through snow drifts to get to school, their feet wrapped in burlap sacks for extra warmth. One Christmas cash money was in such short supply that oatmeal was the family’ s supper. When winter passed, picking blackberries was a way to bring in funds. She told me how her grandma was sad because Grandpa had no shoes to wear as he went into the prickly berry canes to fill the baskets of berries.
I always thought“ salt of the earth” aptly described the people who lived through these earlier times. The salty flavor of life must have come through the salt in the sweat of all their hard work and the salt of their tears— tears of hearty laughs and tears of deep sorrows.
I remember the story of how Ralph Parsley wooed his honey, Garnet. He said that he found her at church in Spearsville. The young couple hung out with friends at Poore’ s Watermelon Patch, and wed in Trafalgar on August 14, 1938 after a courtship of three years. Ralph lived and farmed on Gatesville Road for around 70 plus years. At his funeral in 2012 at Unity Baptist Church, Parsley’ s son, John, recalled that the hymn“ Love Lifted Me” was hummed or whistled by his father during his daily farm work.
Springtime in Nashville is colored with the purple of wisteria on building walls and fences and irises in beds. Daffodils, jonquils, and tulips are their own punctuation for the awakening season. I miss the white blossom riots of dogwood trees on the hillsides on route 46 between Bloomington and Nashville. It’ s just too cold for dogwoods to plant their feet here in the“ Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said“ Earth laughs in flowers,” and it seems especially true in 2020. The
season is ripe for smiles from the ground up. I can hear the excited chatter of school children arriving in big yellow school buses at the Pioneer Village— field trip season. The smell of coal smoke and the clang of the hammer against anvil at the blacksmith shop beside the chestnut tree. In this phantom scene in my mind’ s eye, Ada Jones and Nel Hamilton are directing students to Dr. Ralphy’ s office, the pioneer homestead, the loom room, and the old log jail. All the activity draws the attention of shoppers who ask if they can join the school children and learn about early Brown County pioneer life.
After ten inches of snow this past Easter Sunday, our Minnesota spring is several weeks behind Indiana. My husband, Bruce, and I are finding it a delightful“ stay-cation” to wander through our backyard— siting a rabbit hunkered down under the pine trees and chipmunks peeping out through the cracks of the retaining wall. We can see where our dog, Suki, has found hidey-holes to watch for squirrels and rabbits.
We join the rest of our global citizens appreciating Mother Earth for the unfolding daily miracles of springtime. And I agree with Ralph Parsley,“ Love Lifted Me” is the best music playing in the background. •
Greenhouse is open
Hope e to o see s you y down d on n the h farm f r m
Masks and gloves are recommended. 317-878-9317 www. apple-works. com
8157 S 250 W. Trafalgar, IN
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Farms and greenhouses are essential. We are open and here to serve you. We offer curbside service or you may enter the retail barn and / or greenhouse while practicing 6 feet social distancing.
May / June 2020 • Our Brown County 39