As I sit here contemplating/feeling sorry for myself, I am still in disbelief. My parents are moving today. Not just down the street, or to the next town-but to another state. There is actually a moving truck in our gravel driveway and they are going to pack everything away and never come back to the home that I lived in for the majority of my life. I had never lived anywhere but Harman Land Ranch until I went to college.
For those of you that did not know, I grew up on a 5,000 acre farm in Southeastern Idaho. We had potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, alfalfa, barley, cattle, horses, pigs...anything that a typical farm has, and lots of children. I miss my sister in Iowa so much right now it hurts, I know this is even harder for her because she is so far away.
There were days when I cursed country life, especially when I was a teenager and needed to leave the party an hour early to make it home in time for curfew. The nearest "town" was 20 miles away and it only had one stop light. It took us an hour and a half to ride the bus to school and there was only one high school in our entire county. We lived on a dirt road, our nearest neighbors were 3 miles away-and we were related. As I am now a parent, I wish that I could give my children the kind of life that I had growing up. We learned how to work (build character) early.
Here's me going to work with my dad at a really young age, I loved it! There was lots of room and even more love. I had exceptional parents that taught us how to be an individual, but count on each other. My sisters and cousins were my best friends and we had many the spend-the-night party. I was acustomed to seeing wide open spaces and knowing there was nothing past us-the boundaries of our farm was BLM ground/lava bed.
It was a great life. Breeding a passion for horses and helping others that still remains my dream job.
Working through spring planting all the way to harvest and hardly ever seeing my dad in the fall was very normal. I didn't really get the concept of nine to five jobs since farming is a 24/7 365 days a year kind of an occupation. Even on Christmas, you check the potato cellars as you are driving past to go to the family party. This process of selling the farm has been long and this day was inevitable. I was just in denial the majority of the last year or so. Having potato harvest last year knowing it was the last was hard, but we still went to the cellars, had french fries and pretended that things were normal. Not planting in the spring-that was wierd. To see other people's equipment in fields that had always been ours was just strange. Now to see those fields full of corn is just awkward.
There are some little things I will miss, like being able to shoot clay pigeons on your back lawn. Others I won't, such as having to take an hour and a half to go to the grocery store. Nothing beats a Harman Land Ranch sunset. There is nothing in the way to block the view and our back porch was the congregational spot in the summer time.
Most of the pictures I had of the house were lost when my computer crashed, but there are plenty floating around with my siblings. The hearth in the kitchen is where I would lay by the fireplace and read, or just get warm since I am typically always cold. Our home underwent a transformation when I was around 13 and we all lived in the basement during the remodel. We didn't have a roof for a week and other things but as kids it was an adventure. With the construction going on in our basement I have NO idea how my mother did it for 6 months. The result was awesome though and the kitchen is still the envy of many who have seen it. The water feature was made by my dad and uncles from rock found on our own land. The playhouse got a little carried away and from the road looks like a guest house. There are lots of memories of Christmas, 4th of July extravaganzas, family dinners, 4H, birthdays and good times.
I love our house and as I sit here crying, I am telling myself that we can make just as good of memories at the new house in St. George, because being together is the most important.
I will still claim Rupert, Idaho as my hometown and knowing my parents, they will probably end up building that house on the river someday and I can go back.
9 comments:
Hey Niki, I remember feeling many of the same things you are right now when my parents sold our farm. You're right the most important thing is that you still have your family and can make new memories. I hope you are felling better.
No words, just tears. We're a pretty lucky bunch to have been raised so close and taught to lean on each other...I've always been the biggest so you guys can lean on me if you need to! (Ok some words...)
I'm sorry. I would have a hard time if my parents moved too. My parents' house doesn't sound as cool as your though.
Even I am going to miss it :( It's strange how life has changed lately!
You were lucky to have had such an amazing experience growing up....I wish I were as lucky to have such fond memories of one place:)
What a neat childhood! I'm sure it must be extremely difficult watching your parents pack up. But let me just say from someone who lived there for 19 years ... St. George is the best!
I sort of understand what you are going through. After my mom passed away and my dad remarried and sold the house i lived in my whole life. I feel like I have no where to go. I am sure you will be able to make new memories in St. George.
So sad. It would be so wierd, I can't imagine my parents ever moving. Will you still visit the Acequia 2nd ward??
At least when you had to leave the parties 1 hour early, I had to leave with you. LOL Good Times!!
memories like the cornor of my mind mysti water colored memories of the way we were
we will always have the memories that we made and can look back on keep up the great work love ya
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