MEMORIES AND TREASURES

In my previous post I showed you some of the wonderful things my sister Bonnie has made. This time I'm posting about something else she made, especially for me. But first let me set the scene, so to speak.

Below in the first picture is the house our grandma Lucy Banks lived in. The present owner has made some changes but the basic structure is the same.

My sisters and I have some very special memories of this little house which was sitting smack dab in the middle of a sweet little farm, with cows, pigs chickens, rabbits and a horse named Topsy.
There was a barn with sweet smelling hay, fields of tall grass to run in and cow pies to jump over.

Bonnie and I have often reminisced about the wonderful times we had there.

And one day she surprised me with this replica of Grandma Lucy's house (below) as it was when we were kids. .

Measuring seventeen inches long and about nine inches wide, Bonnie has hand made thousands of tiny shakes measuring one fourth to a half inch wide for the siding and roof. She made a chimney and windows and doors. And see the hand carved bucket sitting on the porch to catch rain water from the roof. That is what grandma washed her hair with. Bonnie is meticulous.

Facing west (below) is the entrance to a place under the house she called the 'root cellar.' There was a door and inside were shelved made to hold her canned goods, Boxes and gunny sacks with vegetables from her garden and other things that made my curious fingers poke around. I especially remember the jars of pickled crab apples.

Here is another necessity. (below) Most outhouses don't have two seats, but grandma's did and sometimes they were both used at the same time. Like the day Mother went to pay 'mrs. Jones' a visit, and found our grandma and her son-in-law had taken up residence.

Mother was horrified, as we were raised very modestly, but apparently this is not the case with everyone. Grandma and uncle Oscar were having a pleasant conversation while 'taking care of business." I wasn't going to write about this because it seems so awful but this is how it was way back then. Besides, now that I'm older I think it's hillarious!

I think Bonnie did an incredible job making the little outhouse, the tiny characters even resemble our ancestors. LOL See the little toilet paper roll she made and even a hand carved door handle? Grandma did not have a moon on her toilet door but here were many cracks in the wood and knot holes for venilation. Not that it helped much.

I had to use this little house many times and the only word to describe it I would have to borrow from Jamie Dawn. It was absolutely HITONIOUS! (I hope I spelled that right)

Here's a close up of Grandma and Uncle Oscar. See how he's trying to be modest and hide his um...er....self? And see grandma trying 'not' to peek? This should give you an idea of the wonderful sense of humor my Bonnie has.

Here is my sweet Johnnybean around three or four years old, all dressed up in our father's work boots and hat, And carrying his lunchpail.

This was taken about 1948. Bonnie is around six and I am nine. I was always tall for my age and my Bonnie has always been tiny.

This is Bonnie taken in 1998 on a day trip to the Teanaway River in Eastern Washington. Isn't she just beautiful? The sweetness of her spirit shows in her loving face.

Here is our Grandma Lucy Banks nee Ecalbarger and grandfather Waldo Emerson Banks. This was probably taken around 1914 in Bellingham, Washington with Lake Whatcom in the background.

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