Pictures from Recent Trip Home

My pictures ended up in reverse order...the first shots of downtown Edenton (where my Mom grew up) Were some of my last pics before I started my journey home.
A not so great shot of downtown Edenton.. my mom and I got away for the afternoon after cleaning out my Grandmother's things from the nursing home. That was much more emotional than I anticipated it to be...so my mom suggested we come down the road and walk around the waterfront.

My Grandmother's Resting Place
Her flowers were gorgeous. She is surrounded by family, literally. Everywhere you turn in here is a cousin, Great Grandad, Great Grandma, Great Aunt, Great Uncle, etc. Whew! But I love seeing names of people that I have heard about all of my life.

The Cotton is blooming... I love it when its all ripe for harvest reminds me of snow.Cotton Fields..

My Mama and Daddy

The Waterfront, Downtown Edenton, my mom lived on Queen street as a little girl. Its about 4 blocks west of this street. A little history, Edenton dates back to Colonial days and was the first Capitol of North Carolina. The ladies of Edenton also staged a tea party before the Boston tea party took place.

I don't know why...but I have always liked these trees...
I think its because they have been battered and blown about, but still stand.

My Aunt loved to feed the ducks downtown

The restoration of the Roanoke River Lighthouse

The Porch and back view of Barker House
Edenton's Visitor Center

The front Side of Barker House. They have added two new Cannons since my last visit. The Cannons were recently discovered and restored. They are from the Civil War.

My running around buddy the day of the funeral, my little cousin W. We were trying to help his daddy "wear him out" before his ride home.

W. being silly and goofy...of COURSE we all loved it :-)

My brother and W playing Peep Eye...hilarious

My mom and W. He added much needed joy and laughter for the day

As my Mom said he was the reminder of hope and continuation of life. I just know he wore me out that afternoon chasing him around the church. It was a blast. And of course you can tell he was enjoying the chase.

My brother and sister n law. Loved being able to spend time with both of them.

My Cousins Jason and and his sweet Mama Arlene. I have missed laughing and spending time with them. Jason played the organ for my Grandmother's Funeral. So sad that I didn't get to hear him play more that day. Super talented.

My Grandmother S., not liking me trying to take her picture.

Almost all of the boys from my Dads family...missing my nephew Stephen ,Uncle Jim and my cousin Steven. Oh and by the way if you are ever driving through the northeastern portions of NC and you have a little bit of a lead foot, you might just end up running into my cousin W (bottom left) he's a highway patrolman... :-)
There were many more pics taken, but I promised on threat of death not to put them out into cyberspace for all the world to see...
We had a great time celebrating my Grandma Harrell's life and catching up with my extended and immediate family. She would have loved all the laughter, conversation and memory making from the day. I am afraid that many of them I won't see again this side of Heaven so I am very thankful for the time I got to speak and see them.

Remembering My Grandmother

Early this morning my Grandmama Harrell went home to Heaven. She is the one in between her two girls (and me in in the back) It wasn't totally unexpected as she had, had several strokes over the last three years. She hasn't really known any of us for the last 2 years. So I have mourned losing her many times over the last two years but of course she was still with us so the sting of loss wasn't really that great.
She was a feisty, hard working lady and taught me a lot about so many things:perseverance, hard work, giving to others, being there for each other,and being proud of the gifts God has given you. As she used to tell me when I was having one of those "stage fright" moments: "Get on out there and strut your stuff, honey."She was our biggest fans and never wanted us to settle but to keep striving to be our best. She would travel to hear my group sing if we were within driving distance and was so proud and would whoop and clap.
I will miss her laughter and even her fussing at me. (smile) I enjoyed being able to cut up with her over the years. She loved to dance and sing. (I loved learning that when she was a teenager she would sneak out of her house to go to barn dances. That was big no, no in their family) One of her favorite things in later years for us to do was to get around her old upright piano and play so we could all sing. I loved it when she would play the old hymns and just sing. She also loved to play boogie woogie...I can hear her now pounding out those old songs that she loved.
One of my moms favorite memories is of one summer when I brought some old songs from the forties, fifties, sixties, seventies and my Grandma, my mom, her baby sister and myself sang our lungs out and danced like goofs around my Grandmama's den with our spoon microphones in hand. The picture above was that same week. Sad to say that my moms baby sister on the back left is also in Heaven with Jesus so she and her Mama are already together whooping it up I am sure. (Oh and FYI my poor Mom who is front right was caught off guard in this picture she truly doesn't like having her picture made she would probably kill me for putting this out there in cyberspace.)
There are many things about Evelyn Martha that still make me laugh out loud and many of them were when she was fussing at me to do this or that or when I wasn't doing it "just right" like staining a fence, helping to can beans or peaches, pulling weeds in her garden, mowing her yard, etc. It was the way she would fuss and the look on her face. I loved to pull her leg in those moments, only to hear her say with that hand on her hip: "Sherry, you just love to get me going, don't you??" (smile) When I think of her even now I see, quilts, canning supplies, gardening tools, her favorite cookies (she had quite a sweet tooth) dress up clothes, her fur coat, pecan pie, and things too numerous to mention. I used to love to tease her by saying " I must love her a lot to go pick strawberries for her since I didn't like strawberries." And of course you would see that grin come over her face and that hand reach up to pat my face.
I will miss my Grandmama so very much but I have so many great memories of her so she will always be in my heart and my memories.