Episode 26 - February 1st, 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

February 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began.

Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through January 1999. We now pick up our story on February 1st of 1999, continuing in episodic serial format…

Virginia's Farm house

Episode 26 - Monday, Feb. 1st, late afternoon - Karen visited Virginia again

Karen visited Virginia at the nursing home. Virginia seemed to be in good spirits.

Karen: I wanted to share some news with you about a person we met recently who turned out to be a relative.

Virginia: That is usually a pleasant thing to learn.

Karen: Yes, that was especially true, in this case. His name is Bruce Randolph. He lives in New York City and is about my age, a couple of years younger, actually.

Virginia: New York. Did you know you had any family in New York?

Karen: Not until I talked to you last time. He is Ethel’s son.

Virginia: Well, isn’t that something. I suppose it makes sense, but it has been a very long time. [Karen could see Virginia’s mind wander off into the distance for a few moments. Karen waited a bit to reply.]

Karen: We learned a little more about the story. [She paused] But we also learned there is much of the story of Ethel we will never know. She died shortly after giving birth to Bruce, in 1939. It was within a few days of when Grandpa William died.

Virginia: Did William know?

Karen: We cannot know for sure. It appears he may have had a letter from Ethel that she was having a baby… but then, they each passed away without further contact.

Virginia [Taking that all in, and reflecting]: Then, he and Ethel did keep in contact?

Karen: That does appear to be the case. We did find evidence that he did support her move, financially. However, we did not find any letters between them, just a few brief notes in the journal he kept, that mentioned her, almost in coded words. He was keeping it a secret from the rest of the family, it appears.

Virginia: He did become quite a self-centered man, lived alone, after his wife died. I’m not surprised to hear that.

Karen (turning the conversation back to the positive): Bruce is a very nice man. We are happy to have a new cousin. He met everyone, and I’m sure he will visit, again.

Virginia: That’s nice. That is as it should be.

Karen (changing the subject completely): Is anyone living on your farm now?

Virginia: No, the house is empty right now. The cropland is rented out, of course, but no one is living there. I thought for a long time that I would move back out, but I know now that I won’t. I’m very happy here. I should probably sell it to some nice young family, but just haven’t, yet.

Karen: Well, there is plenty of time to do that, when you are ready.

[To be continued, next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

Episode 20 - January 1999 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

January 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, moving forward during 2016 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We are now in January of 1999, in episodic serial format…

Episode 20 - Karen visited Virginia

Karen arrived at the nursing home about a half hour before time for Virginia to have her supper, and Virginia was pleased to have a visitor. Over the years, Karen and Virginia had many long and pleasant conversations, including a number with ‘not so pleasant’ subjects. Karen hoped Virginia was able to remember and speak about years gone by.

Karen: “Jennifer and I were looking at the census reports for 1920 and noticed that it listed an older sister of Mom’s, named Ethel. Did she die? I don’t remember her ever being mentioned.”

Virginia: “No. She didn’t die. She went away, and never came back. Kind of like your sister, Beverly. When she graduated from high school, she wanted to be on Broadway. Her drama coach in high school praised her work too much. In her mind, she was ready to be a pro, and that was the place to do it.

Karen: “What did Joe and Beth, her parents, think about that?”

Virginia: “Oh, they thought that was an awful thing to want to do. They tried to talk her out of it.”

Karen: “How was she able to go, then?”

Virginia: “Well, her coach actually had connections on Broadway, in New York City. He said he knew a place she could stay, and some people she could talk to, to ‘try-out’ for parts in their plays.”

Karen: “Did he offer to pay her way?”

Virginia: “No. But somebody did. None of us knew for sure, but we suspected it might have been her Grandpa, William. He and Charlotte only had the one son, no daughters. When Joe and Beth first had a daughter, Ethel, he really doted over her. She was like a princess to him, it seemed. Mildred and I were much younger, of course, so our view may have been skewed… but that was how we saw it. Mildred was very jealous, needless to say, of the attention Ethel got, and she got only second-hand, left-over, second-grade praise, from him.”

Karen: “That is certainly interesting. You say they never heard from her again?”

Virginia: “Not that I knew of. Mildred never mentioned her again, not once, after Ethel left, that I heard about.”

Karen: “If I counted right, Ethel graduated high school, and left town, in 1929, is that right?”

Virginia: “Yes. That was an awful time. Everyone was so happy that summer. Then Ethel actually left, her parents were upset; Mildred didn’t want to talk about it. Then, in the fall, the stock market crashed. We were afraid our family would lose the family real estate business. With all that going on, I certainly didn’t have any time to think about Ethel, or much else, for that matter. We survived, but those were very tough times, for quite a few years.”

