Back at Home - Past and the Present

We've been spending time with all our family after a year away. This week we've been at my parents house relaxing and finding things to do,  ...  or daydreaming

Being at home I was remembering the past a little; finding out how things have changed over time (not so much), where people have gone (many far and wide, some happily close to home, and some candles in the wind), and how fortunate we have been all along.

My parents have always kept this pot of cacti, it has had some close calls I'm sure, but it's kept on growing for maybe 50 years. (not me, that cacti) And this is the first time I've seen them bloom. We got to see them for just the one day they were open. That's fortunate, lucky or whatever to be there at the same time, and that the cacti made it this long in upstate NY. 

The chickens in the picture are fortunate too with the run of the yard, and having hatched three batches of eggs this summer, and entertaining for my parents. The half dozen budding roosters are going to have a day of reckoning in the soup pot before long though, Unfortunately….      

 What does a pot of cacti have to do with anything?   good question, maybe it's some sort of red headed Bob Dylan allegory?

Is this Bob Dylan?

Projects at home are always fun. We boys had fun fixing my dad's spare lawn mower.  In case it was somehow the muffler plugged up, and just for fun, let's run it without the muffler.  Turned out to be the intake pushrod was bent, and the exhaust rocker arm stud had loosened up.

We put a new electric tongue jack on the trailer. Apparently one year of daily use is the limit until the gears strip out.

 

So that's the present Elliot, working on projects. Here's the past, working on projects in the basement, clipping wires! 

In town, we stopped at one of my parents buildings to check on things. I found my initials in corner of the sidewalk, my dad & I did way back in 1989, summer after my freshman year of college.

That summer I took English 101 & 201 at the local community college, (only 3 weeks for each class, can't beat that for getting it done!), worked with my dad on the apartments, and delivered pizzas.

We did some nice bike rides around the area. After driving across the country and back, I realize the Finger Lakes area is prettier than I remember. One day we rode down and along the Keuka east lake road, all downhill or flat until the last 2 miles back up the hill to home.

Another day down across Chubb Hollow, down Sprout Hill near Himrod, and back down Moon Hill Road. Where would you have names like those except back home where you grew up? And each one able to stir up some old memory.

My brother also came to visit for a couple days, so my parents had everyone all together. One day we took a bike ride, where you load up all the bikes and drive them to the ride. We rode the outlet trail from Keuka to Seneca Lake, it's pretty and easy ride, with several historic mill sites along the way. At one point there was a canal with locks to go the whole way and later a railroad.

Seneca Lake at Dresden

Another day we spent at Indian Pines park on the lake, playing all day. Alice and her cousin look like Doublemint twins now, but they have no idea what Doublemint is (or was).

Elliot & cousin, about 2 1/2 years

Elliot's hair is making up now for a slow start, and he may never grow out of swings.

let's EAT !

Indian Pines park at the end of the day.

In summers during gradeschool, we would catch a schoolbus to swimming lessons here. I remember we hung out with a local bad influence kid then (or any number of times later), and the various trouble that we almost (or did) get into, somehow we turned out well enough. 

Congrats Mom & Dad, you did a good job!  (on the cacti and us)  Hope we do as well with your grandkids.