BLUE MOON - I REMEMBER

The recent Blue Moon brought back a memory of a summer vacation long, long, ago. We weren’t at-all wealthy, and our summer vacations, back when I was a child, were spent largely at home. On Sundays we’d visit with my great-grandparents who lived in a cottage at the north shore of Midland’s harbour on Georgian Bay.  My great-grandfather was employed by the lumber baron, Jim Playfair, as a cook and gentleman’s aide on his yacht. The property on which the cottage was built belonged to James Playfair. The cottage had no running water, nor electricity, and was heated by the kitchen woodstove. My great-grandfather rowed  across the bay to work every day. My great-grandparents lived in the cottage for some 50 years, until their failing health caused them to leave, and to live their remaining lives with my
grandmother in town. 

There was also a farm on the property, also owned by the Playfairs, near to the main road, about a quarter of a mile from the shore. My great-grandparents, for a time raised chickens at the farm, and had a garden, but found it more convenient to build a cottage, and live by the shore. One summer my grandmother decided that we, she, my aunt Dora, my mother and my sister Judy, would spend a few days at the farmhouse, a summer vacation, of sorts….

I REMEMBER

I remember, so long ago,

when a boy of seven, or eight, or nine, 

a summer vacation, in an old farm house,

that had seen better times.

Now abandoned,

history on hold, 

inhabited by memories, 

and possibly ghosts.

We shooed the chickens, 

cleaned up the droppings, 

and the dust,

primed the pump,

and settled in. 

Our summer vacation 

could now begin.

We made tea

on the old wood stove, 

ate supper,

then went to bed.

Quiet was all around….. 

there wasnʼt a single sound,

An owl hooting brought me full awake! 

Moonlight from the Harvest Moon, 

bathed the bedroom in bright white light.

I stumbled to the window, and looked out 

on a field of grain swaying, 

in the full moon’s light.

I will never forget that sight, 

the owl hooting,

our summer vacation,

in an old farm house

………….long since forgotten.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four Generations - Great Grandmother, Great Grandfather,
Grandmother, Mother, and....me.

Where did the time go.......