Memories...

Oaks Creek

My plan for today was to go to Hartwick Seminary and plant pansies at my grandfathers grave, where I also have put ashes of my mom and my aunt. Usually I go the fast way these days - down Rt 5S to Mohawk and up Vickerman Hill and through Fly Creek to Cooperstown. I found myself going the way that Mom and I used to go, down route 8 to Stone Road, just outside of Clayville. And then back roads till I get to Rt 20 and head east towards Richfield Springs. We always went that way, but I found that I couldn't remember conversations or get into memories - I just saw the differences in properties, houses, new businesses. Memories stay still, life does not.
So I decided to make a left turn down a road that I'm unsure of the name but it's just past where route 80 hits route 28 before Fly Creek. My great uncle 'Tadpole' used to live down this road. And much to my surprise there is now a conservation area with hiking just as you make the 90 degree right turn through a property that was dissected by this road. There were also some very new, very large houses on this road. I then made it to the barn that my mom's family lived by. I used to think that my Great grandfather built it but I don't believe that is the case, nevertheless I always take some pictures of it.

The barn, I have so many pictures of it, in all seasons, conditions...

This is the view I tend to take of it most often,

I then left from Cat Town Road and made my way to Bed Bug Hill Road - the changes along that small stretch are huge. A large farm has moved in and they have beef cattle, sheep and who knows what else. It's good to see the land being used and taken care of but jarring all the same. I made my left on Bed Bug Hill road and drove slow and steady - it's a gravel and dirt road and even though they take good care of it, it's been very dry so I was causing a lot of dust. There is land for sale along there - I've never seen that before. And the B&B Ranch seems to be doing pretty well - it's at the end of the Bed Bug Hill that is taken care of even in the winter and the beginning of the seasonal road. The seasonal road wasn't in the best of shape, but considering our winter it was pretty darned good. Lots of new fencing and animals. No new buildings, but the land is being used.
I made it to the end of the road and hung a right and went to Fly Creek Cider Mill - that's never a bad thing. You can have a meal just by tasting all the samples. :)
Finally I realized that I had been stalling a little and I got back in my car and headed to the cemetery. I got there, pulled my gardening stuff, the pansies, the extra dirt and water from the back of my car and proceeded to clear the dead plants from last year, the leaves and get the ground ready for the new flowers. I also brought with me a microfiber cloth that allowed me to clean the headstone. It looks better than it did...

He and I share our birthday - he died before I was born. His nickname was Boone.

We usually stopped at Council Rock too. I used the panoramic function of my camera to get this picture.

It was a good day. My memories were hard to find but it's because of all the newness that seemed to be crowding them out. But I know my mom is always in my heart and I can find my memories when I least expect them.