Leaving Texas Part Three
This is a continuation of a time in my life that is now taking us to the fall of 1965.
We are a family of three! We are living a life in the country that is quite comfortable . . . quite nice. Orlin is working at his sister’s beef herd farm in a very picturesque place called Beaver Falls, just a bit northeast of Redwood Falls.
October in Minnesota is fantastic. We could have windows open inviting the fall breezes. October 17th, Carrie made her appearance and since had becoming a chubby and happy baby. Often when I would look from the kitchen into the living room, all I could see was wiggling moving legs above the edge of the bassinet with cooing and sometimes a squeak. Orlin was home for supper every night, leaving his brother-in-law to do the Hill Top bar and grill scene on his own.
Orlin does several runs a day into Franklin for feed for the beef herd. I had no idea where Franklin was or how large it was. It must have had some options as one night when Orlin came home from the work day, he had a little pink teddy bear for Carrie. That teddy bear was in the bassinet that night when Carrie called it a day as well as many nights after that. The wonderful thing about the bassinet was that it rolled pretty much into whatever portion of the house we were in.
With Christmas coming I had been busy crocheting potholders for gifts. I never ran out of yarn or crochet thread as Orlin’s mom, Esther, was right on track when the Ben Franklin store in Hector was closing out colors or an inventory sale. Esther could crochet in her sleep and I found it to be a great pass time with something tangible to show for my time. Often on Sundays we would drive into Hector for church and spend some time with family. As we lived a pretty quiet life at Beaver Falls, Carrie was not a fan of the church Organ or the singing. She usually would add her 2 cents until we got quieted down.
Christmas brought a great Charlie Brown Christmas tree right from one of the pastures at Beaver Falls. A small plastic seat with Carrie strapped in it under the Christmas tree brought lots of naps. The glass balls moving slightly from the stand-alone heater were mesmerizing. Somewhere in one of Carrie’s photo books there is a photo of her under the Christmas tree. My mom, Lena, had come for one full day and we had baked Christmas cookies. Orlin took time to come in for afternoon coffee to visit. Sweet memories.
I have so many sweet memories of that time. A new family memories. Orlin would hear Carrie wake during the night crying and I can still feel him reaching over to me patting me, just as he would pat Carrie when he would be in the rocking chair getting her to quiet before bedtime. I got up during the nights, but he had definitely heard her. All the flannel diapers would be washed over and over. Getting up during the night when one of the diapers needed to be rinsed out in the toilet bowl before going into the laundry bucket, half asleep I had reached up and flushed the toilet with the diaper still in it. I lived in fear the entire next day wondering if that would cause pluming problems.
Memories come unannounced.
If we got snowed in during that winter, I don’t remember. I had a warm home, I had a happy baby with no wants in the world. I am sure the fellows that had to fight the winter would give a different account. We were a family every night and would take the next day the way it came.
In the late winter days, being those of the beginning of 1966, my mom and dad, Raymond and Lena, came for a visit. Dad proposed to us to start farming on our own in Boon Lake Township. Sleepless night, much to think about. Much to contemplate, as it would be for the spring field work for the 1966 harvest.
Sometime I will continue my story and my memories of becoming a farm family. This was quite the jaunt from Texas and its scorpions and heat to checking into Minnesota life at Beaver Falls. Stayed tuned sometime in the future. You know very well my sweet memories will return.
Meanwhile, I am in the moment here on Stauffer Avenue, enjoying every day.