Karen sensed that those memories were upsetting to Virginia, and it was time to close this conversation. Before she left, she had one last question.

Karen: “Jennifer came across one of William’s journals where he mentions a “Snooki” - does that name mean anything to you?”

Virginia: “Oh, yes. "Snooki." That was his ‘special name’ for Ethel!”

Virginia had almost spat out the name “Snooki” it seemed to Karen. She closed her conversation with Virginia not wanting to upset her more.

Karen: “Thank you, so much, Virginia. It is about time for your supper. I appreciate you talking to me. We’ll talk again, another day.”

[To be continued - next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

August 1997 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

August 1997

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace.” Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in August of 1997.

Sheep waiting to be judged at the fair

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_show

The 118th Annual Oak Creek Valley Fair was held successfully on the first weekend in August yet again. What started as a one-day event those many years ago has grown to a four-day-event that attracts visitors from surrounding counties and across the four-state region. License plates were seen in the parking lot from 12 different states, as a matter of fact… and, of course, there could have been more over the four days. Held on the fairgrounds south of Patton Pond in the southwest corner of the city, the fair offers township residents an opportunity to show off their animals, crops and projects. The higher ranked entries can be assured of good placement at the upcoming county fair as well as the possibility of being selected for the State Fair.

Pioneer crafts from the 19th Century were a favorite of Fair visitors as they are every year. We all enjoy being reminded of the simpler (but not easier) times of our pioneer ancestors. A new exhibit this year that drew a lot of attention was that of the new Oak Springs Historical and Genealogical Society where a few of the family artifacts identified earlier in the year were on display along with family stories related to the artifacts.

Six different bands and musical groups took turns performing on the two stages set up at each end of the fairgrounds this year. The carnival was set up in the middle of the fairgrounds, as usual.

The Bevins Corporation announced in the Oak Springs Enterprise that Scott Gates, recent graduate of the Farm Operations program at the Ozarks Community College, had been named Assistant Farm Manager. In this role, he will be involved in the planning and direction of all farm related activities under General Manager, Bart Bevins. The Bevins Corporation is primarily involved in row crops, hay and pasture land management, and a large cow-calf operation.

Locals:

Virginia Hollingsworth was moved to the Serenity Nursing Home [http://homeplace.wikispaces.com/serenity] from the Oak Springs Regional Hospital [http://homeplace.wikispaces.com/hospital] where she had been undergoing care following a serious fall she took while gardening at her home in the east valley.

Late in month, Heather Gates, a junior at the local high school, was to present her FFA annual project at the FFA (Future Farmers of America) State Convention in Kansas City. She had received high praise for the project from her teacher and FFA advisor [http://thehomeplaceseries.blogspot.com/2015/03/may-1997-life-in-oak-springs-homeplace.html], and all her supporters wished her well at State.

Peter Bevins, Managing Director of the McDonald Conservancy, announced that two more persons had accepted appointment to the Board of Directors of the emerging Land Trust. One was a professor in the Biology Department at the State University and the other was a Regional Director of the Missouri Nature Conservancy organization.

Social Notes:

Dr. Raynor Crimmons welcomed his daughter, Randi, for a two-week visit from her home in the Washington, D.C. area, where she works for the Department of Defense. During the visit, they also spend a long weekend in southeastern Iowa visiting relatives and friends. While in Oak Springs, Randi said she especially enjoyed spending time with Karen, Lori and Matt Winslow with whom she grew up as a youngster in Tucson, Arizona. She added that she also enjoyed meeting and getting to know Matt’s wife, Susan, and their two children, Tyler and Emily.

Peter, Sheila, and Jeremy Bevins enjoyed a week of camping along the Buffalo River in northwestern Arkansas early in the month. It was their first out-of-town vacation since had Jeremy became part of the family last year. [Learn more about this in “Christmas at the Homeplace.”]

[http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Homeplace-William-Leverne-Smith/dp/1493510401/]

Cop Shop:

Local police were investigating a fire at the playground in Patton Park, in the southwest part of the city. It appeared that vandals had set fire to the wooden swing set as well as the rubber pelts on the ground about 9 p.m. last Thursday night. An empty container of flammable fluid was discovered near the fire. As of this reporting, no one had come forward with useful information on who may have set the fire or why.

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."




