Chautaugua

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Educating Linguistically Diverse Students

Chautauqua Drafts

My Great-Grandmother was a strong warm hearted women that raised six kids in a two bedroom house and a porta potty, while she tended a farm with an apple and cherry orchard, hogs, and a garden. She drove a tractor, caught snakes, pruned trees, canned jam, and put dinner on the table for her husband and kids for years and years.

I was about twenty when she passed away after suffering from Alztimers. I have many memories of her and time at her farm before she bagan suffering. My brother and I would run around on the old farming equipment, lucky to have had our tetnis shots. She would have us pit cherries for hours, then make us bisquits and jam. Towards the end, she would go back to those days when her husband and kids were all home. She would cook a full dinner; potatoes, greens, bisquits, ham, and sweet tea; then call outside to her kids. "Sonny, Jean, Cokie, Vonnie, Marianne, Wikki, and Grandpa B...time for dinner". She would get upset when nobody would come runnin and then call my Grandma Jean at home and ask where wveryone was. A very painful and confusing time...but bittersweet. I think she was going back to the happiest time of her life. When she was young and strong and had her loved ones all home.

I want to do a tribute to those times through the Spirit of my Grandma B. She was the strongest women I have ever had the pleasure to know!

Cassady Heath