Going "Home" with Little Mama

Since Mom & I hadn't been back to the mountains where she grew up in several years, we decided we better make time for it this time around. We left Sunday morning with backpacks full of books, toys, and electronics to keep the kids happy.

Ruby & her seat pet from Grandma & Papa.

Entrance to Dad's uncle's property

There was also a promise of swimming at the hotel pool that kept everyone happy.  Mom & I had a fun time chatting it up and enjoying the drive & the kids were really good. We made it to Show Low in time for lunch and went to Subway, then we headed to Aunt Theresa & Uncle Keith's.  The kids LOVED it there, just playing in their huge side yard, and enjoying nature.  While Mom & Aunt Theresa were catching up, Uncle Keith drove me & Ruby-girl to Dad's property. He was really nice & told me a few stories about where they used to swim, ride horses, and work. We fond the "Old Homestead" that's on Dad's property & picked up lots of white quartz.  I love the distinct smell there, a mixture of cedar, dirt, pine, and I don't know what else. I always feel like I'm coming home when I'm there, I guess just because it's where our roots are.

The Corral

Uncle Keith

The Old Homestead, I think Dad's grandparents lived here at one time.

I think this is the top of the "root cellar."

Later that evening we stopped by the Show Low cemetery and left some flowers & petrified wood on Grandma & Grandpa Stock's grave. I was able to drive right there. Then we had a nice swim and dinner before we crashed for the night.

Fool's Hollow Lake is literally a few minutes walk to Dad's property. This is where we camped a few months ago & froze!

Dad's family used to own all the property from Old Linden Road up to the lake.

The well

Jack rabbit

  
The next day we went by to visit Aunt Geannie, Grandma's only living sibling. She's just older than Grandma, and she looked really good. She had babysat her great grandchildren the night before for a few hours and has a son come over for dinner every night. In some ways, she seemed in better health than Grandma, at least mentally. After our visit, we drove to Snowflake, where Mom was raised and had lunch at the ball fields. We played tag, then drove by her home, schools, ballfields & buildings Grandpa Branson helped make, and then the cemetery where he is. We walked and walked and placed flowers by our relatives graves. Mom said, "Love ya, Dad!"

 Snowflake home Mom grew up in.

 Building near the high school Grandpa helped build.

Grandpa's resting place in the Snowflake cemetery.