Dr. Bill  ;-)

Hometown Monday - K is for Karen, Kayla, Kevin, and Kim

Hometown Monday - K is for Karen, Kayla, Kevin, and Kim

We are continuing this series of posts of excerpts from the novels, novellas, and short stories of "The Homeplace Saga" family story-telling, with a new twist. We have adopted a format from the: "Blogging From A to Z Challenge." Each week we will share a published except related to a person whose name begins with that letter. 

This series of posts is to provide an insight into the story lines that may not be clear from other promotional pieces about "The Homeplace Saga." These will also be coordinated with the content of the developmental Wiki, "Beyond the Books" - to expand the information available there, as well. [Links in the text, below, provide more information on that person or entity]

Today we look at names beginning with the letter J - our most numerous first letter given name.

For K, we have (with one long excerpt, below):

Karen (Bevins) Winslow - major character, she opens "Christmas at the Homeplace," see below.

Kayla Inman - daughter of Travis and Laura Inman - he has not yet seen her in person, as "Christmas at the Homeplace" story begins...

Kevin Winslow -  youngest son of Karen - see excerpt, below

Kim Stone - Niece of Christopher Ogden

Today, we start using excerpts from our latest novel, "Christmas at the Homeplace," which was just released on Friday, October 25, 2013, now available at Amazon.com… for Christmas purchases:

[Click to go to Amazon page]

This excerpt is the opening of Chapter One from "Christmas at the Homeplace" is from Tuesday, October 22, 1996:

“My primary goal, right now, is to finally have all four of my children here, together, at once, for Christmas this year, 1996, for the first time since the funeral of their father in the summer of 1993.” Karen Bevins Winslow realized, as soon as she spoke the words, that she was speaking as much to herself as to her good friend and neighbor, Virginia Hollingsworth. 

They had returned to Karen’s Homeplace Country Inn apartment following the all-day October meeting of the Bevins Trust. This had been Virginia’s last meeting as a trustee having retired after serving all ten years of the existence of the trust set up after the death of Karen’s mother, Mildred McDonald Bevins.  Virginia had been a life-long friend of Mildred and a nearby country neighbor, as well. 

Virginia, thinking her friend Karen would mention something relating to her new role as Chair of the Bevins Trust Board of Trustees, had asked what was next in her life. So, after a moment of hesitation, she smiled and replied, “Good for you. I certainly hope and assume that goal will be met. Kevin did say he was coming, didn’t he?”

“Yes he did,” Karen responded, sitting her teacup down. “But he is so dedicated to that research project of his, I am still worried that something will happen to keep him in Tucson.” Since she and Jason had moved from Tucson, Arizona, to Oak Springs, Missouri, in 1987, their youngest son, Kevin, had finished high school, graduated from the University of Arizona and earned his PhD in Optical Sciences there. 

He was now a Research Scientist working on an important government-funded research project in Tucson in a university-related research lab. “I just must have faith, and keep in regular touch with him so that he does not get too involved at work, again, to keep him away this time.”

“I’m sure Matt and the girls will help you, as well.” Virginia wanted to be supportive, but also didn’t like to see Karen putting the entire onus on herself for this goal she had set. Sitting at the kitchen table in the apartment, they continued to talk about the plans Karen was making.

Matt was Karen’s oldest son, now 34, and Kevin her youngest at 26. The girls, Lori, 32, and Erin, 29, had come to her and Jason in between the two boys. Matt and his wife, Susie, had moved to Oak Springs from the Boston area earlier this year, in time to get their son, Tyler, enrolled in first grade. Tyler’s little sister was three-year-old Emily.

Virginia asked Karen, “Have you talked to either of your girls, lately?”

“I talk to Lori about every week or ten days, depending on her flight schedules. She knows I like to know where she is.” Lori became an airline flight attendant right out of college. Based in Los Angeles, her flights took her just about anywhere her airline flew. “It’s been a couple of weeks since I talked to Erin, actually… I should give her a call, get the latest on her pregnancy.” Mark and Erin now lived in Austin, Texas. 

“You were pretty excited when you got that news, I recall,” Virginia teased. “When they arrived for their Labor Day visit and Erin shared her news, I thought you were going to fly away on the wings of happiness, young lady!”

Karen beamed. “Yes, I suppose I might have. I knew how happy she and Mark were, and that made her 62-year-old mother very happy as well. Being a grandmother for the third time is still pretty special, at least to this one. The one sad note, of course, is that Jason isn’t here to enjoy it as well. He was so pleased to be a Grandpa when Tyler arrived. He was gone a few months before Emily joined us, of course.”

Jason Winslow had died in a car crash returning from Jefferson City on company business in early June of 1993. Emily was born late in September of that year.

"May each of us have a Homeplace to hold onto, if only in our minds."

Bill  ;-)