Thanks, Lynnie, for the kind words. I feel so BLESSED to be living here in Shenandoah County with so much natural and historic beauty. What an inspiration to experience the beauty each day, and to be amongst so many friends and relatives!!! We had a wonderful weekend with family. Had our homecoming at the Ham and Oyster supper at the Fort Valley Firehall Sat pm with my brothers and sister and part of their families. Yesterday afternoon my sister, Janita, and I visited with our only remaining aunt, Gertrude Clem Plauger, who is a resident at Skyline Terrace nursing home. We had the best time reminiscing of the good old days at the Clem homeplace. Aunt Gert spent her whole life living there in the same house in Fort Valley. Here is a page about it. http://www.rootsweb.com/~vashenan/hom/S_dbclem.html We learned more family history, and Aunt Gert would say that some of her siblings, including my mother, were "dingers", whatever they are!!! She told my sister, Janita, that she was the most spoiled baby ever. Mom and Daddy were living at the homeplace then in 1937, and some of the younger sisters were still at home. They loved to play with the new little doll baby. We talked about our grandfather, John A. G. Clem, who died in the early 1940's before I was born. His single brother, Uncle George A. G. Clem, lived there at the Daniel B. Clem house, too, and I do remember him. One farming brother was in charge of crops, and the other in charge of the livestock. My grandfather worked as a "teamster", and would haul goods back and forth across the mountain with his horses and wagon. He was, also, an embalmer, according to one historian. We talked about old print feedsack dresses and pretty clothes. Aunt Gert said they were wonderful. We were sitting there on her bed on a comforter from her home made with lots of the different feedsack prints. We ended the little family reunion on a happy note, and visited more residents. My sister and I went on to Walmart to buy a spring bouquet for Aunt Gert, and to pick up some medicines. I got tired of waiting for Nita, and went out to her Jeep. She wasn't there, and the vehicle was locked. It was cold and windy, and I had to go back in the store. I had set off the Walmart alarm when I went out, and had to set it off again when I went back in!!! The greeter lady said it was something about the meds I had bought. I thought Nita was lost, and was going to have her paged when she finally showed up. Then we ran into my older son, and had another mini reunion. Finally, we left the store, and I set off the alarm again!!! Then my sister, who had gone on way ahead, got lost in the parking lot looking for her vehicle. Finally, she showed up again, and we made it home. I'm sure Aunt Gert would said that we are "dingers"!!! LOL Later, Nancy "Shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life......." Phil 2:15, 16 NIV > Message: 4 > Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:07:14 -0400 > From: "L Sager" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [VASHENAN] Shenandoah Springtime > To: <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; > reply-type=original > > Nancy, > Your poetry is delightful. What a gift you've been given - to be able to > put your joy and > appreciation of the Shenandoah Valley (God's County) into words. > Thank you! > > Lynnie Sager