the refrigerator. The patio that is off of the kitchen that has all sorts of cool things inside. I still remember the gates between the patio and the front yard and the backyard. (the gate to the backyard is actually a regular door). This was the place that the dogs were kept when no one was home and it was nice outside.

I remember the two upstairs rooms. The one on the left that had the bright blue walls. The bookshelves that had many different things on them. The room to the right had quite a slanted ceiling so a tall person would have to be careful when they stood up from the bed. And then there was the best part of the upstairs- the middle attic space that was just begging us to explore. Of course, except for getting a few games that were stored up there, this space was off limits for us, but it sure was asking us to explore it.

I remember spending the night in this house. Of course, I had the couch in the living room because mom and dad had the upstairs left room and my twin sisters had the upstairs right. So, it was just me and the coo coo clock and the grandfather clock, both of which would chime/coo on the hour every hour waking me to remind me that I was at my grandparents house.

You like the cook styles I am wearing??

Alas, we do not go to "The Farm" anymore. Grandparents moved to a place closer to town, but I still have fond memories of that homestead and will not forget the trips to Camp Kirkman, with Swimming, Strawberry Picking, and playing on the farm.