The Reindeer Keeper

I wish this old photo was clearer. That's me center front with my arms spread wide. I don't know what I was doing or who took it-probably with a Brownie camera. While it is blurry you still can see the field that led from our chicken coop clubhouse to our grandparent's old farmhouse. The chicken coop would have been to the left of me. Trudging through the hayfield is my fellow-cousin-girls-club-member-of-the-chicken-coop leading two of our little students back through the field-probably on their way home after class. They look like they were dressed up so it might have been a special day at the chicken coop schoolhouse. It looks like everyone had a great day. Stools seem to have been gathered outside for some reason. You can see an old record player with a collection of 45s waiting to be played. Funny thing about that-the chicken coop clubhouse didn't have electricity. But when you use your imagination-that doesn't matter. Maybe that's what I was doing-singi

Right outside the kitchen door of my grandparent's farmhouse there used to be a tulip patch. I don't remember it growing up. I've only heard the stories-especially the ones concerning my older brother who was the first grandchild and who loved that tulip patch. Despite being told not to pick those beautiful, happy flowers he couldn't resist them and neither could anyone resist taking a tulip when he offered one. Dressed in his little short and sweater outfit with that little cap on his head and with his red hair and freckles, he won the adults over every time. The backdrop in this photo offers another glimpse of my grandfather's barn and opposite that-the granary. Although it's just a partial glimpse of the barn it instills the comforting feeling of the family farm and how family would gather and enjoy the simple things-like a tulip patch complete with a tulip stealer. Before heading up the small incline to those buildings there was a wide area of flat rock

Way back when-according to those cars in the background-my cousin and I participated in a summer event-a grand parade which was the crowning event of a week-long celebration. The parade seemed to last all Saturday afternoon. There were high-marching bands and high school bands and drum corps with amazing majorettes from all over the place-even Canada-sending their music all through our downtown which rambled on for blocks. There were horses and tractors, cars and trucks, police and organizations-beauty queens and their courts and floats-all kinds of floats. From what I can remember we were part of a float highlighting Women's Suffrage and the 19th Amendment-which is what that plackard my cousin is holding represents. I don't remember where those dresses came from-or those pearls. I do remember thinking why it would have been a question that women or anyone would not have the Right to Vote. Isn't that what that flag behind us symbolizes I thought-freedom, and in this ins