My paternal grandfather was killed while driving a sleigh that was hit by a car. The family lived in the little house behind the barn in this picture. Afterwards, Grandma continued building the white house (behind the tree). There were two bedrooms upstairs. Downstairs was a kitchen, a bedroom, living room, dining room, pantry. and a front porch with windows. There was also a basement, but I never went down there. It was a small house, but the eight of them managed. During most of my childhood there was running water in the kitchen sink and electricity in the house. The outhouse was beside the barn. (This picture was taken after she had a toilet installed in the house. The outhouse is gone.)
Grandma had about 5 cows; Daisy was my favorite because she was the gentlest, but I was afraid of all of them. I sometimes had the job of bringing the cows in for milking. I would throw things at those giant animals, much bigger than I, to get them to move, but they would just calmly walk to the barn without attacking me. I was always amazed. It was fun to watch Grandma milk the cows and squirt it into the mouths of the cats. She would never let me try milking because the cows kicked when someone unfamiliar tried to milk them. I got to drive the tractor one summer when I was around 10, while the grown-ups were haying.
We lived in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Grandma lived in Ironwood Township, Michigan. Our every other year visits to her farm, playing with my cousins and the two girls who lived nearby: these are some of my favorite memories.
